Ranking System

[Claire POV]

I'm lost... After my farewell party, I traveled to the hub provided by the system. Now that I think about it, what world does Charles live in? It started with the letter E. Eurth... Eirt..? Dirt...? No, it started with an E, that's right. It was Earth. I thought it was a weird name, honestly.

Going to the hub, I found myself in an unfamiliar area. The hub was a place that was created by the system. Who knows how many people live in a place like this? The population of this place was too high for anyone to count.

People from other worlds would use this place as a marketing business; because of this, the universal hub currency is the main currency used by all worlds.

I haven't been in the hub much, but looking around, I couldn't help but be overwhelmed. My mentor told me to find a place that had a world shuttle if I ever wanted to visit the world that I wanted.

These merchants should be able to tell me where a world shuttle is. As long as I buy something, they should respond to my question.

Going to an open stall that sold something I wanted, I went to the approachable lady that sold the brooch.

I couldn't believe that a store sold something this pretty. The pink-colored gem with the silver lining matched well with my hair. Who knew that I would find something like this so soon?

"Excuse me. How much does this brooch cost? The price tag hasn't been listed."

The lady at the counter had a smile on her face once she saw the brooch in my hand.

"I didn't expect anyone to find it. Since you found it, then it must be fated with you. There's no price for it."

"Are you sure?"

I couldn't believe my luck. I never thought something would be given to me in a store for free. She nodded her head and told me that I could keep it.

"Thank you very much!"

Thanking the businesswoman, I left the store. With the brooch in my hand, I took a pocket out of my storage ring and neatly attached it to my hair.

Having to put the brooch on perfectly, I stared at my reflection and nodded happily, satisfied with what I had bought.

What was I supposed to do? Ah! That's right. I was supposed to ask the businesswoman where the world shuttle was.

Should I go back? I felt too embarrassed to do so. After receiving the brooch in my hair, I lost the will to return.

~

After an hour's worth of shopping, I didn't expect the hub to have so many items. I couldn't contain my surprise seeing what the place had in store.

My stomach rumbled after scavenging around the hub. The food here looked delicious once I walked around.

"Could I get a fruitopia?"

Alraune had it easy with their food choices. A fruit is equivalent to a lump of meat for most races. We Alraune aren't much of a race that eats, but a few fruits should do the trick.

"Here you go."

The man handed me the food as I paid him through the system. Sitting down on a bench, I enjoyed my food. I wish Charles could have joined me for today's adventure.

But to do that, I had to go to his world... I couldn't believe what I had done! Shock couldn't be hidden from my face.

I totally forgot about asking where the world shuttle is. Mom told me that I was a scatterbrain! My head started to hurt once I started to overthink.

"Um... Are you alright?"

Looking at the voice, I could see the voice man speaking to me. Worried about my current condition, he asked. I was surprised to see a Marshmellion race.

The Marshmellion is a race that is made entirely out of sugar. There were instances where they were eaten alive. There was no time for me to think about them. I needed to look for a space shuttle!

"Do you know where I could find a world shuttle?"

"A world shuttle? There should be one to the left of us if you walk straight forward for twenty minutes."

A god-sent miracle dawned upon me. I hugged the Marshmellion man and ran to the left. The path to the world shuttle was pretty close.

The directional path helped a lot. I wonder why I haven't found one earlier with directional assistance.

Upon arriving at a place that used the world shuttle, the place was designed much differently than any other place I had seen.

"Hello... Could I travel to Earth with one of these shuttles?"

"Please wait one minute."

The employee for the store used a computer to assist with my needs. Done with what she said, she gave me a disappointed look.

"The place where you want to travel is having a disturbance. You might have to wait weeks before you can travel there."

"I'm sorry."

"..."

~

Weeks... A few weeks shouldn't take long. I returned a week and two days later and saw the same employee.

"Is the world Earth available?"

"Let me check for one moment."

This time I could see a shocked expression coming from her face. What had happened to her face to make this expression?

"The world Earth is preparing to rank up. It would fuse with two worlds. Not only is it dangerous to travel now, but the world might not be called Earth anymore. You would've to wait a while longer before you could travel to that world."

Hearing the employee's words, I couldn't believe what she had said. A world ranking up is a rare phenomenon. What's the chance of it coming once I want to travel there?

"Thanks for checking..."

A sigh could be heard in my voice. Should I start taking jobs? Over the weeks, I may have overspent my funds.

I can't be blamed when the hub sells many irresistible items. And for these remaining weeks, I found a temporary place to work.

Charles, just wait! This setback won't stop me any time soon! Even if the world sets us apart!