Conquest Complete, So Why Is the Affection Dropping? - Chapter 24
When they first presented Marvis’s belongings as evidence, I wasn’t seriously angry.
Since I was the one who shared those items in the inventory, my conscience wouldn’t let me blame the priests and knights who misunderstood.
While I knew Hexion’s betrayal was a false accusation, I thought people who didn’t know the circumstances could reasonably misunderstand.
But this is different. It’s too malicious.
“Listen here, Priest Baal.”
Are you mocking me? How dare you try to deceive!
Just as I was about to shout, a system window popped up in front of me.
You are deeply shocked by the evidence of Hexion’s betrayal. You stand at a crossroads. What will you do?
- Take the evidence and confront Hexion.
- Send a letter requesting help from Admiral Kaint.
- You can’t take it anymore. Escape from the temple.
What is this?
I’m not shocked at all, why are you forcing conclusions and choices on me?
Bewildered, I tried to dismiss the window, but it shook with a ‘ding’ sound. It remained fixed in front of me.
This means it can’t be deactivated.
‘What’s going on? A forced event?’
I was a bit flustered since this had never happened before. I thought I could pass on events and quests if I didn’t want them.
Do I have to choose one of the three? I frowned.
‘The evidence is clearly fabricated, so confronting Hexion with it seems too much.’
At first glance, the second option looks correct, but something feels off.
‘Kaint’s affection is only 11. And I’ve only met him once.’
A man helping a woman he’s met once with low affection? It screams ulterior motives.
Given the setting that relations between the temple and the admiral are poor, if the admiral helps me, he’ll likely demand repayment or find some excuse to make me leave the temple for him. There’s no such thing as kindness without reason.
‘Considering how Hexion’s affection dropped every time I talked to Kaint… I better not look his way until I finish Hexion’s route.’
In the past, I would have switched to an easier character to romance… But maybe after seeing Hexion worn out from searching for me day and night for ten days, I didn’t want to hurt him anymore.
‘The third must be one of two outcomes.’
Either escape the temple and get a bad ending, or meet Marvis or another romance target and switch to their route.
Either way, it’s a route where I betray Hexion. The risk was too high to choose based on flimsy hope that things might work out.
‘Then perhaps… the first option is better?’
Whether it’s fabricated evidence or not, at least I can meet Hexion.
If the priests and knights prevented me from meeting Hexion not just because of event constraints but because ‘I believed in his innocence,’ then I should do the opposite.
In other words, I need to act suspicious and bring evidence to confront him to have a conversation.
‘Alright. Going with option 1!’
Either way, I need to meet Hexion first for anything to progress. When I clicked option 1, the system window that had stood firm like a stone monument finally disappeared.
I straightened up and spoke to Priest Baal.
“With such decisive evidence, I can no longer deny it.”
“Ooh!”
The priests’ expressions brightened.
Whether it’s fabrication or instigation, seeing so many people eagerly trying to bring down one person wasn’t a pleasant sight.
But what’s the point of resenting them? There’s no use genuinely hating and cursing characters who can only move according to event stories – I’d just be called overly invested.
Let’s just proceed with the story.
“I will confront Hexion myself. Guide me to him.”
“Shin Joo? Meeting him is…”
“I want to hear directly from the person who deceived me why they did it. That should be my right as Divine Master, shouldn’t it?”
I’m not sure if such a right really exists, but I’m Divine Master so let’s assume it’s possible. In religion, God is law, so in the temple, my word as God’s representative is law. I just decided that today.
“…Understood. We’ll escort you.”
It seems I couldn’t meet Hexion before not because it was forbidden, but because my reasons for wanting to meet were inappropriate.
Though it took a roundabout way, at least I learned about the system’s constraints and how to break them.
From now on, I’ll go straight ahead without wandering.
***
“Shin Joo!”
“Hexion.”
Hexion imprisoned in the temple dungeon was terribly haggard. Seeing his gaunt face filled me with guilt.
‘Why did I get excited about pursuing Marvis’s route!’
It’s a universal rule that the first ending should be with a character whose affection rises easily. The price for ignoring game basics was this high.
‘Hexion, I’ll do better from now on.’
So please, let’s proceed smoothly to our ending.
“Are you feeling alright? Are you hurt anywhere?”
Statement deemed inappropriate and deleted. Reason: Content not suitable for event progression.
A bright red warning window I hadn’t seen in a while. The system is quite stingy to block even simple words of concern, not skinship or harassment.
‘Fine. I’ll proceed with the event then!’
Though I might be a gamer who can’t see endings properly without a walkthrough, I’m someone who would even decompile the client and analyze code to make a guide if none existed. I won’t yield to the system!
“Hexion. Why did you betray me?”
“Shin Joo. I have never betrayed you!”
Hexion turned pale and denied my question.
I know. I know too. That you’re innocent. But what can I do when this is necessary for story progression? I’m a player, not a developer – I don’t have the authority to modify the system.
‘Though dialogue selection is usually more the scripter’s discretion than the developer’s…’
This company is small, so the developer and scripter are probably the same person, so I won’t bother distinguishing.
“Priest Baal brought this as evidence of your collusion with demons.”
I held out the small piece of parchment toward Hexion.
Honestly, I’m not sure if I should present this as evidence, but with the priests and knights making such a fuss, I had no choice.
Recognizing the handwriting on the parchment, Hexion’s expression hardened.
“Shin Joo…”
His purple eyes trembled severely. His red lips twisted, and irregular breaths escaped his dry mouth.
“Please, Shin Joo. Trust me.”
“What reason do I have to trust you?”
“….”
His expression became devastated. It was clear Hexion himself had no means to assert his innocence. Of course there would be no evidence of his innocence since I was the one who stuffed demon items into his inventory.
‘My sin runs deep…’
If I hadn’t collected those items, he wouldn’t have been dragged here and imprisoned. But then I wouldn’t have noticed the existence of people hostile to him either.
“Hexion.”
When clear evidence is believed by many people, it’s nearly impossible for an innocent individual to prove their innocence. Not without help from someone with greater power than that group.
Knowing this made it painful to see Hexion’s hardened face. Even more so because the system prevented me from offering words of comfort and support.
‘Don’t worry, I believe in Hexion. I’ll definitely catch whoever framed you.’
With those feelings, I quietly gazed into his eyes. Like I believed in his innocence. Though I wasn’t sure if it would be conveyed through expression alone, I hoped it would reach him.
Responding to my unwavering, clear gaze, Hexion pressed his lips together and met my eyes. I felt his slightly trembling eyes fix on mine.
Seeing my face reflected in his purple eyes, it felt strange, like I was facing a real living person.
Hexion.
A romance target in a dating simulation game.
A virtual character made of zeros and ones.
Someone I won’t be able to meet directly once I return to reality after seeing the ending and ending the possession.
Why does he feel like a person living with the same emotions as me in the moment we face each other?
If not for the system’s constraints, I might have truly believed this wasn’t a game but a fantasy world in another dimension.
“Shin Joo, I have never betrayed you. So please believe me.”
“Hexion…”
“That I am the only one you can rely on.”
The desperate emotion carried in his deep voice.
The moment I recognized it, a translucent window appeared between us again.
Current affection for [Hexion]: 99 (MAX) To break the limit, a special event [Oath of Loyalty] must occur.
