Lucas staring at his computer screen, deep in thought about what just went down.
"Mission failed... and I can't blame anyone but myself," he murmured. He gazed at the system screen still active in the air, almost mocking him.
"Why am I so clumsy?" he thought. But before he could dive deeper into reflection, the system screen popped up a new notification:
"New Mission Available!"
Mission: Apologize to Jane for the previous interaction fail. Make her smile.
Reward: +10 XP, +1 Charm (if successful).
Consequences: No progress for the next 48 hours if failed."
Lucas sighed. "Wait, this is like an extra punishment. Ugh, it's gonna end up being the most cringe moment in my life," he complained, but he knew he had no choice. If he kept delaying, the system might make his life even more difficult.
---
A few minutes later, outside Jane's apartment door
Lucas stood hesitantly holding a box of brownies he ordered that morning. "Okay, Lucas. Just need to apologize. Easy, right?" he thought, even though his heart felt heavy.
He knocked on the door, this time more gently. The door opened after a few seconds, and Jane appeared with a slightly puzzled face.
"Lucas? What's up?" she asked.
Lucas took a deep breath, trying to arrange his words. "Hey, Jane. I just... I wanted to apologize."
Jane tilted her head, clearly puzzled. "Apologize? For what?"
Lucas scratched his head. "I know I asked you out yesterday, but after that, I kinda disappeared. I mean, I feel like I didn't do enough to really build... well, some sort of meaningful interaction."
Jane was silent for a moment, then smiled slightly. "Lucas, you're so funny. You don't need to apologize for that. I actually appreciated your little effort yesterday. Besides, no one's perfect."
Lucas felt a little relieved. "Oh, thank goodness. But I still feel like I have to do something to fix that impression. So, here you go." He handed her the box of brownies a bit awkwardly.
Jane took it, her eyes sparkling. "Brownies? Are you kidding me? These are my favorite!"
"Affection increased: +2. Total: 20/100 (Friendly)."
Lucas smiled as he saw the notification. "I'm glad you like them."
Jane chuckled. "You're really weird today, Lucas. But I appreciate your effort. Thank you so much."
"Mission Successful: Affection increased. Total Reward: +10 XP, +1 Charm."
Lucas held back his smile as he glanced at the system screen. At least this time he succeeded. But he knew there was still a lot he had to learn to use this system properly.
---
Back in his apartment, Lucas decided to set a new priority.
He sat in his chair and opened the system screen. This time, he was determined not to procrastinate anymore.
"Alright," he mumbled as he read the new stats:
==================================
User: Lucas Cross
Level: 1 (Novice Manipulator)
Experience (XP): 10/100
Attributes:
Charm: 5 (back to square one)
Persuasion: 4
Lust: 1
Love: 0
==================================
"Small steps," he thought. "I'll start taking this system more seriously, but without forgetting myself."
However, the system voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts:
"Congratulations on the initial achievement. The next challenge will be more complex. Get ready to use all your skills."
Lucas could only sigh, wondering what challenge awaited him.