Chapter 34
To think I should tell Maron she's cute because she's as obedient as a puppy.
‘Hmm….’
What does this automatic compliment recommendation system even use as its criteria for deciding what to recommend and what not to recommend?
‘Probably whichever compliment would earn the most points?’
And the number of points earned is proportional to how happy the person receiving the compliment feels.
In other words, it recommends the compliment most likely to make the target happy right now.
‘Is that really okay?’
There are plenty of compliments that make people happy but end up hurting them in the long run.
Flatterers are exactly like that, aren't they?
‘Then let's try doing it this way this time.’
I'll tweak the recommendation a little before complimenting her.
“Maron.”
“Yes—”
Maron froze mid-sentence.
It was because I'd placed my hand on top of her head and started stroking it.
Her chestnut hair felt soft against my fingertips.
It was my first time stroking a woman's head in real life.
But this was the world of a subculture game, so this much should be fine.
‘If she likes being told she's as docile as a puppy, that means it'll make her happy if I say it, right?’
And puppies like having their heads petted.
Now I'll add a compliment of my own to that.
“Sometimes, Maron, you really do feel like my own little puppy.”
I stroked her head and looked straight into her eyes.
“And that makes me happy. It feels like no matter what I do, Maron will stay by my side.”
Pat, pat.
Then I took my hand away.
“….”
“…What's wrong?”
Maron's eyes had gone unfocused and vacant.
‘Why is she acting like this?’
Usually, at this point, a message telling me how many points I'd earned should—
【Limit Breakthrough】
“?”
【You have successfully surpassed the system's recommendation】
【A ×5 multiplier has been applied as a special reward】
“…Liam….”
Maron murmured dreamily.
Like someone drunk. Like someone drowsy with sleep.
“I… really… would do anything… for you….”
【The target swears an oath】
<Praise Points: +45000(100→45100)>
*×3×5 multipliers applied
‘She swore an oath?’
What on earth did she swear to?
And the number of points I'd earned was higher than anything I'd ever seen before.
If 15 times the normal amount gave me 45,000, did that mean the base amount was 3,000?
I had 45,100 points now.
A four-star skill was finally within realistic reach.
The hidden skill <Beheading>, which became available after I acquired <Waterfall Slash>, cost 50,000 points, too.
I was caught off guard by a word like limit breakthrough suddenly appearing, but all things considered, it was a good—
“Liam.”
Maron placed both hands on my shoulders.
“Uh, um?”
“Liam, you really are… such a baaad man.”
Maron gave me a sweet smile.
There was something different about her from usual.
“…Maron?”
“Heehee, ehehe.”
Maron's irises turned red.
Then they began to sparkle.
As though stars had appeared in them.
【Warning】
〈Fate: <Villainess of Calamity> has increased in likelihood by 10%〉
【77%→87%】
A cold sweat broke out.
‘Could this be because of what I just said?’
Thoughts of four-star skills and the like vanished from my mind.
The relationship quest with Maron was meant to keep her from succumbing to her fate as the Villainess of Calamity.
But had my compliment just increased the chance of her falling into that fate?
‘That was the exact kind of compliment that could ruin Maron's future!!’
I'd rejected the recommended compliment because I wanted to protect Maron's future, but it had backfired instead.
“Liam…♡”
“Maron. Wait a second.”
“Aah… my Liam…♡”
Maron leaned closer to my face, then—
She blinked.
“…Huh?”
Blink.
Blink, blink.
The stars that had appeared in her irises disappeared, and then—
“!!!”
Maron returned to her usual bashful self and hurriedly pulled away.
“I-I'm sorry!! I didn't mean to…!”
“No, it was my fault.”
Truly.
I'd probably messed up far worse than Maron realized.
‘I don't know what that was, but that could've been bad.’
I was still breaking out in a cold sweat.
Should I stop trying to come up with compliments on my own from now on? It seemed like they only backfired whenever I did.
I sighed, then met Magnum and Roy's eyes.
The two male cadets took a step back.
“…You're frightening. Frightening in so many ways.”
“Everchess, you're really not going to die a peaceful death at this rate.”
“Hey, wait a minute.”
They were looking at me like I was a murderer.
I'm not, I swear.
“I'm an ordinary, decent person.”
“….”
“….”
The two of them each took another step back.
That hurt a little.
“Ahem! Ahem!”
Professor Silon cleared her throat, rather uncharacteristically.
“Shall we get going, then?”
“Oh.”
Looking around, I saw that the other groups had already entered the valley.
Apparently, our group was the only one running late because of Maron and me.
“Sorry about that. My bad, let's go.”
“Phew….”
“Hmm….”
“I-I'm sorry, too….”
The valley wasn't a maze, but the path split in several directions.
Roy clicked his tongue.
“We should avoid the routes the other groups have already taken. I'll check the tracks here.”
Roy scattered some ice powder at one of the forks in the path.
“Hmm… There are footprints here.”
Before Roy could check the next fork, Gilliam pointed down one of the paths.
“This way should be fine.”
“Hey, don't just pick a direction at random. What if we run into another group when we get there?”
Roy grumbled as he scattered ice powder.
There were no footprints.
“…Just a coincidence, right?”
