Conquest Complete, So Why Is the Affection Dropping? - Chapter 75
I closed my eyes tightly, then opened them again.
The number next to the dangerously glowing bomb remained unchanged. My vision went dark.
‘Wow, this is really……’
If this is easy mode, then hard mode must be equivalent to tap dancing in a minefield. Did they make this in their right mind?
If they set this ridiculous difficulty level based on the prejudice that Koreans are good at games, I’d like to tell them that such narrow-minded thinking won’t let them survive in the precarious otome game industry.
‘I guess Kaint is the safest option.’
[Kaint]’s current affection: 0
Time until next bomb: D-30
As expected of the Holy City’s paragon of virtue, even his explosion threshold was incredibly generous. What a way to learn that age and personality don’t necessarily correlate.
If I don’t get frostbite, I should be able to break through the affection threshold safely before Kaint’s bomb goes off. After all, in the last playthrough, I made it to the wedding with him despite floundering around for a month.
‘The problem is the other conquest targets.’
[Hexion]’s current affection: 0
Time until next bomb: D-3
His patience is shorter than a communion candle’s wick – he must have dropped that 0 somewhere.
Wasn’t a Holy Knight supposed to be an icon of chastity and diligence?
Since when did “devotion to the Divine Master” start meaning the same thing as “will throw you into a worse state than a worn-out shoe”?
[Cedric]’s current affection: 0
Time until next bomb: D-1
True to his role as the mastermind of world destruction in the last playthrough, this one has a deadline of just one day. Meaning I’m likely to hit a bad ending as soon as I choose to continue the game.
‘Is this really right?’
I couldn’t understand why I suddenly got stuck with a time bomb when I hadn’t done anything to Cedric yet.
‘I need to put out the most urgent fire first…… but how do I meet Cedric?’
Hexion is in the temple, and Kaint is in the Admiral’s castle, so meeting those two won’t be too difficult if I can just find a way out of Niflheim.
But Cedric should be in the Tower of Valhalla – how am I supposed to reach a tower floating in the sky?
‘Ah, right. The one-use shoes!’
The random item I got from the bonus roulette. I’m sure it said it could take you anywhere there were ancient relics. Since Niflheim’s elevator was originally from Valhalla, I should be able to use the shoes’ function to get to the tower.
But there’s one major problem.
‘Where did I…… put those shoes?’
While having s*x with Marvis, he took off my shoes when changing positions. After we finished, he put new shoes on me and brought me to the mansion.
Which means my shoes are lying around somewhere in Niflheim’s alleys. The streets were narrow and complex, so I’m not sure if I can find them. The streetlights were far apart and it was dark – can I really find them?
‘If only a “Find Lost Shoes” quest would pop up. I guess I have to at least try!’
I got up and quietly opened the door.
Fortunately, there was no one in the hall. Okay.
If I open the hall door, there’s the indoor garden, and past the garden is the mansion’s main gate. I just need to retrace my steps, so I should be able to reach my destination if I keep searching.
They say you should use the right-hand rule in mazes. So this should be okay too.
As I approached the hall door and tried to open the iron gate, there was a clanking sound and the door wouldn’t move.
“Huh?”
Looking down, I saw a lock with an ominous-looking demon race symbol attached to the iron gate with chains. The way it was chained up made it look exactly like something you’d find on the door to a sealed final boss’s room.
‘Wait. Am I trapped here now?’
I already went through so much trouble getting locked up in Kaint’s castle towards the end, and now I’m imprisoned in Marvis’s mansion too? What should I do?
“Joo-ah. Where are you trying to go?”
“Eek!”
Startled by Marvis’s voice from behind, I turned around to find him approaching with wet hair, presumably fresh from a bath.
Marvis wasn’t wearing anything on his upper body, but the problem was that this wasn’t exactly the situation to be admiring his sensual physique.
“Well, that is……”
“If you couldn’t sleep, you could have just said so.”
Marvis smiled sweetly. His red eyes narrowed and gleamed dangerously.
