Conquest Complete, So Why Is the Affection Dropping? - Chapter 71
With a whirring sound, the roulette stopped spinning, and a popup window appeared with a fanfare.
[Item: Go-Anywhere Shoes (Replica)] has been acquired!
What is this? Not a door to anywhere, but shoes? And they’re not even genuine but replicas?
I was dumbfounded looking at the white high heels before me.
If it had been a hat or other accessories, I could at least give them as gifts to someone else, but who could I give these women’s shoes to?
I thought the greed sensor wouldn’t activate if I had altruistic thoughts, but I forgot that this system is consistently determined to mess with the player. Maybe I asked for too much.
I clicked on the item description window with a sigh.
Item: Go-Anywhere Shoes (Replica)
A replica of the ‘Go-Anywhere Shoes’ that can transport the wearer to any location where ancient relics are located. Single-use only; once used, they become ordinary shoes with no special abilities.
Selling price: 10G
Not just a replica, but a single-use too. Judging by the selling price, it seems to be just junk.
‘Since the brokerage fee is 25 gold, selling it would result in -15 gold.’
Selling it for money is out of the question. And since there’s no inventory, I have no choice but to wear them.
When I clicked the confirm button with a sigh, my current shoes automatically disappeared and were replaced by the white high heels.
Fortunately, despite the high heels, they weren’t uncomfortable. My height increased a bit too.
‘But wait. If I can move to any location where ancient relics are located…’
Does that mean I could instantly move to the temple with the warp gate or to Kaint’s castle with the bunker?
‘That’s kind of tempting.’
While the temple and the Admiral’s castle are at least connected by land routes that I could use for transportation if needed, now that the dark city has become my starting point, I can’t return to the Holy City on my own.
‘Since the Holy City is surrounded by a barrier that separates space and time.’
The only way would be to open another warp gate at the temple to connect to this place and then ride Marvis’s summoned beast across, but the chances of that happening are slim.
“Shin Joo-ah. What’s wrong?”
“Huh? Oh, nothing. Just changed my shoes.”
Thanks to the increased height, I liked that I could see Marvis’s face a bit closer.
Indeed, a handsome face looks better the bigger you see it. It’s pleasing to the eyes to clearly see his straight, firm brow bone, angular nose bridge, masculine jawline, and prominent Adam’s apple.
“Shoes.”
Marvis looked down at my feet, and his expression hardened.
Why is he acting like that? Do they not suit me?
“Shin Joo-ah, why don’t you let me handle that?”
They won’t fit your feet, though?
“I’ll buy you something better, so wear something else.”
You already gave me a ribbon and styled my hair, why do you want to give me another gift? While gifts are nice, too many can be burdensome. We’re not that close yet, are we?
Besides, it’s a bit much to try to correct every single thing about my appearance. Overly picky men aren’t attractive.
“No. These are fine.”
“Can you dance in those?”
“I can even sprint 100 meters in these!”
I’m the one who boldly registered for first-period classes as a college freshman and had to sprint uphill every morning. Don’t underestimate me!
“Well, if you’re ready to enjoy the festival, that’s good.”
Marvis let out a small chuckle and led me to the square. Demon race members wearing furry animal masks welcomed us with applause.
I was wondering why they were selling animal masks at the stalls when they already had animal ears, but I guess they were festival props.
“Divine Master! You look beautiful!”
Your reputation has increased by 108!
Current reputation: 779
I’m not sure how to feel about the fact that reputation increases faster just from dressing up than when I demonstrate the Divine Master’s abilities for the citizens.
For a game that even kids play, isn’t this kind of looks-first concept inappropriate for education? Instead of just censoring random s****l elements, they should pay more attention to fostering proper values.
“Everyone’s wearing animal masks. Is it okay if I don’t wear one?”
“That’s how you’ll stand out.”
“Huh?”
“You’re the main character after all.”
You mean I’m the star of this festival?
I mean, he’s not wrong since this is a festival thrown by citizens celebrating how I fixed their heating pipes.
‘Since we’re here to enjoy the festival, let’s just focus on that.’
