Chapter 4: Want to… sell yourself?

Lucky, because I’m alive.

Unlucky, because I’m a complete… weakling.

…And since my bloodline is Phoenix, calling myself a weak chick is honestly too fitting.

I thought glumly.

Whether it’s stamina, strength, or mental energy, I feel weaker than the average person—

Sure, with my current memories, I can blend into this society, but… what the hll can I do now?!!

And… I’m flat broke!

Seriously, no money! I pawned my last bit of jewelry already, and all I’ve got left is two silver coins and nine coppers! The only food left was that slice of black bread!

The rent due in ten days is one hundred silver coins! One black bread costs one copper, and one hundred silver coins equal one thousand coppers! I’m already two months behind on rent, so if I can’t pay, there’s no escaping.

If I don’t come up with the rent in ten days, I’ll probably end up pinned down by that fat landlord, locked in some dark room as his plaything until he gets bored and sells me to a brothel or slave trader. They’d use me until I’m broken, and even then, they might not let me die easily.

No fcking way I’m letting that happen!

I felt a surge of panic.

As a former man, I know exactly what’ll happen if I can’t pay, but with my current state, there’s little I can do—

And I need more money now.

I looked at the two eggs on the bed, sitting cross-legged, staring at them for a long while.

“No money, I can’t even feed myself… How am I supposed to take care of you two?”

Tired and hungry, I gazed at the red and purple egg babies, muttering to myself.

Phoenix eggs are from a top-tier magical beast, so they don’t just hatch on their own—parents have to incubate them, and they need to be fed magic crystals from other beasts.

The stronger the bloodline, the more resources they need. Even though laying the eggs eased the strain on my body, they still need proper nourishment—or they could become dead eggs.

But… high-tier magic crystals are insanely expensive. I can’t even pay rent…

That fat landlord is a big shot with connections. If I run, I’d have to live in the slums, and with my weak body and two eggs, the outcome in a place like that would be grim.

I felt a wave of frustration—Su Mengmeng, how could you be so naive? Even if the jewelry you brought was limited, it was high-end noble stuff. Selling just one piece could’ve kept you comfortable for a while.

But this foolish girl didn’t know their value and got ripped off every time she pawned something.

“My God…”

Recalling Su Mengmeng’s actions, I felt a headache coming on.

“…Whatever. I’m Su Mengmeng now, so no matter how big this mess is, I’ve got to clean it up.”

Rubbing my head, I muttered after a moment of frustration.

First, I need to make money!

I’m not letting that pig landlord pin me down in ten days! No one’s treating me like some helpless woman!

Sure, he’s just a normal guy, but with his massive size and my current state, I can’t fight back—

Run away overnight? With so little luggage, I could sneak off, but I’d still need money… and there’s the kids.

I turned to look at the two egg babies lying quietly on the bed.

No matter what, I have to keep them with me.

This city, Blackshine City, sounds impressive, but it’s on the outskirts with lousy security. Thieves are common, and even in this decent area, break-ins happen.

If someone found these egg kids… it’d be bad. They might not recognize them as Phoenix eggs, but they’d know they’re magical beast eggs. In my current state, if they got stolen, I’d lose them for good.

And… if anyone realized I’m a Phoenix, or that these are Phoenix eggs, we’d all be doomed!!!

Phoenix, the immortal bird—sure, it’s “immortal,” but there’s a limit to how many times it can “revive” daily.

The real kicker… legends say eating Phoenix flesh can extend your life, and eating a whole one might grant immortality. It’s an old tale, but who knows? If someone believes it, what then?

So, I absolutely cannot let anyone know I’m a Phoenix.

And I have to take these egg babies with me wherever I go.

But that severely limits my money-making options.

“Selling… my body? No… can’t do that… maybe something less… ugh… bunny girl outfits or something… probably won’t work either.”

I swallowed hard, quickly tossing those thoughts out.

With this body, high-paying jobs would likely be… soft-core stuff—

But in my current state, no one would want me for that. Long-term malnutrition has left my once-decent body frail. My face might still be passable, but in a bunny outfit? Probably not much to look at.

With some care, I could recover, but not in the short term.

Selling my body is a hard no. Bartending might be okay… but with this city’s security and my condition, one drink too many, and I’d be done for.

So, soft-core stuff is out.

“…Wait, why am I even thinking about this?”

I froze, then snapped out of it.

…With my magical knowledge, I can just make low-grade magic potions and sell them!

Two silver coins and nine coppers… with current prices, that’s enough to buy materials and tools for two potions.

Two potions… should sell for about five silver coins. Then I buy more materials, make more potions… keep going, and I’d need to make and sell forty low-grade potions to cover rent.

Low-grade potions only require knowing the recipe and method, and I’m confident I can handle that!