Conquest Complete, So Why Is the Affection Dropping? - Chapter 45
“Shin Joo. You must take responsibility for the choices you’ve made.”
Kaint adjusted his hold on me and hoisted me onto his back.
“Ah!”
Like a piece of luggage on his shoulder, I couldn’t face Hexion anymore. I slapped Kaint’s back.
“Kaint, what are you doing!”
“We’ve wasted enough time. We should head back now.”
As he tried to walk quickly toward the castle, Hexion blocked his path.
“Move aside, stray dog.”
“Only Shin Joo has the authority to command me.”
“Hexion…!”
Though I couldn’t see his face from this position, the smell of blood reaching me suggested he was badly wounded in multiple places. I need to heal him with my skill.
“Wait, Admiral. At least let me treat Hexion’s wounds.”
“That won’t be necessary, Shin Joo.”
“Indeed. Treatment isn’t needed. I came here to take Shin Joo back.”
Following Kaint’s cold words, Hexion stepped forward with an even more resolute response.
“I told you to move.”
“And I told you I only take orders from Shin Joo. It seems the Admiral is equally poor at comprehension.”
“……”
Kaint’s arms holding me tensed up. Just feeling his muscles, I could sense the murderous atmosphere.
He was clearly angry. This could turn into a fight.
From my awkward position propped up on Kaint’s shoulder, I turned my head to look at Hexion. I should at least apologize for not finding him.
When our eyes met, a translucent window appeared between us.
[Hexion] hates you.
“……”
My heart seemed to sink. I had just managed to push it to the back of my mind and was starting to forget. Why did it have to stir up those memories again now?
No, I know why. It’s because Hexion was falsely accused because of me, and I abandoned him all this time.
It wouldn’t be strange if his loyalty had not just evaporated but turned into resentment. I would have no defense if he blamed me.
But even so, that particular message was something I didn’t want to face.
“Ugh……”
Unable to speak, I bit my lip. Even though I knew it was my fault, an unfair feeling welled up inside me.
“Shin Joo. Hold onto me tightly.”
“Huh, what?”
“I’m going to run.”
“Kaint, wait…!”
Kaint turned around and started running in the opposite direction with me on his back.
“Shin Joo!”
Hexion’s figure calling out to me grew more distant. He was staggering, unable to keep up with Kaint’s speed.
Was his leg injured?
Is he in a lot of pain?
I should at least heal his injuries with my Judgment skill.
“Kaint, Kain… mmph!”
The violent movement almost made me bite my tongue, so I quickly closed my mouth. The scenery rushed past as if in fast-forward.
Event terminated. Moving to the start point.
Suddenly my head felt dizzy and numb, and my vision went dark.
***
When I opened my eyes again, it was already dark. Red lights were on in the room, and through the window, I could see the moon in the black night sky.
Still lying in bed, I frowned at the mysterious system window.
“What’s this?”
Event Progress Impossible! (Insufficient Conditions)
Affection level too low to proceed with Special Event [Wedding].
Current Affection: 91
Required Affection: 99
I’ve seen this before. I thought a different special event would appear after refusing the surprise event, but it seems this is the only breakthrough event available in Kaint’s route.
I don’t know why the system arbitrarily showed the warning window again when the conditions aren’t met.
‘What’s that below?’
Penalty Activated, [We Dislike a Lazy Divine Master]!
It has been 30 days since you’ve demonstrated your abilities as Divine Master.
The city residents’ interest in the Divine Master is declining. The Temple priests and holy knights are beginning to resent your absence. Additional divine power supply has been suspended.
Penalty 1. The number of people from whom you can gain a reputation is reduced by 50%.
Penalty 2. Skill level-up speed is reduced by 50%.
Penalty 3. Your activity range is restricted to ‘Admiral’s Castle’.
To remove the penalty, achieve new accomplishments to gain the support of city residents, or release the limit of a target character.
