Kingdom of Lichstein
En Route to Atris — Phantom Warship
The warship sliced through the sky with brutal elegance.
On the outer deck, near the bow, I stood quietly, leaning lightly against the metal railing as the cold wind mercilessly battered my face.
It was an honest kind of cold. Direct.
The kind that cleared the mind and sharpened the senses.
A faint...
Yet pleasant feeling of peace.
And freedom.
I looked at the pink screen of my virtual assistant and asked,
—Quincy, is there any way to reread the penalties I have?
[Master, I'm an assistant system... not a penalty system.]
—You could've just told me you didn't know.
[I'll simply repeat your most celebrated phrase: Meh.]
—Okay. Thanks for nothing.
I tried to remember that particular penalty...
The one called "Growth Restriction."
If I remembered correctly, it said:
> "Any item or equipment that increases your attributes will be useless to you."
What exactly counted as an item?
Rings...
Armor...
Weapons...
Shoes...
And so on.
But...
Where did it specifically mention consumable-grade items?
Did potions count as items?
They're potions.
Which means they're consumables.
Just like scrolls that grant spells or temporary buffs.
Those effects all have time limits.
But...
What if the alchemist is a Goddess?
Then the effects should be...
Permanent.
Which meant...
That penalty had a loophole.
A smile slowly spread across my face.
"I'm not clever, Org...
Your penalty just wasn't specific enough."
I pulled something out of my new Dimensional Cube.
The container materialized in my hand with a faint flash.
Inside...
Were the potions.
They had been crafted by Aphrodite.
One last time, I carefully reviewed their specifications.
---
Potion: "True Beauty"
(Mythic Grade / Rank S)
-A divine potion created through the alchemy of the Goddess of Love, the most beautiful goddess beneath the heavens.
Special Effect:
Increases Charm by 50 stat points upon first consumption.
Limited Effect:
After the first use, the next 10 potions increase Charm by 5 stat points each.
Permanent Effect:
Every potion consumed afterward permanently increases Charm by 1 stat point per day.
[System Note:Potions that exclusively increase attributes are rewards obtained through missions or special scenarios.]
---
I slowly closed the system screen.
The box contained twelve perfectly aligned bottles.
Identical.
Each one felt like a future decision waiting to be made.
Increasing my Charm would make future interactions easier.
Saving them would allow me to optimize more critical stats later.
It was a simple decision...
And yet...
It annoyed me.
Frowning slightly, I muttered,
—Hey, Quincy... what's your opinion?
The reply came instantly.
[Well, since Master is weak right now, I think the best choice is to drink only one potion.]
I tilted my head slightly.
—And that's because...?
[Because if I had eyes, they'd start bleeding from looking at you. Your appearance is far too ugly. It's unpleasant to witness.]
I exhaled through my nose.
—You damn AI... then if I'm really that ugly... why was Noelle flirting with me earlier?
A brief artificial pause followed.
[Oh, Master... you're not an idiot. You should already know the answer, shouldn't you?]
—Fair point.
Without overthinking it, I grabbed one of the bottles.
Uncorked it.
A gentle floral fragrance drifted out.
It smelled like freshly bloomed roses.
The liquid shimmered faintly.
As I drank it, it tasted sweet...
Rich...
Like warm honey.
I finished the entire bottle.
Seconds later...
The effects hit.
My entire body immediately broke into sweat.
My skin was drenched as an intense burning sensation concentrated on my face.
It felt as though thousands of needles pierced every inch of my skin at once.
I clenched my teeth.
I didn't scream.
The pain lasted only a few seconds...
Then vanished.
The air felt normal again.
That was when a voice pulled me from my thoughts.
Noelle had quietly approached from behind without me noticing.
Noelle: —"There are so many nice places on this ship... so why did you choose this one?"
I glanced back.
—I like the view.
She leaned against the railing nearby, gazing toward the endless sea of clouds.
Noelle: —"The view? At this altitude it's hard to see anything except clouds." (Is it just me... or does he actually look better now?)
—What did you come here for?
She tilted her head.
Noelle: —"I was bored... but I have a question."
—Go ahead.
Noelle: —"Where did you get this ship?" (No... he definitely looks much better than before.)
