Oreki Houtarou—or rather, the "him" now living inside Oreki—dragged his feet across the wide pavement of Kamiyama University. His eyes remained half-lidded, his uniform slightly crumpled, and his aura practically screamed don't bother me.
But deep inside, he was anything but sleepy.
[Ding! Welcome to Mission Tutorial!]
[Mission 1: Make Chitanda Eru smile three times before sunset. Reward: +1 Charisma. Penalty: 30 minutes of uncontrollable yawning during lecture.]
"…Seriously?" Oreki muttered, lips twitching. "That's not even detective work."
[Detectives may solve mysteries, but what is the greatest mystery of all? A maiden's smile.]
He pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
[Affirmative. System exists to spice up your otherwise boring energy-saving life.]
"Great. Now I've got a trolling AI in my head."
Still, there was no escaping the mission. The System was already part of him, and judging by the penalty, ignoring it wasn't an option. The last thing he wanted was to fall asleep drooling in his first lecture.
---
Oreki spotted her right away. Chitanda Eru—now dressed in a neat university uniform, with her long black hair flowing gracefully—stood near the faculty building, flipping through a stack of orientation pamphlets. Her bright eyes widened the moment she saw him.
"Oreki-san!" she called, waving enthusiastically.
Something in his chest tugged. Even after all these years, she still had that effect.
He walked over lazily, though his heartbeat wasn't so lazy. "Chitanda. You look… busy."
Her expression instantly softened into that familiar, radiant smile. "It's orientation week, after all. Everything feels so new!"
[Ding! Smile count: 1/3.]
"…You're counting this?" Oreki whispered under his breath.
[Yes. Please continue seducing the target.]
He nearly choked. "I'm not seducing anyone!"
"Eh?" Chitanda tilted her head. "Oreki-san, did you say something?"
"…Nothing," he muttered quickly, turning his gaze aside.
She chuckled softly at his flustered face.
[Ding! Smile count: 2/3.]
Oreki stiffened. That was fast. At this rate I'll clear the mission in five minutes.
But then he realized something important: this was Chitanda. Her curiosity was legendary, her persistence unmatched. Getting her to smile wasn't the real challenge. Keeping her curiosity at bay… that was the nightmare.
---
They walked together toward the lecture hall. Chitanda talked about the clubs she wanted to visit, the new friends she had met, and how excited she was about university life. Oreki listened with half an ear, nodding when necessary.
"Ah! Oreki-san, look at this," she suddenly exclaimed, stopping to pick up a small flyer. It was crumpled and half-hidden under a bench. "It says there's a 'Phantom Cat' roaming around the library at night!"
Oreki blinked. "Probably just a stray cat."
"But the flyer says it only appears after the last bell, and sometimes books are moved to different shelves mysteriously!"
Her violet eyes sparkled with dangerous curiosity. Oreki felt a headache blooming.
[New Side Mission unlocked!]
[Mission: Solve the mystery of the Phantom Cat with Chitanda Eru. Reward: +2 Wit. Penalty: Sudden stomach growl in public.]
"…Are you serious right now?"
[System never jokes.]
"That's a lie, you joke all the time."
"Oreki-san?" Chitanda looked up at him innocently. "Did you… hear that voice again?"
He coughed. "No, no. Just thinking out loud."
Her smile widened as if she saw through him, but she didn't press further.
[Ding! Smile count: 3/3. Mission Complete! Reward +1 Charisma.]
A warmth spread through his body, subtle yet noticeable. His back straightened, and for the first time, he realized his voice didn't sound as lazy when he spoke.
Chitanda blinked, then giggled. "You seem… different today, Oreki-san."
"Different?"
"Yes. Less gloomy. More… approachable."
Oreki groaned inwardly. Great. Now even Chitanda noticed.
[Congratulations! Your charisma has increased. Be prepared for more attention from surrounding females.]
"…What?"
[System warns: You may now attract unnecessary love flags.]
Oreki's heart sank. "Oh no."
---
Later in the lecture hall, Oreki sat beside Chitanda while the professor droned on about course requirements. He tried to focus, but the System wouldn't shut up.
[Tutorial Tip: Building bonds with Chitanda will unlock advanced quests.]
[Hint: Physical proximity increases affection gain by 2%.]
Oreki side-eyed her. Chitanda was writing notes diligently, completely unaware of his inner chaos.
"I'm not… getting closer just because you told me to," he whispered.
[Resistance detected. Applying Penalty Simulation.]
Suddenly, a yawn forced its way out of his throat, loud enough that three students turned around. Oreki flushed red.
Chitanda glanced at him, concerned. "Oreki-san? Are you tired already?"
"…No," he croaked, wishing the floor would swallow him whole.
[Warning. Public embarrassment level: 40%.]
"Shut up," he hissed under his breath.
Chitanda tilted her head but then smiled again. "It's fine. I'll share my notes with you if you miss anything."
Oreki exhaled slowly. Maybe the System was a curse, but at least… it pushed him closer to her.
Even if it meant suffering humiliation along the way.