alwaysunqualified

  Chapter 51 - Parties

  I awoke to an itch spreading across my entire body, the scratches still fresh. “Miki and I definitely went too hard st night,” I muttered, fighting the urge to scratch, aware that they would heal completely in a few hours.

  I've noticed something intriguing: the healing time varies depending on whether Miki scratches me intentionally or spontaneously. Intentional scratches take a full day to heal, whereas spontaneous ones recover in just a quarter of the day.

  “Good morning, sir, I hope I did not wake you,” a voice said, unfamiliar and startling me slightly. Looking over, I recognized the girl from the entrance and previous tournament. She was carefully cleaning the areas where Miki had spilled poison, the purple substance staining the plush, soft floors.

  This was my first proper look at her. The girl gnced back with a business-like smile. Her hair, a cascade of teal, floated around her as if underwater, subtly vibrating in sync with her Blessing. Her skin had a slight gray tint, which extended into her hair. She wore a transparent robe, simir to what all the staff wore, reminiscent of Angelica's preferred style, the ethereal garb of angels in tales. However, this girl was equipped with a harness of belts, outfitted with tools and containers likely used for cleaning and maintaining the mansion.

  [Name: OscilLevel: 127Affection: 300House: Smiling Angel’sPrimary blessing: VibrationEmployed as secondary staff, Oscil was noticed by the first wife after you showed interest in her. [She can oscilte.]Mood: Feels quite proud to be a permanent staff member for someone whose status is rising.]

  The girl's method of cleaning was fascinating; she vibrated the stained spots, effectively separating the liquids from the floor before funneling them into a container at her waist. Mom could clean an entire room in a blink of an eye, so it was intriguing to see how others utilized their Blessing in their work.

  “No, um, what time is it?” I asked, trying to keep the awkwardness out of my voice but not quite succeeding.

  “It is just the start of the second quarter. You are not expected until the third quarter,” she replied with a professional smile, pausing her work to give me her full attention.

  ‘That means I have about ten hours before I need to py host for three days straight,’ I mented internally, opening my menu.

  [Debt: 725,378]

  As I eyed my still substantial debt, I thought, ‘And thanks to this debt, I need to excel as a host—ugh, this is probably my best chance to clear it. I could invite people over after this, but special events foster strong emotions, which mean more love points.’

  No more celebrations like this are on the horizon unless I achieve something celebration-worthy. My next opportunity could be winning the tournament, but that's four years away, and I will probably clear my debt naturally by then. Plus, I don't have an item like st time to gather everyone's love points. This event remains my best chance.

  I sighed but decided not to dwell on it and spoil my free time. To avoid the awkwardness of trying to leave, I opted to use my new feature.

  With a single thought, I navigated my map and transported myself into the bath, appreciating the convenience of this new feature. No need to awkwardly excuse myself, no thirty-minute walks from one area to another, and no burning through massive amounts of mana just to travel a few hundred feet. I will say again, there's really no need for this pce to be so big.

  I exhaled deeply, sinking back into the hot water, letting the steam fill my lungs.

  “Shall I wash you today?” Another unexpected voice startled me, causing me to jump and spsh water around. I quickly scanned the room and spotted the woman who had spoken, standing just outside the massive, Olympic-sized tub.

  She was close enough that droplets of water from my spsh reached her, gathering on her skin and forming tiny droplets. The steam from the hot water cascaded down her mature, curvaceous form. Standing slightly above average height, her presence was further enhanced by a calm, peaceful smile as she gazed at me. Her figure tapered into a cssic hourgss shape, and her full figure exuded a mature charm. Her face, heart-shaped and adorned with a sprinkle of freckles across her face and shoulders, glistened from the moisture.

  Her damp top clung to her, outlining her massive slightly saggy breasts, crowned with rge perky pink nipples. The gentle curve of her waist flowed into the rounded swell of her hips, radiating a captivating femininity.

  [Name: Isabel ???Level: 177Affection: 300House: Smiling Angel’sMinor blessing: Motherly tier 3Practices a form of slow yoga like movements every morning before work.]

  [Motherly: Embodies the nurturing and appealing aspects of motherhood, even without being a mother.]

  “Um, no,” I quickly replied, mentally chastising myself, ‘Miki should have gone harder,’ while also realizing the downside of just appearing in the bath. I should have endured the awkwardness and used the one in my room.

  “Very well,” she responded nonchantly before returning to meticulously repcing the cores around the area. She hummed while working, her attention shifted away from me, a sentiment I found hard to reciprocate.

  I'd like to cim I was observing her work, but my gaze was drawn irresistibly to her form. Back on Earth, she would have been the epitome of a "MILF," with an ass that seemed to wiggle around with a mind of its own.

  I also caught glimpses of her maintaining the bath, which was composed of a complex network of thousands of smaller devices. I had assumed it would be a singur, massive unit, but it seems even here, simpler functions must be combined to achieve something more complex. At least without being an exceptionally high tier or dedicating an ungodly amount of time.

  Not being able to use any of the items here dampened my enthusiasm for learning about them, but given the capabilities of this pce, I should carve out some time to explore what I really want to create. I wonder if I can replicate some of the games from back home. I’d like to purchase some from my shop, but it seems like a waste of points, even when I had enough.

  I didn’t realize I was so lost in thought until she moved out of my sight. I wanted to quickly get out and take a cold shower at the end of the bathing area, but if she returned, I’d be in the same spot, only with my erection embarrassingly visible.

  Instead, I quickly exited the bath, dried off, and dressed before teleporting to the training room. Instantly, I was met with a flurry of lights fshing before my eyes, and I struggled to maintain consciousness as my world spun.

  "Sorry, brother, are you okay?" An all too familiar voice cut through the haze, and I realized I had been hit. A throbbing pain surged through my head as my senses slowly returned. I found myself sprawled on the floor, a blurry figure resembling a spinning Sakura hovering over me.

  "Should I call Ann?" she asked, her voice den with concern.

  After a few more seconds, her image sharpened, and the pain dulled enough for me to respond. "No, that's okay, I just need a minute," I slurred.

  “Are you sure?” she pressed, still worried.

  “Yes,” I replied more clearly this time. Angelica was probably dashing about frantically since she woke up, and I really didn’t want to pull her away just because I was an idiot.

  "Really?" she exhaled, relieved yet still concerned. "Though, brother, you should be careful where you teleport," she advised, almost as if she wouldn’t do the same given the chance. Nonetheless, she had a point. I was immensely grateful at that moment that killing required deliberate intent here, or this could have been a ridiculously stupid way to die.

  “My bad, I wasn’t thinking. I got distracted,” I admitted. A mere two seconds of forethought would have prevented this. It didn’t take a genius to realize that suddenly appearing in an area where people were wielding deadly abilities was risky, and I could have simply appeared at the door. But then again, she did have a really nice ass.

  “You should stop that, brother,” she chided, doing her best Angelica impression. Fortunately, she seemed oblivious to the true cause of my distraction. “Here, some training will help clear your mind,” she offered, extending a hand to help me up.

  “Yeah, it really would,” I agreed, taking her hand. The pain had rgely subsided. With a firm grip, she easily pulled me to my feet, though I was still a bit unsteady.

  “Are you sure you’re okay, brother?” she asked quickly, ready to catch me if I faltered.

  “Yeah, I’m fine,” I reassured her again. “Let's not disturb Angelica; she's still setting things up. I feel like this party is more for her and mom than for me.”

  “Yep, if anything, Ann is even more excited than Mama Amilia. She’s been bragging to her friends since you left. Speaking of, are you sure you're not interested in any of them?” Sakura asked. Ann had been trying to set me up with her friends for as long as I could remember. She really does take after Mom.

  “Weren’t you helping?” I asked, changing the subject.

  “Well… I may have snuck some food in with Alice and got chased away,” Sakura sheepishly admitted with a trailing ugh.

  “Anyway, enough of that. Show me what you've got. You said your spear chased away an Amazon,” she shifted the topic, which suited me just fine. I took out a potion and drank just enough to stabilize myself—a bonus that it also healed my scratches—before popping a few pills for reinforcement.

  Then I took out my spear and small shield. The environment shifted around us to one simir to those we trained in as kids. It was quite nostalgic. It was even nostalgic when she easily dodged my spear thrust and kneed me in the face, though I could do without that.

  As usual, it was less a fight and more of me being effortlessly overpowered. Every move I tried was countered in a new way, leaving me no opportunity to adapt. Hours passed, and I couldn’t even graze her.

  Lying there, I couldn’t help but ment that the gap between us had grown even wider than before I left, despite my consistent training. It seemed I was also falling further behind the others here, a difference in natural skill and mentality becoming evident. Even now, I tend to hesitate; I don't want to put my body at risk without a good reason. That slight reluctance is all it takes for someone here to defeat me easily.

