Became the Contractor of the Favorite Character(4)
"Oh, okay, stop talking! Aren't you ashamed?!"
"I'm not ashamed. I just want to prove my innocence."
Asami spoke with her face blushing as if she were about to explode. I felt a little sorry, but I couldn't help it. As a virgin who has never had a girlfriend, I didn't want to be stigmatized as a seasoned pro by my favorite character.
In my defense, I confessed that I had never had a girlfriend and had never even touched a woman's chest, let alone had sex. I made sure she knew that the kiss we just shared was my very first. I felt bad for embarrassing her, but it was worse having her doubt my purity.
'Seriously, I'm clean.'
"All right. I'll believe you. Then what about this Incubus race? Didn't you say you were human?"
She seemed to have calmed down a bit and asked me again.
"I'm curious about that too. I was obviously human."
I couldn't give Asami a real answer. It was a fact I had only discovered by checking the status window myself.
"Then, do you have any memories from before you were summoned?"
Memories from before. Should I tell her my save file vanished, I contacted the developers, got no reply, went crazy, and started a new game? I couldn't tell her that. I certainly couldn't tell her she was the final boss of this world.
"Hmm… I can't remember…"
"Is that so? Seeing as you can't even remember the status window…"
In the end, I just stuck with the "amnesia" excuse.
'Wait… damn it. Hold on.'
Fortunately, I thought I had played it off well, but the (NEW!) notification at the bottom of my status window caught my eye. The points I had saved to strengthen my abilities for the final showdown in my old save file had been converted into Essence.
'Can't she see this?'
If she could see this phrase, she wouldn't have suspected me of being a gigolo. It proved the points weren't obtained through sex. Since she didn't mention it, it was certain that Asami couldn't see that specific line. I was about to ask her what she saw on her end when she gasped.
"…! Isn't that a Cube Watch on your wrist?!"
I looked down, surprised myself.
A Cube Watch. It's the smartwatch worn by students at the Garden, the academy that serves as the setting for Academy's Hero. In this world, it functions like a smartphone. There's a button where the crown usually is; when pressed, a holographic window appears.
I hadn't noticed it before. Well, given the situation I woke up in, the watch was the last thing on my mind. However, the fact that I was wearing one meant I was a student at the Garden.
Having used it countless times in the game, I instinctively navigated the interface to find my personal information.
Name: Sora
Year: 1st Year, Class F-2
Department: Swordsmanship
Rating: F-Rank
Room: Building F, Room 506
Garden Points (GP): 231
Just like the game, my rank and GP were disastrous. At the Garden, 100 GP is deducted every month for tuition and living expenses. At this rate, I'd be expelled in my third month.
"You're surprisingly good at operating the Cube Watch…?" she asked, tilting her head.
It was a behavior that didn't fit the "amnesia" concept. I was taken aback for a second, but I quickly pivoted.
"Yeah… how should I put it? The muscle memory is still there."
"Um… partial amnesia… I'm sorry. You must have lost your memory because of the shock of my summoning."
Asami lowered her head, looking guilty. I had absolutely no complaints, though. In fact, this was better. I didn't know how I got here, but my reality as a lonely part-timer wasn't exactly a life I missed. Besides, "partial amnesia" was the perfect excuse for any future slip-ups.
With my knowledge of the game and its "hidden pieces," I could navigate this world perfectly. Amnesia would provide the cover I needed to act on information I shouldn't technically have.
"You don't have to be sorry. It's just like you said—the film was cut, and I can only remember bits and pieces here and there."
"I see. For some reason, you felt familiar. You must have been a fellow student…"
It seemed Asami was also a student at the Garden.
"Right. Well, I look forward to working with you. What should I call you? Master?" I asked playfully, extending my hand.
Looking at her depressed expression made me feel down too, so I tried to lighten the mood.
"Hehe… just call me Asami. I look forward to working with you too."
Fortunately, Asami smiled and took my hand. It was soft and warm.
"Whew… I thought I was going to have a heart attack."
