Chapter 94: Shopping |
Shopping
“Haah, haah….” Smack! I gasped for breath and cheekily gave Liliana’s plump rear end a playful swat.
“I’ve worked up quite an appetite after all that effort. Liliana, what are you in the mood to order?”
“Ugh, just give me a moment to catch my breath…”
Even though Liliana was fully dressed, her bare skin was still visible, making quite the view.
“Next time, wear that when we’re having sex. It looks good.”
“You pervert… Oh, come on.”
I mischievously prodded Liliana’s side, making her moan with each poke.
“You should’ve shown it to your master first, you know.”
Liliana was still lost in the afterglow, unable to move, so I activated the food delivery app on my smartwatch.
“What are we ordering again?” Liliana asked, stealing a peek at my smartwatch as I perused today’s menu options.
“Huh? Well, let’s see… We’ve got nothing at home.”
“Sometimes, I crave something healthy.”
“What?”
Why is this succubus suddenly talking about healthy food? What happened to that?
“I miss the meals my mom used to make!”
“No, it hasn’t been that long since you were tearing up while eating chicken, and now you’re all sentimental about homemade food. Are you kidding?”
“I don’t know! Just make me some food!” Liliana leaned toward me with a pleading look.
“Come on, really? If you’re hungry, you should make it. Why should I do it for you?”
“You should! I make money for you, and you get to fuck me. What’s your contribution to our household?” Liliana widened her eyes as she spoke.
“Uh…”
“You don’t even handle household chores. I’m the one doing the laundry and occasionally vacuuming. I bring in the income, and I’m always at your service. So, what’s your part in all this?”
“Is that so…?” I couldn’t really come up with a convincing counterargument.
Am I truly a good-for-nothing, not Liliana? I mean, I’m living life on my own terms, but when it comes to contributing to the household, as Liliana put it… Wait, is “household” even the right word? And why the sudden fixation on homemade food?
★ Heroine Status Window
[Liliana]
[Affection: 86] (+0.2)
[Lust: 74]
[Appetite: 45]
[Fatigue: 35]
Current Status: “I want to go out with my master after such a long time…”
Oh… She wanted to go out.
Being cooped up at home every day can get a bit stifling, I suppose. Still, I can’t let her get away with teasing me like that.
“Liliana, I’m sorry… I’ll go grocery shopping and make dinner.” I threw on my clothes, an apologetic expression on my face.
“I’ll come too. It’s a bit sad if you go alone.” She grinned slightly, as if that was the plan. But that’s not happening.
“No, it’s fine. To make it up to you, I’ll go alone. Send me your food requests through a message.”
“Huh? Is that really necessary?”
“I’m off to do some shopping. Send me your meal requests, see you~” I put on a coat and started to slip on my shoes by the front door.
“…Alright, just go!” Liliana crossed her arms and shot me a stern look. She must’ve figured out that I was doing this on purpose.
Did I make it too obvious with my smile? Anyway, taking her shopping would just be a hassle; she’d keep asking for this and that. It won’t make a difference.
“Let’s go together next time. I’m going…”
“Okay…”
Seeing her look upset, my resolve softened a bit. Maybe I should consider finding a place outside of the dorms, especially for Liliana’s sake and for meeting other girls. It’s more convenient outside than within these dorms. Now that her streams are stable, there’s no need to attract unnecessary attention.
For now, I opened the dormitory door to go shopping.
“…?” As soon as I stepped out of the room, a strange chill passed through my body. “Why did I suddenly feel this slight shiver?”
Is it still this cold? Anyway, I should make that homemade meal for Liliana as she wished. The only dish I can make is kimchi stew, but I suppose that will have to do.
“Shall we go to the supermarket?” I made my way to a sprawling discount store, ready to savor the joy of shopping, a pleasure I hadn’t experienced in ages. Truth be told, whether in my former life or in this new reality, visiting a large supermarket was a rare occurrence.
