Chapter 007
When I returned to my room, I checked the system’s Heroine List.
<<Available Heroine Routes>>
James (alias)
None
None
……(more)
Even though this was a reverse harem–style game, I couldn’t just add unlimited heroines.
Only up to five could be registered, and under certain conditions, I could delete one from the list.
I tapped the first name, James (alias).
[1. James (alias) ― Affection ??? (Locked)]
After a heroine’s affection level unlocks, you need to complete at least one event before you can actually see it.
“If I go shopping with Jairen tomorrow, I’ll probably unlock his affection bar…”
Then it should be easier to get his confession.
The next day, after finishing my usual room cleaning, I was heading toward the lobby.
“Hey.”
What? Was that directed at me?
A girl who had never once spoken to me called out sharply. I turned to look at her, confused.
“Yeah, you. Lana, right?”
“Why?”
“I heard you’re going clothes shopping with James today?”
“…What?”
How did she know that?
Oh right—Jairen probably told her himself.
“Yeah, that’s true. Why?”
“Wha—?! So you’re admitting it?”
“What’s wrong with shopping for clothes with Mr. James?”
“You’re a newbie! The other girls all wanted to go out with James too, but they held back! There’s a turn order!”
What is she even talking about? Is she crazy?
“I don’t get what you mean. Mr. James is new here too. What’s wrong with two new people shopping together?”
“Ugh! You and James aren’t the same! James isn’t some orphan like—”
“Nora!”
Jane’s voice cut in sharply as she walked up to us.
“What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be on bedding duty today!”
“I—I just had something to say to the newbie.”
“Whatever it is, no slacking off.”
“…Tch. Fine. I’m going.”
The girl—apparently named Nora—brushed past me with a pout.
Whack!
That shoulder bump definitely wasn’t part of the plan.
“Are you okay, Lana?”
“Huh? Oh… yeah, I’m fine.”
[You have received Jane’s sympathy. Gracefulness +5]
Oh? Nice bonus.
Jane sighed and explained, “You see… most of the part-timers here are locals or academy students.”
I immediately understood.
“So, unlike me—who actually lives here—they’re just kids from decent families earning pocket money.”
That explained why none of them ever talked to me.
I thought they were just shy or distant, but no—they looked down on me.
“Jane, you knew?”
“Knew what?”
“That I’m an orphan.”
“…The boss mentioned it on your first day. He meant well, but… sigh, I guess the others didn’t take it the right way.”
‘This has Jairen written all over it.’
Obviously. He wanted to isolate me so that he could be the only one I depended on.
I was about to just shrug it off when the system popped up again.
[You have received Jane’s sympathy. Gracefulness +5]
“I’m fine, Jane.”
[You have received Jane’s sympathy. Gracefulness +5]
“I mean… the full-time staff don’t think like that anyway.”
[You have received Jane’s sympathy. Gracefulness +5]
Wait. Everyone’s thinking like this?
No, I can’t keep raising my Gracefulness!
This stat’s going to ruin me if it gets too high!
[You have received Jane’s sympathy. Gracefulness +5]
“Um, anyway! I’m really looking forward to your wedding, Jane. I wonder what kind of man gets to marry someone as amazing as you!”
I hurriedly changed the topic. But Jane… turned out to be stubbornly kind.
[You have received Jane’s sympathy. Gracefulness +5]
What is she, a golden goblin?
Just talking to her raised my stat by 30 points. I needed to escape.
“…I’ll get back to work!”
“Right! Don’t let it get to you!”
Later, I found out Jane’s soon-to-be husband was also an orphan—like me.
No wonder she got emotional when I mentioned him.
Jairen said the full day off had been rejected, but we got a half-day instead.
‘Well, yeah. Giving a two-week newbie a full vacation would look weird.’
After the morning shift, we were supposed to meet downstairs in casual clothes.
Since the inn provided uniforms, I hadn’t really needed personal clothes, so I put on what I’d worn when I first arrived here.
When I came down on time, the whole first floor was strangely quiet.
‘What’s going on…?’
Then I saw Jairen waving at me—and froze.
Oh. My. God.
Jairen looked like he’d stepped out of a luxury magazine. Expensive shoes. Expensive watch. Expensive outfit. And of course, that stupidly handsome face.
‘No wonder the girls here lose their minds.’
To them, he probably looked like some rich heir working part-time for fun.
But, everyone—news flash—he’s a duke’s son. You have no chance.
‘Do they even know a player once cleared his route as a demon and still got a happy ending?’
Jairen knew about his sadistic nature.
That’s what made him even scarier.
He enjoyed things for fun but never lost control.
His sadism never targeted high-status people, which just showed how coldly logical he was.
He smiled when he saw me walking down—then froze mid-expression.
‘Huh? What’s wrong with him? Oh… right.’
Jane’s sympathy bombs had boosted my Gracefulness so high that it was basically shining off me.
To normal people, I probably just looked a bit tragic, but to someone sadistic like Jairen… that stat looked attractive.
“Let’s go, Mr. James!”
“Uh, y-yeah. Right.”
His ears were red.
[Congratulations! You have triggered an event with “James (alias)”.]
‘Wait, what? Just eye contact counts as an event now?!’
Events only triggered if the heroine felt something emotional.
That meant Jairen just had a “big emotional reaction” from that moment.
Honestly, only Jairen could turn a look into an event.
Then again, this is the same guy who fell in love with a demon mid-battle… sigh.
Outside the inn, the town was lively and bustling, just like a place near a big train station should be.
“It’s my first time exploring the town… maybe this’ll be fun.”
“Do you have a store in mind?” he asked.
“Not really. I just want something good but cheap.”
“Don’t worry about that. I’ll help pay—get something nice.”
‘Why would you buy me clothes?’
Then I remembered—I was supposed to act like a girl who had fallen for him.
Okay. Blush, blush… think of something embarrassing!
Except… ever since I came into this world, I’d lived a perfectly clean life. No embarrassing memories to recall.
But thankfully, I was a born gamer—and I managed to blush anyway.
“R-really? Thank you!”
Ding!
[James (alias)’s affection has increased.]
“Lana, what do you plan to do with your salary?” he asked.
“Oh, I have some debt to pay off.”
“Debt?”
“Yes.”
“How much?”
Normally, that’d be too personal, but I decided to just say it.
“Ten billion won.”
“…What?”
His expression cracked.
‘Yeah, even you didn’t see that coming, huh?’
Even with inflation, that was a ridiculous amount. Jairen looked shocked, but curiosity got the better of him.
“How… did that happen?”
“Well, life just kinda… went that way.”
[You have received James (alias)’s sympathy. Intelligence +3]
What the—did I just buy his pity? Ew.
‘Can’t believe I made this psycho feel sorry for me!’
Sure, it was only +3 Intelligence, but it still felt weirdly like an achievement.
Luckily, the system explained it for me.
[You have received sympathy from a highly sadistic person!]
[This is an extraordinary achievement.]
[A hidden title has been granted.]
Ding!
<<Title: “Looks Pitiful Even from 3,000 Meters Away”>>
[Effect: Luck +1]
What… kind of ridiculous title is that?!
Sure, Luck is a rare stat you can’t raise manually, but just one point? Seriously?
