I slept for a very long time upon my return home, but I awakened full of excitement at the prospect of having more money than I’d left with.
I had left for Shang Simla with 1995 Simoleans: 3295 less 1300 for last-minute travel expenses. Counting it all twice to be sure, I arrived at a current balance of 4586 Simoleans.
I was not yet rich, and nowhere near Grandfather’s level of wealth, but it was enough to remodel the bedroom according to my tastes. This, I accomplished even before getting dressed for the day.
Now I was ready to implement the part of Grandfather’s plan he had kept from Mr. Clark.
I locked the bedroom door, for I had a roommate now and couldn’t chance him barging in.
He seemed polite, and I did not really think he would come barging into my suite, but Grandfather had not written his instructions in Greek, in a note hidden inside a puzzle box, for me to be careless with them.
And although I had successfully memorized his directions for retrieving the device from Shang Simla, it seemed safest to double-check his instructions for setting it up.
My grandfather, you see, had made his money through hard work, sound financial principles, a little bit of luck–
–and a pronounced willingness to borrow technological advances from the future.
I am rather handy, mechanically, and so between my talent and Grandfather’s excellent instructions, it took me less than an hour to fully assemble the time portal. When I had finished, I inspected it closely.
It seemed sound. Still, I hesitated. Grandfather had advised me that time travel could occasionally make one sick, and I hated being sick. I know no one enjoys it, but I really detested it and made every effort to avoid catching germs from those slobby, inconsiderate Sims who would dare not to cover their coughs in my presence.
Then I recalled Grandfather’s other advice:
Remember you are an Astrikós!
I threw my head back then and stepped into the portal, into the unknown, into the future.
My Sims 3 Challenges 