Conquest Complete, So Why Is the Affection Dropping? - Chapter 108

With trembling eyes, I examined Hexion’s status window.

Until the next bomb: D-1

[Status Ailment: Sunfish] currently applied

I was already anxious to death with only one day left on this bomb countdown, and now, to make matters worse, a status ailment has appeared on top of it.

‘This won’t do. Today, let’s focus entirely on Hexion without any distractions.’

But whether I kiss him or have s*x with him or praise him, saying he’s the best, there’s no sign of the bomb disappearing, so I don’t know what method I should use.

I should have chosen Hexion without hesitation when the bomb removal roulette appeared. I feel like I’ve entered the most hardcore difficulty level by testing the waters unnecessarily.

“Hexion. About pushing you away this morning… I’m sorry.”

Let’s start by apologizing for each thing that might have caused him emotional wounds. I don’t know what triggers the bomb, but judging by the mention of my “favor,” it seems it will explode if he feels my attitude is cold.

“Shin Joo, please don’t apologize. I understand that with tasks left undone, your mind is too complex to fully devote yourself to pleasure. It was my lack of consideration for not understanding your position of needing to see off the Admiral and his companions.”

Hexion instead warmly wrapped my hand in his, looking as if he was sorry for me. It seems this isn’t the issue.

“And about thinking you were my lover, that…”

“When I saw Shin Joo again, I felt as if I had become different from my usual self, and I felt my emotions toward you growing. I’m only sorry that I realized too late and couldn’t respond to your intentions earlier.”

That purple jewel where I heard Hexion’s voice—the roulette reward definitely said “soul fragment.”

I remember his affection level rising dramatically at once after I met Hexion again and put that on him.

If that’s the case, Hexion isn’t remembering the second playthrough, but is mistaken because memories of another Hexion who was on a lover route with the player have been merged into him.

So when save data gets tangled, narratives collide in this way.

“From now on, I will stay by Shin Joo’s side without leaving for even a moment.”

He already guarded me 24 hours a day, even coming into my bedroom, so I don’t know what more he intends to do.

Hexion carried me in his arms and returned to the bedroom. I wanted to walk on my own feet, but I obediently followed since preventing what he wanted to do might cause some strange misunderstanding that could light the fuse.

“Shin Joo…”

After seating me on the bed and removing my shoes, Hexion looked at me with burning eyes.

The sun is at its zenith, and he wants to do it now?

Even if I’m the incarnation of lust, that’s a bit…

“Hey! Hexion, what’s your favorite flower?”

“Flower, you ask?”

“Yes. Or you could tell me your favorite color.”

Let’s try to stall for time somehow. It seems that the constant focus on physical relations might be because I’ve never had personal conversations with Hexion.

‘A healthy relationship should involve both body and mind going together.’

This isn’t an adult game, and if I focus only on carnal desires and have s*x day and night, I might end up with an ending that’s neither happy nor bad—death from overexertion.

“I don’t know much about flower names, but I do have a favorite color.”

“Really? What color is it?”

“I like the colors I see when you are by my side.”

Huh?

“What colors do you see when you’re with me?”

“All colors.”

Is this some metaphor about how the world looks beautiful when you’re with someone you love?

Strange. Hexion doesn’t usually say things that are hard to understand.

When I tilted my head in confusion, he slowly reached out and combed my hair with his fingers.

“I realized that the color of the sky at sunset turns into a shade resembling Shin Joo’s hair.”

“Since they say hair color like mine is rare in this place…”

“I also realized that the color of lush trees and bushes in early summer is similar to the color of Shin Joo’s eyes.”

Hexion doesn’t usually use metaphors. I thought he was saying something unlike himself, but listening carefully, somehow the order of his words seemed strange.

“I also realized that the hazy sky looks different on clear days and cloudy days. And that the color of the lighting that brightens the temple at night is red.”

At first, I thought he was complimenting my appearance, but Hexion was simply listing how various colors in the world appear.

Strange. Why is he suddenly saying such things?

“I also came to know that the color of my hair and eyes reflected in the mirror is different from Shin Joo’s.”

“What? Well, anyone can see that…”

“I thought all those colors in the world were similar, but they look different only when you are by my side.”

“Hexion, could it be…”

Suddenly, a chilling sensation ran down my spine. It wasn’t fear or discomfort.

The realization that something so obvious to me that I didn’t even consciously think about it might not be the same for him.

“You can’t distinguish colors?”

“That is the case when you are absent.”

It’s astounding that my escort knight is color-blind. No, since he says he can see colors when he’s with me, he’s not completely color-blind, but still.

“At first, I thought it was thanks to divine power. But when Shin Joo is absent, no matter how much I train or pray, the colors of the world just feel frustrating.”

“Hexion.”

“That’s when I realized. The only one who gives light to my eyes is Shin Joo.”

“If you can only see colors when you’re with me, then that’s probably…”

“Shin Joo, do you like my color?”

When I nodded unconsciously at his sudden question, Hexion smiled with satisfaction.

It seems he didn’t like his own blonde hair or violet eyes.

Because they were different from mine.

“If Shin Joo likes it, then I should cherish my colors too.”

I couldn’t say anything. Because I understood why Hexion was so obsessed with being my foremost guardian knight.

Even if he might not mind when he couldn’t feel anything, once he became aware that he could distinguish “colors” when with me, he wouldn’t want to go back to how things were.

Even I wouldn’t be able to bear it if the world’s scenery looked like it had a black and white filter on it.

‘I should have talked to him about this earlier.’

It was pathetic that despite being with Hexion for so long, I hadn’t noticed the change in his senses. This is how important conversation between people is.

“Hexion. Are your other senses okay? Can you smell? Feel temperature?”

“I’m fine. If I couldn’t feel pain, I wouldn’t be able to fight.”

“Don’t say such brutal things!”

Overwhelmed by sympathy, I pulled Hexion’s head into a tight embrace. Even while kneeling, he supported my body without losing his balance.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t even know…”

“Don’t apologize, Shin Joo. Compared to the time when I wandered in darkness, constantly searching for you, this Hexion is now more fulfilled than ever.”

Wandering in darkness. Come to think of it, both Hexion in the jewel and Cedric said similar things. They said they couldn’t see anything. That it was cold and dark there.

‘If I completely disappear, not only does color disappear, but also the light and warmth of the world?’

Even if conquest characters need a reason to love the player, this is too much.

They’re not just characters, they’re people.

To give essential senses to beings who breathe, talk, and share warmth with me, only to take them away because it’s necessary for the setting—what kind of barbaric act is that!

‘Then are other people like that too? Marvis or Kaint?’

Both are perceptive, so if their senses were different only when they were with me, they would have shown it immediately, so probably not. Then is this characteristic unique to Hexion?

I examined Hexion’s status window. Nowhere was it written that he was color-blind.

To hide such information, this company must be worse than loan sharks.

“Are you okay when you’re with me? Then I’ll stay with you, so don’t think strange thoughts.”

“What do you mean by strange thoughts?”

“For instance, wishing this world would be destroyed.”

“Shin Joo. I am your guardian knight. To wish for the destruction of the world you are saving—I’ve never even had such thoughts.”

Really?

Then why did Hexion’s bomb appear?

No, what happens when it explodes?

“I only wish for your favor.”

“I… do favor Hexion. I said you’re my foremost guardian knight, didn’t I?”

As I answered while glancing at the status ailment text, Hexion smiled brightly.