On Earth, I Have Two Choices
On Earth, I had two options. First, tell Anzelli about the bug and claim the reward. Second, exploit it in secret.
...Simple enough. I'll abuse it until the inventory sharing feature unlocks, then report it once the bug becomes useless.
I chose to take both. But before that, if it turns out I can store people in my subspace, I might keep it secret forever. Once I told Anzelli, there'd be no going back, so I decided to proceed with caution.
Now, just one last thing to check.
"Chris? I need your help with something."
"Huh?"
I took Chris into Terraforming. Just like my first time, she felt a bit dizzy from the dimensional shift. She'd get used to it since it'd happen often from now on.
If anyone had seen us, they might've noticed Chris's clothes suddenly turning modern, but this was her private room. No issues.
- Swish.
An item appeared in my hand from thin air. Unlike Chris's subspace, where items materialized naturally in her palm if she willed it, my inventory required me to visualize it, reach into empty space, and pull things out manually.
I handed the item from my inventory to Chris.
"Whoa? Ch-Chanyoung, you have a subspace-like ability too?"
"It's a bit different. Mine feels like an invisible pouch floating in the air? Anyway, put this in your subspace."
"Just how many abilities do you have...?"
"Wait! When you store something in subspace, you don't have to infuse mana into the object itself, right?"
"Nah. It's more like concentrating mana in my palm, the part that's not the ability's target."
"Good. Then we're fine."
"Alright... got it."
Chris took the item from my hand and stored it in her subspace. She'd seen me do incomprehensible things enough times to just go along without question. Explaining would take too long anyway, so I skipped it.
Once I confirmed the item vanished from her hand, I returned to Earth with her.
"Now, take out the item I gave you here."
- Nod.
The white orb appeared in Chris's hand—the perfect size to hold in one palm. Success...?
World-Bound Item Export Detected!
Judging...
Result - No impact on Terraforming world even if deleted.
Yeokcheon Orb item deleted. Reward paid to system owner!
The Yeokcheon Orb in Chris's hand began to vanish, crumbling to dust from the top down and scattering into the air.
- Shhh...
The dust dissolved into the air before hitting the floor. No trace left on the ground. The Yeokcheon Orb was completely gone.
30,000 Karma awarded!
Even in Chris's hand instead of mine, it vanished the same way. I hadn't figured out every cause for exporting world-bound items, but the export itself was blocked.
"Whoa? It disappeared! Chanyoung? Is this normal?"
"...I expected as much."
This system seemed like Earth's programming. Block the outcome, and no major bugs occur. Just like a game from a mid-tier indie studio...
"Still, kinda sucks to lose it..."
It was a one-of-a-kind item. The white orb's known side effect was sending only the soul back in time. If I used it...
Worst case, back to early Terraforming, fat and ugly.
Not terrible to have, but not essential either. No plans to die irreversibly in Terraforming anyway, so I'd avoid real danger. Crises bad enough to use the orb were unlikely.
Training instructor's out—my record's too thin. Central control guard duty might work?
Superhumans weren't just for combat. Pay and status might drop, but safe desk jobs existed. Especially for strong, capable folks like me and Chris—options galore.
So, no panic. Rationally, the karma gain might be better. I'd have sold the Yeokcheon Orb in the system shop for 30,000 karma if possible. And hey, reward received. Worst I'd imagined: vanishes without reward, or busted and summoned to heaven.
"Chanyoung? Y-you okay?"
Chris looked worried, clearly blaming herself for the orb's disappearance. I smiled lightly to reassure her. Even if worse, it wasn't her fault.
"Yeah, no biggie. That world's time doesn't flow, so think of it as a long vacation. Rest up."
"...Yeah?"
As Chris brightened, I sorted my thoughts. I'd get more world-bound items following the novel protagonists. Unneeded ones could trade for karma like this.
It checked for impact before deletion... Items affecting the world get handled differently? But I wouldn't try exporting key ones anyway.
- Tap tap.
"Huh?"
My focus broke from fingers on my arm. Tracing the small, slender digits... Chris, face slightly flushed.