  “Mama Miki has told you two dozen times, brother, you need to already have your foot moving for the parry to work,” she said, attempting to lecture me again, chasing away my negative thoughts.

  Seeing her happy smile and enthusiastic gestures, all my frustrations seemed trivial. She was getting stronger, which meant there were fewer things that could threaten her. That was always a good thing, and in the worst case, I had my cards, even if I would never be as strong as others here without them.

  “Sir, Sakura, your guests are on their way,” called a voice from the side. I looked over to see another attendant, this one on the smaller side, her lime green skin indicating some goblin ancestry.

  Her announcement made me reassess my condition. I was drenched in sweat and blood and definitely needed another bath. Meanwhile, Sakura, ready to help me up, looked as pristine and smelled as good as ever.

  ‘Wait, what am I even thinking? I’m not Angelica.’ I shook off the odd thought as I accepted her help to my feet.

  “See you in a bit, I’m going to get cleaned up,” I said, taking another sip of a potion.

  “You could give sister a gift by just going like this,” Sakura suggested, completely serious.

  “Yeah, no,” I replied before simply walking to the bathroom, which indeed took almost thirty minutes. I was both relieved and slightly disappointed that the attendant from earlier was still absent when I entered.

  Quickly stowing away my torn clothes, I dove into the bath, resurfacing and paddling back to the side where a padded bench awaited me. Rexing, I allowed the healing potion to do its work before swiftly scrubbing off the blood and watching as the bath purified the water, leaving it crisp and clean.

  Once cleaned and dressed, I headed to the hall to greet our guests.

  At the entrance stood Angelica, Sakura, Yuno, and Era. Our staff were positioned at their stations, overseeing a multitude of tables den with food, while the mouse-like bartender was ready at the mini bar, prepared to mix drinks. Miki was off to the side, rexing with a drink while engaging in light conversation with the bartender.

  Sakura stood next to Angelica at the entrance, while behind them, Alice, cheeks stuffed with food, perched atop Era’s head. As I entered, Yuno moved to stand behind me as usual. Gncing back, I noted her bored expression, a stark contrast to Angelica's beaming smile, which somehow made the headache worthwhile.

  Mom and the twins were absent; the twins were still experiencing moving pains, and the crowd would only heighten their anxiety. Mom was likely to arrive ter, after most guests had settled in. Given that no one their age was expected, it might be best for them to stay behind and py on their own.

  “We welcome the esteemed guests and friends of the Smiling Angel to his humble abode,” one of the attendants announced as the first group entered. I deeply regretted not fighting that stupid nickname harder; at this point, it had stuck.

  [Guests have entered your love nest.]

  [+111 love ponts from guests.]

  As the guests entered, a flood of notifications for love points streamed in, with the total updating continuously. I monitored their progress across the rge yard through the mini map, using this waiting time to recall who they were. Although I barely remembered any of them, all the information I had ever collected about them was stored in the system under their names, ensuring I wouldn’t embarrass myself upon greeting them.

  [+217 love ponts from guests.]

  They still had to traverse the yard and the entrance hall to reach this area. When the door swung open, Seraphina led the group inside. Behind her were a couple hundred women, mostly mothers accompanying their daughters or friends of my mom.

  Among them, I recognized Marble, a friend of my mom who also worked at the castle. She appeared human except for the ball-like joints that made her limbs function like a doll’s. Her two daughters followed her, one of whom shared her unique joint structure. I had spoken to them a few times during css, but I barely knew them.

  Then there was Talwyn, an enhancer with eyes like amethysts, who owned a shop near Cire’s. Her daughter, Aria, was with her. We had purchased a few charms from their shop, but our conversations had never been extensive.

  Eudora, a sculptor whose stone figures seemed almost alive, followed with her three daughters quietly standing behind her. I had no recollection of meeting them, although a few lines on their page indicated that our paths had crossed at some point.

  Observing the group, the only clear commonality was their connection to the same school. ‘It looks like everyone and their mom was invited, literally in this case.’

  Most of them appeared hesitant, although a few were eyeing the food with interest.

  I had pnned to leave the greetings to Angelica, but she nudged me forward. When I looked back, she waved me off, while Sakura smiled encouragingly.

  [Luck has triggered]

  [Would you like to spend date points to trigger a date chain?]

  A box appeared, starting at ten points with an option to increase the amount. This really was lucky. Although I was curious about what extra points might accomplish, I nevertheless opted to use just ten. There were still a few more targets from whom I wanted to collect cards this year.

  [Date chain starto!]

  [Date day 1 of 3]

  [A Homecoming Date]

  [Date target: Guests]

  The choices this time included something extra:

  Ease their nerves. [Charm]Ease their nerves. [Social]Tell a joke.Observing the crowd, I noted their nervousness. They knew me only from brief encounters or the stories circuting about me. 'Social' seemed like the pragmatic choice here, but 'Charm' was probably more effective for gathering love points. I wished I could test both options to see the precise difference, but it wasn’t worth a reset.

  Before proceeding, I quickly reviewed my skills, deciding to activate 'A Date To Remember' to maximize the potential love points for today. I hoped it would sustain throughout the date chain; if not, and I hate to say this, but the fan meetup would likely yield the most points. It should not be that crucial but it is worth taking note of.

  [A Homecoming Party!]

  Taking a few deep breaths to clear my mind, I chose the first option and began, “Hello everyone, and welcome back. Yes, back, because you are all permanent fixtures in my life, and this pce is as much your home as it is mine. Some of you may have reservations about me since I began associating with the nobles. Questions like 'Are we even important?', 'What can we offer?', 'Is there even a chance?', or 'Will the nobles cause harm to our city again?' may be on your mind. I assure you, I'm the same person—albeit a few levels higher—who you all watched get beat up.”

  “Look around—everyone here are the ones who care about me, offering encouragement or sympathy. And despite what you’ve heard, everyone knows I am love Blessed, and my loved ones always come first, of which you all have proven yourself to be one of,” I continued, feeling better about their presence. These were the people who chose not to belittle me but offered encouragement when I was young.

  “As for the nobles, I’m sure you've heard that all they've gained from dealing with me is stress. My aim is to be here, ready to act if anything truly threatens those I care about. So once again, welcome back and make yourselves at home,” I concluded, bowing slightly and gesturing for the guests to come forward and enjoy the food, as music began pying in the background.

  [Perfect speech roll.]

  [Charm triggered x 3.]

  [Max charm roll.]

  [+??? Modifier added]

  [+27,862 love ponts from guests.]

  Surveying the crowd, I noticed I had just cultivated a host of new fangirls. The daughters, initially hesitant, now gazed at me with stars in their eyes. With the atmosphere turning unexpectedly fervent, I found myself wishing for some backup. I had invited the guys, but that only earned me weird looks and questions about why anyone would want other men at their welcome-back party.

  That left me to handle the crowd solo, though we pnned to go out for drinks ter—just the guys, as our own way of celebrating.

  "Enjoy yourselves, you won’t get to eat like this for a long while, at least not on my di-cores," I announced, my voice my own again. Led by Seraphina, the guests proceeded to the area where they could drop off gifts before being served some food.

  As they ate, they whispered among themselves, occasionally gncing my way as I offered them a friendly smile.

  Bna was the first to approach. She was a woman who, during Miki's pregnancy with the twins, would rub her stomach praying for a child of her own—a wish that seemed fulfilled, judging by her pronounced belly.

  "My daughter isn't born yet, but it's never too early to start," she said warmly, gently caressing her belly.

  "I would like to counter that; there is definitely such a thing," another woman interjected, her daughter lingering behind, visibly uncomfortable and bracing for whatever her mother might say next. "Would you stop jumping it? She hasn’t even been born yet, and with her bloodline, it’ll be two cycles before she’s even an adult."

  "His spark's orbiter will be full well before then," a third woman chimed in, as a group of mothers began to gather around me.

  "Please, he’s barely past tier one; I have plenty of time," the first woman countered.

  "He’s out now and an adventurer; he’ll easily gain levels," another mother added. "My daughter is perfectly capable of marrying any time."

  "Please, with little Eli’s blessings, her ‘inner strength’ is unparalleled," another mom began, beaming at me as she patted the lower part of her stomach.

  “Mom!” The daughter in question hurried over, quickly covering her mother’s mouth.

  I can only hope that my daughters are as beautiful as yours.Of course there will be room for them all. [Charm]Don’t worry, I am sure my mom will be here to embarrass me, so you are all not alone.I want points but not that much, so I chose the third option.

