Chapter 18 : New function [Online commission]

"…That's it."

Knight delivered Igneel's message to Natsu.

Natsu's face softened as he took a deep breath and smiled. "I get it now. Thanks, Nate!"

He placed a hand over his chest, as if he could feel Igneel's presence within him. After a moment, his usual grin returned. "By the way, want to team up with me?"

Knight inwardly groaned. He had only brought up Igneel to avoid teaming up, and here he was, back at square one. Why did everyone want to team up with him? Couldn't he just slack off in peace?

"I've got to work on improving the Internet," Knight said, trying to wriggle out of it. "I won't have time for missions for a while. Why don't you and Gray team up?"

He turned toward Gray, attempting to shift the focus away from himself. But no sooner had he spoken than the system window appeared in his mind.

[Task: Improve the magic Internet and develop a new function.]

[Reward: 10,000 magic rings.]

[Bonus reward: Depends on the completion of the new function.]

Knight blinked. A task had triggered, seemingly because he'd mentioned improving the Internet. The reward—10,000 magic rings—was enough to make his head spin. If he got that many new users, his magic power would grow much faster than it currently was.

"New function, huh?" Knight mused. An idea sparked in his mind, and he quickly excused himself. "Actually, I've got something important to take care of. Catch you guys later!"

Natsu and Gray exchanged confused glances as Knight made his escape.

"You want to team up with me?" Gray asked, crossing his arms.

"Like I'd team up with you, ice-for-brains!" Natsu shot back.

"No way I'm working with you, fire idiot!"

And with that, their bickering resumed.

Back in his apartment, Knight immediately activated his magic programming tools. He already knew what he wanted to create.

"Online commissions!" he muttered to himself, fingers flying over the interface. "Move the guild's bulletin board to the Internet. This way, people can accept tasks even when they're not in the guild."

His mind raced with possibilities. "If I take it a step further, clients could even communicate with the guild directly through the magic network and submit their requests online."

Knight's vision expanded. He wasn't just making an online platform—he was laying the foundation for something bigger. Once it grew, both the guild and the platform would profit.

He grinned at the thought of becoming the richest wizard on the continent.

"And it's simple," he said, leaning back in his chair. "I could have this done in two days, tops!"

Time flew by as he got lost in his work.

That evening, a knock on the door pulled him out of his concentration. He didn't need to open it; his Six Eyes had already sensed the magical presence on the other side.

"Come in, Lucy. It's not locked."

The door clicked open, and Lucy entered, carrying a tray of food. She glanced at Knight, who was still at his tea table, working hard.

"I made dinner for you," she said with a smile. "I didn't know what you liked, so I made some of my favorite dishes."

"Thanks," Knight said, accepting the food without hesitation. He took a bite and was pleasantly surprised. "Not bad! You're a great cook."

Lucy beamed at the compliment, the first she had ever received for her cooking. It reminded her of her father, who had always dismissed her efforts, telling her cooking was a maid's job.

Pushing aside the bittersweet memories, Lucy sat beside Knight, her curiosity piqued by the magical tool he was working on. "What's this?" she asked, her big eyes full of wonder.

Knight paused mid-bite. How could he explain programming to someone unfamiliar with it? "It's… a magic tool to build the Internet."

"Oh… What are you working on right now?" Lucy asked.

Knight briefly explained his idea about the online commission system. Lucy's eyes widened in amazement.

"That sounds so convenient!" she exclaimed. "You're a genius, Nate! You're strong, handsome, and now you're smart too? That's so unfair!"

Knight rolled his eyes. "You're the daughter of the Heartfilia family. Aren't you the last person who should be talking about unfairness?"

Lucy froze. "How… how do you know that?"

She hadn't told him about her background. Could they have met at some fancy event when they were younger? Was Knight from a wealthy family, too?

"I guessed," Knight said with a smirk.

"No fair!" Lucy pouted. Then she clasped her hands together, eyes pleading. "Please, Knight, keep it a secret! I ran away from home, and if my father finds out, he'll drag me back!"

Knight nodded. "Don't worry. I won't say anything."

But in his mind, he knew that her father, one of the wealthiest people in Fiore, would probably find out soon enough. He had too many connections for her to stay hidden forever.

"Thank you!" Lucy said, visibly relieved. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "By the way, Mira recommended a mission to me earlier. It's pretty beginner-friendly."

Knight glanced at the mission details. The request was simple: go to Duke Abar's mansion, steal a book called Sunrise, and destroy it. The reward was 200,000 J.

It seemed easy enough, but Knight recognized the mission—it was Lucy's first quest from the original story. He couldn't forget Duke Abar's… unique taste in aesthetics.

"So…?" Lucy asked, noticing the look in Knight's eyes. "We're both new to the guild. How about we tackle this mission together?"

Knight felt a slight headache coming on. Natsu, Gray, and now Lucy—all of them wanted to team up with him. Would Erza come back one day and ask to team up as well?

Lucy, sensing his hesitation, quickly laid out her plan. "I'll apply as a maid to distract the Duke, and you can sneak in and grab the book! It's perfect!"

Knight tried to come up with an excuse, but when he met her eager eyes, he couldn't bring himself to turn her down.

"You could ask Natsu…"

"No way! Miss Mira recommended you specifically," Lucy insisted. "She said Natsu's too destructive."

Ah, so that's what this is about. My reputation is too good, Knight thought with a mix of amusement and exasperation. He sighed inwardly.

"Looks like I'm too popular for my own good."

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