[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-idle-tycoon-system":3,"chapter-idle-tycoon-system-idle-tycoon-system-chapter-20":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Idle Tycoon System",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1828016,2431,"Chapter 20: Valeria, A lesson.","idle-tycoon-system-chapter-20",20,"\u003Cp>After Woodrow left, the bell above the door chimed again ten minutes later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dingling\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, a very familiar face appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noah stood up from his crate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Valeria...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The red-haired guild captain who'd scammed him into a discount for his first-ever sale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman who'd introduced him to this world's economy by threatening him with a knife.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I'm not getting scammed again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He plastered on his best customer service smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Valeria's mouth twitched, looking at his expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What's with that smile, baker? Do you hate me or something?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hate you? Never!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just delighted to see my favourite customer.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Valeria snorted, approaching the counter with the confidence of someone who owned the place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her silver wolf emblem gleamed on her armour as she surveyed the shop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"New product?\" She nodded toward the glass bottles of iced tea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Indeed. It's iced tea. It increases mana reserves and regeneration by thirty percent for ten minutes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes narrowed with interest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How much for a loaf of bread and an iced tea?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just, Thirteen gold coins.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Valeria barked a laugh. \"Thirteen? Your bread is three!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The tea is more complex,\" Noah replied, already retrieving both items from the shelf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Aren't you a knight? Why would you want it anyway?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's not for me,\" Valeria tapped her guild emblem. \"It's for my mages. If it works, we'll place regular orders.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another potential bulk customer. Business is booming!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thirteen coins total,\" Noah said brightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Valeria leaned against the counter, her expression shifting into negotiation mode. \"Thirteen? After I brought you the princess? A royal customer? You owe your success to me, baker.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And I'm eternally grateful,\" Noah countered smoothly. \"That's why I gave you a substantial discount on your first purchase.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes narrowed. \"Five gold for both.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thirteen.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Eight.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fourteen.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Valeria drummed her fingers on the counter, then her eyes lit up with a new strategy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Baker, why don't I teach you swordsmanship?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Here we go, another scam.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm rather satisfied with my current skills,\" Noah replied immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thirteen golden coins,\" he repeated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indignation flashed across her face. Many would kill to learn under her, but this baker wasn't.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Baker, you are new to Esta. You haven't heard of me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She unsheathed her sword in one fluid motion, it was too fast for Noah to even flinch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm an Adept swordswoman.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pride colored her voice and face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's not something just anyone achieves.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noah raised an eyebrow. \"Adept?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Four ranks exist in Esta's martial traditions.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Valeria ran her finger along the flat side of her blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Novices stumble through basic forms, usually cutting themselves more than opponents. Apprentices survive their first real fights. Adepts...they master combat as an art\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She twirled the sword in complex motions that left a faint trail of light\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The display was impressive, even to Noah's untrained eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And beyond Adept?\" he asked, genuinely curious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Masters create new techniques. Grandmasters change how warfare itself functions.\" Her expression softened slightly. \"I've met two Masters in my life. Never a Grandmaster.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>System, is this worth considering?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[It depends on the host. If the host wants to go out more without worrying about the pain penalty of dying, then learning a skill like swordsmanship would be useful inside this world.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fine,\" Noah decided. \"I'll do it. But I'll only give you a gold coin discount.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Valeria sheathed her sword. \"Make it two.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'll give you two lessons.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noah weighed his options.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Basic sword skills might actually be useful, especially with the demons attacking the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Valeria's smile was pure victory. \"Smart choice, baker. Eleven coins for tea, bread, and two private lessons from an Adept? You are winning.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After giving her the bread and tea, Valeria took them and placed the eleven golden coins on the counter with a clink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you free for lessons now?\" Her eyes shone with mischief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noah hesitated before nodding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright, let's go,\" Valeria smirked, already heading for the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noah grabbed a loaf of bread from the shelf and tucked it into his jacket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You never know what could happen outside. Better prepared than sorry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He followed her out, closing the shop door behind him with a sense of foreboding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Silver Wolf Guild hall appeared in front of him, a sturdy stone building with a wolf's head carved above the entrance. Guards nodded respectfully as Valeria approached.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Training yards in the back,\" she called over her shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noah hurried to keep pace. \"I thought maybe we'd start with some theory first? Maybe a lecture on proper sword etiquette?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Valeria laughed at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What's so funny?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Theory gets you killed. We learn by doing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The training yard opened before them—a packed-dirt rectangle surrounded by weapon racks, training dummies, and benches where off-duty guild members watched him with obvious interest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His clothes were things they hadn't seen before. Furthermore, he was following their leader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Everyone, this is Noah the Baker,\" Valeria announced. \"He's learning swordplay. Don't kill him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A chorus of chuckles greeted this announcement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Reassuring,\" Noah muttered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Valeria approached a weapons rack, selecting a battered iron shortsword. She tossed it toward Noah, who flinched aside, letting it clatter to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"First lesson failed,\" she sighed. \"Always catch your weapon.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noah eyed the sword with suspicion. \"Can't we start with something less... lethal? A stick, maybe?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This isn't garden play,\" Valeria countered, hefting her own steel blade. \"Real enemies use real weapons.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And real weapons cause real death,\" Noah pointed out. \"Which I'm trying to avoid.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their staring contest lasted ten seconds before Valeria relented with an eye-roll. She replaced the iron sword and retrieved two wooden training blades from a nearby barrel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fine. Wouldn't want to damage the princess's favorite baker.\" She tossed one to Noah, who managed to catch it this time. \"Happy?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ecstatic.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",961,"2026-06-09T06:05:14.055Z",1,"novelbin.me","1e1d4bfffa2546ef4ee339654ccf3800f3c4bb13b8e41fd409653229459c5814","idle-tycoon-system-chapter-21","idle-tycoon-system-chapter-19",438,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fidle-tycoon-system-cover.jpg"]