Conquest Complete, So Why Is the Affection Dropping? - Chapter 69
Salvation? Responsibility?
I couldn’t tell if this was a case of asking for payment after saving someone from drowning, but Marvis’s gaze was so seductive that I couldn’t bring myself to question it.
The words “Shouldn’t you offer your body first before asking about responsibility…” rose to my throat, but I firmly pressed my lips together and just smiled sweetly to avoid blurting out such nonsense.
My smile must have worked, as Marvis took a step back, placed his hand on his chest, and this time formally expressed his gratitude as the leader.
“Joo-ah, thank you for saving us.”
“Oh, this is nothing really……”
“This time, we weren’t abandoned.”
“Huh?”
“Let’s go. Everyone will want to see their Savior.”
Then he took my hand and led me toward the central passage.
Before I knew it, Mickey, Morgan, and Mason followed alongside me. With demon race members wearing mouse, horse, and rabbit ears surrounding me in that order, it felt like I’d stepped into a Western fairy tale.
“As expected of the Savior of Destruction! Niflheim has been waiting for someone like you!”
The one who had been frantically rushing me to solve the problem earlier now completely changed his attitude and started praising my achievements.
“To think the Savior would listen to my words. When I heard you would adopt my suggestion, how happy I was! To contribute to the Savior’s achievements… I, Morgan, feel like a hero of Niflheim!”
True to his horse nature, this talkative one was rambling on, and it wasn’t clear whether he was praising me or himself.
“I sensed something extraordinary about you from the first glance. No wonder I woke up with such clarity this morning – it must have been a divine revelation about meeting the Savior, ho ho!”
The one who supposedly couldn’t get up even after being smacked with a fly swatter due to passing out drunk the night before was now rewriting history without even wetting his lips.
But I didn’t see it in a negative light. When I had made the hole in the pipe, they had only worried about the situation without a single word of criticism toward me for causing the problem.
‘I feel my mental state, which was shaken like a duster by the system’s forced schemes, being healed.’
While Western fairy tales usually have hopeless worldviews, is it because this is inside a game? Everyone I meet seems to be kind to the protagonist.
Ah, they’re not actually people though.
When we came out to the central passage, I felt the intense heat. It was a structure where a massive hole penetrated from the ground floor to the lowest level, with circular stairs surrounding it and an ancient relic elevator positioned at its center.
Now, another landmark had been born there.
Namely, the path of flames I had created.
The pipe that extended upward from the 78th floor was spewing smoke like a chimney.
It seemed the law of physics stating that hot air rises worked here too – although the pipe didn’t reach all the way to the ground floor, news came through the radio that the upper floors had also become warm from the flames’ smoke.
Marvis handed the radio to Mason. Mason, Morgan, and Mickey gathered to give instructions through the radio, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying.
That’s because Marvis had pulled me straight to the railing where the central stairs were.
“Marvis?”
“We need to show them their Savior. Come, Joo-ah.”
Finding myself suddenly pushed to the railing, I grabbed it tightly to avoid falling.
My hair fluttered in the warm wind rising from below. When I closed my eyes briefly and opened them again, I could see demon race members with animal ears gathered closely together at the railings opposite me.
It seemed the residents of each floor had all come out to see me.
Meeting their faces made my heart strangely flutter. Not just as background characters, not just as game statistics, but because I felt like I had truly saved some living beings here.
“Savior!”
“Thank you, Savior!”
Hearing their cheers made my face flush.
It’s true that I took the situation seriously when I heard that if the city’s heating system broke down, citizens might freeze to death.
But I only completed a quest. I didn’t act out of any genuine sense of mission to save these people.
Do I deserve such praise?
“Joo-ah, wave your hand.”
“……”
“Shin Joo-ah?”
“Marvis. Do you think hypocrisy can be good? Or do you think it’s just hypocrisy and nothing more?”
“A fake is just a fake.”
Marvis’s firm answer made me grip the railing tighter. Is it too luxurious to feel proud as if I’ve done something good when I’ve only played a game?
“But being fake doesn’t mean it has no value.”
“……”
“In fact, being fake makes one more desperate than the real thing. The anguish between wanting to resemble the real thing and wanting to protect one’s fake self – that’s an emotion the real thing could never possess.”
