Chapter 3: How to Offend a Celebrity

Yuna Monroe was gorgeous. There was no other word for it.

Her long pink hair flowed down her back, and her blue eyes carried a playful look as they locked onto him.

She wore a tight pink dress that clung to every inch of her body. The neckline dipped low, and her large breasts were pressed tightly together, straining against the fabric with each step.

The dress pulled snug around her narrow waist before flaring over her wide hips, and the hem stopped high on her thighs, showing off her smooth, tender legs.

Her heels clicked against the sidewalk as she walked toward Nero, her hips swaying with every step, making it impossible to look anywhere else.

A faint smile appeared on her lips as she greeted him.

"Hello, you’re Nero Martinez, right?"

Nero stared at her for a moment, his heart beating faster than usual.

Yuna Monroe was undeniably beautiful, perhaps even more stunning up close. Just standing in front of her was enough to make him nervous, and he could already feel his palms growing sweaty.

Before he could answer, the Ultimate Choice System suddenly activated.

[Choice Detected: Encounter with the Diviner]

[Option 1: Act like you didn’t see her and walk away, treating her like air.]

[Reward: Basic Combat Fundamentals Manual (Uncommon)]

[Option 2: Scratch your head awkwardly and say, "Y-Yes, that is me."]

[Reward: Mana Sensitivity (Common)]

[Option 3: Flick your hair and say, "I don’t have time for you woman. Every second I spend with one is a second I could’ve spent drawing my sword faster!"]

[Reward: $1,670 (Common)]

[Note: You are not ready for Yuna Monroe. Choose your option wisely.]

Nero’s eyes narrowed slightly when he read the warning.

He knew exactly who Yuna Monroe was and what kind of person she could be.

On the surface, she appeared gentle and kind, but beneath that innocent appearance was a serpent with a sharp tongue.

He had personally witnessed her dealing with countless young heirs who tried to flirt with her. Every single one of them had ended up thoroughly humiliated, sometimes even begging her to stop.

She was practically a tyrant, yet nobody dared call her that because of her innocent appearance.

And it seemed the System understood his situation quite well.

After all, habits developed over years couldn’t disappear overnight. His nervousness, his shy personality, and the way he struggled to speak to beautiful girls were all deeply ingrained in him.

Just because he had nearly died and received a second chance didn’t mean he could suddenly become a confident man.

If he tried acting like one right now, he would probably end up embarrassing himself.

Is the System actually trying to protect me from losing face?

Thinking about it, Nero immediately selected the first option.

There was no point choosing the third option when he could barely speak properly in front of her.

Besides, what kind of idiot would say something like that to Yuna Monroe?

Having made his decision, Nero stared at Yuna for a few seconds without saying anything.

Then, under her confused gaze, he turned around and walked away as though she wasn’t even there.

Yuna stood motionless, the smile on her face slowly stiffening.

"???"

She stared at Nero’s retreating back, wondering whether she had just witnessed something ridiculous.

Did this guy hit his head so hard that he became an idiot?

Considering the way he had stared at her before walking away, that certainly seemed possible.

Yuna had originally come to congratulate Richard on his birthday. Although she was rather lazy by nature, she had still managed to drag herself out of bed to attend the celebration.

That was also why she was running late.

However, while heading toward the Hyperion Estate, she had sensed an unusual fluctuation nearby.

Curious about its origin, she decided to investigate and ended up discovering a student from Pride University lying on the road with blood pooling beneath him.

What happened afterward was even stranger.

She watched him recover from his injuries, call the Liberty Federation’s Overseer AI "Penis," receive $1,500 from the truck driver, and then completely ignore her when she approached him.

Even Yuna, who had witnessed plenty of strange things, found the entire situation rather difficult to understand.

"But what I saw from him..."

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she recalled what she had witnessed earlier.

"Was that real?"

She watched Nero disappear around the corner, a curious smile gradually appearing on her face.

"You are an interesting guy, Nero Martinez."

With that, Yuna turned around and continued toward the Hyperion Estate.

Meanwhile, Nero had already hailed a taxi and returned home.

Although calling it a home was somewhat of an understatement, considering he lived in an enormous mansion.

The building combined old-fashioned elegance with modern mana-based technology, while beautiful gardens stretched across the front yard.

Nero entered through the main doors, stepping into the spacious hallway.

However, he had barely taken a few steps when he encountered someone.

Lilia Morgan.

She was the CEO of Golden Chamber Goods and Services, one of the largest corporations in the Liberty Federation.

It seemed she had also just returned home, as she was still wearing her business attire.

Her long blonde hair fell past her shoulders in loose waves, framing a beautiful and mature face that looked no older than thirty.

She wore a fitted white blouse with the top two buttons undone, revealing a generous amount of cleavage. A black pencil skirt hugged her wide hips and thick thighs, while a pair of heels further emphasized her long legs.

Her figure was mature and voluptuous, with curves that could easily attract attention wherever she went.

However, her appearance aside, she was also Nero’s guardian.

The moment Lilia noticed him entering the mansion, her attention immediately went toward the bloodstains covering his clothes.

She adjusted the black cooling glasses she was wearing, despite it being nighttime.

"Hm?"

Her eyes narrowed as she examined the crimson stains on his shirt.

"Where did the blood come from, Nero?"

She tilted her head slightly, looking at him with suspicion.

"Did you kill someone?"

After considering the possibility for a moment, she shook her head.

"No, you’re far too weak-willed to do something like that."

Her expression became serious as she folded her arms beneath her chest.

"Explain."

Nero gulped when he heard her demanding tone.

This was Lilia Morgan, the woman who had taken him in ten years ago after his parents mysteriously disappeared.

His parents had participated in a raid against a demon, but neither of them had returned.

Since then, Lilia had been responsible for raising him, providing him with everything he needed.

However, despite living under the same roof for so many years, their relationship had always been rather distant.

It was almost like a business arrangement rather than a proper family relationship.

"Nero, I’m waiting. Explain what happened."

Lilia adjusted her glasses again, clearly expecting an answer.

Just as Nero was wondering how to explain his situation, the familiar golden window appeared before him.

[Choice Detected: Confrontation with the Guardian]

[Option 1: Tell the truth about the accident and your miraculous recovery. Reveal the System while you’re at it.]

[Reward: Mental Counselling (Common)]

[Option 2: Lie and say you helped someone who was injured on the street.]

[Reward: Warm Meal Voucher (Common)]

Nero quickly read through the options.

The first option was obviously out of the question.

How was he supposed to explain that he had been run over by a truck, nearly died, and somehow recovered without a single injury?

Not to mention, revealing the existence of the System was something he wasn’t willing to do.

He will never reveal it to anyone.

With that in mind, Nero selected the second option.

"I saw someone injured on my way back," Nero explained, trying to keep his voice steady and not stutter. "I helped them before the ambulance arrived, so that’s why there’s blood on my clothes."

Lilia stared at him for a few seconds.

"You are obviously lying."

Her voice was stern, but there was also a hint of surprise in it.

After all, Nero had always been an obedient child who rarely spoke back to her, let alone lied straight to her face.

Yet here he was, telling her such an obvious lie without even trying to come up with a convincing explanation.

She studied his expression for a little longer before eventually losing interest.

"Whatever. If you don’t want to tell me, then don’t."

Her gaze briefly moved over his body.

"From the looks of it, you’re perfectly fine anyway."

With that, she turned around and began walking toward the living room, her heels clicking against the marble floor.

However, before she could leave, she suddenly remembered something.

"Oh, yeah. Where is Lily?" she asked without looking back. "You went to the Hyperion family’s function today, right?"