After learning of their prior relationship, Kline stared at Violet with a strange expression.
Two words: Jackpot! The woman he built a relationship with for the last 30 days wasn't a wretched failed experiment on the verge of death. No! She was a beautiful, petite brunette around his age with straight brown hair and gentle golden eyes.
And they had something in common! Sure, what they had in common was terrible. However, that would make it even more bonding, right? Talk about a win!
"O-Oh yes, that's right!" Kline replied awkwardly, "I was just confused by your name. I think I remember calling you Ms. 86, but now that you mention it, I do remember there being pris…oners… there."
His eyes trembled in fear, staring at the petite woman's bright smile. He wasn't the first to figure it out.
"So wait, let me get this straight; you're a criminal, right?" Bell asked dryly.
Criminal!? That's a PC way of putting it! Due to the gruesome nature of the program, prisoners were the obvious test subjects. They all voluntarily participated in exchange for monitored freedom, as most were serving life sentences or on death row!
"I was a criminal." Violet replied, "Now I'm an employee of the Skull's Program."
"That's not how it works!" Mindy snapped, "You don't just lose your criminal status when you're no longer a prisoner."
Kline couldn't care less about that! "Wait, what do you mean you're an employee of the Skull's Program?"
The petite brunette blushed slightly and averted her gaze apologetically. "Oh, I forgot to tell you. I'm here to monitor you for your post-test evaluation."
His eyes flashed with murder. "Wait, I only agreed on the terms that I wouldn't be a long-term test subject! So can someone explain why I am!?"
The interface from the bathhouse popped up in the corner of his eyes, and a strangely familiar chatbox opened up with words typing themselves at lightning speed.
-
[Lithco: Because you didn't read the contracts, remember? You talked about how stupid you were for not reading the first contract, then blindly signed a second one for $8,000.
I won a lot of money on that bet. Thanks for that, by the way]
-
Kline's eyes widened in shock, reading the interface. A wave of raw memories of speaking to an AI flooded his mind. "Wait…."
"You agreed to it." Violet said, tilting her head in confusion, "Since you declined to come in for regular post-evaluations, you agreed to let someone trail you to monitor your condition. You signed multiple contracts stating it."
His body hit zero gravity, and he stared at her blankly, mentally spinning.
"And would you believe it?" She asked with a smile, "Due to my age, optimistic test results, and relationship with you, they let me out early to be your evaluator!"
"Did you just say that [your] job is to monitor him everywhere he goes?" Mira asked with a bone-chilling smile, "That you're a professional stalker?"
"And you, the person that keeps hurting my… friend… Kline is tasked with watching over him!?" Mindy cried angrily.
"Yes." Violet replied to both.
"No." Bell replied coldly and definitively, "You're not. I'll make sure of that."
"Yes." The petite brunette countered, "It's government contracted with provisions that make it legal for me to hurt Kline, as I'll have to assess his condition periodically. It's in the contracts."
"W-Wait, are you serious!?" Kline cried in panic.
-
[Lithco: You'd think after suffering almost three hundred catastrophic injuries because you didn't read a contract, you would've read the second one.]
-
The scared virgin pushed the chat window to the side in indignation.
"No." Bell replied colder, "Trust me; I'll make sure that Kline gets out of this situation. Where is your manager?"
"Yes." Violet replied definitively, "That information is classified. They chose me because no one can torture that information out of me."
"We'll see about that." Mira smiled sweetly.
Kline's eyes shot open, and he turned to the blonde, who gave him a look at said, [relax, Kline. There are other ways to make it happen, remember?], but that didn't ease his worries at all!
"Hey, you four…." Rit dry-swallowed, entering the room like a timid sheep. Usually, he'd be ecstatic to get into a losing argument with women, but the four before him were nothing to play with, "Is everything okay?"
"Yes, everything's fine." Bell said dryly, turning to him, "We're just solving a slight dispute to prevent injury to your special guest Kline. It'll ensure that incidents stop occurring."
