[Schnee Manor]
The Schnee family mansion was relatively full. Several people had gathered for Jacques Schnee's funeral, although it was clear that not everyone had come to give him a final farewell. Daniel recognized more than one guest the moment he crossed the hall: politicians, high-ranking military officers, business leaders, and prestigious figures he had seen during the reactor presentation.
None of them seemed interested in approaching the coffin where Jacques rested.
His attention ended up drifting toward a group on the other side of the hall. They laughed, held glasses of champagne, and competed with each other to get Weiss's attention, who kept an expressionless face… at least until her gaze found him.
The instant her eyes recognized him, she raised her hand without hesitation, immediately interrupting the empty chatter around her. She apologized with a polite smile and crossed the hall to get closer to him, wrapping him in a hug.
"Thanks to the Brothers Grimm you are here. I did not know if you would come."
Daniel returned the hug gently before stepping back. Even such a brief gesture was enough to attract the attention of several guests, who seemed to identify him at the same time.
"Is he not the reactor's creator?"
"Is he in a relationship with the Schnee daughter?"
"I saw them together at the presentation. I thought it was a coincidence."
The whispers spread easily, enough for both of them to hear without effort. Weiss tightened her jaw and lowered her gaze for a second.
"Maybe it was not a good idea for you to come…" she murmured with a discouraged tone she did not try to hide.
Daniel reassured her without losing his calm.
"I really do not care if they talk." He took her hand naturally and guided her away from the center of the hall. "We should find a place where we can talk."
Weiss's expression softened. They walked toward the gardens, closed to the public but not to them, and sat on a bench between the perfectly aligned hedges.
Daniel was the first to break the silence. "It seems like many people want to talk to you."
Weiss let out a tired sigh and rested her head on his shoulder, her tone defeated. "You mean that they want to take advantage of SDC…"
Daniel frowned. "What do you mean by that?"
Weiss hesitated. Her rigid posture made it clear that she did not know if she should continue, but she ended up giving in.
"With the reactor activation, the SDC has lost a considerable part of its assets… and all of them" she gestured toward the mansion "have come to try to gain something. They do not say it directly, but they hint at renegotiations where they get more benefits, reconsidering collaborations… or suspending future deals with the SDC."
Daniel placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to give her support. "Can they do that?"
Weiss let out a short, bitter laugh.
"They can. The SDC is not in a position to be demanding, Daniel."
He nodded slowly, trying to understand her. "Do you blame me for what is happening to the SDC?" he asked, serious, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.
Weiss's reaction was immediate. She stood up abruptly, pulling away from him, moving her hands with clumsy motions.
"No! It is not your fault. You did what was necessary to save Atlas…" Her voice lost strength in a matter of seconds. She hugged herself while her breathing became unsteady. "I do not know what to do. They expect me to lead the SDC and make decisions…"
She looked on the verge of falling apart, her voice tense and her shoulders rigid. "I will not even be able to go to Beacon if I take control of the SDC… I really do not know what to do."
But before she could sink deeper into her own distress, Daniel stood up and walked toward her, standing close enough for Weiss to lift her gaze with caution.
"What if there was a way for you to go to Beacon and save the SDC without giving up anything?" he asked with a tempting tone.
Weiss froze, surprised. "Do you know how…?" she asked. Her voice came out low, doubtful, and full of hope.
She wiped away a tear that was about to fall while she waited for his answer. Daniel nodded calmly.
"Let us merge the SDC and AS into a single large company."
Weiss blinked, confused. "AS?"
Daniel narrowed his eyes, almost offended. "What? If you can shorten Schnee Dust Company, I can shorten Aperture Science."
Weiss let out a light laugh that eased the tension she had been holding. "And how is that supposed to help me?"
Daniel placed a hand on her shoulder and pulled her closer, shoulder to shoulder. Then he lifted his other hand toward the air as if presenting a project.
"Imagine it, Weiss. If we merge my thriving clean energy company with your declining corporation, we would be unstoppable. The other companies would stop trying to take advantage of you because the SDC would return to a solid position. The public image would improve the moment we announce that we will provide energy to the other kingdoms."
Weiss's eyes lit up for a moment as she imagined the possibilities. But she quickly frowned as she realized a detail.