  “Don’t worry, I am sure my mom will be here to embarrass me, so you are all not alone,” I assured the girls around me. Some of the girls ughed, but it also gave them a chance to gradually begin sharing their own thoughts. They were all nice girls with overzealous mothers. Really, I should have made more of an effort to talk to them earlier. Inviting them over wouldn’t be a bad idea at all, especially considering the potential for free love points.

  As I engaged with this group, other smaller groups trickled in, poputed by people I knew much better. Girls who used to frequent our house or those I had spent time talking to. The main ones I noticed were Angelica’s friends, who quickly joined her, and Alice’s numerous friends—though she tends to befriend anyone who offers her attention.

  After spending a few hours with the girls, just when I thought I might be stuck here all day, Alice swooped in, diverting the attention. At first, I thought she was merely seeking attention while the twins were absent, but the encouraging thumbs-up she gave me signaled she had actually come to my rescue.

  Looking around the now bustling party, I did not spot Ellie and Lucy. I wondered if their absence was their answer or if they just needed more time. If they haven’t said anything by the time I become a full-fledged Adventurer, I’ll take that as a definitive response, and we’ll need to look for teammates better suited for the crazy things that might show up.

  “Like you would be able to get into this pce if you were in my pce, also it was not that funny,” a familiar voice said. I looked over to see Izzy, visibly annoyed, arguing with a ughing Sakura.

  “That sounds like the excuse of a loser,” Sakura countered, barely catching her breath from ughing.

  "Agh, as—" Izzy paused when she noticed me, switching gears instantly. "Oh, hey Liev, welcome back. You're looking," she said, tucking her short hair behind her ear while eyeing me, "good."

  “You still have some on your head,” Sakura teased, causing Izzy to frantically check her hair. Finding nothing, she shot a gre at the still-smiling Sakura.

  “You’re really asking for a beating,” Izzy snapped, her attention quickly shifting from me back to her rival.

  “I’d like to see you try,” Sakura retorted eagerly.

  “Lead the way,” Izzy responded, rolling her shoulders and clenching her fists, ready for action. The two then proceeded to leave.

  “Those two still get along swimmingly, even after all these years,” a woman remarked, who bore a striking resembnce to Izzy. “Well better for your future that way. Competitive ones are best enjoyed together. It's good to see you after all these years, Liev. I heard you had some trouble, but I'm gd you proved your valor. Even managed to get a wife before Izzy could trap you,” her mother said with a knowing smile.

  “It is good to see you after all these years too, Liz,” I replied warmly.

  “You really should start calling me mama,” she suggested, her smile widening pyfully.

  “So, what were those two competing over this time?” I asked, changing the subject

  “You never change,” she chuckled but indulged me anyway. “Sakura has been bragging about your new home and how Izzy couldn’t even breach a single defense. Thanks to your first wife, my little Izzy got to put that to the test, and it went about as well as you'd imagine.”

  "That girl needs to learn to just let it go, it wasn’t too bad, was it?” I asked, trying to gauge the situation. Izzy looked okay, but humiliations aren’t always visible.

  “Only if you were there to see it,” Liz replied with a coy smile.

  “Liz, I—” I began, attempting to put a stop to this conversation.

  “She has already chosen you, not even the Goddesses could change that,” she interjected, cutting me off. People here have a weird way of deciding on retionships. It's open until it’s not, then suddenly you're 'the one'. There's no dating, no moving through the bases—just a sudden, definitive choice. I still feel like I barely know her; she’s just Sakura’s best friend.

  Suddenly, a hand grasped my face, giving it a shake. “Drop the long face; you’re still tier one. It could be a few hundred cycles before she even has a chance. Just stay alive and try to stay out of trouble, and everything else will work itself out.”

  “I’m not looking for trouble; it just keeps finding me,” I defended.

  “I’m not talking about now, I’m talking about ter,” she stated confidently.

  Before I could respond, Seraphina called out, “Announcing Mistress Vyx, Willbreaker of the highest order. We are most gracious for your presence.”

  Turning, I saw Seraphina leading in a girl I hadn’t seen or thought about since the tournament. Vyx entered, her attire consisting of just strategically pced belts, her heels clicking authoritatively as she walked.

  The party paused to observe her, and anyone who dared meet her gaze quickly looked away. She strode in, ignoring Seraphina, scanning the crowd with disdain, like a garbage dump.

  Then our eyes met, and her demeanor transformed dramatically. Her eyes brightened, she went wide-eyed, and suddenly, she dropped to her knees with a puppy-like whimper. The bewildered looks of the guests—who had overcome their initial reluctance to gaze upon her—proved I wasn't the only one surprised.

  [+5 Vxy affection point.]

  Her expression of puppy-like adoration quickly morphed into horror as she realized all eyes were on her.

  [-5 Vxy affection point.]

  Then she gred at me, as if this were somehow my fault, but her expression soon softened back to that of an abandoned puppy whose owner had just returned.

  [+5 Vxy affection point.]

  [-5 Vxy affection point.]

  [+5 Vxy affection point.]

  [-5 Vxy affection point.]

  After a tumultuous moment, her expressions cycling between aggrieved and abandoned, she bolted—much like the st girl from the tournament. I hoped this wasn’t becoming a trend.

  As she left, the room buzzed with whispers. Vyx was quite famous in the city, primarily known as a bogeyman—an integrator who could coerce anyone into revealing their secrets. However, it seemed her actual role was far more complicated than that. The only reason I knew this much was from a section I had read in Seraphina’s book about me. I hadn’t bothered to look into her after that.

  “You sure do attract strange girls,” Cire commented, coming over after Vyx had dramatically exited through the door. I had no defense—I too think that strange girls are attracted to me, it has to be the stupid goddesses fault.

  “Hey, Cire,” I greeted her warmly.

  “Hello dear, thank you for putting up with my daughter,” Liz chimed in, also greeting Cire.

  “No, she really is a help when I have to rearrange the shop,” Cire responded, then added with a slight hesitation, “well, as long as Sakura isn't around.” She paused again, turning to the younger girl tugging at her arm. “Would you quit it? You’ve already met him multiple times.”

  “That was before,” her younger sister protested. She was the spitting image of Cire, minus the tattoos, and had light purple eyes instead of green. Her hair might have been a shade lighter too, but it was hard to tell in the light.

  “It’s the same, if anything it’s too te. He has already seen you zing around and bawling your eyes out when mom refused to take you out,” Cire retorted.

  “Shh, shh, agh, you're supposed to be supporting me!” the younger sister excimed, quickly talking over Cire while stealing gnces at me. Cire was right; it was beyond too te. Every time I visited, this sister of hers acted like a spoiled brat, an image that hadn’t changed in my mind despite her now being practically an adult.

  “I am, now come on,” Cire said, pulling her sister forward as if presenting me with a prize.

  “Um, hello,” Cire’s sister said, giving me a shy wave.

  My biggest fan I am sure. A pleasure to meet you [Social]Hello, Cra, Your smile just made my day a whole lot better. It's as if the Goddesses themselves decided to Bless it just for me. [Charm++]I look forward to the sister sandwich. [Chaos]‘More new options, why are they showing up now?’ I pondered. Perhaps my stats were boosted due to the event. It made sense that I was seeing the addition if true. I quickly scanned through my menu, searching for what was different, but everything appeared the same. It might be that it only affects information for this date, so I can't see any new data on old information, or maybe there’s another reason, but this is the only thing that has changed.

  Still, looking at the new options it gave me a clearer insight into what the system was actually doing when presenting choices.

  [Charm++: A charm-boosted action where the number of pluses represents the number of rolls offered by the option, with the highest roll being counted.]

  [Chaos: Options that can drastically change an event or introduce unexpected elements. These options are high risk, high reward.]

  Reading about chaos, it makes sense why the random options I always get seem so out there; however, the real question is why are they always sexual. ‘Wait, are they?’ I question, ‘or do some fall under charm?’ It's something to think about ter.

  [Name: Cra FlowerLevel: 27Affection: 199[+0 Fangirl(overflow)]Quite spoiled by her father.]

  I debated which option to choose. Cra was already a fangirl, so things couldn’t really get much worse, and it would make Cire happy. However, the dispy was odd—why had it stopped at 199, and what was with the "+0 Fangirl"? Perhaps it was because she’s still a kid. I hadn’t noticed this kind of dispy before—maybe it's different because I'm not a kid anymore. I was kind of regretting not spending more date points with all this new information avaible; I could have always focused on leveling up next year.

  ‘Guess the only way to tell is to go around looking at a bunch of kids… that sounded really wrong,’ I thought before stopping. Ultimately, it didn’t matter.

  Deciding on option two, time resumed.

  “Hello, Cra, Your smile just made my day a whole lot better. It's as if the Goddesses themselves decided to Bless it just for me,” I said, my voice soothing even to my own ears.

