Beast Gacha System: All Mine-Chapter 221: Still Trapped

"One issue solved."

Cecilia uncrossed her legs and stood from the low table, smoothing her uniform with quick, efficient movements. The fabric settled back into place, as if nothing had happened, as if she hadn’t just—as if they hadn’t just—

Then her gaze drifted downward. To his lap. To the spreading, unmistakable evidence of what had just occurred.

"One issue emerged," she continued, matter-of-fact, "assuming you don’t have spare pants in this office."

She paused, considering.

"And the other one is still unsolved." She turned to the locked door.

Arkai was reeling.

His mind, which had just been through the most intense experience of his life, more intense than any physical encounter could have been, was completely blank. White. Empty. Like a slate wiped clean.

This woman...

This woman had just had sex with him via mana.

They were just holding hands—

"How—"

The word escaped him, barely a croak. He was flabbergasted. Completely, absolutely flabbergasted.

She turned to him, raising her eyebrows in that maddeningly calm way of hers. "Hm?"

"Oh." A flicker of understanding crossed her features. "I’ll explain the theory."

She launched into it as if discussing a homework assignment.

"Since the drug was attacking your brain, in theory, your brain can be used to neutralize it. I used my mana to suppress the drug’s effect on your system while simultaneously feeding your brain certain images. The combination stimulated the drug’s intended result. Extreme intimate connection. It’s actually fairly simple."

...

...

...

Silence.

Arkai remained frozen in place, still sprawled on the sofa, still ruined, still trying to reconcile the mess of his trousers with the clinical explanation he had just received.

"Why—"

He couldn’t even finish the question. There was no way to voice it, no way to articulate the chaos in his mind. Asking why would imply there was logic to any of this, some framework he could grasp.

"What do you mean, why?" Cecilia’s eyes narrowed, a flicker of genuine affront crossing her features. "If we actually had sex, you’d regret it after."

And you wouldn’t? Arkai asked in his heart.

The question he asked in his heart hit himself with unexpected force. The flush that had barely receded from his cheeks came roaring back with a vengeance, spreading down his neck, reaching the tips of his ears, staining the broad planes of his shoulders visible through his ruined shirt.

Could it be... she wouldn’t... regret it...?

Cecilia blinked.

"What? You’re going red again." Her brow furrowed with concern, as if she were monitoring a patient for relapse. "Could it be the drug’s effect is still rampaging?"

"No... no—"

Somehow, impossibly, Arkai went even redder.

"I’m just... hot..."

Arkai’s voice was rough, uncertain. It was an excuse offered like a shield, hoping she would accept it and move on.

Cecilia narrowed her eyes. Yes. You’re hot.

But Arkai, caught in his own embarrassed spiral, misunderstood entirely. Her narrowed eyes, her assessing gaze... He read suspicion where there was only appreciation.

"I’m not—I’m okay!" The words tumbled out, defensive, too quick.

"Sure." Cecilia nodded, and the ease in it made his blush hard to go away.

She walked away, approaching the door. Her back to him, her posture relaxed, she seemed to be examining the lock, the mechanism, the impossibility of their current situation.

But her mind was elsewhere.

No notification popped up?

[DING!]

The familiar chime echoed in her consciousness, and the translucent interface materialized before her eyes.

[You’ve met President!Arkai Rank 1, the school’s Student Council President!]

[Unlock rewards by acquiring scenario copies in the banner and completing tasks!]

[Reward Rank 2]

- [5 Stars Outfit: President!Arkai’s School Uniform]

Disguise him as a normal school boy, and +50% STR

- [Task: Make him kiss you!]

[Reward Rank 3]

- [5 Stars Weapon: President!Arkai’s Great Sword]

+50% ATK

- [Task: Make him confess to you!]

[Reward Rank 4]

- [5 Stars Artifact: President!Arkai’s Woven String Bracelet]

+50% CritDMG

- [Task: Make him claim you in front of everyone!]

[Reward Rank 5]

- [5 Stars Artifact: President!Arkai’s Glasses]

+50% CritRate

- [Task: Make love with him!]

[Reward Rank 6]

- [5 Stars Skill Orb: Sound Magic Echolocation]

Grant him the ability to perceive his surroundings through reflected sound waves, creating a mental map of objects and beings even in complete darkness or when his vision is compromised.

- [Task: Uncover his secret!]

[Reward Rank 7]

- [5 Stars Skill Orb: Scent Shifting]

Grant him the ability to consciously alter his personal scent signature, masking his identity, mimicking others, or becoming completely scentless to evade tracking.

- [Task: Make him remember the life outside of this scenario!]

[You will be returned to your world after you complete the tasks, and no time will pass outside of the scenario.]

[You can gain Love Points and double the Affinity Levels in this scenario.]

[You can roll the banners in this scenario.]

[Good luck, and have fun!]

Cecilia scanned the list, processing.

So... none of these tasks were completed just now?

Not Rank 5, despite everything.

Huh.

She considered the implications. More than the aphrodisiac drug, more than the experience they had just shared, Rank 5’s task was even stricter than she had assumed. The System, it seemed, had very specific definitions.

They actually had to do penetration.

Well. Of course. This perverted system...

[Cecilia...]

Pfff.

She dismissed the thought, filing it away for later consideration. Right now, there were more immediate concerns.

She touched the door again, reaching out with her mana, attempting to scan its structure, its mechanism, its weaknesses.

Nothing.

An impenetrable barrier of foreign mana coated the entire door, deflecting her every attempt to probe deeper. Whoever had done this, either knew what they were doing, or accidentally did it so well it was impressive.

"Mr. Dawnoro." Her voice carried across the room. "Do you have any suspicion of who might have locked us inside here?"

Behind her, she heard the sounds of Arkai rummaging through cabinets, opening drawers, shifting papers, probably searching for the spare pants she had mentioned earlier. The soft rustle of fabric, the click of latches, the occasional muttered curse.

"No." His voice was steady now, more composed, though still carrying an edge of residual embarrassment. "I don’t."

"What about the drugs?" She asked again, keeping her gaze fixed on the door, giving him the privacy he clearly needed. "You hadn’t answered my question earlier."

A pause. More rummaging.

"If I don’t know who locked me inside here," Arkai’s voice was slightly muffled, perhaps from bending over or pulling on fresh trousers, "then how would I know who drugged me?"

"You might not know." Cecilia shrugged, still not looking back. "But can’t you guess?"

"For example..."

She paused. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"Someone who wants to ruin your reputation?"