Chapter 7 Milestones

Caitlyn and Leon flew 7,000 feet into the air, where it was safer to think. While flying monsters were in the area, they flew far lower, hunting prey.

"Thank you for protecting me." Leon said while reflecting upon the insanity that had just unfolded.

"Anything for you~" Caitlyn replied with a sickly sweet voice.

"I… believe that." He chuckled.

The two fell silent, giving Leon time to think about his situation. Everything had happened so fast, the apocalypse, the harem, revelations about Caitlyn.

He looked at the back of her head with a conflicted gaze.

'Getting rid of her isn't an option. She'll likely snap if I release the contract, retain her powers, and then super-stalk me to the ends of the earth.' Leon thought pensively.

'So presenting cons about her is a treasonable act of sophistry and a taboo waste of time.'

Leon's phobia prevented him from manipulating people where it mattered most at the moment. He chose the skill to build strategic, pragmatic relationships, not find love.

Or if he did, at least it could become natural with the bonding of the power.

However, Caitlyn was different. She loved him before his power and did so to a terrifying degree. That meant that every action he took would be manipulated.

Leon would feel that wall was an insurmountable wall if she was any other woman. But Caitlyn was fully consenting to let him use her.

The problems that he had with using women didn't apply to her. So he felt he could overcome the phobia in this situation.

Since their relationship wasn't a problem, the only minor issues were her psychopathic stalker behaviors, her extremely dangerous temperament, and the fact that she was terrifyingly overpowered.

In short, there were no real issues for him.

'Against my better judgment, I only have one option. I must embrace this beautiful, sexy, serial-killer grade psychopath for her good points and make her my sword and shield!'

Leon felt his argument was purely logical and had nothing to do with his raging hormones.

The uncharacteristic enthusiasm was purely a side effect of his unwavering resolve to survive.

"Caitlyn, it's the apocalypse. While your love for me is… concerning, criminal, and a lot to process, it's powerful and has saved my life many times. I'm grateful for it." Leon confessed.

Caitlyn's eyes lit up in joy, and she clasped her hands together in excitement.

"I'm so happy." She replied with teary eyes.

"My concern is that your love, loyalty, and passion are so pure that I'll use you like a guard dog out of convenience instead of loving you." Leon sighed.

"Also, you're unreasonably beautiful, your appearance is my type, and your body is ridiculous. So I feel I'd take advantage of your body as well.

No, I'll definitely take full advantage of your body. That's a fact.

I'm scum, Caitlyn. You should know that before you devote everything to me."

"Your phobia against using women is so cute." Caitlyn giggled.

"What do you mean?" Leon asked in confusion.

"Your emotions toward people are nearly sociopathic, yet you're comically concerned about your image towards women." She commented. "Why is that?

"My father was a sociopath that used a woman to make me." Leon sighed. "Now I'm a sociopath that hates my father, and I developed a tick as a rebellious fuck you.

Eventually, it became a weakness for women who show emotion towards me."

"You… just told me something honest about yourself." Caitlyn whispered in disbelief.

"You've outed yourself as a serial-killer grade obsessive stalker that will murder things for me with a smile on your face." Leon replied with a straight face.

"Then you played me by pretending you were trying to use me and got me to accept you. I have pride in my cunning, and you won hands down.

I'd feel like a poor loser if I didn't give you this much. I may be a sociopath, but I still have pride."

Caitlyn burst into giggles again, triggering Leon's to twitch in annoyance.

"That's what I love about you!" She exclaimed.

His eyes widened in shock when he heard her words.

"Think about it! I'm a crazy, obsessive stalker that has been watching you meticulously for the last year." Caitlyn pointed out. "That means I know you're a sociopath and love you regardless."

Leon's eyes glided to the left. It was a valid point.

p "Honestly, I don't know what I'd like more—loving or using me. I don't know because I never considered the former." She giggled.

"The idea of love captivates me, and the dream of getting used turns me on.

At first, I was disappointed that your power didn't turn me into a mindless overpowered sex puppet, but now I'm excited."

Leon's expression crumbled, and his heart fluttered.

For a split second, he wondered if the strange feeling he had just experienced could have been the mythical fantasy called [love] he read about.

"You're honestly okay with me using you like an intelligent overpowered sex puppet?" Leon asked for clarification.

Caitlyn blushed and averted her gaze sharply.

"Women are supposed to act coy, you know. You're not supposed to request them to explicitly state they're obvious desires." She whispered.

