"What are you going to do now?" Grace asked, smiling broadly. Her jovial attitude had returned in an instant.
"Get more money, I guess. There's a makeup set I want."
"I see, I see," she muttered. "And have you considered joining a guild?"
"A guild? That's a thing here too?"
"Yes! I've heard that you can gain perks just by being a member of one. Maybe there is a perk that increases your gold after every quest you complete, like in every other game. What do you say?"
"But that would involve fighting as a group."
"Well, yes. What about it?"
As we got closer to the town's outskirts, I checked my pending notifications.
++ Hidden Hunting Quest Completed! ++
+++ Congratulations! You have earned 300 gold and a bronze weapon of your choice. Tap here to select your weapon. +++
390 gold now.
If I had started a Battle Party like Steve had taught me, the system would have split the money automatically.
I tapped my gold icon, and additional options were displayed. I selected 'Give Gold'.
"Here is the 100 gold I promised you for helping me kill the Weasenox."
A pop-up window appeared in front of her. "Oh, right. Thanks! So, what do you say? I'm thinking of starting a guild, and I want you to join me."
"Can I ask you something first? You said you were following me. Why?"
She grinned widely, and I perceived a wicked gleam in her eyes. "Because you're attractive, of course. That you're secretly a guy doesn't bother me at all. You want to get money to look even cuter, right? I'm all about it too. As a matter of fact, I'll only invite attractive people into our guild! Men, women, I'm okay with both genders, as long as they're my type!" She then held my hands and stared deep into my eyes. "And best of all, imagine all the fun stuff we could do after a long day of completing quests and fighting monsters! We could buy a house or find a building to make it our headquarters, and fuck until morning. Doesn't that sound fun?!"
"But Grace, there's something that isn't clear to me."
"What is it?" she said, smiling, tilting her head.
"Are you forming this guild of attractive people to have fun, or to be our queen?"
She squinted, still grinning. "I... I don't get your question."
"Making me call you Miss Grace? The bossy attitude? You even backed off disgusted when I came. I don't think you like sex that much. You're only using your body to get what you want. And you'll use your position as Guild Master to boss everyone around."
Her smile faded in an instant and I could see her eyes getting gradually gloomy. "Oh…" she muttered before getting closer to me. "So I won't be able to change your mind, huh? This is goodbye then." She put her arm around my neck, and for a moment, I thought she would hug me. "You can keep the dress and the thong. I don't want them anymore now that you have worn them."
She stepped back, stared deep into my eyes, and kicked me in the groin.
I don't want to get into much detail, but if you insist...
It felt like my life was being pulled away from the lower part of my body. Like being split in two. Like a thousand needles traveling all around my body, from head to toes, to end up going back to the origin of the pain, and stay there, permanently.
"I don't want to see your face ever away, you weirdo!" she shouted before getting away from my sight.
I fell to my knees and whimpered, wondering why the Pain Endurance passive skill was not doing its work!
+++ 'Pain Endurance' has reached LV 2! +++
Good, but why can't I feel the difference?!
"Are you okay?!" a man cried by my side. I could not answer. My voice had disappeared and my eyes were full of tears to even glance at him. "Can you stand up? Let's take you out of here."
"I can't move," I whimpered.
"People are watching," he whispered in my ear. "They're wondering why a girl is in such pain after a kick like that."
"S-Steve?"
"Come on."
"Why are you asking me that? Of course I'd help you, any time! We're friends right?"
"Even though you stood me up the other night?"
"Oh… About that…"
+++ 'Pain Endurance' has reached LV 3! +++
"I can walk on my own now, thanks." I stepped away from him, making him frown. His hurt expression didn't make sense. "Why did you stand me up? You think I'm only after your money?"
"What? No. Of course not!" He shook his head vigorously and tried to grab my hand, but I snatched it away.
"Why didn't you answer my messages, then?" I asked in a broken voice. Oh, wow, even my eyes were watery. "If you were saving that money, we could have at least chatted or dined together. Do I strike you as irrational?"
He stood silent for a moment. "Sorry, it's just that…"
"Is this because I'm not a real girl?"
When he didn't reply, that was my signal to leave.
"Goodbye, Steve…"
"Wait, hold on, Taylor!" This time, he grabbed me by the right shoulders, which prompted me to sucker punch him. He just endured and exhaled.
"1000 gold," I blurted out, staring at the bruise on his cheek. "That's my price now. If you want to be with me again, it'll cost you 1000 gold. I'll even let you fuck me this time."
"T-Taylor…" He frowned. "You don't understand. I really want us to be friends, not this weird… sex/gold relationship."
"Honey? I'm not forcing you to pay me anything. I'm just telling you that I don't need your half-assed friendship." With that said, I turned around and started strolling back to town, while my passive skill did its best to suppress the pain.
Was there another Passive Skill that could help me feel nothing?
"But…"
"I'll unblock you from my Friend List, so you can message me if you want to do 'you know what'. Don't message me otherwise, because I won't respond."
"Fine!" he said aloud from his place. "I'll get the gold! Because I want to be with you, you hear me?! One way or another!"
"Good luck with that, handsome. You had your chance…"