[Marvis]’s current affection: 100
Time until next bomb: D-7
Suddenly, the affection level dropped sharply.
My heart dropped with it.
At this rate, the affection might fall to double digits. He’s as generous in taking away points as he was in giving them. I had no idea maintaining raised affection would be this hard. I wish he’d understand that taking back what you’ve given is the worst thing you can do.
“Well, um……”
Even though I hadn’t done anything particularly wrong, my body trembled, and I instinctively wrapped my arms around my shoulders. My teeth chattered like I was in the middle of a horror event.
What is this? I’m the player, and Marvis is a conquest target who’s already confessed and surpassed the affection limit!
Why do I feel like a newbie who accidentally wandered into the final boss room and got trapped, forced to watch the boss’s ultimate attack casting bar fill up? This isn’t fair!
“W-well! The festival outside must still be going strong!”
“Festival?”
“Yes! The fireworks show… I mean, the festival celebrating the fixed heating pipes? Since I’m the main character, I thought maybe I left too early!”
“I thought I made it much more enjoyable than dancing there.”
Step. Marvis approached and placed his hand on my shoulder, trailing it up along my neck to my chin. I shivered, my body tensing up completely.
He bent down, bringing his face close to mine.
Fresh from his bath, Marvis gave off an alluring yet heavy scent. Like a misty forest.
“Once wasn’t enough for you?”
Marvis’s lips parted as he moved towards me. I quickly turned my head and shook off his hand holding my chin, but then his sharp teeth made contact with my neck and bit down hard.
“Ah!”
I couldn’t help but cry out at the sharp pain. His hands firmly gripped my waist as I tried to escape, and he nibbled on my tender skin before sucking hard.
“Marvis… ugh!”
Though the pain wasn’t unbearable, having one’s neck bitten triggers an instinctive fear.
The sensation was dizzying and burning hot, like fire being pressed into my skin, stealing my senses.
I tried to push against Marvis’s shoulders, but his wet skin made my hands keep slipping, so I ended up grabbing the back of his head tightly.
Even though pulling his hair that hard must have hurt, Marvis paid no attention and continued biting and sucking at my neck.
“Nng, ah…!”
As I tried to step back, my heel hit the iron bars.
“Careful now.”
He whispered, more like someone watching something amusing than showing concern, as he pulled my thigh up to wrap around his leg.
After sucking on my skin for a while, Marvis finally lifted his head after running his tongue over the burning hot area. Reflected in his eyes, I could see beast-like bite marks on my neck.
“Haa, haa…”
“Still not enough?”
The arm around my waist moved upward as his large hand roamed over my clothes.
Feeling like I was about to be engulfed by fierce flames, I frantically shook my head.
“Marvis. Stop this.”
“Why? You want this too.”
“…I never said that. Why are you deciding things on your own?”
When I snapped at him, his hand that was about to grab my chest stopped. His narrowed red eyes turned sharp.
“Weren’t our feelings mutual?”
“Just because I like you doesn’t mean I want to have s*x every time our eyes meet.”
Actually, that was true.
But now wasn’t the time to admit it.
“I’m a fickle person, you know.”
Do you think you’re the only one who can lower affection points? I can lower them too! Even if the numbers aren’t displayed!
It was half an empty threat, but Marvis’s face immediately hardened. Seeing his shocked expression made my chest ache unnecessarily. Maybe I was too harsh.
“Why did you put the lock on? This is imprisonment.”
“It’s to keep you safe while you sleep, to prevent anyone from coming in from outside. I wasn’t planning to restrict your going out.”
So, he was just securing the door?
That’s a bit extreme for simple security. At this rate, it’s not just keeping intruders out – we couldn’t escape even if there was a fire inside.
“If I open the door, where are you planning to go?”
I’m going to meet a crazy mage who’s lit the fuse to save the world.
…Since I couldn’t say that, I racked my brain.
“My shoes, I think I lost them in the alley.”
“Ah, those.”
Marvis blinked as if remembering, then clicked his tongue in disapproval.
“Don’t you like the shoes I gave you?”
