Cooldown

"Are those two still sleeping?" Ali asked, sitting in the garden gazebo, going through his phone and the newspaper placed beside him.

He wanted to go for a jog or do his workout routine before breakfast, but Emily was adamant on not letting him out of her sight to do some stupid stuff that might cause his injury to worsen again, so he could just sit in the open garden and enjoy tea or read paper just like his grandfather does usually.

Emily, who sat beside him was peeling some fruits and passing it to his plate in smaller sizes for him to eat carefully, smiled at his question and replied. "Aliya said five more minutes and then locked the door from inside, so I don't think they'll wake up soon."

Ali chuckled hearing his lazy sister's antics. She was always a late sleeper and now when their parents aren't at home and she doesn't have school here, she had no reason to leave her bed this early.

Not to mention he could hear the laughter and slow music from her room late at night too. She probably played games or watched those anime and cartoons of hers.

"Does she really plan to transfer schools at this time?" He asked as Aliya joked yesterday that she already talked to mom about leaving her boarding house studies and staying at home, or at least somewhere near here.

"Yeah, the academic year is already ending there anyway. And she just has final exams left next month." Emily said and went on to inform him about what she heard from Karma, her superior and the butler of Arya household. "I think Madam has already talked to the principal at the 'Career High', so Aliya can just continue there from the next batch."

-cough cough-

Ali choked on the fruit and looked at Emily in surprise as he heard a familiar name in her speech. "Career High, as in the one at the Clocktower circle?" Ali asked, taking the glass of water from her hands and drinking a little.

"Yes, that's the only one. Isn't it?" Emily asked, taking the plate away from in front of him. Acting a little superstitious like his mother.

'This bitchy fate…' Ali thought as he remembered that Kevin used to go to the same college there too. And it was obvious he'll still go there now for a distant learning course, until he finishes his studies completely.

As for managing his job with studies, well he's a hero, working under a heroine, who's known to be soft in the inside and icy on the outside, so anyone can guess somehow he'll convince Mehar to have some pity on him and allow him to continue his studies too.

'So I nearly die, my mom feels unsafe and ends up calling Aliya for a holiday. Who in turn just out right proposes to cancel her ongoing abroad study program and stay in this same city. All just so dear Kevin can meet up with Aliya and woo her under our noses.' Ali thought about all the actions and the results that led to this situation now.

'Fate really is a fucking bitch.' He said in his heart and thought if he should just convince Aliya to go back to America, instead of staying here.

But after thinking about something he just shook his head. If she's close he can keep an eye on her or those around her at least, while he would know nothing if she's so far away.

'I need to get Kevin kicked out and banned from that college before Aliya steps a foot into that place.' Ali thought and looked at his mobile phone, waiting for a call to come any moment now.

[Ring ring] ×2

"Em, why don't you go and check up on Aliya again. Tell her that we need to go shopping for Shashi." Ali said, looking at his assistant who's been a little absentminded all morning now. But refuses to answer anything.

'Did she just hesitate for a few seconds,' Ali thought seeing Emily glancing at his phone for a few seconds before turning around and walking away..

'System, you can't show me what she's currently feeling, right?' Ali asked in his mind, thinking of something that might have caused this sudden change in his sonchidiya.

[No, the emotion range of free appraisal only shows the emotion with the highest value. For other options either upgrade the system or unlock the next version through shop function.]

'As I guessed.' He thought and looked at his phone. "Is it done?" He asked, without wasting any time on greetings or something.

… "Yeah, he came to the college to apply for distant learning and a few days leave, when the girl caught him and created a big scene. I've sent you the link for a clip, you can see it."

Hearing the voice from the other end a smile came to Ali's face, "Do one more thing, fuel the rumors more and leak some photos and videos to the whole campus after the next few days."

"But _ that's not what we agreed…" The person from the opposite end tried to say something, but Ali just cut him off and continued his instructions.

"Give the girl whatever she asks for, and then safely send her someplace far away once the fire is hot. The same goes for you, finish the job and send me the bill, however much you want." Ali gave a new command and hearing the next person agree, he just cut the call and laid back in chair.

'Morally right, hacker huh, is the legendary Ghost a hidden heroine too.' Ali thought, remembering the hesitation from the other person's voice after he cut the call.

Ghost is one of the best hackers in the country, whom he could contact. And as anyone with half a brain can guess, no one knows anything about her other than her alias and a few jobs she pulled off. No name, no gender, no nothing.