Considering that it costs me around 3 million won a month to maintain my lifestyle here, ordering food and necessities for delivery is quite convenient. Although many students like me visit this market, it seems to attract more local residents than students. I came here with the goal of trying to recreate that shopping vibe by pushing a cart. Otherwise, I probably wouldn’t have bothered.
“So, the kimchi stew recipe, kimchi, and beef bone broth…” I checked the kimchi stew recipe on my smartwatch and picked up the ingredients one by one. It brought back memories of when I first started living on my own, and it felt pretty good. I really put in some effort during the first month of independent living… but, of course, I eventually got lazy and resorted to ordering delivery food.
———————-
[Subquest received]
[Helping Nam Daeun]
Running out of money when at the checkout can be really awkward. Help out so that she can smoothly go through with her purchase!
[Reward: Random stat +1]
———————-
“Huh?”
Suddenly, a subquest pops up?
I cast a swift glance around, and there she was, Nam Daeun, pushing her cart towards a checkout counter. Her figure was immaculately sculpted, and her long black hair flowing down to her waist only added to her allure.
★ Heroine Status Window
[Nam Daeun]
[Affection: 11]
[Lust: 10]
[Appetite: 30]
[Fatigue: 83]
Current Status: Buying Dahee’s favourite snacks and shampoo because it’s running out…
It seemed like she was headed to meet her younger sister, and for some reason, a subtle smile graced her face instead of her typical air of superiority.
Without a second thought, I trailed behind Nam Daeun, pushing my cart. Her cart brimmed with snacks and everyday essentials. She picked up pricey chocolates and boxed snacks for her sister. When it came to shampoo, she opted for the most budget-friendly option available. Not a trace of body wash or foam cleanser, just a humble bar of soap. Even the tissue she chose had the most attractive sale label.
“That’ll be 13200 won, miss.”
“Just a moment. I’ll pay with cash.”
Nam Daeun gets only a meager allowance because the guild takes away most of her living expenses. My heart ached as I watched her struggle to pull out ten 1,000-won bills and a handful of 100-won coins from her well-worn pink wallet.
“One, two, three…”
“Miss, you’re a little short…”
But, unbelievably, she was short by just 100 won.
“Oh, I’m sorry…” Hesitating briefly, Nam Daeun eventually gave up on buying her own shampoo in favor of her sister’s snacks. It seemed like she miscalculated the total when purchasing her sister’s treats, leaving her feeling embarrassed about falling short of the 13,200 won.
I had to step in.
“Nam Daeun…”
“Uh…?”
She looked incredibly flustered when I suddenly appeared behind her.
“Haven’t found your lost card yet? Sorry, please use this for payment.” I handed my smartwatch to the cashier.
“Yes, understood.”
“No… thank you.” She accepted my offer, holding onto her shopping bag and waiting patiently in front of me as I completed my payment.
“I’ll make sure to pay you back.” She nodded earnestly while gripping her shopping bag, leaving me to wonder if this was the same Nam Daeun I’d known.
“You really have a thing for snacks, don’t you? You even chose to skip the shampoo in favor of the snacks.”
“They’re for my little sister… I haven’t seen her in a while.”
“I see. Then grab some more. I’ll cover it.”
“No, that’s not necessary. I’d feel like a burden.”
“Still, it’s been a while since you’ve seen her, right? You should get more. Your sister will appreciate it.”
Nam Daeun hesitated for a moment when her sister’s preference was mentioned, then let out a sigh. “Alright, it’s just that I’m really thankful today. The truth is, I’m running low on money this month and I’ve run out. I’ll definitely pay you back next month.”
“You don’t need to pay it back. We’re on the same team. Just be more cooperative next time. It’s a way of saying thanks since I’m doing this for you.”
“I’m sorry, but I really need to secure the first place.” Nam Daeun’s expression toughened slightly, perhaps thinking about her sister who’s in the hospital.
“Why is getting first place so important? What’s the significance?”
