Chapter 225
Chapter 225
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 225. If You Love, You Gotta Pay
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This is so unfair.
If only I'd actually been some playboy charming women left and right, making me popular throughout college and life in general, then maybe.
"Casanova? You've got to be kidding me."
If I'd even dated someone, that'd be one thing. But it's overtime, overtime every damn day, and now when it's not overtime, it's some world-ending battle. When the hell am I supposed to find time for romance?
"No. This is bullshit."
Song Arin, listening to me, responded with a serious face.
"From today on, I'm a board game believer."
"Quit teasing me."
"You think I'm teasing right now?"
She stared at me intently.
"This is real. I'm the professor, you're the Casanova. Yeah. That's it."
I wanted to smack her nodding head as she grinned happily, but I held back with superhuman patience.
"No, so. Does that mean our college life is over?"
"Pretty much."
The moment Song Arin and I finished speaking, the surroundings went pitch black again, and we were back at the round table from before.
"Wow, Casanova!"
Park Ye-eun pointed at me and shrieked like I'd spotted some exotic animal.
"Quiet down..."
"Hey, hey, Casanova's not bad. Back in my day, I was pretty popular too..."
Team Leader spouted nonsense that wasn't comforting at all.
"Heh heh... Heh heh heh heh..."
Ahn Sanghyeon just laughing because he was pleased.
"..."
"..."
Jang Chaeyeon and Yoo Daon, turning their heads away the moment their eyes met.
"So I'm Victim Number One, huh?"
Finally, Eileen teased me playfully as she looked my way.
"..."
It was truly unfair, but anything I said here would just invite more ribbing, so I decided to stay silent.
Ding-a-ling!
A game window popped up right in front of me.
[By acquiring your respective jobs, you gain traits corresponding to those jobs.]
[The goal of this game is to rack up as many points as possible by leveraging your traits.]
[Each person's traits are known only to themselves, but sharing is allowed. Up to you.]
Like job changes in a game, basically.
But Casanova for a job change? It filled me with massive self-loathing.
I stared at the translucent window floating before my eyes.
[You are a Casanova.]
[It's not about how many women's hearts you've captured. It's about how fiercely you've seized and then discarded them. That's what matters.]
[You judged that ripping 100 million won from three people is less profitable than fleecing 1 billion from one.]
[Your utterly ruthless skill at handling people is simply astounding.]
[The abilities you have gained are 'If You Love, You Gotta Pay' and 'Backstab'.]
Every single ability name stabbed at my conscience.
I started reading through the ability descriptions.
['If You Love, You Gotta Pay' compels people around you to spend money on you.]
['If You Love, You Gotta Pay' makes people feel goodwill toward you.]
[If they feel goodwill, it deepens further, encouraging you to get closer to others.]
[The better the person who chooses you does, the more scraps fall your way.]
This is basically telling me to leech off someone.
Does that mean I have to latch onto one person and mooch?
['Backstab' is the Casanova's ultimate technique.]
[When the game ends, anyone you've charmed will be forced to hand over 10% of their assets.]
"..."
After reading the descriptions, I reached a conclusion.
It's structured so you can't win by sticking to just one person.
You have to deceive as many people as possible to profit.
The skill's implementation was so annoyingly perfect that my teeth ground together.
After this game, my image is going to tank no matter what. Maybe I should just give up cleanly and come in last.
[Rewards will be distributed based on score ranking.]
[The winner of this game will gain access to our stationery shop's next title.]
Lame. I don't want to play at all?
I'm out.
As I mentally let go and accepted defeat, ding-a-ling. Another window appeared.
[If Kim Jaeheon wins, we will return your 'lost memories'.]
"..."
Lost memories?
My body, which had relaxed, straightened up instantly.
Lost memories?
What lost memories do I have?
My memories are all intact—
'The one who helped you escape from here wasn't you.'
'It was your little sister.'
"..."
The child's words flashed in my mind.
Gulp. I swallowed without realizing it.
I looked around.
Everyone was staring at their windows with different expressions.
Some looked serious, others utterly indifferent.
"..."
Yeah.
Don't try too hard, but don't give up either. Let's give it a shot.
It might not even be a big deal, that memory.
Repeating that to myself, I took a step forward.
"...Huh?"
I was in a small studio apartment.
