Baby Pharmacist Princess

Inside the claw machine were glass capsules protected by a shatterproof spell. For 100 gems, you could randomly get one.

The capsules often had useless items, but occasionally there were valuable or useful ones.

The rarest one was the ‘Dragon Staff!’

A staff that, like a magic wand, could grant your wishes when you struck it on the ground. You could use it a hundred times, so many players spent a lot of gems trying to get it.

I was one of them.

“Wanna try your luck?”

“Would you like to? Here, here! 100 gems received!”

Cha-ching!

As soon as I heard the sound of gems being taken, I reached out and turned the lever.

It was a bit stiff, but I turned it all the way, and a glass capsule rolled out.

‘Please, something useful!’

Thump-thump.

I grabbed the capsule tightly and twisted it open.

Inside was a small figure that would return to its original size when needed…

“Ugh.”

What is this? A rope ladder?

“You’ve got a sturdy rope ladder that won’t break even if it holds a ton! Congratulations!”

“What use is this!”

My precious 100 gems!

Feeling defeated, I sniffled and decided to activate my treasure chest first.

I didn’t know when I’d use this rope ladder, but maybe I’d need it in an emergency.

[Activating the treasure chest requires 50 million gems. Proceed?]

[Yes/No]

Yes.

As soon as I nodded, light gathered before me, and a sparkling treasure chest appeared.

It looked just like a treasure chest should.

I opened it and put the rope ladder figure inside.

“Would you like to try again?”

“Is it free?”

“Oh, nothing is free in life! Nope!”

“Then no.”

“Please, just one more time… I’m starving with no customers these days!”

Why is he suddenly appealing to my emotions?

“Alright, alright, if you put in 100 gems, I’ll let you draw two.”

“Well, if you insist…”

I had enough gems left…

[♡50,450 gems♡]

Yes. I have enough, so let’s try again.

I paid 100 gems and turned the lever again, but this time, I turned it twice as promised.

Soon, I was sitting on a nearby bench, holding two glass capsules.

My heart pounded, making it hard to open them quickly.

‘Oh, this is why claw machines are so thrilling.’

What could be inside?

The good thing about having two is that even if one is disappointing, there’s still another one.

With trembling hands, I opened the first capsule.

Squish…

The item felt soft and suddenly smelled delicious.

“Bread?!”

Why bread all of a sudden?

I tore off a small piece, unable to resist the mouth-watering scent.

“…Oh?”

Before I could eat it, the torn piece started to grow.

Now I had two pieces of bread in my hand.

“Sir, what’s this?”

“That’s the bread that multiplies when you tear it. It’s a miracle bread!”

“How do you eat it?”

“Just put it in your mouth and chew. It won’t grow then.”

“Got it.”

What an amazing bread.

With this, I’ll never starve.

“How many pieces can it multiply into?”

“Hmm, I haven’t counted, but probably around 100 pieces.”

That’s a lot.

I nodded and took a bite of the bread.

‘Delicious!’

It wasn’t as fancy as the pastries from the royal palace, but pure bread was tasty on its own.

I eagerly munched on the bread and opened the next capsule.

“Mmm, what’s this.”

With bread in my mouth, my words were unclear.

But the man easily understood and explained with dramatic gestures.

“That’s the Spark of Fire! It’s just gray now, but that’s the shell. Peel it off and throw it into logs, and flames will burst out!”

“…Are you selling survival essentials?”

Kind of feels like it.

“Ahem, it’s not leftover stock!”

…Definitely leftover stock.

‘Well, it could be useful if I ever end up stranded alone waiting for rescue.’

Not that it would happen!

“Come back again!”

The cheerful Dragon Man waved as I left, and I nodded politely.

No more gems to waste, so it’s time to go buy what I need.

Next target: the large general store in the middle of the alley!

‘I’m sure they’ll have save point darts there.’

It’s the biggest and most popular general store in this area.

I confirmed the sign, pushed open the door, and heard a bell ring.

The owner, reading the Dragon Daily, jumped up when they saw me.

“Welcome… Oh my, a human! It’s been so long since I’ve seen a human!”

“Hello.”

I politely clasped my hands at my belly and bowed.

All the shop owners here are dragons.

If you offend them, you might end up on a blacklist and be unable to buy anything in the market again.

So you always have to be polite.

Dragons are strict about manners, especially respect for elders.

‘When that setting was revealed, people called them Confucian Dragons.’

I remembered that and spoke very politely again.

In places like this, you have to haggle!

And to haggle, you need a touching story.

“I came here to buy a gift for my grandfather.”

In a tearful voice.

With a granddaughter-like, cute gesture!

Just as I was about to start my haggling engine…

‘…What’s that?’

I noticed something strange.

At my eye level, in a corner almost invisible to adults…

I saw a familiar medicine.

“X-Corux?”

Oops!

I was so surprised that I muttered in disbelief.

I quickly coughed and looked away from the box I just discovered.

‘I’m really curious why X-Corux is here. Why do dragons need digestive medicine so badly?’

I should keep quiet.

Showing interest might raise the price.

‘Look at the dust on that box.’

It seems like I can get it cheap.

In these cases, you have to act uninterested.

‘Ahem.’

The shop owner, with vertically slit pupils typical of dragons, had two horns on their forehead.

It means they’re an adult.

Hatchlings only have one horn even in human form.

“A gift for your grandfather?”

“Yes!”

I answered energetically.

Of course, it’s a lie.

What I really need is a save point dart.

‘But, well, if there’s something useful for grandfather, I’ll buy it.’

Like an antihistamine or something.

‘I went to see Idsys today, but they didn’t say anything.’

So grandfather’s condition must be the same.

“Pick anything you like. It’s wonderful that you have such a heart. My grandchildren don’t even show their faces.”

She’s a grandmother, not a sister!

I regretted assuming her age just by her appearance.

Well, she could look about forty and still be a grandmother!

My great-great-grandfather is like that too.

‘But let’s call her sister. She’d probably prefer that.’

I wandered around the shelves, looking for what I needed.

My golden hair swayed with every step.

‘On the lowest shelf…’

I paused.

I was rummaging around the X-Corux box when I found something and opened my mouth wide.

‘Why are there so many medicines?!’

And they’re all familiar brands.

There are various over-the-counter medicines.

‘This game is unnecessarily realistic?’

I blinked and reached out for well-known ointments, antacids, pain relievers, and antibiotic pills.

There’s even a fast-acting asthma inhaler.

I want to take them all.

Seeing them all piled up like this, they must be sold cheaply.

‘These would be much more effective than any so-called blessings.’

They’re scientifically proven by numerous experts.

‘And… What’s this?’

Antihistamines!

I resisted the urge to shout, “Eureka!!!”

Normally, surrounded by so many medicines, I never appreciated their value. But in this game world, they seemed more precious than diamonds.

No, they really are more precious.

You can mine diamonds, but you can’t find these even in the royal palace.

‘I want to buy them all.’

But 10-billion-debt Cherry doesn’t have that kind of money!

Sigh.

“Excuse me.”

“Yes?”

“What’s this?”

“Oh, those?”

I calmed myself down and pretended to have just casually noticed the medicines.

I have to act like I don’t know what they are or their effects.

If they know I understand their value, they’ll try to sell them at a high price!

“Brought them from far away, but they’re not very useful. Why, are you interested?”