Infinite Rebate: I Get Richer Every Time I Spend

“…Ah~!”

Just as Kristine was about to scream, Lucas reacted instantly. He lunged forward and clamped a hand over her mouth.

“Do you want to get us killed?” he whispered sharply. “Those kidnappers could still be searching nearby. If they hear you… we’re done.”

Kristine’s eyes widened. The memories came flooding back all at once~the gunfire, the cliff, the freezing river, the terrifying fall. Her trembling body slowly relaxed.

“We… we’re alive?”

Lucas let out a helpless sigh. “Barely. If we hadn’t gotten lucky… we’d both be dead by now.”

Only after calming down did Kristine finally notice Lucas. He was sitting only a few feet away, wearing nothing except a pair of black boxer briefs.

His soaked clothes had been spread across several rocks near the fire to dry, while the flickering flames cast a warm orange glow across his lean, well-defined physique.

Kristine’s face instantly turned bright red, and she hurriedly looked away.

“W-Why aren’t you wearing any clothes…?”

Lucas glanced down at himself before pointing toward the pile of dripping clothes.

“…Seriously? We both fell into an underground river. Everything’s soaked. If I kept wearing them, I’d probably catch hypothermia before sunrise.”

Only then did Kristine notice her own condition. Her clothes were completely drenched, water dripping steadily onto the cave floor.

The icy fabric clung tightly to every curve of her body, making her shiver uncontrollably. Lucas calmly tossed another piece of dry wood into the fire, causing the flames to grow brighter.

“We need to dry our clothes. Otherwise neither of us is making it through the night.” He gestured toward the rocks surrounding the fire. “Hang yours over there. I’ll stay over here.”

His tone was so calm and matter-of-fact that it almost sounded like he was discussing the weather.

Kristine bit her lower lip. She still hesitated. They were completely alone… deep inside an isolated cave… with no one else around. Several long minutes passed before the cold finally became unbearable. Her teeth chattered nonstop.

“…Don’t peek,” she mumbled.

Lucas rolled his eyes.

“I’ve already seen you soaking wet in the river. I’m not interested in making things awkward.”

Kristine glared at him, though her cheeks only became hotter. After making absolutely certain Lucas wasn’t looking, she slowly removed her soaked outer clothes and carefully spread them across the nearby rocks to dry.

As the wet fabric peeled away, Kristine was left in only her soaked bra and panties. The thin, dripping material of her bra clung tightly to her full, heavy breasts, outlining their soft, rounded shape and clearly showing the hard pink nipples pressing against the fabric. The firelight danced across her smooth skin, highlighting the deep valley of her cleavage and the way her breasts shifted and bounced slightly with every movement.

Her slim waist curved into wide, soft hips, and when she turned slightly to hang the clothes, the round, firm shape of her ass was fully visible through the wet, clinging panties ~ two plump, smooth cheeks that looked soft enough to sink into. Even the soft outer curve of her thighs and the gentle dip of her lower back were exposed under the flickering orange light.

When she finally sat back beside the fire, she hugged her knees tightly against her chest, wrapping both arms around herself in a desperate attempt to stay warm. The position pressed her large breasts together inside the wet bra, making them spill slightly over the top and against her arms, while the lower curve of her ass still peeked out from behind her.

The fire crackled softly as its orange light danced across the cave walls. Outside, the primitive forest remained deathly silent except for the distant roar of the underground river. Neither of them spoke for a long while.

Eventually, Kristine quietly stared into the flames before gathering the courage to speak.

“…Lucas?”

Her voice was so soft it was almost swallowed by the fire.

Lucas turned toward her.

“Hm?”

Kristine lowered her head.

“…You saved me, didn’t you?”

Lucas shrugged casually.

“I just happened to find you. If I hadn’t… you’d probably still be wandering around out there.”

Kristine slowly shook her head.

“No… it wasn’t just that.”

She still remembered everything.

The kidnappers.

The bullets ripping through the trees.

The moment her feet slipped over the edge of the cliff.

She had genuinely believed she was going to die.

During those few terrifying seconds, her entire life had flashed before her eyes like scenes from a movie~every childhood memory, every laugh, every regret, every foolish mistake she’d ever made.

She hadn’t even experienced a real relationship yet.

She hadn’t met someone who truly loved her.

She hadn’t fallen in love the way she’d always dreamed she would.

That despair had nearly crushed her.

Yet…

When she opened her eyes again…

She was still alive.

She didn’t need anyone to explain why.

Lucas had risked his own life to save her.

Not Bryce.

Not anyone from the Student Union.

Not even Penny had been able to find her.

When she’d been at her most helpless…

Lucas had appeared.

Kristine’s eyes slowly became misty.

“…Lucas…”

“…You’re really… a good person.”

The sincerity in her trembling voice couldn’t have been faked.

At that moment, a familiar system notification quietly appeared before Lucas.

[Ding!]

Kristine’s Favorability +5.

Kristine’s Favorability +5.

Kristine’s Favorability +5.

Current Favorability: 95

Lucas glanced at the notification and laughed inwardly.

Seriously…

I haven’t even spent a single dollar on her…

And she’s already at ninety-five Favorability.

She’s completely hopeless.

As he was thinking, his gaze unconsciously lingered on Kristine for another second. She happened to look up at exactly the same moment.

Their eyes met.

Kristine’s heartbeat instantly accelerated.

Why…

Why is he looking at me like that…?

Countless thoughts raced through her mind.

Does he… think I’m pretty?

Wait…

I’m practically half-dressed right now…

Isn’t this way too embarrassing…?

Her face immediately became crimson.

She instinctively hugged her knees even tighter, trying to hide as much of herself as possible.

“W-What are you looking at…?”

she mumbled shyly.

“Hmph…”

Her voice sounded far more embarrassed than annoyed.

Another system notification immediately appeared.

[Ding!]

Kristine’s Favorability +4.

Current Favorability: 99

Lucas stared at the number for a few seconds before rubbing his forehead helplessly.

“…Unbelievable.”