My room?
It felt like the place I lived in before joining the Management Bureau.
But for it to be my room...
-Rustle.
It was too clean.
I don't keep my room filthy, but I don't keep it this spotless either.
This doesn't seem like my room.
As I slowly walked around, taking in the surroundings,
-Clunk!
The door opened, and someone entered.
"..."
White hair sparkled in the sunlight.
"...Y-You're back?"
"...What are you doing here?"
Jang Chaeyeon tilted her head, looking at me.
At the same time.
-Ding-a-ling!
The bell rang, and text appeared.
[You two are lovers who have been together since college, and Kim Jaeheon is currently freeloading at Jang Chaeyeon's place.]
[As long as Kim Jaeheon stays at Jang Chaeyeon's home, Jang Chaeyeon must give him 30% of her earnings as allowance.]
As I shuddered at this trashy setup beyond words, Jang Chaeyeon nodded.
"I'll give it."
"N-No, I don't want it."
"I insist."
She shook her head at my words.
"Half—no, I can give you everything."
"You want me here."
Her gaze pierced right through me.
"..."
Is this what they mean by goodwill kicking in?
Jang Chaeyeon gets kinda scary with people she likes.
"...Yeah, well. If you're insisting that much, Chaeyeon, I guess I'll stay."
No point leaving anyway; nowhere to go.
Jang Chaeyeon gave a small smile at my words.
"Yeah. Great."
Then she stared blankly at the sky before starting to pack her things.
"...What are you doing?"
"Heading to class."
"You have work?"
Even in the game?
She nodded at my question and casually grabbed her bag.
She was a teacher, right?
"..."
She slipped on her shoes, tapped the heels, and looked at me.
"I'm off."
"...See you later."
Hearing me, her face bloomed into a bright smile.
She stepped out the door,
[Due to the effect of 'If You Love, You Gotta Pay', you receive 30% of Jang Chaeyeon's points.]
[Your points are now 200.]
"..."
My conscience hurt—too much.
Not even married, but playing the role of boyfriend, living off my girlfriend's earnings while lounging at home.
No, this is too guilty; I can't.
I shot up from my seat.
Gotta do something.
Head out and find a way to earn money or whatever.
With that resolve, I stepped out the door,
And like teleporting, I was standing inside an indoor tennis court.
"...Jaeheon?"
A familiar voice called out.
"...Daon?"
Yoo Daon wiped sweat from her forehead and looked at me.
"What are you doing here?"
"Uh, well..."
"Yeah."
I explained to Yoo Daon that I'd suddenly appeared at the tennis court.
I skipped mentioning waking up at Jang Chaeyeon's place.
Yoo Daon furrowed her brow with a hum as she listened.
"Interesting. I came to and was already swinging the racket."
"Oh, you know how to swing it now?"
"It was easy."
She could barely hit the ball at first. How'd she improve so fast?
Yoo Daon must have the athleticism we lack.
"I was swinging since it told me to, but then I suddenly smelled Jaeheon."
"...Smelled?"
She nodded at my question.
"Jaeheon's scent. Hard to describe, but when you catch it, it's like, whoa, Jaeheon's nearby! That kind of smell."
Must be her renowned hospital-grade sense of smell. I can't relate.
"But, did you just come here?"
"Yeah, pretty much."
"What about your place?"
"Uh..."
If I said Jang Chaeyeon's here, it'd bother Yoo Daon, who'd just fought with her.
"Don't seem to have one."
"Perfect!"
Did I hear that right?
Yoo Daon nodded with a beaming smile.
"You can stay at my place then!"
"No, I couldn't."
"Then where will you sleep?"
"Well, somewhere..."
"Don't do that; stay at my place!"
Yoo Daon smiled brightly.
"My house is huge and nice!"
*
Is this really okay?
"See? There's a kitchen, guest rooms, everything..."
Yoo Daon happily explained her home, opening doors enthusiastically.
['If You Love, You Gotta Pay' effect is now activating.]
"How about it? Nice, right?"
"Yeah, yeah, it's great."
As I half-heartedly replied while eyeing the popup, Yoo Daon looked at me.
"So, Jaeheon."
"Yeah?"
"Wanna live at my place?"
Yoo Daon coaxed me in a subtle tone.
Her upturned eyes met mine.