The world hadn't transformed into a shojo manga, nor did Alex wake up with a shimmering aura, but he felt the difference. The +1 Charisma was subtle, yet real. Walking downstairs, he didn't trip. At breakfast, he returned his mother's greeting without mumbling, and boarding the bus, he didn't shrink when a couple of seniors smiled at him. They were small, insignificant victories, but for Alex, they were monumental.
As he walked down the hallway, his mental interface flickered with a tranquil aquamarine color.
[Flower Collection System]User: Alex N. (Level 1) Skills:
Charisma: 1 → 2 (Increases the probability of neutral social interactions.)
Perception: 1
Cunning: 1
Floral Currency: 50 Recent Quest: Basic Level Greeting (COMPLETED)
The satisfaction of seeing the number '2' in Charisma was intoxicating. It felt as if he had finally passed an incredibly difficult tutorial. But before he could gloat, a new notification, marked with a more urgent orange border, appeared.
[NEW QUEST: Dialogue Opening - Camellia]Target Flower: Clara V. (The Silent Camellia) Description: The Camellia is a solitary Flower that blooms in tranquility. Establish a meaningful dialogue (at least 5 text exchanges) with her. Requirement: Tone "Interested, not Intrusive." (Fails if the target withdraws before exchange 5). Reward: +1 Cunning, 150 Floral Currency.
Clara V. Alex knew her by sight. She was the girl who always sat at the furthest table in the library, reading books with worn covers, wearing a scarf that covered almost half her face even in spring. She was so discreet that she often felt invisible to everyone, except, ironically, Alex. And now, to the System.
The library was his hunting ground. After class, Alex headed into the maze of bookshelves. His hands were sweating. The +1 Charisma wasn't a magic shield against social panic; it only allowed him to take one more step without passing out.
There she was, in her usual corner, absorbed in a thick volume. Her expression was serene, oblivious to the world.
"I need an opening," Alex told himself. He couldn't just ask her for the time. the "Interested Tone" requirement forced him to be relevant. A book. It had to be the book.
Alex spent twenty minutes of silent agony pacing the fantasy section, pretending to look for something while his mind raced. If he failed the requirement, the failure would be doubly humiliating.
Finally, courage (or System-fueled desperation) gave him a push. He stopped six feet away from her, looking at a random shelf.
Come on, Level 2 Charisma, don't fail me, he thought.
He took a breath and, in a voice that only trembled slightly, spoke.
"Excuse me," Alex said, and the sound felt thunderous in the library's silence.
Clara slowly raised her gaze, her dark, large eyes fixed on him with reserved curiosity.
[Exchange 1/5]
"Yes?" she asked in a whisper.
"I saw you're reading... The Watchers of the Echo?" Alex asked, pointing to the book. He hadn't seen it, but he recognized it from other times.
"Something like that. Do you know it?"
[Exchange 2/5]
"I do," Alex lied with surprising ease. The +1 Charisma was like a social lubricant. "And if you like that narrative structure, you should check out The Garden of Eternal Night. It's from the same period, but much more focused on character psychology."
Clara's eyes showed the first spark of genuine interest. She slightly pulled the scarf down from her chin.
"The Kaito one?" she asked, her voice taking on a shade of surprise. "I thought nobody here read that kind of thing."
[Exchange 3/5]
"You'd be surprised," Alex replied, feeling a rush of adrenaline warm his face. He was completely improvising. "It's a heavy read, but the way he uses the landscape as a reflection of trauma... it's brilliant."
Clara closed the book, carefully marking the page. She looked at him intently, evaluating him.
"You're right. That interests me," she conceded, a small smile appearing. "I'll make a note of it. Thank you."
[Exchange 4/5]
Panic struck Alex. She was ending the conversation. He needed an Exchange 5!
"I... actually, I've been looking for something in that vein. Do you think Kaito got better or worse after his first book?" Alex shot back, forcing an open-ended question.
She leaned back in her chair, thoughtful. "Definitely better, even though his style became denser. But the evolution of his voice is key."
[Exchange 5/5 – Success!]
In the back of Alex's mind, the orange notification exploded into a glorious emerald green.
[QUEST COMPLETED: Dialogue Opening - Camellia]5 Exchange Requirement: Satisfied. Tone: Accepted. Reward Received: +1 Cunning, 150 Floral Currency. New Skill Unlocked! The Cunning value has reached 2.
Alex stood in silence, processing the boom of the virtual victory. He had managed to speak with the Silent Camellia. And he had given her a recommendation for a book whose synopsis he had only read online.
Clara, however, interpreted his silence as the natural end of the chat.
"Well. Thanks, Alex," she said.
Alex felt a chill. How did she know my name?
"I'm in History class with you," she clarified, catching his silent panic. "See you around."
And so, Alex retreated, his heart racing wildly, looking at his new stats in the interface: Cunning Level 2. He was no longer just nicer; now he was a little quicker-witted.
But the moment didn't last. Leaving the library, the System was already showing him the next, and terrifying, challenge. A challenge involving the brightest and most visible Flower in the garden.