'Texting with him...is quite convenient.'
'Hmm, texting? A chat?'
At that moment, a thought suddenly traversed her mind. Sofony blinked for quite a dozen times, pondering about the idea she just came out. Her brain instinctively summoned the interface, opened a particular tab, and when she finally understood every nook and cranny of the mission, as well as weighing the feasibility of her plan, she felt like she had been so stupid for a very long time.
''Now I'm realizing that my previous intelligence is really low. Or maybe it should be high, but I don't know why I'm still slow. Pitiful me. I just wanna kill myself.''
With another sigh, she went back to her room and started executing her simple plan. The next few hours were spent by her practically glued to her laptop's screen as she typed with haste and with her browser filled with so many tabs. Some tabs were about tips on how to flirt online and what phrases she should say to easily hook a guy in. For some time, her cheeks were so red due to shame and embarrassment. Many lines she compiled on the chat box were stupidly cheesy, and some quite suggesting of sex.
''The answer is simple. It's just me thinking that to get to the goal, I have to take the hard way and truly become a third wheeler.''
Sofony replied while her hands were still busy typing and her eyes bright from thinking she was close to her goal.
"System, I'm so glad that this obviously heartbroken fellow is online. I'm happy that he stupidly tried to cast away some of the sorrows by angrily quarreling with lovey-dovey people on the internet. It is quite dumb of him. But probably this is why people always said that bitter people could always be found on social networking sites. Anyways, I'm happy that he took my bait and tried to flirt with me through FB. See, he's broadcasting to me how heartbroken he is."
'I'm aware of what you want me to do. But so what? You do it if you want. Hmp!'
Time passed by that she's sweating hard from what she was doing. The chat box she started using a fake name was now filled with their exchanges, and when the time to finally ask him of her goal came, her heart almost stopped beating.
'Just a little bit. I'll take a deep breath first. Oh, this is it. Damn you, Sofony. Just ask!'
Once done wrestling with her inner demons and firming up her mind, letters one by one appeared on her screen.
Stefany: We've been talking with each other for so long. And I think my heart has already been captured by your witty responses. Just for this day, are you willing to be my boyfriend?
Her hands were badly shaking after typing those bold words. It took a lot of courage from her, as she was a traditional girl who never ever thought of asking some guy to be her boyfriend. Even if this was only online, it doesn't change the fact that a girl like her was suspiciously and immodestly asking a boy to be her boyfriend. How would he answer? This was only their first day of online dating, would he agree? Ugh, she hoped he would because doing this tomorrow or in the near future had not crossed her mind.
Chris: You said just for this day, so why not? I actually enjoyed our chat. I, at least, managed to forget some of my sadness because of you.
Stefany: Are you my boyfriend now?
When she asked that as confirmation, she'd never been concentrated on her screen as she did now. And when he finally replied with a yes, even though it was just being playful and stupid for the both of them, she still screamed in joy and started jumping wildly on the bed.
"Finally!"
With joy radiating all over her, she turned to the system.
"System, I'm now his official girlfriend. It's now completed!"
Sofony did not dwell much on its grumbling voice as she focused on the announcement. Excitement oozed out from her expression, contrary to the gloominess of the system. No one paid attention to its mood though. Its host was just that happy and relieved from completing the troublesome task.
******
System Announcement: ...It's a disappointment, but you really did become his official girlfriend even though it's only online. Lowest evaluation results given. Once again, the lowest evaluation results given.
Congratulations to Host for successfully completing 'Snatch Felicity's Lover from her'. And I blame that stupid guy for stupidly agreeing to be your boyfriend online. Why are humans so easily agreeing to be boyfriend or girlfriend with people you just know over a platform created through a bunch of data? As expected, the folly of the human race runs deep into their bones. But, congratulations on completing your first official mission.
...
You receive the following rewards:
- Pregnancy Controller x 1
- 3,000 Pleasure Points (Bonus for early completion already added)
- 5 Distributable Attribute Candies (Level Bonus)
- 5 Distributable Skill Upgrade (Level Bonus)
- Hypnotism Skill - E (Level Bonus)
- Makeup Skill - E (Level Bonus)
******
Sofony stopped her joyful laughing as she read the prompts in her head. It took her a few dozen seconds to recover from the shock of gaining so many. Nevertheless, the skill rewards truly rendered her speechless. It said she had now her so desired Pregnancy Controller, and many Points, and two skills which were even at E level!
"T-this! So many!?"
An astonished scream came out of her throat, and her eyes were still wide open.
"J-just level 1?" She blurted out, bewildered.
"This... Does it mean everyone who has yet to complete their first official mission is at Level 0?"
