This Life, I Will Be the Protagonist

Knowledge alone represents the unknown, creativity, and boundless possibility.

As long as she held onto this opportunity, she could uncover the true limits of the capsule machine. She might find new ways to use it—or even learn how to build one herself.

Even if thirty star-sea years weren't enough to teach her everything, Rita firmly believed she wouldn't walk away empty-handed.

The capsule cracked open, but not the way she expected. Inside were two smaller capsules.

She wasn't sure if other players could see what was inside, but to her, the contents were perfectly clear.

One held a Deceitful Bloom. The other, a drumstick made from Whitebone.

[Gacha Machine Crafting · Deceitful Bloom]: 15 star-sea years

[Gacha Machine Crafting · Drummer]: 15 star-sea years

Suppressing her excitement, Rita carefully picked up the two items and placed them into her capsule machine.

MarmangCrab, who had come over to spectate, couldn't help asking, "What was inside?"

Rita responded with utter seriousness, "Art."

MarmangCrab: ?

She didn't want to wait even a second, but this time, she had a better option...

Rita pulled out a [Teleport Voucher] she had gotten during a previous game. Among the available destinations—all requiring a park level no lower than 15th Month—she had a choice of January, March, July, October, 13th Month, or 16th Month Theme Parks.

This time, she picked 16th Month Theme Park.

Just from reading the entry conditions, she could tell the park catered to players around level 14. Its restrictions were harsher than the 15th, but not as intense as the 3rd.

She didn't enter right away—once inside, skills would be locked. But outside the gate, she could still cast.

So Rita summoned her Deep Blue Helm at the park entrance and immediately teleported back to March Theme Park.

She had just stepped through the gate when she spotted B8017913 waiting for her.

Rita slid over to the copilot seat and waved it aboard. "Let's go. Just drive aimlessly for now."

B8017913 looked at her curiously. "Did it work?"

Rita didn't hide anything. She gave a quick summary of what had happened.

B8017913: "Which teacher will you start with?"

It silently watched the 37 notifications reading [You Are Being Watched] pop up and decided to talk a little less from here on out.

Obviously, Deceitful Bloom.

They might've shared equal billing, but Deceitful Bloom's class came first.

Before the ship even stopped moving—before she even bothered going to the Exchange Hall to grab her game console shards—Rita activated [Gacha Machine Crafting · Deceitful Bloom].

Her consciousness sank into a familiar room. Before she had time to be surprised that her capsule machine had followed her into the learning space, she saw the white bear standing inside.

Rita flew toward her teacher with a beaming smile. "Teacher!!!"

…

Her head was killing her.

Learning how to craft a divine construct was nothing like cooking. The former was deeply specialized. Compared to it, cooking might as well be an elective hobby class.

Deceitful Bloom's mind moved at a terrifying pace, and Rita could barely keep up. Every topic was complex and fast-paced. Most explanations were only given twice.

Worse, the bear occasionally tossed out questions—ones that clearly required hours of deep thought—as casually as if asking, "What's one plus one?"

If Rita couldn't answer immediately, Deceitful Bloom's eyes would slowly fill with disappointment and quiet resignation, as if staring at a hopeless block of uncut wood.

Like hell she could put up with that!

Well, Rita couldn't.

After being met with that look one too many times, Rita secretly pulled out [Cat's Ideal].

[Waste Guide] activated!

Time stopped.

This study space clearly operated on a time-based system. And if there was time, why not stop it?

She looked up—Deceitful Bloom was frozen too.

Wiping away nonexistent sweat from her Blocks forehead, Rita grabbed a sheet of scratch paper and began solving problems at full speed.

She went over everything taught so far, made notes on all the questions she didn't fully grasp, and reviewed all the lessons at her own pace.

Pen racing across the page, she suddenly let out a little laugh and muttered, "Just wait! Once time resumes, I'm gonna blow the gods away!"

Deceitful Bloom: "…"

…

The capsule in her left hand vanished, and within a second, Rita's eyes snapped open.

[Congratulations, Player BS-Rita, you have acquired SSS-grade skill – Beyond the Rules!]

[Congratulations, Player BS-Rita, you have acquired SSS-grade skill – Heart of Deception!]

[Congratulations, Player BS-Rita, you have acquired SSS-grade skill – I Was Wrong, Teacher!]

[Congratulations, Player BS-Rita, you have acquired SSS-grade skill – Talent Recognition!]

[Congratulations, Player BS-Rita, you have acquired SSS-grade skill – Wait, Teacher Please!]

She had already seen these skills take shape during the lesson.

Still lost in thought over the final question Deceitful Bloom had posed, Rita didn't even notice where B8017913 had driven her.

Seeing her deep in contemplation, B8017913 didn't disturb her and instead cruised leisurely through the streets of the park.

Some time later, Rita finally snapped back to the present.

She opened the capsule in her right hand and pulled out the Whitebone drumstick.

It brought her to a similar room—except this time, the figure behind the desk wore a black robe and a dark hood, their face and limbs completely obscured.

Rita rushed forward and greeted Drummer respectfully. "Teacher."

Drummer gave a reserved nod. "Mn."

Very polite. Though for some reason, Deceitful Bloom had looked positively deranged after finishing her class.

So she got five SSS-grade skills from that one, huh?

Two hours later.

Drummer stood still, staring at BS-Rita, who had plopped herself onto the floor and was using her capsule machine as a desk while frantically scribbling calculations.

"…Is that how you're supposed to use Waste Guide?"

…

This time, Rita remained silent even longer after the lesson ended.

[Congratulations, Player BS-Rita, you have acquired SSS-grade skill – Mad Bone!]

[Congratulations, Player BS-Rita, you have acquired SSS-grade skill – Research Divergence!]

[Congratulations, Player BS-Rita, you have acquired SSS-grade skill – Hit the Beat!]

[Congratulations, Player BS-Rita, you have acquired SSS-grade skill – The Mysterious One!]

[Congratulations, Player BS-Rita, you have acquired SSS-grade skill – Risk Assessment!]

When she finally came back to her senses, half an hour had passed.

Recalling everything that happened before her classes, she turned to B8017913 and said, "Let's head to the Exchange Hall."

B8017913: "Did you gain a lot?"

Rita: "Yeah. I'd take another hundred star-sea years if I could."

Still, she had to admit—Deceitful Bloom and Drummer didn't have the best temperaments. Even though she'd nailed every answer and was living her academic prodigy arc, the more they taught, the more agitated they became.

Those 30 star-sea years were something she cherished down to the second. Even after the lessons ended, she wanted more.

Even with the extra time she stole using [Waste Guide], even with how hard she worked to keep up, Rita estimated she had only absorbed about 80% of the full capsule machine knowledge base.

Actually building one from scratch was probably still out of reach—she didn't even have the materials.

But still.

What she had learned in those 30 star-sea years was a mountain, an ocean, a universe. The SSS-grade skills she picked up along the way? Nothing compared to the knowledge itself.

Reflecting on everything she had gained from her two teachers, Rita sighed and said, "Geniuses, both of them."

The ship pulled up to a vending machine with no line. But Rita didn't get off.

Instead, she suddenly asked, "Hey, do you think I'm dumb?"

B8017913: "You? Not at all."

Rita nodded. "Exactly! Hard work makes up for talent!"

Thinking about how she'd answered all of Deceitful Bloom and Drummer's questions in seconds, she couldn't help patting her chest proudly.

"I really am a genius."