Conquest Complete, So Why Is the Affection Dropping? - Chapter 36
“Does Kaint have siblings?”
Moreover, seeing as it says ‘siblings,’ it seems there’s more than one.
There was nothing about this in his profile. I should have done some background checking during our casual conversations when I visited.
“Mmm, yes. That’s fine.”
Though I was a bit taken aback by this unexpected setting, there was no reason to refuse. My forgotten determination to pursue him suddenly welled up.
Given his setting of being uncomfortable around women and having flatly refused my previous teatime invitation, I’d been wondering how to approach Kaint.
But seeing that he has siblings, it seems I’ll need to win their favor first and gradually work my way in.
“I’m curious about the Admiral’s siblings. I’d like to meet them.”
“Thank you for accepting the request, Shin Joo.”
As Kaint’s eyes curved gently, the sound of waves drifted in faintly from somewhere.
[Kaint]’s current affection level: 10
Though it was the same as the initial affection level, his expression was quite different from our first meeting.
‘I’m enchanted…’
I thought he only knew how to flash that bewitching smile that shook viewers’ hearts, but it seems he can also make expressions that reveal such warm emotions.
While I stood there dumbfounded with my mouth open, Kaint extended his hand toward me. I only realized it was for escorting after I’d instinctively placed my hand in his.
Kaint carefully guided my hand to rest on his arm and began walking slowly.
“Shall we go, Shin Joo?”
“…Yes.”
Though he was leading me to where his siblings were, his manner was so gentle that for a moment I mistook it for a wedding procession.
‘Get it together! He’s still just a pursuit target with affection level 10.’
Suppose I get ahead of myself and cross the line, who knows when his affection might plummet again. I opened my eyes wide and focused.
‘Wow. He smells nice.’
Just standing arm in arm, there was a subtle fragrance.
Unlike someone who braves fierce sea winds while sailing vigorously, Kaint had a slightly sweet fruity scent. The kind of scent children would like.
Are his siblings very young?
***
Kaint’s siblings were indeed very young.
“Wow!”
“Shin Joo has come!”
And there were many of them.
‘Are… are all these… siblings?’
There seemed to be about 10 of them at a rough count. I wondered if Kaint’s mother’s health was okay.
“Everyone, calm down and stop making a fuss. Greet Shin Joo properly.”
“Greetings to Shin Joo!”
Since they were untrained children, their simultaneous greeting became mixed with off-beats, sounding roughly like a 10-part chorus, but I didn’t mind hearing their high voices. These days it’s hard to see children anywhere, but not here.
“Kaint. Are all these children your siblings…?”
“I am unmarried.”
I thought it was an irrelevant answer at first, but I soon nodded at his subsequent explanation.
I had thought it strange that the children’s appearances and hair colors were all different, but these children weren’t his blood siblings. They were the siblings or children of fallen comrades, with significant age differences.
Unable to send children who could barely survive on their own and had no relatives to depend on to an orphanage, Kaint had decided to take them in.
However, being unmarried, he was legally unable to adopt them, so making them his siblings was the only option.
‘Thank goodness…’
I finally felt relieved that Kaint’s mother, whom I’d never seen, hadn’t endured tremendous childbirth pain.
And I suddenly understood why Kaint was loved by the Holy City’s residents as a national hero.
From his friendly appearance that soothes anger just by looking at it, to his dignified manner, his achievements in leading every war to victory, and even his character in carefully looking after his fallen comrades’ families. It would be difficult not to feel affection for such a man.
The ancient ancestors’ saying that a righteous face houses a righteous heart wasn’t wrong. Seeing such a perfect man, one wouldn’t even feel jealous.
“Um, Shin Joo…”
A girl with braided pigtails approached me timidly. I released Kaint’s arm, went to the child, and bent down to match her eye level.
“What is it?”
“C-can I touch your hair just once?”
The child asked with sparkling eyes, her cheeks red like plums. What an adorable request.
My hair was a mysterious color that looked like pink reminiscent of ripe peaches mixed with a light sunset glow.
Even in the technologically advanced 21st century, it was a color difficult to achieve through dyeing, and it seems my hair color was quite rare in this fantasy world too.
“Carol, you shouldn’t make such an impolite request to Shin Joo.”
“Ah…”
“It’s fine, Admiral. This is hardly anything.”
It’s not like she’s going to pull my hair out, just touch it.
I undid my hair and swept it to one side, making it easier for Carol to touch.
Carol hesitated for a moment, seemingly conscious of Kaint’s gaze, but when I smiled brightly at her, she gathered her courage and began touching my hair.
“Wooow…”
“Do you like it?”
“It’s so pretty!”
My face? Or my hair?
It seems like the latter, but would it be greedy to hope for the former?
“Sh-Shin Joo! Can I hold your hand too?”
“Me too!”
In an instant, I felt like a large doll being touched by children crowding around.
I recalled my brief stint working as a mascot costume character after finishing college entrance exams as I quietly offered both hands to the children. Their small, moist hands tickled the back of my hands like little ferns.
While Kaint’s sweet scent was sophisticated and subtle like well-dried fruit, the children smelled truly sweet like candy.
Even though I was full from dinner and dessert, my mouth still watered.
“What’s your name?”
While the other children were clinging to me with sparkling eyes like they were seeing a legendary creature, one child couldn’t approach and kept secretly glancing at me from behind a pillar.
It wasn’t really secret since I’d noticed from the start, but the child truly seemed to think I wouldn’t notice, freezing in surprise when our eyes met.
“I, I, I.”
“This is Corin. They’re quite shy.”
Kaint introduced the child who was trembling like a startled rabbit suddenly being called out.
For him, it was probably an act of consideration for his shy adopted sibling.
However, the moment Kaint spoke the boy’s name and explained the situation for him, the child bit their lips and blushed.
“Just a moment.”
I excused myself from the other children and approached Corin, asking the child who stood stiffly with tightly pressed lips.
“Could you tell me your name again?”
“U-um, I…”
“Yes?”
When I quietly nodded, the child’s face grew even redder.
Yet instead of averting their gaze or backing away, the child clenched both fists tightly and moved their small lips, speaking their name.
“I’m Corin…”
No matter how shy they might be, judging from how they were watching from behind the pillar, this child must have wanted to meet Shin Joo too.
Adults often forget their own childhood and make mistakes, but children actually don’t need adults’ help or consideration. This is especially true for things they can do themselves, like greeting and stating their name.
Corin probably wanted to tell me their name and greet me themselves. Their frustrated expression when Kaint beat them to it proved this.
“So you’re Corin. Nice to meet you.”
“…Yes. Nice to, meet you.”
The child smiled brightly. Though still red-faced like a ripe fruit and stumbling over words, they seemed proud of having greeted me directly.
For a moment I wanted to hug them tightly because they were so cute, but that would be exactly what not to do with a shy child, so I contained my desire by clenching my fists just like the child had done.
“Um, I…”
Was my expression too lecherous? Corin opened their mouth again with a slightly tense expression.
“What is it?”
“I wanted to… g-give this to Shin Joo.”
Corin extended their tiny trembling fist. When I held out my palm, the child’s fist slowly opened, and something small and silver fell into my palm.
Item: Miracle Key
A magical tool made from an ancient dragon’s tooth. When inserted into the input slot of ancient relics, it can destroy otherwise indestructible devices.
Selling Price: –
Non-tradeable (Bound Item)
