Searching for Breeding Females (1)
First Generation Heroes were revered by all.
The order they established had become the cornerstone of modern society, and their names were law itself—living symbols. In some regions, the members of the 1st Generation were worshipped as beings out of myth, honored with genuine reverence.
That's what I wanted to be.
My dream, of course, had been to become a hero just like them. A life where applause followed you everywhere you went, where you could single-handedly draw a line of fans stretching around the block waiting for your autograph!
And I fumbled it from the very first step. Damn it…!
To become such a hero, you obviously had to defeat villains and rack up experience. Naturally, I was never given that chance. All I got was an order to play stud.
Then again, this headquarters looks like a penthouse.
The 1st Generation Heroes had their own separate headquarters, and the lounge space was enormous. Considering their social standing, it was, in a way, treatment they deserved.
The ability's active, but for now I have to hide my hand to the very end.
I had no intention of being rude from the get-go. If my ability were ever exposed, it would be trivially easy to counter. So, playing the part of a courteous young man, I rapped politely on the door with my knuckles.
"That's an automatic door!"
"Oh."
So no knocking required. Feeling a flush of embarrassment, I withdrew my hand and stood before the door.
"Hi hi~ So you're the new guy!"
The door slid open, and a remarkably petite woman greeted me. She stood about a head and a half shorter than I did, shaking her long black twintails as she flashed an adorably bright smile.
I could guess who she was immediately.
"It's an honor to meet you, senior Luna. I'm Jeon Jihu, 210th Class Hero."
"Ooh~ You recognized me right away!? Impressive!"
Of course I did. She was simply too famous not to know on sight. The mascot of the 1st Generation, who'd begun her hero work out of pure duty—a legend among legends, active under the name of Magical Girl Luna.
[Ability Unlocked]
[Objective: Impregnate all 1st Generation female heroes]
[Configuring system….]
There it was. With that, all the conditions for activating my ability were met. The key to activation was identifying the objective without being struck down by the power itself.
"Ahem, ahem. This one's got real potential. Well, of course he does—there's no way anyone in this world could fail to recognize such an adorable young lady! Pleasure to meet you!"
The moment her words ended, my ability activated.
[System for achieving your objective is now complete.]
[Status window added.]
[Shop window added.]
[Hero Codex added.]
Done. Success.
This was my ability: Quest Setting.
An ability that could generate any number of systems and quests in service of a designated objective. Each quest I completed would grant me a set reward, and those rewards would make me steadily stronger.
"Thank you for the high praise."
"By the way, who are you supposed to be entertaining?"
She probably meant the woman I was supposed to conquer first. Honestly, I'd be happy to plow her first and start racking up rewards one by one.
"My apologies, Senior. I didn't receive a proper handover, so I'm not sure."
"Really? Oh well, can't be helped! Then ultra-super-duper-adorable cutie Luna will just have to teach you herself!"
Hmm… yeah, she really is as strange as the rumors say. Then again, when your body's aging has been completely frozen for decades and you're stuck in a girl's body the whole time, maybe this is what happens.
"I know you think your job is miscellaneous administrative work! But in reality, you'll be buttering us up, pouring our drinks, and… doing uhihi-type things for us too. Ah! Of course, the uhihi stuff is only for one person."
Just as I'd imagined—exactly the duties I'd been assigned. But only for one person? Yeah, right. There was no way that would hold.
Seems there's something I don't know yet.
And… uhihi? What on earth was that supposed to be. Did she get into someone's stash of rat poison?
"Understood, ma'am."
"Oh, have you seen Magical Girl Angel Peace, the one that came out this season? I want to hear the OST. Come to karaoke with me later!"
They said the 1st Generation Heroes had been in the game so long that a lot of them were oddballs. Apparently Luna, the mascot herself, was no exception. Did she still actually believe she was a magical girl?
"Oh! Since we're on the subject, let's go now!"
Obviously I had no intention of singing anything. Did she take me for a child? Give me a break.
Besides, I had no plans to conquer Luna. You could call her face fairly pretty, sure—but she was tiny. I like my women tall with big chests, thank you very much.
"I'm sorry, Senior, but I need to file my transfer paperwork first."