"Wait…" She stopped him, raising her hand. "Would that not give me more work?"
She did not sound annoyed, only genuinely curious.
"That is the best part." Daniel smiled with complete confidence. "We would not have to do practically anything, because we have GLaDOS. You already saw how she managed Atlas without problems. She will have no trouble managing the SDC and AS at the same time. You and I would only have to make important decisions and oversee things. She will take care of all the administration, paperwork, and projections."
He took Weiss's hands, squeezing them with sincere enthusiasm.
"You could go to Beacon. I could continue with my science. We do not have to give up what we love." His thumb brushed her hand with a gentle motion. "Although of course, it is only an idea. You do not have to accept"
Weiss did not let him finish. She released his hands only to step forward and wrap him in a firm hug, pressing herself against him.
"You are not afraid that I will steal your company…" she whispered with a muffled voice near his chest.
Daniel let out a light laugh, dismissing her worries.
"You are not your father, Weiss. I am completely sure that you could never do that to me." His arms wrapped around her back with the same warmth he received. "You have my complete trust."
The silence between them became warm, barely broken by the calm breathing of both. Daniel tilted his head a little.
"So… is that a yes? I need verbal confirmation."
Weiss moved back just enough to look at him, wiping the newly formed tears. "You like ruining moments, do you not?"
Daniel shrugged, unconcerned. "I live for that."
Weiss let out a long sigh, one that seemed to ease an entire weight from her shoulders. Then she took Daniel's hand and held it firmly before pulling him gently.
"Come on. I still have to say a few words."
She paused for a moment and looked directly at him, with a sincerity he was not used to seeing. "And thank you for being here. I really appreciate it."
Daniel responded with a calm nod and a sincere smile. They entered the hall again, and the guests' attention returned to them, but neither of them cared at all.
They separated only when Weiss stepped onto the podium to start her speech on behalf of her father. Daniel, of course, did not pay too much attention. He was more interested in the tray of shrimp that no one seemed to be watching.
With a tray in hand, he approached Jacques Schnee's closed coffin. He took a shrimp and, with a careful and discreet motion, lifted it above his head. An invisible Aegis picked it up instantly.
"Poor son of a bitch," Aegis muttered while looking at the coffin.
Curious about what the crustacean was seeing, Daniel activated his shared vision ability. The coffin's wood turned transparent for him, and he immediately understood why this had been a closed casket funeral.
[Image]
Inside was Jacques Schnee, frozen with an expression that mixed terror and pain. His mouth open, his eyes unclosed, his stiff arms lifted halfway as if he had tried to defend himself from something.
"They could not lower his arms… or at least close his mouth and eyes?" he thought, unable to avoid the internal comment.
After a few minutes, he grew tired of looking at the corpse. He stepped back and began moving through the crowd, avoiding those who tried to talk to him. He searched for Weiss to stay with her a little longer before leaving; he had another place to attend and, honestly, it was much more interesting than the funeral.
—/—
A few hours passed until the burial ended and the ceremony came to a close. Daniel was grateful that Weiss decided she needed to be alone; it worked perfectly for him, because he could finally return to the warehouses.
As he walked, he adjusted his tie without losing his good mood. "Something good about suits is that they work for funerals as well as for parties," he thought with amusement.
He headed to the main door, but decided not to cross it immediately. It was a special moment, and he wanted to give it some theatrical touch. As soon as he stepped past the threshold, petals fell from the ceiling to accompany his entrance. On the front wall there was a huge sign that announced: Best Actor Awards.
"What a beautiful welcome. I did not expect it!" he exclaimed with fake surprise.
GLaDOS, sitting next to Rosella in a row of chairs in front of a small improvised stage, looked at him without emotion. "You prepared those flowers"
Daniel did not let her finish. "Thank you for your very warm welcome, I am glad to see so many people," he announced, greeting the empty air with theatrical flair.
His performance stopped when he saw Sadako, dressed as a reporter, with a camera taped to her hands, tied there by him earlier.
"A photo? Sure, why not?"
Sadako didn't take any photo; she only let him pose while she tried to pull the camera off herself. Daniel ignored her naturally and walked forward to sit next to GLaDOS and Rosella, who rubbed herself against him with clear joy.