The businessman's eyes widened, and he turned to everyone else, who nodded with varying degrees of skepticism. After mulling it over, he put on a bright smile.
"Well, if that's the case, I'll cancel the [Always Believe, Even If You Know the Person is Lying] class." Rit announced, looking at the bent and broken chairs with a cracking smile, "That way you can get some lunch in while we clean up this… misunderstanding."
"Thank you, Rit." Mira smiled, "Kline and I were having lunch before this happened, so I appreciate that."
Mindy's eyes narrowed, looking at the woman viciously. "Then I'm joining too, for Kline's safety."
"Since I'm coming along anyway, can I eat with you guys?" Violet asked sweetly.
"No." Bell replied chillingly, "You've evaluated Kline twice in two days. I'm confident that's already beyond your contract's regulations, right?
So unless you want to lose your job, I'd suggest you walk away."
The petite brunette's face crumbled for the first time, and she looked at Kline hesitantly, seeking his approval.
'Don't use those puppy dog eyes on me!' Kline cried internally, looking at the other three's murderous gazes, 'I'm sorry, but I don't want to die. Sorry!'
"While I don't have a problem, I think…." He dry-swallowed, "It's best to refrain for today to prevent more tension and misperceptions."
Violet's eyes became downcast, and he tried to justify the situation, but she nodded and walked out of the door dejectedly.
"Are you doing okay?" Bell asked him once she left.
"Yeah…." Kline replied with an awkward smile.
"Okay." She replied, panning everyone's faces, "Well, I'll take my leave so you can enjoy your lunch."
Everyone present was stunned when they saw her turn and begin walking apathetically.
"W-Wait!" He yelped in confusion, making her turn to him, "I'm sorry for causing you trouble all the time."
"Why are you classifying [this] as causing [me] trouble? And why are you sorry?" She asked in confusion.
"Well, it's just…." Kline replied in confusion, turning to Mira, smiling strangely, "You know, you're always [helping me] when you should be enjoying this retreat."
"This is how it's always been, Kline." Bell laughed breathlessly, "Besides, I hate this retreat; it sickens me."
"I-I see, well… um… thanks, Catalina." He replied with trembling eyes, watching her walk away hesitantly, "But, do you want to have lunch with me… us? You're welcome."
She stopped walking and trembled strangely, her body expressing contrasting emotions.
"Thank you, but I have something to do." Bell replied mysteriously, "And while I'm glad to get invited, it'd be nice if you'd invite me for a reason other than an apology. And… call me Bell."
His heart thumped as he watched her walk out of the door. Being requested to call her by her last name was nostalgic, comfortable, and negatively dissociating. Who asks someone to call the other by their last name in non-Asian societies!?
Mindy saw Kline's face and smirked at Bell's back as she walked out the door, a weird expression he noted.
"It's a pity she didn't want to join." Mira said with a strange tone, "But it's her loss. Let's have lunch, shall we?"
Before Kline could reply, the videogame interface in the corner of his eye involuntarily blocked his vision. "Yeah… just give me a second to think about something."
They nodded as he closed his eyes, which didn't affect his sight of the interface.
—
A Significant Life Opportunity Has Arisen! System Aid Available.
Life Goal: Harem
Do you wish for advice and potential resources? [Yes/No]
—
After reading it, a slew of synapse connections formed. He suddenly remembered the videogame interface's purpose was to help him build a harem and become a billionaire. It made a lot more sense why it helped him in the bath!
'Advice, why not?' He thought, choosing yes with his mind.
—
What would you like help with?
-
1. Mining information about your relationship with them. (A+)
2. Escaping the situation without complication. (B)
3. Appeasing both simultaneously. (C-)
4. Starting a relationship with one of them at this time. (F-)
-
—
A wave of horror washed over the troubled virgin when he saw the options.
"What's wrong?" Mindy asked in confusion.
Kline opened his eyes and turned his head to the two women, who stopped instantly with him with the fluidity of a rusty cog. He didn't like anything about the options he got but knew it was already too late for him. Of the people he thought were insane, it turned out these two were the worst!