Melo Academy

Elias barely had time to process the system's commands when a soft, yet firm voice snapped him back to reality.

"Are you new here?" Selene Valentine asked, her icy blue eyes staring at him with mild curiosity.

"Ahm… yes?" Elias replied hesitantly.

Selene crossed her arms, her expression unreadable. "You're sitting in my favorite chair in the academy."

Elias stiffened. His mind raced. This was Selene Valentine—the hardest heroine to persuade in the game. What were the odds that their first encounter would start like this? His paranoia kicked in.

"S-Sorry! I didn't know!" he stammered, quickly standing up and moving away without thinking. He could feel her gaze lingering on him for a moment before she simply walked past, taking her seat as if nothing happened.

Elias let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. Great. Just great. How the hell do I acquire Selene when I already messed up? And I don't even have a skill… This game is just great. So great.

As if answering his complaint, the translucent system screen popped up again.

[As the user has spoken, the system shall respond accordingly.]

[The system grants the user the skill: Great Talk.]

[Skill: Great Talk - Allows the user to persuade others more effectively, lowering their resistance and making conversations smoother. Warning: Overuse may cause suspicion. Cooldown: 30 minutes.]

Elias blinked. Then grinned. "Now this is what I'm talking about!"

Just as he was about to test his new ability, the academy's bell rang, signaling the start of class.

"Damn it… Guess I'll figure this out later."

With a sigh, he made his way toward the lecture hall, ready to face whatever twisted mechanics this world had in store for him.