The corridor stretched on for a while longer in its nauseating, infinite pinkness. However, Robert finally noticed a change ahead, a breaking point. The path was ending. The passage concluded in a sharp T-junction, splitting left and right. Most of the doors lining the walls were locked; bright red, digital 'X' marks flashing on them stood like seals forbidding entry.
When Robert reached the junction, he saw his options narrowing. In the right corridor rose an imposing, double-winged door bearing a stylized chalice symbol. On the left, conversely, waited a smaller, matte black, plain entrance with no markings.
His instincts—or perhaps a desire for survival—pulled him away from the ostentation on the right and toward the humble darkness, to the black door. He stopped in front of it and listened; not a sound came from within. When he rested his hand against the smooth surface, the panel glided open silently, as if awaiting his touch.
He found himself in a space completely disconnected from the Starting Room or the corridor he had left behind. This was a square, extremely sterile, and traditional room. Although the walls were still made of the familiar pink material, the tone had faded into a pastel matte. In one corner stood a simple table and two chairs—wood-like in appearance but revealing a flexible synthetic structure upon touch; in the other corner stood a long, empty bookshelf. The heart of the room, the center, was completely empty. Neutral white light radiating from the massive circular panel on the ceiling gave the place the air of an abandoned waiting lounge or an office whose owner had long since departed.
Robert began to pace the room as the door closed silently behind him. The table? Empty. The bookshelf shelves? Dust-free but desolate. The heavy sense of "disuse" hanging in the air slapped the artificiality of the place in his face.
Just as he intended to turn around and look for another exit, he heard a faint rustling coming from behind the bookshelf.
His muscles tensed, and he turned slowly toward the sound. A conspicuous piece of colored fabric behind the bottom shelf caught his eye. He approached with cautious steps.
And there, huddled in the shadow of the bookshelf, knees pulled to her chest, he encountered a small girl.
Robert stepped back in shock. The sight before him was unaccounted for. The venue seemed designed for a mental war of adults. What business did a child have in such a hell?
The moment the girl noticed Robert, she let out a piercing scream of fear and buried herself deeper into the narrow gap between the wall and the bookshelf, into the shadows.
She was indeed tiny; looking no more than eight or ten years old. However, her aura resembled a miniature goddess in exile rather than an innocent child. Her skin was a warm honey color. The hair cascading to her shoulders was the same tone as her skin, though golden strands danced within it like sunlight. Her outfit was a riot of color defying the pale room: a ruffled skirt made of layered, silky fabrics containing every shade of the rainbow, and a tight, sequined bustier leaving her midriff bare... On her bare ankles were small anklets of pure gold that jingled slightly with every tremor.
But the detail that truly froze Robert was her eyes. Large, almond-shaped eyes were of a shade he had never encountered in any living creature: a light, bright, almost fluorescent purple. And those supernatural gazes were currently locked onto Robert in pure terror.
Robert instinctively raised his hands, showing his surrender. "Don't be afraid," he said, softening his voice as much as possible. "I won't hurt you. I'm Robert."
The girl paused for a moment, blinking her purple eyes. Within seconds, the expression of terror on her face was wiped away like a theater curtain falling; replaced by a pure, mischievous curiosity. The fear was merely a game. Robert felt the situation in his marrow. The little girl was far more dangerous, far more than she appeared.
She glided slowly from her hiding place. When she stood up, Robert realized how petite she remained. Yet in her stance, a self-confidence too large for that small body, a noble rebellion prevailed.
"Hello, Robert," the girl said. Her voice was like the jingling of silver bells; thin, melodic, but equally sharp. "I am Aselia. What are you looking for here? This is my playroom."
Robert smiled involuntarily at the unexpected possessiveness. "Your playroom? I was just... looking for my way. These corridors are a bit like a labyrinth."
Suddenly, the familiar mechanical voice echoed in his mind:
[DING!]
> [+50 Player Experience Points Gained!] (Level 2: 300/400)
> [Relationship Level with Aselia Increased: 1 / 10]
> [NEW ACTION UNLOCKED: Storytelling]
>
"Storytelling unlocked!" Aselia chirped, clapping her hands with joy. The gold bells on her wrists jingled happily. "Wonderful! I can tell you my story!"
Robert struggled to keep up with the speed of the small, energetic entity and her integration with the system. "Your story? I would love to listen."
Aselia reached out and took his hand without hesitation. Her palm was surprisingly hot, almost like fire. Dragging Robert to the empty space in the middle of the room, she sat down cross-legged on the floor. Robert settled opposite her without objection. Aselia locked her mesmerizing purple eyes onto Robert's and began to narrate.
"I," she said, her voice suddenly turning serious, deepening as if whispering a legend thousands of years old. "Actually, I do not belong to this Tower. I come from the 'Stardust Gardens.' It was a place where colors sang, light danced, and everything existed of pure joy. I was the guardian of those gardens... A little goddess."
Listening to the fantastic introduction, Robert knew this was part of the system, a piece of "lore." But Aselia told it so sincerely, living it so fully, that Robert couldn't help but get swept up in the fairytale.
"But then," Aselia continued, a sorrowful timbre, a broken note added to her voice. Her purple eyes began to fill. "The Shadows came. They were entities that ate joy, devoured colors. They invaded my gardens. I tried to fight, but I was too small, too weak... At the last moment, the eldest Star Flower exiled my soul to this Tower to protect me. Now I am stuck here. I miss my gardens and my colors so much."
When she finished her story, she looked truly devastated. Her bottom lip trembled, and a single tear gliding from her bright purple eyes glistened on her cheek.
Robert was mesmerized by the performance displayed. The girl was an incredible actor despite her age. Or... who knows, perhaps within the artificial simulation, the pain was her only reality.
"That... that is a very heavy burden, Aselia," Robert said, with sincere affection in his voice. "I am sorry you lost your gardens. But perhaps this is a place where you can find new colors you haven't discovered yet?"
Aselia raised her head. The tears in her eyes evaporated and flew away, replaced again by the eerie, mischievous glint. "New colors? Like what?"