  When Cra didn't respond or move, I initially thought something was wrong, but on closer inspection, she had actually fainted. Is this how boy bands feel? Known only to your fans, who are way to into you.

  "This girl! I'll see you ter, Liev. If I stay here, she'll try to kill me when she comes to," Cire said, holding up her sister.

  "Feel free to use any room if you want to stay here," I offered as she effortlessly hoisted the girl into a princess carry. Despite being unconscious, Cra had a wide smile on her face.

  "Thanks, I'll be back once I've calmed her down. And thanks, I know you don’t like it, but she will remember this for the rest of her life," Cire responded, her smile more subdued than her sister's.

  "No problem, see you ter," I waved her off.

  Liz also excused herself, heading off to ensure that the troublesome duo wasn't taking things too far. It would not be the first time they had pushed each other to the brink and stopped speaking for weeks, though they always seemed to reconcile as if nothing had happened.

  With a moment to myself, I surveyed the room, which was packed with at least a thousand girls. Gncing at my love points, I noticed I was approaching half a million. It seemed likely that I'd end up in the positive after just today. Perhaps parties weren’t such a bad idea, especially when I could reap the benefits without needing to be present.

  Taking a deep breath, I reminded myself of my duties as a host. I scanned the room for any girls I hadn’t yet spoken to and found many, each clustered in their own groups. Despite the crowd, there was still ample room to maneuver. I approached the first group of unfamiliar faces, quickly reviewing their pages on my system to find topics for conversation.

  Engaging in small talk focused on others was easy; people generally enjoy talking about themselves, a tactic I learned in psychology css. I hadn’t utilized this approach much in school—seeing no point in small talk if we didn't share common interests—but today it was proving invaluable.

  I engaged attentively with two groups and was conversing with a third when my gaze inadvertently drifted across the room. There, partially obscured by the crowd, was the stalker girl. I considered approaching her but ultimately decided against it. Engaging with the groups was proving more productive.

  After bidding farewell to the current group, I was about to move on when I spotted the girl again. ‘And what, just ignore her forever?’

  Whether I liked it or not, the moment I obtained her card, I had inadvertently drawn her into my life. And as much as I disliked considering it, obtaining her card might have bound her to me indefinitely. This was a factor I would need to weigh carefully with any girl from whom I considered obtaining a card in the future. I needed to level up, to become stronger, to have more options. Yet with each card, I potentially dragged someone else into my troubles—some of whom might prefer to remain uninvolved.

  As long as we weren’t married, there was still a chance to reverse the connection, though such reversals were rare here. Nobody said it was impossible, but one would question why any girl who had made her choice would ever want to unless compelled by external forces.

  However, if they were actively avoiding me, that could simplify matters; I could just continue to ignore them. Yet, this girl kept coming back to me.

  Resolved to approach her, I pivoted towards the girl who was trying her best to blend into the crowd while keeping an eye on me. As she noticed my direct approach, panic set in; it looked like she might bolt again. Her eyes darted around fearfully, but when she attempted to flee, she found herself rooted to the spot, her expression turning to confusion.

  ‘Thanks, Yuno,’ I thought, confident she would receive the message, before I greeted the perplexed girl. “Hey.”

  “He-” she cleared her throat, “hello,” she replied in a timid voice that contrasted sharply with her intense gaze. A brief silence followed; I struggled to find a topic of conversation. My Observe only revealed her interest in fighting.

  “You are quite strong, really. I almost lost because of you. Definitely my hardest fight,” I said, trying to sound casual and genuine. It was true—at least physically. She might be even more skilled than the amazon, though it was hard to compare due to the tier differences and the varied experiences with the cards I used against each. I was fairly certain she could give Sakura a run for her money, despite the tier gap.

  “Thank you,” she said, visibly pleased by the compliment, but then silence fell again.

  ‘Anything, system?’ I thought, hoping for some assistance as she simply stared at me. Of course, the one time I needed help, the system remained silent.

  I love a girl who can kick my ass. [Charm]How about you kick my ass ter.I have something even bigger than a dagger you can try to handle.‘This is out of spite, right?’ I thought, bewildered by the choices. I still wasn’t sure of their origin; I had thought the system generated them, but after spending so much time with her, it seemed unlikely that these were from her. Still points were points.

  “I love a girl who can kick my ass,” I ventured, and her cheeks flushed at my words. Then, abruptly, she bolted from the room, tripping over a table of food in her haste. She didn’t look back, quickly getting up and continuing her escape, now covered in food.

  ‘Maybe that was too strong for her,’ I mused, just before a deyed notification appeared.

  [Your bond has returned to normal.]

  [+44 Stiletto Affection points.]

  ‘Okay, that was easy.’ I thought, watching her escape. ‘So, why didn't you stop her that time?’ I ask Yuno, not mad, just confused at her actions.

  ‘She would have gotten herself into trouble if she stayed here. She does not think. She is rash,’ Yuno expined, her tone deepening toward the end. As Yuno ceased her expnation, I decided it was best to let the matter drop.

  Looking over I spot Lamya, our librarian, talking to a set of girls who from my Observe, work at the city library, or at least trying to talk to them. At least I am not the only one having a hard time. Though if my social skills are on par with her I need a lot more practice.

  "Having fun, sweetie?" Miki staggered over, her cheeks flushed from heavy drinking.

  "Hey Miki, just tired. Facing the hydra was simple compared to trying to entertain all these people," I replied, and it was nothing but the truth. Battling the hydra was like pying a game once I focused, but this party felt like a series of painful tooth extractions—each new group of guests was another tooth.

  "Here, this will help," she offered me a drink. I had refrained from drinking until now, but the stress relief was tempting, especially with the party winding down. Gncing at my points again, I noted I was still on track to getting out of debt.

  "Hey Liev, hello Miki," a cheerful Izzy bounced over, pursued by a visibly steaming Sakura. Not just metaphorically, she was actually streaming.

  "Oh no, you don't, you totally cheated!" Sakura accused the cheerful girl.

  "Is that the talk of a loser, or are you also an oath breaker?" Izzy taunted, all smiles as she faced the steaming girl. Considering her Blessing, she must have used an external item to affect Sakura.

  “Gr, it does not count, double or nothing.” Sakura growled out.

  "Here you go, girls," Miki said, handing a drink to each. They both hesitated, looking down at their drinks before gncing at each other and seemingly agreeing not to drink.

  "Oh, so you won't be drinking with poor Liev here? So sad, whatever shall we do? Well, I, of course, will entertain you and drink, sweetie. We can drink slowly, all night long," Miki teased, drawing out her words as she reached up and slowly traced her finger across my chest.

  Both Sakura and Izzy gnced at each other again, then took tentative sips from their drinks. Sakura took a slightly rger gulp, prompting Izzy to do the same, leading to a back-and-forth where each tried to outdo the other, with Miki refilling their gsses as they went.

  “Oh, it seems I am out, looks like little Izzy drank a bit more,” Miki commented, adding the st part unnecessarily, as she gnced at her empty bottle.

  “We're not done, there's still more on the table!” Sakura decred, storming off with Izzy who had a smug smile on her face, both completely pyed by an amused Miki.

  “Was that a good idea?” I asked, watching Miki pour a fresh drink into my cup.

  “Even if faint, little Sakura still has Oni blood, she shouldn't run from her desires,” Miki remarked, licking her lips as she watched the two. I understood her point—sometimes it’s worse to run from what you want, or try to suppress it, rather than learning to moderate it. I respected her approach, even if Sakura might be embarrassed tomorrow.

  “More importantly, it's fun to tease her after she embarrasses herself,” Miki continued, exhaling deeply. It seemed the one who really needed to learn to control herself was Miki.

  Watching the two, I wondered if I should intervene. ‘Well, it should be fine. Mom can always detox them if it gets bad,’ I thought, deciding against stepping in.

  “Those girls,” Angelica remarked, coming over and quickly noticing the two now on their second bottle.

  “Hey, Liev,” a group of girls following Angelica called out as they approached.

  “Hey, girls,” I greeted back. It had been a long time since I had seen any of them.

  “Did you manage to speak to everyone?” Angelica asked, appearing also to decide to leave the duo to their antics.

  “Ann,” I gave her a deadpan look, “There are more than a thousand people here.”

  “You don't need to engage them all, just a greeting before they leave will be more than enough. Your speech did most of the heavy lifting,” Angelica replied, unfazed by my look, clearly expecting me to greet everyone nonetheless.

  “Can't believe we missed it,” one of the girls behind her mented, with nods of agreement from the others.

  “Bania just had to,” another added, exhaling a sigh while looking at the one being accused.

