CHAPTER 10
✦ ✦ ✦
Resigned to my fate, I returned to the living room where Jehee lounged on the sofa, his posture reminiscent of a wilted seaweed. His casual demeanor seemed to mock my internal turmoil.
"If you're done, come sit," Jehee directed, his voice carrying an air of command akin to calling a pet. I suppressed the urge to frown, maintaining a neutral face as I chose a seat as far away from him as possible.
My mind raced with questions. Was he going to impose another bizarre demand, like the sleep state again? I stared at him, trying to decipher his next move. Then, unexpectedly, he broke the silence.
✦ ✦ ✦
["Lee Jehee" has sent a party request. Auto-rejection in 30, 29, 28...]
[〈Accept〉 or 〈Reject〉]
"Is time running out?" I mused aloud, feeling the pressure of the ticking clock. "But why?" I questioned, my curiosity piqued despite my irritation.
"If you reject, the Master's mood will suffer, and his 'Cuteness Reception' skill will diminish. Is that what you want?" Jehee replied, his tone laced with a veiled threat.
This man's duplicity was maddening!
✦ ✦ ✦
["Lee Jehee" has sent a party request. Auto-rejection in 11, 10, 9...]
With growing agitation, I watched the countdown. Reluctantly, I accepted the request, but not before ensuring my information settings remained private. Only then did I allow myself a brief moment of relief. I couldn't help but shoot Jehee a defiant look, a small gesture of resistance.
✦ ✦ ✦
["Yeon Seonwoo" has joined "Lee Jehee's" party.]
[Under the top-tier Servant ring's effect, when the Master and party are together, they receive a slight boost in experience points.]
[Under the top-tier Servant ring's effect, when the Master and party are together, their physical and magical attack power each increase by 100.]
[Under the top-tier Servant ring's effect, when the Master and party are together, their defense increases by 200.]
[Under the top-tier Servant ring's effect, the Master's information screen is accessible.]
[A Servant's role is to faithfully serve their Master! Review the Master's information and become a beloved servant. ♡]
This was absurd. 'Beloved servant'? And why was there a heart symbol? Was the status screen glitching? The entire situation felt like a farce, and I couldn't help but wonder how much more of this I would have to endure.
Frustrated, I virtually punched the heart symbol on the status screen, causing it to disappear. However, the mental strain it caused lingered.
Throughout my gaming experiences, I had never come across such odd status messages. Even in games where protagonists had complex, flawed characters, they never reached this level of absurdity.
"What about the information viewing settings? Aren't you going to unlock them?" he inquired, trying to sound assertive despite my growing unease.
The room was silent for a moment.
If I didn't unlock the settings, I'd be at the mercy of the Master's whims. Upon arriving home, I had quickly checked for any debuff skills. But among the options for removing status ailments, none mentioned the peculiar "Melancholy." It was evident that the cunning status screen was applying effects that I couldn't counteract by myself.
What should I do? Should I try to ignore this depression and press on?
"The information disclosure is a private matter," I said, my voice lacking conviction.
Hesitantly, I glanced at the screen, noticing Jehee's slightly raised eyebrows. Then, frustratingly, the status screen reappeared.
✦ ✦ ✦
[Warning: Due to the Master's bad mood, the "Cuteness Reception" skill decreases by -1.]
[Warning: Due to the Master's bad mood, the "Cuteness Reception" skill decreases by -1.]
[Warning: Due to the Master's bad mood, the "Cuteness Reception" skill decreases by -1.]
[Warning: Since the "Cuteness Reception" skill status is now negative, the status ailment "Melancholy" is applied.]
How could someone's mood drop so drastically to -3 all at once? This sudden shift to -3, and the application of Melancholy, made my heart race with growing frustration.
Am I the only one feeling this frustrated? I can be angry too! A sense of unfairness twisted my thoughts decisively.
"It seems the contract covers this, but do you require a more thorough explanation?" I asked, barely masking the irritation in my voice.
Jehee's unyielding stance was evident, and the man who had previously lounged on the sofa, now stood up, his demeanor changing from a disheveled state to something more commanding. Despite his intimidating presence, I held his gaze steadily, mustering as much confidence as I could.
"I understand the contract requires me to share information upon the Master's request," I began, "but it puzzles me why Hunter Jehee feels the need to ask. I'm here to support you as best as I can, and accessing my information screen seems unnecessary."
"The reason is straightforward," he replied, his tone measured. "I need to see how willing Mr. Seonwoo is to follow my requests."
"Just inform me of your needs, and I'll comply," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.
✦ ✦ ✦
[Warning: Due to the Master's foul mood, the "Cuteness Reception" skill decreases by -1.]
[Warning: Due to the Master's foul mood, the "Cuteness Reception" skill decreases by -1.]
[Warning: Due to the Master's foul mood, the "Cuteness Reception" skill decreases by -1.]
[Warning: Since the "Cuteness Reception" skill status is now -5 or lower, the "Melancholy" status ailment persists, and some skill usage is restricted.]
The familiar red status screen flashed again, seemingly a mirror to Jehee's mood.
"Alright, I get it, you're in a bad mood! But consider that I'm not exactly thrilled either!"
"You seem rather grim," he observed.
"Is it not obvious? Or perhaps someone here is a bit slow to catch on? I can comply by applying a status ailment; there's no need for full disclosure of my information. I'll just provide the list of status ailment settings."
I hoped this compromise would be enough to navigate the situation without further aggravating his mood or my own frustration.
Confronted with the relentless barrage of red status updates, my frustration boiled over. It felt as if the status screen itself was being used as a tool to manipulate and control my actions, deepening my sense of helplessness in this bizarre situation.
I stood there, my body tired but my will unyielding, facing off against Jehee. His earlier words echoed in my mind: "Fairness is key, isn't it?" This idea of reciprocity, although it sounded reasonable, was laced with complexities I hadn't fully anticipated.
I remembered the fleeting message I had initially ignored, too preoccupied with other matters. This recollection led me to question if there was a hidden catch, a downside to their end of the deal that I wasn't seeing due to the skill's strange influence.
As these thoughts swirled in my head, my irritation seemed to fuel the continuous stream of red status updates.