Chapter Text
Dokja browsed the game store, eyeing the bright pink values in the middle of the screen that illuminated his face. Ways to Seduce the Male Lead. At first glance, a person would naturally assume this was a romance game – an otome targeted to a demographic of women consisting of a variety of handsome males to seduce. So why was Kim Dokja’s cursor lingering over the buy button? Embarrassment flushed his face in a pink tint as he thought of what others would think; a 28-year-old salaryman buying an otome game directed towards females, but reassured himself by saying the game was simply popular and he wanted to try it out.
Brushing off his shame, he scanned the description and to his delight found that there were both female and male characters, as well as one who was neither. But maybe he was just excited because the male lead was the most handsome man he’d ever seen. The characters were very unique, each with a different personality and stunning designs. There seemed to be more to the game than simply captivating the male lead, with complex game mechanics and even a free-play mode that could be unlocked. Without a doubt, this game had more to it than just romance, so Dokja decided to make the purchase. He just wanted a reason to play free of shame.
Upon opening the game, you would be led through a tutorial, guided by a clumsy white-haired male. By hovering over the character, the player would be given a quick description, alongside their name, species and birthday.
***
Bihyung
Species: Dokkaebi
Birthday: N/A
Modifiers: N/A
Although clumsy in both his dokkaebi and human form, Bihyung has access to libraries of information and is ready to help at all times. He is your guide who will lead you through tutorials and is sometimes accompanied by his daughter Biyoo. You can ask him questions by clicking on the phone icon located in the top-right corner and send him any questions you have.
❧ Expand
***
The translucent blue screen displayed an expand button beneath the text, which Dokja promptly clicked on.
***
❦ Collapse
Affection: N/A
Likes: N/A
Dislikes: N/A
***
“Ah, so you can’t view those because he isn’t a romanceable character?” , Dokja mused.
After completing the tutorial, Dokja was immediately thrown into the game. A notification appeared through his in-game phone on the side of his screen, indicated through a pulsing exclamation mark. He opened the text and read the messages from Bihyung.
***
Bihyung 5:43pm
Hi Salvation! Once you’ve finished exploring, you should head to the city first. You might gain some new friends or find resources and equipment to upgrade your own stats. If you open up the Maps app on your phone you can navigate your way there. When you meet a character you are able to seduce, you will be able to view them on your phone with a heart next to their names.
[Alright]
[Heading there rn]
Salvation 5:44pm
Heading there rn, thanks for the info!
***
Taking into account the ‘stats’ Bihyung mentioned, it would be plausible to assume the game had fighting aspects. He opened up his own character summary and was disappointed by the 0 accompanying each category. Pressing on Maps, he set out on his way to Kaizenix.
Along the way, he found equipment littered around, as well as an abundance of resources, all of which he pocketed in his handy Infinite Dimension Space Coat, gifted to him by Bihyung. By the time he arrived in the city, he was fully equipped with unseemingly armoured clothing. The area was bustling with people both buying and selling items and seemed to be a market of some sort. As Dokja explored the area, he peered at some of the weapons on sale. Each one was created by hand, and even weapons of the same name each had their own unique attributes. Dancing beneath the metallic surface there were a variety of ores that glimmered when they caught the sunlight. One specific sword caught his eye. Broken Faith .
The sword was snapped in half, missing the top half, but it still intrigued Dokja. The man running the stall scoffed at him when he realised what Dokja was so enraptured by.
“That sword’s got no use, I jus’ have it there ‘cause no one wantsa buy it and I got nowhere to put it,” the stall owner drawled.
Kim Dokja piped up, selecting ‘Broken Faith’ and a simple sword to the side of it, “I’ll take it with that other sword there, how much is it?”
“Uhhh, maybe 5000 coins? Or was it 10000…” the owner pondered.
[Make an offer from 5000 to 10000 coins]
Taking out the coins he received from Bihyung as a starter, he pushed 5000 towards the man.
“Don’t be such a cheapskate…” he grumbled.
Dokja added another 2500 coins to the pile.
“Yes, yes that’s an adequate amount,”
Walking away from the stall with his newly acquired weapons, Dokja had a certain lightness in his step that he’d never experienced before. He felt satisfied with his purchase and pulled out Broken Faith to examine its stats, but to his chagrin, the floating box was devoid of any text below the name. He sighed, unsure of what to do with the sword and simply stuffed it into his coat.
Dokja decided to walk around and try to befriend some people. Glancing around, he could see a woman with a kindly face who was immersed in a book.
[Walk towards her]
[Walk away]
He started walking towards the lady and stopped in front of her, tapping her on the shoulder.
[Take me to the bookstore]
[Do you know the way to the bookstore?]
“Hi, do you know the way to the bookstore? I’m not very good at reading maps…”
The woman looked slightly startled and cleared her throat, “Oh, yes I can take you there.”