“To me, first place holds a very special meaning. I’m truly sorry. I’ll make sure to repay you for today’s help.”
“Nah it’s okay, we’re in the same team. See you next time.” I left Nam Daeun standing there and exited the store.
[Quest Complete!]
“Well, it’s a little disappointing that my little plan didn’t pan out.”
Nevertheless, the fact that I had such a lengthy conversation with someone who’s typically closed off emotionally is a success in itself. I did manage to create a somewhat positive impression. It’s all about gradually getting her to open up, after all. Next time, I’ll put more effort into our team. I even bought some snacks for her.
When I got back to the dormitory, Liliana greeted me. “You’re back?! Did you get what I messaged you about?”
“Come on, chicken or pizza can’t be called homemade. Today, I’m going to show you the real essence of homemade food.”
“Mmm… okay.” Liliana, with a somewhat hesitant expression, lay down on the bed while I started preparing kimchi stew. It’s taking a bit of time to get back into the groove of cooking. Nevertheless, the aroma of the simmering kimchi stew began to waft through the room, and even Liliana, who was lounging on the bed, slowly made her way over.
“What’s this?”
“Oh, it’s just some homemade kimchi stew.”
“What are you babbling about now?”
I handed Liliana the kimchi stew I’d whipped up. Kimchi stew with warm rice—that’s real homemade food.
“Eek! It’s spicy! What’s in this?”
“It’s meant to have a kick, but it’s also strangely refreshing.”
“It’s just hot and spicy, what’s so refreshing about it? Are you nuts?”
Even when I tried to treat her to some homemade cooking, this sassy succubus couldn’t help but make a fuss.
“This is K-Homemade, alright? When it’s spicy, you pair it with a sunny-side-up.”
“Hmm… it’s kind of tasty and kind of not.”
Watching a succubus clumsily eat kimchi stew was an odd sight. As I stared at Liliana, I noticed the window was open.
“Liliana, I told you to always keep the window closed. What if someone peeks inside?”
“Huh? I didn’t open it.”
“I remember closing it when I left. If it wasn’t you, then who?”
“Maybe… it might have been me or not.”
Seeing Liliana furrow her brow as she tried to recall, I began to wonder. Could she be getting forgetful already? Well, she’s not getting any younger.
“I don’t like that expression on your face, are you thinking something strange?”
“Not at all. Just enjoy the kimchi stew.”
***
“Nah it’s okay, we’re in the same team. See you next time.” With those words, Lee Hoyeon gave a casual wave and left the mart.
“Haaa…” Nam Daeun sighed as she looked at the snacks in her shopping bag. “I can’t believe I’m actually jealous of such a nice person. I’m a mess…”
Thanks to him, she bought more snacks for her sister. After taking a shower and changing into comfy clothes, she lay down on the bed.
“I guess he wants to be first place too… There have been rumors about him being a prodigy.”
She opened Everyday to look up Lee Hoyeon’s name, and there were plenty of articles. Most praised him, but there were also unwarranted criticisms.
“Why are people so selfish…?”
What did Lee Hoyeon do to deserve such criticism? He’s not living an easy life either.
“Ugh…” Nam Daeun sent a message to her sleeping sister, hoping it would bring a smile to her face.
[Me: [Photo] I got you a bunch of snacks! Let’s meet this weekend!]
“I hope Dahee will smile a little when she sees this.”
Tomorrow was the day of the one-on-one duel. So far, Nam Daeun had comfortably held onto the top spot in the practical exams without showing her full potential.
“Can I pull it off again this time?”
She wanted to level the playing field and help her sister by reducing the Buyers Guild’s and Mingyu’s advantages. She’d only been using her abilities to maintain her first-place position, but Lee Hoyeon appeared genuinely strong.
“We’ll meet in the one-on-one duel… I hope it’s in the finals. At the very least, he’ll get second place.” As worries about the upcoming day swirled in her mind, Nam Daeun drifted off to sleep.
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