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Dear Miss Susie Glitter:

Thank you for your bulk purchase of our 'Bright Future' silky smooth shampoo products.

We are excited to announce our new promotional campaign, featuring a grand prize of two thousand Victorian pounds. Your recent purchase qualifies you for entry, and we have included a ticket for our prize lottery. We encourage you to try your luck!

Should you be one of our fortunate winners, please visit our factory headquarters in Caladon to claim your prize.

Thank you for your continued support.

Hmm~hmmhmm♪

Let's see... A ceiling star projector for Quercus, the wind chimes on the mailbox for Kazemaru...

I still need things for Grani, Haze, Skyfire... the Doctor, Amiya, and Dr. Kal'tsit...

Better get moving if I want to squeeze in time to visit my mates. It's been a while since I've been back at Caladon, wonder how everyone's doing.

Then there's this ticket. Even the smallest prize is twenty pounds, and there's an 8% chance of getting that, apparently...

I can't believe you need to collect your prize in person! If I hadn't come back to visit, I would've missed the chance.

Oh, it looks like the fancy ice cream shop over there's having some kind of promotion!

(Gulps)

My luck can't be that bad, can it? Let's wait until I get that twenty quid, then I can have a scoop. Just a scoop. That's all I need...

Alright, let's give it a scratch.

Twenty... Well, there it is. Wait, is that another zero at the end?

Two hundred... No, thousand...

Twenty thousand?

Twenty thousand?! The first prize?!

Susie rubs her eyes, holding the ticket up to the light.

It says, plain as day: '20000 pounds: Congratulations on First Prize!'

Oh... Oh lord, this...

(Lowers her voice) No way! (Flustered) Okay, calm down... This is a lot of money. I-I need to...

I need to get back to the office right away to find Bitter Root, then we'll head to the prize exchange straight after.

Though her mind urges her to return to the Rhodes Island office, her legs have a will of their own and lead her to the ice cream shop.

Welcome! We're having a big sale today! 20% off a scoop, 50% off two!

If I get two scoops... can I get different flavors?

Of course! If you'd like to try even more, then I'd say our variety bucket's your best value for money.

Nope, I'm done. This bucket's too much for me, the brain freeze won't stop.

Heheh...

Look, we confirmed it's real, so you can stop checking it and giggling.

The shampoo factory says their finance's on leave until next month, so you've got until then to put together a proper plan for how to spend that much money.

First, I'll send half of it home. Ten thousand pounds should be enough to buy a much bigger and prettier house. Then, whatever's left can go towards business...

Hmm... Maybe I'll donate a bunch of hairdressing equipment to Rhodes Island? The kind that could give even Spot a haircut he likes in under ten minutes?

(Burst out laughing)

How about putting yourself first? Ten thousand pounds is not that much for a company, but it's life-changing for a person.

Darn, the convoy's here...

Forgot to tell you Susie, but I've to go on a trip. I'll be back next month, then we can go claim the prize together, yeah?

Where're you headed to next? The convoy might be able to give you a ride.

I was going to look for James and the others, so... maybe I should check the pubs?

Sure, though ever since the accident with the Green Spark, the Infected community's workers haven't had a pub to go to.

I've heard some pubs outside let them in on the down-low for an extra fee. I figure they'll drag you there to celebrate your return.

Just take care not to get exposed. Last time someone got found out as Infected, those lousy drunkards beat him half to death.

I won't. I'll make sure everyone else is careful, too.

How much did you say that was again, Susie?

(Whispers) Twenty thousand pounds.

Twenty thousand pounds?!

Shut up! Don't you think Sparky's got enough troubles without you opening your gob?!

(Whispers) Sorry 'bout that...

(Whispers) Let's not chat about this here. It's too risky.

Speaking of which, didn't they pass a bill for improved treatment of Infected workers before I left?

The bill's all well and good, but it'll take more than a piece of paper to change things.

If it could, we wouldn't have to sneak around just for a drink now, would we?

Ah!

I'm really sorry, mister, I didn't mean to—

Hold on, Susie. Is that... a knife in his hand?

You bloody little... static freak!

Terribly sorry about all that. We've sent someone to chase the pickpocket.

Everyone gets a glass of our special, on the house. Please don't let his tomfoolery give you the wrong idea about our fine establishment.

Hold up a sec, I remember you. Ain't you the git who shakes down the Infected the hardest just for wantin' a pint? Didn't have enough on me last time, so you—

Perish the thought, sir! Please don't joke about such things! How could you possibly be an Infected?

No one listens to the barman, but no one is avoiding the Infected like they usually do either.

Twenty thousand? You serious?

Hey, isn't that the girl who exposed Councilor Bishmer's scheme? Susie Glitter?

I've got a relative who won two hundred grand buying a terminal the other day! I heard they quit their jobs the very next day, then went to Siesta for some R&R...

Why else would the girl install some electric gadget to protect her wallet?

Hmph. That much money is wasted on the Infected anyway. If I had that kind of money...

We better get out of here.

Move!

*yawn* Morning already... I sure had a lot of nightmares last night.

The ticket... Still here.

That slip of the tongue back in the pub... I'm sure nobody believed us.

I still have plenty of time to think over how I want to spend this money.

Miss Glitter? Rhodes Island's Miss Susie Glitter? I've put your mail in the letterbox, do make sure to check it!

Mail? For me?

Oh, the mailman's gone. Let me see...

Oh my goodness! Why're there so many letters in there?!

And... they're all for me?!

'Got a windfall burning a hole in your pocket? Leave it to the investing guru certified by the Duke of Gododdin himself to double your wealth...'

'Dear Susie, I hail from Boschendal, just like you. I even held you when you were just a baby. You might not remember me, but...'

'Please help us, Miss Glitter. Our stores in the Boil have been running at a loss year after year, but with a single investment from you...'

I didn't realize I was quite so famous.

'To the Hero of the City, Miss Susie Glitter. I am glad to hear of your return to the city, for I am a great admirer of your bravery in standing up in the name of justice for the common man, and would like to invite you to my humble abode...'

What is even happening...?

Well, as long as I don't fall for any of that, I should be fine.

I can't let this money ruin my plans! Cheer up, Susie, there's still plenty of friends to see and gifts to pick out!

Wait, I should find somewhere safer to keep this ticket first.

*sigh* It's already noon... What should I get Grani? Weapon maintenance lubricant?

Excuse me, would you happen to be Miss Susie Glitter?

You needn't be so on guard, we met once at the Green Spark.

That's a pub for the Infected. You sure you've been there before?

This should do. Grani's sure to be happy with it.

Is that really you, Susie?! It must be! C'mere already, am I glad to finally meet you in person.

Do I... know you?

No, but does it matter? We just need some time before we're the best of friends. Want a drink? My treat.

No thank you.

Please, I've got four kids to feed, and the factory let me go just yesterday. I've got nothing...

Here, five pounds. Please, just take it...

I should really get back to the office now. I think there are even more people coming my way...

D-Did someone try to mess with the lock?!