Chapter 2
Seraphina was feeling like a god.
Five days in, and she was already a local celebrity.
On day one, she traded a glass bead as a rare jewel for a hundred gold coins.
On day two, she used modern spices to launch a "Signature Bistro" at the town's biggest inn, selling hundreds of bowls of stew.
By day three, her Siren buff was working overtime; she had charmed the Governor's wife into adopting her as a goddaughter.
By day four, there were lines out the door for her shop. People were whispering that a literal angel had descended to open a restaurant.
By day five, she checked her stats.
[Wealth: 112 Gold]
[Reputation: 53]
[Safety: 35]
[Health: 30]
[Happiness: 41]
[Total Score: 59]
She remembered the System saying the all-time record was 88.
She hit 59 in five days.
In a month, she would be a legend.
'As for Clara Thorne?' Seraphina scoffed. 'No one in town even has heard the name. She is probably starving in some ditch.
'Just wait. By the end of the month, we'll see who comes out on top.
'Then she'll learn what it really means to be a true time-traveler.'
*****
Meanwhile, on the east side of town. I was lounging on a brand-new silk sofa.
"Dad, what is for dinner?" I asked.
"Slow-roasted lamb," he replied.
"The roasted chicken yesterday was great, too."
"We will have it again tomorrow."
"Dad, how much money do we actually have?"
He flipped through a ledger. "Two thousand three hundred gold."
I froze.
Five days ago, we were sharing a bowl of watery oats.
Now, he owned three storefronts, had eight employees, four bodyguards, was on a first-name basis with the Governor, and had the wealthiest merchants in the province begging him for a partnership.
And me? I just ate and slept.
System: [Growth Update!
[Wealth +280. Safety +10. Reputation +8. Happiness +5.
[Current Growth Score: 52.]
I looked at that 52, then thought about Seraphina's talent.
Every time she failed, her maximum growth score would increase by 10%.
Every failure increased her ceiling. She could afford to lose.
As long as she didn't lose everything, she could always make a comeback—again and again.
"Dad," I said. "Seraphina might be a problem."
He didn't even look up. "Why?"
I explained the mechanics of her Chosen One talent.
He finally set his pen down, closed the book, and met my eyes. He finally set his pen down, closed the book, and met my eyes.
I thought about it for a moment. "That she gets stronger every time she loses?"
He shook his head. "It's not that she gets stronger," he said. "It's that she's fearless in defeat."
"Is there a difference?"
"A massive one." He stood up and walked to the window. "Most people lose and get scared. Fear makes them hesitate, and hesitation leads to mistakes.
"But not her. Every time she fails, her ceiling rises, and she just charges back even harder."
I felt a bit overwhelmed. "Then how do we win?"
He turned back to me, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "By letting her keep losing."
"What?"
"If she's not afraid to lose, then give her exactly what she wants," he said. "Let her lose until her potential is so high she can't even reach it.
"Let her lose until she stares at the gap between her and the top and finally feels true despair. Let her realize that some distances can't be closed by talent alone."
I just stared at him, a little dazed.
He walked over and ruffled my hair. "Clara, remember this. The most dangerous people in this world aren't the ones who aren't afraid to lose."
"Then who are they?" I asked.
"The ones who never allow themselves to lose in the first place."