Chapter 1 - The Poor Painter

[Simulation ended]

[Script: Capital City Showdown]

[Progress: 21%]

[You've reached a mission node. Ability 'Ancient Meditation Method lv.1' unlocked]

[Settlement Rating: Caged Bird]

[In this decisive battle where three nations surrounded and crushed the Dias Empire, you abandoned your art for military service, only to be captured by an Imperial Inquisitor and thrown into her private prison cell. Although you ultimately succeeded in taking your own life, you underestimated just how twisted that Inquisitor truly was... But none of that matters anymore, does it?]

[Ancient Meditation Method: The last surviving lineage of ancient meditation techniques. Its efficiency in accumulating spiritual energy is far slower than modern methods, and its learning difficulty is insanely high. Yet compared to today's specialized techniques, it carries a certain weight of history...]

“What a 'weight of history'...”

Rubbing her small head, Kaelis stared at the panel floating before her, still feeling a little dazed.

Looking at the ability she'd finally unlocked, the girl couldn't help but sighed.

“What good is this?”

From the name, it sounds like something related to the supernatural... meaning this world truly did have supernatural powers.

Knowing that fact surprised Kaelis a little, but...

Could a supernatural being skip meals?

Gloomily pushing herself up from the rolled-up blanket, Kaelis rubbed her growing stomach.

She got down from the bed and carefully fished several baked potatoes she'd left in the nearly extinguished coal fire the night before.

The potatoes' surfaces were slightly charred, but still edible.

Wiping off some of the soot with her gray clothes, Kaelis sat on the floor, legs pressed together, and slowly began nibbling at the potato.

As she ate, she surveyed her surroundings.

The dilapidated room had been carefully cleaned. Besides the one still-usable bed, dry twigs she'd collected were neatly stacked in a corner. The sack that held potatoes was nearly empty, leaning lifelessly against the wall.

Beyond that, half the wall had already collapsed. Kaelis could easily see the outside world through the large opening.

In the vast city, buildings towered, but not the steel forests she was familiar with. Instead, it resembled a slightly fantastical medieval city...

But not entirely medieval.

Silently swallowing the dry, tasteless potato, Kaelis looked at the half-remaining potato in hand, losing her appetite. After a long pause, she cautiously dipped the potato into a bit of plain wood ash, finding it slightly tastier, then continued chewing slowly.

It has been over a month since her transmigration. Kaelis had gradually come to understand her current situation.

She was now in the capital of a country still under feudal rule.

This nation had only gained independence a little over a decade ago. Before that, it and the other two countries belonged to an empire called Dias. Due to the empire's prolonged tyranny and consecutive natural disasters, the stressed kingdoms united, overthrew the Dias Empire, and entered a tripartite standoff.

The country Kaelis was in was Kerkor Kingdom, the weakest of the three.

Yet, strictly speaking “weakest,” from Kaelis's perspective with historical knowledge, Kerkor might actually be the strongest.

Because it had already entered the First Industrial Revolution era.

The invention of the steam engine gave this country, despite lacking rich mineral resources or vast plains, the potential to compete with the other two nations...

But what did that have to do with Kaelis?

As a painter who'd transmigrated, body and soul, she had neither connections nor capital, nor suitable professional knowledge. The only skill she could boast was painting...

Kaelis was quite confident about that... After all, she'd once been hailed as a prodigy. Although she couldn't create original works, her understanding of aesthetics, mastery of color, and grasp of form were nothing short of miraculous!

With just one glance, there wasn't a single painting in this world she couldn't replicate!

Those subtle differences in hue, those unique brushstroke variations, given the will, Kaelis could produce a sister piece to any famous artwork in existence!

And with just the naked eyes, no one could distinguish any difference in artistic quality!

With such an ability, Kaelis was confident she could carve out a place for herself in this other world... By repeatedly reproducing famous masterpieces, she should at least gain some recognition...

But she clearly underestimated one issue.

Most people in the world actually have aesthetic sense.

Especially in Kerkor, where as an ordinary person with no background, the newly rich she could access had no taste, only chasing fame, while the old-money aristocrats with refined tastes remained beyond her reach.

This results in Kaelis remaining, up to now, nothing more than an obscure, down-on-her-luck painter.

As for that system... It wasn't completely useless, but it might as well have been.

Its only function was to show Kaelis, once a week, the final battle of the three nations destroying Dias. Then, based on her survival time, it calculates progress and unlocked rewards accordingly.

Settlement milestones were at 20%, 50%, and 100%.

She'd finally unlocked her first reward, but...

“This meditation method... seems related to some supernatural power, meaning supernatural forces truly exist here. But... this has nothing to do with me right now.”

Her immediate priority was simply surviving!

“I heard the neighboring kingdom is going to raise grain export prices again recently. I should stock up on a few bags when I return today.”

Counting her meager savings, Kaelis sighed again.

When she studied painting, she'd heard that suffering creates art...

But... this was just too damn hard!

But there was no choice. No matter how hard or exhausting it was, life had to go on.

After barely finishing one potato and temporarily easing her hunger, Kaelis tidied herself up quickly.

“I'll look at that meditation method later... Right now, my top priority is securing a stall.”

Her home supply of potatoes was almost gone. The cheap potatoes she found could only be sold one bag at a time...

If today's earnings went normally, she should still be able to buy a bag before prices rose.

Pulling her small cart, Kaelis was about to head out when she turned back.

“Oh... Almost forgot.”

She pulled a piece of veil from the corner, put it on, then continued out the door.

Crossing the bridge spanning two districts, dodging arrogant carriages, avoiding filth on the ground, after over an hour of walking, Kaelis finally reached her destination just before noon.

But...

“Sorry, you're late. It's already full.”

The security officer was a veteran over seventy. Looking at the girl whose charm was partially concealed but still undeniable, he shook his head slightly.

“Full?”

Kaelis froze, her face instantly turning bitter.

Selling at a stall was the only business Kaelis could do right now...

She looked up, glancing at the distant clock tower.

“I arrived an hour earlier than usual... At this time, there should still be over a dozen spots left..."

Unwilling to accept it, she turned her head toward the market entrance.

Some spots were clearly still empty?

“...Don't ask too much. It's better for both of us.”

The old soldier shook his head, evasive.

Seeing Kaelis still unwilling to leave, he lowered his voice.

“The Sea Voyage Association has come here recently... The market is technically first-come, first-served, but... you know their style.”

After speaking, the old man also looked up cautiously, scanning the surroundings to ensure no one else overheard.

Hearing the name “Sea Voyage Association,” Kaelis could only feel helpless.

Every place had its thugs and ruffians, especially in a kingdom where law enforcement wasn't particularly strong, such people were even more numerous here.

They formed gangs in groups of three or five, bullying others. Although they didn't dare openly collect protection fees or such, they used their numbers to forcibly claim territory. Most people, faced with this, had no recourse but to accept their misfortune.

But Kaelis's current emergency didn't allow her to skip selling today...

So...

“I'll have to go see if there's space over there, then.”

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