Without meaning to, Alex exclaimed out loud, catching the attention of Lilia and the girls who looked at him strangely. After a few seconds of awkward silence, Lilia finally asked him:
"Is everything okay, dear?"
"Huh... y-yes, I was just thinking about something."
His response slightly irritated Lilia. They were there preparing dinner to make everything perfect, and he was lost in thought about something else.
So, Lilia told him, "Since apparently what we're discussing doesn't interest you, be useful and go fetch Scarlett."
Alex hurriedly left the room to avoid further irritating Lilia. Besides, he had more important matters to discuss with the system, so leaving the meeting room was a welcome escape.
As he exited the room, Alex recalled the system's response:
[The points required to copy an ability depend on the power level of that ability. For the lowest level, the copying cost is 50 soul points.]
"50 points? Even after spending the whole damn day with Lilia, I've barely managed to accumulate 10 points. How long will it take to get 50 points?" Alex wondered, starting to feel frustrated.
Moreover, the ability he could copy with those 50 points was a low-level one. So, he couldn't help but wonder how much it would cost if he wanted to copy an overpowered ability.
"Worst of all, I need to improve my physical skills too. How can I copy someone's abilities when my physical capabilities are so low?" he pondered.
Alex began to contemplate whether copying multiple abilities was the right approach.
"Wouldn't it be better to just copy an ability that suits me and then train to master it... Wait?"
Just as he considered this possibility, he remembered a crucial point he had forgotten.
"I must not forget that I obtained so few points because Lilia's powers were sealed. If I have sex with a more powerful woman, I'll gain more points!"
'Hmm... but even with that, it would still be challenging,' he thought.
He recalled the conditions for earning points and sought confirmation, "According to what you've said, I earn more points if the woman I'm with is close to me, as well as if she has a higher power level."
The system's screen appeared and confirmed:
[That's correct].
'When you say 'close,' how close are we talking?'
[This implies a woman with whom you share good relations...]
"That's what I suspected," thought Alex, but the system's next words made them pause.
[but also women with whom you are related].
"huh... what?" obviously he hadn't expected such a response from the system and it shocked him, but after a moment he started laughing to himself in the middle of the corridor.
'sleeping with women I'm related to, huh? this artifact is definitely wicked,' Alex thought with a smile.
'But that suits me perfectly; after all, it's one of the conditions for me to come into this world,' indeed, the former Alex had imposed the condition of fucking them all, and now the system was offering him to even earn points from doing it, so that was definitely good news!
***
Alex arrived in front of a towering 5-meter door with a handle no more than 10 cm.
This door was the entrance to the library where Scarlett was most likely.
Alex grasped the door handle but immediately withdrew his hand due to an electric shock that jolted him.
"Argh... I forgot she had set up a security measure on the door," Scarlett spent most of her time in the library, to the point where it had become more like her room. Since she detested being disturbed, she had installed a security measure on the door so that anyone attempting to enter unannounced would be instantly electrocuted.
Alex didn't know how she had done it, but even Lilia couldn't force this door open.
Right after he pulled his hand away from the handle, an almost angelic voice inquired, "Who is it?"
"Scarlett, darling, it's me. Open the door."
"who?"
Alex was irritated by this question. He was certain she had recognized him, but she still insisted that he tell her his name. Over the years, he had wondered if she had really installed the security measure on the door because she didn't want to be disturbed or just to inconvenience those who visited her.
"Alex," he replied, followed by a few seconds of silence.
"Oh... Dad, welcome."
Immediately after she uttered these words, the door swung open, allowing Alex to enter.