The rush was intoxicating. It wasn't just the relief of avoiding the pain; it was the surge of energy that flooded his veins. Kaelen felt lighter, faster, stronger. His senses sharpened, picking up the rustle of the leaves in the garden and the terrified hitch in the breath of the maid standing by the door.
He looked at Seraphina, expecting a sword to be run through his gut. Instead, she was staring at him, her mouth slightly open, her chest heaving. The anger was there, boiling beneath the surface, but it was mixed with a dazed confusion.
"Guards," she choked out, her voice lacking its previous steel. "Seize him."
The two knights snapped out of their stupor. "Yes, Your Highness!"
Before they could take a single step, Kaelen raised a hand. He didn't know why he did it, but a new instinct took over. He focused on the space between him and the knights, imagining a wall of pure authority.
[ SKILL ACTIVATED: INTIMIDATION AURA ]
The air in the courtyard seemed to thicken, turning heavy and suffocating. The knights stumbled, their spears lowering as an invisible weight pressed down on their shoulders. They looked at Kaelen—not as a spoiled noble, but as a predator they were biologically hardwired to fear.
Seraphina felt it too. Her knees buckled slightly, and she gripped the hilt of her sword to steady herself. The heat from Kaelen's earlier touch was still burning on her cheek, spreading down her neck like a fever.
"You dare use magic on the Royal Guard?" Seraphina hissed, though she took a step back.
"It wasn't magic, Princess," Kaelen said, his voice smooth, laced with the unnatural charisma granted by his new stats. "It was just a reminder. You're not in your church. You're on my land."
He turned his back on her. It was a calculated risk—the ultimate sign of disrespect. He walked toward the manor doors, his heart pounding against his ribs, but he kept his gait casual.
"If you want guards, take them," he called out over his shoulder. "They're useless to me anyway."
He stepped into the cool shade of the hallway and heard Seraphina shout an order to the captain, her voice trembling with something that sounded very much like frustration. She didn't arrest him. She didn't attack. She just... left.
Kaelen waited until the heavy oak doors were closed and bolted before he slumped against the wall, exhaling a breath he felt like he'd been holding for a lifetime.
"Holy shit," he whispered, wiping sweat from his forehead.
The blue screen flickered back to life, hovering in the dimly lit corridor.
[ QUEST COMPLETED ]
[ FIRST TAINT: SUCCESS ]
[ REWARDS DISTRIBUTED: ]
[ +5 STR ]
[ +5 CHA ]
[ SKILL LEARNED: AURA OF ALLURE (LEVEL 1) ]
[DESCRIPTION: Passively increases attraction and suggestibility in targets who are emotionally aroused or conflicted.]
Kaelen stared at the text. He felt stronger, yes, but it was the Aura of Allure that terrified him. He hadn't imagined the look in Seraphina's eyes. She hadn't just been angry; she had been flustered. Compromised.
"What have I gotten myself into?" he muttered, pushing off the wall.
He needed a drink. He needed to sit down and figure out a plan before the System decided he needed to escalate.
He made his way to the study, ignoring the bewildered looks from the servants he passed. They expected him to be furious about the Princess's visit. Instead, he looked... satisfied. It unsettled them.
He poured himself a glass of dark wine from the decanter on the sideboard and sat behind the large mahogany desk. The sun was setting, casting long, bloody shadows across the room.
He swiped the System notification away, but another one immediately replaced it.
[ TARGET PROFILE: PRINCESS SERAPHINA ]
[ STATUS: CONFUSED / AROUSED ]
[ CORRUPTION: 2% ]
[ PURITY: 98% ]
[ NEXT QUEST: THE SEED OF DOUBT ]
[ DESCRIPTION: Her mind is racing. She is questioning her faith and her reaction to you. Water the seed. ]
[ TASK: Send her a personal gift. An item that is inappropriate yet undeniable. ]
[ REWARD: 500 XP, Item: Lust Dust (Tier 1) ]
[ FAILURE: Penalty to Charisma. ]
Kaelen stared at the screen, his wine glass paused halfway to his lips. "A gift? I just insulted her religion and felt her up, and now you want me to send her a gift?"
He swirled the wine, watching the deep red liquid catch the light. "This is like a bad dating sim written by a demon."
He looked around the room. What did he have that would count as "inappropriate yet undeniable"? He wasn't exactly equipped with a stash of illicit items. He was a villain, but a boring one.
Then, his eyes landed on the shelf behind him. It was lined with trophies from the Valerius family history—ancient weapons, tax records, and jewelry.
Specifically, a heavy, gold choker set with a ruby that glowed faintly in the twilight. It wasn't just jewelry; in the game lore, it was a "Collar of Obedience," a failed enchantment meant for slaves, which the Valerius ancestors had kept as a curiosity. It didn't actually control minds, but it was sensitive to body heat, changing color based on the wearer's... mood.
It was perfect. It was expensive enough that she couldn't refuse it without causing a diplomatic incident, but the design was unmistakably that of a collar.
Kaelen stood up and walked over to the shelf. He took the heavy gold band in his hand. It was cold, but as he held it, he felt the System hum in approval.
"Alright," he said, his voice tight. "Let's see how far I can push this before the world burns."
He grabbed a piece of parchment and dipped a quill in ink. He had to write the note. It had to be signed by Kaelen Valerius, Arrogant Scum.
He hesitated, the tip of the quill hovering over the paper. The persona he had adopted in the courtyard felt like a mask that was slowly fusing to his face. He could feel the temptation to just let go, to embrace the power the System offered.
'It's just a game,' he told himself. 'They aren't real people.'
But the memory of Seraphina's soft skin and her trembling lips felt incredibly real. He gritted his teeth and began to write.
To Her Highness,
A cage for a bird that sings too loudly. Wear it in health.
He signed the name with a flourish.
"Thomas!" he shouted.
The old majordomo appeared in the doorway instantly, looking pale. "My Lord?"
"Have this delivered to the Princess's chambers. Personally. Don't ask questions, just do it."
Thomas's eyes widened as he looked at the choker and the note, but he bowed low. "As you command, my Lord."
When the door clicked shut, Kaelen slumped back in his chair. He felt dirty. He felt like he had just signed a contract with the devil. But as he took a sip of wine, he couldn't deny the thrill that ran down his spine.
The corruption had begun. And the scary part was, he was starting to enjoy the show.