[You have created a safe refuge for Sister Rose. You helped her.]
[This Hard-level task is complete. Exiting simulation... rewards will be issued later.]
Glimpsing Sister Rose actively claim she was just his sex toy.
Silas originally wanted to say something.
But the scene in his vision suddenly paused. The lively gathering turned back into a stable filled with the scent of horses. The former was a land of women; the latter was horse manure.
Silas didn't expect to receive a reward here for completing the task of helping the nun.
It probably didn't trigger before because the refuge almost got wiped out.
It only triggered after he saved Fiona and the other survivors.
Let's see the reward this time.
[You helped Sister Rose obtain a decent refuge. Hard-level task complete.]
[Current simulation paused. Summarizing...]
[Evaluation: Although you continued to waste a lot of time indulging in lust, you ultimately did a lot of real work, found clues, and completed the task. Moreover, you obtained the nun's body. For a certain group of people, it was worth it.]
[Your remaining simulation charges > 2. You will receive an extra reward.]
Hmm?
There's a bonus for dying less?
[Regular Reward: Attribute Points * 20, Skill Points * 20, Free Simulation Charges * 5]
Silas thought the regular rewards would double, but the Free Simulation charges were only three more than before. Of course, it was better than nothing.
So, what else?
He waited a few more seconds.
[Special Task Reward: Sword Apprentice (This skill can only be leveled up through this dungeon task)]
[Would you like to extract it now?]
New text indeed appeared before Silas's eyes.
Heh.
Now this is comfortable.
But Silas felt a bit strange and opened his panel.
[Player: Silas]
[Title: Scumbag (You have no conscience, but you act with extreme decisiveness)]
[Stamina: 13]
[Strength: 11]
[Agility: 8]
[Charisma: 29]
[Spirit: 23]
[Skills: Tongue Technique Lv2 (Details omit), Hypnosis Apprentice (Details omit), Sword Apprentice (Details omit)]
When did Tongue Technique level up?
Silas could only think it was because he had more "live sessions" in the game later on. And all his partners were living people. What use was it? Didn't that nun still withstand it even when he used his 'God-Tongue' just now?
He didn't care how his tongue leveled up. He cared about the newly acquired Sword skill and the Hypnosis he got last time.
If both skills could only be leveled up through this game, the current plot seemed only one step away from the end. Does he have to choose which one to upgrade?
[Sword Apprentice (Pick up a sword, and you can be considered half a swordsman)]
Silas looked around; there were only two shovels stuck in the hay.
Wooden forks were for low-grade horses; noble iron forks were for the high-grade horses of aristocrats. No swords.
"..."
Seeing the horse in the stall shaking its tail, Silas went over, picked up the iron fork, and pitched a few loads of high-grade fodder.
Thinking about it carefully.
Sword skills in reality, with his current status as a stableman... what's the fucking use!
There were no sect competitions or testing "Qi Level 3." A stableman is a stableman; he has no time for anything except watching horses, eating, and shitting. If anyone dared to say a 996 schedule is a blessing now, Silas would fight them to the death.
Whatever.
In the end, becoming stronger physically might come in handy when facing things in the mist within the game. And in reality, it would definitely be useful later. In an era like this, being stronger is never a bad thing. As for choosing between Sword and Hypnosis later, he'd see. If a new skill popped up then, Silas would truly lose it. A jack of all trades, a master of none.
Clack.
Silas didn't think iron was particularly precious; he threw it directly into the hay pile. With so much fodder, he wasn't worried about the fork getting damaged.
But.
"..."
He felt a bit odd.
The iron fork was stuck straight in the fodder, dead center. He'd just thrown it randomly, right?
"..."
He picked up the iron fork and threw it again.
Thud!
Dead center again, right in the middle of the hay.
Increasing the distance, Silas repeated this several times. Except for the last time from over ten meters away which missed, almost all of them landed right in the center of the pile.
He switched to a wooden fork, and it didn't work. Dammit, it didn't even go in from half a meter away. Switched back to the iron fork, and it worked again. At maximum distance, he could stand ten paces away and sink it in with ease.
"So, this counts as a sword too?"
Silas shook the iron fork in his hand, easily performing a "sword flourish." No specific memories of "Sword Apprentice" popped into his head; it was just natural—picking up the iron fork, he knew exactly what he could do with it.