  “It was Jill’s fault, not mine!” the girl quickly defended.

  “Sure,” the girls ughed, not quite buying her defense.

  "I am sure there will be many more chances in the future," Angelica said, stopping the girls from singling out their friend with a calm, mature tone.

  Gossip with the girls. [Social]Flirt with the girls. [Chaos]Reviewing the choices, I didn't understand why flirting was beled a chaos option, but I also didn't want to risk it. The party was almost over, and there was no way I was restarting and enduring another thirty hours of this.

  Choosing the first option, I didn't speak much but simply listened while the girls gossiped. Most of their chatter was about the goings-on among themselves and what other girls were up to. The most interesting aspect, though, was the constant notifications of updated information in my system.

  It was all filed under a gossip section that featured some entries marked in red. Quickly scanning through their pages, the information seemed to contradict what my system had gleaned to be true from my own observations. I didn't think this unreliable information would be particurly helpful, but it was interesting to note that this data hadn't been added during previous gossip sessions with these girls.

  I engaged in gossip for a while until Angelica, spotting a group of girls preparing to leave, quickly ushered me over to say goodbye. This sparked a trend of departures, and I found myself stuck saying farewells for the next few hours.

  As the party dwindled by half, my exhaustion deepened. Deciding to take a break, I slipped out behind the venue and teleported to Mom's room. I never thought I'd miss having to use the bathroom as an excuse to step away during drinking sessions.

  "Oh, you made it a lot longer than I thought you would," Mom said, a slight giggle in her voice as she saw me. She was lying on the bed, each twin curled up beside her, as she gently stroked their hair and hummed a lulby that Angelica often used to put them to sleep.

  "I wanted to check on the twins and needed to take a break anyway," I expined to Mom, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

  "As you can see, they've finally fallen asleep. If you had shown up an hour earlier, they wouldn't have been able to sleep after you left," Mom informed me. She had a point; that’s why she had advised me to focus on the party. Still, I spent some time watching them sleep, noting how they chewed on Mom's leg and drooled in their slumber, before Mom finally spoke up again. "They will be fine not seeing you for a few days. Now go back to the party, or they won't be able to sleep if they catch you."

  “I thought you were going to try to bring them ter,” I asked, though it was probably well past that point.

  “I would, if they were up for it,” she replied. It looked like she wouldn't be making it down after all. Mom had been looking forward to today, yet here she was, stuck in her room.

  “That bad, huh?” I commented, continuing to stroke their heads.

  “They just need to adjust. Don't worry, go enjoy your party; it's almost over. Don't worry about your poor old mom, she'll hear every detail from the mothers ter,” Mom reassured me.

  “Right,” I said, rolling my eyes, not entirely comfortable with how she emphasized 'mothers' at the end. “See you ter, Mom.”

  “Bye, my prince,” she said with a smile as I teleported back. Once I returned, I rounded the corner of my hiding spot only to step out and find Selen looking at me. She had a sadistic yet tired smile on her face.

  “You look tired, my dear Liev,” she echoed my thoughts about her.

  “So do you, Selen,” I replied.

  “With my increased responsibilities comes increased work,” she said, implying that her fatigue was expected, but mine was not.

  “You should still try to get some sleep,” I advised, looking into her eyes.

  “Hm,” she murmured, her hand reaching out and brushing my chest. Her thumb slowly circled around, causing me to flinch back in pain. I grunted, trying in vain to withstand the pain, and then it ended. “You really do make the best faces, my dear Liev,” she observed, looking much more awake now. “But unfortunately, that's all I can enjoy for today. I only stopped by to drop off my gift.”

  “I could have done without the pain,” I remarked, rubbing my chest.

  "One must be reminded of why they work so hard," she said, ignoring my discomfort, her smile sending shivers down my spine before she simply turned and walked away. Watching her go, she seemed off, the ck of sleep obviously catching up with her. Next time, I should bring her into Love Land and let her get some rest.

  Letting out a sigh, I returned to the party, where to my surprise, everyone was watching a naked Sakura and Izzy singing and dancing in the middle of the dance floor, projected for all to see. ‘I was gone for like five minutes. How did this happen?’ I wondered. Off to one side, Miki sat encouraging the two, telling them what a good job they were doing, while Angelica could only shake her head, her group of friends giggling at the spectacle.

  As I debated whether to go back and get Mom, a familiar voice broke my train of thought. “They are really going for it,” Tabitha said, coming to stand beside me.

  “When did you get here?” I asked, only catching glimpses of her flowing red hair as I looked down.

  “I should smack you,” she retorted, bending her head back to look up at me, “forget it, we just got here. Had to finish up with our client, so it took some time," she expined, her gaze returning to the merry duo. "Should I go stop them?"

  “Don’t be a party killer, Tabitha. Let the girls have fun,” Urda, the dark-skinned member of their group, interjected, a drink already in her hand and seemingly part of the crowd encouraging them.

  “A pleasure to meet you again, Liev Ekker,” their leader said, offering a grateful half-bow like a noble would, still in her slightly dirty armor. She also elongated her words. “And congratutions on making it back. If it is okay with you, we will set up a time for your training at your earliest convenience.”

  “What do I have to do, anyway?” I asked, having a good idea of what was needed but unclear about what we might be skipping.

  "Mostly practical expeditions. You need to be able to move outside without getting yourself killed. There are also sessions dedicated to client management, though those are less important. If you can successfully pass those, we can skip the rest," she expined, making it sound essentially like a final exam. "Really, it's redundant since you've already done simir work in the military, but the guild has its own independent standards."

  "We'll hash out the details ter. For now, enjoy whatever is left of the party," I said, noticing more people I needed to at least greet.

  "We will do," the leader replied before the dark-skinned girl grabbed her and pulled her into the festivities.

  "More importantly, where are the cuties?" Tabitha asked, apparently deciding not to interfere.

  "They're with Mom in her room," I answered.

  "Oh," she said, sounding disappointed.

  "Feel free to go. They're asleep, and Mom could use the company," I suggested.

  "Don't worry, I'll keep them company," she replied, her confidence restored.

  "I'll have Mirii show you the way," Seraphina interjected, approaching with a girl who had cute white and bck cat-like ears atop her head. After guiding them, Seraphina gave me a small bow before joining their leader to likely finalize the details. She knew my schedule better than I did, so it was safe to leave it in her hands.

  Looking over at the rest of their team, I spotted Esmeralda’s blue wizard's hat as she fired small sers into the air, cheering along with the crowd. The more reserved members of their team were off to the side, with surprisingly, Era among them, her pink outfit making a stark contrast with the dark attire of the girl she was draped across, seemingly doing all the talking for the group.

  Not that they seemed to mind—indeed, the group appeared quite happy with her, if the constant notifications of love points were anything to go by.

  I made sure to stand by and bid farewell as more girls began to leave. The singing duo continued their antics until they started fighting again and both ran off still naked. Angelica, now also sipping a drink, was forced to take over, singing a quite catchy tune she had come up with.

  Looking around, only a few people were left, and even they were beginning to wrap things up, the party stretching well into the early morning hours.

  Once the st of the guests had gone, except for the trailbzers staying until my future training was done, Seraphina and Angelica approached.

  "The first house will be here in a little bit," Angelica said, hugging me while using her Blessing to quickly clear the alcohol from my system. I might have drunk a bit too much. I could have done without her sniffing me, but it was oddly comforting.

  Leaning back into her comforting embrace, I reviewed the lessons Seraphina had given me about the houses while observing the staff swiftly work to rearrange the venue into a dining area befitting high society. Even the paintings around the area, previously depicting frolicking nude girls, were repced with simir artworks, albeit featuring the figures in more authoritative poses instead of the earlier, carefree ones.

  First, there were a couple of houses I had some knowledge of and had interacted with in some way. House Ironfist runs the military and manages the dungeon at the city's center. They are one of the most powerful houses, primarily because they are constantly engaged in real-world combat and are the first to possess cores. This also means they face the toughest challenges and aren't able to exert their influence as freely as some other houses. Yet, they remain one of the two key combat houses, and every other house relies on them in some capacity. Their house name originated from the founder, who had a Blessing that made his fist appear to be made of iron.

  The next house, House Vowkeeper, manages the contracts throughout the city. They weren't as influential as I initially thought, but they still bind the houses together and keep the city running. Their power is limited to initiating contracts, and once these are established, they have little involvement in maintaining them. The house's name originated from the first wife of the house, whose every word formed a contract that compelled you to never renege on any promise made to her.