GLaDOS sighed, clearly irritated. "Can we finish this?"
She brought two fingers to her forehead in annoyance just as the lights went out. A spotlight turned on above a small stage, where a formally dressed GIR walked up calmly.
"Why do you do this?" GLaDOS asked, too irritated.
Daniel silenced her by placing a finger on her lips without even looking at her. "They are about to announce the nominees."
Rosella, who did not seem bothered by the entire show, looked at GIR on the stage and then at GLaDOS with curiosity. "I thought you had destroyed him."
GLaDOS nodded with fatigue. "I did. But it seems he can self-repair… he has some quite interesting qualities."
GIR, excited, opened an envelope while a drumroll played from the speakers. "The nominees are…"
He announced with excitement as the first clip appeared on the screen: Daniel in "I am definitely not going to steal your company," a small fragment from just a few hours earlier, showing him speaking with Weiss.
GIR could not avoid applauding with praise. "Bravo! Bravo!" he shouted through tears, sobbing with emotion. "It was beautiful! WAAAA!"
It took him a few minutes to compose himself, wiping his face with the sleeves of his suit, and he opened a second envelope.
"We also have Daniel in… 'I am a slut, and what?'"
The screen changed to a montage of Daniel during the past weeks, working as a prostitute in Mantle. GLaDOS twisted her expression with a disgusted grimace. "I did not need to see that again…"
No one paid attention to her while GIR continued with overflowing energy. "And last we have: The sad life of an idiot!"
Daniel sucked in air when he noticed that it was not an old clip but a live camera focused on him.
"Hey! I did not authorize that!" he protested, outraged.
GLaDOS showed a slow, satisfied smile. "I did."
Daniel opened his mouth to complain, but GIR interrupted him with a piercing scream. "And the winner is…!!"
A new drumroll sounded from the speakers. "The sad life of an idiot! By GLaDOS! WIIIIIIII!"
Pre-recorded applause filled the room while GLaDOS calmly walked up to receive a real award someone had placed on the stage. Daniel, of course, did not accept it.
"I WAS ROBBED!!" he complained, kicking a chair as he left the room.
A flash blinded him for an instant. Sadako had finally pressed the button on the camera. Rosella did not stay behind either. She stood up happily and followed him, wagging her tail with enthusiasm.
"Do not worry boss, next year will be yours!" she encouraged him while running after him.
—/—
[Atlas Tower]
In the tower of Atlas, inside an office sealed to prevent any kind of information leak, General James Ironwood was beginning an important meeting. In front of him, several holographic screens appeared, showing the heads of the four hunter academies: Ozpin, Leonardo, Theodore, and James himself.
His circle of trust.
"James, it is good to see you in good condition," Ozpin began with a kind smile.
Leonardo, visibly uncomfortable on his screen, nodded. "Yes, I say the same. It is good to see that you are well—"
He could not finish when a loud hit echoed from Theodore's screen. He had slammed his own desk.
"Enough reunions!" he growled. "Let us go straight to the point. What has been happening in Atlas these last two weeks?"
Ozpin did not let himself release a small laugh. "Straight to the point, as always." He took a sip of his cup, but his tone did not take long to shift to something more serious. "But he is right. James, why have you not maintained communication while all that was happening in Atlas?"
James remained calm.
"A lot has happened during these last two weeks," he said, making several screens appear, which all of them observed with attention.
"As you know, there was an attack on the Atlas tower. We lost total control of the machines, which began an attack against the very city they were supposed to protect. But thanks to the intervention of an external element, we were able to stop them and recover control."
Theodore frowned. "That does not explain why you did not inform us of your actions after that. Also, what is this about the reactor?"
James raised a hand, asking for patience. "I am getting there," he sighed.
"I did not contact you after the attack because, during the security inspection, more than one breach was found in Atlas systems. There was a real possibility of an information leak, and until we were sure, I could not take the risk."
Leonardo lifted his gaze, surprised, while he grabbed a cup of water with hands that did not seem as firm as he tried to appear. "Who could have been responsible?"
"Arthur Watts."
James said it without raising his voice, but the effect was immediate: Leonardo choked on the water. No one reacted to his state; they all stayed focused on James.