He knew which imaginary moves would work and which would likely end in self-harm.
"..."
Ten minutes later.
Silas was hungry. He didn't know how the game kept him from feeling hungry. But it was definitely in some "non-filling" way, like blocking the sensation. If he didn't go back in, he'd starve.
If I don't play this garbage game, I'll starve to death! Even worse than pay-to-win games!
Silas put the fork back, lying down in the hay again. He remembered he hadn't spent his attribute points yet.
Speaking of which, would increasing Stamina make him more resistant to hunger?
Dammit, how can I add to Stamina just because I'm too hungry?
[Player: Silas]
[Title: Scumbag (You have no conscience, but you act with extreme decisiveness)]
[Stamina: 13]
[Strength: 11]
[Agility: 8]
[Charisma: 29 + 20]
[Spirit: 23]
[Skills: Tongue Technique Lv2 (Details omit), Hypnosis Apprentice (Details omit), Sword Apprentice (Details omit)]
What's so good about fighting and killing?
Silas thought of the Silver Crest on the nun's navel. The fate of a female succubus was uncertain, but the future of a male succubus was bright. To rise through his own strength, he had to cling to a noble as a stepping stone. If he didn't want a 300-pound tank, he had to increase his Charisma! Only once he rose would he have the right to add to other stats! Don't give up on your dreams because of temporary hunger!!!
[Current Task: You have found clues regarding leaving the area of the eerie town. Try to take Sister Rose away to find a normal life!]
[Continue Simulation?]
[Yes / No]
But dreams really can't fill a stomach.
Silas was hungry. Very hungry.
If he didn't continue the game, he'd really be too hungry to move.
Tap.
Silas was just about to continue. He heard footsteps getting closer again—it was the maid.
Could there be another job someone wanted to dump on him? Is a stableman really such a sex toy that anything can be dumped on him?
"..."
Silas's guess was right.
The maid was indeed entrusted by the manager to tell him to polish the Saintess's statue to ensure it was spotless for delivery to the Church tomorrow. She repeatedly mentioned that the Bishop coming from the big city would inspect it personally and that there could be no flaws.
But when she saw Silas lying there, just casually lying there chewing on a piece of straw, she couldn't speak.
How was this possible?
In just a short while, this man was glowing... literally shining. His face and figure had grown straight into her heart.
"Maid?"
"Ah... I-I'm here to..."
The maid snapped out of it, not even daring to look Silas in the eye. My God, how could this man's voice be so beautiful... even better than the most famous dancer in town.
If he were lying on her stomach, sighing with weary satisfaction...
"To?"
"Cough, to bring you something to eat. You're a newcomer; you might not be used to the food supply here yet."
The maid pulled a piece of relatively decent quality black bread from her bosom. This was originally meant for her to take home to her husband, but now she felt... she'd just say she was too hungry on the way and ate it. Her husband wouldn't starve anyway; what mattered was the man in front of her, and the little note inside the bread.
"Ah? So kind? Is this a benefit for every newcomer?"
"Yes."
"Then I should apologize; earlier I thought you might be hard to talk to..."
"It's fine, it's fine, hurry and eat! I have to go!"
The maid turned around, her cheeks flushed pink. He'll see the note, won't he? He'll understand the meaning, right? She'd polish the statue herself; there were no other tasks for now. She knew a place where no one would go, perfect for doing anything.
Coming to the large carriage prepared for Silas, two massive sections contained the heads of two statues. Oh... and the small head of the male statue. He heard that the small head of the male statue had been stolen before, so they had made a new one with a gold-plated rim.
Has he chewed to the part with the note? Has he seen the words?
She couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't help it. Strange... the male statue's face looked more and more like him. Then this small head...
A while later, the maid had calmed down, but Silas hadn't come.
"How could I do something so immoral behind my husband's back? And using the statue's small head, no less..."
But putting aside a tiny bit of guilt, she stared at the head of the male statue in the carriage. It was said to be an anonymous hero who saved the town alongside the Saintess a hundred years ago. The more she looked, the more it resembled Silas.
"Could it be... a descendant of the statue? A duke or even a prince of the royal family left behind in a border town in some story?"
Otherwise, how could he be so charming? Glowing with light. This small head, let's use it one more time. Anyway, for that little thing of her husband's, just give it a tug and be done with it.