Chapter 04

Rosalind's POV

Pearl rolled ahead of me up a wide glass staircase, its blue eyes blinking.

"Miss, the entire third floor is your private space. You can go on in and rest."

I looked down a long hall lined with tall windows and soft white doors. One whole floor. Just for me.

"You can go on ahead, then," I said. "I'll call you if I need anything."

"Of course, miss. I've already added myself to your comm. Reach out anytime."

"Thank you, Pearl."

The robot spun around and rolled away.

I pushed open the biggest door at the end of the hall. The bedroom was larger than the whole bunker I used to share with forty people. A round bed sat under a glass ceiling, and the three moons shone right down onto the pillows.

I threw myself onto the bed and stared up at the stars.

Now this was the retirement I had been dreaming of.

I closed my eyes and let the old Rosalind's memories settle into place, one by one.

In this world, women were rare. For every one woman, there were ten thousand men. Because of that, marriage wasn't a choice. The government matched people by their genes, and the law made those matches final.

The stronger a woman's mental power, the more husbands she could take. And once a man married her, all his assets went to her, on top of a big monthly allowance from the state.

Mental power had eight ranks in total. In over six thousand years of star history, only one or two people had ever reached SSS rank.

I opened one eye. Oh?

Some people also awakened elemental powers, ranked from one to ten. Fire, water, lightning, earth. But going by the novel, there was only one wood-element awakener in the whole star system right now.

Sienna. The female lead.

I sat up slowly as the last piece of the memory clicked.

Radiation didn't just poison the soil. It poisoned the men too. The stronger the beastman, the more contamination built up inside him, until his mind started to crack. Rage. Madness. Some of them lost control and never came back.

Only a woman's calming touch could lower that instability. And the most effective method of all was a soul bond between husband and wife.

My comm buzzed on my wrist. A glowing message opened in the air.

[Dear Miss Rosalind Montgomery, you have reached the age of eighteen. Per the Gene Matching Law, you have been assigned five husbands. Please fulfill your marital obligations within one month.]

Five husbands?

I scrolled down. The first name on the list had a little photo beside it. Black hair. Sharp jaw. Grey eyes.

[Silas Montgomery. Match rate: 99.5%.]

"Holy hell!"

I nearly fell off the bed.

The first one was Silas? A ninety-nine-point-five percent match with my own brother?

The pendant warmed against my chest.

[Host, you're in luck! All five are top-tier powerhouses across the galaxy. Land them one by one and you'll rack up at least 500,000 fortune points. Who's still afraid of the female lead after that?]

[Finish the mission and there's a grand prize waiting too. Let's go, host!]

I narrowed my eyes at the jade.

"Are you even a real fortune system? Why do you sound so sketchy?"

[...]

"What exactly are you?"

[This system isn't telling you a thing.]

"Talk."

A long pause. Then the words came out small and slow.

[Fine. Truth is, I'm actually the Shadow Luck Siphon System. Before I changed my name, not a single host wanted to bind with me. You think I'd let a catch like you slip away?]

I pressed my fingers to my forehead.

A luck-stealing system. Of course. I should have known the moment it told me to steal the female lead's chances.

"Useless system."

[...]

"Play dead if you don't want to answer, then."

It did exactly that.

I looked back at the floating notice. Silas's face smiled at me from the screen, the same polite, patient smile he gave me at dinner.

My face went hot.

We were living under the same roof now. He had just told me there was no one in his life. If he saw this, it would be way too awkward.

"System," I said, "block the match notice from reaching Silas."

[Silas Montgomery's match notice has been blocked.]

I let out a breath and flopped back down.

At least the system was good for something.

A new screen popped up. Rows of glowing items lined up neatly, each with a price beside it.

[Fortune Shop.]

[Tier-two energy crystal: 100 fortune points.]

[One box of instant noodles: 100 fortune points.]

[SSSS-rank combat mech: 1,000 fortune points.]

I sat up so fast the bed bounced.

Instant noodles? Real ones? Not bitter, not rotten, not tasting like spoiled milk?

And an SSSS-rank combat mech for only one thousand points?

I checked my balance. Not even close.

Looks like I'd better start racking up points. And fast.

The pendant warmed again.

[Tip: Target Silas Montgomery is reachable by comm. Every bit of affection pays out.]

I glanced at my wrist. His contact glowed right there at the top of the list.

A slow smile spread across my face.

Fortune points delivered right to my door?

Well, don't mind if I do.