Shopping

Haah, haah. Smack! I gasped for breath and cheekily gave Lilianas plump rear end a playful swat.

Ive worked up quite an appetite after all that effort. Liliana, what are you in the mood to order?

Ugh, just give me a moment to catch my breath

Even though Liliana was fully dressed, her bare skin was still visible, making quite the view.

Next time, wear that when were having sex. It looks good.

You pervert Oh, come on.

I mischievously prodded Lilianas side, making her moan with each poke.

You shouldve shown it to your master first, you know.

Hmph

Liliana was still lost in the afterglow, unable to move, so I activated the food delivery app on my smartwatch.

What are we ordering again? Liliana asked, stealing a peek at my smartwatch as I perused todays menu options.

Huh? Well, lets see Weve got nothing at home.

Sometimes, I crave something healthy.

What?

Why is this succubus suddenly talking about healthy food? What happened to that?

I miss the meals my mom used to make!

No, it hasnt been that long since you were tearing up while eating chicken, and now youre all sentimental about homemade food. Are you kidding?

I dont know! Just make me some food! Liliana leaned toward me with a pleading look.

Come on, really? If youre hungry, you should make it. Why should I do it for you?

You should! I make money for you, and you get to fuck me. Whats your contribution to our household? Liliana widened her eyes as she spoke.

Uh

You dont even handle household chores. Im the one doing the laundry and occasionally vacuuming. I bring in the income, and Im always at your service. So, whats your part in all this?

Is that so? I couldnt really come up with a convincing counterargument.

Am I truly a good-for-nothing, not Liliana? I mean, Im living life on my own terms, but when it comes to contributing to the household, as Liliana put it Wait, is household even the right word? And why the sudden fixation on homemade food?

Heroine Status Window

[Liliana]

[Affection: 86] (+0.2)

[Lust: 74]

[Appetite: 45]

[Fatigue: 35]

Current Status: I want to go out with my master after such a long time

Oh She wanted to go out.

Being cooped up at home every day can get a bit stifling, I suppose. Still, I cant let her get away with teasing me like that.

Liliana, Im sorry Ill go grocery shopping and make dinner. I threw on my clothes, an apologetic expression on my face.

Ill come too. Its a bit sad if you go alone. She grinned slightly, as if that was the plan. But thats not happening.

No, its fine. To make it up to you, Ill go alone. Send me your food requests through a message.

Huh? Is that really necessary?

Im off to do some shopping. Send me your meal requests, see you~ I put on a coat and started to slip on my shoes by the front door.

Alright, just go! Liliana crossed her arms and shot me a stern look. She mustve figured out that I was doing this on purpose.

Did I make it too obvious with my smile? Anyway, taking her shopping would just be a hassle; shed keep asking for this and that. It wont make a difference.

Lets go together next time. Im going

Okay

Seeing her look upset, my resolve softened a bit. Maybe I should consider finding a place outside of the dorms, especially for Lilianas sake and for meeting other girls. Its more convenient outside than within these dorms. Now that her streams are stable, theres no need to attract unnecessary attention.

For now, I opened the dormitory door to go shopping.

? As soon as I stepped out of the room, a strange chill passed through my body. Why did I suddenly feel this slight shiver?

Is it still this cold? Anyway, I should make that homemade meal for Liliana as she wished. The only dish I can make is kimchi stew, but I suppose that will have to do.

Shall we go to the supermarket? I made my way to a sprawling discount store, ready to savor the joy of shopping, a pleasure I hadnt experienced in ages. Truth be told, whether in my former life or in this new reality, visiting a large supermarket was a rare occurrence.

Considering that it costs me around 3 million won a month to maintain my lifestyle here, ordering food and necessities for delivery is quite convenient. Although many students like me visit this market, it seems to attract more local residents than students. I came here with the goal of trying to recreate that shopping vibe by pushing a cart. Otherwise, I probably wouldnt have bothered.

So, the kimchi stew recipe, kimchi, and beef bone broth I checked the kimchi stew recipe on my smartwatch and picked up the ingredients one by one. It brought back memories of when I first started living on my own, and it felt pretty good. I really put in some effort during the first month of independent living but, of course, I eventually got lazy and resorted to ordering delivery food.

-

[Subquest received]

[Helping Nam Daeun]

Running out of money when at the checkout can be really awkward. Help out so that she can smoothly go through with her purchase!

[Reward: Random stat +1]

-

Huh?

Suddenly, a subquest pops up?

I cast a swift glance around, and there she was, Nam Daeun, pushing her cart towards a checkout counter. Her figure was immaculately sculpted, and her long black hair flowing down to her waist only added to her allure.

Heroine Status Window

[Nam Daeun]

[Affection: 11]

[Lust: 10]

[Appetite: 30]

[Fatigue: 83]

Current Status: Buying Dahees favourite snacks and shampoo because its running out

It seemed like she was headed to meet her younger sister, and for some reason, a subtle smile graced her face instead of her typical air of superiority.

Without a second thought, I trailed behind Nam Daeun, pushing my cart. Her cart brimmed with snacks and everyday essentials. She picked up pricey chocolates and boxed snacks for her sister. When it came to shampoo, she opted for the most budget-friendly option available. Not a trace of body wash or foam cleanser, just a humble bar of soap. Even the tissue she chose had the most attractive sale label.

Thatll be 13200 won, miss.

Just a moment. Ill pay with cash.

