Chapter 380: The Silent Servant
’Seems like I was right. Gamer Privileges really is self-aware.’
Cedric blinked.
Now, he couldn’t help but question further.
’Can you lie to me?’
The greenish-black screen flickered, and new words appeared.
[No.]
Then...
’Tell me honestly... how can I be sure that you are not doing anything to harm me?’
[...]
[Everything I do has always been for your benefit. I am your servant and cannot harm you.]
Cedric arched a brow.
This did not put his heart at ease in the slightest. If anything, Cedric became even more wary. When he thought about it, Gamer Privileges really had looked out for him right from the beginning. Even when he had no protection against mind attacks, for instance, he had always managed to somehow escape because of the intervention of Gamer Privileges. So, it would be fair to believe what it just said right now.
However, Cedric was bothered about Aika. He was not sure Gamer Privileges cared about her just as much as it claimed to care about him. When he really thought about it, the way it responded to him was always slightly different from the way it responded to her.
Almost as if it was following some kind of hierarchy.
For instance, Gamer Privileges had told him why it had hidden their Bond after he had died in the first ring. But when Aika had asked, it was either completely quiet or just gave a dismissive answer like:
[This process cannot be accomplished in the meantime.]
Why couldn’t it also tell her that the Gamer needs some time to himself. Or that some time is needed to fully get rid of the other God’s authority.
’Hm...’
Cedric sighed.
’I really hope that this is just a case of overthinking things.’
There was nothing he could do about it right now anyway, a realization that left him feeling deeply dejected.
He exhaled and looked up at the rain currently beating down on them. When his gaze shifted to Aika, he could see that she was now sleeping soundly against his shoulder.
A tired smile formed on his lips.
’I’m glad you confronted those memories of yours, painful as they may be,’ he thought as he raised a hand.
Then, he commanded the rain to stop, and in the seconds that followed, the downpour completely ceased. Shortly after, the water that had soaked their clothes evaporated into the air in thin trails of mist, leaving them completely dry.
Cedric then reached out to hold her closer, then fell backwards with her. But rather than falling onto the cold stone ground of the battlements, they fell gently onto the large, plush bed in their chamber.
***
A few days later
——
The somber atmosphere in crimson and silver had finally lifted.
Today, Cedric was preparing to leave for classes as lectures would be starting for the Cadets. While he was brushing in the bathroom, Aika, who was also brushing, walked tiredly into the room.
"Morning Aika," he greeted.
"Morning my Cornish hen," she mumbled as she walked over to the sink, then spit into the bowl.
"Why are you up early today?" He arched a brow. "Have you got any plans for today?"
"Mm-mm," she grunted. "I need to go farm some bad karma. Haven’t you heard the saying that the devil never sleeps, but he rises early?"
’But you sleep a lot, dear,’ Cedric smiled.
These days, they had relegated duties between themselves. While Aika handled the accumulation of bad karma in order for Cedric to keep his conscience pure, most of the time at least, he handled the accumulation of good karma.
Though truth be told, he wasn’t making much progress on that, and that was because it wasn’t that easy to do good without slightly hoping for positive karma.
Still, he had had some luck being able to accumulate a decent amount, like that time during the carnival festival when his ravens took the items from that kid that stole from him.
He had instructed his ravens to give all the items, except for his pouch, to a beggar girl on the outskirts. When that happened, he gained almost three hundred positive Karma.
That aside, some time after they showered, they helped each other dress as they usually did. She helped him adjust his collar and button up his vest, while he helped her fasten the intricate lacing at the back of her dress.
When they were done, she lightly dabbed her pinky finger on her tongue, reached up, and used it to smooth down a stray hair on his eyebrow that was sticking out.
"There," she murmured, pulling her hand back to look at her handiwork.
"I need a string to tie my hair," she said as she gathered her hair in her hands.
But then, Cedric walked over to his jewelry box and opened it to reveal several expensive bracelet watches alongside pocket watches. After ruminating for a bit, he reached in and picked up a delicate bracelet watch, then walked over to her.
"I’ll use this instead," he said, wrapping the bands carefully around her hair to secure it.
Aika arched a brow at the thought of using a luxury timepiece for a hair tie. But she didn’t complain. She always looked beautiful when she went out because her stylist was Cedric.
He tucked a few stray strands into place, and when he was done, he leaned back to study her.
She was dressed in a tailored, high-collared charcoal dress, paired with sleek, elbow-length silk gloves that hugged her hands and forearms perfectly.
"You look a blessing to the eyes, Milady..." Cedric murmured playfully.
Aika rolled her eyes, but he reached out and pinched both of her cheeks, pulling them up into a forced smile. "Try not to kill anyone, okay? Steal stuff we’ll need in the second ring, lie, break some shit, but hold back on unaliving someone."
"Alright..." she promised.
Cedric then turned, and as he began leaving, he threw a backward glance over his shoulder. "I’ll eat lunch in the cafeteria. But I’ll have Leo bring your meals over here later."
Then he left the chamber.
After exiting the Patrician’s Keep, he caught sight of Leon, who was also on his way to class. But the guy had Alicia on his left and Aurora on his right. He seemed to say something funny, and both girls suddenly burst into graceful laughter.
Cedric scowled.
’Is this protagonist building a harem?’
He clicked his tongue silently and pocketed his hands. Out of a bored curiosity, he decided to check their stats.
He hummed to himself when he saw Leon had made some progress, and Alicia had made some progress too. However, when he saw Princess Aurora’s stats, he halted in disbelief.
’What the ’byss?!!!’
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