Conquest Complete, So Why Is the Affection Dropping? - Chapter 2
Divine Master (Shin Joo).
T/n: The protagonist’s name “Shin Joo-ah” (신주아) contains clever wordplay in Korean. The first part “Shin Joo” (신주) literally means “Divine Master” or “memorial tablet for gods/ancestors,” making it particularly fitting for her role as a divine vessel. This dual meaning is lost in translation but is significant to the story as her name itself foreshadows her divine role. The “-ah” (아) suffix makes the name more feminine and is a common way to form Korean female names. While originally meaning a memorial tablet for the deceased, here it carries a different meaning. It refers to the vessel that contains god.
Too high-ranking to be called a saint, yet not quite treated as a deity since having a human body means feeling pain when hurt and dying when the breath stops.
Originally, gods never interfered with the human world, but when the world’s end approaches, they appear in human form to save the world from destruction.
In other words, the appearance of a Divine Master means the world’s end is near.
Of course, just because the world’s end is approaching doesn’t mean we’re immediately thrust into an apocalyptic setting. There aren’t any monsters appearing to devour people like I’ve seen elsewhere, nor am I given some maddening quest where I have only a month to live and must save people to avoid my soul’s destruction.
‘It’s just a setting value to give the player the title of [Savior].’
Once a savior appears to stop the world’s destruction, it essentially means the world won’t actually end, making it no different from maintaining the status quo, but arguing about it was pointless.
‘This is that kind of game after all.’
A reverse harem game, <Not Just Anyone Can Build a Harem>.
The first installment, which was adult-oriented, followed the classic corrupted saint template where the protagonist, containing a god, would sexually dominate everyone from the emperor to the pope to the demon lord.
‘The concept wasn’t bad, but the difficulty was brutal, and one wrong move would quickly lead to an orgy ending, which earned a lot of criticism.’
The game heated up social media daily, backed by angry users confronting the unapologetic, confrontational developers and trolls who swarmed to controversial topics like ants. <Not Just Anyone Can Build a Harem> eventually met its end when it was classified as pornographic and sales were suspended.
When people were lamenting the loss of yet another domestic female-oriented game studio due to lost investments, the development team crawled out of their hellish pit and announced a sequel suitable for all ages – even 7-year-olds – claiming they were rebuilding their image.
‘From what I’ve observed these past few days, this seems to be that sequel’s world.’
Like most female-oriented games, the release date for the second installment kept getting delayed, and I vaguely thought it would never happen. Who would have known I’d get the pre-order preview text on the very day I got fired?
Rather than drowning my sorrows in alcohol after getting fired, I thought gaming would be better for my physical and mental health. My last memory was clicking the preview link and making the payment after trudging home.
Then when I came to my senses, I was here, that’s what happened.
‘After 24 years of living solely for female-oriented games, I finally get to experience being transported into one…’
Unless the developers secretly tortured aliens to create a 100% real virtual reality game, I must have been transported into the body of the player character ‘Shin Joo’.
I was surprised at first, but with isekai stories being so common these days, it didn’t seem too strange that it would happen to me, and I adapted quickly.
The only disappointing thing was that I was transported into the second installment, whose number of conquerable characters I didn’t even know, rather than the first one I had played.
‘The first installment had too many depressing endings. I can’t even remember how I entered some of those routes – it would have been tough if I’d been transported there.’
Even though I know nothing, it might be better this way since the all-ages sequel won’t have any trap routes.
‘Though it was tough learning everything through trial and error without a tutorial, at least there’s the fun of playing a new game.’
I stood up, patting my shoulders. A gentle breeze blew through the fluttering white curtains. When I turned my gaze to the air, a translucent green window appeared sparkling.
Name: Shin Joo-ah (Player)
Age: 24
Height: 165cm
The only savior maintaining the world from destruction. Called ‘Divine Master’ as the vessel containing god and god’s representative. While the divine nature is eternal, the physical body is human and will perish if fatally wounded.
Can exercise various divine abilities through continued physical training, and possesses resistance to all types of poison and disease.
Skills: Judgment Lv.3, Barrier Lv.3, Blessing Lv.2, Meditation Lv.2, Purification Lv.1, … > See more
Reputation: 100
Money: 0 Gold
Relationships: None
‘As expected of a game, there’s a status window.’
I was curious about the skills I hadn’t seen before, but first, I needed to check my surroundings.
The room was decorated in white and gold, giving off a sacred atmosphere. The bed I was lying on had a canopy, and everything from the desk to the wardrobe was luxurious.
‘This must be the temple.’
In the first installment, the temple was where you started too. Though back then, it was more of a prison than a temple.
“Divine Master.”
Someone knocked on the door.
“Please come in.”
A young priest entered. He had neat black hair and wore white robes with gold embroidery.
‘He’s quite handsome.’
But not enough to be a capture target. His face wasn’t detailed enough.
“The High Priest requests your presence.”
“I understand.”
I got up from the bed. The priest bowed deeply and left the room.
‘The High Priest… I wonder if he’s a capture target.’
In the first game, the High Priest was one of the main capture targets, infamous for being particularly difficult to conquer.
‘But this is an all-ages game, so maybe it’ll be different.’
I checked my reflection in the mirror before heading out. A young woman with long silver hair and golden eyes looked back at me.
‘I look exactly like the promotional images.’
After confirming my appearance was the same as in the game’s promotional materials, I left the room.
The corridor outside was equally magnificent, with high ceilings and stained glass windows casting colorful light across the marble floor.
‘Now, which way should I go…?’
Just as I was wondering, another window appeared.
[Tutorial Quest: Meet the High Priest]
Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆
Reward: 10 Gold
Head to the High Priest’s office on the third floor.
Accept? Y/N
‘Oh, there are quests.’
I quickly pressed Y. A golden arrow appeared, pointing the way.
‘This is much more convenient than the first game.’
Following the arrow, I climbed the stairs to the third floor. The office wasn’t hard to find – it was behind the largest, most ornate door in the corridor.
I knocked on the door.
“Enter.”
The deep voice that responded sent a shiver down my spine.
‘This voice…’
It was familiar. Very familiar.
I opened the door with trembling hands.
A tall man with black hair stood by the window, his back turned to me. He wore white robes with gold trim, similar to the priest from earlier but more elaborate.
” Shin Joo, you’ve arrived.”
He turned around.
I froze.
‘No way…’
The man’s face was exactly the same as the High Priest from the first game.
‘Why is he here…?’
The most notorious character from the first game, known for his brutal bad endings…
The High Priest who would torture and execute the protagonist if you made even the slightest mistake on his route…
‘Wasn’t this supposed to be an all-ages game?!’