After my meeting with Asami, I arrived safely at the room listed on my watch. You lose GP if you're caught trespassing or out late, a rule I already knew. Since 200 GP was my entire life savings, I cautiously made it to my room.
The room was incredibly empty. A few textbooks on a shelf, but nothing else. I didn't know if the previous "Sora" was just a minimalist or if he was too poor to afford furniture.
I decided to wash up before bed. I was currently wearing the Garden uniform. As the best Hunter training school in the country, the facilities were top-notch—private bathrooms and modern appliances.
Today was Saturday. Classes were held on Mondays and Tuesdays, so I threw my uniform into the wash and headed to the bathroom.
"Whoa… is that me?"
I stared at my reflection in the mirror. My face had changed slightly. My eyes were larger, my skin smoother, my nose sharper, and my lips more defined. It was subtle, but I was definitely more handsome.
My body was solid, too. I had exercised in my old life—you need stamina to game for 500 hours a month—but now I looked genuinely fit. Not "bodybuilder" huge, but lean and athletic.
And then… there was my "male pride." It was impressive to begin with—about 13cm flaccid—but now it was thicker, longer, and healthier looking.
"Is this a bug?!"
I touched my muscles and then my enlarged "son." It began to stir in response.
"Wait, it gets even bigger?!"
My god. I had always wanted a bit more size, and now I was truly proud. I didn't usually believe in God, but I sent a quick thank you to the heavens anyway.
I hurriedly washed and lay down. My mind drifted back to the sight of Asami when I was first summoned—naked on the floor, her fingers busy. My "leveled-up" alter ego immediately rose toward the sky. I seriously considered taking care of it myself, but then I stopped.
This was the world of Academy's Hero, the ultimate adult game! I wouldn't need my hand for long.
'I'll satisfy you soon, just wait.'
The first goal: a pure, loving relationship—and eventually sex—with Asami.
The next morning, I lay in bed staring at my status window, deep in thought.
'How should I distribute these points?'
The Essence points allowed me to strengthen abilities or raise stats. The level of freedom was paralyzing. Should I develop a combat skill like Asami's swordsmanship? I could create skills for archery, magic, or healing.
Stats cost 10 Essence per 1 point. In the game, the cost doubled every 10 points, making it inefficient to dump everything into raw stats early on.
My gaze fell on Drain (Lv1). Strengthening this was technically the most efficient move. The higher the level, the more Essence I could harvest.
'But…'
To use Drain, I needed a partner. It required the other person's satisfaction, pleasure, and excitement. Thanks to my Intercourse skill, I could handle the pleasure part, but I needed a target. I knew a few characters I could pursue, but most were extras who didn't fit my taste.
'Well, for now, that's not the priority.'
I made my decision.
'Drain and Intercourse are essential.'
The synergy between obtaining energy and providing pleasure would be enormous. It's the "money makes money" principle.
However, a problem arose. In the original game, a skill level-up cost 30 points. Here, Drain and Intercourse required 2,000 Essence per level. That was a seven-fold increase in cost.
'Damn it…'
I hesitated, but if it cost that much, it had to be worth it.
[Do you want to raise the level of Drain (Lv1)? Cost: 2,000 Essence]
[YES]
With trembling hands, I raised Drain to Level 6 and Intercourse to Level 5. I had spent 18,000 Essence. I ignored my shaking hands and checked the balance: about 9,000 left.
'How to use the rest…'
To survive the academy and help Asami, I needed personal strength. But I was a modern man who had never held anything sharper than a kitchen knife. Even with a skill's correction, a sword felt premature.
That left Magic, Healing, or Buffing. Mage, Healer, or Buffer? It felt like picking a class in an MMO. In the original game, I played a Healer—supporting my favorite characters from the back.
'Why am I deciding this alone?'
Since I was Asami's contractor, I should ask her opinion.
I concentrated my mind and tried to feel her energy. I realized last night that I could sense her presence—not as a map, but as a sensory "pull."
Checking my watch, I saw our appointment was approaching. Asami was coming to pick me up at 12:00. She said that as contractors, we needed time to get to know each other.
With a fluttering heart, I started to get ready. My first "date" was about to begin.