Harem Streamer System: Every Crime I Broadcast Wins Me a Superheroine - Chapter 73

Chapter 73: Questionable Dedication
… 02:38 a.m.

The warehouse was quiet.

Scott slouched on a beat-up sofa tucked in a shadowy corner of the commodious space while his legs stretched out as he idly scrolled through his phone.

Gone was his dark combat gear, replaced by a simple black hoodie and jeans. The mask was off, revealing his handsome face and the tired blue eyes of a man who carried far too much on his shoulders.

Not too far away, Brigid lay snug in a sleeping bag he’d grudgingly pulled out for her. She was bundled up like a caterpillar in a cocoon as her chest rose and fell rhythmically with each breath. Her messy black hair framed her peaceful face, making her look far younger than her age.

Scott looked at her and his lips twitched in a faint smirk.

“Psssh… she looks like an angel when she’s asleep…”

He sighed as his eyes returned to his phone.

“But when she’s awake, it’s a different case entirely.”

He shook his head and opened Instaflick.

Soon after, his casual browsing suddenly interrupted by a notification that made his eyebrows shoot up.

[Inbox (3,217 New Messages)]

“What the—?”

Scott nearly fell off the sofa.

He stared at the number in shock before groaning.

“Where the hell did all of these even come from?!”

The System immediately responded.

[To help the host focus on deepening his relationship with Miss Mercury, the System took the liberty of muting messages from Brigid MacLeighlin until you achieved full intimacy with the speedster heroine. This action was deemed necessary.]

Scott pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a long, exhausted sigh.

“Well, meeting her now doesn’t make things any better in the end. Great job, System.”

Still grumbling, he opened Brigid’s chat thread and began scrolling. The messages were a concoction of desperation, humor, and outright lunacy.

He skimmed through the first few texts.

[Lord Nightwatch, please respond! I need guidance!]

[Are you ignoring me because I’m not a redhead? If so, that’s discrimination!]

[I’m NOT crazy, okay?! I just have… ideas.]

[Look, I know I already sent you like 200 messages today, but seriously, I’m desperate here. Please don’t block me… I just need to see you, to talk with you 💔…]

[Please, Mr. Nightwatch, answer me this once! I’ll keep doing my best to donate to your streams and support you because I love what you’re doing… （◞‸◟） but please at least look at one of my messages. I’m not asking for much.]

[Mr. Nightwatch??? Hello???]

—

Scott shook his head as he scrolled past screenshots of donation receipts she’d sent—proof of her attempts to be a “model hero-in-training.”

Then came the more emotional messages.

[I’m alone here. Nobody at this school believes in heroism the way I do. They think I’m weird. They laugh at me. You saved me when I was about to lose my faith in the golden age of heroism… much like Silver Sentinel, you’re the reason I want to be a hero. Please, at least tell me if I’m on the right path, that’s enough ( ´-ω-` )･･･]

Scott’s scrolling slowed. Despite her eccentricities, there was an undeniable sincerity in those words.

Then came the pictures: one where Brigid grinned proudly with a certificate of excellence, another where she posed with a shiny medal from her school. There was a shot of her on a beach excursion with classmates, her smile bright and carefree.

Scott’s lips quirked upward slightly.

But as he scrolled further, his brows furrowed.

The pictures took a turn.

There were selfies of Brigid in skintight superhero cosplays, others where she wore barely-there outfits, posing provocatively in ways that left little to the imagination.

Ones where she lifted her butt up to the camera.

Or… spreading her legs open for the camera while wearing a questionably erotic smile.

It was a lot to take in.

Scott groaned and rubbed his temples.

“She seriously needs to be careful sending pictures like these. Sure, Nightwatch is a good guy, but what if I were just some creepy old man with a thing for younger girls? Use your damn head, Brig…”

He looked at her sleeping form, then back at her photos.

For a moment, he debated deleting the app altogether.

But instead, he sighed and leaned back into the sofa.

“Well… wouldn’t hurt to take a small break.”

Scott pulled up his messages and typed out a quick note to Commissioner Lisbon:

[I’m heading out of town for a bit. If anything serious happens in Meteor City, let me know. And keep an eye on the missing children’s case—I have a hunch it’s far from over.]

He hit send and glanced over at Rigid again.