  The st house I was familiar with before was House Goldweave, which oversees the main street shopping area and much of the city's external transport and trade. Their main strength stems from the sheer volume of cores that pass through their hands, including unique cores and items desired by every other house. The name "Goldweave" was adopted a few generations in when the then-head of the next generation developed her production ability to create armor woven with a strong shimmer of gold. The widespread production and distribution of her armor facilitated the expansion to the scale they are at today. According to Seraphina, this armor is so valued that it is stored away and only taken out for emergencies; any piece that is damaged or lost is considered a significant loss to their house.

  Somewhat familiar to me was House Shadowveil, known for producing shadows that protect all the other noble houses. They occupy a peculiar position; theoretically, they should be extremely powerful due to the critical nature of their service. However, their influence is mitigated by the fact that each shadow is independent and contract-bound to their protectorate. Yet, no one dares to antagonize them. It might not impact immediately, but should they cease their services, a house's strength would gradually diminish, allowing others to surpass them. Their name stems from the unique, shadow-like Blessing that each member of their house acquires at an unusually high rate. While they do recruit from outside, the main bulk of their force is homegrown.

  New to me were Houses Criscrafter, Pncaster, and Mirrcall.

  House Criscrafter is currently the weakest house. They once stood among the strongest, crafting magic items needed by nobles and high-ranking adventurers. However, their house has been in decline, unable to produce craftsmen of the same caliber as their ancestors. Now, most magic items and potions are made by commoners, and the older generations increasingly rely on dwarves for their crafting needs. Their house was named after their first renowned crafter, Christopher.

  House Pncaster is on the rise, gradually taking over the niche formerly occupied by Criscrafter. They primarily handle city expansions, like my new house, and have produced some exceptionally skilled individuals who now serve as the main city based craftsmen for the nobles. The house was named after an ancestor reputed to be one of the city’s original pnners, though the truth of this cim remains uncertain.

  Lastly, the oldest house is House Mirrcall. They have been here since the city's founding and remain the most powerful. They manage all external retions for the city. The origins of their house name have been lost to time.

  According to Seraphina, houses Ironfist, Vowkeeper, and Criscrafter tend to align together, while houses Goldweave, Mirrcall, Pncaster, and Shadowveil group separately, with House Vowkeeper and House Mirrcall typically leading their respective alliances. This alignment isn’t rigid; it's primarily due to the retionships of the current house heads. Changes in leadership or rge conflicts could shift these dynamics, though Mirrcall consistently remains a leader within one of the factions.

  Frankly, the political ndscape is overly complicated, and Seraphina's brief lesson barely scratched the surface. Thankfully, I don’t need to delve too deeply into these dynamics. My role today is rgely ceremonial, as the real negotiations and agreements were settled before I even entered the picture.

  “Date Day 2 Starto!”

  [Dangerously Close date]

  [Target: Cupid city nobles]

  “The house of the Smiling Angel warmly welcomes our esteemed guests from House Ironfist,” one of my staff announced as Angelica swiftly released me, spinning me around to straighten my slightly wrinkled clothes. The title the announcer used for our house cked the grandeur associated with House Ironfist, making ours sound modest yet distinguished compared to a common home.

  "Ironfist, huh?" I muttered under my breath. My opinion of them wasn't very good, although they were the first to arrive. According to Seraphina, the order of arrival reflected each house's perceived closeness to the host, meaning Ironfist considered themselves quite closely allied with us.

  Entering my home were four familiar faces, one of which I definitely didn't expect to see. Ava, my former tormenting commander, appeared less haggard than at our st meeting. Her little sister Elsa was still closely shadowed by her maid, and most surprising of all was Thalia, the head of their house. If I had grasped even half of Seraphina’s lesson, Thalia’s presence was more than a big deal.

  “Hahahaha,” the head of the house bellowed with a loud, booming ugh, causing almost everyone, except the maid, to flinch. Ava, standing next to her, sighed and slowly shook her head while Elsa remained motionless, her eyes closed, hand resting on her sword.

  Still ughing, Thalia strode over to me, smming her elongated finger down on my shoulder with a strong yet light pat. Surprisingly, it didn’t hurt, but the force felt like it could buckle my legs.

  “If it isn't little Angel, my daughter can't stop talking about you,” she procimed, her voice still several decibels too loud.

  “Mother!” Ava quickly interjected.

  “I didn’t get to greet you st time, and I can only stay for a moment now, but it’s good to finally meet you,” Thalia said, all smiles.

  "Ya, nice to—" I began, but Angelica nudged me sharply in the side. "I mean..."

  "Don't sweat it, no one has time for that kind of talk on the actual battlefield, and that's where people like us excel. Don't let those other stuffy girls try to bring you down to their level or they'll try to use you until you're a dry husk—and that right should only extend to your wives," she ughed again, giving my shoulder a few more pats.

  "My husband wanted to come, but unfortunately, our schedules didn’t align, hmm? Seems my time is up," she remarked, releasing me and marching back to her daughters. She grabbed Ava and nudged her forward. "What are you doing? Go say hi and finalize our deals."

  "Mother, I—" Ava started.

  "None of that, go. I'll see you ter. Elsa, watch out for your sister," she gnced over at the still static girl.

  "Mother, I am the older one," Ava compined.

  "And she has a maid. Now stop pussy footing around and go greet him," she urged, pushing her forward again before turning around to leave. She didn't actually say 'pussy footing'—I just had no idea how to transte the specific term she used, but it conveyed a notion of avoiding engagement not just with a potential partner but also family members or other individuals yet not.

  “Um, hello,” Ava began, then caught herself. “I of House Ironfist am honored by the invite. May our close retions st into the eternal future,” she finished with a bow.

  Looking over at her sister, she still simply stood there, apparently leaving the formalities to Ava. “What, you’re not going to greet me back?” Ava asked, her face annoyed and reminding me that I don’t like her.

  The Smiling Angle welcomes you to his home. [Social]As beautiful as always Ava. [Charm]Spank her. [Special]Finally taking my eyes off the annoying girl to read my options, I noticed another new element.

  [Special: An action derived from an Achievement or the use of information gathered by Observe.]

  I was extremely tempted to select the third option but restrained myself. Instead, I opted to use my ‘Social Butterfly’ skill. I knew that I couldn't really count on the skill unless I wanted something at any cost, but it was still a reference so that I could see how it stacks up against my own choice.

  When the skill activated, little butterflies fluttered from the third choice, tempting me further. I found myself wondering what these special choices were even for. Charm seems better for gaining points while Social is more effective for engaging people and achieving practical outcomes, though from the still bnk choices, it appears there are types I can't yet see.

  "The Smiling Angel welcomes you to his home," I said, executing a bow that Seraphina had taught me, though far more gracefully than I could manage on my own. Noble gestures might seem simple and weird until you attempt them yourself; they require considerable focus to perform correctly. Seraphina expined that the effort invested in these movements shows your sincerity, with different levels of intricacy and even subtle gestures that can serve as veiled insults. It's a nuanced nguage all its own.

  Ava appeared quite impressed by my dispy, but she quickly composed her expression. "That is how it should be. Let us go, sister," she said, allowing the staff to lead them to a strategically pced table near the center stage.

  "The house of the Smiling Angel warmly welcomes our esteemed guests from House Vowkeeper." The introduction echoed through the area, though this time the phrasing was less personal—more like transitioning from speaking to a close friend to addressing a neighbor.

  After a short pause, a girl entered whom I thought I recognized; having one wing is not a common trait here.

  [Name: Aria VowkeeperLevel: 112Affection: 221House: Vowkeeper [16th Daughter][You met her during the tournament dinner.][Card will unlock guardian statue in Love Land]Has grown quite interested in you, and sees her actions during the tournament dinner—when she had the best chance of making a good impression—as quite foolish.]

  Reflecting on this information, I indeed remembered her. My recollections were vague—I hadn't been in the best mood—but I don’t recall her doing anything particurly offensive.

  [An option has been added due to Social Butterfly.]

  The Smiling Angel welcomes you to his home. [Social]I apologize for my rude remarks at our st meeting, dy Aria [Charm]It’s pleasurable to see you again, perhaps the winds have shifted since our st encounter?This time, my skill autonomously added an option that seemed geared towards initiating conflict, which wasn't my intention. Opting for neutrality, I selected the first choice, a standard greeting I had been taught.

  “The Smiling Angel welcomes you to his home,” I said formally.

  “Yes, I hope our st meeting has not left a bad impression,” she responded, wrapping her single wing around herself and bowing in apology.

  “Don't worry about it, I was quite grumpy at the time,” I reassured her, slightly surprised but appreciative of her straightforward approach to making amends. There really was no reason to stir up more conflict with her by being snarky.

  “I see, then all is well,” she said, bowing once more before being shown to her seat. The representatives from the other houses repeated this process, but it became strikingly clear through my use of Observe that these representatives were mostly pceholders—sent merely to fulfill a formality. These individuals had no real power within their houses and were all potential members, not direct descendants of the house heads but rather individuals who might be considered for marriage once the next generation's leadership ran out of suitable candidates.

