Chapter 80: Yuki Kiyoring

The sunlight was almost blinding, and everything that had happened before felt like a dream, leaving Haruhi dazed and momentarily frozen where he stood, at a loss for what to do. The burly man in the suit revealed a barely perceptible sneer, assuming that Haruhi Harano had been scared senseless by him. Wasn’t he just a high schooler after all?

He didn’t know why the young lady had sent him to fetch this boy, but deep down, he couldn’t help but look down on him. True, this one was a bit sturdier than the other scrawny boys his age, but so what? Just a pretty face—how could he possibly deserve a private meeting with the second young mistress?

Haruhi blinked, a glimmer of sharpness flickering in his eyes as he slowly said, “Who wants to see me? Lead the way.”

The man in the black suit began to walk without a word, his face expressionless, betraying nothing of his thoughts. Such was the basic professional conduct expected of a bodyguard for the Seiryo family.

Haruhi followed close behind, inwardly tense and alert. He summoned his virtual panel, ready at any moment to take a pill:

[Vajra Power Pill: After consumption, the player’s stamina doubles for one hour.]

His current stamina was at 70 points; doubled, it would reach a terrifying 140. Stamina was a broad concept, encompassing speed, strength, agility, reflexes, and endurance—a comprehensive enhancement across the board.

A score of 100 was the human limit, but it was by no means his limit. Every point above one hundred was a terrifying leap. After taking the pill, Haruhi would basically become a walking superhuman.

The pill was ready; he also kept the Allure Eye on standby:

[Eye of Charisma: System quest reward. Passive: Charm +10. Active skill: Alluring Gaze—when activated, player’s charm +20; anyone who meets the player’s eyes will be briefly enthralled (duration: 10 seconds; each person can only be stunned once per day; no cooldown, no resource cost. Use with caution.)]

Ten seconds—at a critical moment, it could work wonders!

But Haruhi still wondered who exactly wanted to see him, and why the secrecy.

Standing before a black stretch Toyota, he saw the door open to reveal a single woman inside—mature, dressed in a high-end professional outfit, her expression cold and strict, giving off an air of discipline and seriousness.

Haruhi slipped in naturally. The car’s interior was luxuriously appointed, the high-grade leather seats so comfortable they almost lulled him to sleep.

The door shut. The man in the suit did not join them; as much as he hated to admit it, he simply didn’t have the right to take a seat inside.

The car was quiet, the only sound the gentle rustle of documents as the stern woman leafed through her folder—an utter workaholic, for whom any moment’s idleness meant risking being replaced by the many waiting in the wings.

From the situation, Haruhi could tell the real person who wanted to see him was behind the scenes. “All this secrecy,” he muttered under his breath.

[Profile: Jingu Maezono]
[Age: 29]
[Charm: 89]
[Stamina: 61]
[Favorability: 1 (Perhaps, with effort, you could reverse this and push it to one hundred; but getting to minus one hundred is its own feat. Players may attempt as they wish.)]

Seeing that favorability of just 1, Haruhi almost spat blood—what did that even mean? Even a passing stranger should have ten points at least!

He read on:

[Profile: An outstanding graduate from Waseda, originally employed by Seiryo Heavy Industries to manage company affairs; a professional manager for the Seiryo family, harboring the hope that she can save enough for a comfortable retirement and a trip around the world. (Favorability currently low; interacting too much is not recommended.)]

Seiryo family? Reading this, Haruhi fell into thought. So it really was because of the young mistress.

Wait a minute—was he about to meet his future father-in-law? No way, not so suddenly and unprepared. Should he get out, dye his hair, and buy a motorcycle? Though who knows if driving without a license might land him in trouble.

He glanced at Jingu Maezono, sitting across from him: a woman of undeniable allure, her maturity and intellect, coupled with her serious expression and status, kindling a desire to conquer.

“Jingu Maezono?” Haruhi ventured softly.

“Hm?” The professional woman in her office attire was clearly surprised that a mere high school boy knew her name, her calm face tinged with curiosity.

But the moment she looked up at him, her mind went blank, and she was instantly captivated by the boy’s charm, falling into a trance-like fervor.

[Skill: Allure Eye (Activated)]
[Target: Jingu Maezono]
[Duration: ten, nine, eight…]

It was his first time entering such a state, and Haruhi was intensely curious. Watching the feverish look in Jingu’s eyes and the seconds ticking down, he quickly suppressed his excitement and asked the question weighing on his mind:

“Who sent you to find me?”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Jingu parted her lips and replied, “It was Yukino Seiryo, the Seiryo family’s second daughter.”

Three, two, one.

As soon as the words left her mouth, the countdown ended. Jingu’s gaze instantly cleared, her icy beauty and formidable presence returning in a flash. She frowned slightly—she’d just experienced a strange sensation, as if she’d had a very brief dream, though she had no memory of it. The oddness of it all made her momentarily forget her curiosity about how Haruhi knew her name.

Haruhi had gotten the information he wanted. He leaned back against the sumptuous leather seat and closed his eyes in thought.

Yukino Seiryo? The famed model student herself. But Haruhi had the feeling things wouldn’t be so simple.

She hadn’t reached out yesterday, or the day before; half a month had gone by, and only after their relationship was made public did she send for him. Clearly, his actions had disrupted the plans of these people.

He’d have to take things one step at a time. The sheer power of the Allure Eye had already amazed him—he could only hope that the second young mistress would be sensible, or else who knew what he might do?

Ten seconds might be short, but it was enough to accomplish a lot!

Of course, if he could find something to strengthen this ability, that would be even better.

Why was it so difficult to live a simple, peaceful life?

Haruhi leaned against the car door, watching the endless stream of cars and people and the fleeting architecture outside the window. It was as if there were two separate lives divided by a single door.

Yet for some reason, a sense of anticipation welled up inside him. If the upcoming negotiation didn’t go well, well, there’d be no helping it. The second young mistress of the Seiryo family? Ten seconds is enough to do quite a lot!

Enough for some people to go three rounds, and then some!