Arc 0 - Chapter 2

Maria walked down the stairs with an embarrassed pout on her face. Satan, who she could see in the holographic screen in front of her, was back in the system space - saying that if she needed him she should call out his name in her mind and talk with him the same way. Yet Lilith, who didn't want to walk anymore, shrunk herself into a cute chibi and sat on Maria's shoulder.

Maria paused before she entered the kitchen, watching silently as her mother and sister are making breakfast together with a pleasant banter.

"Oh, it looks like they have such a great mother-daughter bonding time." Lilith giggled heavily on her shoulder.

Maria gritted her teeth but calmed down when she saw Lilith's playful smirk. 'Don't let your emotions always take control, you'll be at a disadvantage against more collected people' - this was one of the lessons she learned yesterday, Lilith is definitely testing her at this moment.

Maria took a big yet quiet breath, she doesn't need to hint to her sister that she is agitated, and sat down at the dining table.

Theresa and their mom put down the pancakes and sat down at the dining table as well.

Mom served Maria a plate of fresh pancakes. "Good morning, sweetie, Have some pancakes." She smiled. "You didn't really eat anything after school, and when I wanted to call you to eat you were already in dreamland. I was worried you'd be extra hungry this morning."

Theresa noticed the conversation and passed the chocolate syrup to Maria. "Here, sis, have some syrup," She smiled so wide her eyes creased. "You should eat lots and gather strength, I know you have two hours of math first thing in school today."

Maria accepted the syrup with an almost expressionless face. "Thanks, Theresa."

Lilith eyed her host's face as she had her eyebrows relaxed and her lips curved. She snorted in her heart. "What about Mommy? Doesn't she deserve thanks as well?"

Maria wanted to thank her mom quietly like she used to. But remembering her lesson yesterday, that people liked to feel good and appreciated at key times, she instead kissed mother's cheek and said thank you with a bright smile.

Maria looked down at her plate, a little embarrassed. She heard a 'ding' sound that made her raise her head back up.

She wanted to smile widely at the holographic screen in front of her that said: '+5 Charm Ponts', she looked at her smiling mother and saw that next to her head was a rose symbol that disappeared right after she noticed it.

Maria took a bite of her meal with a smile. She was alarmed once again when she heard another 'ding'. She raised her head quickly, expecting to see more charm points notifications. Yet her face paled as she saw the familiar holographic screen.

'+ 100 Poison Points'

Maria slowly turned her head to her sister. Theresa saw she was looking at herself and smiled gently as always. Yet next to her head was the symbol of the poisonous nightshade. Belladonna.

Maria sat at the back of the car, her sister and mother who sat in the front couldn't see she was scrolling through a holographic screen, or that a gorgeous woman was advising her on things.

"This one is useful, if you have a pretty rival it could damage her appearance," She sighed in dismay. "Such a shame for the price. So expensive."

Maria side-eyed her partner and continued to scroll through the 'Belladonna shop', not speaking in her mind as she was afraid she'll slip and say something aloud.

Lilith laid back on the car seat. "Are you upset about earlier?" Her gaze went to the girl in front who was texting on her phone. "Did you expect something else from her?"

Maria paused her scrolling and tightened her lips. "No."

Lilith smiled gently and rubbed Maria's small head. "My petty little liar."

When they arrived at school, Theresa wished her mother goodbye and got off. Maria stayed behind for a bit with her head down.

"Honey?" Her mother turned to her. "Something wrong? Are you feeling sick perhaps?"

Maria looked at her mother, feeling Lilith's piercing gaze on her. "Mom," Her big eyes seemed so innocently cute. "Thanks for the drive."

Her mother was surprised at first yet laughed a little, patting the same head Lilith patted a minute before. "What's up with you today? Did you have a good dream or something?"

Maria looked at the holographic screen '+5 Charm Pints' and at the rose symbol next to her mom and smiled so wide her eyes creased. "Yeah!"

All through math class Maria didn't pay attention, she read the book Lilith told her to read that was being disguised as her math book. Like this, she looked like a serious straight-A student, and the woman who sat beside her looked like a slacker as she slept on the table.

