The 'Item Box' That Only I Can Use Is Bugged (Patreon)

Chapter 4: Infinite Glitch

There were several things I wanted to understand better.

Firstly, the "F" prefix on each item's name.

I quickly discovered the answer. 

On the screen, extending from the "New" section, there was a "Rank" section. 

Swiping to it, the screen changed to display alphabets like "A," "D," and so on. 

When I tapped on "F," the previously blank screen now displayed the same PET bottles and other items as before.

It seemed each item I "retrieved" was automatically assigned a rank. 

Usually, "S" is the highest rank, but there were also "SS" and "SSS" ranks above it. 

Since "F" was at the bottom, it was undoubtedly the lowest rank, which made sense for the trash I had collected.

(Who's doing the ranking? The god? ...Well, whatever. It’s clear and easy to understand.)

I hadn't wished for such a convenient function. I only asked for—

[A convenient and user-friendly item box.]

I didn't have time to ask how it was interpreted, but so far, I had no complaints.

(Next, this symbol.)

The "∞" symbol at the end of each item's name. 

Normally, it would be a number indicating how many of each item I possessed.

(—! Wait, this isn't a number. Could it be the infinity symbol?)

I immediately dismissed the thought. 

I had collected a total of six items: two PET bottles and two floats. 

In that case, it should have shown "2." So, what did this symbol mean?

(I guess I'll find out if I try to take something out.)

Touching the PET bottle's text, another screen with a description of the bottle appeared. This screen also contained some confusing options:

"Use" "Delete" "Restore"

"Use" was obvious. It meant taking the item out to use it. But the other two options were puzzling.

After checking, I found that "Delete" literally meant removing the item from the list, not just discarding it outside but erasing its existence entirely. 

It was a very eco-friendly feature, depending on how you looked at it.

As for "Restore," it had an even more astounding capability.

This function allowed me to restore broken or used items to their original condition.

In other words, a crumpled, used PET bottle could be turned into a clean, new one.

(What kind of cheat is this...?)

I couldn't help but smile wryly.

Think about it. 

With this feature, even items labeled as irreparable could be returned to mint condition. 

This power wasn't just convenient; it was almost beyond words.

However, it couldn't restore the contents. 

If a PET bottle originally had something inside, the liquid couldn't be restored. 

The same applied to candy wrappers—it could only restore the appearance.

(Even so, being able to repair broken things is more than enough.)

I hadn't intended to ask for such a cheat. 

All I had imagined was the ability to store and retrieve items freely.

(...Wait. So, this symbol really does mean infinite, doesn't it?)

I decided to press "Use" and take out an unassuming float. 

A prompt appeared with [×1] displayed, and there were arrows above and below it.

Hesitantly pressing the upper arrow, the number increased to [×2]. 

Normally, it would stop here, but as I continued pressing, the number kept rising.

"............"

Reaching [×2340], I smiled softly, closed the list, stood up, and took a deep breath...

"HOW MUCH IS THEREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

I shouted towards the sky, my entire body trembling.

"Hey, hey, what's wrong, Oki-chan!?"

Crap. I had completely forgotten about Aoi behind me. 

But it was such a shocking discovery that I couldn't help myself.

"Uh, well, you see... there's so much trash here, I thought it was bad to leave it like this!"

A quick, impromptu excuse, but not a bad one. 

As evidence, I pointed to the still-uncollected trash around us, diverting her attention.

"True, the ocean belongs to everyone, and it's terrible to see it polluted like this."

Aoi nodded, her expression softening. 

Aoi took an etiquette bag from her bag and started picking up trash. 

I felt proud of my mother for doing this so naturally.

Since I had mentioned it, I had no choice but to help with the trash picking as well. 

Although I could have quickly "retrieved" it all, Aoi was too close and might notice, so I didn't. 

After about ten minutes, our hands were cold from the water and wind, so we decided to head back to Yuji.

We made sure to properly sort and dispose of the trash in the bins provided on the beach. 

When we returned to Yuji, I saw him holding a bucket with a few fish in it.

It seems my father had some success.

"Oh, you were picking up trash? Good job, Okinaga."

"Hehe, but my hands are like ice now. Right, Mom?"

"Yes, indeed. We should eat something warm."

She was subtly suggesting we finish up and go eat. 

I agreed wholeheartedly. 

Yuji, satisfied with his catch, noticed our intent and started packing up.

We headed to a nearby restaurant that could prepare the fish Yuji had caught. 

As it was lunchtime, the place was nearly full, but we managed to get a table without waiting.

After placing our order, we waited, and soon, delicious-looking seafood dishes were brought to our table. 

The sashimi and grilled fish made from Yuji's catch looked exquisite.

The steaming bowl of fish soup looked particularly inviting, so Aoi and I decided to start with that.

"Mm~~~ so warm!"

We both reacted the same way, typical of a mother and son. 

The hot broth warmed our chilled bodies. 

The fish flavor was rich, yet the soup was light and easy to drink.

Next, we tried the sashimi. 

It was fresh and tender, probably because the fish had been alive just moments ago. 

The minced fish dish, Namerō, was also excellent. 

I almost wished I could have a beer, but I had to wait until I was older.

"Oki-chan, did you always like sashimi this much? And you even ate the Namerō."

"Huh? Oh, yeah! It's so good!"

Maybe it wasn't usual for a kid to enjoy these dishes, especially Namerō.

"I see. I'll make more fish dishes for you from now on."

I'm glad she didn't find it too strange. 

Our first meal out since my reincarnation turned out to be very satisfying.

====

Tn: Namerō is a traditional Japanese dish made from fish that is minced and mixed with ingredients like miso, garlic, and sometimes green onions or ginger. 

The mixture is often used as a topping for rice or enjoyed with a bit of wasabi and soy sauce. It's known for its rich, umami flavor and smooth, spreadable texture.

https://www.maff.go.jp/e/policies/market/k_ryouri/search_menu/1194/index.html