As the class continued, Professor Sylvia managed to pull her skirt down (mostly) and began lecturing on the volatility of Slime fluids.
Alex was watching, chin in hand, when a blue window popped up, obscuring his view of the professor's frantic hand gestures.
[System Tip: Proximity to 'Main Characters' accelerates growth.] [Engaging in 'Meaningful Interactions' with Main Characters yields bonus Lust Points, Attribute Points, and rare Skill Unlocks.]
Alex blinked. 'Is this a quest?' he thought. 'I thought you said you were a sandbox system.'
[Do you have the memory of a goldfish?]
The System's voice dripped with digital sarcasm.
[I think I made it very clear during orientation: I won't be issuing missions. I don't do fetch quests.]
'Then what was that just now?' Alex retorted mentally.
[Do you know the concept of a 'Suggestion'? Also known as a 'Tip', 'Advice', or 'Read the damn manual'? I was just giving you a hint.]
Alex rolled his eyes internally. 'Whatever. So you mean to say I will get extra rewards for getting close to the Main Cast?'
[Yes. Finally, the monkey understands.]
'So how does it work?' Alex asked, his gaze drifting toward the front row where Emily Frost sat. 'By Main Characters, you mean the plot-relevant ones? The Protagonist's harem? You... don't mean the Protagonist himself, do you? You don't want me to get 'close' to Ren, right?'
[GAG.]
A distinct retching sound echoed in Alex's skull.
[Hey, are you a homo or something? Why does your mind always go to the gay route? Huh?]
'Sorry! Just checking!'
[By 'Main Characters', I mean individuals who were part of the game's core narrative. People who affect the plot. Heroines. Villains. Key Rivals.]
The System paused, then added a malicious little footnote.
[FYI: You are NOT a Main Character. You are Alex Edelhart. In the game files, your character ID was 'Mob_Noble_04'. You are just some insignificant extra.]
'Well, thank you for pointing that out,' Alex grumbled. 'It's great for my self-esteem.'
[Don't feel low, buddy,] the System mocked, sounding surprisingly cheerful. [You can become a Main Character too. This is no longer a game, you know. If you steal the heroines, you steal the plot armor. Grind your way to the top.]
'Grind, huh...'
Alex got lost in thought. Stealing the heroines? Becomin g the protagonist? It sounded ambitious. It sounded dangerous. It sounded—
Nudge.
A sharp elbow to the ribs jolted him back to reality.
"Hey," Hanks hissed out of the corner of his mouth. "Where are you lost? The Professor is calling you."
"Huh?"
Alex lifted his head.
He wasn't met with the usual bubbly, clumsy Sylvia. He was met with the pouting, narrowed eyes of a genius alchemist who felt ignored.
Professor Sylvia was standing right in front of his desk, arms crossed. She tapped her foot.
"Do you find my class boring, Student Alex?" she asked. Her voice wasn't angry, but it had a sharp edge to it.
The class went silent. Everyone turned to look at him.
"N-No, Professor!" Alex stammered, sitting up straight. "Not at all!"
"Then..." Sylvia leaned down, her glasses glinting. "Could you tell me what I was just teaching? Specifically, the reaction between Mandrake Root and Fire Slime Jelly?"
Alex froze.
Mandrake... Fire Slime...
He racked his brain. He checked his memories.
Nothing. He had been too busy arguing with the voice in his head about being gay for the protagonist.
'System? Help?'
[LOL. Lmao, even.]
The System laughed. It actually laughed.
[Good luck, Mob_Noble_04.]
'You useless piece of—'
"Well?" Sylvia pressed.
"I..." Alex swallowed hard. "I don't know."
Sylvia stared at him for a long moment. Then, she clicked her tongue.
Tch.
It was a sound of pure disappointment.
"I took you for a diligent student, Mr. Edelhart," she sighed, shaking her head. Her messy blonde hair swayed. "Especially after your improvement in mana control. But it seems I was wrong. Raw talent means nothing if you don't pay attention."
She turned around, her lab coat fluttering.
"See me after class," she muttered. "We need to have a talk about your attitude."
Alex slumped in his chair.
"Great," he whispered. "I just got scolded by the clumsiest woman in the world."
[Achievement Unlocked: Teacher's Pet (Negative). +0 Lust Points.]
"Shut up," Alex hissed.
He walked out of the alchemy lab in a foul mood. Being scolded by a klutz like Sylvia felt like a new low.
"Yo, Alex!" Hanks jogged up to him, grinning. "That was brutal back there. Wanna hit the arcade to blow off some steam? I heard Roxy is asking for you."
"No," Alex rejected him flatly. "I have things to do."
"Things? What things?"
"Training," Alex muttered, his eyes dark with determination.
He didn't just want to pass; he wanted to dominate. A simple change in his demeanor had already caught the attention of the busty girl in class. What if he transformed completely? What if he built a body that matched his... lower equipment?
A lewd, ambitious expression twisted his face. I'm going to get ripped. And then I'm going to make this entire academy my playground.
Lost in his filthy delusions, Alex walked with his head down, turning a sharp corner near the equipment sheds.
Squish.
He didn't hit a wall. He stumbled face-first into something incredibly soft, warm, and smelling of cheap menthol and expensive perfume.
"Hm?"
Alex pulled back, blinking.
Standing there, rubbing her chest, was Maya.
She was alone. No lackeys. Just her.
And she was dressed to kill—or to solicit. Her uniform was a masterclass in violation. Her white shirt was unbuttoned all the way down, held together only by friction and hope. A black lace bra struggled to contain her heavy breasts, pushing them up and out. A tattoo of a black rose stemmed from her cleavage, winding down her flat stomach and disappearing into her skirt.
Her skirt was rolled up so high it was basically a belt. The strings of her black thong rode high on her hips, fully visible above the waistband.
"Where are you lost, Pimp?" Maya sneered, recognizing him.