Robert smiled. "For example... like the color of friendship."
Aselia's face lit up like a sun. "Friendship! Yes! Will you be my friend, Robert?"
"Of course I will," said Robert.
And at that exact moment, within the pink nightmare, Robert offered a genuine, non-artificial smile without a mask for the first time. The small, colorful goddess before him was likely one of the most dangerous entities in the Tower. But at the same time, she might also be the most innocent. And Robert couldn't wait to turn the next page of the fairytale.
As the words of acceptance – "Of course I will," – spilled from Robert's lips and echoed in the artificial silence of the room, he was actually waging a great war in the back of his mind. One part of him was moved by the sorrowful story told by this colorful, miniature entity (or whatever she was) and was filled with a pure instinct to protect her. However, the other part screamed that this was a trap; that every smile, every contact was merely a tool the system used to manipulate him.
But Berilda's cold warning echoed in his mind: "...raise the relationship level to the point required by the mission." And Aselia was potentially one of those five targets. Burying his doubts deep down, he offered perhaps his first genuine, maskless smile in this pink hell: "I would be happy to be your friend, Aselia."
With this confirmation, Aselia's face lit up as if a sun had risen inside her. Her bright purple eyes narrowed with joy. "Really?" she chirped, her voice vibrating with pure happiness. "Wonderful! Then... then you must tell me a story! Friends tell each other stories, don't they?"
She shifted excitedly where she sat, her colorful, frilly skirt blooming around her like a flower. The gold bells on her ankles jingled. She stared at Robert with great anticipation.
Robert checked the interface in his mind. The 'Storytelling' action had indeed activated. There seemed to be no other option. "Alright," he said. "I will tell you a story."
He entered the 'Friends' menu from the interface. He selected Aselia's profile. With Robert's verbal confirmation, the system had already completed the registration automatically. The profile picture was captured from her mischievous, curious state just moments ago. The info card read: [Name: Aselia. Level: ??. Type: Stardust Guardian (Exile).] Robert got stuck on the word 'Exile.' Her story... perhaps it wasn't entirely fabricated.
When he selected the 'Storytelling' action, a long list resembling the shelves of a massive, virtual library spilled out before him. There were thousands of titles. However, most were a pale gray color and had small padlock icons hanging on them. Access was forbidden. Only the top few shelves were bright white and selectable. Robert scanned the list quickly: "The Dragon's Tear", "Song of the Crystal Forest", "Curse of the Forgotten King"... All were fantastic, fairytale titles.
His eye was caught by a simpler, yet mysterious title: "The Secret of the Empty Book."
The moment he made the selection, the entire story—with all its details, characters, and plot—rushed into Robert's mind. It was a feeling as if he had known the book by heart for years. Another manipulation of the system; it only let him choose the title, injecting the content directly into his brain.
"Are you ready?" Robert asked, focusing on Aselia.
Aselia nodded excitedly. She leaned forward from her cross-legged position, resting her chin in her tiny palms. Her bright purple eyes were wide open, ready to devour every word that would spill forth.
Robert began to narrate. His voice took on a lower, more mysterious tone than usual. The story was about a magical book in a faraway land that no one could read, appearing to have blank pages, but was said to hold all the secrets of the universe. It recounted the adventures of a young hero who set out to find the book.
As Robert spoke, experience points (+1 XP, +2 XP, +1 XP...) began to flow in the interface with a slow but steady rhythm. Aselia listened as if spellbound. She looked at Robert without blinking, holding her breath during the exciting parts of the story, and releasing a laughter resembling silver bells during the funny parts. Sometimes she couldn't resist and interjected: "But why did the pages look empty?", "How did the hero defeat the monster?", "So what was the secret of the book?" Robert gave satisfying answers to every question with the information the system injected into his mind. Aselia seemed to believe every word told; the expressions on her face changed with the ups and downs of the story, her tiny body tensing with excitement or shrinking with sadness.
When they reached the end of the story, the hero had solved the secret of the empty book (the secret was that the book only revealed itself to those with a pure heart) and brought peace to his land. Aselia let out a deep breath. "Wow," she whispered. "That was amazing!"
[DING!]
> [+250 Player Experience Points Gained!] (Level 2: 550/400 -> Level 3: 150/500)
> [Relationship Level with Aselia Increased: 2 / 10]
> [NEW ACTION UNLOCKED: Holding Hands]
>
"We leveled up!" said Robert, seeing the notification on the interface.
"Great!" said Aselia. "What do we do now? Do we hold hands?" She extended her hands excitedly.
Robert responded to her childish enthusiasm with a smile. He took the extended hands. Aselia's palms were small and hot. "Yes, I suppose that's what we do."
But Aselia's mind was still on the story. "So what happened next? Did the hero marry the queen? What did he do with the book?"
Robert realized it was time to tell another story. He entered the menu. This time, he selected the story titled "Conspiracy in the Magic School." It was an adventure set in a mysterious magic school, full of a lost talisman and betrayals.
When he started narrating, Aselia began to listen with the same attention. But this time, she scooted a bit closer to Robert. Sliding forward where she sat, she approached until her knees almost touched Robert's. Tilting her head slightly to the side, she studied every expression on Robert's face with those bright purple eyes. As Robert whispered the tense moments of the story, Aselia leaned in to bring her ear closer. When Robert smiled, she smiled too. It was as if she was reading not just the story, but the narrator himself.
Robert had reached the middle of the story, the part where the conspiracy was slowly being revealed. It turned out that the traitor was the hero's best friend. Aselia seemed shocked by this truth.
"But... but why?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "He was his friend!"
Instead of continuing the story, Robert paused for a moment. He looked deep into Aselia's bright purple eyes. "Sometimes," he said, his voice soft. "People... or entities... can betray even their loved ones out of jealousy or a desire for power."
Aselia seemed to weigh this answer. Then, she did something Robert didn't expect. She slowly rested her head on Robert's knee. Her honey-blonde hair spilled over Robert's gray jumpsuit. "That is very sad," she murmured. "There was no betrayal in my Stardust Gardens. There was only joy."
