4. Miss Irene
“…I think we should talk first. Before jumping to any conclusions.”
“Really, is that something you should be saying right now?”
I took a step back from the door, the cold sensation of fear washing down my spine. The monster’s eyes gleamed with cruelness and desire as she looked down on me, her stained smile ever present.
Fuck.
I’m fucked.
“Wait… wait.”
“…”
“I’m sorry for shooting you?”
At my words, the tall woman tilted her head slightly, her long black hair shifting and covering her face.
“You know.”
Blink. She hasn’t blinked the entire time.
“You know. I’m going to rape you. Then I’m going to kill you. And after that? I’ll eat you.”
“Oh.”
“Well, the order doesn’t really matter.”
“I see.”
Slowly, the woman bent downwards and extended her arm, grabbing me roughly by the hair.
I was forced to raise my face.
I made direct eye contact with the monster in front of me.
If there was one consolation, it was that it had taken the form of a pretty girl. Beautiful in an alien-sense, with her refined features contrasting with the blackness of her eyes and hair.
“You need to brush your teeth.”
Ah hah. Ah hah hah hah ha.
What a strange laugh.
It’s an unnatural sound that requires one to move their tongue on purpose in order to make, and yet, it sounds as if they're truly enjoying the situation.
Ah ha, ah ha ha ha ha, ah hah ha…
The eyes themselves, without even the slightest sign of wavering, were still smiling.
“...”
But I gazed forward with a blank stare, looking past the monster and at the words that appeared in my vision.
[You have encountered a new monster!]
[Miss Intruder]
[A parasite with a deviant taste for human flesh.]
[Current Favourability: Affectionate]
[Hint: She enjoys being treated like a princess.]
Parasite, huh.
That explained why there had been a swarming, wriggling mass of pink flesh when I had shot her in the face. It seems the Intruder was a parasite wearing someone else’s skin.
And what’s this about favourability?
[Favourability: An estimated amount of how much the target likes you.]
[Favorability Chart]
[(Hostile) ??? <- ??? <- ??? <- Normal -> Affectionate -> ??? -> ??? (Friendly)]
[Stages marked '???' are unlocked upon completion.]
Responding to my thoughts, the system showed me new responses.
But if this monster supposedly has an affectionate view towards me, why does she want to kill and eat me?
[Monsters have different ways of displaying affection compared to humans.]
…
Well. That makes sense I suppose.
“What would you like me to begin with… and to end with?”
This.
This situation seems a little hopeless, doesn’t it.
Conventional weapons, like my gun, don’t seem to work. I wasn’t given any strength or special abilities that would equip me with the power to take down this woman either. She already has me in her grasp, so it's only a matter of time now.
Ah.
I’m going to die, aren’t I.
“Now. Handsome mister. I’ll ask you only one more time.”
I’m going to be killed.
But, I couldn’t accept the answer.
The common sense, experience, and knowledge I had gained throughout my entire life completely denied the conclusion. However, as if laughing at my escape from reality, an alarm rang.
Tirring~
White words appeared in mid-air.
[Do not despair, womanizer.]
[You are the only one in the world with the casanova system. ]
[Miss Intruder]
[Interest: 4/10]
[Boredom: 3/10]
[Annoyance: 8/10]
[If any of these categories max out, yes, you will most definitely die.]
“…”
I was at a loss for words.
[But.]
[Don’t give up.]
[I’m sure that, since it's you, you can do it.]
“Your choices don’t get any simpler than this.”
[Miss Intruder’s annoyance has been raised by 1 point.]
Is it like that
Is it like that
… is it like that.
My monologue continued and echoed in my drifting away conscience.
Like an actor who forgot his lines on stage and kept repeating his last spoken line.
I bit my lips. The taste of blood spread throughout my mouth. The vividly raw taste brought my conscience back to reality. In front of me was a crazy monster with a broad smile on her face.
Willing or not—
I’m already in this situation.
My head went cold, as if time was flowing slowly.
“Are you really not planning on answering?”
“…”
How do I get out of the evil hands of this monster.
