“Honey bread doesn’t taste so bad,” Ro said as he savored the flavor of the bun he was holding.

“Schwii, do you want some of this?” Lilian plucked a piece of the star-shaped cream bun and held it out to Schwii.

“Thank you?” Schwii took it and took a taste.

Sequencee silently ate at his meat floss bun with a generous amount of mayonnaise and sprinkled dried seaweed. It was an unusual combination, and it tasted a little weird. Still, food was food.

He noticed Schwii peeking at him. Their current seating position was males at one side, female at the other. Schwii was sitting next to Lilian, Sequence with Ro.

They found that there were small eateries near the vestibule of the accommodation lobby. It was much closer than having to walk to the cafeteria, and since they were planning to go back, it was decided that they would have their breakfast here for convenience sake.

They chose to eat at this bakery which also served unique icy drinks like coffee, latte, green tea and the likes. The bread for most of the pastries had been sitting there since last night, but no more than 24 hours since it was first baked. There were only a limited number of options available to choose from as today’s batch had yet to arrive, which wasn’t a surprise because of how early they were.

It wasn’t like the place was entirely empty either. There were other students around, though it was a mystery what exactly they were doing at this place, at this sort of time. Studying perhaps?

After much deliberation, Sequencee thought to maybe do a little something for Schwii. Embarrassing, but why should that matter when they’re fiances’? Moreover, Schwii was the one who kept everyone’s living expenses. It would be selfish to not find some way to respond in kind.

“Schwii, do you.. want to try some of this?” Sequencee mimic Lilian and tore a part of the bread he was eating.

Schwii blinked a few times.

“Sure.”

She leaned in and opened her mouth. He gulped, carefully reaching over to drop the piece of bread into her mouth. She chewed on it, Sequencee awaiting her reaction.

“It has a peculiar taste. I don’t really like it,” Schwii answered honestly.

“I suppose it does,” Sequencee had mixed feeling about the response.

‘What a selfish delusion..’

There wasn’t anything he could do to reciprocate her for what she had done for everyone.

“How about you try this,” Schwii pushed her latte over to him.

“Alright?”

Sequencee carefully cupped the mug and brought his lips to the rim.

‘It’s thick, creamy.’

Sequencee didn’t really like the bitterness of coffee, but this was brewed quite well. The aroma really gave a nice sweet note at the end.

“It’s good.”

“Really? I’ve never tried it before, so it’s a first for me.”

Sequencee pushed the mug back to Schwii. With an embarrassed smile, she picked the mug and brought it to her lips– right where Sequencee had placed his.

She took a sip, freezing up at the taste, her eyebrows twitched. She placed the cup back down. She looked at the drink as if it were some cursed object.

“What in the world..” she exclaimed softly.

“What’s wrong?” Sequencee asked.

“It’s bitter.”

“It’s coffee. Of course it’s bitter.”

“What? So this drink is supposed to be this bitter?”

“Uh.. yeah?”

‘Don’t tell me Schwii has never tasted coffee? What kind of world was she living in before this? Actually, do demons not drink coffee?’

Schwii picked up the menu placed to the side of the table and flipped through the contents. She looked at the drink catalog in disbelief.

‘Humans are absolute masochists..’

She grimaced, seeing how there were at least half a dozen types of this ‘coffee’. Espresso, Americano, Latte, Mocha, Macchiato, Cold brew…

“Why do humans like this?”

“Is it really that bitter? I thought lattes are supposed to be the least bitter?” Lilian questioned.

“Yeah.. uh, the worst one is which again?” Ro asked.

“It’s espresso. A small cup of pure bitterness,” Sequencee said.

The late Hero Rika enjoyed coffee. After the war, she scoured the world to find a plant which could produce fruits possessing traits similar to coffee. Eventually, she stumbled upon an unknown plant with seeds that looked identical to the ones she knew from her world, and thus that plant which had once considered a type of forest weed had been conferred the fabled name of coffee.

To some, it replaced alcohol. A group of the populace entering this nameless cult of coffee maniac. Though there were some who did it because of their fanaticism over the hero, connoisseurs learnt the true delicacy of what it means to relish a cup of coffee through repeated trials of bitterness. It wasn’t as prevalent as drinking, but it was part of a special culture some people followed.

“That hero must have a screw loose..” Schwii complained.

Sequencee chuckled.

“You could always add sugar, hold on.”

He went to the self service station and grabbed sugar packets. He thought it was an ingenious way for customers to modify their drinks to their tastes. At the same time, it made him wonder why there weren’t many places that practiced this.

Schwii tore two packets and poured both of them in her mug, then she stirred till the bubbles stuck to the edge.

She then tried it again, this time she mused in surprise.

