Jake froze, his hand still cupping the soft, warm mound of Grace's breast as the notification flashed brightly in front of his eyes.
[Ding!]
[+1 Upgrade Point!]
"What…?" he muttered under his breath, completely stunned.
Meanwhile, Grace's face was already burning crimson.
Her breathing had turned shallow, and her eyes glistened with a mix of shock, embarrassment, and something else she couldn't quite name.
She could feel the heat of his palm through the thin fabric of her shirt, the way his fingers had instinctively given a gentle squeeze.
…She didn't pull away immediately.
Instead, a tiny, involuntary shiver ran through her body as she whispered, barely audible.
"C-Captain… y-your hand…"
Only then did Jake snap back to reality.
He quickly withdrew his hand, though the lingering sensation and the strange notification still echoed in his mind.
"S-Sorry!" he stammered, his usual calm cracking for the first time. "I didn't mean— you slipped and I just…!"
Grace sat back hurriedly on the bed, pulling the blanket up to her chest like a shield.
Her heart was hammering so loudly she was sure he could hear it.
The memory of his touch sent confusing sparks through her body, mixing with the overwhelming warmth of being trusted with his secret.
She tried to compose herself, but her voice still came out shaky.
"I-It's okay! I know you meant well!"
Hearing this, Jake let out a sigh of relief and turned his attention back to the notification.
'What was that…? I got an Upgrade Point?'
He blinked, still processing what had happened.
Turning to check his total, it had now reached 901.
A strange look appeared on his face.
'Don't tell me it came from squishing a boob?'
Jake couldn't help but find the idea ridiculous.
But then he frowned slightly.
'But why didn't I get any points earlier? Could it be the class prefers boobs over butt?'
His thoughts began to wander at this ridiculousness before he shook his head.
'No… There must be a condition… '
He turned to look at her.
'...and it has to be related to Grace.'
Grace was still peeking at him from behind the blanket, her cheeks flushed and her golden hair slightly messy from sleeping and panicking.
Jake cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure.
"Ahem. Continuing from where we left off… I trusted you, Grace."
Then he smiled at her.
"Which is why this is something you deserve to know."
Grace covered her face at those words.
She looked almost like an easily flustered girl who melted at every small compliment… and yet she still wanted more.
More of his trust... more of his praise.
Jake looked at Grace squirming happily under the blanket and couldn't help but sigh.
Such a beautiful woman, yet so easy to please with just a little kindness.
He felt genuinely glad he had found her first as who knew where she would have ended up if he hadn't?
Then he coughed lightly to regain her attention.
Grace peeked out again.
"Cough… so about my ability…"
Jake began to explain that upgrading his crew's skills required Upgrade Points.
"And it looks like… my class just gave me one points. From that… accidental contact."
Grace's eyes widened even more.
"From… touching my breast?"
She blinked, unable to stop herself from thinking that this class was indeed… very unique.
But then, remembering the rough warmth of his palm on her chest, she buried her face deeper into the blanket and let out another small embarrassed squeak.
Jake scratched the back of his head, a sheepish grin forming despite the situation.
"Yeah. Seems like physical closeness might be part of how the bond works. Or maybe it's because you're… well, my first crew member. The class seems to like it when we're… closer."
He paused, then added more seriously.
"I won't do anything you don't want, Grace. But if this is how I can get stronger and help you get stronger too... then I need to understand it better. Would you… be willing to help me test this a little?"
Jake was serious when he said this.
Right now, he wanted to understand how his unique class worked and what conditions triggered the Upgrade Points.
The faster he figured it out, the better he could utilize it.
Because this would be the foundation of his strength in this world.
...Of course some part of him was looking forward to it too.
Hearing his serious words, Grace peeked out again, her expression a whirlwind of emotions: shyness, curiosity, lingering embarrassment, and a spark of excitement she couldn't quite hide.
Being needed like this... being trusted with something so important made her feel warm in a way she hadn't felt in a long time.
She bit her lip, then gave a tiny, determined nod.
"O-Okay… Captain. I… I trust you. Just… be gentle?"
Jake smiled softly, the tension easing a bit.
"I will. I promise."
Despite looking calm on the outside, Jake was actually jumping inside his heart.
After all… he had basically just gotten permission from a woman to touch her body, not to mention from one as graceful and beautiful like Grace...
'Calm down, Jake… This is just a test…'
With a gulp, Jake moved a little closer and sat on the edge of the bed, careful not to startle her again.
He looked like an animal handler trying his best not to scare a timid kitten.
Grace's heart raced as she watched him.
The blanket was still clutched tightly to her chest, but she didn't pull away.
Instead, she sat there, cheeks flushed, waiting.
Soon, his body was now close enough that he could feel her warmth and petite frame.
"So… how about we start slow? Maybe just… holding hands first? See if the class reacts again."
Grace's face turned even redder as she hesitated for a second, then slowly extended her small, delicate hand toward him.
Jake looked at that graceful hand and gently reached out.
When their fingers touched, a soft, pleasant warmth spread between them as their fingers intertwined naturally this time.
Grace blushed.
[Ding!]
[+0.1 Upgrade Points!]
Jake's eyes lit up.
"It worked… but it gave way less than before."
He tilted his head, confused about how the class judged and awarded points.
But then Grace's next words helped him realize something.
Grace's face turned even redder as she understood what that probably meant.
"S-So… the more… intimate the contact… the more points you get?"
Jake's eyes widened.
He fell into thought for a moment before nodding slowly, a mix of amusement and genuine interest on his face.
"I… see now."
Jake looked at Grace, who was shy, blushing, and fidgeting under his gaze.
'It should also depend on whether my bond partner reacts or not… That would explain why I didn't get any points earlier when I touched her butt as she had already fallen asleep.'
While Jake was lost in thought, Grace swallowed nervously, her heartbeat still racing.
"Then… what do you want to try next, Captain?"
She looked up at him with those big, trusting eyes.
The blanket slipped slightly off her shoulders, revealing a tempting glimpse of her cleavage .... the soft, pale swell of her large breasts.
Whether she realized what she was doing or not… Grace simply waited there, equal parts nervous and curiously willing.
For a moment, the room fell into a gentle silence, broken only by the soft sound of their breathing.