Chapter 109
Marvis said something similar, and now Hexion is saying similar things too.
Is it simply the scriptwriter running out of repertoire and recycling the same lines? Or is this some kind of trap—no, foreshadowing?
After pondering for a moment, I nodded. Whatever the case, stopping Hexion’s bomb is the priority.
“I will never cast Hexion aside.”
“Really…?”
Hexion looked at me with sparkling eyes. So this man can also have such bright, child-like eyes when praised.
A smile escaped me, and I nodded while stroking Hexion’s head.
“Of course. How could I cast aside someone so loyal to me, and who has been with me the longest?”
“…!”
With a sound effect like bubbles spreading, Hexion’s affection level rose.
[Hexion]’s current affection level: 150
Until the next bomb: D-4
‘Success!’
The bomb’s expiration date extended by 3 days.
I want to complain about why it only gives a 3-day extension instead of disappearing completely, but I’m in no position to argue. Right now, I should be grateful just for the extension.
‘Kaint and Cedric’s bombs have disappeared, and Marvis has 89 days left, so there’s no worry for the time being.’
I exhaled in relief after checking the status window.
‘Kaint’s affection will probably rise easily if I meet him frequently from now on… but how do I meet Cedric?’
Even though I only gained a few days’ extension, other thoughts immediately popped up. The human heart is so fickle.
‘No, but Hexion has the highest affection level right now!’
In terms of conquest efficiency, I should quickly make Kaint, who hasn’t been fully conquered yet, or Cedric, who is difficult to meet frequently, my bedroom slaves—no, lovers.
Despite the bomb issue, spending too much time on Hexion, who already has the highest affection, isn’t efficient.
“Shin Joo. What are you thinking about?”
“Ah, sorry. I just have some other concerns on my mind.”
It’s also unfair to Hexion to be distracted when he’s right in front of me. Though it’s still daylight, maybe it would be better to passionately release our feelings in bed to show my trust in Hexion.
As I gently massaged Hexion’s shoulders and tried to pull at the straps connecting his armor, Hexion grabbed my wrist.
“Shin Joo. I would like you to tell me what’s bothering you.”
“Ah, don’t worry about it. It’s nothing important.”
“Am I so unhelpful to Shin Joo that you’re distracted by trivial matters even with me in front of you?”
“Hexion?”
“You said you favored me.”
“No, this has nothing to do with that…”
[Hexion]’s affection has decreased!
Current affection level: 109
What, what’s going on? Why did it drop so suddenly?
It’s certainly bad manners to think about other things when someone is in front of you, but enough to cause such a dramatic drop in affection?
“Shin Joo. If I become your foremost guardian knight, if I become a lover who has promised to be with you for life, but still cannot know what troubles you. Can such a person truly be said to be favored?”
Hexion’s status window flickered dangerously.
[Status Ailment: Sunfish] active.
Due to the status ailment’s effect, the bomb’s remaining time decreases with a certain probability.
This system is clearly insane.
What’s the point of displaying the remaining time if the D-day decreases with a certain probability?
“Shin Joo. To me…”
“Okay, okay! I’m sorry. It’s all my fault!”
“Apologizing to avoid the situation cannot be considered the right action. Shin Joo, I would like you to answer my question.”
I overlooked that Hexion is more thorough than he appears. I wish he wouldn’t unleash his inner authoritarian here.
I rolled my eyes, thinking hard about how to explain in a way Hexion would accept.
How do I tell him that, since the bomb’s expiration date has been extended a bit, I want to go conquer Kaint and Cedric in the meantime?
“Shin Joo. You’re contemplating excuses to give me.”
“W-well, it is an excuse! But anyway, if it crosses the system’s allowable line, it’ll be filtered out and you won’t hear it…!”
“Am I so unreliable to you that you need to contemplate excuses because you cannot honestly share your thoughts?”
Hexion’s thinking is veering in a strange direction. I forgot that this man is more prone to sudden outbursts than he appears. Didn’t his affection level wildly fluctuate just because he exchanged words with Kaint?
“Hexion! You said it was okay for me to meet other men, right? For world peace!”