“Thank you! My name’s Salvation, I just arrived in Kaizenix you know, everything’s so busy,” Dokja replied, making small talk.
“I’m Yoo Sangah,” she introduced herself, the corners of her lips slightly upturned, “You chose the right person to ask, I always visit the bookstore – there’s just so many new things to read about!”
“Exactly! Reading books is so relaxing, especially when you find a good one,” he answered. A pink heart lit up in the corner of the screen as Sangah flashed him a warm smile.
💗
The two chatted on their way there and Dokja glanced at the novel she was reading. Greek mythology, huh? Educated.
Now that Dokja had a clear view of her face, he could see that she was very beautiful. She had honey-brown hair that swept her face and a very amiable attitude towards others. He hoped to befriend her through their interaction, as she seemed rather knowledgeable, throwing in bits and pieces of information throughout their conversation.
“Ah, we’ve reached the bookstore,” she announced, stopping in front of a cosy vintage building.
A swinging metal flag-mount sign creaked as zephyrs blew by and a small ding! resounded as they entered the building. Despite its small exterior, the moment they stepped into the building it seemed as though they were in a palace library of some sort, light filtering in through the skylights. The scent of new books shrouded the store, comforting those as they browsed. There were a variety of genres, with more fiction and non-fiction crowded amongst the floor-to-ceiling shelves. From potion-making for witches and warlocks to sci-fi fiction, the bookstore seemed to house every novel in the world. The more he delved into the world, the more detail he realised there was to it. From small things like cats in alleyways and a bartering system to the enormity of buildings.
Dokja bought the books he wanted – a few on potions and elixirs, another three on fighting and magic and two just for entertainment. He said goodbye to Yoo Sangah after exchanging numbers and quickly became immersed in his book. His mind started to wander, thinking about the adventures to come and what easter eggs he could possibly find. He also thought about the setting; a mix of old-fashioned and modern coming together harmoniously. Without looking where he was going, he walked into what felt like a brick wall. Holding his forehead, Dokja looked up and met the eyes of a man who looked like… a puppy?
“I’m so sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going! I was just so interested in my novel I didn’t know you were in front of me and-”, Kim Dokja started babbling.
“Oh no, it’s completely fine! You seem more hurt than me…” the large man trailed off, sheepishly looking up and down at Dokja’s frail avatar.
Dokja realised there was a woman standing next to him. She had an imposing aura and glared down at him.
He quickly brought up their character lists and browsed their information.
***
Jung Heewon
Species: Human
Birthday: July 9
Modifier: N/A
Jung Heewon is a travelling mercenary and has a strong character and is rather feisty, however has a strong sense of justice and will go out of her way to protect the weak and misfortuned. Furthermore, her fighting skills are impressive and she has already made a name for herself within the city. Although costing a hefty price to hire, she has never once disappointed and many rely on her to get the job done. Once becoming acquainted with this incarnation, she will display a fierce affection and become very protective.
❦ Collapse
Affection: ♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡
Likes: Fighting, ◼️◼️◼️, ◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️
Dislikes: ◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️
***
“Who are you,” she questioned with a tone that very much implied she was distrustful of him.
[That’s none of your business]
[My name is Salvation]
“Uh, my name is Salvation, I’m just a traveller,” he mumbled, responding honestly, not wanting to get in her bad books. It seemed like she had deemed his response satisfactory with an almost imperceptible nod.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Jung Heewon, a mercenary,” she said, extending her hand to shake Dokja’s, whilst the man bowed, “Better known around these areas as the Judge of Evil. He’s Lee Hyunsung, a royal knight, also known as The Greatest Shield.”
“Woah… such cool aliases…” Dokja contemplated, “I wonder what mine would be if I were in the game. The developer really put thought into these characters looking closer at their designs…”
Lee Hyunsung wore gleaming steel armour from head to toe, with the exception of his head, his helmet tucked in the crook of his arm. On the other hand, Jung Heewon donned a collared shirt with a black vest and a red tie, with a leather garter around her thigh. She had streaks of white running through her hair and– were those abs?
The trio chatted for a while, Jung Heewon sharing stories of some of the odd jobs she’d taken up and Lee Hyunsung reminisced about his days as a squire, tacking horses and sharpening his master’s weapons. Unfortunately, Dokja did not have much to add to the conversation except for his remarks and reactions. Throughout the conversation, the same pink heart he saw whilst talking to Yoo Sangah appeared once again, this time in a pair. The character list he hadn't closed updated.
***
Jung Heewon
Species: Human
Birthday: July 9
Modifier: Judge of Evil, ◼️◼️◼️, ◼️◼️◼️
Jung Heewon is a travelling mercenary and has a strong character and is rather feisty, however has a strong sense of justice and will go out of her way to protect the weak and misfortuned. Furthermore, her fighting skills are impressive and she has already made a name for herself within the city. Although costing a hefty price to hire, she has never once disappointed and many rely on her to get the job done. Once becoming acquainted with this incarnation, she will display a fierce affection and become very protective.