"Manipulated codes were found with the signature of Arthur Watts. In addition, there is evidence that he is still alive and working with Salem."
The name Salem created an automatic silence. Even Leonardo stopped coughing immediately, his expression stiff.
"How are you sure Salem is related?"
The screens changed before James responded, projecting images of the Mantle massacre.
"Before the attack on the Atlas tower, our forces were diverted to the lower area of Mantle due to the discovery of seventy-eight corpses belonging to a local mafia group. Some of them had aura."
The images showed bodies mutilated by claws and bites. The wounds did not follow a chaotic pattern, but a deliberate violence. The expressions of all of them hardened at the same time, except Leonardo's, who turned pale until he was almost gray.
"Was it the work of grimms?" Theodore asked, leaning forward in his seat.
But James shook his head and corrected him. "Not grimms. A single Grimm."
Ozpin's eyes sharpened. "How is it possible that a single Grimm caused this much damage when there were hunters in the area?" he asked, setting his mug aside.
James didn't answer immediately. He waited until a new image appeared on the screen. It was a creature that resembled a beowolf, but far too humanoid: upright posture, more balanced proportions, and scraps of clothing still clinging to its body.
[Image]
Theodore looked alarmed, unable to pull his gaze away from the picture. "What exactly are we looking at?"
"This portrait was taken from the only survivor of the massacre," James replied firmly.
"Unfortunately, that individual died during the attack on Atlas. The machines flagged him as a target and eliminated him before anyone could intervene."
The screens shifted again, displaying another image.
"And that's not all. We believe Jacques Schnee's death was caused by a Grimm."
The next image was a rough but unmistakable drawing, depicting a distorted feminine figure.
[Image]
"Before he died, Jacques asked for help, claiming he was under the influence of a Nightmare. This drawing was found in his quarters, along with several others."
The screen then showed Jacques' frozen corpse, trapped in a rigid expression of horror.
"Tests done days earlier confirmed he wasn't affected by any Nightmare. However, the condition of his body shows he was the victim of a Grimm. One we were never able to detect."
Theodore let out a bitter laugh—too short to be actual humor. "Looks like Salem has been busy," he muttered.
Ozpin drummed his fingers on the table, concerned. "Humanoid Grimms, able to blend in with people… this is serious."
Everyone tried to maintain their composure—everyone except Leonardo, who completely lost it.
"Serious? This is apocalyptic! How are we supposed to fight them if we can't even detect them?!"
Theodore tried to calm him down, but Ozpin remained thoughtful. "Did something happen to the Winter Maiden?"
"No, not really." James answered with a calmer tone, trying to ease the tension. "The Maiden has actually shown a sudden improvement in her health. We still don't know the exact cause."
Ozpin nodded with a quiet sigh of relief, though he didn't waste the opportunity to keep asking. "And what about the reactor?"
A smile appeared on James's face, as if he could finally deliver a piece of news that wasn't alarming.
"It's a remarkable invention. It comes from the same helping hand that assisted in saving Atlas." His smile grew slightly. "I'm certain they'll bring their technology to the other kingdoms soon."
Ozpin shared some of that enthusiasm, but Theodore seemed more interested in a different detail.
"And does this helping hand have a name?"
"Daniel Hawk."
The mention of the name made Ozpin stop looking at his own screen and focus entirely on James.
"Could you describe him?"
"Young, fair-skinned, white hair."
Ozpin's eyes lit up the moment James finished describing him, something the others noticed immediately.
"You recognize him?" James asked, intrigued by his reaction.
"Yes. But he's not supposed to be in Atlas; weeks ago he was with Miss Schnee at the Beacon fundraiser." Ozpin frowned. "He suffered a severe accident, and he's supposed to be hospitalized."
Now it was James who looked confused. "How severe were his injuries for you to find it strange that he's here?"
"It's not that I find it strange… I'm surprised he's alive." Ozpin shook his head, recalling the day in question. "I don't see how he could've recovered in just a few weeks."
Theodore's expression shifted slowly, as if he were connecting scattered pieces. "Are you saying he recovered miraculously… just like the Winter Maiden?"
James and Ozpin's eyes widened at the same time, as if both had reached the same conclusion.