'Nah, how can there be so many heroines in one guy's harem?' Ali thought and pushed this thought aside, thinking he was overreacting and that not every talented and good person has to be someone blessed by luck.

Not knowing how close to the truth he was. And how surprised he'd be when he comes face to face with 'Ghost' later on. But that's a tale for the future.

Anyway, opening his phone he glanced at the link in the mail and opened it. Watching the video playing with a smile on his face.

The video showed a hall of the college, where a young girl came and slapped a boy twice on his cheeks. After which she grabbed his collar and started cursing him for being a bastard and having no shame or morals.

The drama soon caused many surrounding students to gather and start asking about what happened, but seeing the crowd, the girl just turned around and left with tears in her eyes. Leaving everyone to discuss amongst themselves.

Until another girl came up to the still confused, publicly slapped boy and told him, "Don't you have a sister at home, how would you like it if someone like you blackmailed her for sleeping with him. If I ever see you around the girl's hostel again, I'll call the police and make sure you get into prison. Disgusting bastard.."

With this statement all the crowd got a general idea or a rough guess of what might have happened, after all the boy and girl were quite famous in the college as the entertainment gossip of the week.

Who else can it be except the poor green hat Kevin, and his money hungry ex-girlfriend.

Ali closed the video instead of watching some students chatter amongst themselves and Kevin leaving with his head held down and clenched fists. Obviously after, he beat down two dumb students who wanted to act righteous and beat Kevin for no reason but just to show off.

The rumors would've just died down in a few days, but with Ghost leaking a few more props, it should ruin the bastard's reputation at college. Maybe even get him kicked out.

At first Ali just wanted to create a few drama and then make Mehar slowly disgust with Kevin. But with Aliya attending the school he gave up on saving Mehar from halo effects and chose to ruin his school first.

Shaking his head Ali opened his system, showing his previous notifications.

[Host's action causes protagonist to feel publicly shamed - VP 50 points.]

[Protagonist is labeled as a pervert and a villain in front of a heroine - VP 200 points.]

[Host's actions lead to a heroine having a bad impression of the protagonist and feeling disgusted with him. - VP 150 points.]

[Total VP 900]

[Total LP 246(previous) +4(liv) +100(for this event) = 350]

"hmmm so there's another heroine waiting at his college already huh. Guess she'll be one of his classmates." Ali said to himself after reading all the notifications.

"Who's dat?"

A sudden voice broke Ali's thoughts as he saw someone snatched his phone from his hands.

"He looks lite a pad untle." Shashi said cutely, while looking at the image of Kevin on the paused video on his screen.

Ali tapped her lightly on the head and took his phone back. "Well, he is a bad uncle. So you should stay away if you ever see him. Okay."

Shashi just nodded her head and sat on the chair, as she pulled the plate of fruits to her side and started munching on them without saying anything.

"Where's Aliya?" Ali asked as he pulled her chair close to him and fixed her ruffled hair.

"Sleepin" Shashi replied, pushing his big hand away with her tiny hands.

"She didn't kick you off the bed or something, did she?"Ali asked, remembering his sister's wild habits.

He couldn't count how many times he had his back broken on the floor as she had this weird habit of flailing her legs around in his sleep in her childhood. Ali especially had to beg his mom to take his sister away every night, even when she would cry about sleeping in his big room.

"Ummm ummm" Shashi shook her head as she drank a glass of water, spilling half of it on her clothes with her slippery hands.

"We'll go shopping soon. So why don't you go take a bath? I'll ask the maids to help you. Okay." Ali said but hearing his words Shashi shook her head and said "Mama, helps bath."

Hearing her mentioning her mom for the first time after coming here Ali hesitated for a few seconds, not sure what to say, when gladly Emily came to his rescue, as she just picked Shashi from the chair and walked away. "How about I help you take a bath, and then we'll have another vanilla ice cream."

Hearing the word ice cream Shashi broke into a giggle and happily nodded her head, as Emily took her away.

Ali nodded his head at Emily and then looked at Shashi for some time, before issuing a command in his mind.

'System, do an appraisal on her.'

[.. …]

'Let's see who your parents are. It should be easy to find them after knowing their names, right?'Ali thought, waiting for system's response, who seemed to be taking longer than usual for any result.

Getting impatient, Ali asked about the appraisal again. 'System, show me her details.'

Yet the answer he got this time was just another surprise.

[Authority level not enough.]

[Upgrade the system for further instructions.]

[Appraisal on cooldown for 4 hours.]

[03:59:59… …]

"Da fuq"