Oh shit oh shit, I'm an idiot, I didn't just say that outloud, did I? I look to my left and see that Lafia is still smiling, and looking at my- no, her home.
Phew~
I'm getting better at this. Looks like, this time I manage to keep it in my head for once.
"What are you waiting for? Come on in! Unless you're going to tell me you don't know how to get off a carraige, too," Her voice, bringing me back to the situation.
"No, I can get off a little cart perfectly fine," I retort, jumping off the cairrage. "Do you normally make fun of everybody you save?" I mutter after. Looking at the house closely, it's definitely a little different than mine.
The first thing I noticed was that the windows are distinctly made up of crystals instead of glass. Second, the materials used for the actual builiding seemed to be slightly different, most things looking like some sort of wood. The raw materials gave the house an earthy color palate. Even the "bricks" looks like some sort of wooden block, just stacked in sequence. So technically, I guess this wasn't MY house, but its still pretty creepy that it looks just like mine.
"I don't know," she shrugs. "It depends on how many times said person gives me attitude, especially when I just save his butt. So usually never, but I guess that makes you a special case, huh?"
She started to walk towards the house, but must have noticed my hesitation because she asked, "Hey, so are you coming? I don't want to assume too much, but I promise you it's just a house. Most people live in something like this, maybe an apartment if you're closer to the major cities, unless you're a druid or something."
Great, now she thinks I'm a bumkin.
"Yeah, I'm coming."
I headed inside, and I was instantly washed with relief. The structure of the house was still the same, but thats where the similarities ended. Someone else definitely lives here. Every piece of furniture was vibrant and alive, and completely different from the suburban family aesthetic my mom tried so hard to perfect. The unfamiliarity actually soothed my anxiety.
"Actually I was just surprised about how similar your home is to something I'd find back at mine."
"Really?" She responds. "That's genuinely fascinating actually. How similar are we talking here? You know what? Not a great time actually."
She looks at me with a little more care. Lafia continues, "I'm sure you're tired, despite you passing out before-"
Wow, she thinks she's super clever, doesn't she,
"-and need some time to settle in. Actually I need to get some work done. I stopped some bandits and picked you up on my way home." She lets out a heavy sigh. "And I thought I'd get to take a nap when I got back. But I have to write up two more incident reports or I won't have time before work tomorrow."
Lafia shakes her head and turns to me.
"There's a guest room upstairs, second room to the right. Honestly, let me know if you need anything, I'll be in my office, which would the room to your left." She starts heading up the stairs herself. "I'll let you know when dinner is ready."
"Yeah for sure," I call back, but it fell on mostly deaf ears. Wow, does that girl ever get a break? She seems stressed.
Feeling kind of silly just standing at the base of her stairs, I walk up and head towards what would be my room, (if this was my house.) Right as I reach for the door handle, I can't help but hesitate a little.
...
...
I should just open the door before I have another existential crisis and Lafia just finds me standing here two hours later.
Quickly, I open the door and close it behind me. It was as if I was preventing my own escape, which is probably good because I still wasn't ready for what was in front of me.
Everything in here was bushcrafted here to some extent. Every piece of furniture and decor felt lively, as if it was made from nature itself. There was only one small problem.
Why is it MY room?
The dresser, the shitty nightstand I bought from target 2 weeks ago. The twin bed in the corner of the room, and the placement of all the posters. Even my computer is here, but it's made out of rocks and crystals. Where my pet lizard should be, I find a crystal cage instead, with a large egg nestling inside.
"They took Rex, " I say to no one, a little sad knowing I'll never see my lizard ever again.
I'll never see anyone ever again.
The thought hits me harder than expected and I try to push it down.
*Ding*
*Congradulations*
*Tutorial Part 1 complete!*
*Would you like to collect your rewards?*
*Would you like to start Part 2?*
Oh this fucker. I almost forgot about you. No not right now. These tutorials are too hands on and I need a minute right now. And you asked me two different questions asshole. What would have happened if I said 'yes' willy nilly?
I pause in fear for a second.
Okay nothing happened. How did I open you again? System Start?
*System start.*
There we go
*Tutorial unfinished, does host wish to finish tutorial?*
Fuck no.
*Welcome!*
*Host stats:
Charisma: 20
Strength: 9
Stamina: 10
Agility: 14
Dexterity: 16
Intelligence: 8
Wisdom: 4
Health: 30/30
Mana: 1/1
Potential Partner:
Lafia (??? Ranked)
Potential Partner Points: 25
MENU: 6*
A menu, that's new. How do I open it... umm, 'menu'
....
Open Men-?
*Menu:
-> Notifications: 2
-> Cutscenes: 1
-> Host's Stats:
-> Quest: (locked)
-> Shop: 2
-> Inventory:
Open Notifications.
*-> Notifications:
-->>*Cutscene Complete!*
*Would you like to Open your reward?*
-->>*Tutorial Part 1 complete!*
*Would you like to collect your rewards?*
*Would you like to start Part 2?*
--->>>*Collect all rewards*
Using the system is weird. I can feel my focus shift from one part of the menu to another. wherever my focus lies, I can feel a vague pressure hover over. Collect all rewards, huh.
I feel my brain almost automatically shift and focus to the text on the bottom of my mind.
Collect all rewa-
*Ding*
*Rewards collected*
*0 notification remaining*
*100 points aquired*
*25 points aquired*
*New outfit unlocked*
*Taekwondo Dobuk aquired*
I got 5 times the amount of points I had just a moment ago. 100PPP for the one cutscene? I mean, it was traumatic so I guess it's something, not that I'd want to do that again. I still don't really know what to do with these points though.
...
*Ding*
*Host sounds unsure, does host wish to finish tutorial?*
No not really, but if I'm going to get rewarded for it, it might be better than flopping around like a fish.
*Ding*
*Host sounds unsure, does host wish to finish tutorial?*
...
Yes.
*Tutorial restarting*
*System Start*
*Welcome!*
*Host stats:
Charisma: 20
Strength: 9
Stamina: 10
Agility: 14
Dexterity: 16
Intelligence: 8
Wisdom: 4
Health: 30/30
Mana: 1/1
Potential Partner:
Lafia (??? Ranked)
Potential Partner Points: 150
MENU: 6*
*Navigating the system is made effortless with the new Harem King update!*
*Actions and responses are derived from reading the User's will and intention, meaning words aren't even necessary!*
*manipulating one's will takes a certain amount of wisdom and intelligence, so user can still use vocal commands to focus their intent.*
*Simply wish for the menu to open, and it will*
That's, pretty bad design huh. I start to think back towards the cutscene. When I said Yes, Why didn't the system register that yes as a separate will from wanting to start the cutscene? Looking back, I might have figured it out a bit. I wasn't thinking really. Listening to Lafia, my guard was slightly lowered, so when I said yes to her, it was an open yes. She could have asked me for anything and I probably would have responded positively. So when the system asked, my intent was already set on a pure yes.
Actually I don't know. But thinking too much about it isn't going to help me.
150 points
Huh
So system, what can I do with this?