Instinctively, Robert raised his hand and stroked her silky, golden-blonde hair. Aselia did not object to this touch. On the contrary, purring like a cat, she pressed her head further into Robert's hand. Robert noticed the points in the interface (+2 XP, +3 XP, +2 XP...) flowing much faster. Physical contact was accelerating the relationship.
He continued the story, but his voice was now softer, more consoling. Aselia remained just like that, head on his knee, with Robert's hand stroking her hair, until the end of the story. Finally, the hero exposed the conspiracy, the traitor was punished, and peace returned to the school.
Aselia slowly lifted her head. Artificial tears glistened in her eyes again. But this time, Robert wasn't so sure if it was a game.
[DING! DİNG!]
> [+400 Player Experience Points Gained!] (Level 3: 550/500 -> Level 4: 50/600)
> [Relationship Level with Aselia Increased: 3 / 10]
> [NEW LOCK OPENED: Playful Pinching]
>
Robert frowned as he looked at the last notification. "Playful Pinching"? What did that mean? He read the action's definition: "Can be performed with entities reaching Relationship Level 3 and having a 'Childish' or 'Playful' personality type; includes affection and play-oriented actions such as cheek pinching, tickling, light squeezing. Experience point gain is high."
Robert felt a deep discomfort at the definition he read. This was... excessively weird. The person before him looked like a child, and the system was offering him the "pinching/squeezing" action like a reward. Where did the moral boundaries of this Tower begin, and where did they end?
Aselia had sensed the cloud of indecision settling on Robert's face. Lifting her head from the knee it rested upon and sitting cross-legged again, her voice vibrated with curiosity: "Did something new unlock?"
Robert, words knotted in his throat, answered with hesitation. "Yes. Its name is... 'Free Pinching'."
The moment the forbidden word fell from his lips, Aselia's face lit up not with fear or discomfort, but with a pure, unfiltered joy. "Pinching? Wonderful! My favorite!" she chirped. And before Robert could even take a defensive stance, the small body lunged forward, wrapping arms around his neck; nuzzling cheeks against Robert's like a cat. "Come on! Pinch me! Tickle me!"
Robert froze for a moment in the face of the sudden physical siege. "Free Pinching"... Even the definition sounded grotesque. However, Aselia's reaction, the pure enthusiasm displayed... The logic of the Tower did not conform to any known moral compass. And right in that second, he decided to silence the noise in his mind.
He would stop thinking, analyzing, trying to decipher the Council's intent. Whatever the "Palace of Pleasure" demanded him to be, he would don that guise. If the system commanded him to "pinch" the child-like appearing entity and the absurd action earned him the points to open the door to freedom, he would not object. Instead of trying to understand the rules, he would bend them to his favor. The ticket out of the pink hell perhaps passed through surrendering to madness.
An expression appeared on his face that no one had witnessed before; both determined and dangerously indifferent. He focused on Aselia. Bright purple eyes still shone with great anticipation.
"Do you want a game?" Robert asked; his voice no longer hesitant, but cloaked in a deep and eerie playfulness.
Aselia screamed with joy upon noticing the shift in tone. "Yes! Yes! A game!" she cried, lunging once more, trying to wrap her small legs around Robert's waist.
Robert stumbled backward with the sudden weight but kept his balance. The laughter spilling from his lips was not tense, but a declaration of accepting the situation; perhaps the first step into madness. He gripped Aselia tightly. "Very well, little goddess," he said. "Let the game begin."
First, his hands roamed over the colorful, frilly skirt wrapping the body he held. The fabric was softer than silk, like a solidified cloud. As his fingertips disappeared between the layers, every fold he touched left a sensation of cool silk in his palms. When he slid his hands more boldly under the skirt, his fingers met not with the coolness of the fabric, but with a scorching heat, a vibrant skin. Aselia giggled, wrapping her legs tighter.
Then Robert laid her down in his lap, her back resting against his chest, and the "pinching" began. However, what transpired bore no resemblance to the hesitant touches from before. It was a more intense, more chaotic game. His fingers roamed over Aselia's belly, tickling ruthlessly. Aselia thrashed with laughter, trying to escape, but Robert did not let go. While stabilizing the tiny body with one hand, he attacked the armpits and ribs with the other. Aselia's screams echoed off the pink walls; screams not of fear, but of pure, unadulterated amusement.
Robert took the game a step further. He slid his hands inside the edges of the colorful, sequined bustier. As his palms wandered the curves of the tiny body, there was a momentary pause within him, but remembering the system's command, he continued. He pressed gently with his fingertips, rubbing lightly. The hard and rough texture of the scales tickled his palms, contrasting with the soft skin beneath. Aselia's laughter cut off for a moment, leaving its place to a trembling breath. Her eyes closed, and when they opened again, a smoky expression rippled within the irises that hadn't been there before.
Robert moved to her neck. After tickling with his fingers, he lowered his head and bit gently, without using teeth. Instead of resisting, Aselia tilted her head to the side, exposing her neck, that delicate, honey-colored column, even more. Robert grew bolder with the reaction. He turned her around in his lap, bringing them face to face. Robert pressed her against himself. The tiny body seemed to melt between his hands. Robert was practically kneading her; squeezing her shoulders, arms, back... He felt the muscles tense and relax at every point he touched; squeezing, rubbing.
Aselia's outfit could not withstand the tempo. A few sequins from the bustier fell and scattered on the floor, the frills of the skirt tangled together. Honey-blonde hair stuck to her face with sweat, but she didn't care. Her eyes were half-closed, lips parted; emitting small, satisfied moans with every breath. She was in constant motion; writhing left and right as Robert squeezed, rubbing her legs against him, turning the energy in the room into something almost tangible, electric. Points flowed like mad in the interface.
Finally, Robert's breath caught. He carefully lowered Aselia from his lap and sat her on the table. The girl was still under the influence of the game's intoxication. With messy hair, flushed cheeks, and the smoky expression in her purple eyes, she resembled a mischievous fairy emerging from a storm, boasting of her naughtiness, rather than an innocent child.
