Andrey stirred slowly on the sofa, his body heavy from the previous night's impromptu "rest day" that had stretched into a marathon of video games, takeout pizza, and way too much laughter. The first thing he registered was warmth—soft, enveloping warmth pressed against his side.
His eyes fluttered open, blurry without his glasses, but he could feel it: Sarah's arm draped over his chest, her head nestled against his shoulder. Her body curved against him, and in that half-awake haze, he became acutely aware of the gentle press of her cleavage against his arm, the plush softness of her curves molding to his frame.
It was... distracting. Very distracting.
Heart pounding a little faster than it should, Andrey froze. 'Don't move. Don't look. Just... extract yourself efficiently.' With careful, deliberate movements, he shifted away, sliding out from under her arm without waking her. He kept his gaze fixed on the ceiling, then the floor—anywhere but down. Fumbling blindly on the coffee table, his fingers found his glasses. He slipped them on, the world sharpening into focus.
Sarah was still asleep, curled up on the sofa in his oversized hoodie, her brown hair tousled and a peaceful expression on her face. Not far away, on the adjacent armchair she'd dragged over, Lisa dozed with her head lolled back, twintails undone into loose waves, one leg dangling off the side.
Andrey stretched slowly, rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck. In his mind, he thought, 'They really didn't go home... Well, I don't mind since it's dangerous going out at night anyway, but I hope they're more cautious around me... Because I'm a guy too...'
He shook his head, dismissing the thought. "Whatever. I need to prepare breakfast first," he muttered under his breath.
He padded quietly to the bathroom, splashing cold water on his face to chase away the lingering fog—and any lingering sensations from the sofa. Then, to the kitchen. "Fighting takes energy too," he said to himself, opening the fridge to pull out eggs, veggies, and some bread for a simple omelet spread.
As he grabbed a carton of milk, the system chimed in his head, its voice bubbly and teasing.
System: You're so attentive~ Taking care of your girls like this. Husband material!
Andrey nearly dropped the eggs. "Shut up, you pervy system."
System: Hehe, so cold~ But I have a new quest for you, you know~
Andrey paused mid-chop, knife hovering over a bell pepper. "Quest? Is there a gate popping up nearby?"
System: Not that, but there's something you want to do. As the manager of Magical Girls, we have to guide the girls to eradicate evil—that's why I exist!
Andrey resumed chopping, but slower. "If that's the goal, it's a good one. But I still don't fully understand the purpose of this Magical Girl thing."
System: You'll figure it out gradually, Host. For now, here's the new quest to get you started!
A holographic screen popped up in front of him, pink and sparkly as always.
Main Quest: Ancient Artifacts and Demonic Souls
◇Collect 12 contaminated ancient artifacts scattered across Elysium. These relics have been corrupted by dark mana and must be purified to prevent catastrophic portal surges.
◇Gather the 7 soul fragments of the Demon Laplace, a ancient entity sealed long ago. Each fragment is guarded by powerful rift guardians in high-level zones.
Progress: 0/12 Artifacts | 0/7 Soul Fragments
Andrey stared at the holographic screen for a moment longer, the knife in his hand hovering over the half-chopped vegetables. The quest details hung in the air, shimmering faintly in the morning light filtering through the kitchen windows. "So our task is hunting artifacts and collecting those scattered soul pieces?" he said aloud, his voice steady but laced with skepticism. "Why?"
System: That's a secret~
Andrey paused, setting the knife down with a soft clink. He leaned against the counter, arms crossed, his logical mind kicking into overdrive. "Hey, system. I don't mind this quest, but I want to make it clear: I don't like being used without knowing the reason. And just the word 'demon' alone is suspicious enough."
System: Hmm, so you're okay with being used as long as you know the reason? You're interesting, Host. My choice was spot on.
Andrey let out a dry chuckle, resuming his chopping with precise, rhythmic motions. "Life's always like that. We'll get used or we'll use others—there's no difference. So tell me your reason."
System: Relax, Host. My goal is just to eradicate evil and eliminate the threat of Demon Laplace. By gathering all seven of his soul fragments, we can purify them.
Andrey's brow furrowed as he cracked eggs into a bowl, whisking them efficiently. "Why not purify them separately, one by one? Gathering all seven souls into one place sounds like a recipe for disaster."
System: Because it's pointless. Those soul fragments can regenerate on their own. But if we purify them all at once, it'll shatter his soul instantly. That's why we have to collect them all.
Andrey nodded slowly, adding the veggies to the pan where they sizzled on contact. "That's a logical reason. But what about the artifacts? Are they dangerous too?"
System: The artifacts need to be purified and stored because they can open gates to dimensions connected to the Primordial Demons—the same race as Laplace. He's super strong, you know~ Way different from regular demons~
Andrey plated the last omelet, the steam rising in lazy curls as he mulled over the system's revelations. He wiped his hands on a dish towel and addressed the floating screen again. "So how do we find these items? Is there some kind of radar?"
System: Spot on~ If one's nearby, I'll notify you right away through a quest, so relax~ Easy peasy, right? You won't have to hunt them down the hard way anymore.
Andrey flipped the toast onto the plates, his mind already calculating risks. "Even if it's easy to find them, that doesn't mean we can beat whatever's guarding them. There must be something blocking the way, right?"
System: You're such an overthinker~
Andrey set the plates down on the counter with a soft clatter. "Of course. We can't just dive in the second a quest pops up. And there's no reward listed—you want us to work for free?"
System: Oh, relax about that too~ I've got separate rewards prepped for when the quests trigger. I'm not stingy, you know~
Andrey let out a long sigh, rubbing the back of his neck as he poured the coffee. "Fine, if that's the case. But if the rewards don't match up, I'll reject them."
The system chimed cheerfully, the screen winking out with a sparkle, leaving Andrey alone in the kitchen. He glanced toward the living room, where Sarah and Lisa were starting to stir—the aroma of breakfast clearly doing its job. Sarah sat up first, stretching with a yawn, her borrowed hoodie slipping off one shoulder. "Mmm... smells good. You cooked?"
Lisa blinked awake, rubbing her eyes and fixing her messy hair. "Yeah... manager duties include breakfast now?"
Andrey brought the plates over, setting them on the coffee table. "Efficiency starts with fuel. Eat up—we've got a new quest line to discuss."