Strategy Diary VOL.7: The Hero (Mother) Buys a 'Dream' in the Point-Back Forest - Freelance 11

1. Expedition to the Point-Back Forest

The bells of the campaign rang out.
A period when a rain of blessings called 'point-back' falls upon the vast continent known as note.
To earn 'experience points called input,' I decided to set out on a journey to read through the 'sanctuaries (note articles)' built by other creators.

My equipment, of course, is my usual 'Uniqlo short-sleeved shirt (cloth armor).'.
Its defense is near zero, but it dries quickly when tossed in the washing machine and boasts the best mobility for completing sub-quests known as housework; it is my formal attire.

First, starting with free articles full of value.

'Hmm, hmm. This could even work as a paid article...'
'This person has such a great personality. They must be a kind person. I'd love to go to lunch with them in real life.'
'So it's free up to here and paid from here on out. What a way to write to stir up the desire to buy!'

The hero continued her journey while having various thoughts.

2. Stylish Paladins and the Spell of 'Branding'

As I read on, I was overwhelmed by a world that was too dazzling.
Advanced skills I had never known before were flying about there.

'Branding'
'Precise design'
'Unification of worldview'

The articles by paladins (popular creators) who seem to be typing on Macs in stylish cafes and writing elegantly while gazing out the window are sparkling from the fonts to every single photo.

Let me check my status in the mirror once again.

• Job: Hero (Mother)

• Equipment: Uniqlo short-sleeved shirt, smartphone (a slight crack on the screen -> to be precise, a crack in the blue light cut film)

• Skills: Calling myself a 'careful living' person in my spare time, putting my ridiculous daily life into words, processing leftover side dishes

• Current Status: Far from the stylish vibe I admire, an 'RPG adventure diary creator' who talks amusingly like a drunkard in a tavern

...Huh? Am I fundamentally wrong about the strategy?
The disparity was so great that I suddenly entered a turn of self-questioning.

If you are interested in my family's party, check out this free article↓

3. The Trap of Copy-Paste Magic and the 'True Holy Grail' I Seek

When I stepped further into the 'forbidden archives' known as paid articles, there were
'Note Strategy Guide'
'Secret Arts for Monthly Income of ◯◯ Yen'
titles piled up like treasures. Pushed by the magic of point-back, I opened a few of those treasure chests, but...

...The déjà vu is intense, isn't it?

What was written there was a parade of clichés I had seen somewhere before.
They were bloodless words, as if an emotionless 'AI Golem' had mass-produced them by copying ancient documents from the neighboring village.

Among them were things like
'This is a keeper ( ..)φ memo memo'
but... perhaps my selection process was poor.
Maybe I needed to spend more gold.

'Controlling the reader's psychology'
'If you build it according to this blueprint, you can earn gold'
'Your own branding'

They might indeed be efficient strategies.
But as I read on, the 'Hero (Mother)'s intuition' sounded an alarm.

What I want isn't the weight of a gold pouch.
I want someone who reads the silly daily life I've written to grin on the other side of the screen and think,
'Oh man, that's funny (lol)'
And then, the 'Emblem of Likes' that arrives, or the 'Comment Herb' that heals a wounded heart.
This pleasure of having my MP (Motivation Points) fully restored must have been the purpose of my journey.

4. A 'bug' between visuals and content is occurring

'The cry of the soul is the true weapon!'
I declared with a smug look while waving my Uniqlo short-sleeved shirt, but in reality, it's not that I have zero obsession with visuals.

Even a Hero (Mother) occasionally steps into the 'Sanctuary of Department Store Cosmetics'.
There, beautiful elf-like ladies cast high-level 'Mental Recovery Magic (polite social pleasantries)'.

'Oh, I can totally believe you're in your 30s!'

......Huh. Did you hear that? My 'youthful appearance status' is apparently in my 30s even to a professional's eye (confirmed).
Even though I know it's a 'Charm Spell,' the moment I'm told that, my nose stretches to its limit.

Emboldened by such confidence, I had the Blue Mage (my daughter, the personal photographer) take a 'miracle shot' and splashed it with the latest 'AI processing magic' for all it was worth.
The dullness of my skin and the signs of daily life were erased, stars were added to my eyes, and my jawline was sharpened into a 'mysterious beauty' icon.

'Alright, now I'm a member of the stylish Holy Knights!'

As I finished the settings with a huff, my daughter, who had been peeking at the screen from the side, let out one remark.

'...Who is this? You've edited it so much it doesn't even look like you anymore. It's so different it's at the level of 'wanted criminal disguise'.'

Ouch. A critical hit from the Blue Mage (daughter)'s 'Magic Eye that Sees the Truth' drained my HP in one go.

'Blue Mage... isn't your own purikura just as much of a disguise?'
I muttered in my heart (lol)

To add insult to injury, when I checked my own note on the screen...

Icon:'A sharp-featured beauty in her 30s (disguised ideal)'
Recent article:'Strategy Diary... Ben-Key...'🚽'↓

Oh no.
The mismatch between the appearance and the content is now at a final boss level of awkwardness.
No matter how much I disguise the exterior as 'Holy Knight armor,' the 'middle-aged woman experience accumulated over many years in Osaka' that seeps out from between the lines is trying to engage the readers with a thick, local vibe.

My daughter laughs at me, and the more I try to edit my photos, the more the gap between me and that 'middle-aged lady vibe' stands out.
Faced with that reality, I had no choice but to laugh to myself while wiping away tears with my Uniqlo sleeve.

5. Irresistible Temptation, and Then, In-App Purchases

'That's right, I'll be myself and push forward in this short-sleeved Uniqlo shirt!'

It's okay to be awkward. I want to make someone chuckle with my own words. Just as I firmly vowed that to myself and was about to end this expedition, it happened.

Right before my eyes, a single, sparkling scroll (article) appeared.

'Earn 100,000 Yen a Month with Side Hustles! The Definitive Guide to Note Design'
(*The title has been changed to avoid any disrespect)

......

Before I knew it, I was tapping the 'checkout button' with all my might.

'...I mean, they're offering point-back right now. Maybe this magic could actually turn me into a stylish paladin in my 30s?'
'They're giving back a total of 50 million yen. Maybe I'll win the point lottery and get a full refund?'

Conclusion.
In the end, buying dreams (and the illusion of monetization) is just the nature of a hero (mom).
Starting tomorrow, I'll be back at it, wearing my short-sleeved Uniqlo shirt and tackling household chores (sub-quests) with my newly purchased 'secret tome' in hand.

(To be continued in Strategy Diary Vol. 8...?)
If you read this and thought, 'Go for it, Hero! That's funny!', please give me a 'Like' or follow me.
Your support is the driving force for my next quest!

I haven't had a single purchase yet, so I'm still in my starter Uniqlo gear (lol).
'Why don't you at least buy a long-sleeved shirt?'
If you'd like to contribute some G-Gold, please purchase the paid article below and have a laugh. If you buy it, I will definitely use that material in a Note article! (*´艸｀)