"What happened?" Aselia asked, giggling breathlessly. Her chest rose and fell rapidly. "Did you get tired, big guy?"
Robert responded to the teasing attitude with a smile. "Just... catching my breath, little goddess. It is hard to keep up with your energy."
Aselia jumped off the table and ended up right next to Robert in an instant. Bringing her face close, she looked into the deepest part of his eyes. There was a hunger remaining from the game in her gaze. "Then," she said, her voice turning into a whisper. "Will you tell me... the story of the vampires?"
Robert was surprised. "Vampires? Where did that come from now?" Then he remembered; he had mentioned the "vampiric rituals" of the traitor character in the "Conspiracy in the Magic School" story. Aselia's mind had apparently gotten stuck on that single word.
"Very well," Robert said. "Let's see what is in our library." He opened the interface in his mind. The story list had updated, locks breaking as the relationship level increased. And there, shining in blood-red letters, stood a new title: "The Taste of Ancient Blood." The description read "Forbidden love, dark curses, and a fate sealed with blood." Exactly what Aselia wanted.
When he selected the story, knowledge of a new world, dark characters, and misty castles flowed into his mind. Aselia sat on the floor again, at Robert's feet; staring, waiting with a hunter's attention.
Robert began to narrate. His voice took on a darker, gothic tone this time. As the words spilled from his mouth, the room seemed to lose its pink color, leaving its place to gloomy gray stone walls. The story took place centuries ago in a realm ruled by shadows and eternal night. There was a vampire queen named Nydra, known as much for her cruelty as her beauty, her skin pale as moonlight. She had fallen for the strongest warrior in her kingdom, Vladis Drakovan. But Vladis had rejected the queen's dark charm because his heart belonged to a mortal girl.
Aselia whispered, "Why did he reject her?" Her voice shattered like glass in the silence of the room.
"Because," said Robert, "for Vladis, loyalty was more valuable than immortality."
Driven mad with rage by the rejection, Nydra cast a terrible curse on Vladis; condemning him to an eternal, unquenchable bloodlust. Vladis began to desire the blood of his loved ones as well, forced to flee his own kingdom.
As the story recounted Vladis's centuries-long flight and his struggle with the monster inside him, Aselia listened, holding her breath. The gothic atmosphere had dilated her bright purple eyes even further; as if every scene described was coming alive in her pupils.
Finally, Vladis understood that the only way to salvation was to confront Nydra, the one who cast the curse. He returned to the castle; but this time not as an enemy, but in the role of a lover who risked everything. He managed to melt Nydra's frozen heart with his own darkness and passion.
And at the climax of the story, Nydra revealed to Vladis the only way to break the curse: The blood of two vampires had to unite voluntarily at the moment of deepest passion. Their bodies and souls had to become a single entity through blood.
Robert lowered his voice to a whisper in the final part of the story. He described the union of Nydra and Vladis that night; teeth sinking into necks, the warm, metallic taste spreading on palates. He narrated how they shared their blood with each other, how pain and pleasure intertwined in an indistinguishable spiral, and finally, the moment the curse broke and Vladis regained control, in all its carnal detail.
When the story ended, Aselia's cheeks were flushed. Her chest rose and fell, her lips trembled slightly. Her eyes shone with both fear and a mesmerized curiosity, as if wondering about the taste of blood.
[DING! DING! DING!]
> [+800 Player Experience Points Gained!] (Level 4: 850/600 -> Level 5: 250/700)
> [Relationship Level with Aselia Increased: 4 / 10]
> [NEW LOCK OPENED: Wild Kiss]
>
Robert looked at the notification glowing in the interface in his mind: "Wild Kiss". Although his eyebrows raised slightly, he was no longer surprised. The Tower had its own understanding of morality, its own twisted rules. Here, the norms and social contracts of Earth held no sway. It seemed the "Palace of Pleasure" was living up to its title until the end.
Just then, Aselia's thin voice cut through the artificial silence of the room like a knife. Her purple eyes were still under the spell of the dark, bloody story she had just heard. "Robert?"
"Yes?"
"Can we... can we kiss like those vampires too?" she asked. Although her voice was full of innocent curiosity, the audacity beneath the words made the air heavy.
Aselia's question hung in the pink atmosphere. Robert was facing the first real test of the decision he had made moments ago. To stop thinking. To refuse to question. To beat the system with its own weapon.
If the miniature goddess, influenced by that gothic story, demanded a "vampire kiss" and if this action would serve Robert's leveling up and completing his mission... then why not? The morality of the Tower was not Robert's morality. The only rule for survival here was adaptation. Perhaps surrendering to this absurdity was a form of freedom on the edge of madness.
The determined but indifferent expression on his face gave way to a darker, uncanny smirk. He leaned towards Aselia, his voice as low as a whisper. "Are you sure, little goddess? The kiss of vampires... is dangerous. Once you taste it, you can never be the same again."
In the face of the challenge, Aselia's bright purple eyes widened even further. Instead of fear, they shone with a wild excitement. "I'm sure!" she said, her voice clear and decisive. "I can be dangerous too!"
Robert responded to this answer with a hoarse laugh. "Very well then. But no regrets later."
And in that moment, Robert felt as if a physical change had occurred in Aselia. Perhaps it was just a game played on his mind by the dim light of the room and his own anticipation. However, Aselia's full lips seemed to become even more pronounced for a moment, their color turning a darker shade of red. The nails at her fingertips seemed to lengthen, if only by a millimeter, sharpening slightly. The image was so instantaneous and indistinct that Robert decided it was merely a projection of his own imagination.
He took a step toward Aselia. The girl closed her eyes in anticipation, tilted her head slightly to the side, and offered her neck. Robert first caught her by the waist. The tiny body almost disappeared within his arms. But Robert did not act gently. This was not an ordinary contact, but a "Wild Kiss" session.