Nam Daeun gets only a meager allowance because the guild takes away most of her living expenses. My heart ached as I watched her struggle to pull out ten 1,000-won bills and a handful of 100-won coins from her well-worn pink wallet.

One, two, three

Miss, youre a little short

But, unbelievably, she was short by just 100 won.

Oh, Im sorry Hesitating briefly, Nam Daeun eventually gave up on buying her own shampoo in favor of her sisters snacks. It seemed like she miscalculated the total when purchasing her sisters treats, leaving her feeling embarrassed about falling short of the 13,200 won.

I had to step in.

Nam Daeun

Uh?

She looked incredibly flustered when I suddenly appeared behind her.

Havent found your lost card yet? Sorry, please use this for payment. I handed my smartwatch to the cashier.

Yes, understood.

No thank you. She accepted my offer, holding onto her shopping bag and waiting patiently in front of me as I completed my payment.

Ill make sure to pay you back. She nodded earnestly while gripping her shopping bag, leaving me to wonder if this was the same Nam Daeun Id known.

You really have a thing for snacks, dont you? You even chose to skip the shampoo in favor of the snacks.

Theyre for my little sister I havent seen her in a while.

I see. Then grab some more. Ill cover it.

No, thats not necessary. Id feel like a burden.

Still, its been a while since youve seen her, right? You should get more. Your sister will appreciate it.

Nam Daeun hesitated for a moment when her sisters preference was mentioned, then let out a sigh. Alright, its just that Im really thankful today. The truth is, Im running low on money this month and Ive run out. Ill definitely pay you back next month.

You dont need to pay it back. Were on the same team. Just be more cooperative next time. Its a way of saying thanks since Im doing this for you.

Im sorry, but I really need to secure the first place. Nam Daeuns expression toughened slightly, perhaps thinking about her sister whos in the hospital.

Why is getting first place so important? Whats the significance?

To me, first place holds a very special meaning. Im truly sorry. Ill make sure to repay you for todays help.

Nah its okay, were in the same team. See you next time. I left Nam Daeun standing there and exited the store.

[Quest Complete!]

Well, its a little disappointing that my little plan didnt pan out.

Nevertheless, the fact that I had such a lengthy conversation with someone whos typically closed off emotionally is a success in itself. I did manage to create a somewhat positive impression. Its all about gradually getting her to open up, after all. Next time, Ill put more effort into our team. I even bought some snacks for her.

When I got back to the dormitory, Liliana greeted me. Youre back?! Did you get what I messaged you about?

Come on, chicken or pizza cant be called homemade. Today, Im going to show you the real essence of homemade food.

Mmm okay. Liliana, with a somewhat hesitant expression, lay down on the bed while I started preparing kimchi stew. Its taking a bit of time to get back into the groove of cooking. Nevertheless, the aroma of the simmering kimchi stew began to waft through the room, and even Liliana, who was lounging on the bed, slowly made her way over.

Whats this?

Oh, its just some homemade kimchi stew.

What are you babbling about now?

I handed Liliana the kimchi stew Id whipped up. Kimchi stew with warm ricethats real homemade food.

Eek! Its spicy! Whats in this?

Its meant to have a kick, but its also strangely refreshing.

Its just hot and spicy, whats so refreshing about it? Are you nuts?

Even when I tried to treat her to some homemade cooking, this sassy succubus couldnt help but make a fuss.

This is K-Homemade, alright? When its spicy, you pair it with a sunny-side-up.

Hmm its kind of tasty and kind of not.

Watching a succubus clumsily eat kimchi stew was an odd sight. As I stared at Liliana, I noticed the window was open.

Liliana, I told you to always keep the window closed. What if someone peeks inside?

Huh? I didnt open it.

I remember closing it when I left. If it wasnt you, then who?

Maybe it might have been me or not.

Seeing Liliana furrow her brow as she tried to recall, I began to wonder. Could she be getting forgetful already? Well, shes not getting any younger.

I dont like that expression on your face, are you thinking something strange?

Not at all. Just enjoy the kimchi stew.

***

Nah its okay, were in the same team. See you next time. With those words, Lee Hoyeon gave a casual wave and left the mart.

Haaa Nam Daeun sighed as she looked at the snacks in her shopping bag. I cant believe Im actually jealous of such a nice person. Im a mess

Thanks to him, she bought more snacks for her sister. After taking a shower and changing into comfy clothes, she lay down on the bed.

I guess he wants to be first place too There have been rumors about him being a prodigy.

She opened Everyday to look up Lee Hoyeons name, and there were plenty of articles. Most praised him, but there were also unwarranted criticisms.

Why are people so selfish?

What did Lee Hoyeon do to deserve such criticism? Hes not living an easy life either.

Ugh Nam Daeun sent a message to her sleeping sister, hoping it would bring a smile to her face.

[Me: [Photo] I got you a bunch of snacks! Lets meet this weekend!]

I hope Dahee will smile a little when she sees this.

Tomorrow was the day of the one-on-one duel. So far, Nam Daeun had comfortably held onto the top spot in the practical exams without showing her full potential.

Can I pull it off again this time?

She wanted to level the playing field and help her sister by reducing the Buyers Guilds and Mingyus advantages. Shed only been using her abilities to maintain her first-place position, but Lee Hoyeon appeared genuinely strong.

Well meet in the one-on-one duel I hope its in the finals. At the very least, hell get second place. As worries about the upcoming day swirled in her mind, Nam Daeun drifted off to sleep.