"My Exhibitionist level is already high enough to wear that harem outfit once I buy it…"

  [----------------STATUS--------------]

  [NAME: ------ Shirakiyo Hiromi]

  [ALLURE: ----------------------450]

  [TRAITS: ----Exhibitionist Lv.5]

  [TITLES: ----------------------None]

  [ERO POINTS: ---------------1500]

  "Yay… how wonderful…"

  Hiromi let out another of her usual sighs in the calm of her room at the inn.

  "I only need five hundred more ERO points to buy it… Before, I wasn't sure I'd even be able to wear it, but now it doesn't feel that different from what I'm already wearing…"

  She looked herself up and down, and it didn't take long for her cheeks to flush.

  "Please let this be an effect of level five of the Exhibitionist trait, and not me actually turning into a real pervert… These traits will disappear if I go back to my own world, right, ERO System?"

  […]

  "…"

  […]

  "…"

  […]

  "… I'll take that as a yes."

  [The ERO System evaluates the user's positivity as one of her strengths]

  "Uuuuuu…"

  ***

  After finishing her breakfast at The Tavern (part restaurant, tavern, and cafe), Hiromi decided she would spend the day doing nothing but walk around the city.

  "I'm already a quarter of the way to the ERO goal I need, so nobody can criticize me if I take a short break… Ugh, more than a break, I still have to mentally prepare myself to enter the 'harem'…"

  "Oh, it's yesterday's young lady!"

  To her surprise, just as she was about to leave, she spotted Calicante at one of the tables, the old man who had caused her the most humiliating moment of her life the day before.

  He wasn't alone, sitting with him was a round face that had become all too familiar to Hiromi by now.

  "Mumumu? It's Pinti's future slave! Woman, try not to put on weight here before you put yourself up for sale, or Pinti won't buy you," Pinti said as he recognized her.

  "I have absolutely no intention of putting myself up for sale!" Hiromi exclaimed, annoyed.

  "Ooo, but you do intend to put yourself up for sale, Woman," Pinti replied with a mischievous grin. "Just not as a slave yet."

  "How do you know that?!"

  "News travels fast in this city," the little man in green replied, lifting his cup with both tiny hands and bringing it to his pudgy lips.

  "Uuu… inside the harem, I have to hide from this goblin somehow…" Hiromi muttered to herself.

  "Don't worry, Pinti, this young lady has a sculpted figure, you saw it yourself yesterday," Calicante said, making Hiromi blush again.

  "Speaking of that incident, Pinti still hasn't forgiven you for whacking him in the face with your cane," Pinti complained, puffing out his cheeks.

  "That was your fault for sticking your nose into my business without an invitation," Calicante shot back with a smile.

  "Pinti found the woman first! Besides, that filthy shop of yours is just a hobby! You just like pretending to be a poor, humble old man!"

  "One must never forget where one began, or one might lose sight of where one ends," the old man replied, stroking his beard.

  Hiromi could certainly tell Calicante was dressed much better than the last time she'd seen him.

  "But as for the young lady, until she is sold, she belongs to no one. She's right about that," Calicante said.

  "Thank you!" Hiromi exclaimed. "I still haven't forgiven what happened yesterday, but at least you understand human language, unlike a certain goblin…"

  "Pinti is not a goblin! And don't be fooled, Woman. That sly old fox said it loud and clear, 'until you sell yourself.' If you do, he fully intends to compete with Pinti so he can be the one to buy you."

  "You would be a wonderful addition to my collection of exotic women," the old man said with a grin even more mischievous than Pinti's.

  Hiromi turned red up to her ears and hurried off.

  "Why does everyone come to this place?! I have to pick a different spot!"

  !!

  "Ouch!"

  Only a few steps after crossing the threshold from The Tavern to the street, Hiromi crashed straight into someone, and both of them fell to the ground.

  "Ugh… my head… Ruby?!"

  In front of her, also rubbing her forehead, was her red-haired friend.

  "Hiromi? Sorry, I was thinking about something and wasn't looking ahead…"

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  "No, no, I was rushing too, sorry… Mm? Is something wrong?"

