Elena

Oliver stepped out of the hotel, his mind a whirl of emotions. Shock, disbelief, and excitement all swirled within him as he replayed the events from moments ago. His life had taken a sudden and unexpected turn. The system, this mysterious thing, had just bound itself to him, and along with the sudden influx of cash, a flood of new knowledge poured into his mind. It was as if someone had opened the floodgates, and now he knew far more about this system than he could have ever imagined.

The rules were simple, yet almost too good to be true. Anytime he spent money on a woman he found attractive, he would receive a x10 rebate in return. However, there was a catch—he could only receive this rebate if he used the money in a way that directly benefited them. It was an odd concept, but one that opened up endless possibilities in his mind. More intriguing was the fact that after spending money on a woman, he could choose to "bind" them to his system. If they were bound, he'd be able to see their favorability toward him, displayed in cold, hard numbers on a scale of 100. As their favorability increased, so too did the rebate multiplier.

If their favorability exceeded 20, the rebate would jump to 20x. Over 50, and it would rise to 50x. And, the grand prize—if he could get their favorability over 80, he would be looking at a 100x rebate. His mind raced with possibilities. It was a game, a challenge. The thrill of it excited him, even as he walked down the crowded streets toward his apartment.

Then, the system spoke again.

[Would you like to bind Elena Voss?]

Oliver paused, realizing that the woman whose jewelry he had accidentally broken was likely this Elena Voss. From the brief interaction, he could tell she was wealthy, and not just from the way she carried herself. The fact that she was staying at a high-end hotel—one where even a single night cost hundreds of dollars—was enough evidence. He wasn't entirely sure why the system offered to bind her, but he decided it was worth taking the risk. After all, it wasn't like he was forced to keep her bound forever.

[Elena Voss successfully bound. 1/1]

The system displayed a confirmation message. He noted that he only had one slot available for binding people, which meant he would have to think carefully in the future. But the promise of unlocking more slots by raising Elena's favorability above 80 made it seem like a reasonable trade-off. A satisfied grin crept onto his face as his apartment building came into view.

The building, if you could call it that, was in shambles. It looked like it could crumble at any moment, with cracked walls, peeling paint, and a roof that seemed to sag under its own weight. But despite its outward appearance, the structure was sound. Oliver had lived here for two years, and while the conditions were far from ideal, it was cheap, and more importantly, he had no immediate plans to leave. His rent was paid for the next few weeks, and he needed time to figure out his next move anyway.

Inside his apartment, Oliver quickly changed out of his work uniform. He'd been wearing the same outfit for two long years, and it was starting to feel tight around his shoulders. There was a sense of relief as he shed the hotel's blue and white attire. For the first time in years, he didn't have to worry about returning to that awful job. The freedom tasted sweet, even though it was tinged with uncertainty. Now dressed in more casual clothes, he felt lighter—like a burden had been lifted. Life had begun to shift, and with the system on his side, anything seemed possible.

With a spring in his step, he decided to head to the mall. He figured that if spending money on women would lead to such high returns, it would be wise to start with Elena. Random girls weren't worth the investment yet. Elena was bound to the system, and increasing her favorability seemed like the logical next step. His phone buzzed with the notification from the system—Elena's favorability toward him was displayed.

[Elena Voss's Favorability - 10]

Surprisingly, she already had some favorability toward him. Oliver was a bit taken aback—she actually had some positive feelings toward him despite the incident with her jewelry. Perhaps it was because he had paid her back so quickly. He wasn't sure, but he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

The Louis Vuitton store loomed ahead as Oliver approached. He could feel the judgmental stares of the employees before he even entered. They didn't think he belonged there, and it wasn't hard to figure out why. His clothes, though clean, weren't flashy, and in a store like this, appearances mattered. The customers around him were draped in designer labels, making his plain outfit stand out even more. He couldn't help but scoff at their haughty attitudes. He had dealt with worse throughout his life.

He browsed the shelves, picking out a bag that caught his eye. It was priced at $5,000—a hefty sum, but one he could now afford without hesitation. The bag was sleek, stylish, and elegant. He didn't know the first thing about luxury goods, but it seemed like something Elena might like. After all, women loved bags, right? The cashier, an older man with a thin mustache, gave him a skeptical look as Oliver approached.

"Are you sure you've checked the price?" the man asked with thinly veiled condescension.

Oliver just nodded, suppressing the urge to roll his eyes. He handed over his credit card, and the man, still doubtful, ran it through the machine. When the payment went through without issue, the cashier's attitude shifted almost immediately. A fake smile spread across his face as he handed Oliver the receipt. "Thank you for your purchase, sir. Have a nice day."

Bag in hand, Oliver made his way back to the hotel, feeling a strange sense of satisfaction. As luck would have it, just as he approached the entrance, he saw Elena stepping out of the lobby. She looked just as elegant and poised as before, dressed in a stylish coat and heels. Oliver thanked his lucky stars for the timing.

"Elena!" he called out, rushing over to her.

She stopped and turned, her brow furrowing slightly. She clearly wasn't expecting to see him again so soon. Oliver quickly apologized for breaking her jewelry once more. He could see her frown, and she sighed heavily. "It was a gift from my uncle," she said softly. "He passed away last year."

Oliver's heart sank. Of course, the one piece of jewelry he damaged had sentimental value. He apologized profusely, his guilt only deepening. Then, with a nervous smile, he handed her the Louis Vuitton bag, still in its pristine packaging.

"I wanted to show my appreciation for your patience," he said, "and also as a way to make up for what happened."

Elena blinked in surprise, her eyes widening as she took the bag from him. She knew how expensive Louis Vuitton items were, and it didn't make sense for someone like him—a hotel worker—to be able to afford such a gift. "You didn't have to do this," she said, though her tone was more curious than dismissive.

"I insist," Oliver replied, shaking his head. "Please, just accept it."

She hesitated for a moment but finally relented, nodding in thanks. As she turned to leave, Oliver gathered his courage. "I wouldn't mind going out with a woman as beautiful as you," he blurted out before he could stop himself.

Elena raised an eyebrow, clearly caught off guard by his boldness. But then, to his surprise, she smiled. "Alright," she said. "Why not?"

Oliver's heart soared. He couldn't believe his luck. He quickly pulled out his phone and asked for her number, which she gave without hesitation. As she walked away, he couldn't help but notice the look of pity she cast at his outdated phone, which looked like it might fall apart at any second.

After exchanging numbers, Oliver turned to leave, but Elena stopped him once more. "Is your shift over?" she asked, her brow furrowing. "I've seen you working at the hotel for hours on end, but it's still early."

Oliver hesitated for a moment, then admitted the truth. "I got fired," he said, trying to sound nonchalant. "But it's fine. Honestly, it's what I wanted."

Elena frowned but didn't push the matter. "If you say so," she said quietly before turning and walking away.

As soon as she was out of sight, Oliver checked the system again.

[You have spent $5,000 and have earned x10 rebate.] [You have earned $50,000.]

[Elena Voss's Favorability - 15]

He groaned inwardly. He had just spent $5,000 on a designer bag, and her favorability had only increased by 5 points. Clearly, wealth wasn't going to impress someone like Elena, who had probably grown up surrounded by luxury. Still, progress was progress. He was excited to see what might happen on their date, and with $50,000 in his account, he felt like the possibilities were endless.