He lowered his head and planted his lips on Aselia's exposed left cheek. This was not a soft kiss. It was more like that tense moment when a predator wants to feel the pulse of its prey before sinking its teeth in. He pressed his lips down, lightly vacuuming the skin. Then he stuck out his tongue and licked from her cheek down to her chin, leaving a slow, wet trail. As if tasting her, weighing her flavor.
Aselia trembled with the unexpected, almost aggressive beginning. She opened her eyes and looked at Robert in shock. She turned her head the other way as if trying to escape, attempting to flee from the lips. However, Robert's grip on her waist was like an iron shackle.
As the girl tried to turn her head, Robert's lips slid from her cheek to her neck without missing their target. He kissed and sucked the delicate, vulnerable neck. While Aselia tried to resist on one hand, she involuntarily tried to bring her own lips closer to Robert's left cheek on the other. Finally, she succeeded. Small, soft lips touched Robert's stubble. She too, clumsily but equally eagerly, tried to kiss and lick Robert's cheek, attempting to join this wild game.
When Robert felt the girl's effort to reciprocate, a wild sense of satisfaction awoke within him. This AI, this "echo"... was learning. It was reacting. His courage was stoked. Ignoring the small, wet contact on his cheek, he buried himself deeper into Aselia's neck. He pressed his tongue into that sensitive hollow above her collarbone.
At that exact second, he felt a wave of genuine, non-artificial heat radiating from Aselia's skin. And beneath his lips, a light, sticky wetness appeared. This was not Robert's saliva. This was the... reaction given by Aselia's own skin. Robert lifted his head in shock. How was this possible?
Aselia's cheeks were crimson, she was breathless. The purple glow in her eyes was now more distinct, more vivid, almost electrically charged. She had let go of Robert's cheek and wrapped her hands around his neck, holding on for dear life.
During this kissing war, Robert's hands continued to roam over Aselia's back, waist, and the frills of the colorful skirt. With the "Wild Kiss" action active in the interface, experience points were increasing slowly but steadily.
When Robert pulled back for a moment, Aselia murmured in disappointment. "Why did you stop?"
Robert took the girl's face between his hands. He stroked the burning hot cheeks with his thumbs. "Because," he said, his voice hoarse and deep. "The real event starts now."
Aselia's eyes widened with anticipation. "Like vampires! Like vampires!" she whispered excitedly.
Robert looked at those full, slightly swollen lips slowly approaching him. He no longer hesitated. He reciprocated.
The moment their lips met, this was no longer a discovery or a war. It was a chaotic union. Robert showed his teeth slightly and bit her lower lip gently; like a vampire's first bite, without drawing blood but claiming ownership. Aselia responded to the action with a sharp intake of breath. When their tongues met, it turned into an invasion rather than a dance. Robert's tongue explored and tasted the inside of Aselia's mouth, her teeth, her palate; every corner. That slight sweetness was still there, but beneath it, there was a deeper, more metallic taste, almost resembling blood. He didn't know if it was an illusion of the system or an alchemy created by Aselia herself. But it felt real.
As the kiss deepened, Robert finally pulled back to breathe. Aselia moaned in disappointment. "Vampires don't do that," she said, panting.
Robert smirked. "Hmm, so bare arms..." he said, and lowering his head, he targeted those tiny arms still tightly wrapped around his neck. From shoulder to elbow, he kissed, licked, and lightly bit every inch. Aselia began to giggle and writhe in the face of this unexpected attention.
Robert moved from there back to her neck. This time it was slower, more provocative. He pressed his tongue just below her earlobe. Aselia shivered.
[DING!]
> [+1200 Player Experience Points Gained!]
> [Relationship Level with Aselia Increased: 5 / 10]
> [NEW LOCK OPENED: Special Game]
>
Robert saw the notification but didn't stop. The "Special Game" lock interested him, but the current "game" was far more attractive. He continued the vampiric session. He picked Aselia up and sat her on the table. He stood before her. He separated again, this time setting out to knead her body with his hands. Tiny shoulders, arms, back... Aselia responded to the touches with laughter and moans.
But her hands were still on Robert's neck, she wouldn't let go. Laughing at this stubborn embrace, Robert started kissing her neck and arms again, this time moving lower towards her underarms. This sensitive spot caused a shrill scream to erupt from Aselia. Taking advantage of that momentary break in contact, Robert managed to untangle the girl's hands from his neck.
And then he attacked the skirt again. This time with a harder, wilder playfulness. He kneaded the colorful frills with his hands, tugging at the fabric. He rubbed her legs. He turned Aselia to her side, laid her on the table, and kissed her roughly again. He slid his head down, targeting her exposed belly. He traced circles around her navel with his tongue, blowing lightly on her skin. Aselia writhed with laughter, trying to push Robert away. After continuing this ticklish torture for a long time, Robert sat her up in front of him again.
Aselia was in a state of disarray. Her hair was completely messy, plastered to her face. Her colorful outfit was wrinkled, some sequins had fallen off. Her cheeks were crimson, her lips swollen, and she was out of breath. But pure, unadulterated happiness could be read in her bright purple eyes. And she was still looking at Robert; not with the dull gaze of an AI, but with the look of an excited, mischievous accomplice waiting for the next move.
Just then, another massive notification appeared in Robert's interface.
[DING! DING! DING!]
> [CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE REACHED PLAYER LEVEL 2!]
> [NEW MENUS UNLOCKED: CONSTRUCTION, CRAFTING, INVENTORY (Expanded), MAP (Zone 1)]
>
Robert's attention snapped away from Aselia and locked onto the interface in his mind. Level 2! This was a massive step. He scanned the newly unlocked menus. 'Construction'... 'Crafting'... Beneath these tabs, hundreds, thousands of options were listed. Furniture, weapons, armor, technological gadgets, even food and drink recipes... Almost everything was available! However, most were a pale gray; either hanging with padlock icons or bearing strict conditions like "Required Resource: X Crystal", "Required Schematic: Y", "Required Level: Z". The handful of unlocked options were the most basic, entry-level items, and even crafting them required "Basic Material Packs" that Robert did not yet possess.