“……This discussion has become too philosophical for me to respond.”
But I understood what Marvis was trying to say.
Even though I acted simply because I didn’t want to see everyone die, if there were truly people saved by my actions.
That it’s not wrong for me to feel joy and pride at their cheers.
“Now everyone can stay warm!”
“Hurrah!”
When I raised my hand high and waved it, the cheers grew even louder.
Your reputation has increased by 71!
Current reputation: 671
Wait, hadn’t the reputation increase ended with the quest reward? Can reputation increase just from waving?
When I turned around, Marvis was waving along with me. When our eyes met, he smiled.
“Joo-ah, you’re now Niflheim’s savior. You can’t betray us.”
“Of course not!”
Now that I’ve enjoyed the rewards of doing good, I plan to progress the story using Niflheim as my starting point this playthrough. Marvis’s mansion was quite impressive too, so it shouldn’t be uncomfortable to stay there.
“Good. The contract is sealed.”
“What contract?”
Just as I was about to demand an explanation, a translucent window appeared between Marvis and me.
[Status Effect: Demon Race Contract] has been applied.
For 30 days, you will receive full support and respect from all characters in the Dark City.
Reputation gains from demon race members are doubled.
Cannot gain reputation from non-demon race characters.
The affection levels of all romance targets except Marvis will be reset to 0.
Will be removed upon acquiring [Status Effects: Dawn Sky Companion, Admiral’s Partner, Paradise Fugitive, Crown Owner].
What? What kind of status effect is this?
What contract is this? Isn’t this just shackles? Are they telling me to put down roots in the Dark City? Being underground already, it’s literally like a tomb! Why focus on reputation in a dating game? Are they saying I can only romance Marvis this playthrough?
The question mark murderer is rampaging in my head. Is this also because of the status effect?
[Hexion]’s current affection: 0
[Kaint]’s current affection: 0
[Cedric]’s current affection: 0
Seeing the affection window cleanly reset to 0, extreme cold swept through my chest. While the entire city got warmer from the flames, only my heart seemed to be racing toward absolute zero. This is good-i. As in, I feel like performing an exorcism.
T/n: The phrase “good-i” is a wordplay in Korean where “굿” (gut) means both a traditional shamanistic ritual/exorcism and sounds like the English word “good.” The character is making a dark joke – it’s so bad that they need an exorcism.
Since Kaint started at 0 in the last playthrough, it’s less shocking, but even when Hexion’s affection was cut again and again, it had maintained double digits.
“Hey, Marvis!”
Just as I was about to protest that imposing such restrictions without my consent was an unfair contract, those obscene pectorals appeared right in front of my face.
“I’ll make sure you won’t regret choosing this place.”
Marvis’s large hand wrapped around my shoulder. As his wide sleeves fluttered, releasing an intense masculine scent, I couldn’t keep my senses.
It was a body captivating enough to blow away all my rising rebelliousness in one go.
‘How can I refuse these muscles!’
I clung to Marvis’s chest and wrapped my arms around his waist. Just as I was about to personally soothe his angry, writhing muscles with my caresses, he whispered in my ear.
“So you too, don’t disappoint me who chose you.”
Though his tone was gentle, it somehow sent chills down my spine. As I flinched, Marvis wrapped his arms around my waist, lifted me up, and asked.
“You’ll do that, won’t you?”
“Uh, yes?”
“Or do you not like me?”
No, how could I not like you? His body was too sensual to push away with excuses like “not enough story development for a confession yet.”
I’m a human weak to desire. Even though I had decided to go the opposite direction this time, my heart couldn’t be controlled when those magnificent arm muscles touched my thighs.
Thanks to that, the question mark murderer causing riots in my head was quickly suppressed.
“Am I not good enough?”
“No, no! You’re more than enough!”
“Haha. Is that so?”
Marvis laughed heartily.
[Marvis]’s current affection: 70
Once again, the cheers grew louder. It felt just like announcing a public romance with their leader. This time my face flushed for a different reason, and I covered it with both hands.
But since it would be a shame not to see Marvis’s body, I decided to spread my fingers so at least my eyes weren’t covered.