“Yes. Shin Joo is the world’s savior, so what you bear may be different from ordinary people. I said I would endure it.”
“R-right! So, um, for world peace…”
“Are you saying you’re going to sleep with other men?”
If I answer yes, I’ll seem too trashy, but if I evade carelessly, the bomb’s extension period that I just gained might decrease again. Feeling my face grow hot, I nodded.
“Then I shall accompany you.”
“What? What did you say?”
“Shin Joo, you said you would be with me forever from now on. And I am one who receives your favor. Naturally, I should be by your side wherever and whenever.”
Is he saying I should do such things with other men while he watches? Hexion, did you have an NTR fetish? That’s too niche. No, that’s not the issue right now.
“Hexion, that’s problematic!”
I don’t have that kind of preference. No matter how niche Hexion’s preferred play might be, I can gladly accommodate him when I’m with him, but asking me to do so in front of other men is going too far.
“Are you saying I’m troubling you right now?”
A red light flashed in Hexion’s violet eyes, and he seated me back on the bed, stepped back, and drew his sword.
What’s this? Is he going to attack me with his sword? There’s still time left on the bomb—please, not a sudden death ending here!
“Shin Joo. Strike me down with this sword.”
“Please spare me—what?”
Kneeling, Hexion raised the sword with both hands toward me.
“As one who receives Shin Joo’s favor, I will pay with my life for failing to understand your heart.”
“No! No! I’m not punishing you! It’s fine, so please put that sword away!”
“Do you feel there’s no need to punish me directly? Have I lost your trust to that extent?”
“That’s not it, so stop misunderstanding and put the sword away!”
Hexion’s status window flickered dangerously.
[Status Ailment: Sunfish] effect triggered!
Until the next bomb: D-3
The bomb’s D-day has decreased by one day. Is this right when it hasn’t even been 10 minutes since it was extended?
‘Why did you buy my status ailment in the first place!’
I was wrong to sell it, but why would someone buy something secondhand without properly checking it?
‘I didn’t expect anything good to come up, but why did it have to be a sunfish of all things.’
This is why you have to be careful of scams in secondhand transactions. Even if they say it’s a used car without dents, never damaged, and not a single scratch, you might end up with a car where the previous owner committed suicide inside. I never deceived anyone, but Hexion has become the deceived one. What is this all about?
Feeling frustrated, I beat my chest with my fist.
“Ah, this really isn’t helping!”
“Am I not helpful?”
Hexion looked at me with an incredibly shocked expression.
[Status Ailment: Sunfish] effect triggered!
Until the next bomb: D-2
Was it 3 minutes instead of 3 days?
Hexion, with a pale face, bit his lip, then gripped the handle of the sword he was holding horizontally and turned it upside down so the blade faced himself.
“Hexion, what are you doing?”
“Because Shin Joo should not dirty her hands because of my inadequacy.”
Whoa, stop this sudden outburst!
“Put that sword down right now!”
As I tried to take the sword away, Hexion abruptly stood up. For a moment, feeling as if a barrier had been thrust down in front of me, I instinctively stepped back and sat back down on the bed.
“Shin Joo. I have lived until now to be the most reliable existence for you.”
“I know. I know! I do rely on you!”
“But you said my existence is troublesome and unhelpful.”
“No, I didn’t mean ‘troublesome’ in that sense, and I didn’t say you’re unhelpful, so please don’t misunderstand!”
“Not only have I disappointed Shin Joo, but I’m also misunderstanding…”
[Status Ailment: Sunfish] effect triggered!
Until the next bomb: D-1
This cursed status ailment! It seems like I’m becoming the sunfish, not Hexion.
What should I say?
How do I stop him?
My head was spinning more than ever, but all that came to mind were statements as useless as non-recyclable waste, making me feel like steam was escaping from the top of my head.
Actually, could that bomb be referring to my bomb, not Hexion’s?
“If I lose your trust and favor… this Hexion has no more reason to live.”
“Stop it! I said stop!”
My brain is already like a garbage bag stuffed to the limit.
If you touch it wrong, it’ll burst!
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