【Level D Confidentiality, Intern ID ■■■■■■, according to the Time Travel Department’s Penalty Regulations and Internship Protection Rules, you have violated the main mission of playing the protagonist in the “Dororo” world and defeating twelve demons for the first time. Penalty reduced by half, please accept the penalty and learn from it.】

【System draw: (Lowest Level) Warning Level Penalty Package, please accept.】

A black package appeared in the system’s “mail”.

He never imagined that besides automatic rewards, the system would also issue penalty packages, something that nobody wanted!

【Can I not open it?】

Hyakki decided to ignore it.

However, the online system would never allow him to evade penalty. Following the penalty package, there came a red package email that caught his attention. The rules for receiving it were clearly stated.

【Reward Package: For discovering the second bug, special reward (Open condition: First open the penalty package.)】

Whoever designed the rules for claiming it was a devilish employee, wasn’t it? Punish first, then reward. Isn’t this akin to giving a slap followed by a sweet treat?

Hyakki knew he shouldn’t claim it, yet he was tempted by the reward for discovering the bug. When he discovered it yesterday, there were three reward types to choose from, all of which were particularly good. Although he knew the initial rewards were generally better, it made no sense that the second reward was so markedly different.

So… he decided to accept it.

The system would surely not issue a penalty affecting the storyline’s direction, noticed by characters in the storyline.

He made up his mind and, with his mind, claimed the penalty package.

【Should the package be opened?】

【Yes / No.】

In the end, Hyakki reluctantly chose “yes,” awaiting the penalty. The black package jumped out without fireworks, without congratulations, and arranged a sentence composed of a strange black Chinese font one after another.

【The system detects the intern is an underage male, and the original storyline has not yet begun, so a penalty is given.】

【One, male organ shortened by five centimeters (three months).】

【Two, height suspension period (six months).】

【Three, mandatory abstinence period (one year).】

【Choose one, intern, don’t try to evade the penalty.】

After reading through the three options, Hyakki chose “Three” without hesitation.

He wanted to grow taller, didn’t want to shrink, and definitely didn’t want to lose his male dignity. He was fourteen this year, turning fifteen in another year; whether enforced abstinence was imposed or not made no difference—he couldn’t possibly engage with “Dororo” so early.

Moreover.

He lacks tactile sensations :(.

Interns and regular employees of the Time-Space Transit Authority enjoy perks in the narrative world, but Hyakki was denied early access.

Accepting the penalty calmly, Hyakki proceeded to click on the reward package. A red package popped up, and celebratory fireworks finally burst forth, not in vain for enduring the penalty. What appeared on top was the reward he urgently needed.

【Detected partial functions locked; system reward as follows, intern, make your choice (choose one of three).】

【One, script for intern’s lines in the “Dororo” world.】

【Two, strategy guide for the “Dororo” world’s demons.】

【Three, information on the heroine of the “Dororo” world.】

If Hyakki’s heart could manifest into real eyes, it would have stopped blinking by now.

The unexpectedly good options among the three rewards!

The first reward would improve his acting score with the script; the second would provide attack methods and weaknesses of the demons, giving him a chance to avoid disastrous outcomes. The third reward would grant information about Dororo herself! He really wanted to know what Dororo looked like and what plotlines she was hiding!

“Dororo” was an adaptation of an old manga, and Hyakki worried about their endings; the narrative world was a real world where everyone could get hurt or even die.

【Choose…】

It’s tough.

【Choose…】

What if the heroine’s information turns out to be from Wikipedia?

【I… choose… Two.】

In the end, Hyakki’s rationality triumphed over his impatience. Intuition told him that Option One was unreliable since he had very few lines; Option Three carried risks since even just a name could count as information to the system.

“Dororo” was right beside him; once he regained his organs, he could ask her.

The closer he got to his goal, the less he could afford to confuse priorities; without his organs, he would become useless.

【I’m sorry.】

【Dororo.】

【I give up the chance to see you early…】

In reality, Hyakki received the “Demon Strategy” data, which was detailed and included pictures! The system compiled information on the twelve demons in the “Dororo” world, fearing that interns might not be able to defeat them. Anxious and absent-minded, he went with Dazai to Leibo Street; several times on the way, he tried to take Nakahara out of his back and was rejected by the other party.

Dazai: I’d rather carry it myself than let the dwarf touch you.

Dazai: This dwarf brushes goodwill across space every day!

It wasn’t a long stretch of road, but Dazai walked and stopped for nearly an hour, panting. As soon as they arrived at Leibo Street, he unceremoniously threw Nakahara to the ground, and Nakahara rolled in mid-air under the force of gravity, jumped up, walked away, and before leaving, he looked down on Dazai: “Weak chicken.”

Dazai: “Heh.”

“You definitely won’t die.”

Outside the hospital room, Dazai’s languid voice rang out with a drawn-out tone, “Mr. Mori, don’t touch my things.”

Mori closed the door behind him and smiled, “Aren’t your things right beside you?”

Dazai, watching ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’, grimaced.

“Well… that doesn’t count.”

Hyakki, a disobedient semi-automatic puppet, still worriedly felt like he had changed.

Have you ever seen a puppet abandon its master even once?

Hyakki stopped reading the materials and clumsily massaged Dororo’s shoulders as she lay across his lap, afraid that he might press too hard and crush bones, but Dororo would pull his hand once he stopped.

“Truly… a happy trouble.”

Without his restored organs, Hyakki seemed to see a lazily affectionate person.

Even a grey cotton candy stained with strawberry juice is cute?

Night.

Hyakki blushed a little and pretended to sleep. Dororo snuggled up close in his arms, his yukata unable to block the skin, and after losing the bandage, the two of them were in close contact.

He didn’t hear his beloved saying something quietly.

“Your skin… is so smooth…”