The three days of Elara's confinement passed with agonizing slowness.
Damien spent them productively – reviewing his father's intelligence reports, managing estate business, and trying very hard not to think about a shy kiss on his cheek that had meant nothing strategically and everything personally.
He was failing at that last part.
On the morning of the fourth day, he received word that the Saintess had completed her "contemplative period" and would be resuming public duties. There was also a second piece of news, buried in his father's daily briefing, that caught his attention:
Demon sighting confirmed in Rothval village, eastern territories. Twelve dead, village abandoned. Third incident this month. Church dispatching investigative team.
Damien read the report twice, frowning.
Demons. The novel had mentioned them as background threat – creatures from some other realm that occasionally breached into the world, usually in remote areas. The hero's ultimate purpose had been to seal the growing demonic incursion, though that plot point didn't become critical until much later in the story.
Except three incidents in one month wasn't background threat. That was escalation.
He pulled out his notes on the original novel, flipping to his summary of major plot points. The demonic invasion arc had been set to begin around chapter 150, when evidence of organized demon activity forced the hero to abandon his harem-building adventures and actually fulfill his destiny.
But if demons were already active now, at the equivalent of chapter 20...
"The timeline's accelerating," Damien muttered. "Because I've been interfering with the hero's development."
It made sense. Aldric was supposed to have met Elara, begun his devoted protection routine, and gained access to Church resources by now. Instead, he was confused and uncertain, with the Saintess defending a suspicious noble instead of falling for the earnest hero.
Which meant the plot was compensating, pushing threats forward to force events back on track.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: Narrative Correction Detected]
[Original timeline compromised by player interference]
[World attempting to restore balance through accelerated threats]
[WARNING: Demon activity will continue escalating until hero fulfills destiny role]
"Or until someone else handles the demons," Damien said thoughtfully.
[Clarification: Player is not equipped for combat against demonic forces]
[Current power level: Insufficient]
[Recommendation: Allow hero to develop naturally while maintaining heroine corruption]
Damien stared at the glowing text with growing irritation. "So your suggestion is to let the hero succeed while I just... seduce women on the sidelines? What happens when he wins, saves the world, and I'm still the villain scheduled for execution?"
[Probability of survival increases if world is not overrun by demons]
"Survival through irrelevance. Wonderful plan." He closed the report file with more force than necessary. "No. If the timeline's breaking anyway, I need actual power. Not just social manipulation. Real strength."
[Player wishes to pursue combat development?]
"Obviously. I can't manipulate my way out of a demon attack." He paused, thinking about the building collapse – how helpless he'd been, how reliant on Elara's power. "I've been treating this like a dating simulator. But it's not. It's a survival scenario in a world with actual threats. I need to adapt."
[Acknowledged. Opening System Shop...]
Text scrolled across his vision, faster than before, resolving into what looked like a merchant's inventory:
---
VILLAIN'S DELIGHT SYSTEM - SHOP
Current Corruption Points: 423
SKILLS:
- Silver Tongue (Rank E): 200 CP
- Aura of Temptation (Rank E): 300 CP
- Shadow Step (Rank F): 150 CP
- Combat Reflexes (Rank F): 100 CP
- [LOCKED - Requires higher corruption]
ABILITIES:
- Charm Person (Single Use): 50 CP
- Minor Illusion (Single Use): 50 CP
- Detect Lies (Single Use): 30 CP
ITEMS:
- Enchanted Blade +1: 200 CP
- Ring of Minor Protection: 150 CP
- Potion of Stamina (x3): 75 CP
CORES:
- Demonic Magic Core (Corruption Type): 500 CP
A villain's true power source. Grants ability to absorb and weaponize corruption. Grow stronger through conquest of land, people, and morality. Power scales with depth of corruption achieved.
WARNING: Extended use will gradually alter personality, moral flexibility, and decision-making patterns. Prolonged exposure to demonic energy carries risk of complete corruption. Bonds of genuine affection may slow or halt degradation.
Note: This is the power the original Damien Valcrest was destined to obtain. You are walking the same path. Choose carefully.
---
Damien read the Demonic Core description three times.
Five hundred corruption points. He had 423. Close, but not enough.
And the warnings were... concerning. "Alter personality." "Risk of complete corruption." The System was being unusually direct about the dangers.
But the alternative was remaining weak while demons escalated and the hero eventually won, restoring the timeline and his scheduled death.
"What happens if I take the core?" he asked aloud.
[DEMONIC CORE EFFECTS:]
[Immediate: Access to demonic magic - shadow manipulation, fear effects, corruption attacks]
[Short-term: Increased physical abilities, enhanced regeneration, improved combat skills]
[Medium-term: Gradual personality shifts - increased ruthlessness, reduced empathy, stronger power-seeking behavior]
[Long-term: Risk of losing original personality entirely, becoming true villain]
[MITIGATION: Genuine emotional bonds create anchors to humanity. Current bond with Elara provides moderate protection. Additional bonds recommended.]
So the heroines weren't just targets for corruption – they were his lifeline against becoming a monster himself.
The irony wasn't lost on him.
"I need seventy-seven more points," Damien calculated. "How do I earn those?"
[CORRUPTION POINTS EARNED THROUGH:]
[- Deepening intimacy with heroines (variable)]
[- Corrupting individuals from virtuous to morally flexible (10-50 CP)]
[- Successfully subverting major plot points (50-100 CP)]
[- Claiming territory or influence through morally ambiguous means (variable)]
Deepening intimacy with Elara was already in progress. But seventy-seven points from one source would require... significant escalation. More than he was comfortable pushing for.
Which meant he needed to diversify his approach.
Damien stood and moved to his window, looking out over the estate grounds. His father controlled significant territory – villages, farmland, trade routes. All maintained through a combination of legitimate governance and calculated ruthlessness.
What if he claimed some of that territory himself? Not through inheritance, but through active corruption? Turning his father's domain into his own power base?
The thought felt cold. Strategic. Exactly the kind of thinking the Demonic Core would amplify.
He was already becoming what he'd need to be.
A knock at his door interrupted his brooding.
"Young master?" Margaret's voice. "You have a visitor. Saintess Elara."