After a while, Lila finally got back to normal. She suspected that some demon or succubus had messed with our minds. The biggest problem with all of this was that we couldn't even begin to guess who it could have been. But that made sense; the culprit probably messed with our heads to make us unlikely to suspect them in the first place.
The only solution was to level up. As Lila regained more and more of her powers, she'd be able to fight off any kind of enemy better. Plus, she'd gradually build up more mental resistance. Anyway, the girl went back to sleep shortly after returning to normal; she still seemed pretty tired. I wasn't doing much better; my head was still throbbing, and all the craziness from the day before had left its mark on my body.
I really didn't want to go to work that day. But still, I had to get up and drag myself out of bed. So, I decided to open my bank account and stare at it for a few seconds. That was enough to shake off the hangover I was feeling. I needed money badly, so I had to go to work.
I brushed my teeth, washed my face, and drank a few glasses of water before grabbing my phone to check it. Right away, I was startled by a message from an unknown number. The profile picture was of a gorgeous redhead wearing a suit with a modest yet very seductive neckline.
I didn't recognize her at first, probably because the picture was small, but I quickly realized it was Lucia. I thought it was a bit strange that she messaged me, but I decided to add her to my contacts anyway.
Lucia: Hello, I hope to see you again soon…
Lucia: Lila mentioned that you work with the internet and video editing, correct? I assume you also have knowledge in other areas related to video production. If not, it would be beneficial for you to acquire those skills.
Lucia: Please reach out to this contact; they are looking for someone to assist with a YouTube channel. It is for a more traditional "corporation" that has little to no understanding of how to manage internet-related activities.
Below the messages was a link to a contact. I didn't think much about it at the time and just sent a message to the person. Since it came from Lucia, I figured it was probably legit.
Obviously, I also replied to the redhead with a few messages, but she didn't seem like the type to spend much time texting, so our exchange was brief and to the point.
I couldn't be sure how things would go from here, but meeting that mysterious woman seemed to be bringing me some advantages so far.
Moving on with my day, I decided to check the app since a lot had happened the day before. First off, last night when I went to take a shower, I managed to level up, so things were looking like this:
Level 3 → 4
☑ Have sex in a public place
☑ Have sex in the shower
☑ Do 25 push-ups for 5 consecutive days
☑ Make a woman give you a boobjob
☑ See a woman who is not your girlfriend naked
☑ Have sex with your partner dressed as a Playboy bunny
☑ Run 10 km
☑ Go on a date
☑ Have sex at work
☑ Train how to throw a punch
By leveling up, you unlock the right to the third quest. And +1 status point.
With a few clicks, I could see my new missions:
Level 4 → 5
☐ Go on a date at the mall
☐ Learn new skills
☐ Practice some martial art for 8 days straight
☐ Have a date with two girls together
☐ Flirt with a new girl
☐ Start the third quest
☐ Go at a date
☐ Buy new clothes
☐ Get a new girl's contact info
I imagined in my mind how I could easily handle most of those tasks. That said, having a date with two girls seemed complicated, so I didn't think leveling up quickly would be that easy. Plus, when it came to Amber's quest, I had some bad news:
Second quest
(Win over the Lonely Goddess of love)
Description: Amber lost her parents at a very young age, at only 15, inheriting a huge mansion and a cult that worships and supports her. As a distant descendant of a succubus, she unconsciously awakened some of her powers and used them to be revered. Since then, she has lived in a place of absolute solitude, where no one sees her as an equal, making all her interactions seem so empty and distant. Perhaps being a god is a bit lonely for an ordinary human.
Complete phases: 1/16
Second phase:
Get a good first impression.
Second phase reward:
1 g-coin.
Notice: mission failed.
Notice: you will receive more rewards in the upcoming stages.
I wasn't exactly sure what the failure notice meant. Maybe I had to wait a while before trying again, or maybe I had lost that quest for good. Either way, it was obviously bad news, and it looked like I couldn't continue with the quest, at least not for now.
I really was a master at causing trouble for myself. On the bright side, I noticed that Eva was already on the third stage. Apparently, just asking her out had been enough to complete the second one.
The reward was a +2 boost to my strength stat, but the new mission was to meet her parents and help her gain some sort of freedom, or something like that. The quests didn't come with detailed explanations, so all I could do was wait and see what would happen.
Anyway, since I probably wouldn't be able to advance with Amber's quest anytime soon and had unlocked another quest slot, there was no reason not to use it. This would give me more options and paths to follow in the future. So, I went ahead and clicked to draw another quest, and...
