Chapter 14
Only after bringing Lucy inside did I remember I hadn’t cleaned the place.
“Sorry, I wasn’t expecting a guest all of a sudden.”
“I-it’s okay.”
At least I’d cleaned up all the broken glass from when Shupi Vallier smashed the window the day before.
“Maybe we should’ve just done this at your place, Lucy.”
“Huh…!?”
“Just talking to myself. Lucy, sit over there.”
“O-okay.”
“…Why are you speaking formally?”
“Oh, right.”
Lucy sat down on the sofa.
She was visibly tense.
‘Was she always this kind of person…? Ah.’
Come to think of it, I’d brought a woman into my apartment.
Since she was my neighbor and a character from the story, I’d brought her in so naturally. Like moving a gacha game character into My Room.
Oh, no.
“Sorry, my mistake.”
“Hm?”
“We should’ve just done it outside.”
Lucy stared at me blankly.
“…You really do have bold tastes, boy.”
“?”
Anyway.
Maybe I should get started.
My remaining points were 1,600.
‘I’d like to get past 2,500 today. 3,000, if possible.’
I’d learned that learning magic also required Praise Points.
The goal I needed to reach before next week’s dungeon class was 5,000 points.
A number I could reach quickly if I put in the effort.
But not a number I could afford to slack off about.
“Is there any compliment you want to hear?”
“You’re asking me that to my face…?”
“Then should I just say whatever I want?”
“I-I guess.”
“Lucy, you have a really pretty face.”
“…Out of nowhere?”
【The target is extremely happy】
<Praise Points: +100(1600→1700)>
Just one little compliment got me 100 points.
‘Was she that starved for compliments?’
The points you receive are proportional to the happiness the target feels.
If even a simple compliment made her that happy, maybe her self-esteem had taken a hit and she was craving praise.
“You’re impressive for being such a hard worker, too. Not just anyone can become a research student at the academy, even if you did end up with the wrong advisor.”
“Boy….”
【The target is ecstatic】
<Praise Points: +200(1700→1900)>
“And you’re fun to talk to.”
“Really?”
“See? Even now, the conversation’s just bouncing along.”
【The target is delighted】
<Praise Points: +100(1900→2000)>
After that, I kept complimenting her for another thirty minutes, rotating through different things like Lucy’s face, intelligence, and hard work.
The result was 2,300 points.
But I was starting to hit a wall. I’d run out of ideas and couldn’t squeeze out any more compliments.
‘I guess I’ll have to get help from that feature after all.’
【Shop】
〈Category: Trait Support〉
- Next Compliment Suggestion (300 points)
【Would you like to acquire Next Compliment Suggestion by paying 300 points?】
【Yes/No】
When I selected Yes, a new window appeared before me.
〈Next Compliment Suggestion (LV.1)〉
‘Level 1?’
Looking at the shop, the slot from before had changed to this.
【Shop】
〈Category: Trait Support〉
- Next Compliment Suggestion (LV.2) (3000 points)
‘As expected, the better the performance, the more points it costs.’
As time passed, I’d have to spend more points to get better magic, skills, items, and trait support.
But as time passed, I’d also meet more people to compliment, so my earnings would go up too.
Anyway.
The effect of the trait support I got for 300 points was…
〈Next Compliment Suggestion (LV.1)〉
【Automatically identifies target→Lucy Merhantia】
Recommendation: Breasts
“….”
I was taken aback.
Compliment her breasts?
Sure, Lucy’s breasts were definitely worth complimenting.
But it was funny coming from someone who’d already done it twice—and wasn’t that sexual harassment?
‘Even if it is sexual harassment, is it okay if she wants it?’
I don’t know.
I had no choice but to try.
“…And your breasts are really pretty, too.”
“…!!”
Lucy’s eyes widened.
【The target is extremely happy】
<Praise Points: +200(2000→2200)>
The feature definitely worked—200 points in one go.
Then what was next?
〈Next Compliment Suggestion (LV.1)〉
【Target: Lucy Merhantia】
Recommendation: Breasts
“….”
Why was it still the same?
“…Honestly, I think your breasts are beautiful. They’re a nice shape and size, too.”
“R-really?”
【The target is ecstatic】
<Praise Points: +200(2200→2400)>
Then next.
〈Next Compliment Suggestion (LV.1)〉
【Target: Lucy Merhantia】
Recommendation: Breasts
“…To be honest, I’ve wanted to touch them ever since I first saw them.”
“H-huh…?”
【The target is trembling with joy】
<Praise Points: +200(2400→2600)>
Then what’s next—
〈Next Compliment Suggestion (LV.1)〉
【Target: Lucy Merhantia】
Recommendation: Breasts
‘No, fuck, enough already.’
I bought this feature because I’d run out of compliments, so how many times was it going to make me compliment her breasts?