  In my view, this was a favorable setup; if I made any mistakes, they likely wouldn’t care, and I certainly wouldn’t mind if they did. Let them enjoy some fine dining, for the help lowering my stress levels.

  After their introductions, we waited for the st house to arrive. The dey was lengthy enough that even the staff and the seated noble girls began to look uncomfortable, although Seraphina remained unfazed by the situation.

  "Is something wrong?" I asked in a low voice.

  “We are being insulted,” Seraphina replied.

  “Is that a bad thing?” I asked, though it was more of a rhetorical question.

  “Very,” she replied, “house Mirrcall holds disproportionate power and would expin why women of such low rank came, instead of those in the middle like was expected.”

  “You don't seem worried.” I said noting her ck of response not matching her words.

  “They are coming, which means they will sit down with us, I believe husband would call it doing the bare minimum while telling all they don’t want to do even that.” Seraphina expined.

  Just then, as if summoned by our conversation, the announcer's voice rang out. “The house of the Smiling Angel warmly welcomes our esteemed guest from House Mirrcall.”

  At the introduction, a girl walked in. Her stature was slight and her features sharp, yet there was an undeniable allure to her presence, a blend of mischief and poise. Her skin had a faint greenish tint, and her ears, pointed yet not as elongated as an elf's, complemented her striking appearance. Her hair, a wild cascade of emerald green shot through with threads of spun gold, framed a face that was both cunning and innocent. Her eyes twinkled as they met mine.

  I could see Seraphina's eyes widen slightly in surprise before she stepped forward to greet the guest personally.

  [Name: Vexara MirrcallLevel: ???Affection: -77House: Mirrcall [2nd Daughter]???]

  “A most generous welcome to the next head, you grace us with your presence,” Seraphina greeted the woman, showing her the same level of respect she afforded me or when she addressed the princess.

  "Forgive me for my te arrival. I hope I have not kept the distinguished dy waiting," she said, her tone sincere, but the underlying insult was not difficult to discern.

  "No such thing, my dy. Allow me to show you to the seat of honor, one that I hope will match a thousandth of your splendor," Seraphina replied, and this time I couldn't tell if there was an insult hidden in her words or not.

  "I am sure you exaggerate; everything here more than matches my splendor. If anything, it is I who feel inadequate," she replied with a charming smile, her eyes sweeping the room in apparent admiration.

  'This is giving me a headache,' I sighed internally, listening to the two exchange semi-fttering remarks. I decided I would have to ask ter what the hell all this was about, but I was gd I wasn't the one having to deal with this. Gncing back, Angelica was merely smiling, though the slight strain on her face suggested she understood more than I did.

  Eventually, the verbal dance ceased, and the woman was shown to a seat next to the two girls from Ironfist. As we took our seats, the mood in the room shifted, the projection device on the dance floor casting a dazzling rainbow of colors across the room. The colors slowly morphed into the image of the goddess of love welcoming everyone before dissipating, leaving behind a trail of girls dancing in the air, all accompanied by a soft orchestra of music.

  The food was quickly served, starting with those who arrived st and ending with us. As our ptes were pced, the girls all began eating simultaneously while watching the show. It was just a pain in the ass, especially since I had to leave my pte untouched to head to the back room for meetings. What was the point of serving me if I wasn't even going to touch it?

  Opening the door to the rather cramped room, I went inside, took a seat, and let out a deep breath. Seraphina would handle the rest, sending the girls back here one by one so I could offer my well wishes. Outside, the party would transition from a dinner and show to a mingling event until it was time for them to leave, all while my food sat untouched to show how seriously I was taking these proceedings. All stupid, if you ask me, but I pyed along regardless.

  When the door opened again, in came Ava, adding to my irritation. "It is quite small in here," she noted, though it didn’t sound like a compint.

  “I know, I’ll see about getting a bigger one built,” I replied. Technically, I had a bigger room but it wasn’t designated for one-on-one meetings, and if it wasn’t made for that purpose, it wasn’t used for that.

  Without saying anything, she briefly gnced at me then took a seat opposite me. As she sat down, her legs bent well into mine, forcing her to dig them into mine. I could really go for something to drink but I pushed that thought to the back of my mind and addressed her.

  “Go ahead,” I said. It was standard to start with well wishes, but Seraphina assured me that no one expected such formalities from me, so I could just jump right in.

  The girl across from me fidgeted quite a bit before steeling herself and beginning her formal, noble-like speech. “Sir,” she began, her voice clipped and clear. “On behalf of House Ironfist, I am here to present you with this pass, granting you entry to train within the depths of the city dungeon.”

  She slid an ornate item across the small table, its iron-like surface catching the dim light, allowing me to make out the image of a fist mid-punch, and into my hand. Her hand lingered before she quickly pulled it back, plopping a bond book down before folding her arms tightly across her chest. “Furthermore, I… Father extends an invitation for you to join us in several of our upcoming military campaigns. He has observed both your skill and temperament and believes you will prove an asset.”

  I looked across at the girl, her legs moved in a nervous jitter, bumping into mine under the table as they shook. ‘This pce is too damn small,’ I compined to myself again, as I lifted up the pass to give it a better look. The city's dungeon is why monsters don’t spawn in the city; it redirects the mana in the air into its depths, causing monsters to spawn there in a controlled manner. The dungeons, once open to the public not so long ago before my birth, became a death trap due to unforeseen spawns and unpnned expansion. The military and some higher-tier adventurers still venture there to clean up the monsters and prevent them from accumuting. For those adventurers, it was a blessing—it's much easier to manage than having to travel days outside, and if they really get in over their heads, they don't have to run days back to a safe area.

  More importantly for them and the nobles, the change has led to what are called ‘goddess manifestations’ or ‘magic gifts’. These items, created by the concentration of magic like monsters, are said to be gifts from the goddess of magic, bestowed onto the world to inspire the races. These items are powerful yet unpredictable, and even the most skilled individuals tasked with identifying their properties often struggle to fully understand them. This makes them extremely valuable.

  Picking up the book, I gave it a quick flip-through. It contained a list of operations that their family was involved in, ranging from random extermination missions and protection details for Octaves to procurement tasks for an upcoming visit to the dwarves. Common to all these missions was the oversight by the two sisters and their mother.

  “Thank you,” I said, pcing the pass into my inventory with a polite tone. She smiled back at my response. While I might not use this pass immediately, it opened up future options for me once I felt more confident in my abilities. “However, I must decline your invitation to participate in these operations,” I added, handing the book back to her.

  Her head snapped up, eyes narrowing as a spark of disbelief fred within them. “Decline?” The word came out sharply as she leaned forward, pcing her hand on the table. “You would refuse an honor bestowed by House Ironfist? This is no small matter, Sir. It demonstrates that my family views you as an equal.”

  I restrained myself from rolling my eyes. 'An equal that you can put to work for free,' I thought cynically. None of these missions offered any form of compensation, and I had countless other priorities rather than providing free bor, especially not alongside her. Nevertheless, I declined in a more diplomatic manner. “I have other commitments, and I will not have the time.”

  “Commitments?” She scoffed, a bitter edge creeping into her voice as she tilted her head slightly back. “What could possibly be more important than the opportunity to fight to protect your city?”

  My thoughts briefly wandered to the warning I had received from my future self and then fshed to Sakura's relieved smile. “I need to get a lot stronger,” I murmured, more to myself than to her. If the missions were merely about combating monsters, I could utilize the experience to help strengthen my sisters, but some of these operations would take weeks. From my personal experience with the military, I knew that most of the actual combat would be handled by the soldiers. At least working with Selen meant that our entire team would grow stronger together, along with other tangible benefits.

  “Then all the more reason to come with us.” She stared across at me for some time, as if struggling to find the right words. Finally, she articuted her thoughts. “You shall be with mother, and her training will be more valuable than any you could garner elsewhere in this city,” she said firmly.

  “I'll manage,” I responded evenly.

  She attempted to speak again, but frustration overtook her; her hands clenched into fists, nails digging into her palms. “You,” she spat, her voice rising, “you don't understand, with mother…”

  It didn't take a genius to sense that she was hinting at something significant, nor did it take one to know I couldn't just hide under a noble's wing. “My time would be better spent elsewhere.”

  “Elsewhere?” The word burst from her, trembling with a mix of anger and something else—disbelief, perhaps. “Idiocy! You—” She caught herself, biting her lip hard and turning her face away. Her chest heaved as she struggled to regain composure.

