Luo Cheng thought he had misheard. What did Super Creek just say? Mom?
She didn't answer, just gently stroked his head, humming like a caring mother. Super Creek had said something unbelievable, but she didn't seem to be aware of it. Or perhaps it wasn't from her own thoughts, but just a system trigger.
Could this be Super Creek's hidden dialogue?
Luo Cheng wasn't sure, as he'd never triggered any hidden dialogue before. To test it, he decided to play along.
"Mom."
Super Creek's hands suddenly stopped. Her sky-blue eyes looked at Luo Cheng, and as if a switch had been flipped, hearts appeared in them.
"Yes, it's Mommy, sweetie~"
Super Creek's hands trembled as she cradled Luo Cheng like a baby. A blush spread across her face, and she said excitedly, "Mommy's right here, Trainer."
It really was hidden dialogue! It must have something to do with Super Creek's character. She was the type who loved to take care of clingy children, and Luo Cheng remembered that her preference was to care for pampered kids. A strong maternal aura radiated from her, and at the same time, her affection level skyrocketed by 15 points, jumping straight to [82].
That was so fast!
To put it in perspective, Luo Cheng only got about six or seven points from a regular interaction. Just saying "Mom" gave him twice that amount.
Does this mean all the horse girls have hidden dialogue?
But what were the conditions to trigger it? I didn't do anything special just now.
No, wait.
Luo Cheng suddenly realized that he had just healed Super Creek's injury, a task so normal that he had completely overlooked it. Maybe certain special scenarios could trigger character dialogue, which in turn would increase affection. But for Luo Cheng, this wasn't of much use. Even without these triggers, he could still raise Super Creek's affection this high. He supposed it was better than nothing.
Still, it was so embarrassing to be babied like this. He was in his twenties, for crying out loud. Luo Cheng tried to get out of her arms, but she held him tighter.
"Good boys don't squirm."
If I could, I'd hope for a more mature relationship.
"Oh my~ Is my little baby hungry? Do you want some milk?"
Hearing this, Luo Cheng froze.
"You can have some~"
As Super Creek began to unbutton her blouse, Luo Cheng suddenly realized this wasn't just a hidden dialogue trigger; it was a hidden CG trigger. Just like with Sky hiding in the bushes, the scene and positions could be different. However, Super Creek's was clearly more direct, going from passive to active and taking the initiative herself.
Okay, I've decided. Today, I'll be a baby.
"Trainer, you're so adorable~" Super Creek said with a happy sigh in the room.
Super Creek felt bigger than she did when he first met her. Even giving a fifth of her size to Silent Suzuka or Mejiro McQueen would make a qualitative difference. Bigger is better, and better is bigger.
Including the affection he gained in the room, Super Creek's affection level was now at [89], just shy of the maximum. Who would have thought he could increase her affection by more than 20 points in a single day? This was something Luo Cheng would have never dared to imagine before. At this rate, it might not be impossible to get all the horse girls at Tracen Academy to max affection. He would have over 2,000 in his harem, a number that would be unprecedented in the history of harems.
He should try to do more with them in the future. Maybe he could trigger more hidden CGs. Luo Cheng realized that ever since he signed with Manhattan Cafe and the others, his attention had been focused solely on them. He even habitually called them to his room at night, even though they were already at max affection. Continuing to increase it wouldn't do anything.
Instead of wasting time, he should be raising the affection of the horse girls with lower levels. For example, Symboli Rudolf, Air Groove, and Narita Brian. Their affection levels were still only around 80, so they were close to being maxed. Tonight, he would bring Air Groove to his room.
But before that, Luo Cheng suddenly turned his head.
"Hey, you're here, aren't you? That ghost!"
Ever since he talked to Manhattan Cafe, Luo Cheng had been startling the ghost every day, hoping to scare her into showing herself. But nothing ever happened. She could possess him and follow him to different story paths, and even manipulate his system UI, yet she refused to appear. Luo Cheng suspected she just wanted to watch him act like a lunatic in the game world.
She was a malicious one, not only refusing to leave his body but also tormenting his mind. She was just like the Three Goddesses; she wanted to play with him inside and out. If he ever caught her, he would make her explain everything, whether it was intentional or if she had a special reason for not being able to appear before him. After all, Luo Cheng had no way of knowing if a ghost's appearance was voluntary or not.
Clatter...
The vending machine next to him rattled, and a can of soda popped out. Luo Cheng raised an eyebrow, looking at the soda at his feet.
"Is this your answer?"
A breeze brushed past his ear.
"I'll take it as a yes. The next time we meet, you'd better explain everything to me. I've already figured out your true identity, so there's no point in pretending to be Manhattan Cafe."
With that, Luo Cheng picked up the soda and took a sip.
Hmm? Cherry flavor. Was there a cherry-flavored soda before? Luo Cheng scratched his head. He couldn't remember. He had drunk a lot of weird-tasting drinks and never had them again, like the meat floss-flavored soda. He'd made a face of pure agony after just one sip.
"Trainer, training is complete." Tokai Teio ran over to him.
"Go back and rest. Remember to wake up early tomorrow. We have a race."
"Okay." Tokai Teio looked at the drink in Luo Cheng's hand.
"Want a sip?"
Tokai Teio didn't say anything, but Luo Cheng offered it to her. She gulped it down, then bit the bottle cap and licked it with her tongue.
Luo Cheng realized that when he interacted with Super Creek, she didn't have many of these gestures. But with Teio, Manhattan Cafe, and the others, these little gestures were much more common.
Does affection continue to increase even after a horse girl reaches max affection?
Luo Cheng stroked Tokai Teio's head. "I'm leaving now, Teio. See you tomorrow."
Tonight, Luo Cheng was planning to play with Air Groove, so he wouldn't bring Teio along, as he didn't want to ruin her mood.
Watching Luo Cheng leave, Tokai Teio turned around. On her affection bar, a bright red heart pulsed.