Chapter 23

After getting off the shower I opened up the computer. Ah, a miracle that investing points in intelligence somehow also improved my vision. I don't need glasses anymore.

I look up Knife Agency immediately. A big knife icon, similar to the contact info card, pops out in the google browser. The information pops out in the tab with its related artists, and also their major accomplishments.

The current owner is supposedly unknown, deciding to keep their life private. There are many theories on who it could be but none have been confirmed.

The owner is apparently a strange and whimsical person who does things to their own humor. It should be completely illogical that such an owner could bring up an agency like this.

I scroll down, and indeed as John said, the majority of their artists have had major successes. The ones that didn't are scant in numbers and were publicly dropped off by the agency due to a scandal or problems they caused.

Still, though, that does not explain why I was going to be recruited? I obviously have not shown any talents so it should be impossible for someone from a prestigious company like that to take interest in me.

I'm pretty handsome but they don't know if I'm at all talented at modeling and recruiting a 16-year-old should pose risks to their company. Did John perhaps know me from the now going viral piano videos?

He didn't show any signs of recognizing me though…

Well, I'm for sure probably going to attempt to be signed under this thing. Anyone even without the Achievement System would.

I scroll down a little more on the page to see their celebrities. Well yeah, some of them are so big name even Pangaea Charlie's heard of them a few times.

Most of them are handsome and the ones that are not, compensate by their sheer talent. Why would there be not handsome people in a modeling agency though? Is it just an idol company founded as a model agency? The article does indeed say the founder is a strange person.

Something that I've noticed that is in common with all of these artists is that they have had no major scandals apart from the occasional overdramatized rumor. Okay, so either the agency is really corrupt and blocks things out from media or the artists are just too well behaved. I want to believe the former more.

Or the artists know they will be dropped off if they're caught in a scandal? Who knows, I'll check in with John, and if it's one of the corrupt companies I'm sure I will not get associated with them.

The movies in this world seem to be of quality and there are some that slightly resemble ones in the past world but aren't the same.

Well, let's absolutely make sure once again there are no original works in this world again.

I look up a few movie names. Zero

Some songs. Zilch.

TV shows. Nil.

Books. Nothing.

Famous children's fables. Nada.

I look up Naruto and Dragon Ball, which are probably the most common anime and there's nothing either.

So no famous anime or comics either.

I didn't watch much but I knew that many people were obsessed with these. It seems people here are also obsessed with these things.

[Author Note: I dunno if I should have Charlie draw anime or comics. I don't watch anime at all and I'd probably have to do some extensive research on the side to successfully introduce some animes. If you guys do want to, I might need your help lol.]

I can completely dominate this world with all of the original successful works from the past.

It's just up to me to be able to execute them correctly since I already have the idea of the famous work. Of course, the system's skills shop will help me with this.

I bring my hands up to my head.

Am I on recruit difficulty?

…

I get out of my room. It's 7:00 PM right now. I'll just go ahead and cook dinner so my parents don't have to.

I check back on Charlotte's room and wake her up since napping too much will prevent her from sleeping at night.

She woke up with red bloodshot eyes and reached her hands out to me.

No Charlotte. I am not your Teddy Bear.

Not fully awake, she gets up and runs over into me.

What is she? Some drunkard?

I check under the bed. There's no hidden alcohol.

As I'm squatting on the floor checking for the alcohol, she puts me in a headlock hug.

....

I shook her up awake and asked her what she wanted for dinner.

I'm now in the kitchen wearing an apron turning on the rice cooker.

I'll just go simple with some side dishes.

[Ding!]

[Culinary skill has leveled up]

Ok. I am going to be the next Gordon Ramsay soon.

I've leveled up my Culinary skill quite a few times past these few days. It probably won't stay like this though, since I'm still very low level.

…

My parents come back and looked proud at the dishes I whipped up. As we ate, they praised me —maybe a little too much, but it was a hearty evening.

I ended up playing Chess with my dad again.

[Ding!]

[Skill; Chess, has been added to the host's arsenal!]

[Due to past knowledge and skill, Chess has automatically leveled up to level 43.]

I felt some moves connecting easier in my head and future moves immediately flowing.

Hoh, let's see how you win this time, father.

…

"GAH, ANOTHER ONE!" I yelled after losing on time for the second time. I began putting the pieces back in their starting spots.

Like me, he too was slightly sweating from the intensity of the flagging (spamming) moves but had a look of triumph and slight arrogance while staring at me.

Both games my father was winning most of the time but since it was blitz, he ended up blundering a few moves. On the contrary, I did not blunder much at all since the 14 points of intelligence fueled my brain like steroids.

If I just had a little more experience, I wouldn't need to waste trivial time on some moves and just automatically decipher them.

I'll win next time.

The four of us began playing cards again.

"I am going to get a job at the cafe near the school." I continued,

"It's a 37 dollar hourly salary and it'll just be waitering and some other stuff."

My parents were a little concerned, "A Job? Why do you need a job? Do you need to buy something?" Ah, if I told them they'd immediately go and buy it for me.

"I just want to gain some job experience."

"You don't have to worry about that for now and just focus on enjoying your last few highschool days." My parents countered.

"High school is the prime of youth." My father continued and nodded while reminiscing his old hot-blooded days. My mother grinned at him and he too grinned back at her.

They look back at me, "Just enjoy your youth for now."

Ah, I could do that.

I'll enjoy it some other way though.

I smile at them, "It's only 2 hours every Friday and I get to talk with friends and do something I like."

They stare at me for a few seconds while considering, "Are you absolutely sure you want to do it?" Charlotte just glanced between us.

"Yup."

"Okay… but if you need money just say so…"

"Also, what type of job is that? 37 dollars an hour?"

"Oh it's just a job in a cafe and I help the customers with some stuff."

"Oh.. alright. Just remember to tell us if you need anything though."

I thank them and I put the last set of cards.

"I win."

Their eyes widen and Charlotte takes hold of my arm while yelling, "Damnit Charlie!"

…

It's the next day and I wake up with a stretch.

I hummed a few lullabies last night and my voice doesn't feel as strained when speaking anymore. Does the great body passive also work on the voice?

I drink some warm honey water and do some morning vocal training in the bathroom.

…

The day was pretty uneventful and I just hung out with my friends. We did see my old friends getting in trouble and called in by the office.

The others childishly smirked at them while passing through the office and the troublemakers once again got heated.

An argument was once again going to break out but I just pulled back Arlo preventing him from saying anything else.

While I pulled him back, they stared at me and I stared back indifferently at them. They glanced away.

That single point of charm man…

…

After school, the cafe manager and I negotiated a little bit and came into terms and agreements pretty easily.

Since I'm 16 and in school, we had to adjust a few things but that was all.

Tomorrow I'd go in for two hours of my new job. They only really needed help in the hot hours which was right after school when students went to the cafe to hang out. That's also why I'm going to be playing the piano at that time.

[Author Note: Thank you all for reading once again!

A little slow-paced chapter but this is going to be one of the connecting turning points now.

Tomorrow's chapter will be slightly hectic and absolutely exciting!

See you guys in the comments!]