Ray slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was a sky too bright to be real. The second was the face of a beautiful woman leaning over him. The third was another woman. And then another. And another.
"Hey! He's finally awake!" exclaimed a red-haired girl wearing light armor that was… quite revealing.
"Good thing. I was about to give him mouth-to-mouth," said a blonde with blue eyes, sounding almost disappointed.
"Where… am I?" Ray asked, still dizzy.
"You're in Arielia, traveler," said a woman in a violet robe. "We found you unconscious in the forest. I am Lyria, a second-class mage."
Ray blinked a few times.He looked around… and didn't see a single man.
"And the… guys?" he asked.
The women exchanged a strange look.
"Guys?" repeated the redhead. "You mean men? There aren't many. Less than ten percent of the whole population. Why do you ask?"
Ray froze.So THAT explained why they were all staring at him like he was a legendary treasure.
Lyria gave a gentle, calm smile.
"You… are a man, correct?"
"Isn't it obvious?!" Ray blurted out.
"Of course it isn't obvious!" the blonde replied, stepping closer—far too close. "Most of us have never even seen a man in person. Only in old books."
The other girls nodded enthusiastically.
Ray felt a chill run down his spine.This was not heaven.
This was his personal hell.
Suddenly, a glowing window appeared in front of him:
WELCOME TO THE BALANCED REINCARNATION SYSTEM™! SKILL GRANTED: COMEDIC ATTRACTION AURA (Level 1) Effect: Women near you are more likely to develop strong interest. Bonus activation when user behaves like an idiot. System Objective: Have fun surviving!
"What the hell is THIS?!" Ray shouted, stumbling backward.
The girls looked confused.
"Got a weird ability, huh?" the blonde asked. "Men often receive special blessings. That's why families keep them so protected."
Ray took a deep breath.
This was getting out of control.
The redhead stepped forward with a smile that spelled trouble.
"Well… since we found you, why don't you come with us to the Kingdom of Verania? They're looking for men to help increase the population. You'd get food, a house, and… good company."
The blonde immediately stepped in front of her.
"Don't listen to her! My clan needs an heir—I mean… an honored guest!"
Before Ray could respond, Lyria grabbed his arm gently but firmly.
"You two be quiet. He needs rest. And magical evaluation. I will take him to my personal tower."
"Your personal tower?!" the others shouted in unison.
Ray began sweating cold.
There was only one clear thought in his mind:
"If I don't escape… they're going to tear me apart."
"H-hey, girls, calm down," he said, raising his hands. "There's enough Ray for every— I mean!! No! I'm not an object!"
Too late.
His [Comedic Attraction Aura] shimmered softly.
The girls stepped closer… all at once.
Ray's heart pounded.
"I'm going to die from success… literally."
End of Chapter 1