“No, it's a skill. <Snow Mountain Hunter's Eye>.”
〈Snow Mountain Hunter's Eye〉
Description: Makes a target's footprints stand out. A basic skill for the people of the cold North.
It was a skill I'd learned while looking for the culprits who'd broken a window at my house in a childish prank.
“A Snow Mountain Hunter!?”
Roy's eyes widened.
“How do you have that skill, Everchess!?”
“…Is it rare? It's only a one-star skill, isn't it?”
It only cost 300 points, too.
Even before I had any multipliers, I hadn't thought it was expensive.
“The rank itself is low, but it's hard to find anyone who can teach it. Snow Mountain Hunters aren't in the Empire. You'd have to go to the lands of the barbarians in the far north of the continent.”
Ah, I see.
‘It's like that herb I found for Elettra before.’
Something common in one particular region, but expensive elsewhere because it can only be found there.
‘The shop system really is the greatest advantage of all.’
Even if a skill is low-ranked, I can learn it right away, no matter how difficult it is to find someone to teach it.
“Tch… I guess being from a ducal house must've helped you make the right connections.”
Roy came to his own conclusion and looked frustrated.
“Just so you know, Everchess, I have no intention of losing to you this time.”
“Sure. Good luck.”
“…Tch.”
But what I'd said to Roy hadn't been an empty promise.
I needed to conserve my strength for now.
I couldn't obsess over earning bonus points by hunting Void Entities.
“I'll take the lead.”
Magnum walked forward with his huge shield raised.
Roy followed close behind him.
Maron and I brought up the rear.
“L-Liam? Shouldn't we be moving up, too…?”
“Do you want to earn bonus points?”
“No. I want to stay by your side, Liam.”
Soon, our first Void Entity appeared.
Just going by its shape, it looked like a massive monster.
And Void Entities had two distinctive features.
Their strange, wavering color—a mix of black, purple, and navy blue.
And—
“!@!%@^”
An indescribable cry, as if distorted by static.
The Void Entity charged at us.
“I'll stop it!”
Magnum charged forward with his shield raised.
Kuuuuuuung!!
A tremendous crash as the monster collided with him.
“Grrk!!”
But Magnum held his ground.
As expected of the talented tank I'd had my eye on.
“And I'll take it down! <Blizzard Lance>!!!”
Roy's ice magic struck.
Mana gathered and formed an ice spear, then—
Whoooosh… KABOOM!!
“Did we get it?”
“We got it!”
The warrior held the line and created an opening.
The mage finished it off with a powerful attack spell.
It was a textbook example of teamwork.
Professor Koccha Silon took notes.
“One point for Magnum Lordrimur… and one point for Roy Edgers….”
“Hwahaha! Everchess, looks like I was right to choose the path of a warrior, just as you advised!”
“Uwahahaha! See that, Everchess? This is my true strength!!”
Clap, clap, clap.
“Hey, you two did great. Really.”
“Hwahahaha!”
【The target is happy】
<Praise Points: +10(45100→45110)>
“Uwahahaha!”
【The target is amused】
<Praise Points: +10(45110→45120)>
The system's misandry was alive and well.
‘How discriminatory.’
It's not like I only compliment women because I want to.
The hunt for Void Entities continued in the same way after that.
“!@!##!%!!”
“I'll stop it!”
“I'll take it down!”
Magnum blocked them.
Roy took them out.
“That's it, that's it~”
Gilliam cheered them on.
“Hwahahaha!”
“Uwahahaha!!”
And Maron and Professor Silon were…
“….”
“….”
They were bewildered as they watched the three men.
‘What… is going on?’
‘What is he thinking?’
Gilliam was conserving his strength for the ‘real fight’ later.
But if the two of them didn't know that, how would they interpret what they were seeing…?
‘Gasp…!’
‘Ah…!’
Each of them arrived at the ‘truth’ and shuddered.
‘He's making those two do all the work!’
‘He plans to clear the group assignment without lifting a finger!!’
Taking an active part in hunting Void Entities earned bonus points, but simply completing the assignment was enough.
It wasn't as if Gilliam was aiming for a scholarship anyway.
So he was giving up the bonus points to take it easy! And he was complimenting the other two cadets to make them do the work for him!!
‘Wow….’
‘He's just… making people….’
The two women shuddered.
They'd witnessed yet another side of Gilliam the delinquent.
“That's it, that's it.”
“Hwahahaha!”
“Uwahahaha!”
They continued on like that.
At last.
The paths through the valley joined up, and they reunited with the groups that had started along different routes.
Cadets and instructors from a group that had already finished the assignment and was resting looked their way.
“Hmm?”
“Oh.”
“That group must be….”
And what they saw was—
“Pant, pant… Is it finally over…!”
“Huff, huff…! See that, Everchess? This is the difference between you and me…! Hah, hah…!!!”
Magnum and Roy were drenched in sweat, like they'd spent the whole day doing hard labor.
And then there was—
“Wow, you guys are seriously amazing.”
Gilliam strolling along at his leisure with his girl at his side, without a single drop of sweat on him.
“….”
“….”
“….”
“….”
Someone couldn't hold back and muttered,
“You crazy bastard….”