I’m currently captured. If this goes on I’ll be raped, killed and eaten. In a randomized order. No matter how much I strained my brain, I could only think of bad endings.
Even if I proclaimed ‘Please spare me!’, I’d be grateful if I even got a sneer in response.
I couldn’t rely on the monster’s mercy.
Let me rephrase that.
I could only rely on my own ability in order to overcome this obstacle.
“If you’re testing my patience right now…”
“Hey, pretty miss.”
I made my resolution.
“Don’t kill me just yet.”
“Why?”
“Because we have to go on a date first.”
The smile on her face tightened, the corners of her mouth turning and stretching upwards.
“Think about it.”
I gently and carefully placed my hand on the arm that was holding me by the hair.
“There’s no fun in doing everything right away. You’re a smart girl, so you must understand that much?”
“...”
“Let's get to know each other better… and more intimately. That’ll make the payoff much more enjoyable.”
For the first time, the monster’s left eye twitched. Ever so slightly.
Not much, perhaps by just a millimeter or so?
But that was enough for the system to respond.
[Interest has been increased by 2 points.]
[Boredom has decreased by 1 point.]
[Annoyance has decreased by 3 points.]
If you think I’ll die just like that, you're sorely mistaken.
Thus, it was time to begin the game of walking the tightrope. Interest her just enough, but not too much.
Her fingers, which had become claws, loosened slightly from my hair. Not enough to escape, not even close, but enough for me to breathe a little more freely.
“…A date.”
The monster licked her lips slowly, her eyes rolling around in an eerie motion.
“Interesting. Interesting, interesting, interesting.”
[Interest has been increased by 1 point.]
I forced myself to keep my expression neutral, despite my heart rate increasing by the second.
“If it’s so interesting, why don’t you find out for yourself.”
The Intruder leaned closer. Her face was only centimeters away now, and up close I could see how pale and clear her skin was, like a mirror.
“You think stalling will save you?”
She whispered, voice like silk pulled taut over broken glass.
“How can I be stalling?”
Her black, pupil-less eyes narrowed.
“After all…”
I was reminded of the hint the system had shown me earlier. Something about enjoying being treated like a princess in a fairy tale.
I closed my eyes softly, displaying a gentle smile that beamed with radiance. I’ve always been told that I’m good-looking, but only now I was praying that it was enough to move the needle.
“...I’m deeply in love with you.”
“...”
“It’s a bit embarrassing to say, but I’ve always been attracted to those with kind souls. Not to mention, your beauty is unmatched as well."
The monster looked at me with her deep eyes.
It was unnerving.
“...mmm.”
Her body began to shiver, a red blush filling out her pale face. Her eyes widened, and several strands of her hair tickled my nose as she lurched forwards.
“Haaah, I was right. You will be… delicious.”
She was so close now that I could smell her scent. A mixture of iron and the deep, sickly sweet smell of a woman.
“What would we even do on this… ‘date’ of yours?”
The monster’s eyes suddenly narrowed as she asked a question. Her nails grazed my cheek. It felt like a polished bone.
I swallowed.
“First. Let me stand.”
A beat.
Then, surprisingly, she released my hair.
I staggered back, nearly collapsing, but caught myself on the wall. The monster didn’t move to stop me. She simply watched, head tilted with her large eyes that reminded me of an owl’s.
“You’re amusing.”
“I’m glad you think so.”
[Boredom has decreased by 1 point.]
[Annoyance has decreased by 3 points.]
“Miss.”
I stepped forward, a determined smile settling onto my face. I extended a hand forward, bowing slightly, acting as gentlemanly as possible.
“Your name, if I may ask?”
“Irene. You may call me Irene.”
[Congratulations!]
[You overcame the crisis with cunning eloquence.]
I got past the crisis, at least for now.
In other words, it meant that if I didn’t blatantly lie to ‘Irene’ I would’ve genuinely been slaughtered. The unnecessary remark sent a chill down my spine.
To live or to die. That was the question.
I barely got past the first obstacle.
By any means, I had to stay alive.
"Then, I'll take the lead, Miss Irene."
