A day had passed since my conversation with Baroness Catherinne, and I had barely seen her since. For now, I decided to set the matter aside. Truthfully, while I had solid reasons for wanting to grow closer to Catherinne, it was not a necessity. This was simply a great opportunity to complete the task and grow stronger.
Still, I could not ignore the system's warning. Choosing to become a villain would significantly alter this world's fate. Perhaps another hero would be born. And if my assumptions were correct, it was even possible that more than one hero would emerge.
After all, the strongest hero defecting to the dark side was a serious problem for the forces of light. The gods might intervene. Yes, gods. In this universe, there were gods both great and small, each possessing different powers. Every god could bestow a blessing upon an individual. Naturally, benevolent gods blessed heroes or kind-hearted people, while malevolent gods favored the wicked.
Although I had rejected the path of the hero, the gods were not aware of that fact. Do not be misled by the title "god"; these were not flawless beings who saw and heard everything. They possessed human emotions and impulses, but wielded immense power.
For that reason, my plan for now was to act normal. I did not know whether my reincarnation into this world was the work of the gods, but if it was, then it must have been the doing of an evil one. Which meant that, at present, the good gods were unaware of my reincarnation.
Therefore, all I needed to do was continue growing stronger without giving in to anxiety.
That was why I had decided to go to the city. But unfortunately, I had an unwanted follower.
"Why are you following me?"
Lucienne looked slightly different than usual. Her curly red hair had been straightened and tied back into a bun. Loose strands framed her cheeks. Black eyeliner accentuated her green eyes. I had to admit that the comfortable yet elegant black dress she wore suited her well. In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say she possessed beauty far above the norm.
She looked as though she were preparing to go out to dinner with her fiancé. When she heard my question, she looked surprised, as if I had asked something strange.
"I'm going to the city with you. Didn't you know?"
Her expression seemed to say that the answer should have been obvious.
"I didn't invite you."
Lucienne smiled and covered her mouth with her gloved hand, like a cute little girl.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize the entire city belonged to you."
I stopped and looked at her in response to her mocking words. Her smile was innocent, her expression like that of a young woman teasing her boyfriend. I could not tell her she was not allowed to come. She was right; the city did not belong to me, and anyone was free to go. But clearly, her reason for coming was different.
With the sound of the approaching train, I let out a quiet sigh and stepped onto the platform. After buying a ticket, I walked toward the train doors, with Lucienne following closely behind. The train resembled an old steam engine, except instead of black smoke, it released blue vapor. These trains did not run on coal, but on mana. That was why the tickets were expensive, but also why they were remarkably fast.
When the doors hissed open, warm mana vapor spilled out. The air carried a sharp scent of metal mixed with ozone. Lucienne boarded without hesitation, as though this journey had been planned from the very beginning. I followed after her.
The compartments were lined with polished wood, and the heavy yet orderly aesthetic of old aristocratic taste permeated everything. I took a seat by the window. Lucienne sat across from me.
As the train began to move, blue smoke scattered outward, and the vibrations along the rails soon settled into a steady rhythm. As we left Baroness Catherinne's town behind, the countryside unfolded before our eyes.
For a while, there was silence.
Lucienne crossed her legs and tilted her head slightly to the side. Her eyes studied me openly, with undisguised curiosity. That was the dangerous part.
"I won't ask why you're going to the city," she said calmly. "But it's obvious you wanted to go alone."
"Yet you came anyway," I replied.
"Yes."
"Why?"
She smiled, but this time it was not the same cute smile as before. It was measured. Intentional.
"It's a secret," she said, bringing her index finger to her lips.
I sighed, turned my gaze toward the window, and rested my elbow against the frame as I watched the scenery pass by. Perhaps I would fail this mission, and while I still had the chance, I should bring Lucienne under control. She was a powerful character in the story, and she would certainly be useful. Even if I did not want to marry her, I could make her my subordinate.
But if I completed the task, I would earn twenty thousand gold pieces afterwards. I needed that. At that moment, I remembered something.
I opened the system and accessed the quest tab.
[New Fate Quest Generated]
[Fate Quest: Remain Indifferent to the Girl the Hero Was Destined to Love]
[Difficulty: B+]
[Description: In the original story, Aurelius Emberforge falls in love at first sight with a young woman who later becomes one of the most important emotional anchors on his path. This sentiment shapes his growth, inner conflict, ideals, and ultimate transformation. You have rejected this path.]
[Objective: To remain cold or indifferent towards her. To avoid forming an emotional bond.]
[Reward: 20,000 System Coins]
[Note: This divergence will erase the hero's romantic development, severing a small-scale fate chain.]
Remain cold and indifferent. Avoid forming an emotional bond. Wasn't that exactly what I was doing right now? Technically speaking, hadn't I already completed this quest?
I addressed the system internally. "System, respond. Haven't I completed the quest?"
I waited for an answer as I saw my own reflection in the window. The rhythmic sound of the train only deepened the silence inside the compartment.
[System Response:]
[No.]
The single-word answer was more unsettling than I expected.
"Reason?" I asked inwardly.
[System Response:]
[An emotional bond is not limited to romantic feelings.]
[You directed your attention toward her.]
[You analyzed her.]
[You positioned her within your future plans.]
[These are the initial parameters of a bond.]
I frowned. So I was being marked as failing over something I did not even feel.
"I feel nothing toward her," I countered mentally. "That should be enough."
[System Response:]
[Emotions can be suppressed.]
[Indifference is the absence of orientation.]
[At present, you perceive her as a variable.]
[This is not indifference.]
I clicked my tongue. As always, arguing with the system was a waste of time. Still, this quest was dangerous despite its simple appearance. The risk of failing it unintentionally was very real.
Lucienne's gaze remained fixed on me from across the compartment. We had not spoken for a while, but her silence was not passive. She was waiting. Avoiding eye contact, I shifted my posture. I leaned my shoulder closer to the window, deliberately angling my body away from her. It was a small movement, but my intent was clear.
Lucienne noticed.
Her eyebrows lifted slightly. The smile that appeared at the corner of her lips was brief, but I caught it.
"Have you decided to ignore me?" she asked.
Her tone was not accusatory. It was curious.
"No," I replied flatly. "I just have nothing to say."
This time, she did not smile.
"Interesting," she said. "Most people don't struggle to find something to talk about with me."
"I am not like most people."
My words were cold. Deliberately so. I wanted to draw a line.
Lucienne studied my face for several seconds. There was no hurt in her eyes, but there was calculation. As if she were weighing my words, measuring the motive beneath them.
"Fine," she said at last. "Then I'll talk. You can listen."
I cursed inwardly.
"I didn't say I'd listen."
"You already are," she replied calmly.
She was right again, and it irritated me.
"It seems that if I want to clear this quest the way I intend to, I'll need to use one hundred percent of my brain." I thought.
[The system deemed the response "That may not be sufficient" appropriate.]
"… Hmm. In that case, I deem the response 'fuck you' appropriate."