Lilith yawned. "I forgot how boring school was."

After the class was done, a boy with slick hair that parted in the middle and square glasses came to Maria's table. "Hey, Maria," He smiled apologetically as he interrupted her while she studied. "Can I sit here?"

Lilith went back to her chibi form and found a comfortable position in Maria's pencil case.

Maria looked at Jonathan and nodded. "Sure."

Jonathan sat down and frowned slightly when he felt the slightly warm seat. Maria glanced at him as he took his phone out and showed her a logo for a new PC game.

"This game is supposed to come out this year. I heard you have a new computer so I thought you would like it since it's a game we can play together from our homes." He smiled embarrassedly with a blush.

Maria observed Jonathan and found things she didn't notice before. His flushed face, his jittery hands, how his eyes would look away when she caught his gaze.

Maria looked down at the logo of the game and found the price in little letters with her eyes, she showed a disappointed expression and smiled reluctantly. "It's a little expensive for my parents right now since they bought a computer for my sister as well," Her gentle voice was calm yet saddened. "Maybe we should keep playing in class on our phones."

Lilith smiled wide with joy. Now that was her petty little liar!

"Oh..." Jonathan nodded and rubbed his sweaty hands. "I-I completely understand."

"Do you want to perhaps see my new computer?"

"Sure!"

Maria swept a glance at Lilith and opened her photo gallery on her phone. "It's the last picture there."

Jonathan was a little confused why she didn't open the photo herself, yet he forgot all about it when he saw the picture.

"Why is there another name on your computer...?"

Maria's eyes widened with horror as she quickly took the phone from his hands and scrolled to the right picture. "Oh! Sorry! I forgot that my sister wanted me to send her a picture while she was out with a new friend," She now handed him the phone with the right picture on. "Her friend was curious about what she got for her birthday and I was home that day so I helped her."

Jonathan looked down at the new photo, expecting to see the expensive model computer with Maria's name on it, except it was a secondhand computer that could not even run newer games.

He didn't know how to react to such a comparison, his eyes held pity as he saw the girl flushed ears and ashamed eyes. "I..." Before he even knew what he was doing, his mouth already said those words. "The new game I showed you can still run on this kind of model. I-I'll buy it for you."

The girl raised her head in utter surprise, her misty eyes shining. "Really?"

Jonathan gulped and scratched his cheek. "Yeah! I'll tell my mom I'm going to gift it to a friend for their birthday," He laughed. "It's technically not wrong since I didn't gift you anything last month."

Maria smiled widely and hugged the boy in front of her. "Thank you, Jon."

The boy flushed and nodded in acknowledgment.

Nathan, from the other side of the class, whistled and yelled: "What a lovely pair of nerdy lovebirds!"

The class laughed loudly and Jonathan screamed at him back. Yet Maria didn't care.

All she cared about was the screen showing her '+50 Charm Points' and the rose symbol next to Jonathan.

"Aren't I supposed to get missions?" Maria asked Lilith in her mind as they strolled through school.

"Since this is not a Game World, Satan and I requested them ourselves, it needs to get approved by the technical system soon," Lilith leaned on her neck in her chibi form. "It might take time. So just farm Charm and Poison Points like you did earlier. You were excellent."

Maria smiled proudly. She continued to walk through the school grounds, feeling as if she was looking for something.

Without noticing, she stumbled upon the bench of the popular kids in her class.

"I don't believe it!" Anna yelled at Nathan.

"Well, it's the truth!"

"How can your parents even approve of this?!"

"My parents are happy that my uncle is going to take me away! He is super rich!" Nathan smirked at the almost-crying Anna. "When he'll teach me the ways of his business and set me to work there, my family will be set for life!"

"You jerk! How can you suddenly get up and leave here?!" Anna wiped her tears and mucus, ignoring the comforting words of her girlfriends. "Don't you care about your friends?!"

Nathan raised an eyebrow. "How can you compare friends with money?"

Nathan's closest friend laughed and slapped his back. "Don't forget about us when you make it big!"

Nathan snorted and turned his head in annoyance away from the crying girl who obviously harbored feelings for him. "The only reason I'm going to get back to this shitty hellhole is to get my future wife."

