Endurance System

Parasite!

"Are you sure?" the shop owner asked.

He looked at Elric doubtfully, seeing that he didn't look like a manual laborer even though he appeared worn out. "The person who usually works here is sick. If you're willing, you can do it for a few days until he recovers."

"I'll do it. I'm willing," Elric replied quickly.

But then he fell silent, hesitant. He wanted to say something, but was worried that the shop owner wouldn't like it and end up canceling his job.

As if sensing his uneasiness, the shop owner said, "You'll be paid daily. The more you do, the more you'll earn."

Elric immediately smiled brightly.

"But there's no food or drink," continued the shop owner.

"I know," Elric nodded in understanding. "Where do I start?"

He rolled up his shirt sleeves as he looked at several sacks in front of the store.

"Take the ones on the right. Deliver those two sacks to the store next to the intersection. The yellow store."

Elric quickly picked up one of the sacks. But it turned out to be heavier than he expected. The shop owner almost burst out laughing when he saw the redness on his face with bulging veins.

"All the sacks are heavy. You have to lift them one by one. Be careful not to hurt yourself. I'm not responsible if something happens. You might even have to pay for the damage," he said, then walked into the shop.

Elric didn't answer.

He tried to lift the sack with all his might, then took slow, heavy, unsteady steps.

"Come on. You have to be enthusiastic, Elric. For a bright future," he muttered breathlessly.

When he arrived in front of the store, he placed it carefully and called out to the owner. "Here's your order. I'll pick up the rest."

Before the shop owner, who was holding a folding fan, could answer, he had already walked away with enthusiasm.

Only after he had returned did the shop owner pat his arm with her fan and ask, "Are you a new employee?"

"Yes."

"But your appearance..." The woman's sharp eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why are you suddenly working like this?"

“What else could it be but for money?” Elric replied lightly.

“I know, but you don’t look like it. They wouldn’t come to work dressed this nicely. You…” The woman approached and whispered suspiciously. “Are you his son?”

Elric was startled and instinctively took a step back. “Sorry, I still have a lot of work to do.”

He quickly left.

But that only made the shop owner even more suspicious. "He must be his son. Damn. So he has a son this handsome."

**

"Here's your pay for today."

Elric took several bills and stared at them intently. His eyes sparkled with joy.

"For your first day, you did well. You'll come back tomorrow, right?" asked the shop owner.

"Of course," replied Elric, nodding vigorously.

Then he carefully put the money away and continued, "I'll come back like today. Every day."

"Thank you for taking me on." Elric bowed briefly and then left cheerfully, despite his body feeling exhausted.

"It looks like this is enough to rent a small room," he said softly.

But at that moment, he saw Amaris getting into a taxi in her casual clothes. He immediately ran after her, but the car was already far away.

"Damn it!" Elric cursed, stopping another taxi and asking it to chase after the taxi Amaris was in.

The distance between them shouldn't have been far, but because he was stuck at a traffic light, he lost track of her. However, Elric directed the taxi to the Voss's family home.

The maids in that house stayed there until their contract ended. They were only allowed to return to their hometowns once every three months. So Amaris couldn't have gone anywhere else.

Upon arriving there, Elric was stopped by security guards. Although his appearance was much more haggard than it had been eight days earlier, they recognized him immediately and forbade him from approaching.

"Let me in!" Elric snapped, pushing away their hands as they tried to push him away.

"Don't make things difficult for us. You're a nobody now. Don't bother our lady anymore. Leave before we resort to violence," threatened one of the guards with a fierce expression.

Elric's eyebrows furrowed slightly, not understanding what he meant.

But before he could speak again, another guard shouted angrily. "You're just a disgusting parasite. How dare you come here! What? You want to beg and ask for their mercy like a loser to get your position back? Elric, you're a man. But you're disgusting, worse than a leech!"

"Hey!" Elric's emotions flared. "What right do you have to talk to me like that? What do you know about me? You're the worst kind of person, judging others based on the little information you have."

He was about to step forward, ready to fight.

"Stop!" A guard chief came rushing over with a stern look on his face. "What are you guys arguing about at this time of night? What if our mistress gets disturbed?"

As he looked around, his gaze met Elric's, and he immediately frowned in displeasure. "Why are you here?"

"Are you going to disturb Miss Evelyn's peace again?" he accused immediately.

Elric snorted cynically. "Evelyn?"

"You've been clearly rejected, but you still run after her. Elric, do you like my girlfriend that much?" Maverick appeared on the terrace with Evelyn.

Elric's expression became flat. The two of them were like leeches, constantly sticking to each other.

"Just kick him out!" Maverick ordered arrogantly.

Before the guards could approach, Elric shouted, "If I came here to look for Amaris, do I still have to be kicked out?"

Everyone was surprised.

Evelyn even unconsciously straightened her back.

"Hey, that's just your excuse, right? You're just too embarrassed to admit that you want to see my fiancée," Maverick replied, putting his arm around Evelyn.

"I did come to see Amaris. Call her out." But Elric completely ignored them. His only goal was to clarify the events of yesterday. Amaris only gave him an explanation.

Maverick's expression changed. "You really want to play this game until the end?"

"Call Amaris out!" Evelyn ordered coldly.

One of the guards quickly ran into the pavilion area and returned with Amaris, who looked worried.

Elric immediately stepped forward when he saw her and said, "And since Evelyn is here too, everything must be made clear tonight."

"Amaris, did they send you?" he asked.

Evelyn looked at them, confused. Meanwhile, Maverick was still smiling dismissively, thinking that Elric was seeking attention. However, among them, only Amaris knew the meaning behind Elric's words.

Suddenly, she panicked.

Without even caring who was there, she grabbed Elric's hand and pulled him away. "Why did you have to come here?"

"Don't you know clearly? Amaris, I can't accept you slandering me like that," Elric replied sharply.

"I didn't—"

"Evelyn or Maverick? Or maybe both?" Elric interrupted her.

"No, it's not them," Amaris replied quickly.

"Then?"

Amaris paused for a moment, then suddenly shouted with her eyes closed. "It's because I like you!"