Sofony blinked repeatedly before annoyance came into her heart. It was really making her angry. Why is information like that even priced? When did a simple yes or no become so expensive? Sofony chose to wisely ignore the stingy system and then studied the given rewards, considering what to do with the points.
After a few whiles, she happily decided the distribution. Everything was free anyway.
"System, I want to add two points in Intelligence, 1 to Charm, 2 to Strength."
Sofony was silent. She first figured out how to use the pregnancy controller and then made sure that she would be able to dictate whether or not to be pregnant as she tested the app-like device in her mind. The pregnancy app could actually prevent pregnancy after it was used. After... Fortunately, no seed from Gio bore fruit in her womb yet. Thinking of how she narrowly avoided the worst case scenario, she wiped the drops of sweat that formed on her forehead.
'System!!! You didn't tell me about this! What if there's already something conceived within? This stupid controller won't be able to help me then!'
Sofony's balled fist trembled. What of that accursed option? If life was already formed within, she would never be able to kill it by herself. Not in a billion years because it's a life they were speaking of!
How she wished she could give this trickster and immoral system a beating! If given the chance, she would beat it for the rest of her life!
It took her so many 'Sofony, calm down,' before she managed to return to normal. She continued browsing her interface then began to plan how she would spend her timely gained Points.
Her mind unknowingly went to the shop tab where she starred a particular item.
Another device. Something that directly affects the mind.
'It could go well with that skill...' Good thing that the system inquired earlier how she should distribute the skill upgrade points.
A plan had just recently formed in her mind so she said, "Please put all five into Hypnotism."
The system scoffed then wordlessly allocated her points as instructed.
******
Name: Sofony Mendez
Official Name: Host 137 (Immoral System)
Level: 1
Age: 18
Pleasure Points: 6, 017
ATTRIBUTES (Basic Human - 10)
Strength: 13 (15) -> 17
Stamina: 15 (17)
Intelligence: 18 (20) -> 22
Dexterity: 13 (15)
Charm: 14 (20) -> 21
Luck: 11 (15)
SKILLS
* Studying - B+ (A)
* Lovemaking - E+ (D+)
* Singing - F (E)
* Dancing - F-
* Acting - F+ (E+)
* Cooking - C+ (B)
* House Management - C+
* Hypnotizing - E (C-)
* Makeup Application - E
(Note: Latest update is the number after the arrow sign, if there's none, then it's the figure within the parentheses)
******
Sofony had already gone past her initial excitement and was now sitting with her legs crossed on top of the bed. When she saw that the chat was still open and that Chris' last reply was 10 minutes ago, she sheepishly typed a response.
Stefany: Haha, okay. Let's now break up. Thanks for your time, bye!
Then she decisively deleted that fake account and even freed up her laptop's history, caches, and passwords. To what the dumb and heartbroken guy replied, she didn't know. But she could guess that he was kind of cursing her playfulness and blaming her for pouring salt to his open wounds. Perhaps, he was even assuming that all girls are fraudsters or liars.
"I'm sorry, but don't worry. I won't bother you any more since my mission is now over. And system, I don't want any mission for the meantime."
She was silent for a long while, acknowledging that it was correct. However, she would never regret what she did. Chris was a great guy, and people like him deserved someone better than her or Felicity.
It better be not. That was she sincerely thought.
Then after deciding not to pay any more attention to Chris' matter, she summoned her interface and stared at the two newly added skills, particularly the first one.
She wondered how effective a C- level of hypnosis would be.
If she would base it on her other skills, then C level should be at a decent level. C- level Hypnotism should be enough to influence a person for a fairly long time.
Her gaze went to the bottom right corner of her laptop's screen. The time there depicted 8:18 pm. Not that late, but normal people wouldn't be out in this hour. Only night people like party goers or evening workers would be normally walking on the streets.
Sofony silently shut down her laptop, fetched her jacket, wallet, and phone, and put on a pair of sandals. She checked all the outlets in the house and turned off every appliance. The lights in the living room were left switched on when she exited the unit. The cold breeze of the night touched her exposed skin and her eyelashes trembled once out of the building.
Sofony ignored it. In the backseat of a cab being driven away from Golden Residences, she mentally pressed the Shop menu and finally bought the only starred item in her interface. Once done, her eyes opened again to a still quite lively-lit city night. The old driver was in front, driving lazily, and singing along to an old 90's ballad. And frankly, she found his singing quite amazing.
She watched as houses and everything scrolled sideways in her eyes. The sereneness of the night view provided her of a little calm. Then with gaze still directed outside, she mentally sighed.
'Greenpark Village... Let me come to you one last time.'
....