Conquest Complete, So Why Is the Affection Dropping? - Chapter 31
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“It’s not a mistake. Not a wrongdoing either.
When you have s*x because you’re attracted to someone, but then lose interest after sleeping with them – it’s hard to call that anyone’s fault. There are just people like that in the world.
Besides, I was the one who asked for intimacy first.
‘I shouldn’t have jumped at the chance just because the censorship was lifted.’
There must have been a reason for restricting the dialogue and actions, but I ignored that and got too greedy, seemingly exceeding the game system’s allowable limits.
Who can I blame? It’s all my responsibility.
‘But wow… this is really hitting hard.’
I never imagined I’d get such an outright message of hatred from a character in a game, especially one whose route I’d completed. Well, technically it’s a message rather than spoken words, but still.
“Hexion did nothing wrong.”
“Shin Joo. Then why……”
“But I don’t think it’s my fault either.”
They could have at least warned that doing mature actions would ruin the affection points. Setting the freedom level this high only to backstab players – isn’t this game lacking in business ethics?
Honestly, rather than my responsibility, this seemed more like the developers’ conscience had disappeared into fine dust.
“I guess our timing was just off.”
“Timing…?”
“Mm. Or maybe our preferences didn’t match? Perhaps we got too close too quickly.”
Maybe there was another route where affection builds slowly, but I unknowingly played recklessly and ended up on some rushed development route.
“Starting over… isn’t an option, but continuing with this wrongly buttoned first button doesn’t feel right either.”
“Shin Joo. I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
“I don’t want to see the ending in this state.”
With reset affection and him hating me, I had no expectations for what ending would appear, and if the ending suddenly had him whispering words of love just because the route was completed, that would be even more chilling.
I got off the bed. My lower body was still tingling and my legs were weak, causing me to stumble slightly. Hexion quickly came to support me.
“Shin Joo. Let me help you.”
“No. Let go.”
“Shin Joo?”
“I said let go.”
When I spoke coldly, Hexion released my hand and stepped back.
We had been so passionately entangled on the bed, but now that feelings had cooled, what happened just moments ago felt like it occurred long ago.
“Clinging isn’t my style.”
“Shin Joo. If something is bothering you……”
“I just want to stop here.”
Since Hexion is a devout holy knight, and since the route is completed, he might apologize if I get angry and accommodate my demands. But I don’t want to see an ending by forcing things that way.
Ironically, I remembered complaining ‘They could be a little more accommodating instead of being so picky’ when route completions failed while playing through the screen.
Even if they’re characters in the same virtual world.
Even if they’re beings that don’t actually exist, made of zeros and ones.
The moment I recognize the other party as a ‘person,’ I can be hurt just by the fact that my feelings and theirs have different weights.
I can feel rejected just because their feelings for me have cooled.
Even though there wasn’t anything between us that could be called a true relationship.
“Shin Joo……”
“Goodbye, Hexion.”
I called up the choice window again.
3) End the game
Suddenly everything felt bothersome. I lost all motivation to pursue Kaint and Marvis.
Thinking that they too might lose affection after completing their routes like Hexion and that they might hate me if I make wrong choices, made me feel even more discouraged.
“Shin Joo? Shin Joo…!”
Hexion’s urgent calls cut off. The bedroom scene surrounding me disappeared.
With a floating sensation, darkness fell, and my consciousness faded.
***
A blue sky spread across my entire field of vision. I quietly watched white clouds flowing like sea foam beneath my feet.
Though it’s an unrealistic scene, it feels familiar. I remember coming to this place before.
And there’s always someone who comes to greet me here.
“Joo-ah.”
A clear voice accompanied the sudden appearance of a slender young man. The man with flowing black hair was still bewitchingly beautiful.
“Hello…um…”
But when I tried to greet him, I couldn’t remember his name.
I’m sure he told me his name, but what was it?
“I’m sorry. I must have a bad memory.”
“Are you going back?”
