Chapter 49

Fall (2)

◆ The Savior’s Vow

※ Unique – Only this character possesses this skill!

Geas 1: Protect the World

Geas 2: Protect the Subjects of the Empire – Protect the powerless

The only vow ever dedicated to Urgan, the God of Ascension. When performing actions related to the vow, power is significantly increased.

★ A new geas has been granted. When performing actions related to this geas, the skill’s efficiency increases drastically.

If there was anything fortunate, it was that this part had yielded a significant gain.

The geas he chose when forming a pact with Dame Teresa would be endlessly useful in the upcoming Act I. Every action he took would now be tied to this geas.

That wasn’t the only thing he’d gained.

‘Come to think of it…’

It was thanks to earning Dame Teresa’s affection that the Point Shop had opened up.

Indeed, as he navigated through the system window, a new tab that hadn’t existed before now caught his eye.

< Point Shop >

▶ In the Point Shop, you can use accumulated points to purchase potions.

▶ Only one purchase is allowed per day, and it must be used quickly. The effects of the item are given at random.

▶ In exchange for random effects, the items possess extremely powerful effects. Use with caution!

“…Oh.”

Aiden nodded in admiration as he read through the effects.

Despite the various restrictions, the phrase “extremely powerful effects” was undeniably appealing.

Whatever the outcome, at least it wouldn’t be harmful.

Soon, Aiden scanned through the available items in the Point Shop, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

‘The narrower the effect range, the more points it consumes.’

The shop offered every kind of potion imaginable—related to physical enhancement, supernatural abilities, and more but the more specific the category, the more exponential the point cost.

With the amount of points he currently had, he could only afford the lowest tier option: a “Completely Random Potion.”

‘…Might as well give it a try.’

With that thought, Aiden tapped on the item and purchased it immediately.

There’d be more opportunities to earn points in the future anyway, so it was more important to figure out how this thing actually worked.

Upon purchase, particles of light gathered before him and formed a vial about half the size of his palm.

As he stared at the colorless, odorless liquid gently swishing inside, a window popped up.

-Item Info

[ Lowest Grade Random Potion ] [ Low Rank ]

[ You won’t know what effect it holds until it’s consumed. What kind of item could it be? ]

▶ Upon use, grants a random beneficial effect.

…Well.

This made him feel a bit uneasy about drinking it.

“Ah, Aiden.”

Just as he frowned at the potion in doubt, a voice called to him from the side.

It was Noel, opening the door and stepping into the office—apparently having just arrived for work.

‘She looks more normal today.’

Aiden looked at Noel and felt a slight sense of relief.

She had been acting a bit strange lately. Every time they were alone in the office, she would display some truly bizarre behavior.

She would claim she was too embarrassed to look him in the eye and talk while staring at the ceiling, or say she couldn’t calm down after hearing his voice for too long and step outside to get some air.

Compared to that, she looked unusually calm now.

Eventually, Noel quietly looked at Aiden as she sat down at her desk.

Then, she began tapping her chest with her fist.

…After a few light taps, she moved on to thumping it more forcefully.

“…What are you doing?”

“Calming myself down.”

“……”

“……It’s a bit noisy.”

“……”

…This woman.

He had heard that ever since their relationship had moved into ‘Extreme Love’ territory, she couldn’t act rationally whenever she saw him but lately, it really felt like her behavior was drifting into another dimension…

“Anyway, what’s the matter? You seemed to be staring at that vial.”

“Oh. I wanted to test the effects, but it feels a bit shady…”

Hearing that, Noel smiled and gestured with her hand.

“Then I’ll drink it. Mind handing it over?”

“…Pardon?”

“Embarrassing as it is to say, I’m one of the Empire’s top-ranked knights. Of course I have resistance to most drugs. As long as it’s not some fatal poison, anything’s fine.”

Well, it wasn’t fatal poison.

It even said it had a beneficial effect.

“But wouldn’t your resistance also block the beneficial effects?”

“That’s true, but I’ll still be able to feel any changes. I think it could be helpful.”

Well, if she insisted that much, he could probably trust her with it.

Besides, even if the effect was slightly off, breaking through the defenses of a knight as resilient as Noel wouldn’t be easy.

Noel took the vial Aiden handed her and drank it in one gulp.

After a moment of checking her body, she tilted her head and replied.

“Hmm. I don’t really feel any big changes…”

And that was expected.

-System Message

▶ Target’s ‘Courage’ and ‘Candor’ have increased! 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

▶ Target’s ‘Self-Control’ has decreased!

Even Aiden was starting to see unfamiliar statuses piling up.

Courage? Sociability?

‘So stuff like that can increase too…’

He scanned the window with a somewhat resigned look.

Well, just knowing that vague effects like this could occur was helpful.

It was a reminder that if he wanted to use the shop properly, he’d have to start stockpiling points.

At least since this was a lowest-grade potion, he was confident it wouldn’t affect Noel too much—

-System Message

▶ Item ‘Lowest Grade Random Potion’ affects ‘Lionhearted’.

▶ The potion’s effect exceeds the target’s resistance. The effect activates.

“……”

A lowest-grade potion piercing through the Lionhearted’s resistance.

It really was something. So that claim about the effects being powerful wasn’t just for show…

While Aiden chewed over that realization, Noel suddenly twisted her lips slightly, as if she felt something.

“Oh, I guess something is changing.”

“Oh, really?”

“…Feels like my mouth is getting looser.”

She tapped her cheek thoughtfully with a finger.

Well, it did say her ‘Courage’ and ‘Candor’ had increased.

At the end of the day, she was a person with emotions and thoughts. If she always kept her words and actions within the bounds of manners and morality, it was only natural for things to start building up inside.

With courage and candor both boosted, it wasn’t surprising if something slipped out without her meaning to say it.

“If I don’t stay alert, I might end up saying anything. For example, just how much I like you—”

Noel snapped her mouth shut with a loud pop.

It felt like a sentence that had broken past her control and barely stopped halfway.

She clenched her eyes shut, as if suddenly overcome with dizziness.

“……”

“……”

An incredibly awkward silence settled between them.

It was a truly hellish quiet…

“Would you like a cup of tea?”

…For now, the best move Aiden could make was to pretend he hadn’t heard anything.

“…Thank you.”

Noel responded as she shifted her gaze toward the desk. Even through the brim of her hat, the flush reaching all the way to her ears was clearly visible.

‘Wait, hold on.’

As he poured water into the kettle, Aiden suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

‘Is she going to be like this all day?’

…Somehow.

A terrible sense of dread began to creep in.