This Life, I Will Be the Protagonist

With the five 13-level dungeons cleared and her second **[Cut and Paste]** skill crystal in hand, Rita found herself with some extra free time, especially since she couldn't go to Lania Kaia for the next few days. She decided to take this opportunity to visit Rick.

Back when they fought the dragon on the 1st, she had noticed that Rick's attribute points had increased significantly again. It was time to "harvest" some of those points and clear up the surplus he'd gained.

Such a golden opportunity couldn't go to waste.

Rita didn't even need to make an alibi this time. She was in Los Angeles, completely innocent and beyond suspicion. As for Rick's exact location, she didn't need to buy that information from Brooks—Rick was a top 100 player on the leaderboards, and more importantly, he was Rita's brother. Just based on that fact, any player who saw him would snap photos and post them online.

When Rita saw the familiar street and courtyard in the photos, she was stunned for a moment.

It was their old home, where they grew up. No, to be more precise, it was Eleanor's home—the Shen family residence.

Just as she was thinking about it, Rita received an email from Eleanor. The first time, it had been sent through Shadow.Q, but now Eleanor communicated with her directly, though they never exchanged words.

By the time Rita opened the food box, Nivalis had already rushed over, snapping pictures of the **soufflé** Eleanor had sent and posting them on her social media app, complete with a selfie.

Rita even noticed Scarlett had commented...

Since Nivalis had removed Scarlett from her friends list, Scarlett now lurked on Nivalis' account, eagerly waiting to leave the first comment.

After taking a few bites of the soufflé, Rita recalled that Eleanor used to love gardening. With that in mind, she went to the backyard, gathered up all the dragon manure Nivalis had produced over the past few days, and sent it to Eleanor.

No way was she going to owe her anything...

---

In the courtyard, just as Eleanor had done before, she sent the food boxes to Rita and prepared to head out for more leveling. Ever since adding some vitality and strength, she felt younger than ever.

But just as she reached the door, a notification pinged. Opening her mail interface, she saw a message from Rita. Surprised, she thought, *It took her 8 days to respond?* Curious, she clicked it, only to find no message—just an attachment containing two crates labeled **[A Box of Dragon Manure]**.

She turned to the Special Affairs Bureau agents nearby and said, "Let's head out a bit later today."

No one complained. They immediately dispersed, some standing guard, others resting.

No one slacked when it came to looking after Eleanor. It was a highly sought-after post, one that agents fought to secure.

Eleanor wasn't a difficult person. She was emotionally stable, never lectured anyone, and didn't care if others shared her views, which was already better than most. Not to mention the perks: each month, they got to eat two dishes she made with a score over 98. Anyone would fight for this job.

Besides, when running dungeons, Eleanor was never a burden—quite the opposite. She was a strong support.

As for how the others felt, Eleanor never bothered herself with it. She did things her way. Once, when a Special Affairs Bureau agent complained she was too old to be so stubborn after she chose to stay home and cook instead of leveling, she promptly requested that the Bureau replace him.

Walking to the garden, Eleanor retrieved the crates from the mail and opened them. Inside, there was a peculiar smell—not bad, but distinctly different from regular manure. It had a scent similar to saltpeter, mixed with a cool, magical aura, the kind you might feel from ice-type spells.

*As expected of dragon manure—it even looks special,* she thought.

She divided the garden into sections and began mixing the manure with soil in various concentrations, testing its effects.

Several of the Special Affairs Bureau agents jumped in to help without needing to be told. Even Samuel, who had been hanging from the roof, was brought down to assist.

Scarlett emerged from the house, sniffed the air, and confidently declared, "This is Nivalis' dragon manure. I've shoveled it before."

Samuel snorted, "Rita lets you handle that golden manure? Ever since the pet leaderboard opened, people have been clamoring to buy dragon manure, blood, and scales. The prices are ridiculous. Rita's probably made a fortune collecting it."

Scarlett chuckled. "It's the cats in the backyard. They're so bold now. After getting used to Nivalis, they love jumping into the box where Rita stores the dragon manure to do their business. Every time, I have to sort out the cat poop. Rita gets so annoyed.

She stands there, hands on her hips, lecturing the cats, and they line up like they actually understand her."

Eleanor listened quietly, an image forming in her mind that brought a smile to her lips.

Even the Special Affairs Bureau agents enjoyed hearing the story.

*After all, it's Rita and her dragon!*

Eleanor hadn't finished mixing the manure when Harriet approached, handing her a bound stack of papers. The top page bore a bold title: **[Dragon Manure: A Planting Guide]**.

Harriet explained, "The higher-ups sent this to me. They said to learn it and pass it along to you, but I thought you'd prefer to study it yourself."

The other Special Affairs Bureau members who also received **[Dragon Manure: A Planting Guide]**: ?

Samuel & Scarlett: "..."

Eleanor took the papers with a hint of exasperation. "...I see..."

*I know you report every interaction between me and Rita, but you didn't have to be *this* transparent...*

When Harriet returned to his section of the garden, the team leader, Everett, quietly asked, "Didn't you take any social skills training when you joined the Special Affairs Bureau?"

Harriet nodded. "I did. It was boring." After a pause, realizing his answer might not be convincing, he added, "I got a perfect score in the final exam, though."

So, yes, he knew how to speak in a way that made others like him. He just couldn't be bothered.

Everett shook his head and sighed, "You're still too young."

Harriet shook his head in return. "You don't understand. Nowadays, it's the honest men who get the best wives. Girls don't like smooth talkers." Find more chapters on empire

Everett gave him a strange look. "You've got it backward. Besides, haven't you heard? Among men, calling someone an 'honest man' is basically an insult now."

Harriet returned his odd look, tinged with a bit of skepticism. "But I'm looking for a wife. Why would I care what men think?"

Everett: "..." No way to argue with that.

Worse still, he could tell Harriet had seen right through him.

Everett panicked. "I'm not!!"

Harriet: "It's okay. I won't tell anyone."

Everett: ?!