The Scumbag's Guide To Heroism novel Chapter 33

Chapter 33: 33 | Damage Control

I was pulling on a clean pair of jeans when someone knocked on my door.

"Yeah, come in," I called out, still shirtless. Had to be Sloane. She’d already seen me completely naked. Shirtless was practically conservative at this point.

The door opened.

Not Sloane.

Diane Fitzgerald stepped into my room wearing a button-up white blouse that hugged every curve, a black pencil skirt that ended just above her knees, sheer stockings, and heels that made her legs look impossibly long. Her pink hair was styled professionally, swept to one side, and her blue eyes locked onto my bare chest before traveling slowly up to my face.

"Hello, sugar," she said in that warm Southern drawl that suddenly felt very different than it had nine years ago. "Can I come in?"

My brain short-circuited.

"Sure! Yeah. Sure." I grabbed the nearest shirt from my bed, fumbling with it like an idiot.

Smooth. Real smooth. Definitely didn’t sound like a nervous teenager at all.

Diane’s heels clicked against the hardwood floor as she walked further into my room, taking her time, her gaze moving across the space with deliberate slowness. She paused at my desk, ran one finger along the laptop, then turned back to face me.

I’d managed to get the shirt on but hadn’t buttoned it yet because my hands suddenly forgot how buttons worked.

The System notification flashed across my vision with all the subtlety of a fire alarm.

〘 EMERGENCY QUEST: Damage Control

Diane Fitzgerald has discovered evidence of your undisclosed ability. You have one conversation to convince her to keep this information confidential.

Time Limit: Duration of current conversation

Success Condition: Secure Diane’s agreement to maintain secrecy regarding Blitz

Failure Condition: Diane reports undisclosed ability to IHL authorities

Rewards:

→ 100 SP

→ 1x Bronze Gacha Pull

→ Diane Fitzgerald’s Trust: Established

Penalties for Failure:

→ IHL investigation into false registration

→ Potential criminal charges

→ Removal from Fitzgerald household

→ Diane Fitzgerald’s Temptation Gauge locked permanently

Quest cannot be declined. Timer starts now. 〙

Fuuuuuuck.

"So," Diane said, her voice light and conversational. "Tell me about your Aspect, sugar. The one you manifested this week. Phantom Touch, was it?"

I finished buttoning my shirt, buying myself three seconds to think. "Yeah. Telekinesis. Channeler-type. About fifteen feet of range, limited weight capacity. I can move objects with my mind." I kept my voice steady, casual. "You saw it yourself last night."

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