"Is there any chance Daniel's recovery and the Maiden's are related?" Leonardo asked, this time more curious than panicked.
James took a moment before answering, remembering an apparently innocent comment Daniel had made about how his real strength wasn't technology, but medicine.
"It's quite possible." He finally nodded. "He's a young man full of surprises. It wouldn't shock me if he had something that helps people recover."
"I'd very much like to meet him," Ozpin admitted with genuine interest. "The last time I saw him, he was on a stretcher, half dead. But for now, it's best you find out whether he is responsible for the Maiden's improvement."
James nodded. He didn't need to be ordered; he was already genuinely interested in speaking with Daniel and finding out what exactly he had done to improve the Maiden's health when they had barely managed to keep her stable.
—///—
Author's Note:
This week was rough—tons of work and absolutely zero ideas about what to write for this chapter. I literally had to improvise and go with the first thing that popped into my head. I hope you like it.
Did you notice I tried to change my usual writing style a bit? Did you like it? Did you notice anything different? No? …Of course you didn't, you damn fanfic addicts who inhaled this in under five minutes.
Anyway, as an apology, here's the next part of the fanfic nobody asked for. I'll make one more part after this and then stop; after that I'll move on to something else.
I almost forgot—it's Gacha time, so I want ideas. There will probably be a bunch of swords in the next chapter!!!
Anyway, thanks for reading...
Kisses and hugs.
—///—
[Campus Park]
Sitting on the park bench, Jason kept his eyes fixed on the blue screen floating in front of him, wondering what he was supposed to do now.
[Simp System]
[Simp Fund: 10 trillion]
[The more of a Simp you are, the stronger you become! Ready to dominate the world with the power of a Simp?]
[Mission: Use the Simp fund to increase a girl's affection]
"It could be worse..." he thought, although even to him it sounded like the least convincing lie on the planet.
He had just died. He had lost his life as he knew it: his job, his family, his entire collection of Japanese gentlemen's reading material. His… friends?
"Who am I kidding? I do not have friends. That is why I read fanfics..."
He let out a long, tired sigh. His life had not been great, but it was his, and he would never have traded it for reincarnating as a character from the stories he read. Much less as the ultimate Simp.
But staying there feeling sorry for himself was not his style either. Living with regrets and mentally punishing himself would not help him at all. If this was his new life, he planned to make full use of it. And that included using the system that had been forced on him.
His gaze returned to the bright number at the top of the screen: 10 trillion.
"Did I just destroy the economy?"
He could not help questioning himself. He knew the United States had a GDP of around 22 trillion a year, and now he had half of that in an instant. The questions came quickly.
"Did I just ruin the dollar?"
"Did I just create the greatest inflation in history?"
"Is the FBI going to chase me? Or even worse… the IRS?"
"Is the bank owner going to call me to offer me a blowjob?"
All of them were perfectly reasonable possibilities given his current circumstances. Even so, he did not panic. He took a deep breath and tried to remember.
In the original story, the protagonist also received that absurd amount of money and the world did not explode, so the system had to be altering the market in some way so nothing collapsed. If it worked there, it should work here. He allowed himself to relax for a moment. It was almost certain he would not end up in Alcatraz… probably.
Now only one important question remained: "What am I going to spend the money on?"
One of the few advantages of having been reborn in this story was that he knew the system trick thanks to the original Jason. The mission said he had to use the Simp fund to increase a girl's affection… but it did not specify that he had to give it directly to her.
He could spend it on himself to impress them. Technically he would still be completing the mission. A ridiculous flaw in the system, but definitely in his favor.
He stood up from the bench with determination, feeling an energy he had not felt in a long time.
"I am going to make it!" he shouted at the sky, catching the attention of several passersby who, after looking at him for a second, decided to keep walking.
"I am not only going to survive, I am going to live!"
He raised his middle finger with renewed enthusiasm, dedicating it to the gods, or whoever was responsible for his current situation.
"Thank you for an easy life, you idiots!"
He let out a manic laugh that slowly lost strength… fading completely just as a new screen appeared in front of him.
[Simp System updating…]
[Simp System 2.0]
[New rules:
Rule One: You don't talk about the System
Rule Two: You DO NOT talk about the System!