The Tower had not just given Robert a mission to forge relationships with women. It also demanded he build a life from scratch, craft his own equipment, and construct his own shelter. It was a far more complex, layered system than he had imagined.
While Robert was lost in the labyrinth of new information and possibilities, Aselia's voice pulled him back to reality. "Hey! Where did you drift off to? Our game isn't over yet!"
Robert focused on the girl. Her messy hair, wrinkled outfit, flushed cheeks... He didn't care about any of it. The bright purple eyes still shone with the same childlike and wild energy. The endurance of the AI... or the ancient entity before him... was incredible.
And in that moment, he determined his new strategy in the Tower: He had to play to survive. But to win, he had to bend the rules of the game in his favor. The first step was to learn all the secrets of this small, colorful goddess.
Holding the tiny body in his arms, the echoes of what had just happened—the uncontrolled kiss, the wild energy, the momentary but deep bond—continued to vibrate through his skin. Aselia's messy, honey-blonde hair fell over her face, and her cheeks were crimson from both the game and embarrassment (or perhaps just a perfect simulation created by the system). The purple eyes were now calmer but locked onto Robert with great anticipation.
Robert checked the interface again. He had reached Player Level 2. This was more than just a number; it was the key to new doors and new possibilities in this pink prison. He looked again at the newly opened 'Construction' and 'Crafting' menus. The options were dizzying: Designing his own room, furniture, defense turrets, even producing simple weapons... But all were filled with locked icons and lists of resources he didn't yet have. The Tower offered Robert not only emotional labyrinths but also imposed the struggle of building an existence from scratch.
Distracted, Aselia's thin voice caught him again. "You... you won't leave me, will you?" Her voice was far from the enthusiastic energy of a moment ago; inside it was the whisper of the same, deep-rooted fear of abandonment Robert had heard in Eleni's story. Did the AI, the "echo"... truly feel? Or was this too part of the game?
For the moment, Robert didn't care about the answer. He had made his decision: He would play the game and he would win. He gently lifted Aselia from his lap and stood her up again. The gold bells on the girl's ankles jingled with a light, mournful melody with the movement.
He looked into the depths of her eyes. "I added you to my friend list, Aselia," he said, his voice both determined and compassionate. "You are on my list. But..." He paused, remembering the emptiness of his inventory. "...right now I don't have a 'home' where I can keep you, where I can take you with me. When I build my own Room..."
"You'll leave then," whispered Aselia, not letting him finish his sentence. The light in her bright purple eyes faded slightly like a candle flame flickering in the wind. She bowed her head.
Robert felt bad in the face of this sudden despair. This was a game, yes. But the being before him was, at the very least, an incredibly realistic simulation. And he had made her a promise. Instinctively, he pulled the girl back to him. First, he lifted her slightly and pressed his lips firmly against the exposed tiny belly, right above the colorful bustier. Aselia started with the sudden movement, letting out a small "eep!" sound. Robert moved up from there; he kissed her neck, that sensitive, ticklish spot, without using his teeth but in a possessive manner. Finally, he took her face between his palms; covering her cheeks, forehead, and the tip of her nose with soft, comforting kisses. He stroked her hair. "No," he whispered, close enough that their foreheads touched. "I won't leave you. Really."
Aselia lifted her head. The pallor in her eyes was gone, replaced again by that vivid sparkle. She wrapped her arms around Robert's neck again. It wasn't a desperate cling this time; it was an expression of trust. "You won't leave," she repeated, as if whispering a mantra to herself.
They stood like that for a while. Robert realized he found a strange peace in the embrace of this small, warm body in the middle of the artificial world. Then Aselia pulled back. The mischievous expression was back on her face.
Robert set the girl down and opened the interface in his mind again. He remembered that strange lock that opened with the increase in relationship level: "Special Game". Curiously, he entered the menu.
A list spilled out before him again. "Hide and Seek (Level 5+)", "Dodgeball (Level 6+)", "Colorful Touch (Level 7+)", "Whisper Hunt (Level 8+)"... Most were strange names Robert had never heard of before and were locked. Only the top option was active: "Chase (Level 5)."
The definition was simple: "A classic catching game. One player runs, the other chases. A touch ends the round. Special rules can be added."
"Chase?" said Robert, thinking aloud. "This... looks normal."
"NORMAL?" Aselia's voice echoed with excitement. "This is the best! Let's play Chase!" She started jumping up and down where she stood.
Robert said, "Alright. How is it played?"
Aselia's eyes shone. "It's very simple! It will consist of three rounds. You will close your eyes, and I will hide. I'll give you thirty seconds. If you can touch me within this time, you win. If you can't, I win. But..." A sly smile appeared on her face. "...the best part is coming now. If you touch me, wherever you touch me, after the round ends, for a set time, you can... kiss that place however you want."
Robert was stunned by this final rule. It was literally a seduction mechanism designed by the system. But at the same time, it was an incredible opportunity to rapidly increase the relationship level. He had made his decision. He would play the game.
"Agreed," said Robert.
"Wonderful!" said Aselia. And before Robert understood what was happening, tiny hands reached for Robert's face and tied a soft, black, silky blindfold, appearing from nowhere, over his eyes.
His vision went dark instantly. He could only hear the echo of Aselia's giggles and receding footsteps (and the jingling of those tiny bells).
"Thirty seconds... starts now!" shouted Aselia's voice, sounding like it came from the other end of the room.
The game had begun.
Robert began to move forward slowly, arms outstretched. He was like a blind man. He tried to remember the dimensions of the room and the items inside (table, chairs, bookshelf). The giggling had stopped. The room had fallen into an eerie silence. Robert listened to his breath, trying to hear the slightest rustle, a bell sound.
Ten... nine... eight... Aselia's voice began counting.
Robert headed towards the corner where the bookshelf was. She could be hidden there. He reached the bookshelf by groping, checked between the shelves, underneath. It was empty.
Five... four... three...
He turned towards the table. Looked under it. She wasn't there.
...two... one... TIME'S UP!
Robert sighed and removed the blindfold. Aselia was standing in the furthest corner of the room, near where the wall met the ceiling, arms crossed, grinning victoriously. He had no idea how she had climbed up there.