Lilith raised a chibi eyebrow. "Future wife...?"

Nathan's friend tried to pass the awkwardness of being overlooked as he pointed to Maria. "Well, here is your future sister-in-law. Tell her to pass the message to her sister!"

When Nathan's piercing gaze fell upon Maria, she wanted to turn her head. Yet she didn't.

Lilith taught her shortly that night about several types of men and women. She heavily emphasized that it is not entirely black and white and that people can be many at once or change at will, but they will mostly fall for the majority of the stereotype.

Nathan was the kind that fell into the man (or better yet- a boy) that demands respect due to lacking things in his life. Maria remembered the time when he didn't have much money to show off- he used to be the class clown and do all sorts of things to get attention. Although it succeeded and he became popular quickly, kids looked down on him- that was until he started to go to school in designer clothes and get picked up by a driver with a luxurious car.

That change in his lifestyle, using the finest things and getting respect and attention from many people, made him even more arrogant. Right now he believed no one will oppose him.

Right now Maria didn't overtly challenge him- she didn't yell or become aggressive, she just quietly looked him in the eyes.

Nathan clicked his tongue. "What do you want, shrimp? Unless it's about Theresa- I don't want to see your face."

Maria heard a familiar ding and looked at the screen- '+20 poison points'.

Anna, the prettiest girl in their class, scowled at her with tears in her eyes. The belladonna symbol is next to her head.

Maria wanted to say something, yet was surprised by Satan's voice in her head: "I've received your first Sub-mission."

Maria glanced to the side at the appearing screen, trying to do it lightly to not appear weird in the other's eyes.

Sub Mission- Make Nathan angry at you. (rewards: 20 S points and Nathan's backstory).

Maria's eyes shone as she saw the notification. This was her chance to get her first S points!

Maria finally spoke after the long silence: "I'm sorry, I can't really give a good word for you to my sister since..." Maria resisted the urge to smile. "She doesn't remember you."

Nathan and all of his friend's eyes widened. Some boys came close to the shaking Nathan, hoping to hold him in time to not hit a girl.

The angry boy gritted his teeth. "What did you just say...?"

Maria looked at the screen that showed her two notifications- the first of them being that she completed her mission and her prize and points are in her inventory, and the other is the '+50 poison points' she was already familiar with.

Maria smirked so subtly that no one noticed. She wanted to make the poisonous flower beside Nathan's head blossom.

"It's true," She lowered her head, appearing like the timid girl she always was. "You asked me that day why I didn't invite you to our birthday party- I did, or wanted to at least. Yet my sister told me she didn't want to have too many people at our party, so we should exclude those we don't know well."

A vein appeared on Nathan's forehead, aging him instantly from his usual childish appearance in such a weird way. The flower next to his head didn't go away as Maria received another 50 poison points. His pride was so great, how did it feel for him to know that the girl he likes doesn't remember him even though he chased after her at school for so long?

The angry boy lunged forward, yet was held back by his friends- yelling at him that Theresa would hate him if he hit her little sister. This calmed him down after a few minutes. Only if he knew that it was not true at all, Maria was even sure that Theresa will have a good impression of him if she knew he gave her little sister a broken nose.

"When it comes to lies- it's okay to tell them," Lilith spoke on her shoulder as Nathan was still calming down. "But you need to make sure they are never to be discovered or just make them into the truth."

Maria spoke in her mind: "I'll be sure to memorize this."

Lilith laughed and leaned on Maria's slender neck. "You should also memorize how to be liked by people. After all, you currently have 220 poison points while your charm points are only 60, remember that the way to beautify yourself is through the rose store~"

Maria took a deep breath and forced herself to talk to a person she never thought she would exchange words with. "It was dumb of him to say this but don't cry over him, Anna."

Anna looked at Maria with a confused frown. Those two barely interacted with each other, Anna was the class flower and Maria was the weird quiet kid- they never had anything to say to each other except when the teacher paired them for school work. Saying such comforting words like this was incredibly strange.

Nathan raged, "You're pushing it, shrimp!" +20 Poison points.

Anna turned her face sideways, wiping her tears while not looking at the weird girl in front of her.