Rule Three: You cannot use Simp Funds for yourself.]
Jason's laugh stopped completely the moment he read the update.
"Ahh… of course."
—/—
Several minutes later, Jason was already inside a store trying to buy some food: a simple bag of chips. Nothing complicated. He reached into his pocket for his phone to pay and, as soon as he saw it, he let out an annoyed groan.
"What the hell is this?"
The phone was shaped like a pear. A pear. He had completely forgotten that in this world phones looked like that, a technological aberration that seemed designed to torture anyone with common sense.
If he had to describe it with one word, he could not. He needed several: horrible, uncomfortable, stupid. He did not know who had approved such a device, but if it were up to him, he would lock them in a cell for committing a crime against ergonomics. Even the screen was crooked and wasted space as if it hated the consumer.
Jason swore that, if he had the chance, he would fix that atrocity himself. But that would be later. For now, he focused on buying food. Obviously, he tried to pay with the Simp Funds and, as expected, the purchase was rejected. Resigned, he paid with his own money, which luckily had not mixed with the system funds.
While he ate, his mind started working on a new plan. Not being able to spend the Simp Fund on himself was a hard blow, yes, but not the end of the world.
"Goodbye, instant luxury life," he complained as he put another chip in his mouth.
However, he still had the system rewards, and that was just as good, since he could obtain items or abilities that would make his life easier.
Finishing his food, he wiped the grease from his hands and straightened up with renewed determination, already with a plan in mind.
"Looks like I will have to use my charm," said the absolute idiot, puffing out his chest with an air of greatness, completely forgetting he had never been good with women.
—/—
Walking down the street, two girls moved forward calmly. Or at least one did. Lila clung to Zoe's arm, her best friend, breathing quickly every time something made a sound nearby.
"I really do not like this area," she murmured, tightening her hold.
Zoe rolled her eyes. "Stop being dramatic. This is not a dangerous area. We always walk through here. Why are you so nervous?"
Lila blushed. "I heard there was a crazy guy living around here."
Zoe let out a loud laugh, earning a light smack from Lila, who looked offended.
"Do not laugh. I am serious."
"Sorry," Zoe apologized as she caught her breath. "But I promise you there is no lunatic living in this area. They are just stories…"
She did not finish. Just as they passed by an alley, a hand came out of the darkness and grabbed Zoe's arm. Both of them froze. The figure was barely visible, covered in shadows, breathing in a broken rhythm. His clothes looked like those of a homeless man and his eyes were those of a psychopath, showing nothing good.
"I WANT TO TAKE YOU TO A BEAUTIFUL PLACE! AND DRESS YOU WITH VERY PRETTY CLOTHES!" the lunatic shouted. Of course, both girls reacted the exact same way.
"AHHHHHH!! x2", they screamed at the same time, terrified.
Zoe was the first to act, struggling to break free, but she could not; his grip was firm.
"DO NOT LEAVE! I CAN MAKE YOU VERY HAPPY!" he yelled, pulling Zoe toward him.
Lila, who had no intention of leaving her friend in the hands of that maniac, grabbed her purse and smashed it against his head in one quick movement, knocking him to the ground and forcing him to let go of Zoe. The moment she felt the grip disappear, Zoe clung to Lila as both of them ran without looking back.
"Sorry for not believing you!" Zoe shouted, not letting go of her hand.
"It is okay!" Lila answered, reaching into her purse and pulling out a brick. "I always come prepared!"
—/—
Jason stayed on the ground for a few seconds, feeling the dull pain in his head as he tried to understand what had gone wrong. He pushed himself up slowly, rubbing the spot that had been hit.
"But why?" he murmured, questioning every decision he had made. "And what the hell did that girl have in her purse? Rocks?"
He remained sitting for a moment, regaining his balance and going over what had gone wrong. He had approached them in the most discreet way possible; taking them by surprise would surely give a more favorable impression, because everyone liked surprises. He had spoken clearly to avoid any confusion about his intentions. And even then, they had attacked him and run away as if he were a criminal.
As he stood up, he brushed off his clothes, and that was when he noticed it.
"My clothes," he said, snapping his fingers when he saw how worn they were. "That must be it!"