—Why do you ask?
Noelle: —"Because I've never seen a warship like this before."
—Well... I became the owner of an ancient military installation.
Noelle blinked.
Noelle: —"By military installation... do you mean the mountain near the plains where we're living?"
—That's right. And if I ever die... That installation will unleash a massacre across the entire continent.
Noelle stiffened.
Noelle: —"You're joking."
—I'm not.
She stared at me.
Noelle: —"Then... why are you telling me this?"
—Well... Now that your entire people are under my protection... It's only natural that their leader should know."
Noelle's expression dimmed.
She lowered her eyes with a quiet sigh.
Noelle: —"I don't know... I'm worried I won't become a good Clan Leader... Someone everyone can trust... Someone capable of solving everything on her own... I'm afraid I'm not worthy of leading them."
I looked at her from the corner of my eye.
—Don't say that. I understand you're terrified of failing. But you've spent years sacrificing everything for this moment. No one knows more about sacrificing themselves for a greater cause than you do. And if you're not worthy of leading them... Then no one is.
A notification suddenly appeared.
[System Notification:Noelle Fandvalen's Favorability has reached 99 and has stagnated. Clear away her doubts and win her heart.]
Noelle smiled.
Not a wide smile.
Just a soft...
Restrained one.
A playful sparkle shone in her eyes as she looked at me.
Noelle: —"Do you really believe that?"
—You're still young. You just need time to become a better leader.
She frowned, amused.
Noelle: —"Wow." (Looks like he's still just a kid... how annoying.)
—What?
Noelle: —"Are you really twelve years old? Because you sound like someone with decades of life experience."
—A wise piece of advice can come from anyone... Whether it's a child... Or a fool."
Noelle crossed her arms.
Noelle: —"You know... That's what's so annoying about you." (Why... why do you have to be younger than me?)
—Doing what?
Noelle: —"You say something profound like some wise old man... Then immediately ruin it by acting like an idiot."
—And that's exactly why you and I can't be friends.
Noelle froze.
Noelle: —"Do you hate having someone challenge you that much?"
—I hate it when people think they know me... And judge me.
She lowered her gaze.
Noelle: —"I'm sorry... I just can't understand you."
—You don't have to.
Noelle: —"Then why did you help me?"
—If I have the power to do something good... I won't hesitate. The same goes for doing something terrible."
She stared at me.
Noelle: —"What kind of life have you lived to think that way, Sam?"
—I suppose... A normal one.
She slowly shook her head.
Noelle: —"Say whatever you want... But there's absolutely nothing normal about you."
—Is that supposed to be a compliment?
Noelle turned toward the ship's interior.
Noelle: —"Think whatever you want... I'm going back inside. It's cold out here."
Once again...
I was alone.
The sky was magnificent.
Clouds stretched endlessly across the horizon like a suspended ocean, reflecting pale rays of sunlight.
"Damn... I miss my music... It'd be perfect right now."
Quincy's voice appeared.
[Master... why did you act that way toward her? (ಠಿ_ಠ)]
—Quincy... I'm a loyal man. It's not right to use a system that helps you conquer women. That only proves how little of a man someone really is.
[Does that even matter? She doesn't know. (ಠ‿ಠ)]
—That isn't the point. It's wrong to encourage feelings in someone who'll never be able to have you. Besides... I already have a girlfriend. And I don't have any weird animal fetishes.
[I'm disappointed in you, Master. (눈╭╮눈)]
—I don't regret it. And I never will. This is how things should be."
[I still believe that mindset is unhealthy.]
—Life doesn't give second chances... At least not to those who try to do the right thing.
[Master...]
—Let's end this conversation here. I want to be alone.
I remained at the bow for another half hour.
Then I headed inside and ordered the ship to increase its speed.
Silence lingered between us...
Until the city finally appeared on the horizon.
At last, Noelle broke the tension.
Noelle: —"Won't the whole city panic if something this terrifying approaches?"
—Don't worry... Artia, activate Ghost Mode.
[At once, Marshal.]
—Good. Let's go, Noelle.
After three hours of flight, Phantom slowly descended.
Before stepping outside, I gave Artia one final order.
—Artia... Stay alert. When I return... Prepare for departure.