In the town of Summerville, the sun was rising, casting a golden glow over the streets and rooftops. The air was warm and crisp, carrying the faint scent of freshly cut grass and coffee from the diner down the block. Here, people lived in harmony, facing problems they could handle… except for one young man named Travis.
He lay sprawled across his bed, wrapped in the comfort of his sheets as he dreamt the most vivid, realistic dream of his life. His eyelids twitched, his breathing quickened—until he jolted awake, sitting upright with sweat on his brow.
"Its just a dream. Yet it was so realistic." He muttered, his voice low as his eyes scanned the familiar corners of his room.
'This room was in a game, and I was the main character of that game. I fucked almost every girl in this town and lived a happy life, well… not really, since the game didn't finish updating. Yet somehow, I doubt what happened in my dream was just a dream.' Travis thought, a strange chill running down his spine.
Travis was your run-of-the-mill teenager. No big ambitions, no passion—except one: finding out the truth about his father's death. His life had no real direction… until now.
Looking down at his own body, he sighed. It was skinny, untrained—nothing like the heroic builds from games. In the game world, cheats could give him instant muscles. But here? That wasn't an option.
"I guess I'll have to start working out," he said with a faint smile, the kind that hinted at determination.
He swung his legs over the bed, stretched until his joints popped, and grabbed his wallet from the nightstand. Inside—fifty dollars.
'If I had cheats I'd be the wealthiest right now. Guess I'll have to solve that problem by getting a job… or maybe trying Forex.' He thought, though the idea already felt exhausting.
But before he could change clothes, a voice echoed in his head. Clear. Mechanical.
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[SYSTEM INITIALIZING…]
Welcome, Player. You have inherited the Life Progression System. This system will help you become stronger and prevent certain events that will occur in the future.
Main Objective: Survive the Summer.
Penalty for Failure: Debt Seizure – Home & Relationships Lost.
You must conquer Summerville and become the harem king of this world. Good luck!
'What the fuck? A system? I mean… I would've been fine without one. But sure, why not. So how does this thing work?' He thought, blinking at the floating text before it faded.
He opened his closet—more clothes than he remembered having. In the game, the MC wore the same boring outfit every day. That annoyed him now. Picking a casual t-shirt and jeans for the day, he glanced at his computer. Still broken.
'I need to buy some computer parts at the store when I get enough money. How do I do that though? I mean… I could do Forex, but honestly it's kinda a drag.'
The System chimed again.
[You will also receive side missions that will give you many rewards—from skills, money, property, and more.]
Mission #1: See everyone's affection bar
'Affection bar? Kinda like that one porhwa I read back then. Well, I was planning on leaving my room and meeting my family.'
He stepped out into the hallway, glancing at the door to his stepsister's room just as it swung open. Jenny walked out wearing nothing but pink panties and a loose blue shirt, her hair slightly messy from sleep.
"What are you looking at?" she snapped, frowning at him.
Normally, Travis would've mumbled something weak, avoiding conflict like always. But now… after seeing what his dream-self became? He didn't have the time—or patience—for pointless arguments.
"Nothing," he said flatly, his eyes drifting just above her head. A faint number appeared in black.
『 5% 』
'I mean, I know she's an evil bitch, but damn… why does she hate me so much?'
Jenny narrowed her eyes. "What, you seeing my halo?"
"You? With a halo?" Travis chuckled and walked past her, heading toward the bathroom.
Jenny blinked, her frown deepening. 'Since when did he learn to stand up to me?'
The bathroom was empty, so he stepped in, stripped, and turned on the shower. Hot water cascaded over his body, sending a shiver down his spine. He glanced down at himself with a smirk.
'Well, I am gifted, that's all I have to say. So the system lets me see people's affection for me. But how do I know if it's good or bad? Numbers don't really explain anything.'
As if on cue, another message popped up.
[Affection Guide Unlocked]
0–10%: Hate
11–25%: Dislike
26–40%: Neutral
41–60%: Friendly
61–80%: Affectionate
81–100%: Love
He stared at the glowing text, water dripping from his hair, the warm droplets tracing paths down his neck and shoulders.
'Yep, very much like that pornhwa. I guess by raising those I'll make them my girlfriend or something.' He thought, a slow grin creeping across his face.
Finishing his shower, he grabbed a fluffy towel from the rack and wrapped it securely around his waist. Living in a women-only house meant privacy and decency were serious matters here. Not that he didn't know—he was practically born in this house, or at least it felt that way. He honestly never knew his real mother; the closest thing to that description was his stepmother, Debbie.
He stepped out of the bathroom, the warm steam still clinging to his skin as he made his way back to his room. Today was Saturday, so he wasn't planning on going anywhere fancy. Sliding into comfortable clothes—a loose t-shirt and soft sweatpants—he settled in.
' I guess I should go meet Debbie. And see her affection.' He thought, curiosity tingling in his chest.
Just then, from the far end of the hall, a sweet voice called out:
"Travis, breakfast is ready!"
He smiled at the sound and stood up, stretching his arms above his head before heading out of his room.
Making his way downstairs, Travis was greeted by the spaciousness of the house. To his right was the path leading to the living room and Debbie's bedroom. He veered left toward the kitchen, which was surprisingly roomy, much larger than the cramped space the game had made it out to be.
Debbie was already there, the morning light casting a warm glow on her soft features. She noticed him and smiled, stepping forward to wrap him in a gentle hug that pulled his head to rest against her chest.
"Travis, how did you sleep?" she asked softly, her voice soothing.
"Great. What about you?" He replied, holding her close for a moment longer than usual. Debbie didn't mind the sudden change of heart—normally, he would shy away from such affection.
"I slept well. Go to the dining room. I'll bring your breakfast, okay? Also, you're looking extremely lively today. I wonder what made you like this," she said with a teasing, motherly tone.
Travis looked at her, his eyes flickering upward to the floating numbers above her head.
『100 – Motherly』
'Makes sense, honestly. But what about her affection for me as a man?'
『1』
'Damn! I got a lot of work to do.' He thought, suppressing a chuckle.
"Oh really? I'm not sure either. Maybe I'm just happy to have such a beautiful woman taking care of me," he said with a slight smirk.
Debbie giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. "You have a sweet tongue. Careful not to break any girl's heart," she teased.
He nodded, then gently released her waist.
'Well, I love a challenge. I can't wait to see how far I can go.' He thought, the fire of ambition lighting up his eyes.
TO BE CONTINUED