"I thought you found me!" Aselia said, giggling. "1-0, I'm ahead! Next round!"
Robert put the blindfold back on. He heard the sound of Aselia moving away. He had to be more careful this time.
"Thirty seconds... now!"
Robert moved more systematically this time. Following the walls of the room, he advanced slowly. He checked every corner, every possible hiding spot. The silence continued. Just as he was about to lose hope...
Click.
A very slight, single sound. It had come from over the table.
He turned quickly in that direction. Advancing towards the table with arms open. His hands touched the smooth surface. Then higher... And his fingertips contacted a soft fabric, followed by warm, living skin! Her leg!
"CAUGHT YOU!" Robert shouted.
"No!" chirped Aselia's voice, coming from right in front of him.
Robert removed the blindfold. Aselia was sitting cross-legged on the table. Robert's hand was still touching her leg just above the knee and a part of the colorful skirt.
"Yes!" said Robert victoriously. "1-1!"
Aselia pouted. Then her face lit up again. "Alright... You know the rules. Now... you can kiss the place you touched however you want." There was both a challenge and an expectation in her eyes. "Your time has started!"
A thirty-second countdown timer appeared in the interface in front of Robert. He did not hesitate. He leaned in and planted his lips on the spot his hand had just touched, on both the soft, cloudy fabric of the skirt and the warm leg underneath.
It was more of an exploration than a kiss. He ran his tongue over the texture of the fabric, then over the smoothness of the skin. Trying to taste it. Aselia trembled slightly with the touch but did not pull back. Robert pressed his lips more boldly, sucking lightly. Aselia's breathing quickened. Motivated further by this reaction, Robert made his kiss wetter, deeper. He ran his tongue in circles over the skin. Thirty seconds felt like both an eternity and a moment.
BEEP! Time was up.
When Robert pulled back, a wet mark remained on Aselia's leg. The girl looked at the mark, then at Robert. Her face was flushed, but there was a pleased glint in her eyes. "Next round!" she said, the childlike joy returning to her voice.
Robert bound his eyes again. This time he heard Aselia hiding near one of the doors. He turned quickly in that direction. Just when he thought she was right in front of the door, he bumped into something. Something soft but solid. Her back!
"Found you!"
He took off the blindfold. Aselia was standing right in front of the door, her back to him. Robert's hands were touching her back just below her shoulders. "2-1, I'm ahead!" said Robert.
Aselia looked at him over her shoulder, grinning. "Claim your reward then." The timer started again.
Robert buried his face in Aselia's back, in the area covered by the colorful bustier. He kissed the fabric, tried to smell it. Then he moved lower, to the point where the bustier ended and the honey-colored skin began. He kissed and licked the slender curve of her waist. Aselia giggled with the touch, her back arching slightly. When the time was up, Robert pulled back.
The fourth round began. This time Robert couldn't find the girl. She had climbed to the very top of the bookshelf. "2-2!" Aselia shouted victoriously.
Final round. Everything depended on this. Robert bound his eyes.
"Thirty seconds... now!"
He opened all his senses. Listened to the silence. Looked for any clue. Time was flowing. Twenty seconds... Ten seconds... Five...
Just as time was about to run out, he heard a very faint giggle from over the table. She was there again!
Robert lunged towards the table with one last hope. His hands flailed in the air. And his fingers touched something soft. Right in the middle! A little above her belly!
"CAUGHT YOU!" he shouted, just as the time ran out.
He removed the blindfold. Aselia was standing on the table. Robert's hand was touching exactly the bottom edge of the colorful bustier and a part of her bare belly right underneath.
"You won!" said Aselia, with a bit of disappointment but smiling nonetheless. "3-2. Take your reward." The timer started.
Robert leaned in. This time his target was sharper. He buried his face in both the sequined, colorful fabric of the bustier and right over the warm, soft navel underneath. He stuck out his tongue and began to lick that area. The slightly rough texture of the fabric and the smoothness of the skin... Both were under his tongue at the same time. Aselia held her breath in the face of the attack on this sensitive spot, grabbing Robert's hair with her small hands. Robert continued until the very last second of the timer.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! The game was over.
Notifications appeared in the interface:
> [Game Completed: Chase! Winner: Robert!]
> [+500 Game Experience Points Gained!]
> [+1000 Relationship Experience Points Gained!] (Relationship Level: 5 -> Level 6)
>
The level up hadn't come yet, but the points were high. Robert was exhausted from both the game and the rewards.
He threw himself onto the nearest chair and took a deep breath that burned his lungs. The tempo of the game had numbed not just his body, but his mind as well.
Aselia jumped off the table and came to his side. She was still breathless; her hair was a mess, her outfit crumpled as if she had come out of a battlefield, but her bright purple eyes shone with pure, insatiable happiness. "That was amazing!" she said, her voice echoing in the room. "You won! But I want a rematch!"
Robert smiled. The Tower might be a hell, but hidden within were such small, unexpected, and wild moments of joy. However, the interface in his mind slapped the seriousness of the situation in his face.
[Current Relationship Level: 6 / 10]
He glanced at the mission panel. The required level was 7. It wasn't enough yet. He needed to cross that final threshold before leaving here. He entered the menu again. With the relationship level at 6, he saw that a new lock had broken in the "Special Game" list: "Dodgeball (Level 6+)."
He responded to Aselia's expectant gaze. Pushing his fatigue aside. "You want a rematch?" he asked, his voice provocative. "Very well. But this time the rules are harsher. We are playing Dodgeball. Three rounds."
Aselia's face lit up with a mix of surprise and excitement. "But we don't have a ball!"
Robert smirked. "Aren't you a Stardust Guardian? I assume you can create something that won't hurt us. The loser... submits to the punishment the winner desires."
The little girl's eyes narrowed; she had accepted the challenge. She clapped her hands together, and glowing energy balls with the consistency of pillows, formed of soft pink and purple light, appeared between her palms.