『Adira Crowe recruited her as the next rookie hero of Crowe Enterprises…? She’s not just average talented. There’s gotta be something more. Guess I’ll find out soon enough.』

… Sigh~

—

The next morning, Brigid’s eyes fluttered open.

She blinked groggily as her ears picked up the whirring of tools and the roar of an engine.

“HUH────?!”

Shooting up, she looked across the warehouse and saw Scott hunched over the hood of his sleek, jet-black GT-R, tightening bolts and checking gauges.

“Wh-, What’s going on?!”

She stammered as she scrambled to her feet.

Scott turned and wiped his hands on a rag before slipping into his leather jacket.

“You said you wanted to be a hero, right? Best place to start is in Metro City—the City of Heroes.”

Brigid’s eyes lit up like the Fourth of July.

She ran toward him, practically bouncing with excitement.

“You mean it?! You’re taking me with you?!”

Scott smirked as he tossed her a juice box.

“Don’t make me regret this.”

Brigid caught the juice box and clutched it like a priceless artifact.

“I won’t! I swear!”

Scott slid into the driver’s seat, then revved the engine with a low growl.

“Cool, we should move as early as possible. C’mon let’s get going already.”

Brigid jumped into the passenger seat.

Her grin stretched ear to ear.

“I’m ready for anything, Lord Nightwatch!”

“First lesson: stop calling me that.”

With a screech of tires, the GT-R roared out of the warehouse and headed straight for Metro City.

━ ━ ━ ━

… 09:36 a.m.

The GT-R thundered down the endless stretch of asphalt like a predator chasing the horizon as its engine growled with a fearsome horsepower.

The road ahead was utterly deserted, aside from the sleek black car slicing through it at breakneck speed.

Inside, Scott’s hands were steady on the wheel as his sharp blue eyes fixed on the road.

Brigid sat in the passenger seat with her legs tucked under her as her messy black hair framed her cute face. Her big green eyes were glued to him, while her mind raced just as fast as the car.

『He’s just driving like it’s nothing, but he’s letting me see his face…』

She bit her lower lip.

『Does that mean he trusts me? Or—wait. Her brows furrowed as a more absurd thought popped into her head. What if he’s planning to kidnap me? Maybe he’ll lock me up in some dark, underground dungeon and then… force me to… strap on and… take him from the back?』

Her face flushed a deep red.

『No, no, no! That’s not how it’s supposed to go! It’s the other way around, right? Right?!』

She snuck another glance at him.

He hadn’t said a word to her since they left the warehouse.

Maybe he cared more about the roar of his engine than anything she had to say.

Honestly, Brigid didn’t trust herself to speak without sounding like some crazed, obsessive maniac.

『What if he really is that kind of guy? No… Lord Nightwatch wouldn’t…』

Then her curious eyes drifted down to herself.

She was still wearing the oversized black T-shirt Scott had tossed her earlier and her only other clothing was a pair of plain white panties beneath. The shirt barely reached her mid-thigh, leaving her legs almost completely exposed.

Her lips curved into a small, mischievous smirk.

『Maybe I should… test him.』

Slowly, she reached for the hem of the shirt and lifted it inch by inch, just enough to reveal the smooth curve of her thighs and the edge of her panties. She bit her lip and her cheeks warmed as she imagined his reaction.

『Mhm-mmm~ Maybe now that it’s morning and he can see me clearly, he’ll—』

“Brigid…”

Scott’s calm voice tore apart her thoughts.

She froze mid-motion, her shirt still bunched in her hands.

Without even sparing her a proper glance, Scott gave her a quick side-eye with an unimpressed face.

“Unless you want to walk to Metro City, you better keep your shirt down. We’re not playing this game.”

Brigid pouted, lowering the shirt with a dramatic huff.

“Tch. What if I don’t want to?”

She crossed her arms like a defiant child.

Scott reached over, grabbed his phone from the center console, and held it up to her. The screen lit up with one of those pictures—the kind Brigid had sent him in her moments of questionable genius.

“If you don’t… this picture? Going straight to your school. Think they’ll appreciate it?”

Her jaw dropped as her face flushed with equal parts embarrassment and outrage.

“Y-, You wouldn’t!”

“Try me,”

Scott tossed the phone back onto the console.

Brigid’s shoulders slumped as she let out a defeated sigh.

“Fine… you win. I’ll behave. Happy?”