Because I was too busy with romance in Kaint’s castle and hadn’t been active as the Divine Master, the system started putting on the brakes. And even restricting my range of activity on top of that.
‘But wait, isn’t Kaint the one who prevented me from working as Divine Master?’
He’s the one who eliminated Healing Time and prevented me from meeting the temple people.
Why am I getting penalized when it wasn’t because I wanted to be lazy? I felt wronged.
There aren’t any ancient artifacts to restore here, so there’s no achievement I can accomplish. As for limit release, the only option is to complete Kaint’s route since he has the highest affection.
‘If I see Kaint’s ending like this, I won’t be able to clear Hexion’s false charges.’
I should at least heal his wounds, but with restricted movement, it’ll be hard to even go meet Hexion.
More than that, where is Hexion right now? Did his status window show his location?
Wondering if I could at least check his physical condition, I quickly pulled up Hexion’s status window.
“Huh?”
Name: Hexion
Age: 27
Height: 196cm
A holy knight of the Temple. Possesses excellent swordsmanship and abundant holy power. Was expected to become the next Knight Commander but left the Temple after being accused of conspiring with the Demon Race.
Affection: X (Route Locked)
Everything except the last line remained the same as before. The problem was the affection level at the bottom.
The base affection of 55 had disappeared.
And on top of that.
‘Route Locked?’
Not route canceled but route locked? Why would a perfectly valid target character suddenly become locked?
‘Could it be because the route is fixed on Kaint? Have I become unable to pursue other men?’
I pulled up Marvis’s status window.
[Marvis]’s current affection: -24
Marvis’s affection, whom I hadn’t met since my second possession, remained exactly as it was before.
If I couldn’t pursue other men simultaneously because Kaint’s route was set, Marvis’s affection should have disappeared too.
But if only Hexion’s affection disappeared, it means simultaneous pursuit isn’t impossible in this game system.
‘When I showed affection for Kaint at the Temple, Hexion’s affection dropped, and now that things have progressed with Kaint, Hexion’s route is locked.’
The compatibility between Kaint and Hexion was definitely poor.
‘I don’t plan to pursue Hexion again at this point. But…’
Thinking about how he fled the Temple under false accusations and searched for me, I couldn’t calm my heart.
I won’t be able to focus on Kaint’s route with this weighing on my mind. I want to somehow meet Hexion to apologize and heal him.
The problem is that meeting Hexion seems impossible unless I leave this castle, but I can’t go outside because of the penalty.
‘What am I supposed to do about this?’
***
After staying up all night worrying, I skipped breakfast because I wasn’t feeling well. Somehow the news spread, and Kaint’s siblings came to visit.
“Shin Joo……”
“Are you alright?”
“You’re not too sick, are you?”
Facing ten pairs of sparkling eyes looking at me, my heart stung with guilt even though I hadn’t done anything wrong.
“I’m fine, come in.”
When I gestured, the children scurried over and surrounded my bed. The bedroom became crowded in an instant.
“We heard you skipped a meal.”
“Shin Joo, skipping breakfast is bad for your health.”
“That’s right. They say you won’t grow taller.”
Although I’m past the age of growing taller anyway, the children, who had been taught by Kaint that they must always eat breakfast, seemed to take my skipping breakfast very seriously. It’s not like I had some terminal illness.
“I’m really fine. Corin, you’ve grown taller already.”
“Uhh… Have I?”
The saying that children grow quickly even if you don’t see them for a short while was true.
Especially Corin, who used to be so hunched over that you’d barely notice unless you paid close attention, seemed to have learned to keep his back straight and maintain good posture. Perhaps that’s why, even though it had only been a few days, he appeared noticeably taller.
Seemingly shy from my praise, Corin’s tiny cheeks turned peach-colored as he smiled happily.
“Thank you, Shin Joo…!”
Seeing his face like that of an adorable baby angel, I could feel my gloomy mood and the anger I’d felt toward the system melting away.
So this is healing…….