  After they both stood up, Hiromi noticed Ruby looked a bit down.

  "Is it really that obvious?"

  "Pretty obvious…"

  "Well, you can listen to me complain, but I need a drink first…"

  Ruby motioned for Hiromi to follow her back into The Tavern, but Hiromi immediately put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her.

  "It's not good for you to drink this early…" Hiromi said, avoiding her eyes.

  "I'm quite a bit older than you, I think the mom role is supposed to be mine…"

  "Only by a couple of years, don't exaggerate… And I meant what I said, it's too early to start drinking. Besides, The Tavern is infested with shameless goblins and horny old men right now."

  "Those pests could put anyone off drinking… fine, let's walk instead…"

  ***

  "You can't complete a quest?" Hiromi asked, biting into a sweet roll she'd bought on the way to the plaza where they were sitting.

  "As embarrassing as it is to admit it… my party isn't one of the strongest, and right now we're pretty desperate for new income," Ruby sighed, taking a bite of her own sweet roll. "If I had more money, I would've ditched this bikini armor a long time ago…"

  "You can't take an easier quest?"

  Ruby shook her head.

  "With easier quests, we're barely scraping by… If I don't want to start getting into debt, we need to clear advanced quests like the one we're trying to take on right now…"

  "Maybe I could lend you some money…" Hiromi said, fidgeting with the fingers holding her sweet roll.

  "Don't be ridiculous. You're saving up your ERO points, or whatever they're called, to fulfill your dream of becoming a prostitute. I don't want to be a burden to you."

  "My dream isn't to become a prostitute! It's to go back to my world! And besides, it's concubine! A shared concubine, but a concubine all the same…"

  "Sorry, sorry!" Ruby said, laughing. "But seriously, don't worry. I know how to make our party stronger. I have a new member in my sights… it's just that he's kind of unpleasant."

  "Let me guess, knowing what a sleazy place this is, he's a pervert…"

  "And that's coming from someone dressed like that…"

  "I don't do it because I like it! And your situation isn't that different!"

  "But you're right, he is a pervert, and his condition for joining our party has to do with that… that's why I wanted a drink before going to see him."

  Hiromi lowered her head, thinking over Ruby's explanation, then turned to her again.

  "It would be hypocritical of me to tell you not to do something like that when I'm in the same situation to get back to my world. But I want to come with you so you don't feel alone."

  Hiromi clenched her fists and looked at her friend with determination.

  "Are you sure you don't just want to watch them do pervy things to me?"

  "Ruby!"

  "Sorry, haha. Alright, whatever happens, it could be a learning experience for your (career?). Besides, if you come with me, he might not dare ask for anything that extreme…"

  "It's not my career…"

  ***

  It seemed Hiromi had an unbreakable bond with back alleys, because once again, she found herself in one.

  In the middle of the alley, a bald, muscular adventurer was waiting for them. The moment they arrived, he devoured both girls with his eyes.

  "I told you to come alone… Looks like you don't actually want me to join your party after all," the adventurer said once they were close enough.

  "Relax, she's just a friend. She won't interfere," Ruby replied with a sigh.

  "I think you still don't understand that I'm doing you a favor. I don't need to join your party, I'm successful enough on my own."

  "Yeah, I know, Dedrick," Ruby said, clenching her fists. "That's why I'm here, like you asked. What do you want in exchange?"

  The adventurer named Dedrick grinned from ear to ear.

  "First of all, I'd like you to show me some sincerity, show me how much you want me to join your party."

  "What do you mean, specifically?"

  Dedrick licked his lips as he stepped toward Ruby.

  "You're always showing off that athletic, well-defined body, and let's not forget those huge breasts that tempt me every time I see them…"

  Ruby attempted to cover herself with her arms, but after thinking for a few seconds, she lowered them.

  "That's more like it… This is the start of an excellent business relationship."

  Hiromi watched the scene, red with embarrassment.

  She wanted to help Ruby, but she knew Ruby was doing this to get something, just like she was, and she had no right to stop her.

  Besides, she had no idea how she even could help.

  [EXTRA QUEST!]

  [Let yourself be touched instead!]