He had forgotten that in this world people were ridiculously classist. He nodded to himself, convinced that was the only reason everything had gone so wrong. "Looks like it is time to do some shopping…" he thought as he tried to remember where the nearest mall was, determined to improve his appearance.
—/—
Already at the mall, Jason quickly found a suitable store. He walked into Armani Exchange without thinking too much. The name did not ring any bells for him, but the memories of the original Jason told him it was an appropriate place.
He did not buy anything extravagant, mainly because he did not have the money. Even so, he ended up paying one hundred and thirty dollars for a black shirt with a printed logo. He was sure he could have found something similar in a street market for much less, but he did not do it: he knew no one in this world would forgive him for wearing a fake brand.
People were terribly superficial, and any detail could destroy his image before he even had the chance to build it.
Luckily, the original Jason had saved some money that was meant for a special gift for Emma. Since he had no intention of using it for that, he used it to improve his own presentation.
Once outside the store, he took a moment to appreciate himself in the reflection of the display window, checking his new shirt and adjusting the fabric with an elegant gesture.
"Not bad," he murmured, watching how the unnecessarily expensive garment actually looked surprisingly good on him.
His small internal celebration was interrupted when he turned sharply to leave and bumped straight into two girls walking past him. The drink one of them was carrying spilled all over her, ruining her clothes. And before anyone could react, the system was faster:
[Megan Chase: Affection -10 → -15]
[Brook Fields: Affection -5 → -10]
[Images]
"What the hell!" complained the soaked girl, whom Jason recognized thanks to the original's memories as Megan Chase, a design student and daughter of a well-known gallery owner.
"Are you blind or what?" added her friend Brook, pulling out a tissue to try to clean the stain, only to give up almost immediately.
Megan's gaze sharpened when she focused on him. "Who is this idiot?" she asked very politely, like the lady she was.
Brook looked at him for a moment before answering. "I think he is Jason Carter."
Megan frowned, annoyed. "Does not ring a bell."
"A student from the Engineering department… or Automation, I am not sure." Both spoke as if he was not standing there, ignoring him completely. Megan kept staring at him with an empty expression, not recognizing him.
Brook, noticing she still had no idea who he was, sighed and tried another approach. "He is the guy who spends his time following Emma Bennet. The popular girl from the Business department…"
"Ah…" Megan finally exclaimed, recognizing him. "Well, I did not remember him being this well dressed. As far as I knew, he was some broke guy from Iowa."
Jason wanted to tell them that he was right there, that he had ears, that he was a human being with feelings, but he held back. He knew this was a perfect chance to put his system into practice.
"I am really sorry about this accident," he said, using the calmest and most confident voice he could. "You two are from the same university as me, right?"
Megan let out an arrogant snort. "As if you did not know that. And I do not care about your apologies. I want to know what you plan to do about this." She pointed at her ruined clothes.
Jason swallowed the bitterness he wanted to spit at them and forced a smile.
"I see I ruined your clothes completely. How about, as an apology, I buy you the outfits you want?" He said this while gesturing toward the Armani store behind him.
"Yeah, sure," Megan mocked.
"And what does that mean, you bitch?" he wanted to ask her, but he stopped himself just in time.
"Is there a problem with my offer?" he asked in a calm tone.
Brook laughed in disbelief. "I do not think you have the money to buy any outfits."
"Well," Jason said, extending his hand toward the store to invite them inside, "there is only one way to find out."
There was a brief awkward silence between the two girls. They exchanged doubtful looks, but finally Megan accepted the offer, even if reluctantly.
"You better hope this is not a joke. Or I am going to ruin you," she threatened, poking a finger into his chest before walking into the store without waiting for a response. Brook followed her, giving Jason a look full of hatred as she passed him.
Inside, Megan did not take long to choose an outfit she liked. She brought it to the counter and crossed her arms, staring at him as she waited for him to pay. Jason rolled his eyes for just a second before swiping the card linked to the Simp funds.
The purchase went through without any issues, surprising both Megan and Brook, who clearly expected the transaction to be declined.
[Megan Chase: Affection -10 → -5]
[Brook Fields: Affection -5 → 0]
More notifications appeared right away.