Third quest
(Win over the confused sister's heart.)
Description: Helena Naomi is a young girl who was very lonely in her adolescence, but a strict diet turned her into a beautiful woman. Upon entering university she is courted by many, but she can make many mistakes.
Complete phases: 0/7
First phase:
Become friends with the brothers: Max Naomi and Helena Naomi.
First phase reward:
+1 Charisma
Notice: you will receive more rewards in the upcoming stages.
"Master, I've finished making breakfast," Lila whispered in my ear, with her usual gentle tone.
Her cooking was as delicious as ever, and her wonderfully beautiful smile made everything taste even better.
"That was delicious," I said with satisfaction as I took the dishes to the sink. "I need to head out early today, so I'll leave the house to you until later."
I quickly grabbed my wallet, phone, and other essentials, threw on a coat since it was cold outside, and gave my beloved Lila a long kiss before rushing out.
I still had some time before my shift started, but I wanted to buy a pendant to give to Eva as a gift, so I needed to leave a bit earlier.
I had to run quite a bit, but I managed to buy a lovely necklace for her, featuring a small silver guitar that suited her perfectly. I didn't have money to splurge, so it was a cheap gift, but it was at least something. I also wanted to get something for Lila, so I looked for a necklace or something that fit within my budget.
Thankfully, the contact Lucia had sent me replied, and after chatting a bit, they gave me a lot of tasks to do. My nights of sleep were going to be permanently compromised, but at least the future where I could pay off my debts seemed more realistic.
Anyway, I sprinted to work because, after stalling so much, I was actually running late.
When I arrived at work, I was greeted by the lovely Eva, who had a slightly annoyed look on her face, which was also reflected in the pout she was making.
"Why are you so late today? I wanted you to be the first to hear the new song I was singing!" She leaned towards me in an adorable way, gesturing rather dramatically.
Smiling, I gave her a light head pat, feeling her silky hair. Then I told her to calm down while making some kind of compliment.
"Don't go patting my head!" Like the feisty kitten she was, she playfully pushed my hand away. "What are you laughing at? I hate that little smirk of yours!" She stared at me intensely.
"Sorry, it's just that you're so cute, I couldn't help myself."
As expected, Eva blushed furiously at my words, taking a few steps back before making up an excuse to go do something else. My days with her were always so much fun.
I didn't do much after that, but I had a pleasant morning until, while sweeping the storage room, I heard the sound of something falling to the floor. I figured it was my clumsy and adorable coworker, so I called out her name but got no response.
Worried, I stopped what I was doing and went to see what was going on in the store. When I got there, I saw two customers, a middle-aged couple, who seemed to have irritated expressions.
If I already had my suspicions about what was happening, everything was confirmed when I saw Eva. With a lost look, she was staring at the floor where her thermos bottle had fallen, probably the source of the noise from earlier.
I stepped forward confidently, positioning myself between the fragile girl and the customers. I smiled as naturally as possible and said, "Welcome, is there anything I can help you with?"
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Eva's small body trembling slightly, so I held her tiny hand, trying to give her some courage.
"Excuse me, are you the manager?" the middle-aged man asked in a calm and polite tone. "We're not here to buy anything; I just want to speak with my daughter. Could you let her go for a moment?"
I glanced quickly at the clock on the wall, it was almost 2 PM, and it wouldn't be long until our lunch break at 2:30, so I said, "I understand. We're almost at lunch break. Could you wait a bit? I think it would be better if you could sit down calmly in a restaurant with her." My face had a smile, but my gaze was not very friendly. "The square next door has a beautiful fountain. You could pass the time there. We'll be done soon."
Actually, we didn't have a set lunch break; we could basically pause whenever we wanted, as long as one of us was working while the other was free. That was just a lie I made up to buy some time.
"I came to talk to my daughter, not you. Could you step aside?!" The man seemed like he wanted to forcibly move me out of the way.
Eva squeezed my hand tightly, showing how cornered she felt. It was strange to see the usually aggressive and lively Eva in such a state, but all I could do was give her strength. So, with a glance, I tried to give her all the encouragement I could before stepping out of the way.
"L-like he said, we'll be on break soon. C-could you wait until then?" She managed to say while still looking at the floor.
Surprisingly, they agreed quickly. But instead of leaving, they just stayed in the store, browsing random things. I really wished they would leave because it would be easier to talk to Eva comfortably without them around.