ROUND ONE
With the command "Start!", Aselia threw the first ball. The mass of energy whizzed past. Robert leaped from the chair and dodged to the side. The room had instantly turned into a battlefield. Despite her tiny size, Aselia was incredibly fast; jumping here and there, firing the light balls in her hands like a machine gun. Robert shifted from the "hunter" role to the "warrior" role. He caught an incoming ball in mid-air, spun around, and threw it back with equal speed. The cluster of soft light hit Aselia's leg and exploded, spreading a cloud of silvery dust.
"You're hit!" said Robert, breathless. "1-0."
Aselia stood still, pouting. "You cheated!"
Robert approached slowly. "The rules are clear, little goddess. You must pay the penalty." He cornered the girl against the edge of the table. Aselia didn't try to run; on the contrary, she waited with a mischievous glint in her eyes. Robert grasped the hit leg, just above the knee. He pressed his fingers into the soft flesh with determination, beginning to knead. Then he leaned down, showing his teeth slightly, and bit the inner thigh. It was a bite that didn't hurt but left a mark, possessive. As Aselia threw her head back and giggled, Robert squeezed her hips with his hands, sinking his nails in slightly.
[DING!]
> [+400 Relationship Experience Points Gained!]
>
ROUND TWO
"My turn!" shouted Aselia the moment Robert pulled back. This time there was pure ambition in her eyes. She formed two massive light balls in her hands. Robert took a defensive stance, but Aselia didn't wait this time. She faded where she stood, moved behind Robert like a beam of light, and slammed the balls into his back, right between his shoulder blades. The impact, though soft, made Robert stumble.
"Caught you!" Aselia screamed. Her voice was shrill and wild. "Now it's punishment time! And I... love causing pain!"
Before Robert could turn, Aselia jumped on his back. Tiny arms wrapped around his neck, legs locked around his waist. "Get ready!" she whispered in his ear. And then, she sank her sharpened teeth into Robert's shoulder, hard enough to pierce the fabric of the jumpsuit. Robert groaned in pain. This was not a playful bite; it was a real, sharp pain trying to pierce his flesh. Aselia didn't stop; she sucked the spot where she sank her teeth, while simultaneously pulling Robert's hair from the roots with her hands. The veins in Robert's neck strained, pain and pleasure mingling together.
[DING!]
> [+600 Relationship Experience Points Gained! (Pain bonus added)]
>
ROUND THREE (FINAL)
Robert lowered Aselia from his back with the ache in his shoulder. They locked eyes. Both were breathing in ragged gasps. There was a trace of savagery, if not Robert's blood, at the corner of Aselia's mouth. The score was 1-1.
"Final round," Robert said, his voice hoarse. "Winner takes all."
They began to circle in the middle of the room. Aselia created one last energy ball; its color had turned a dark purple. Robert relied only on his hands. Aselia threw the ball. Robert ducked with superhuman reflexes; the ball passed over his head. Taking advantage of that opening, he lunged forward. Aselia tried to escape, but Robert caught her by the waist, lifted her up, and trapped her between his body and the wall.
"Game over," said Robert.
Aselia raised her hands in surrender, panting. "Okay... You won."
Robert picked the girl up and laid her on the table. There was no mercy this time. He placed his hands on Aselia's chest, stomach, legs. He wasn't just caressing; he was pinching, squeezing, kneading as if to tear her flesh. Aselia's laughter mingled with screams. Robert buried himself in her neck; sucking, biting, running his tongue over her skin. He slipped his hands under her skirt, squeezing her thighs hard. Aselia thrashed but also wrapped her legs around Robert's waist, pulling him closer. When Robert sank his teeth into the girl's collarbone, Aselia's body went taut as a bowstring.
[DING! DING! DING!]
> [GAME COMPLETED: DODGEBALL (Winner: Robert)]
> [+1500 Relationship Experience Points Gained!]
> [CONGRATULATIONS! Relationship Level with Aselia Increased: 6 -> 7]
> [QUEST PROGRESS UPDATED]
>
Holding the tiny body in his arms, the echoes of what had just happened—the uncontrolled color storm, the wild contacts—continued to vibrate through Robert's skin. The little goddess's messy, honey-blonde hair fell over her face, her cheeks crimson from both the game and excitement. The bright purple eyes were now calmer but looked at Robert with equal satisfaction, almost adoringly.
He checked the interface in his mind. Player Level 2. The key to new doors and possibilities in the pink prison. He quickly scanned the newly unlocked 'Construction' and 'Crafting' menus. The options were dizzying: Designing his own room, furniture, defense turrets, even producing simple weapons... But all were filled with locked icons and lists of resources he didn't yet possess. Without a "home" of his own, he couldn't keep his promise to Aselia.
He checked the mission: [QUEST 1: FIRST STEPS - Progress: 2/5 (Eleni - Level 9, Aselia - Level 7)].
He breathed a sigh of relief. They had reached Level 7 with Aselia. He had passed the threshold required by the mission. Although Berilda was on the friend list, she was not included in the mission progress as she was a guide. Three people remained. And time was running out fast: 68 hours.
Noticing Robert drifting into thought, Aselia wrapped her arms tighter around his neck. "What happened? Why did you stop? Let's play again!"
Robert shook his head. "The game is over, little goddess," he said, his voice soft but firm. "I have to go."
Aselia's face fell instantly. The light in the purple eyes faded again. "Will you leave me?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "Everyone leaves."
Robert was caught unprepared for the sudden emotional shift. The AI... or the entity before him... was incredibly convincing. He gently lowered her from his lap, knelt down, and met her eye level. "No, Aselia," he said with sincerity. "I won't leave you. I promised. But first... I need to find a place of my own, build a 'Room'. A place where we can be safe. Then I will take you with me. Agreed?"
Aselia hesitated for a moment. Then she slowly nodded. Robert stroked the honey-blonde hair one last time, then stood up. "I will come back," he said.
He turned and walked toward one of the other doors in the room. The door was different from the one he entered; it had a darker pink, almost blood-colored tone, and held new unknowns waiting for Robert beyond it.