The Bookkeeper - Chapter 3: Mana

“I never spent a dime from your debt, you both lost it gambling always…” Another slap landed on Astrid's face and this came from none other than her dad, Josh.“You ungrateful brat, it's only the request I am pleading for,” Josh let out and then a sardonic smile escaped her lips.She wiped the tears from her face and now stood from the ground.“I am not going to get married to a man old enough to be my father.” she declared firmly this time not avoiding eye contact with her dad that much.“What?” Josh's voice countered.“Why for once can't you love me?” She cried out her hands moving to her chest as she tried to hold in her tears.Josh moved closer to her, lifting her by her chin roughly, “Then do this one favor for me and save us from losing everything I have ever worked for,” His voice was a bit calm but stern, one could tell he didn't care about Astrid.********Astrid Daniels who is hated by everyone and is known as the faso of family is forced to get married to the man arranged by her father to protect his company from plummeting and also help in paying his debt.She refused but then was told by her dad that he would help pay for her mum’s surgery if she was doing his wish.Since she was a high school drop she couldn't get a good job to pay for her mum's surgery so she needed to agree to her dad’s proposal.On the day of her wedding ceremony with the older man, things turn around when she goes into the wrong hall and gets married to one of the richest men in their city and also her crush.What fate do you think awaits her?

On one dark night in Tokyo, japanInside an abandoned factory…Shizuka Marikawa, a working woman was returning from her work but ran into an unfortunate situation where she almost lost something more precious than her own life but got saved at the last second by someoneShe couldn't help but look at the boy in front of her with wide-opened eyes as she was too stunned to speakAll she could do was stare at a boy with white hair soaked in blood as Around him was nothing but corpses of humans he just killedAnd From this instant, she instantly knew the boy was not human at all because, unlike humans, he had one red eye as he had some weird things coming from his back which he used to pierce through human chests with ease‘monster’ Shizuka Inwardly said this as this was the only answer to her questions even though she said this but she somehow also knew he wouldn't harmShizuka is someone who has always been able to read the intentions of other people from their faces due to events that keep happening in her life which is the reason can tell this boy or a monster moreover she found nothing in his eyes but sadness and painMaking him very pitiful in her eyes, since even though he himself is in so much pain and sadness and even then he is saving herIn her eyes, He is not only Pitiful but also very kind“Please come with me!” Shizuka blurted it out unconsciously even though she had no idea what she was saying because she said it instinctivelyOr maybe she knew? She just knows she can't leave him alone otherwise this boy will be all alone as she decided to take him with HerThe boy couldn't help but look at the woman with a cold graze even though it seemed cold but inside he was very confused as he was even considering a woman's mental healthUnknowingly at this moment, the boy made a bond that he never imagined in his entire lifeUnfortunately for them, his and Shizuka's lives will be totally flipped upside down soon due to unseen events..…

I’m not a gamer. In fact, I barely touched games—never had the time or interest.I’m a 23-year-old college dropout, part-time construction worker, and full-time avoider of adult responsibilities.That is, until my little sister nagged me into trying a romance simulation game called Echoes of the Crimson Throne.I played it. Liked it more than I expected. I even completed it.And the next thing I knew… I woke up inside the game.Not as the hero.Not even as a love interest.I was now the personal attendant of Alice Draken—the villainess, the Prince’s fiancée, and the iron-fisted Ruler of the North.A woman whose downfall was guaranteed... unless I do something about it.

In 2030, an anomaly transpired, and aliens invaded the earth! At this age where the world was about to be destroyed, the top talents of mankind gathered from all over the world to develop a holographic game called Miracle. All humans on Earth would enter this game and battle against foreign invaders through holographic simulation. After Mike entered this game, he unexpectedly discovered that he could actually see all kinds of hidden information.

[Beginner-tier Exotic Beast, Level: 1, Status: Weak…]

[Boss-tier Exotic Beast, Level: 10, Status: Berserk...]

[Overlord-tier Exotic Beast, Level: 15, Status: Idle. Will drop a piece of SSS-grade weapon when killed... ]

[Old wooden crate with hidden SSS-grade equipment...]

From then on, Mike used the system to quickly level up in Miracle. Gradually, when he looked back, he had become the world’s greatest existence!