"Aww~ you don't need to do that."
"If I don't, I might hear about it later…. I'd be grateful if we could postpone the karaoke trip."
"Hmmmmm."
If she wouldn't accept it even after all that, what was I supposed to do? I didn't love burning time here.
"Fine! But you HAVE to go with me later, okay? Got it!"
"Yes, ma'am. Understood."
Thankfully, she took the hint.
If she'd pulled rank on me, I'd have had no choice but to toss this tiny little magical girl into my collection too.
After Luna finally waved goodbye and vanished off to wherever she was going, I was able to make my way toward Thetis's office with considerably lighter steps. When I reached the end of the corridor and stood before the massive, heavy door, an inexplicable tension crept over me. So this was where it all began.
A private office inside the lounge, huh.
Just from that, I could guess how rigorously she guarded her privacy. It also meant she wielded enormous power even within the 1st Generation.
Knock again? Or is it an automatic door…
Vmmm—the door slid open. My hand nearly went to waste a second time.
"Come in."
Thetis's voice drifted out, calm but with an undercurrent of cool reserve. Without lifting her eyes from her documents, she added flatly:
"Let's skip the introductions. We both know why you're here."
"Understood."
Thetis of the 1st Generation Heroes.
The word "beauty" hardly did her justice. Her long, deep navy hair cascaded down like seaweed swaying underwater, and the skin glimpsed between those strands was pale, suffused with a faint blue glow. And her eyes—when you looked into them quietly, it felt like gazing down into the abyssal deep, a darkness with no end in sight.
"The hero who purchased your seed is Ashtu. The last surviving member of the Werewolf clan."
"Ashtu…. Understood."
"However, she is currently back in her homeland, fighting a duel for the title of Great Warchief. You won't be seeing her for some time."
Hold on. Then what happens to me?
Am I… really supposed to just sit around strumming a guitar? While singing the OST from some weird magical girl anime?
I would absolutely, positively rather die than do that. Seriously!
"For the time being, you'll be assisting the others with their duties."
But apparently the universe wasn't out to kill me. The instant Thetis finished speaking, a quest appeared.
Assist Thetis with her paperwork.
🎁 Reward: Thetis's Affection +10, Stat Enhancement Ticket
So that's how it begins. Still in the tutorial phase, judging by how weak the reward is.
"Then—would it be alright if I assisted you with your work, Lady Thetis?"
"…Pardon?"
Thetis looked up at me, her eyes wide with surprise.
Frankly, better paperwork than being tormented by a pack of weirdos.
"My work would be difficult for you. And tedious, besides."
"I don't mind. I've helped the instructors with document work several times back at the Training Center."
"Hmm…. Is that so. As it happens, I was just in need of an assistant."
However hard it was, how hard could it really be? I'd simply give it my all and be done with it.
"Your name is… Jeon Jihu, correct?"
"Yes, that's right, Senior."
"My work is the administration of all 1st Generation hero activities. Normally one would hire staff or a secretary, but we're such an unusually sensitive organization that I'm the only one who handles it."
Come to think of it, there wasn't a single computer anywhere in the room. Nothing but paper files, pens, and old, worn cabinets filling the space from wall to wall.
"So no Excel, I'm afraid. If we were ever hacked and information leaked to the villains, it would be a catastrophe. Every detail of our activities would become the most delicious prey imaginable for our enemies."
The volume really was staggering, though. It was almost hard to believe she organized and managed all of this by hand.
"So if you'd rather not do it, say so now, Mr. Jeon Jihu."
"I'll do it."
The answer was already decided. If I walked out of here, I'd be stuck playing with that magical girl instead.
"I see. You're an unusual one. Most men in your position wouldn't touch grunt work like this—they'd be too busy currying favor with whoever they'd been chosen for. Well… very well, then."
Thetis looked at me, the corner of her mouth curling up ever so slightly. It was an enigmatic smile I couldn't quite put into words.
"Don't run away."
First impressions are everything. Naturally, I had no intention of running.
If anything, that was my line.
I planned to make absolutely sure she could never escape. Not that knowing it would do her any good—she wouldn't be able to shake me off anyway.