Scott’s lips twitched in the barest hint of a smirk.

“Smart girl.”

He shifted his attention back to the road.

“Now, while we’re on the subject of bad decisions, toss the dildo out the window.”

Brigid’s head snapped toward him, her eyes wide.

“What dildo?”

“Brigid…” His tone carried a warning.

She groaned while reaching under her T-shirt to pull out the pink offender. With a grumble, she rolled down the window and flung it out onto the empty highway.

“Good…”

Scott said as he nodded in approval.

“Now we’re almost halfway between Metro City and Meteor City, so keep yourself occupied while I make a quick call.”

Brigid’s brows furrowed. “A call? To who?”

He slid on his earpiece and smiled as he tapped a button on the car’s display.

“My girlfriend. Jealous?”

Her eyes widened, and she folded her arms under her breasts, then pouted dramatically as she turned to glare out the window.

“No fair…”

Scott chuckled under his breath.

He was waiting for the call to connect.

“Her name’s Emma, and she’s uhhh, just as crazy as you are… or should I say passionate?”

Brigid’s pout deepened as she tried not to listen while her cheeks puffed out like a sulking child.

Scott glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.

“Keep pouting like that, and your face is gonna get stuck.”

He was still smiling.

Brigid just grumbled in response.

━ ━ ━ ━

Emma’s Mansion, Metro City…

Marcus lounged on the massive leather sofa in the living room, controller in hand, fully immersed in a PvP match of Burgnite on his GameStation 10.

The sound of rapid gunfire and explosions echoed through the room, but his attention briefly shifted as his avatar ducked behind cover.

He tilted his head toward the kitchen, visible through the large open archway.

“Hey, does anyone wanna tag team in Burgnite? I could use some backup!”

From the kitchen, Jenna’s voice rose above the clatter of cooking.

“We’ll have to finish this first, Marcus! Just enjoy your solo grind. Maybe tonight!”

Marcus adjusted his glasses with a smirk.

“Fair enough. But you better not bail on me later!”

He turned his attention back to the screen.

“Solo squad wipe incoming.”

He talked as though he was really in the game.

…

In the kitchen, Emma was at war with the onions.

“Hissss──fucking red things!”

Her knife moved quickly, but the sting of the onion juice had tears streaming down her cheeks. She sniffled, wiped her face with her forearm, and stabbed the knife into the chopping board with dramatic flair.

“That’s it! I’m done! I can’t stand these stupid onions!”

Jenna glanced over from where she was stirring a simmering pot of sauce.

A soft laugh escaped her lips.

“What’s the matter, Em? You giving up because of a little onion squirt?”

Emma glared at her with watery, bloodshot eyes.

“It’s not ‘little,’ Jenna! These things are evil. You do it if it’s so easy!”

She threw the cutting board into the sink with a huff and crossed her arms.

Leaning against the counter, Nadia, who had been scrolling through her phone, chuckled.

“You’re lucky all you had to do was onions. I’m still recovering from the chili peppers. My eyes were on fire. Felt like I got maced.”

The three women burst into laughter.

Just as Emma grabbed a glass of water to recover, her phone buzzed in the back pocket of her short shorts. She pulled it out, and her yellow eyes lit up at the caller ID.

“Oh, babe? What’s up?”

She answered with a softer, more feminine voice.

Hearing this, Jenna and Nadia immediately abandoned their tasks. Jenna wiped her hands on her apron while Nadia leaned in with a mischievous grin.

They edged closer to Emma with maximum curiosity.

Scott’s voice came through the line.

“Nothing much. Just wanted to let you know I’ll be in Metro City soon.”

Emma’s eyes widened, and she squealed before she could stop herself. She started bouncing on her toes as her excitement spilled all over the place.

Even Jenna and Nadia who weren’t even Scott’s girlfriends were equally excited to have him here.

Soon after, Emma caught herself, cleared her throat, and tried to play it cool.

“Oh, uh, that’s cool. Was that all? ‘Cause, uh, I’m kinda cooking right now.”

Scott chuckled deeply.

“Babe, you don’t have to pretend. I can practically see you blushing through the phone. Red as a rose, aren’t you? And pretty as one too~”

Emma sighed and leaned against the counter with a sheepish smile, swinging her legs up as she spoke.

“Fine, you got me. I’m excited, okay? I’m really glad you’re coming to Metro. You’re moving in, right?”