"Fucking materialistic people," he thought as he saw their affection rise just because he bought them clothes. "And why did their affection start in the negative? I am sure the original Jason never even talked to them."
"Well… thank you," Megan said when she saw her new clothes, ready to leave.
But Jason stopped her. He could not let her walk away with only one outfit. He had just spent around fifteen hundred dollars and that was not enough to unlock any reward from the system. That system only rewarded him when he spent and increased a girl's affection enough. He needed to spend more. Much more.
"Please, Megan… I do not think you are satisfied with just one set of clothes, right?" he asked with a predatory smile. "Why do you not take something else?"
A small smile appeared on Megan's face as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Well, if you insist," she laughed softly, grabbing a purse from one of the shelves. The employee charged it immediately.
"Thank you for your purchase."
There was a strange silence, the two girls looking at him… and Jason frowned.
"And that is it?" he asked, disappointed.
Megan frowned as well. "What do you mean by 'that is it'? You told me to take something else. Do not tell me you are backing out."
Jason raised a hand, stopping the misunderstanding. "I did not mean that. I thought you would take more things. Why are you limiting yourself to just one purse?"
Without waiting for an answer, Jason walked toward the shelf of purses and grabbed ten at once, placing them on the counter.
"I think that is too much…" Brook managed to say, but the employee silenced her with a quick, "Thank you for your purchase."
Jason clicked his tongue, frustrated, trying to motivate Megan. "Come on, Megan, take more things!" he exclaimed, guiding her deeper into the store.
He pointed at a row of shoes. "Do you like those?" Megan nodded without thinking too much. "Then take them. In fact, take all the ones on this row!"
The employee hurried to intervene. "Sir, the price for all of that is—"
Jason stopped her. "Did you see me ask for the price?"
The employee shook her head.
"Then just charge it!"
She nodded, swallowed hard, and swiped the card. While she did, an elegant man, the tag on his chest clearly showing he was the manager, approached, alarmed by the mountain of purses and boxes piling up on the counter.
"Is everything alright here?" he asked, evaluating the value of all the items. They had to cost several thousands.
The employee stepped forward, nervous. "Thank you for your purchase," she announced quickly, confirming that everything had been paid for. The manager blinked, surprised, and his expression shifted into something much more accommodating.
Jason didn't pay attention to him. He focused entirely on Megan.
"Come on, Megan, don't hold back. I ruined your dress. A beautiful dress."
"It wasn't that beautiful…," Brook muttered from behind, but both Megan and Jason ignored her.
"Tell me," Jason continued, turning to the manager and pointing at Megan's ruined clothes. "Do you think damaging the dress of such a beautiful lady is compensated with just a few items?"
The manager hesitated. "No…?"
"Correct, no!" Jason clicked his tongue and looked back at Megan. "You need more, Megan. Way more." Without fear, he handed the card to the employee, practically pressing it into her hand.
"Charge everything she asks for. If she says she wants that dress, you charge it. If she wants those shoes, you charge them. I think you understand the point."
The employee froze for a second, until he pushed again. "What are you waiting for? Charge it!"
That snapped her out of it; she began scanning all the items Jason had pointed at… and the ones she'd missed.
The manager, sensing the chance for a fat commission, signaled discreetly to every employee. They went into full red-alert mode: rich kid with money to burn. They moved fast—cleared out the customers, and a guy who tried to enter was stopped and shoved back outside by the manager himself, who flipped the sign to "Closed."
"We're closed," he growled, shutting the door behind him.
Megan, still in shock for a moment, finally found her voice.
"Are you sure about this? Aren't you going overboard?" she asked for the first time, sounding unsure.
Jason stepped closer without hesitation, placing his hands beside her head, forcing her to look at him.
"Listen to me. You are Megan Chase. The most radiant, elegant, and intelligent girl I've ever met." He exaggerated as much as he could. "You deserve all of this and more. So stop worrying about the money and enjoy what you deserve."
Megan's gaze brightened just a little as she met Jason's eyes. Then she looked at the employees ready to pack absolutely everything, and at the manager, who nodded encouragingly for her to buy. She smiled, clearly moved.
[Megan Chase: Affection -5 → 15]
She nodded, determined… completely unaware that behind her, Brook watched with a tense frown, feeling utterly left out.