Nox blinked rapidly, his eyes widening in disbelief. Had he heard that correctly? He studied Linus's face, realization dawning upon him. "Wait... You want me to assist you in building a..." He hesitated, the word sticking in his throat, "...a virtual establishment for... adult entertainment?"

Linus slapped his thighs, a broad grin spreading across his face. "Precisely! You understood the gist of it." He leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "From my explanation, you can see the potential in this venture. I have the necessary capital, before my old man kicked me out he gave me a hefty sum. I can use that for this venture, while you possess the technical expertise to create the virtual space. A symbiotic partnership, if you will."

Nox arched an eyebrow skeptically. "You want me to handle the technical aspects while you manage the financial side? A win-win situation, as you put it?"

Linus nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly! So, what do you say, Nox? Are you willing to team up with me on this endeavor?"

Hearing the offer, Nox's face was calm without any ripples as if the benefits have not moved him at all.

"You've listed the benefits," Nox began, his voice low and deliberate, "but what about the risks? And why are you specifically hiring me for this venture?" He arched an inquisitive brow, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Why not someone else?"

A business venture that only has benefits and no risk? It's too good to be true…..

Linus shifted uncomfortably in his seat, the confident veneer he had previously projected now cracking under Nox's scrutiny. An awkward expression flickered across his features as he met Nox's piercing stare.

"Well..." Linus began, attempting to formulate a response, but Nox swiftly cut him off.

"Let me guess," Nox said, his voice low and deliberate. "There are consequences for getting involved in this business, right?" He studied Linus's awkward expression and a guess appeared in his heart.

Linus nodded slowly, his eyes briefly lighting up with a glimmer of hope. "Exactly! So there are no legal consequences."

But Nox was unyielding, his brow furrowing as he interrupted Linus once more. "But from what I know, people are highly averse to those engaged in this kind of activity." He leaned forward, his gaze intense. "Especially here, at the Academy. If my head teacher finds out, they would undoubtedly punish me, perhaps even seek my suspension. Isn't that right, Linus?"

"And that's only the potential consequence within the Academy's grounds," Nox continued, his voice laced with a somber gravity. "Further outside, even greater ostracization awaits."

After these words, the room fell into silence, the tension palpable in the air. As Linus leaned back in his seat, letting out a heavy sigh that seemed to carry the weight of the world. His gaze drifted downward, his brow furrowed in contemplation.

"What truly disappoints me is your behavior," Nox continued, his voice low and measured as he brought the glass to his lips, taking a sip of his drink. He set the glass down, the soft clink against the coaster punctuating the gravity of his words.

"We're friends, Linus. In business, the first rule I learned is transparency."

Nox leaned forward, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied Linus's reaction. "Did you think hiding the true nature of this scheme would make me more likely to agree?" He arched an eyebrow, his gaze piercing. "Or worse, do you think I'm too cowardly for a little risk?"

Nox words cut through the silence like a knife. Linus' mouth opened and closed but no words came out as he struggled to find the right words.

"No more words?" Nox's gaze bore into Linus, searching for a flicker of response, a glimmer of understanding. "Then we are done here. I'm leaving."

Honestly, Nox didn't blame Linus for trying to downplay the risks.  Maybe he thought fear would drive Nox away. That's a valid concern.

On the other hand, he is not the original Nox and so he would feel sad because of this. He is just a normal businessman transmigrated to this unfamiliar world with unfamiliar memories and bonds.

'Anyway, I have said what needed to be said. What he does next has nothing to do with me,' Nox thought to himself, an internal shrug accompanying the words. He pushed his chair back and strode toward the door, ready to log out of this virtual space and put the whole strange conversation behind him.

‘But this business can be successful .. if handled properly .. But for now, I should log out as it is almost time for the lecture…’

The weighted silence hung between them, a palpable tension that seemed to stretch endlessly. Nox's back was turned towards Linus, his hand resting on the door handle, ready to depart and sever their connection.

"Nox, wait a minute," Linus called out, his voice laced with urgency.

As Nox paused, poised on the precipice of departure, Linus raised his head abruptly. His face was calm and composed, but his eyes shone with a sincerity that pierced through the tense atmosphere, imploring Nox to hear him out.

"Nox, I am truly sorry for hiding information from you," Linus began, his words carrying the weight of remorse. "Deceiving you was never my intention.All I wanted was your help."

Nox remained motionless, his back still turned, but the slightest shift in his posture betrayed his attentiveness.

"Remember when I told you that my old man had given me capital before kicking me out?"

"It was a lie." Linus's voice wavered, but he pushed forward, determined to unburden himself of the deception. "The truth is, I have no such capital in my hand. Just some money to live frugally for a few months. I wanted to use that money to start a business."

"I withhold the information, not because I wanted to deceive you. According to my original plan, the business would be registered under only me."

"So if there would be blame, it would be me who would take that, not you. The reason I lied about capital is because I don't have any money to hire you normally. So I lied to you…" Linus swallowed hard, his throat constricting with emotion.

"Originally, I wanted to repay you for your help once the business started making money. That's all, I never intended to dump you after all; you are my friend." The sincerity in his voice was palpable, a plea for understanding and forgiveness.

"But that doesn't change the fact that I lied to you, a thing a friend would never do. I am sorry!" Linus's shoulders slumped, the weight of his words bearing down upon him.

He paused, gathering his thoughts before continuing. "And I am not saying this to ask your help or convince you to help me again. I just want you to forgive me... That's all."

Linus's head lowered, his gaze fixated on the floor as the weight of his confession bore down upon him. With a heavy exhalation, he allowed the burden of deception to slip from his shoulders, his thoughts unraveling in the stillness that enveloped them.

'Indeed, it was wrong to lie,' Linus thought to himself. 'No matter how desperate I am, there is no justification for pulling a friend into water with half-assed truth.'

'In fact, I should not have involved him at all,' Linus thought to himself bitterly.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Just as he was lost in thought, he heard the sound of footsteps, his head snapped up, eyes widening in surprise as Nox strode towards him, reclaiming the seat he had vacated only a moment earlier. Linus looked at Nox with confusion, unsure why he came back.

"I want 70% share," Nox declared, his voice resolute, cutting through the tension that hung in the air like a knife.

Linus blinked, his mouth parting in bewilderment as he struggled to comprehend the implications of Nox's statement. "What do you mean?"

Nox's gaze bore into him, unwavering. "I'm willing to participate in this business venture," he clarified, "but since you tried to deceive me, I require a 70% stake as compensation."

Linus's mouth opened and closed like a gasping fish, his eyes widening comically as he processed Nox's outrageous demand. Finally, he found his voice, laced with a mixture of indignation and disbelief.

"Damn it, Nox! You want 70% of the revenue?" Linus exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. "Why don't you just take my waifu body pillow while you're at it?"