Damien's eyes turned cold in an instant, his faint blush disappearing as if it had never existed.
"Move away," he said sharply, his tone icy enough to cut the air.
Ethan froze, blinking at the sudden shift. "Huh?"
"I said... move. Away." Damien's gaze was unreadable, but the pressure in his voice made it clear he wasn't repeating himself a third time.
Is he… shy? Ethan thought, puzzled by Damien's sudden change of mood. But we're both men here. There's nothing to be shy about… and it's not like I was doing anything indecent.
With a helpless shrug, Ethan raised his hands in surrender and went back to the couch. He flopped down lazily, curling up as if nothing had happened.
Damien's eyes flicked toward him. For a brief moment, something unreadable flashed in them. He cleared his throat lightly, his expression returning to its usual cold calm, before lowering his gaze and resuming his work with the documents on his desk.
Meanwhile, Ethan unmuted the little rabbit.
"Hey, Xixi?"
The little rabbit didn't appear. It was still sulking.
Ethan sighed. "I'm sorry, okay?"
At last, the little rabbit popped up, its tiny paws crossed and cheeks puffed up in a pout. "Apology not accepted."
"Huh? Then what do you want?" Ethan asked helplessly.
Immediately, Xixi's eyes lit up. "Carrot!"
"…A carrot?" Ethan stared blankly.
"Yes! The system store has them," Xixi replied casually.
Wait… there's a system store?
Suddenly, a glowing panel popped up before Ethan's eyes, filled with items and prices.
Ethan scrolled down—and instantly froze.
System Store – Level 1
[Seduction & Allure Section]
1. Siren's Kiss Perfume – One breath ignites desire, hearts racing for you. (500 SC)
2. Velvet Murmur Candy – Every word melts like honeyed temptation. (150 SC)
3. Moonlit Veil Essence – Skin glows like silk under moonlight, irresistible to touch. (100 SC)
4. Crimson Desire Gloss – A kiss that robs reason, leaving only craving. (350 SC)
5. Lover's Whisper Mist – Invisible haze that quickens pulses, softens hearts. (180 SC)
6. Vixen's Charm Drops – Eyes become sultry, sharp, and fatally alluring. (300 SC)
7. Obsidian Lust Oil – Hair flows with midnight allure, begging to be touched. (120 SC)
8. Xixi's Golden Carrot – Crunchy, juicy, and ridiculously overpriced. Boosts user's stamina by +1. (100 SC)
Ethan: "…"
What the fuck is all this trash?!
Ethan's eyes nearly popped out of his head. Seduction perfumes, glossy lips of doom, misty love traps… it was like the system had raided a red-light district catalog and dumped it in front of him.
And then—A CARROT. For 100 points.
"A carrot?! For that price?!" Ethan clutched his chest. "Who in their right mind would waste precious points on a vegetable?!"
He continued to scroll, his expression turning darker with every item he read. How the hell is this supposed to help me with missions? It's not like I'm planning to seduce anyone!
Finally, his eyes caught something at the bottom.
[Skills Section]
Ethan's eyes lit up. "Finally! Something useful!" He tapped it eagerly.
Ding!
Authorization Denied.
Skills Section can only be unlocked at Level 3.
"….!!!"
Ethan almost spat blood. "Are you kidding me?! Who designed this scam of a store?! Show yourself! I'll kill you, you bastard!!"
The glowing panel shifted slightly, showing his current balance at the top:
SC Points: 150
Ethan blinked. Only 150?!
Just as he was about to complain, a line of text appeared beneath the store list:
[Ways to Earn SC Points]
Gain points when your actions affect the Male Lead's emotions.
Gain points when you change or prevent a major plot event.
Gain points by completing hidden missions assigned by the system.
Ethan's mouth twitched. So basically… I'm stuck babysitting the male lead for points?
He gave up.
"Host?" Xixi called softly, its big watery eyes staring at him pitifully.
Ethan's eye twitched. If I buy that damn carrot, I'll only have fifty points left! But then again… it's not like there's anything else useful in that trashy store anyway.
With a long sigh, he tapped the purchase button.
A golden carrot instantly materialized and dropped onto Xixi's head. The little rabbit squealed in delight, hugging it tightly. "Thank you, host!"
"Yeah, sure…" Ethan replied listlessly, slumping back on the couch.
Seeing how its host was in low spirits, Xixi's ears drooped. After a moment, it sighed and said, "Host, in order to open the Skills Section, you need to level up. To level up, you must gather experience points."
Ethan's brows twitched. "Experience points? And how am I supposed to get those?"
"By completing daily missions… and hidden tasks," Xixi explained matter-of-factly, nibbling happily on its carrot.
Ethan rubbed his forehead. This is not what he was expecting when he entered this world.
Ding!
[Daily Mission – Level 1]
Mission Name: Elicit a Smile
Objective: Make Damien smile at least once today.
Reward: +20 EXP, +10 SC
Hint: Subtle teasing, clever remarks, or small thoughtful gestures may work.
Warning: Damien has a hot temper and is emotionally unstable. Push too hard… and you might end up with a black eye, a concussion, or in the hospital. Handle with extreme caution.
Ethan stared at the sudden mission in disbelief. Why was this mission so weird?!
And he had not seen Damien smile… not even once!
The dude is an iceberg with a face paralysis!
He glanced at Damien again, sitting there perfectly still, flipping through papers like nothing mattered. He can't even smile… how am I supposed to make this frozen statue crack a grin?
The system warning echoed ominously in his mind: Hot temper, emotionally unstable… one wrong move and you're in the hospital.
Boo hoo! Ethan flopped back onto the couch dramatically. This isn't a mission. It's a death sentence wrapped in BL drama!
Xixi hopped onto his lap, ears twitching. "Host… maybe… start very small?"
Ethan stared at the little rabbit. Start small? With this ice cube? Even the worst dad jokes won't make this guy laugh!
In Damien's eyes, Ethan was talking to the air again, flopping on the couch and muttering like a madman.
His lips twitched. Maybe this little idiot really is crazy, he thought, shaking his head.