“……”
While I was hesitating about how to ask him to tell me his name again, feeling guilty about forgetting it despite hearing it twice already, the man spoke to me with a somewhat sorrowful expression.
“I was born to be with you from the beginning to the end of this world.”
“Oh, right. I think you said something like that before.”
I wasn’t sure how to handle this situation where only this beautiful man in front of me was making confession-like statements while Hexion actually hated me and both Kaint and Marvis had rock-bottom affection.
Is this really how this game was designed?
“Are you going back?”
“Um… yes.”
This changed scenery after choosing to end the game. Maybe the man before me is a system administrator.
Like someone who appears at the start of the game to explain the tutorial and gives closing remarks at the ending.
Though it seems like a waste of data to use that level of beauty for just an NPC.
“I see.”
The man calmly nodded in acceptance.
“I know. Reality is more precious to you than the game.”
I’ve seen many system messages telling you to quit being a shut-in and live your real life when you stay connected to a game too long… but hearing this in a romance game felt fresh.
“Digital data made of zeros and ones won’t be missed when it disappears.”
Was that just a meta-comment?
I’ve heard there are cases where games try to increase immersion by having characters speak not to the in-game protagonist but to the player outside the game.
Many users dislike it because it feels uncomfortable, so considering marketability, the developers should have kept their niche preferences to themselves.
“Were you happy, Joo-ah?”
The man asked me. I felt like I should at least say I was happy or it was fun out of courtesy, but strangely, I couldn’t bring myself to say such pleasantries.
Maybe it’s because I’m basically running away without even saving after completing Hexion’s route, with things ending on such a sour note.
When I couldn’t answer, the man asked again.
“Will we be together someday?”
He must be asking if I’ll play again.
‘Since the original wasn’t a virtual reality game, I’ll probably be playing with a console when I return to reality.’
Playing through a screen, well, at least I won’t get genuinely hurt if I fail some routes, so I might try again once I calm down.
Though I wonder if it’ll even be fun to play given how bizarre the route event structure is.
“I’m not sure.”
It was fun. I’ll come back. Let’s play again sometime.
If an NPC had asked through a game screen, I could have given such answers easily.
But strangely, I couldn’t lie to the man asking with that sorrowful face right in front of me.
I didn’t want to.
Even knowing it was inconsiderate.
“…I hope our lives had meaning.”
After finishing these puzzling words, the man spread his hands toward empty space. A large door appeared.
I remember. When I first got into this ‘game,’ I came through this door.
As I stood before the door and turned to look at the man, he gave me a slight bow.
“Joo-ah. I was happy to meet you.”
Hearing those words made my heart flutter strangely. Even though it must be just a common farewell from an NPC, my nose tingled oddly and I felt like crying.
An emotion more like guilt than sadness. I felt like I should somehow apologize to that man.
But the moment one of my feet crossed the doorway, the piercingly blue sky was all swallowed by darkness, and the man with clear eyes vanished like mist.
“Ah, the name!”
I should have asked his name one last time, but now I’m leaving without remembering it.
Maybe that’s why I felt tears coming, feeling sorry about that, and just as I tried to wipe them away, my eyes opened.
***
Beep beep beep beep-.
I woke up to my phone alarm.
It was my room, unchanged from before the transmigration.
‘Ah, the date!’
I hurriedly checked the date on my phone. Coincidentally, it was the day after I bought the new game release following my recommended resignation.
The timeline matches perfectly if I think of it as having dozed off and woken up from a strange dream.
“…Was it really just a weird dream?”
I got up, massaging my aching shoulders. Since I had set the alarm for my usual work time, it was still dark outside.
It’s ridiculous that even after rushing to prepare and get to work from before dawn to be ground down as a company cog, all that awaits a slave is a recommended resignation ending.
‘Maybe getting rejected in the game would have been better.’
I laughed dejectedly, then turned off all remaining alarms and lay back down in bed.
Not hungry, don’t need to go to work, nothing particular to do, and feel down.
Everything felt bothersome.
So I didn’t want to think about anything anymore.
I fell back into sleep.
