It was already the middle of the night.
The horses in the stable were mostly asleep. Only the brown mare next to Silas remained loyal, staying awake.
[You successfully prevented the nun's mutation. Easy-tier mission completed.]
[Simulation paused. Summarizing results...]
[Evaluation: Although you wasted much time indulging in lust and completely ignored morality or boundaries, you ultimately found a way to stop the nun's mutation.]
[Standard Rewards: Attribute Points * 20, Skill Points * 20, Free Simulation Charges * 2]
Huh?
After all that effort, I only get attribute points?
And what is Free Simulation?
Silas murmured the thought, and the explanatory text immediately appeared.
[Free Simulation: Even if it is not a choice that triggers a key plot point, you can enter and experience a full sensory scene.]
This seemed useful. At least some scenes wouldn't have to be experienced as mere memories anymore.
But is that really all?
I went through hell to solve the nun's problem.
[Special Mission Reward: Hypnosis Apprentice (This skill can only be upgraded through this specific dungeon quest)]
[Would you like to extract it immediately?]
Just as Silas began to grumble, the text box flashed again.
He didn't know whether to be happy or sad.
Seriously?
Why is it this kind of skill?
Couldn't I have at least gotten some combat skills or martial arts?
[Yes]
Regardless, that's what the text said. Silas could only accept it.
He clicked to check the effect.
[Hypnosis Apprentice: When you gaze into the target's eyes, there is a 30% chance to make them act according to your thoughts for 3 seconds. (Current daily uses: 1)]
Silas looked closer and thought it actually seemed okay.
Though the word "hypnosis" made him wince, a 3-second window to control an opponent's mind in a fight? That's an instant kill.
No, wait.
This isn't a trash skill! It's a god-tier skill!
But then again, Silas remembered the thing the nun turned into. Would hypnosis work on a monster like that?
If he completed more missions and leveled it up, the success rate and uses would increase... even if he didn't know how to use a sword, he'd have some real power.
Silas suppressed his excitement and remembered the unallocated attribute points.
[Player: Silas]
[Title: Scumbag (You have no conscience, but you act with extreme decisiveness)]
[Constitution: 9]
[Strength: 7]
[Agility: 7]
[Charisma: 7 + 20]
[Spirit: 18]
[Skills: Tongue Technique Lv1 (Details omitted), Hypnosis Apprentice (Details omitted)]
Silas didn't even think about it; he dumped everything into Charisma.
The same logic applied: 20 points of Strength wouldn't change his life, but 20 points of Charisma might. Strength couldn't break the class barrier, but a wealthy noblewoman could.
[Current Mission: You have prevented the nun's mutation. Try to find more clues to help her!]
[Continue Simulation?]
"Whew."
Feels good.
The skill name was weird, but its utility was high! Time to keep going!
Clop, clop.
Just as Silas was about to lie back in the hay to continue the simulation, he heard light footsteps.
A figure was wandering outside the stables, getting closer.
It was one of the maids from the Lord's mansion.
Silas remembered the contemptuous look she gave him yesterday when he wanted a second piece of bread. He couldn't blame himself; it was his first time in the Middle Ages, how was he supposed to know lunch was just a tiny scrap of black bread?
"..."
She stood there, seemingly wanting to say something but hesitating. She stared blankly at Silas's face.
"?"
Had the Charisma points taken effect already?
"Is there something you need at this hour?"
Silas purposely stood up and stepped closer to her.
"Ah... I came to check the condition of the horses and, uh, tell you the work schedule."
The maid was clearly flustered. She quickly hid her dazed expression and backed away from Silas. "Don't rush to rest after breakfast tomorrow morning. You need to drive the carriage to the convent. Just follow the main road south; you'll be there by noon."
"The convent?"
Silas was stunned.
Talk about bullying the newcomer! Driving all the way to noon immediately after eating, then coming back to sleep for only two or three hours before working with horses again?
"Miss Maid, can someone else go? I'm actually feeling a bit unwell..."
Silas wanted to see exactly what his current Charisma score could achieve.
"Are you joking? Who do you think you are? Just because you've become a bit handsome doesn't mean you can say whatever you want. This is an assignment from the Knights. Do you want to taste the whip?"
She seemed to realize she had lost her composure and tilted her head up to scold him. "Remember! Even if you are just a stable hand, when you reach the convent, you must behave in a manner befitting the Knights! Do not tarnish our reputation with your vulgar behavior!"
"..."
Silas didn't appreciate that tone.
Modern society promoted equality and forbade discrimination. But clearly, every era was the same.
Wasn't she just a maid? Not much higher than a stable hand. At most... if they were beautiful, they had a chance to rise by serving the Lord in other ways. But she wasn't even that pretty.
[You have activated skill: Hypnosis Apprentice]
Silas was just trying it out on a whim. He didn't expect the 30% chance to succeed immediately.
However...
"I want to have sex with you."
The maid suddenly took on a dazed, lustful look, her words shocking.
"Huh?"
Silas was speechless.
He only wanted her to find him overwhelmingly attractive; he hadn't commanded her to say anything. He didn't expect the 30% chance to hit on the first try.
"..."
After the brief trance, the maid snapped out of it and froze.
"The stable isn't a great place for it, is it?"
Silas reacted first, feigning curiosity.
"I... I..."
Her face turned bright red. She couldn't get a full sentence out and simply bolted.
The maid was confused.
She did feel that the stable hand had become much more handsome, exactly her type, but no matter how sexually frustrated she was, she shouldn't have been so slutty as to invite a man like that. And he was just a new hire. How... how could she face her husband? Well, maybe just once wouldn't be discovered? When he returns tomorrow...
"..."
Silas watched as the maid, overwhelmed with shame and desire, fled in a hurry.
He watched her swaying rear disappear past the stables. His evaluation: decent body, face was lacking.
She couldn't compare to even a single toe of the nun in the simulation.
But it worked! It really worked! If he could get a better version of hypnosis, Silas wouldn't limit its use to actual combat; "combat" in bed was just as viable.
His mind wasn't being corrupted by the game.
If he met a wicked woman, he'd just "train" her. He always believed in gender equality.
[Current Mission: You have prevented the nun's mutation. Try to find more clues to help her!]
[Continue Simulation?]
[Yes / No]
Lying back in the hay, Silas felt a sense of wonder.
Hypnosis might really turn out to be a god-tier skill...
Damn, too bad he couldn't hypnotize the maid into sending someone else to the convent. She was just a messenger. No, even hypnotizing the Lord wouldn't work; 3 seconds isn't enough for true brainwashing.
He'd have to endure. That was the life of a stable hand. Newcomers always got the dirty work.
He wondered if the real convent had pretty nuns. It would be fun if Sister Rose from the game was there. But even if she existed, she was likely from the town's distant past. The current convent was different from the semi-abandoned one in the game; you could see its massive milk-white spires from a distance, even higher than the Lord's mansion.
Whatever.
His future was looking bright. No matter what weirdly named skills he got, as long as they were useful, they were good!
Simulation, activate!