I held hands with Marvis and asked.
“Marvis. How does it feel to stand next to the main character?”
“It’s the best.”
“It’s the best for me too.”
When I smiled brightly, the bustling noise around us faded, and the ticking sound of a second hand came from somewhere.
That’s when Marvis’s affection level increased.
[Marvis]’s current affection: 79
An affection level high enough that if you slip while dancing, he’ll pretend to slip too, but then lift you up and show off by spinning you around.
Though the description seems completely unrelated to affection, at least I can be relieved that I won’t embarrass myself by falling if I slip.
I relaxed and moved my feet as Marvis led.
The bright artificial sun and hundreds of round bulbs hanging from electrical wires strung beneath it. They looked just like small planets orbiting the sun.
‘Maybe it’s because the sky is black, but this place feels just like space.’
From Earth, the sky with the sun appears blue, but from space, the sun burns brightly in the darkness.
Perhaps that’s why. This dark city doesn’t feel like somewhere on the ground but rather like traveling to another world beyond the earthly realm.
It feels just like a dream.
It was nice that even when I lost my balance during turns, Marvis held me firmly so I wouldn’t stumble. As if keeping his promise to cover for whatever I do, he skillfully supported me.
At first, I thought he was really dangerous, but now he feels like a reliable partner.
“It’s really amazing. I never dreamed we’d have this kind of relationship.”
“Why did you think that?”
“Well, at first, you were planning to kill me, weren’t you?”
I thought one wrong choice would lead straight to a bad ending.
Moreover, seeing the affection level plummet with each new playthrough was so creepy. I felt chills down my neck that I never experienced while pursuing Hexion or Kaint.
“Rather than sending you away and trembling with anxiety in the darkness, not knowing when I might disappear, I thought it would be better to end it by my own hands.”
What are you saying? If you can’t have it, you’ll break it? Is that it? People should think positively. Living with such extreme thinking will only lead life down into misery.
“But this time, I’ve decided to trust you.”
Marvis’s face drew closer. His breath caught on the tip of my nose, and I swallowed quietly.
No way, now? Here? In the middle of the square with all the citizens watching! A public confession was embarrassing enough, but isn’t a public kiss crossing the line? But maybe it’s okay since it’s in a game! Since I can’t do this in reality, maybe it’s fine to try it in the game? If I don’t teach those tempting lips a lesson with my own, discipline won’t be maintained!
Once again, question marks and exclamation marks began a fierce battle. As Marvis’s lips parted, mine automatically parted too.
However, our lips never met.
“Though I’m not one to enjoy gambling, now that I’ve made up my mind, I won’t back down.”
“…What are you suddenly talking about?”
“I’ll give you my everything, Joo-ah.”
The rhythmic ticking of the clock’s second hand began to spin rapidly, followed by what sounded like a bell marking the hour.
[Marvis]’s current affection: 99 (MAX)
To break past the limit, a special event [Confession] must occur.
Even though I hadn’t done anything to raise the affection, the status window arbitrarily maxed out Marvis’s affection level and sounded a warning.
Before I could grasp what was happening, hot lips devoured mine. His tongue entered deeply, as if to steal my breath, and entwined with mine. My spine stiffened with tension as heat rose from the back of my neck.
Any thoughts about ‘the festival is still going on’ flew away the moment his large tongue wrapped around mine and sucked strongly.
I was aware that I had stepped on Marvis’s foot when I lost my balance in the dizziness, but I couldn’t correct my posture because his large hand pulled my waist so forcefully.
Before I could even catch my breath in the briefly opened gap, our lips met again. I desperately grabbed Marvis’s shoulders. Both my cheeks felt like they were on fire.
‘Holy… he’s incredibly good at kissing.’
He said he’d never been with a woman before, so how did he practice this by himself? Does living for about 150 years mean you reach divine levels of tongue skills too?
As I clung to Marvis with these hazy thoughts, he lifted me up in his arms.
Light poured from behind my head, illuminating Marvis’s red eyes.
The sun is shining in those red eyes.
“Stay with me forever.”