Maria lowered her head once again. "Sorry... but it's just a shame that you make such a pretty girl cry."

Anna's eyes widened, next to her head was the rose symbol. +10 Charm points.

Lilith's eyes creased as she smiled with pride. Young children before their adolescent years start to become aware of their appearance and of the opposite sex- especially girls. They pay much more emphasis to their physical appearance. Even though Anna was known as their "Class Flower' no one really complimented her out loud, most girls were still timid and most boys were still getting the childish "ick". This was also why Anna liked Nathan so much- he was the only boy in their class who didn't make vomiting noises when he had to participate in the school dance with other girls, he even appreciate his crush openly!

The insecure and young Anna chased after Nathan more for the longing to be called "pretty" by him rather than true feelings, just like a lot of young crushes.

Yet it was the first time someone other than her family called her pretty, without even knowing her very well.

Nathan wanted to yell at Maria once more, yet Anna stopped him before he could. "Stop it already! Don't you see she's scared?! You're so stupid!" Anna went to Maria and interlinked their arms. "Let's go play near the front gate where the teachers are at! He won't dare to yell at you there!"

Maria smiled gratefully at Anna. "Thank you!" She blushed slightly. "So you're both pretty and kind..."

+ 30 Charm points.

When the day was over and Maria put her head to sleep, she woke up once again in the system space.

Maria got out of bed and greeted Satan who was waiting for her, together they walked to the library to meet with Lilith.

Once Lilith saw them coming in, she hurried to Maria and smothered her cheeks with kisses. "My little student is growing too fast!"

Satan sighed and sat at one of the chairs, opening a random book. "She has such a natural talent for this that it's frightening." Almost as frightening as your talent at choosing them.

Maria and Lilith sat across from Satan and opened their study books. "So," Lilith leaned on one fair hand. "What did you learn today?"

Maria rubbed her chin. "Kids are easily charmed and for some reason- I get much more Poison points than Charm points."

Lilith smirked. "Can you guess what the reason is?"

Maria shook her head.

Satan glanced up briefly from his book, fearing his partner's next choice of words.

"It's because you are not attractive enough."

... and he was right to worry.

Maria looked down and gritted her teeth. "But you said looks are not the only thing important..."

Lilith sighed and patted Maria's hair. "Listen now, sweetie, because this is a hard lesson in life. People often talk about beauty and attractiveness as if they are dining in a restaurant- saying that beauty is not the main dish, only the dessert."

Lilith brown eyes shone red as she smiled so beautifully it caused your heart to bleed. "But they are looking at it the wrong way~

The analogy shouldn't be about dining in a restaurant but about opening a door. Attractiveness is the first step."

Satan interjected in the lesson. "Yes, just like when a person can have all the qualities another person wants in a partner- yet without being attracted to them, they'll think of them as a friend."

Satan and Lilith gave that night a lesson about beauty and attraction. When it was only an hour away from Maria waking up Lilith made a suggestion:

"Do you want to browse the rose store? You do have 100 Charm points, maybe you could buy something."

Maria nodded in anticipation. Satan opened the holographic store and let Lilith and Maria browse it.

The store was styled in baby pink with many roses in the background, like an old teenage girl-blogger website, yet the products were incredible to just read about.

"What about this one?" Maria pointed at the screen.

Lilith nodded in appreciation. "You have a great eye."

The product Maria was pointing at was a cream called "Glass Sphere", it was a product to smoothen and whiten the skin, preventing any blemishes and sun damage while greatly reducing the making of wrinkles in the future.

It costs 100 Charm points- the exact amount of points Maria currently had.

"This product can only be used on your spiritual body, meaning you'll have to apply it in the system space," Lilith read the description of the product. "it's said to apply it every day to face and body until the cream is finished and you will see a change in your physical body."

Lilith and Maria went together to the Bath cabin while Satan stayed in the library to review some technical things.

In the dark bath cabin, where the only light was from a few aromatic candles, Maria took off her pajamas and started to apply the cream all over.

Lilith sat crossed-leg on a relaxing chair nearby. "Don't you want to redeem your other prize?"

Maria looked over at her. "You mean...?"

