Overpowered Reincarnation Perks! - Chapter 21.1 - Unable to Be Honest

When I opened my eyes, I saw a stone ceiling.

My consciousness, which seemed to have scattered into Dienes’ past scenery, returned.

Peeking into the past through insight felt like I had become a camera that could see both the distant and close views simultaneously. Perhaps because my skill level was low, I couldn’t recognize the faces of anyone other than Dienes.

I learned about his past that I didn’t know, but instead of resolving questions, it only made my heart more complicated.

‘Dienes, you had a woman you liked.’

He didn’t say a word about liking her, but I could guess.

This clumsy man probably didn’t even know he liked that woman. At least until then.

‘I don’t think it changed much after that either.’

Given that he has no bedroom experience, things probably didn’t end well with that woman. They might have broken up, or he might have been rejected before he could confess, or maybe she died.

Maybe his personality went downhill because of an unfulfilled first love. I feel a bit of sympathy.

‘…Is that why he didn’t want to have s*x with me?’

On the first day, when I saw him spanking my b******s and tormenting me with a d***o, I thought he was a hopeless pervert who only got excited in sadistic situations, but the next day, he fell for it when I provoked him.

Of course, my impulsive provocation… ended up becoming a self-inflicted disaster.

While frantically pushing me and enjoying marking my body with red and blue marks like brands, Dienes never kissed me once.

Realizing this fact made me feel strange.

Dienes and I aren’t in a dating relationship, nor are we s*x partners for pleasure; it’s mating to increase the lord’s power, so there’s no room for emotions to be involved.

It just felt a bit off.

‘I have Callion and Arvan too. We’re both in the same situation, having relationships while having someone else in our hearts.’

So there’s no reason for me to feel wronged that he had a relationship with me while having another woman he likes.

I don’t know why I feel so troubled.

‘What is this man to me?’

I thought Dienes was a personality-broken person who couldn’t feel affection for anyone, but am I uncomfortable knowing that he was a man capable of liking someone?

I rubbed my eyes and called up the hidden quest window.

[Hidden Quest (Summary)]

Capture the body and heart of Commander [Dienes] and make him your prisoner.

If you become the true master of s*x, Dienes will become your companion and be loyal.

Detailed information > See more

At first, I couldn’t understand why the quest was about seducing Dienes instead of saving people, but now I get it.

Leaving behind two men who like me, to have that kind of relationship with a man who likes another woman, I couldn’t help but sigh at this method that seemed like something the system that treats me cruelly would come up with.

When I called up Dienes’ status window, a loading screen appeared saying [Updating]. It seems that information scanned once with insight not only leaves a record but is also patched to match the current status every time it’s called up.

[Character Information]

Name: Dienes

Position: Commander of the ‘Castle’

Possessed Skills: Training Lv.9, Brainwashing Lv.10, Intuition Lv.8, Incitement Lv.7, Command Lv.9, Intensive Cultivation Lv.7……

Detailed information > See more

This person is in a state of [Severe Apathy], with no attachment to survival.

This person is in a state of [Brainwashing: Oblivion], with all memories that make him anxious sealed.

This person is under a [Curse] that prevents him from recognizing emotions. He does not suffer from status ailments such as [Anger], [Fear], or [Confusion].

This person feels some interest and ??? emotion towards you.

Perhaps Dienes’ experience points accumulated as I raised my charm skill, as Intensive Cultivation has risen to level 7.

Moreover, it seems he harbors some other emotion towards me besides interest… When I clicked on the question mark part, a new window popped up.

[Do you want to use the Insight skill again?]

It seems that while previously confirmed information is updated, new information is only reflected when insight is used.

Although I had remaining uses, I stopped. I’m not that curious anyway. I don’t expect that question mark to represent a sweet emotion like love.

The next thing that caught my attention was Dienes’ status ailment history. It’s almost amazing how he walks around normally while carrying as many as three status ailments.

The part that particularly bothered me was the brainwashing part.

This person is in a state of [Brainwashing: Oblivion], with all memories that make him anxious sealed.

Maybe this is related to why he didn’t react to the lord’s death.

Just in case, I tried activating the healing skill, but it was immediately canceled.

This person is not in an injured state.

Hmm. It seems that status ailments that are not physical injuries cannot be healed.

‘If I raise the healing skill level, maybe I could remove status ailments too? Or if I raise the insight level further, maybe I could find a way to solve Dienes’ problem…’

I was thinking such thoughts while calling up the skill point window, when I suddenly came to my senses.

What am I thinking right now? The urgent matter is building the base, yet here I am trying to raise healing and insight.

I’m in no position to worry about this man; it seems my senses have become a bit strange due to experiencing such shocking events while trapped here.

‘Maybe it’s a precursor to Stockholm syndrome. I should stop thinking about Dienes.’

I slapped my cheeks. Feeling a bit more clear-headed, I looked around. There was only this altar in the basement. Given that I can’t see the stairs going up, it seems I’ll have to find a secret entrance.

‘Come to think of it, Dienes took out tools from the altar drawer last time. Are there other things?’

As I recall, the drawer was quite large, so maybe there’s a map of this basement, or other tools useful for escape.

I pushed the tile on the edge of the altar, tracing my memory. The drawer opened with a clatter.

‘Hmm. I shouldn’t have opened it.’

It was full of items that were embarrassing just to look at.

Chains, belts, beads strung on cords, piercings, blindfolds, and even gags. What on earth are these used for… I wish I didn’t know, but considering the place and situation, I felt even more embarrassed because I could guess their purpose.

‘Oh. There’s a knife.’

The thin rod that Dienes usually wore on his waist. Most of the castle’s soldiers wore this too.

When I pressed the button at the end of the rod, blades popped out from both sides and neatly combined into a single blade. So this is how it’s used for cutting.

‘But the knife looks a bit weak?’

It was a bit strange from when the rod was thin, but despite its sharp appearance, it doesn’t seem to have as much strength as I thought.

‘Come to think of it, in the village too…’