The words had barely left her mouth when Jenna and Nadia’s smiles vanished. They both turned to Emma with squeezed brows and subtle frowns as their expressions practically screaming – What do you mean, moving in?

Emma raised a confused eyebrow at their sudden change in mood but focused on Scott.

“Yeah, I’ll be moving in, I guess? but, uh, there’s something else. I’m bringing a friend along… if that’s cool.”

Emma blinked as her smile faltered for just a second.

“Oh, sure! A friend of yours is a friend of mine. Can’t wait to meet him!”

Scott hesitated. “Actually… it’s a she.”

Emma’s smile stiffened.

“Oh. A she! That’s… super awesome! Haha!”

Her laugh sounded so forced it could’ve been mistaken for a malfunctioning robot.

The line fell into an awkward silence.

Scott cleared his throat.

“Uh, yeah. I’ll explain everything when I get there. For now, just text me the address, alright?”

Emma nodded, even though he couldn’t see it.

“Sure thing, babe! C-, Can’t wait to see you!”

With that, the call ended.

Emma lowered the phone as though it were heavy.

She lifted her head to meet the fiery glares of Jenna and Nadia, who were both staring at her like she’d committed an unspeakable crime. She stumbled back slightly in her flip-flops as she clutched the counter for support.

“Wh-, What’s wrong?!”

Jenna crossed her arms and tilted her head as her blue eyes narrowed.

“The conversation, Emma. Everything was wrong with that conversation!”

“Huh?”

Emma’s brows pressed together.

“What are you even talking about?”

Nadia scratched her chin thoughtfully as her eyes darted between Emma and the sauce pot.

“I don’t know how to put it, but… it kinda sounded like you were trying just a little too hard for Scott. Like… it’s not a problem, but there’s a line, y’know? When it stops being ‘cute girlfriend vibes’ and starts feeling like… worship.”

Emma could only let out an astonished chuckle.

“You two must be joking, right?”

She turned toward the stove and picked up the spoon, giving the simmering sauce a stir.

“Anyway, if you don’t hurry, this sauce is gonna burn.”

Jenna leaned on the counter.

“Let’s just hope this ‘friend’ of his isn’t cuter. Or prettier. Or heck—even sexier than you.”

Emma whipped around and the spoon clattered onto the stove.

“Seriously, what is your problem?!”

Jenna’s eyes widened sharply.

“My problem? My problem is my friend isn’t acting like herself! Normally, if some guy said they were bringing an uninvited guest, you’d shut it down before they even finished their sentence. But here you are, rolling out the welcome mat like it’s no big deal. We both know you don’t like the idea of this ‘female friend’ staying here.”

Emma sighed as she rubbed her temples.

“I can’t believe this…”

Jenna threw up her hands.

“What I can’t believe is that you’re letting all this slide. And let’s not even start on the fact that he kissed—”

Nadia’s hand shot out to slap over Jenna’s mouth.

“That’s enough!”

She laughed awkwardly as her green eyes darted nervously between the two.

“Let’s just focus on cooking, alright? Sauce first, drama later.”

The kitchen fell into an uncomfortable silence.

Emma turned back to the pot as her hands gripped the spoon tightly as she stirred.

She didn’t say another word.

—

Hours later…

The afternoon sun dipped low as the sound of a loud car horn echoed through the mansion.

In the living room, Marcus glanced up from his Burgnite session.

“Is that him?”

Emma bolted up from the sofa as her yellow eyes sparkled with excitement.

“It’s Scott! Security must’ve let him in!”

She rushed toward the massive front doors while Nadia and Jenna followed close behind.

The three women stepped outside and their eyes locked onto the black GT-R parked in the driveway.

The driver’s door opened, and out stepped Scott.

But it wasn’t Scott who drew everyone’s attention—it was the girl emerging from the passenger side.

Brigid stepped out, barefoot, wearing nothing but an oversized black T-shirt that barely covered her thighs. The shirt was undeniably Scott’s—the familiar logo on the chest made that abundantly clear.

Nadia gasped as her hands flew to her mouth.

Jenna groaned and dragged a hand down her face as though she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

Emma stood frozen as her eyes locked on Brigid.

Her lips moved, but at first, no sound came out.

Then, barely above a whisper, she muttered something.

“…That shirt. It’s Scott’s shirt.”