Lilith nodded. "Nathan's backstory, and we should check his status too. After all, he is such an interesting little boy~"

Maria nodded and sat next to Lilith after she put on a bathrobe, she opened her inventory and clicked on her newly earned prize.

New Data downloaded itself into Maria's mind- it felt as if someone was pushing a story inside of her brain. She stared down at the dark wooden floor and thought about the new knowledge she acquired.

The story started with his parents before Nathan was even born. Nathan's mother was born into a crime family- a well-known Mafia. That kind of family didn't favor girls, so even though she was the eldest child, at a very young age her father already put her into an arranged marriage that will benefit the family.

Once Nathan's mother was a teenager, she met his father - who was a poor boy, and love blossomed between the two. They decided to elope.

The only reason why the family didn't manage to find Nathan's mother after she ran away was due to her younger brother covering for her. His older sister helped raise him more than his own mother- thus he expressed his gratitude by assisting her to stay hidden.

Many years later- Nathan was born into their small family and they lived quietly in a tiny town Maria also lived in. Nathan grew up a bit spoiled since his mother was scarred from her childhood, where everyone was cold towards her, thus felt she should raise her children with lots of love while also being afraid to scold them.

But an unfortunate thing happened to Nathan's uncle who runs his family Mafia. In an unexpected ambush- his "family jewels" got injured, making him almost unable to bring children into the world unless a new solution and surgery are found suitable.

In their family- a man who could not have an heir cannot be the overall boss. Many of his cousins began to eye his position hungrily.

Nathan's uncle found a temporary solution to his problem- until he could fix his problem "down there" he will take a blood relative who is obedient towards him as an heir. He couldn't possibly take his cousins' children, so instead, he took back his own nephew - cheating his parents and the elders that he was a child he didn't know about from a former lover.

Since Nathan had a remarkable resemblance to his uncle, and his uncle also gave the elders fake DNA documents, they were convinced that it was his own child, pressuring him to bring him back home.

All of this happened recently, and it seemed Nathan was truly on his way to live with his uncle due to what Maria heard from him today.

"That's why he's gotten so rich recently," Maria whispered with a scowl. "What kind of luck is that?"

"We'll see if he was truly lucky," Lilith stroked Maria's soft cheek. "Sometimes good fortune is just a disaster in disguise. Aside from that, that cream is truly a miracle - your skin is already much whiter and soft."

Maria stroked the cheek that Lilith just caressed. "I want to see his status."

A blue holographic screen appeared before the both of them.

Name: Nathan Daniels

Age: 12

Occupation: Elementary Student, Temporary Heir To "West Saint" Mafia.

Danger Level: C

Danger Level To Host: B

Titles: NR

Powers: NR

Skills: Studying (high), Business (low), Martial Arts (low), Weaponry (low)

Likes: Theresa, Uncle Jacob, Cars, Money, ?, ?, ?, ?...

Dislikes: Father, Studying, Hometown, ?, ?, ?, ?...

Role: NR

Lilith sighed as she rested her head on her hand. "He Hates studying yet is extremely good at it. I used to hate people like that."

Maria listened to her words, being a bit curious about Lilith's words yet wanting to focus on the status before her. "Why are so many Likes and Dislikes hidden?"

"A lot of times you will need to know the person more so that the system can show you private things."

"I was completely sure that I will see my name on the Dislike list."

"Hmm, perhaps you are in there~"

Maria wanted to respond, yet she found herself opening her eyes to the sound of her annoying alarm clock.

When Maria went to school that day, the teacher announced that Nathan had to move away suddenly and that the class should make him a picture book that his parents will be responsible for sending him.

Maria comforted the crying Anna and got 20 Charm points.

"He is so lucky," Maria communicated with Satan and Lilith in her mind. "Getting out of this boring town."

"Who knows? We might run into him in the future." Lilith giggled.

Maria looked out of the window of her classroom, thinking that Lilith never throw her words around- they always hid a certain meaning in them.

A short time after the sudden goodbye to the hateful boy, Maria had to separate from another hateful person- her sister.

Theresa, being a straight-A and gifted student, got a scholarship at an excellent school overseas.

