"Idiot Natsuki, what did you just say?"
Miko Yotsuya tilted her head in confusion.
Natsuki sighed.
"Actually, this morning I got chosen by that game again..."
"Huh?" Miko froze, a look of worry appearing on her pretty face. She reached out to check Natsuki's body. "You're not hurt, are you?"
"No."
Natsuki shook his head and briefly recounted what had happened in the game.
"So much happened..." Miko bit her lower lip. Since she wasn't a player, she couldn't help even if she wanted to. "What did you mean by 'cultivate' just now?"
"An interesting ability appeared in the shop refresh today." Natsuki said. "I Don't Want to Work Hard Anymore."
Miko squinted suspiciously. "...That doesn't sound wholesome at all."
[Skill: I Don't Want to Work Hard Anymore]
[Price: 50 Game Coins]
[Item Attribute: This skill is designed for players who don't want to work hard. Get stronger while lying down! Simply lie flat on the ground and let others step on you to absorb trampling energy and convert it into special energy that improves physical attributes.]
[Note: Rich loli, I don't want to work hard anymore!]
When Natsuki woke up that morning, he'd habitually checked the game shop. The premium items had refreshed.
He'd expected only permanent attributes to appear, but there were skills too.
When Natsuki saw it that morning, he hadn't paid much attention. He'd spent most of his game coins over the past few days and was too broke to buy anything.
Who knew he'd get pulled into the game again that morning? After clearing it, he'd gotten rich overnight.
So he was tempted.
Getting stronger just by lying flat, even lying flat all the way to human limits—who wouldn't be tempted by such a skill?
Natsuki was an only child. He had no little sister, didn't know any rich lolis, but that was fine—he was a man with a childhood friend.
"Getting stronger just by lying down and being stepped on..." Miko hugged her chest and couldn't help but retort, "That's way too weird."
Natsuki held the umbrella. "Just think of it as a back massage and it's fine."
"Even if you say that..." Miko hesitated. "It still feels really strange."
Natsuki said helplessly, "It's not like you didn't step on my back in middle school."
"That was just out of curiosity back then." Miko's pretty face reddened slightly. She let out a soft breath and agreed. "Fine, I get it... Let's go inside first."
During the summer of their second year of middle school, the two of them had been watching TV at home and happened to see a back-stepping scene. Out of curiosity, they'd tried it once. It hadn't felt comfortable, so they never tried again.
Since it wasn't the first time, doing it once more shouldn't be a problem.
After all, they were childhood friends. Of course she hoped Natsuki could stay safe. If she couldn't help in the game, she certainly couldn't just stand by in the real world.
...
"I'm home."
Miko unlocked the door with her key and stepped into the entryway.
"Welcome back."
A hazy, ethereal voice came from the living room. Miko's father sat on the sofa reading a newspaper and looked up at the sound.
Both Natsuki and Miko pretended not to see him.
"My shoulders are all wet." Miko tucked a strand of hair behind her ear with her right hand, then bent down to change her shoes. "And my socks feel damp too. So uncomfortable."
"Two people sharing one umbrella—getting your shoulders wet is normal." Natsuki said. "Go take a bath first. Be careful not to catch a cold."
"Mm." Miko agreed and walked to the refrigerator. "Wait for me in my room..."
Opening the refrigerator, a rotting human head spirit appeared on the upper shelf, its dead-fish eyes staring straight at Miko.
Miko bit her lower lip. "Natsuki, if you want a drink, come get it yourself."
Natsuki walked over and took a look. Well, well—an old acquaintance.
For some reason, this type of spirit just loved staying in refrigerators. Natsuki saw one every morning when he woke up.
"I'll have black tea."
Without changing expression, Natsuki reached toward the evil spirit head and silently activated his Evil Spirit Repelling aura.
The evil spirit head in the refrigerator immediately shrieked, then rapidly dissolved into black smoke and vanished.
Taking out a can of green tea, Natsuki headed upstairs. "Go take your bath."
Miko quietly breathed a sigh of relief and turned to grasp the bathroom door handle, preparing to go in and bathe.
The next moment.
The black-haired girl's golden eyes suddenly went wide, and her body began trembling involuntarily.
Inside the bathroom.
A terrifying evil spirit that nearly filled the entire bathroom lurked just behind the door. Its face was covered in crimson compound eyes like an insect's, and it met Miko's gaze directly.
"You... can see me?"
A cold, hollow voice reached her ears.
Miko's body trembled slightly. Mist rapidly welled up in her eyes—tears nearly falling.
This was too much.
Way too much!
She had just dealt with the human head in the refrigerator. At the moment when she was most relaxed, she suddenly came face-to-face with an evil spirit—a jumpscare the moment she opened the door. Miko nearly screamed.
"Can you see me?"
The compound-eyed evil spirit slowly pressed closer. Dozens of eyes fixed on Miko, its malevolent, eerie aura causing even more mist to well up in her eyes.
"Natsuki—"
Miko Yotsuya took a deep breath. Her right hand gripped the door handle tightly as she suddenly turned and called out: "Do you want to take a bath together?"
Natsuki Amamiya had almost reached the second floor. Hearing this, he was startled.
She actually wanted to bathe together?
Don't shout things like that in front of your dad—your dad is looking this way!
Natsuki looked down and quickly spotted the teary-eyed, trembling Miko. He immediately understood and headed back downstairs.
Good grief!
Seeing the compound-eyed evil spirit in the bathroom, Natsuki couldn't help but draw a sharp breath. No wonder she was on the verge of tears—anyone would get goosebumps seeing such a terrifying evil spirit.
"You... can see me?"
The compound-eyed evil spirit's eyes spun wildly, all focusing on Natsuki.
Without a word, Natsuki decisively activated his Evil Spirit Repelling aura.
An invisible force enveloped the bathroom. The compound-eyed evil spirit immediately shrieked as transparent flames rapidly consumed its body. Then, amid its screams, it dissipated into nothing.
Natsuki reached out and patted the teary-eyed Miko's head.
"Let's skip it for today. We can bathe together next time."
Bathing with someone's daughter right in front of her father—no matter how you thought about it, that was way too awkward!
"I'll head upstairs first." Natsuki took out his phone and waved it in front of Miko. "Message me if anything happens."
Miko nodded with teary eyes, gripped her phone tightly, and stepped into the bathroom.
Natsuki went upstairs to Miko's room and sat down to read.
No incidents occurred.
Half an hour later.
The door was pushed open, and Miko walked in wearing pajamas.
Natsuki turned to look. His gaze was warped by an indescribable gravitational pull, naturally conjuring the adjective "hefty" in his mind.
He had to admit—his childhood friend had quite the alluring figure.
If Kaguya was used as the standard unit for chest size, Miko was at least five Kaguyas!
"Didn't you ask me to help you?"
Miko's pretty face was slightly flushed as she gestured with her chin. "You can lie down now."