“This tastes much, much better to the palate. I think I’ll add another two,” there was some foam stuck to her lips.

“Um.. Schwii, I think that’s a little too much..” Sequencee warned.

His words were disregarded as Schwii promptly tore another two sachets and stirred them into the coffee. She hummed as if a witch concocting a deadly poison in an urn. When she tried her creation, a blissful expression blossomed on her face. Sequencee didn’t know what to say.

‘So long as she enjoys it..’

“It’s not bad. I think I might get addicted to this.”

“Yeah, yeah.. hold still.”

Sequencee dabbed the surrounding of Schwii’s mouth with a tissue. She squirted her eyes.

“There.”

“I could’ve just licked it off.”

“Of course you could..”

“...”

“...”

An awkward silence ensued. They were in their own little pink world, now having just realized it. Ro and Lilian acted as if they saw nothing, but it was nigh impossible to rid their minds of the two’s sweet interactions among themselves.

Ro offered another topic of discussion. They still had a quite a ways to go before they finish their bread and drinks.

“Um, Sequencee, can I ask you about system abilities?”

“System abilities?”

“I just want your thoughts on it. I just reached enough points to exchange for a gift. It’s called [Unique Trait: Omnipresent Vantage], the description here says that I can see things from third person and it also helps in predicting sneak attacks.”

“What other gifts did you bookmark?”

/

{ACQUIRED GIFTS:

1. [Activated Trait: Power Up]; (1st UP: 1,200,000)

2. [Passive Trait: Magnus Constitution; (1st UP: 1,000,000)

}

/

{BOOKMARKED GIFTS:

1. [Unique Trait: Omnipresent Vantage]; (Acquisition: 1,200,000)

2. [Activated Skill: Swift Steps]; (Acquisition: 800,000)

3. [Unique Skill: Time Compression]; (Acquisition: 2,400,000)

}

/

“The way I earn points is by the number of steps I take,” Ro said.

“Oh, that explains why you would jog on the spot,” Lilian said.

“I don’t know if it’s a good idea to get the skill. If you think it’s beneficial to you then I think you should consider it,” Sequencee said. Everyone is different, so the kinds of gifts chosen should match one's own circumstance.

To be honest, Sequencee was surprised that Ro had gifts this powerful. [Activated Trait: Power Up] was a temporary boost in basically every aspect, be it cognition, physical and even in mana. [Passive Trait: Magnus Constitution] is a gift which supported the best growth of the body, explaining why Ro looked so lean. As for the bookmarked skills, [Unique Skill: Time Compression], it was a skill that allowed the world to slow down around him while his mind accelerated.

“Sequencee, what kind of gifts do you have?” Ro asked.

“Me? One is magic, another is a growth multiplier, the third is heightened focus.”

“What? You have three?”

“Yeah, I have three.”

“How about you Lilian?”

“Me? I only have one, and it’s called [Activated Skill: Critical Strike],” she said.

“Schwii? How about you?” Ro then turned to the last person.

“Um.. I’m saving my points..”

“You have at least one gift on you right?” Lilian tilted her head.

“Ugh.. not saying,” she looked down with slightly rosy cheeks.

‘She should really get another skill.. actually, if she plans to do that then she needs to..’

“Then how do you get points?”

“T-That..”

“I get points by walking, Lilian get’s points by..”

“Killing monsters. But there are no monsters around so I’ve barely gotten any points,” Lilian huffed.

“Sequencee?”

“I’m not a psychopath alright?” he warned.

‘I think I am.’

“What do you mean by that?”

“How I earn points is by.. killing sentient beings.. killing people, basically..”

“...”

“...”

Sequencee tried to smoothen the edges by explaining how he only killed bad people. Though, it wasn’t like his excuse helped in reassuring anyone. If anything, now that Ro and Lilian knew of his unique point system, they were made aware that Sequencee had killed quite a number of people in the past. Otherwise, having three gifts to his belt would’ve not been possible. Just what kind of life did he go through?

“Right, right. Everyone has their odd ways of earning points.. Schwii, your turn again,” Ro prodded.

Schwii’s ears were burning up.

“Ro, I think you shouldn’t force..” Sequencee wanted to speak in her defense but before he could do so..

“It’s.. by kissing.”

“Kissing?”

“By kissing..” she repeated.

“...”

“Wow. So that’s what you did with Sequencee yesterday?”

A light killing intent spread out.

Ro and Lilian flinched, Lilian especially, almost fell from her seat.

“I trust that you’ll keep it an absolute secret?” Schwii directed the question to Ro with a chilly voice.

“No. No. Of course I won’t! E-Eh?! No, I mean, I’ll absolutely keep it a secret!” He quickly retracted his statement.