Chapter 24: The Future Just Got Bigger
Zerena narrowed her eyes immediately.
"And what are those extreme quests for now...?" she asked.
Max’s eyes were still fixed on her bra-less breasts hidden beneath her shirt, her nipples still hard enough to show through the fabric.
"And can we do all together?" she added casually, like she was discussing work efficiency instead of system-assisted degeneracy.
Now this—
This was opportunity.
Max kept his tone carefully lowered, like he was reluctantly revealing classified information.
"There’s one that involves kissing..." he admitted.
The reaction was instant.
Zerena’s face twisted into visible disgust.
"No kissing," she said immediately. "Anything else?"
Max tried not to show his disappointment.
And failed a little.
Because honestly?
He really wanted the kissing option to work.
Still, at least now he knew where Zerena’s line currently was.
That alone was useful information.
He could’ve suggested something easier instead—like touching her ass—but weirdly enough, that somehow felt less achievable now that she had rejected kissing with the intensity of a holy decree.
Human logic was strange.
"There’s... one about armpits too..." Max said after a moment, sounding even more embarrassed this time.
Or at least pretending to.
Honestly, he was committing to the innocent act so hard he deserved recognition for it.
Meanwhile, Zerena looked at him like he had personally invented disappointment.
Even though, compared to everything else the system had thrown at them so far?
This was practically beginner-level degeneracy.
"What about them?" she asked cautiously, already looking disturbed before he even answered.
Max suddenly looked far less confident.
"...Licking them," he admitted quietly, sounding genuinely embarrassed now—or at least producing an Oscar-worthy performance of it.
Zerena’s nose flared immediately.
And somehow, her expression managed to become even more disgusted.
Max almost shrank back under the pressure.
"I mean... that’s revolting," Zerena said, still visibly disgusted.
Then, after a moment, she added with surprising practicality,
"But you’d be the one doing it, so I guess it depends on whether you want to or not."
And suddenly—
Max found himself facing an unexpectedly difficult decision.
Because if he agreed too quickly?
Yeah, that would expose him instantly.
But if he refused?
There was a very real chance the opportunity would disappear entirely.
...This is a psychological trap.
A dangerous one.
Max hesitated just long enough to make himself look conflicted before answering carefully,
"We can do it after aunt takes a bath..."
"It’s still disgusting, even after cleaning. They’re armpits..." Zerena said, still sounding deeply unconvinced by the entire concept.
Then she sighed.
"But honestly, who am I to complain? You’re the one who’s supposed to find it disgusting..."
Max almost coughed.
Zerena shook her head again like she was still trying to understand what kind of cursed system had attached itself to him before asking,
"Just tell me this—how many more pipes will you be able to engrave after... all that?"
She noticeably hesitated near the end of the sentence, clearly refusing to say the actions out loud properly.
Meanwhile, Max’s brain had already converted the entire conversation into efficiency calculations.
"I can probably do around two hundred and twenty with the extra rewards if I do both for half an hour each," Max said.
The number immediately made Zerena look disappointed.
Clearly, she had already started mentally spending twice that amount.
But before she could fully sink into it, Max added,
"Though... we can increase the number."
That got her attention instantly.
Max paused on purpose this time, waiting to see if she was interested enough to ask further.
She was.
"How?" Zerena asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously already, like experience had taught her that every "improvement" from this system came bundled with psychological damage.
Max coughed lightly.
"By increasing the duration..." he explained carefully. "Or by adding one more thing."
A dangerous silence followed.
"...There are only three options for now, though."
Zerena’s expression immediately turned annoyed.
"I already said I don’t want to kiss," Zerena replied flatly.
Then she glanced toward the terrace entrance.
Analisa had already started walking back up.
"Let’s talk about it later," Zerena said quickly. "Now go on—get back to work."
Normally, Max would’ve complained internally the moment she started ordering him around again.
Probably called her a tyrant in his head at least once.
But honestly?
Right now, he was in far too good of a mood for that.
The man had finally touched real breasts.
Actually touched them.
Sure, it took dying, transmigrating into another world, awakening a degenerate system.
To Max? This was still a historic occasion.
A landmark achievement.
A victory worthy of celebration.
So instead of complaining, he quietly returned to engraving the pipes.
Zerena and Analisa went back to handling their own work while Max focused on the runes again—
Though, if anyone looked closely, they’d probably notice the idiot-smile he kept barely suppressing every few minutes.
Because he was waiting for the chance to properly test the system for the first time.
Like yeah, he had technically been completing the system’s tasks this whole time—
But until now?
It hadn’t actually given him any direct benefits.
All that "mana recovery" stuff?
Completely made up.
Just an excuse he created to convince Zerena to let him do those tasks with her without immediately throwing him out of the house.
By the time Max hurriedly finished engraving the last of the pipes, it was already evening.
Hours had passed.
Actual hours.
And not once did either of the two women ask if he wanted water, food, or even a break.
Which honestly?
Irritated him a little.
’Not even a glass of water? Damn.’
He had basically been sitting there overworking himself while the two of them casually moved around doing their own things like this was perfectly normal labor management.
Still...
Max let it go surprisingly easily.
Because, from his perspective?
They were also helping him achieve something most men only dreamed about in their lifetime.
Now came the important part.
Increasing the size of his penis.
Standing inside the bathroom, Max looked down at himself with narrowed eyes.
He liked to call it average.
Mostly because it belonged to him.
But deep down?
Yeah... even he knew it probably wasn’t exactly average.
Still, that didn’t matter anymore.
Because according to the system?
Max can upgrade it.
