One of the very reasons why her affection was so low was that Urek and Selene were together most of the time.
Wenya had her own separate training regimen that was far more intense, so she could only visit them from time to time. At least she also made a genuine effort to make contact with Urek, whom she had just met not long ago.
And today... Well, it was just a routine cleaning mission aimed at the notorious gang that was causing major havoc in some distant district.
At least it was a date.
A man and a woman going out in the world is called a date! Or is it not? It truly didn’t matter, as Urek’s vital thing was completely at risk, either fifty-fifty or the whole damn thing.
Urek felt totally helpless. The sadistic instructor was right here, swinging her leather whip around like a complete madman and totally interrupting the private date of the two.
She was acting as the ultimate third wheel of a possible sweet romance.
"Pftt... you two actually look perfect with each other..." Wenya suddenly covered her mouth as she let out some soft giggles.
"I am old!" Selene shouted as her face started burning with intense heat.
"That’s honestly not bad..." Urek murmured, while he thoughtfully touched his chin like a smart man analyzing a high-stakes game.
"Pftt!! You two really look good with each other. I will fully support both of you!" Wenya teased again.
"My lady, please don’t giggle like that... you are making me look bad..." Selene whined.
"Ohh, haha, sorry about that... it is just hilarious to see you act like that. You know, you used to always be such a silent one..."
"N-no! Don’t say that... that is a secret," Selene stammered.
"Oops, my bad... my bad..." Wenya smiled playfully.
"Hoho..." Urek chuckled under his breath. She said that she was old? That booty could definitely round up, man! Ohh, what a plump ass, he secretly wanted to savor it like crazy.
"Why exactly are you chuckling, hmm... Rek?" Selene growled.
"No, it is just what you said, Instructor..." Urek replied quickly.
"What are you talking about?" She was already completely seething with deep embarrassment and hidden anger.
"I do firmly believe in the famous saying, Instructor..."
"What saying? Spit it out already, or I will shove this whip handle straight into your asshole!"
’It’s way too risky, I don’t want my asshole to get plugged with a whip handle.’ Urek subconsciously covered his backside at the mere terrifying thought of having that handle pushed in.
"Now, spit it out right now. Do you love your asshole or not?" Selene was absolutely not having any fun at all.
"Don’t plug the handle, Instructor, okay?"
"It entirely depends on what your ’saying’ is that you are currently talking about."
"You said that you are old, right?" Urek wanted to double things up... though his joke would really turn out bad if he failed.
"Y-yes, I am too old... I am old enough to become your lover," she said with a bit of hesitation... well, she kept that last part strictly to herself. Why were they talking about something like this anyway? It was just a dumb waste of time...
"Hoho... then, I do believe that ’The Older The Wine, The Tastier It Ge— WAIT!! THE SAGE OLD MAN TAUGHT ME THAT!!’" Urek screamed.
The blazing punch stopped dead midair, just a few short centimeters away from his face.
While on the other side of the world...
"PFFTG!!!! COUGH! COUGH!! WHAT THE HELL IS THAT RASCAL TALKING ABOUT?!"
The old man instantly coughed out the hot tea he was sipping at the crazy, ridiculous thing he had just heard in his very existence!
"Oh shit... my life is draining away too fast. I might die early at this rate." He could feel it deeply, the rascal was doing a terrible thing to his personal health. "Ahem... it is not wrong, though..."
*ROARRR!*
The massive dragon roared as it agreed with the old man’s words.
"Yes, the older the wine, the tastier it gets, hoho." The old man chuckled. "Ahh, how nice it is to be young again... just old enough."
Well... Urek was fully expected to receive some heavy beatings in the future from the grand sage himself.
’Hooo... I thought my head would literally blow up. Thank you, old man.’
Urek’s body turned completely cold as the blazing punch had come knocking right at his face.
"H-hmph... n-now drive the car!" Selene barked, turning away.
"Yes, Instructor..." Urek nodded, gripping the steering wheel.
’W-WHAT, IS HE SERIOUSLY SAYING THAT I’M NOT THAT O-OLD?! OHH, GET A GRIP... GET A GRIP!!’ Selene’s mind raced wildly as what Urek had just said repeated in her head again and again.
"You both are really working well together... keep it up." Wenya gave them another cheerful thumbs-up while closing her other eye in a cute wink.
"Haha... of course not, Miss Wenya, I’m just saying some random stuff." Urek hadn’t planned any single bit of this shit at all. It was just his highly creative mind at work.
*’ I didn’t expect that outcome either... hehe, well, as long as it is connected to the hero, it is mine to fully conquer.’*
Selene’s affection went up from 19/100 to 31/100, changing her status to Crush. While Wenya’s affection went up by a single point, making it 17/100 Acquaintance.
Urek let out a soft sigh as the hovercar glided smoothly down the road.
The tension inside the vehicle had shifted entirely. Selene kept staring out the window, her face still deeply flushed, refusing to make eye contact with him.
Meanwhile, Wenya was quietly observing them from the back seat, a small, knowing smile lingering on her lips.
Urek focused on driving, but his mind was running through the status screens.
This sudden jump in Selene’s stats was a massive development. It meant his ridiculous, spontaneous dud, and cringe joke under pressure had actually pierced through her tough facade.