Was this thing defective? Was it stuck on this category because it was defective?
Though the points were still coming in fine?
“Um, boy.”
Lucy whispered.
“…Do you really, really think my breasts are… pretty and attractive?”
A sudden question.
But.
“Yeah. I mean every word, from beginning to end.”
I’d never once given a compliment I didn’t mean.
That was my strategy in this world.
“…I see.”
Lucy whispered and swallowed.
Her throat had been parched for a while.
Her body was hot.
‘There’s no way around it. The boy must be thinking the same thing, right?’
Why else would he be showering her with compliments one after another like this?
‘He’s trying to seduce me.’
Really?
Right now?
He was going to conquer her heart the very night he’d freed her?
‘How silly.’
He didn’t need to do that.
It was like ramming a battering ram into a gate that was already wide open.
“Boy, is there a woman you have your eye on?”
“No.”
There.
Big Sis has brought you this far. Now it’s your turn, boy.
You know what to say, right?
Just one little thing.
Just one word, and Big Sis is yours.
Come on.
Hurry.
“…Lucy.”
Gilliam leaned toward her, searching for the right words.
“…Yes.”
Lucy turned her flushed face toward him without hiding it.
Come on.
You can say it anytime.
Take me anytime.
I—
Suddenly, something went BANG!! as it toppled over.
Then a woman screamed.
“Eek!?”
Gilliam and Lucy both flinched like people caught doing something naughty.
When they looked toward the sound…
“…?”
“…??”
A wardrobe used as a coat rack had fallen forward.
And a woman with chestnut hair was rubbing her forehead in front of it.
Her irises were dyed a murky purple from confusion, jealousy, and embarrassment.
It was Maron.
“Ow, ow…!!”
Judging by the situation, she seemed to have been hiding inside the wardrobe, then leaned forward and knocked it over along with herself.
Maron crawled out on all fours, apologizing repeatedly.
“I’m so sorry, really, I’m so sorry! I wasn’t trying to peek on purpose!!”
“…Why are you coming out of there?”
“I-I, well, that is!!”
Maron was flustered.
“I-I wondered where Liam’s house was! I looked it up and it said it was here, so I—I'm sorry, I know I shouldn’t do something like this, but I just went in without permission!!”
Quick confession and apology—classic awkward-loner behavior.
“Since this evening?”
“Yes! S-since before Liam came back… hehehe….”
“But it took quite a while between my talking to Lucy and coming inside.”
In that time, I’d gone and gotten a professor expelled.
“Ah, I was hiding in here that whole time… I-it was okay, since it was inside a wardrobe, and it smelled like Liam, too….”
“I left yesterday’s shirt hanging in there.”
“Y-yes… hehe, I thought so. It smelled a little sweaty, too….”
Maron smiled brightly.
“Ah… sorry. I smelled?”
“Huh? Why are you apologizing?”
“You said it smelled sweaty.”
“Yes. That’s what I said.”
“?”
“??”
It seemed like there was some kind of misunderstanding between us.
〈Next Compliment Suggestion (LV.1)〉
【Automatically identifies target→Maron Clearias】
Recommendation: Smile
I helped Maron to her feet and complimented her.
“Come to think of it, Maron, you have a really nice smile.”
“…My smile?”
“Yeah. It’s a smile that makes people feel really at ease.”
【The target is happy】
<Praise Points: +200(2800→3000)
>
Ooh yeah, I hit today’s goal.
“….”
“….”
But I could feel sharp stares from both sides.
“Wow….”
“Delinquent… seriously….”
“Womanizer….”
“How can he do that to women as easily as breathing….”
“The tongue that was just pointed at another woman….”
“Scary….”
This was awkward.
Why had this turned into a scene where I was getting cursed out?
‘Should I call it a day here?’
I’d already reached my goal of 3,000 points.
And.
Maron Clearias.
Bearer of the Phantomblaze Star (幻爛星).
Lucy Merhantia.
Bearer of the Mystic Ice Star (玄氷星).
This situation with two of them gathered here.
“There’s something I want to ask you both.”
“?” “??”
“Would you mind if I asked about your stars?”
The star, the theme running through every part of <Astra Radius>.
They say a number of people in this world are born with stars within them.
But I still don’t know exactly what that means.
In the romance fantasy, they skipped over all of that and focused solely on the heroine’s political scheming.
“Stars…?”
“Y-your star?”
“Yeah. If you can show it to me, I’d like to see.”
I thought it was a perfectly ordinary request.
But.
“…!”
“…!!”
Both Maron and Lucy’s faces turned bright red.
“Liam, you really are a complete womanizer, aren’t you…!?”
“H-how can you ask someone you just met to show you that!?”
“Pervert….”
“Delinquent!!”
“Lecher!”
“Sex fiend!!”