A couple seconds of confusion, then I got it.
"Oh! Sorry, this is your room. I'll get out of your way. Rest easy."
- Grab!
"Whoa? Chris?"
As I headed for the door, she grabbed my arm—firmly. Back to puzzled, I looked at her face.
"N-no... I mean... um..."
"...Aha."
Her head ducked, face beet red, mumbling. I knew why she'd grabbed me. When she avoided my eyes like this, she wanted one thing.
Without suppressing my curving smile, I murmured low.
"Battle heat, huh? You said you wanted it because of that?"
- Whoosh!
Her flustered voice hit the mark, classic Chris. Head down, then snapping up—only to drop again seeing my grin.
- ...Nod.
A small nod. Now I saw another reason she'd showered. Arm around her shoulders, I led us to the bed in her room.
"Ah..."
*
"You know? If I heard it all, your junior did too."
Anzelli's gaze hurt, usually so sweet to me. Her eyes smiled beautifully as always, but the look beneath those lids was icy for sure.
I knew she'd react this way. Calmly, I replied.
"Probably."
Couldn't help the sounds while tangled with Chris. This house had slightly better soundproofing, and Chris—thinking we were alone—didn't hold back. As roommate, ignoring it would've been harder.
"But she knows Chris and I are lovers."
"...True."
Lovers making love isn't weird. An angel denying human reproduction? Hilarious. Of course, Anzelli hated Baby Angel catching us. Difference between 'angel viewing humans' sex vs. 'coworker noticing friend's sex.' Fair to dread.
I don't care if caught.
Hard to blame anyone. She knew it wasn't my fault either. But as Anzelli, anger was inevitable. Like eating chicken in front of a dieter—obvious rage, even if the diet wasn't voluntary.
As her lover, I'd decided to take the anger.
But Anzelli acted outside expectations.
- Squish!
"Huh?"
She pulled me into a hug. My face buried in her ample chest. Soft flesh tickled, a pleasant fresh scent filled my nose.
"...Chanyoung with other women, even sleeping with them... unavoidable... I'm 'second'... Should be grateful you accepted me..."
My whole face pressed in, couldn't open my mouth. Muffled speech might tickle her via vocal vibrations, loosening the hug. Felt too good; wanted more.
"But... jealous. She's first, but can confirm your love anytime, anywhere... that's what I envy..."
"..."
"You're patient too, right? Sorry... If I just gathered courage..."
- Squeeze!...
Hug tightened. Instead of anger, she apologized. I thought chatty Anzelli wasn't too urgent without deep intimacy. But it held deeper meaning for her. Unconscious 'confirm affection' phrasing.
Realized her sexless life by force was tough too. Especially at her peak heat.
- Stroke.
Stroke...
Soft hand without calluses on my head. Sad one's Anzelli, but I'm soothed. Didn't block; too healing. Eyes closed, felt like drifting to sleep.
"Chanyoung... Wanna go out, just us? Korea has motels..."
"Your junior might notice us outing together."
"Eek!... T-tickles!"
- Slooow...Thud!
As expected, lips to cleavage while speaking made her squirm, trying to break free. I blocked her arms, kept the hug, turning head sideways to avoid tickling.
Anyone seeing: hulking guy acting spoiled with woman—nightmarish. So what? No one's here. I want this.
Anzelli's embrace had something making one lazy.
- Stroke.
Stroke...
Seeing me, she sweetly petted again. Breathing suggested stifled laughter. My act charmed her.
"...You seem like a cat..."
"A 185cm ripped muscle cat?"
"Pffft!"
"...Didn't we agree no suspicions when we became lovers?"
"Junior's not sharp... O-one or two times... okay, right?"
"Fine by me."
"Then... T-today?"
Patient Anzelli hit her limit post-Chris. Why's everything aligning perfectly? Kinda weird.
Couldn't hide from Anzelli forever, didn't muffle Chris partly hoping this. Could've kissed to quiet her... Chris sleeps exhausted now. Nothing blocking our outing.
"Shall we?"
Waiting quietly, she finally released the hug at my words. Facing her: face incredibly flushed, like ages ago.