Conquest Complete, So Why Is the Affection Dropping? - Chapter 38
The morning air felt different today. Even though servants were busily moving through the corridors, not a single footstep could be heard. There was a peculiar tension. Yet somehow, it felt full of energy.
After finishing breakfast, I walked out onto the balcony. A cool breeze blew, disheveling my hair. In the distance, I could see rows of strong men lined up in the training ground.
‘Wow!’
It seemed today was the navy’s regular training day.
Since the Admiral’s mansion was situated on high ground facing the sea, the military training grounds leading to the dock were clearly visible.
The soldiers’ steps were perfectly synchronized in their well-fitted uniforms. They moved like multiple machines operating as a single device, with impeccable precision.
“So cool…”
As expected of game characters, they all looked tall and neat even from afar. Combined with their proper military posture, just watching them walk was enough to draw admiration.
“It would be better to see them up close.”
“Would you like to see them closer then?”
Startled by the sudden voice, I turned around to find Kaint standing rigidly and saluting me. He was immaculately dressed in his naval officer’s uniform, complete with a cap.
‘Oh my god.’
Feeling like I might faint, I gripped the railing until my knuckles turned white.
‘The trinity of uniform, cap, and gloves!’
They say a 7-point man becomes a 10 when wearing a uniform. Then it’s no wonder that Kaint, who was already a 10, now emitted an aura that exceeded visual tolerance while wearing his uniform.
I maintained a safe distance from Kaint while trying to control my breathing. A safe distance to preserve my sanity.
“Kaint? When did you arrive?”
“When I heard you were awake, I came to report about the training.”
He seemed more refined than when I last saw him. You could say he had matured more as a man.
As expected of a conquest target. Fundamentally different from me, who had been destroying my image by flailing around like a folk dancer while trying to build rapport with his siblings.
“I’m not your superior, so there’s no need to report to me.”
“I judged that to prove my worthiness to protect you, I needed to show you the results of our training.”
Though I thought what proof would be needed from a hero who had won every battle, when considering that the opponent wasn’t the demon-allied enemy forces but rather the temple that played tricks even against gods, it made sense.
“Kaint. Does the temple still send people here?”
After a brief silence, Kaint answered shortly.
“Yes.”
I thought as much. The temple wouldn’t give up on me so easily.
It seemed the temple was regularly contacting them asking for my return, but considering I hadn’t encountered any temple officials during this time, he must have been blocking them well. How thoughtful.
“I’m sorry. You have to manage your territory and conduct military training, yet you’re having to worry about me too.”
“…”
[Kaint]’s affection has decreased!
‘What?’
I just thought I should apologize out of courtesy since I was indebted to him, but his affection decreased.
[Kaint]’s current affection level: 0
Enough to completely reset all the affection I’d built up.
‘All that effort to raise it, and it drops to zero with one sentence? Are you kidding me?’
Though they say a person’s heart is hard to gain and easy to lose, this shouldn’t apply to affection levels too.
Even Hexion’s affection level, which I traded for skill reset, was 30, but losing 41 points is too much!
I stared at the status window in dismay.
“Shin Joo.”
Kaint called out to me as he took a step closer.
Perhaps because I was too dumbfounded, I could now look up at him calmly, whereas just moments ago I had been overwhelmed by his aura.
This troublesome younger man, it’s really hard to gain his affection.
“You are the representative of the divine, and you receive the reverence of all citizens.”
Perhaps because his affection had reset, that warm smile I had seen before was completely gone. Still, the fact that I couldn’t get angry because of his handsome face was lamentable.
They say that supreme beauty can bring down a nation, but Kaint’s beauty might bring about my downfall. Even if this game fails, Kaint’s beauty will be talked about for ages to come. Is this what they mean by god’s own modeling?
“And?”
“You are included among those citizens.”
“…?”
I wasn’t sure how to interpret the fact that he revered me but his affection was at 0.
‘Does he mean he worships the savior as a citizen of the Holy City?’
It wasn’t unreasonable if you thought of it as dedicating oneself to some noble being that transcended gender, rather than feeling romantic attraction.
“Though I’m not affiliated with the temple, I too have led victories under divine grace. I wish to repay you, so please don’t feel sorry.”
“But…”
“Rest assured that I will protect you so that dog will no longer blind your eyes and deafen your ears with deception.”
Dog? Deceive me?
As I was about to ask what he meant, unable to understand his words, someone’s name crossed my mind. I had heard similar words before.
“Are you talking about Hexion?”
I remembered how Hexion’s affection had dropped steadily just from my conversations with Kaint.
So they really don’t get along?
“Though you try to embrace even the sinister ones with your benevolent heart, endlessly giving to all humans is not always the right thing to do. I believe you must now realize he is not someone worthy of your company.”
No, I don’t understand at all. What did Hexion do wrong?
‘My Hexion is not sinister!’
First Venom, and now Kaint is too harsh in his assessment of Hexion. Isn’t Hexion the very embodiment of loyalty and devotion? Where else could you find such a devout holy knight?
Of course, I was disappointed when he suddenly dropped his affection after s*x, but that was an inevitable issue between men and women, not something that indicated a problem with Hexion’s character.
‘What exactly is his intention?’
I looked up at Kaint’s face. It didn’t seem like he was forcibly trying to disparage Hexion to take my side because of something between me and the temple. Besides, with his affection at 0, there was no reason for him to take my side personally.
“Admiral. Do you have some grudge against Hexion?”
“No.”
“Or did he commit some great discourtesy against you?”
“No.”
“If not that, then did I perhaps speak ill of Hexion when I came to you?”
“…No.”
“Then why do you think so poorly of Hexion?”
While I could forcibly rationalize Hexion’s wildly fluctuating affection as him being conscious of me, that wasn’t even the case with Kaint.
“That person overstepped his bounds. A mere dog trying to monopolize the Divine Master.”
“What?”
I don’t understand what he’s talking about at all. I was the one who made advances, and Hexion just put up walls, so who monopolized what?
“That guy was trying to keep the Divine Master’s favor to himself by keeping us in check.”
Come to think of it, Venom said something similar back then. Is Hexion the type to be easily misunderstood? First being slandered by his colleagues, and now even the Admiral is criticizing him.
I haven’t even seen Hexion’s face since I woke up here. So Kaint and Hexion shouldn’t have met either, so why is he showing such hostility?
‘Ah, no. They must have met.’
The reason I took refuge in Kaint’s mansion. I said it was because the temple was no longer safe after demons attacked through the sky portal, right? Since that incident happened after Kaint visited the temple, the two men must have met once.
‘Wait. Then is this continuing from the data of the previous playthrough?’
I logged out without saving back then, but could it have auto-linked? I quickly checked Hexion’s status window from the corner of my eye.
[Hexion]’s current affection level: 55
I couldn’t tell if it was reset to 55 as the base affection level, or if it was linked to the data from when his affection dropped after s*x that day.
‘Then let me check Marvis’s affection. It was definitely -3 at first, then ended at 9.’
[Marvis]’s current affection level: -24
“…”
This one was diving through the Earth’s core even though I hadn’t done anything.