Leon chuckled, and the fire in his heart magnified.

"Caitlyn. If you're really okay with being an intelligent overpowered sex puppet guard dog that I can use and manipulate mercilessly, then from this day on, you're my woman."

Ding!

[Congratulations! The user's pathetically low emotional development has turned elementary events into milestones! Experience is magnified.]

[Milestone! The user has felt emotion for another human for the first time! The user has leveled up!]

Leon cringed. The only emotion was his soft spot for women's feelings, and the emotion was fear. He didn't like that.

Although he didn't feel emotions for people, he tried sympathizing with them. It wasn't a choice that he was born and raised as an emotionless narcissist.

At a minimum, he hid that fact from others.

That's why he was obsessed with his image and tried caring about minor events like leading professors to their deaths or lugging around half-naked, battered women.

So the notification hurt. Unfortunately, the updates were just beginning.

Ding!

[Milestone! The user has overcome their aversion to warning-level obsession and accepted their member! The user has leveled up!]

Ding!

[Milestone! The user has experienced lust for the first time! The user has leveled up!]

…

When his milestones ended, Leon thought he'd be happy. Unfortunately, they seemed much better in comparison.

Ding!

[The user's lustful emotions requirement for member Caitlyn Mira has been met. The member has leveled up!]

Ding!

[The user's relationship status between member Caitlyn Mira has been updated from Codependent to Manipulative! The member has leveled up!]

Ding! Ding! Ding!

Leon's eyes glazed over, and he felt humiliation surging through his heart.

While Caitlyn was ecstatic to see golden light radiating from his body, he felt shameful gratitude she couldn't see the horrifying reasons he was leveling up.

'Ah, fuck it. If I'm being awarded for shameful behavior, I might as well embrace it.'

"Caitlyn, flip me around so I can hold you. I want to make full use of these sketchy privileges you're giving me." Leon chuckled.

Caitlyn's eyes lit up. She gently pried his hands from his neck and spun him around like she was swing dancing with him.

The entire operation took less than a second.

Leon looked into her vibrant blue eyes, which were trembling with anticipation.

She flapped her wings magestically in the sky at a slow rhythmic pace that matched his barely excited heart.

Without fear, his heart didn't beat fast in any situation.

"Can… I kiss you?" Leon asked.

She giggled at his question, triggering him to look away.

"Sorry," Caitlyn giggled again, "It's just… you're not very good at using me."

"Well, do you have recommendations, then?" Leon scoff-laughed, "Because it's not really normal to turn your phobia into sexual fantasy in twelve hours."

Caitlyn giggled again and turned away to hide her expression.

Leon was grumpy about it, but he couldn't stay angry. He thought she was cute.

He was certain his power had an unnatural effect on his feelings toward her, and he liked that.

"Hmmm. Let's strategize." Caitlyn mused, "Well, I guess let's lay out some options."

"I'm listening." Leon replied.

"You can say, let me kiss you, I'm going to kiss you, just force your lips on mine." She suggested.

All of those options horrified him. Seeing that, Caitlyn changed her approach.

"But for you…." She remarked, "I'd suggest Caitlyn, will you kiss me."

Leon's eyes widened in surprise.

"Isn't that also… you know… a pansy ass way to use someone?" He asked hesitantly.

Caitlyn giggled again, which annoyed him.

"No~silly! You see, if you ask me to do something nicely, you'll get the same effect if you ordered it." She giggled.

"Let's try it out. Say, [woman, do as your told and kiss me]."

Leon's eyes trembled in shock, but he resolved to play her game.

"Um… woman. Will you… no. Do as…." He sighed in defeat.

"Come on! Take it seriously!" Caitlyn said playfully.

Leon took a deep breath.

"Woman," He said in a monotone voice, "Do as your told and kiss—"

Caitlyn thrust her lips onto his and pushed her tongue into his mouth.

Leon quickly acquiesced and accepted the situation. He passionately kissed her, forgetting about his phobia.

Power or not, he enjoyed the way he was feeling. He enjoyed the strange woman he found attractive in class kissing him.

Enjoyment.

That was what he was experiencing. The world was going to hell, but he found someone insane enough to bypass his phobia.

Now they were bonded, and he enjoyed the idea of living like himself.

So he didn't question it and grabbed her waist, pulling her body close to his.

The world was going to hell, people were dying left and right, and Leon resolved to make the most of it.