While her parents tearfully said goodbye to their beloved daughter at the airport, Maria watched from the side with the suitcase.

"Are you sure that my world is not a game world?" She asked Satan inside of her mind. "It feels like Nathan and Theresa are the main leads."

"100% sure," Satan replied.

Lilith appeared next to Maria and put a hand on her shoulder, if people could see her they would think that she was a part of the separating and tearful family.

Maria watched with empty eyes as her parents repeatedly kissed Theresa, telling her to always call them with tears in their eyes. "I want to see her Status."

Lilith smirked, her red eyes examining the holographic screen that appeared.

Name: Theresa Albert

Age: 12

Occupation: Middle-School Student

Danger Level: F

Danger Level To Host: D

Titles: NR

Powers: NR

Skills: Studying (high), Makeup (Medium), Manipulation (Medium), Seduction (Low), Cooking (medium)

Likes: Pink, Small Animals, Studying, Parents, Sister, Friends, Gifts, Handsome Boys, ?, ?, ?, ?...

Dislikes: Foul Smells, Pretty Girls, Sister, Being ignored, Small Children, Matcha Tea ice cream, ?, ?, ?, ?...

Role: NR

Maria lowered her head, her parents looked over at her and thought she was sad that her sister will be away for a long time. The only thing they couldn't see was her crazed eyes.

'Sister,' She thought to herself while biting her lips until they bled. 'Do you love and hate me too?'

"Maria," Her Father beckoned her with a tearful smile. "Come and say goodbye to your sister."

Maria raised her head and timidly walked over, her family could see her tears and her lips that were a little torn.

This pitiful look raised her parents' sympathetic feelings for her, giving her 30 charm points from each of them.

Theresa smile and held both of Maria's hands. "Promise you'll miss me, lil' sis'."

Their parents looked at each other and smiled, they decided to let the girls have some time alone so they went to the nearest coffee shop to buy something sweet.

Theresa watched their parents walk away from the corner of her eye, she looked back at her little sister who seemed to have the softest and whitest skin- was it because she didn't have friends so she was stuck at home all day?

Maria raised her gaze, her gentle gray eyes gave Theresa a fearful feeling in her stomach. Why did such a gentle and loving gaze frighten her?

Theresa took a deep breath and held her sister's hands even tighter, trying to let Maria feel that she was reluctant to part with her. "Watch our parents for me, alright? And don't give up on your studies at school!"

Maria smiled brightly and laughed, her gray eyes shined with the sunlight that came from the big glass walls that showed the planes take off. It almost seemed as if she had small sparkles inside the gray ring.

Theresa felt a sense of crisis. She suddenly had the feeling that no matter the bad haircut, the ugly clothes she purposely bought and gave to her little sister when they were "too small on her", and her gloomy personality, her little sister was the most beautiful in the world. And Maria was somehow aware- thus making her even more beautiful in some kind of a twisted yet dazzling cycle.

Maria almost smirked when she saw the "+ 50 Poison points" that came from her still-smiling older sister.

Maria stood on her tip-toes since Theresa was taller than her and hugged her sister, not the superficial hug both of them are used to with each other- but a real one where she squeezed her and put her head on her shoulder.

Theresa's eyes widen yet she tried to act natural as she hugged Maria's waist. "Don't worry, sis, we'll keep in co-"

Theresa couldn't finish her sentence as Maria cut her off: "My beloved sister," Maria whispered into her ear. "You and I are the same."

Theresa stared at the floor, completely in shock.

Maria kissed her sister's cheek. "I love and despise you the most."

Just in time, their parents came back and gave each a warm pastry. Their father accompanied Theresa to the plane since only one adult can do it with someone underage, Maria and her mother stayed behind and waved goodbye.

Maria smiled happily as she saw two flower symbols beside her sister.

'+ 300 Poison Points'.

'+ 300 Charm Points'.

~~~~

Small Theatre:

*Maria sobbing and asking for comfort*

Lilith: "My poor baby, she's such a fragile child, she needs lots of love and comfort~" 

*Maria manipulating others for her own gain*

Lilith: *Maniac laugh*

Satan: "..."