  “If you’re so determined to squander m… our favor, then fine. House Ironfist doesn’t need a man like you!” she excimed, rising so abruptly she nearly broke my leg. Then, wrenching the door open, she stormed into the corridor, the door smming shut behind her with a resounding bang that echoed through the small room.

  I let out a sigh once she was gone, allowing my legs to stretch out, though not fully due to my height. That was one down and six to go; at least I had dealt with the most annoying one first, given our bad blood.

  After a moment, Aria from House Vowkeeper entered. She sat with the poise that bespoke her noble lineage, her spine straight despite the chair’s comfortable contour. Her single angel wing, folded neatly, brushed lightly against my legs as she adjusted herself on the seat.

  “Sir Liev,” she began, her voice a melodic blend of authority and courtesy, “I am most grateful for your invitation,” she expressed, executing a slight bow that was impressively precise, stopping mere millimeters from the table.

  "The pleasure is mine," I replied with a smile.

  “I have been tasked today to speak with you regarding the matter of contract creation,” she said at st, her tone shifting to a practiced cadence. “My family has long held the responsibility for crafting contracts, both mundane and complex, that serve any need.”

  I nodded, resting my hands on the table. “So I heard.”

  She continued, her words measured. “In our st meeting, I fear the circumstances did not allow me to present myself as fully as I might have wished.”

  “I already said it was no problem,” I replied.

  “Nevertheless,” she pressed, “I believe there is an opportunity for us to establish a more fruitful association. To that end, I would like to extend an offer: for any future contracts you require, I am prepared to provide my services at a reduced rate. Moreover, I can ensure your requests take precedence over others.”

  I raised an eyebrow, leaning back slightly. I had no pns to utilize any contracts, but from what I understood, they were long and arduous to get right and could cost millions of cores even for simple ones. “That’s generous. Why?”

  Her pause was brief but telling. “Your winds are shifting,” she replied smoothly after some thought. “Your ventures are gaining prominence, Sir, and I believe a partnership could prove advantageous to us both.”

  I was puzzled by the phrase 'your winds are shifting'; it was difficult to transte. Even now, I wasn't sure I fully understood what she was implying, so I simply replied, “Yeah, sure.”

  Taking out a set of rainbow-like papers, she slowly and meticulously went over the details of what I should expect. It felt like taking a w css again after all these years, but I did learn something. She even tempted me with the comfort of knowing with a contract I couldn’t be taken advantage of. I had always been on the weaker side of negotiations until now, but in the future, that might not be the case. It was something to consider, though I would still prefer to avoid contracts if possible. Overall, it was a long and fruitful discussion.

  “Then, sir, I shall take my leave,” she said skillfully, rising gracefully from her chair without so much as brushing against it, unlike my previous guest, and then leaving the room.

  The next meeting began immediately afterward and proved to be less productive. It was clear from the start that she didn’t have much insight into her house’s dealings. We ended up discussing mundane topics, and she shared some details about her typical life, which was fairly ordinary except for the occasional duties that came with being on call for her family.

  The following three meetings mirrored this pattern, allowing me to pass the time. If I finished early, I would return to the party, but even then, I couldn’t just sit and eat the food that was still waiting for me without insulting my guests.

  Even as I dragged out the conversation with my second-to-st visitor, mainly to dey my meeting with an actual noble as long as possible, I was interrupted by a loud commotion from outside. The girl across from me looked towards the door, less confused than curious.

  “I'll go see what's going on,” I said as I stood up, eager to stretch my legs after hours of sitting. Exiting the room and walking towards the main hosting area, I immediately noticed everyone stopping to look in one direction. When I saw what had caused the disturbance, my heart froze.

  A naked Sakura was sprawled on the ground, her left arm missing, and a massive pool of blood beside her, with Izzy bent over, struggling to stand back up. Miki stood in front of the two girls, her eyes glowing and a creepy smile showcasing her fangs. Purple smoke swirled around her.

  Opposite her stood Vexara of House Mirrcall, maintaining a polite smile as she observed the enraged Miki. In front of Vexara was a woman cd in glowing bck skin-tight armor, sword drawn.

  ‘What the hell happened here, and where are Angelica and Seraphina? Where are the guards?’ I wondered, trying to make sense of the chaotic scene.

  Turning to me, Vexara bowed deeply, addressing me with a polite tone. "I apologize for the mess, but you really should keep your family in check," she said, her face breaking into a coy smile as she straightened from her bow.

  “Yes, you are right. I should have just ripped you limb from limb after your first comment,” Miki retorted, her voice a mix of sweetness and anger.

  “As is befitting of your kind,” Vexara responded, turning her attention back to Miki and smiling sincerely.

  It didn't take a genius to figure out who was the instigator, nor did I care. Before I even realized what I was doing, my wings fpped, propelling me forward. My arm stretched out, only for it to meet the same fate as Sakura’s, cut clean off. I was ready to follow up, my foot already pivoting, when a voice cut me off.

  “Liev!” Angelica yelled, and I felt my arm beginning to heal. That jolted me back to reality, quickly making me regret not healing Sakura first.

  “Miss Vexara, it is with great displeasure that I must ask you to leave,” Seraphina interjected, stepping forward.

  I froze at her words. They had come into our home, attacked, and hurt my family, and all she did was ask them to leave? I was about to yell when I turned and saw Seraphina’s cold expression for the first time. If looks could kill, hers would have been lethal.

  “I understand. I apologize for the commotion,” Vexara said, bowing deeply once again.

  “Dear, do you think you can just leave?” Miki echoed, voicing my thoughts.

  “Mother Miki, calm down,” Angelica strained out, her own wings fshing behind her, though her words seemed more directed at herself than at Miki. Miki, however, paid no heed to her words.

  'I agree she is not just leaving.' As I looked at Sakura covered in blood, memories fshed back to the Breaking. 'But Angelica is right, I also can't just attack, I need to calm down and figure out what led to this.' As if acting on my desires, Spectra the reaper's card entered my field, activating her ability. With this, I could see it.

  …

  The dinner was done, and the girls from the different houses were chatting among themselves, split off into two groups when Vexara got up, straightening her dress and putting on a friendly smile as she headed over to the bar where Miki was still drinking.

  “Hello, mother of our esteemed host,” she greeted Miki in a friendly manner. “I apologize for my te greeting.”

  Turning to the girl, Miki's easy-going smile was more strained than usual. “Hello, dear, care for a drink?”

  “I would never dream of disrespecting an Oni by refusing,” Vexara replied, accepting the drink offered but only holding it up. “Though I am surprised, you are the only Oni in the city. It must be tough on you not being able to maim and kill all those around. Really, at least some good came from our st queen; breaking alliance has saved us a lot of trouble.”

  “Are you trying to antagonize me, dear?” Miki asked, only half paying attention to the girl.

  “Most certainly not, I am just rather impressed. Here you sat drinking all this time, and not once have you tried to dismember us. Truly impressive really, I just worry for our host. What will happen to him once you grow bored? To have him eaten by his mother on a whim after we all did so much for him would be truly sad,” she replied, shedding a slight tear at the injustice.

  “So you are. Quite cute,” Miki said with an amused look as she took another drink.

  "I was just speaking the truth," she added, as if anticipating the need for crification. "But it is truly odd to have our resident love-blessed whose mother belongs to a race that cannot love. It must be hard on your daughters as well, to know they are truly unloved."

  "Hey!" A red-faced Sakura stormed up to the woman, followed by a stumbling Izzy, grabbing the noble by her dress. "Mama Miki loves us!" Sakura all but screamed. Her arrival was so sudden that even looking back from the future, I couldn't pinpoint the exact moment she appeared.

  "Oni cannot love; everyone knows that. You should make peace with the fact that you might have to put her down one day," the woman said in a calm voice, implying she understood the gravity of such a decision.

  Having heard enough, Sakura swung her fist, but a bde passed through her arm before it could make contact. Almost in perfect sequence, Izzy followed up right after, but the shadow's foot connected with her stomach, doubling her over and unching her to the ground.

  "I apologize; my shadow acted too rashly in my defense. I shall punish her when we return and will send adequate compensation for my failure to control her," the woman said to Miki, her smile taking on a coy edge.

  "You are right, Oni don't love," Miki said as she stood up and unched her hand at the shadow, her fingers spyed like a knife, forcing her back. "But she is mine!"

  "All I wished to do was talk, yet it seems you are just like the rest after all," Vexara said, disappointment seeping into her voice.

  That's when I entered.

  …

  My vision snapped back to the girl, whose smile faltered as I stared at her. “She is right, you are going to pay.”

  Seeming to realize what I was about to do, she clicked her tongue. “Looks like I won't get to have any fun.”

  “No, I will make sure you do,” I said, watching her brows lower in response.

  ‘Restart the date.’