  [REWARD: +500 ERO points]

  A window from the ERO System appeared on its own in front of Hiromi.

  Five hundred ERO! That would be enough for the harem outfit, the mandatory requirement.

  Hiromi's mind wandered through all the implications, but in the end, a determined expression formed on her face.

  "I…! I could take her place!"

  Dedrick stopped just centimeters from Ruby's chest, and both of them stared at Hiromi with confusion on their faces.

  "Hiromi, what are you saying?!"

  "Mmm…" Dedrick murmured, resting a hand on his chin. "I'll be seeing Ruby in the party from now on, and anything could happen there… In that sense, a little appetizer wouldn't be so bad…"

  Hiromi stepped in front of a stunned Ruby and placed herself between her and Dedrick.

  Her legs were trembling, and the blush on her face reached all the way to the tips of her ears.

  Still, she clenched her fists and looked at the adventurer with determination.

  "I like that look, girl. Then without further ado…"

  ***

  [ERO SYSTEM NOTICE]

  [Content censored by the Alasta Administration]

  [Impact on the plot: None]

  [Would you like to unlock the spicy scenes on Patreon to support the novel?]

  ***

  "No!"

  Ruby's hand grabbed Dedrick's arm tightly, stopping him on the spot.

  "No deal. I'm not going to sacrifice my friend for this."

  "Tch!" Dedrick stepped away from Hiromi, annoyed. "Why are you making me waste my time? You won't get a second chance. The deal ends here and now."

  "Yeah, I know…"

  The veteran adventurer put his hands in his pockets, having failed to win the grand prize, and left without making a scene.

  After all, it was true that he was a successful adventurer, and he had no reason to join Ruby's weak party.

  He was only doing it because he was horny, that's all.

  "Hiromi! Are you okay? I'm sorry… I should've stopped him sooner, but I didn't know how to react…"

  "Noooooooooooo!"

  "Ah! What's wrong?!"

  Hiromi's sudden scream took Ruby by surprise.

  [EXTRA QUEST FAILED]

  [+0 ERO points]

  "Everything I endured was for nothing!"

  "I-I'm sorry! I didn't know you wanted to help me that much…"

  "I hate you!"

  …

  "… Did you just want him to keep touching you? Dedrick has muscles and skill as an adventurer, but he's pretty ugly and a total pervert… You can aim for someone better, Hiromi… Ah, I get it now! It was to gain experience for your future profession! I'm sorry… I ruined your chance."

  …

  "Ruby."

  "Yeah?"

  "Can I hit you once?"

  …

  ***

  At noon, the two girls were already walking back to the inn, both of them empty-handed.

  "Well, in the end, I can do some other quest…" Hiromi sighed. "What are you going to do, Ruby? Didn't you need that guy to take on more dangerous quests?"

  "No choice," Ruby sighed too. "I'm going to have to take out a loan to upgrade my party's gear. I'm the leader, after all, and I have to take responsibility for our financial disaster."

  "Just don't borrow money from shady people…"

  "What nonsense are you talking about, Hiromi?"

  "Ah, sorry… of course you don't need me to tell you that, it's obvious."

  "Hiromi, what bank is going to lend money to a party that's bankrupt? Of course I have to ask shady people!"

  "Ruby… sometimes I worry about your future."

  "Says the protagonist of an erotic novel…"

  "I'm not the protagonist of an erotic novel! And if I were, you'd be a character in it!"

  "Ah! So that's why today turned out like it did! I need to stay away from you or you'll keep getting me into pervy situations…"

  "You're the one who got me into it!"

  "Hahaha."

  "… At least I didn't gain another Exhibitionism level this time," Hiromi sighed again.

  [Exhibitionist Lv.6 acquired!]

  [Effect: +300 Allure points]

  The ERO System window that popped open again on its own felt like a bucket of ice water dumped over her head.

  "Nooooo! Whyyyyy?!"

  "Hi-Hiromi?! What's wrong now?!"

  [The system warns that if the user doesn't want to keep raising her Exhibitionism level, she should stop doing that kind of thing out in the street]

  "It was… it was an alley, not a street… u… uuuuuu!"

  "Hiromi?"