❦ Collapse
Affection: ♥︎♥︎♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡
Likes: Fighting, ◼️◼️◼️, ◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️
Dislikes: ◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️
***
Dokja closed the box as Jung Heewon asked to exchange numbers, in the same manner Yoo Sangah had when he reached the first affection level with her. Dokja clicked on the phone button and pressed on the manual, with three of the twelve love interests being lit up. Yoo Sangah, Lee Hyunsung and Jung Heewon.
Every hour Dokja met another one of the characters, as well as some of the side characters such as the pair Lee Gilyoung and Shin Yoosung, two impressionable teenagers who clung to Dokja and bickered all the time, or Lee Jihye and Kim Namwoon. Kim Namwoon definitely had a crush on her. The rest of the suitors were Han Sooyoung, Nirvana Moebius, Lee Seolhwa, Anna Croft, Sun Wukong, Secretive Plotter, Abyssal Black Flame Dragon and Demon-like Judge of Fire. He personally didn’t like Anna Croft or Nirvana Moebius much, so instantly crossed them off his potential list of who he would choose. Abyssal Black Flame Dragon was definitely a chuuni… And the last three names were so out of place…
A full day had already passed when Dokja finally met the last of the twelve, Crown Prince of Kaizenix, Yoo Joonghyuk. Why was there a crown prince in a modern city setting… Kim Dokja was taken aback by his beauty, unable to believe any person could look like that no matter whether they were real or not. Eyebrows seemingly drawn by a single, uninterrupted stroke of a famed artist's brush; a nose and a chin shaped in perfect angles that defied attempts to measure them through mere devices of men; a pair of deep eyes seemingly carved out of a beautiful jewel containing all the misfortunes found in this world. However, he was even scarier than Jung Heewon and as he dangled him off a bridge, Dokja understood why no one who played the game had managed to romance him yet.
“Name.”
“What?”
“What is your name?”
[Salvation]
[Yoo Joonghyun]
The Yoo Joonghyun option would have been funny… But it wouldn’t be good to provoke him here.
“Salvation.”
“A strange name.”
"I've heard that a lot.”
Yoo Joonghyun’s right eye started shining gold.
[Yoo Joonghyun has used the skill: Sage’s Eye]
[Exclusive skill, 'Fourth Wall', has activated!]
[‘Fourth Wall’ has detected the use of the detection skill, ‘Sage's Eye’!]
Dokja was stunned. Since when did he possess this skill? He hadn’t even trained or anything so how could he have a skill? He’d never heard of anyone in online forums mentioning it either…
The taller man’s eyebrows furrowed together, a glare of bewilderment being cast towards Dokja’s avatar.
"You… What are you, really?"
[Exclusive skill, ‘Fourth Wall’, has blocked ‘Sage's Eye ’!]
[Keep quiet]
[I’m… simply a traveller]
“I’m… simply a traveller,” Dokja said hesitantly.
Yoo Joonghyun smirked and set him down on the cold stone. A pink heart appeared on the screen and it filled up slightly.
💗
“Really now?”
Kim Dokja had never seen this happen in any videos he watched – what was going on?
“You’re an interesting traveller. Give me your device.”
The phone icon on his screen disappeared.
Huh? HUH? What was going on?
Yoo Joonghyun threw the phone into his lap and the icon reappeared in the top-right corner.
“There. Don’t contact me for irrelevant reasons.”
And with that, the man strode off leaving Kim Dokja’s avatar alone on the bridge, extremely confused and wondering what had just happened.
He immediately screenshot an image, quit the game and opened a forum on it, typing in what had just taken place.
r/WaysToSeduceTheMaleLead
u/DK_Salvation 10 min. ago
HELLO? HE IDDN’T THROW ME INTO THE ICHTHUOSAUR’S MOUTH? IS MY GHAME BUGGED?
⇧ 1863 ⇩ 💬 327
u/huqjahjds19 9 min. ago
someone was able to seduce him?? WTF?
⇧ 59 ⇩ 💬 1
u/903kdasioj 2 min. ago
Ikr WTF?!?!? HOW?????
⇧ 5 ⇩ 💬 0
u/nkhasdkhn 4 min. ago
proof??
⇧ 174 ⇩ 💬 1
u/DK_Salvation 4 min.ago
[1 Attachment]
⇧ 205 ⇩ 💬 1
u/iloveyoojoonghyuk 1 min. ago
Are u kidding me?
⇧ 5 ⇩ 💬 0
Before he could read the next few replies, a sudden wave of lethargy swept over him and Kim Dokja dozed off in front of his computer screen.