Conquest Complete, So Why Is the Affection Dropping? - Chapter 44
It was approaching 99. At this rate, reaching maximum affection wouldn’t be too difficult.
However, I couldn’t feel at ease. Judging from Hexion’s case, it seemed the affection level could continue changing even after a successful pursuit.
While I didn’t know how far it could drop, it wouldn’t be strange if the pursuit was canceled if it went into negative numbers.
‘I wonder if Kaint’s feelings would cool down if I make a mistake too.’
Not just because of s*x, but if I do something that disappoints him later, his feelings might change. After all, his affection level reset just because I said one wrong thing to him at the beginning.
Thinking about it made my chest feel cold.
Just earlier, I was excited about having a sweet romance, but the moment I thought about Kaint’s feelings possibly changing, that warmth suddenly cooled.
“Shin Joo, are you doubting my feelings?”
“……”
Rather than doubt, it’s closer to anxiety. But feeling anxious seemed somewhat ridiculous.
Am I anxious about a game character? If I told anyone about this, they’d tell me to get a grip and curse me out.
‘…Is it right to continue pursuing him like this?’
My burning determination to pursue him suddenly wavered. Ironically, as I neared completion of the pursuit, I hesitated to proceed. The shock from what happened with Hexion must have affected me more than I thought.
When a virtual character and a human fall in love, I’d naturally assumed it would be the human’s feelings that would change, never considering that the virtual character’s feelings could change.
Now I somewhat understand why most dating games end right after the confession and successful pursuit.
Because in a real relationship, feelings could change and cool off leading to breakups, so they cut off that possibility entirely.
The hand on my shoulder was warm, and the arm supporting me was firm. That made me feel even stranger. I turned my head away while making an excuse.
“I’ll call it being cautious.”
“Then, it seems more definitive proof is needed.”
“Admiral, proving one’s heart isn’t done through words, but actions.”
“Like this?”
“Ah!”
Kaint suddenly lifted me up. Losing my balance from suddenly being airborne, I quickly grabbed onto Kaint’s shoulders. I’d been looking up at him this whole time, but being in his arms brought our eye levels closer.
“Admiral, if someone sees…!”
“If I hold you like this, you can feel secure even when we move.”
“What?”
“Whether you change, or I change, even if one of us moves…”
Kaint’s hands held me firmly. Though not painfully tight, it was enough to make me feel I couldn’t escape his grasp.
“Being together like this means we can’t drift apart in different directions.”
“……”
After saying that, Kaint walked toward the castle. The golden waves rippling overhead gradually faded, then the sunset filled our view with intense light once again.
The brightness made me lower my head to look at the ground.
Like two waves meeting to form one large wave, I could see our two shadows merging into one.
It gave me a strange feeling.
A peculiar excitement and joy tickled my chest. It was somewhat different from the emotions felt while playing a game. I felt somehow comforted by Kaint’s actions as he seriously listened to my words and tried to answer.
Not just to curry favor with me, but because I could feel his genuine desire to reassure me when he noticed my anxiety. Because it felt like this man was truly communicating with me, my nose tingled with emotion and I wrapped my arms around his neck.
“Shin Joo. I cannot see ahead when you hold me like that.”
“Just walk straight ahead anyway. Use your instincts.”
“Is this also part of proving your heart?”
“Who knows.”
As I chuckled while stroking his head, I heard Kaint make a low rumbling sound.
So this man knows how to laugh out loud too.
Well, just because he’s wooden when it comes to romance doesn’t mean he lacks emotions entirely.
I gently stroked the back of his head, then released my arms and straightened up. Even with clear visibility now, Kaint was looking at me instead of ahead.
“Kaint. You should look where you’re going.”
“It’s a familiar path, so it’s fine.”
“That’s not like your usual thorough self.”
“Isn’t it good to have one more thing to learn about each other?”
“True. …I like it.”
Meeting his smile somehow made my heart feel warm and soft.
Suddenly finding him adorable, I brushed aside his disheveled bangs and softly kissed his forehead.
“Shin Joo!”
“Huh?”
I bit my tongue in surprise. Even though my eyes were tearing up from the pain, my head automatically turned toward the voice.
I saw a large man standing against the burning sunset.
“…Hexion?”
“Shin Joo. So this is where you were.”
Haa. Hexion was breathing heavily. Had he been searching for me this whole time? He looked extremely tired.
“I’ve finally found you. Shin Joo, please…”
Kaint stepped back and turned around, avoiding Hexion who was approaching me.
“You truly don’t know when to give up. Or perhaps as a dog, you can’t understand human speech?”
“Kaint!”
Realizing that Kaint’s ‘dog’ referred to Hexion, I quickly grabbed him.
Calling someone a dog, what kind of rudeness is that? Even if they don’t get along!
“Kaint, don’t be rude to Hexion.”
“Courtesy only applies in relationships where mutual trust is maintained. There’s no reason to show it to a dog who bares its fangs at its master out of blind desire.”
“What on earth are you saying?”
How dare he say such insulting things to my guardian knight! What wrong has Hexion done?
I squirmed my legs while in his arms.
“I want to get down. Let me go.”
“I cannot.”
“Kaint!”
“I’m well aware that entrusting yourself to me means abandoning the Temple. Both the Temple and that stray dog have lost the chance you gave them. So there’s no need for sympathy.”
“I’m not trying to return to the Temple. Hexion must have a reason for coming all this way to find me…”
“Shin Joo, you must understand that taking in a corrupted traitor isn’t an act of kindness but one of foolishness.”
“The traitor accusation is a false charge! The demon race evidence, I…”
I clamped my mouth shut mid-sentence.
Traitor. False charge. Evidence of demon race.
I remembered something I’d forgotten. The incident where I planted Marvis’s belongings in Hexion’s inventory, and when Venom discovered it, he was accused of conspiring with the demon race.
When I kept insisting on Hexion’s innocence, Priest Baal presented fabricated evidence. I remember the system forcing me to make a choice then.
You are at a crossroads. What will you do?
-
- Take the evidence and confront Hexion.
-
- Send a letter requesting help from Admiral Kaint.
-
- Can’t take it anymore. Run away from the Temple.
I woke up in Kaint’s castle. Kaint said the Temple was no longer safe after being attacked by the demon race, and that he would protect me.
At that point, there was only one reason I would seek shelter in the Admiral’s castle.
Only if I had chosen the second option.
‘Wait. Then that means Hexion still hasn’t cleared his name?’
I examined Hexion’s condition. I thought he was just tired from searching for me all the way to the Admiral’s castle, but looking closely, something seemed off.
Hexion’s usually rock-solid posture was strangely unsteady. It was then that I noticed his footprints behind him were crooked.
I thought his armor looked red because of the sunset’s reflection, but the stains on the silver armor were actually blood.
“Hexion, don’t tell me…!”
Did he escape from the Temple prison? To find me after I went to the Admiral’s castle?
‘Oh my god.’
My blood ran cold. Now I understood why I had no memory of what happened before waking up here. Otherwise, I couldn’t have lived comfortably in the Admiral’s castle while leaving Hexion imprisoned under false accusations.
“Put me down, Admiral. I need to treat Hexion.”
First, I need to heal Hexion’s injuries with the Judgment skill and clear his name.
‘But the Temple priests and holy knights aren’t here. Will just using the Blade of Judgment skill be enough to clear Hexion’s name? Still, it’s better than doing nothing, right?’
When I patted Kaint’s shoulder repeatedly asking to be put down, he furrowed his brow.
“Shin Joo. You must take responsibility for the choices you’ve made.”
