Jack stared at the inventory screen, his eyes lingering on the wallet icon.
[Current Balance: 0 Gold, 0 Silver, 12 Copper.]
The number burned with a golden light in his mind. He fell into a deep, silent contemplation.
So, simply making friends with her can actually drop money? The implications were staggering. If his earlier interactions had taught him anything, it was that the coins dropped by the system were "ghost currency" - invisible, intangible, and silent to anyone but himself. But now he had stumbled upon a new discovery: beyond the high-risk, violent path of slaying monsters, there was a far more civilized way to farm capital in this world.
Jack replayed every second of his interaction with Kato Megumi. There had been nothing out of the ordinary when he spoke to her. The system hadn't reacted when he stood near her or when they exchanged words. The trigger only tripped the moment he handed her the 10-yen coin, the exact second their fingers brushed.
Physical contact, Jack thought, his brow furrowing. But it can't be that simple.
He recalled his morning commute. He had been packed into a subway car like a sardine, his body pressed against a dozen different people. There had been plenty of "physical contact" there, ranging from accidental shoulder bumps to being crushed against a salaryman's briefcase, yet his wallet hadn't increased by a single cent.
No, the contact wasn't the variable. The person was.
Kato Megumi is special, Jack concluded. But what makes her special? Is it her 'Low Presence' talent? No, the system's payout logic is likely broad. It's highly improbable that the only way to earn passive income is to find people no one notices.
He leaned back in his chair, tapping his chin. If this world is a fusion of various stories, then the characters at the center of those stories, the 'Heroines' must be the key.
He looked toward the back row of the classroom, his eyes landing on a window seat. It belonged to Tomoya Aki. In the original story of Saekano, Tomoya was the protagonist, the "Main Character" who set everything in motion. If Jack's hypothesis was correct, then touching Tomoya should also trigger a payout.
Jack's eyes flickered with a cold, predatory light. Tomoya wasn't in the classroom at the moment; he'd likely dashed off to the cafeteria to secure some limited-edition anime collaboration bread or perhaps to browse otaku forums. Jack decided to wait.
While waiting, he pulled out a sheet of white paper and a ruler. He needed to prepare the design for the copper coin to send to Miss Mira's Jewelry Store. He took one of the system's copper coins out of his inventory and laid it on his desk. To any observer, he was just staring at a blank spot on his table, but to Jack, the coin's intricate rings were clear as day.
He began to measure the dimensions. He had been worried that a manual measurement might be too imprecise to fool the system, but as he worked, he realized something fascinating. The ratio between the large ring, the small ring, and the diameter of the coin itself wasn't random.
It's exactly 1:1.618, Jack noted, his eyes narrowing. The Golden Ratio. This coin is designed with mathematical perfection.
He noted the exact dimensions on his draft, took a photo of the drawing with his phone, and fired it off to the jeweler's email address. Just as he tucked his phone away, he saw a familiar figure enter the classroom.
Tomoya Aki. The thin boy with the large black-rimmed glasses looked exactly as Jack remembered from the screen, a bit frantic, a bit unkempt, and currently clutching his smartphone as if it were a holy relic.
Jack stood up and walked toward the back of the room. He approached Tomoya from behind and reached out, patting him firmly on the shoulder.
Nothing. The system remained silent.
Is it the clothes? Jack wondered. Is the school uniform acting as a buffer?
Tomoya jumped nearly a foot into the air, frantically fumbling with his phone to hide the screen before turning around. When he saw Jack, his expression shifted from terror to a flustered, confused surprise. "S-Su... I mean, Jack-kun? Do you need something?"
Jack maintained a friendly, approachable smile, the "Professional Salaryman" mask he'd perfected over years of corporate service. "Sorry to startle you, Tomoya-kun. I realized I forgot to bring my Japanese textbook today. Since we're in the same class, I was wondering if I could borrow yours for a few minutes to check the assignment? I'll have it back to you before the next bell."
"Oh! Of course, no problem," Tomoya said, visibly relieved that he wasn't being bullied. He reached into his desk, pulled out the textbook, and handed it over. "Here you go."
Jack reached out, ensuring his fingers made direct, skin-to-skin contact with Tomoya's as he took the book.
Silence. Not a single clink of a coin. Not even a whisper of a system notification.
"Thank you, Tomoya-kun. I appreciate it," Jack said, his voice calm even as his mind began to race.
He walked back to his seat and opened the book, staring blankly at the kanji. He analyzed the interaction. The verbal communication had been there. The physical contact had been deliberate. So why had Tomoya Aki, the literal protagonist of this world's narrative failed to drop a single copper coin?
He and she, Jack thought, his fingers pausing on the page. The fundamental difference.
The realization hit him with the force of a freight train. Tomoya Aki was a protagonist, yes, but he was a male. Kato Megumi was a "Heroine."
Only female 'Heroines' drop money? Jack's eyes sharpened. If that were the case, this school was a much bigger gold mine than he'd initially thought. Tonosaki Academy was home to at least two other legendary "Heroines."
There was Eriri Spencer Sawamura, the blonde, twin-tailed artist who hid her identity as a doujinshi creator. And then there was Utaha Kasumigaoka, the raven-haired, sharp-tongued literary genius who wrote best-selling light novels.
In this merged timeline, things were slightly different. Eriri and Utaha were now second-year seniors, one grade above Jack. They were the "Unreachable Beauties" of the school, girls who occupied a social stratosphere far above the average student. According to the gossip Jack had overheard this morning, one was a refined princess and the other a frigid ice queen.
Tsundere and Yandere, Jack thought, a dry smile touching his lips. In the real world, they're just headaches. But in this world? They're high-value assets.
His phone vibrated in his pocket. He checked the screen: Miss Mira's Jewelry Store.
Jack stepped into the quiet hallway to answer. "Hello?"
"Hello, customer. I've reviewed your design draft," the woman's voice was pleasant and surprisingly soothing. "Our shop can definitely produce this. It's a simple design, but the proportions are quite elegant. How many were you looking to order?"
"I'll need to see a sample first," Jack said, his voice taking on a cool, business-like edge. "If the quality meets my standards, the final order will be significant."
"And what does 'significant' mean to you, sir?"
"At least tens of thousands," Jack replied.
There was a long pause on the other end of the line. Jack could almost hear the jeweler calculating the profit margins. "I see. In that case, I will personally ensure the sample is perfect. I'll do my best to satisfy you."
"Do you require a deposit?"
"For gold or silver, yes. But for a copper sample? It's unnecessary. I'll contact you as soon as it's ready for inspection."
"Thank you. I look forward to it."
Jack hung up, feeling a sense of respect for the jeweler's professionalism. If the owner really was "Miss Mira," she certainly knew how to handle a big client.
He returned to the classroom, gave the textbook back to Tomoya, and thanked him again. Tomoya looked a bit overwhelmed, it was clear the "popular" transfer student taking an interest in an otaku like him was the highlight of his day.
Jack didn't care. Tomoya didn't drop money; therefore, Tomoya was a low-priority resource. The friendship was off the table until proven otherwise.
Instead, his gaze drifted back to the quiet girl in the corner.
Kato Megumi, Jack thought. Was that ten-coin drop a one-time 'first-touch' bonus, or does it have a cooldown?
He needed more data. He would find another excuse to touch her hand tomorrow. If she paid out again, he'd found his "Infinite Money Glitch."
And if not? Well, there was always the school's second-year hallway. It was time to go hunting for some "Unreachable Beauties."