Alberke and Green’s idle chatter came to an end.
Her heart was conflicted because the current relationships between the characters were far too chaotic, which in turn affected her ability to think.
Even though she had written most of the game’s plot herself, and even though she was familiar with every person and the development of every major event…
She should have been able to handle things as easily as she had helped Silvel obtain that item.
—But that was based on the premise that all events proceeded in an orderly fashion, with everything remaining as it was supposed to be.
Silvel becoming the Saintess in an alley, only meeting Green in the Holy Nation, Green repelling the giant dragon but failing to bathe in dragon blood…
This was the Butterfly Effect.
Alberke didn’t know which parts were changed by her own actions and which were changed by Green’s.
However, the result was already obvious: many characters who shouldn’t have interacted in the early stages were now entwined. Every move they made influenced one another, expanding the variables.
This was disadvantageous for Alberke.
It meant she couldn’t simply apply her memories and experience; otherwise, encountering accidents or unexpected situations was inevitable.
If she didn’t prepare herself mentally for this, she would surely meet a pathetic end.
She didn’t want to repeat the arrogance of Midway.
It was also a stroke of luck that Green hadn’t simply captured her. In that regard, Alberke had been gambling a bit.
If Green had actually intended to do so, she could have escaped, but this identity would have been rendered useless.
Although the Shrinking Robe had a tacky name, it was actually a quite valuable item that could easily change one’s physique and appearance.
Losing that layer of disguise would make things quite troublesome later on.
Alberke looked in the direction Green had left, toward the hidden passage he had used when he arrived.
He was leaving the palace, and Alberke didn’t know his specific destination.
But at this point in time, not staying in the palace to wait for the King’s recovery or turning to find Dolores almost certainly meant it was a System quest.
Because Alberke could see Green’s quest list, she could roughly guess his possible destination.
—
**[Main Quest: The Fallen Kingdom of Suland]**
**[The Display of Courage (1): Completed]**
**[Mortals Under the Dragon Calamity (2): Completed]**
**[The Curse of the Ancient Kingdom (3): In Progress]**
Quest Requirements: Obtain the cursed object **[Elf’s Last Wish]** in the designated area within 10 days. Reach the **[Ineffable]** stage of affection with any one target in the Suland region (Dolores, Silvel, Alberke, or Iandeke), and submit the item **[Side Leaf of Rand Ancestral Land]**.
Quest Rewards: Alberke’s affection quest **[Familiar]** stage unlocked, Silvel’s affection increased to the **[Familiar]** stage, legendary consumable **[Spring of Soul Mending]** ×1, and the growth weapon **[Life Covenant]**.
Special Reward Condition: Save Vesperian (Optional).
Hint: The curse of the former kingdom, the **[Ely Kingdom]**, involves the soul. The resistance of those who have bathed in dragon blood is limited against it.
As the quests progressed, the System began to provide substantial rewards rather than just vague affection rewards.
Fortunately, he already had the **[Side Leaf of Rand Ancestral Land]**, which he had picked up on his way to the palace.
The appearance of the Cup of Merciful Blood had also caused Green’s final shred of doubt regarding the System’s power to vanish, because at this point in time, the Cup of Merciful Blood should have been inside the Imperial treasury.
To take such a treasure from right under the Empire’s nose was something only a devil could do.
The emergence of the System quest gave Green an excuse to leave the palace for a short time.
After Alberke’s comfort, Green’s state of mind had improved, but it was still difficult for him to face Dolores.
He seemed to have grown somewhat cowardly; whenever he thought of Dolores’s expression and words, he still felt depressed.
Coincidentally, he discovered that the System had updated a side quest: a task to kill an undead from the former **[Ely Kingdom]**. The reward was 3 points of Dolores’s affection.
Currently, Dolores’s affection was 77, only 3 points away from the **[Like]** stage.
The monsters for the side quest and the area for the main quest overlapped, which was almost too convenient. At that moment, the rarely heard voice of the System rang in Green’s ear.
**[Host, once a target’s affection reaches the Ineffable stage, you can obtain their past life memories and listen to their past life’s Inner Voice.]**
Upon hearing this, Green froze for a moment before asking the System in his mind.
‘You mean I can hear Dolores’s thoughts and inner voice from her past life, right?’
**[Yes. Furthermore, once a target’s affection—such as Dolores’s—reaches the Ineffable stage, they will no longer disobey your words.]**
The System paused briefly on the word “disobey.” These highly tempting words made Green hesitate.
Although he had been utilizing the System all along, its proactive appearance made him feel inexplicably hesitant.
Was he going to use external power to obtain Dolores’s love prematurely…? Ha… hadn’t he already been doing that?
Yes… and this way, he might even be able to find the reason why Dolores “betrayed” him.
“Yes, I hate you very much, Green. I’ve always hated you…”
Dolores’s hateful words suddenly echoed in Green’s mind again, causing his final bit of hesitation to vanish.
He no longer held any spontaneous expectations for Dolores. From her reaction, normal methods and interaction would never turn her into his ideal lover.
Perhaps only a demonic, external power could give him the Dolores he wanted.
Moreover, he wanted to know why the Dolores of the past life had betrayed him.
The System… the Devil…
He hoped they wouldn’t disappoint him.
This time, Green finally solidified his wavering resolve.
He would no longer let Dolores continue being willful.
He had lost the desire to make Dolores atone with her blood, so from now on, no matter what means he used, he would mold the current Dolores into his ideal vision.
Regardless of her personal wishes.
Just as Dolores had told him, things done wrong cannot be easily forgiven.
Even Dolores, who used those words to express her own grievances, was no exception.
Once he finished this side quest, it would be time to go back and see if the Dolores of the **[Like]** stage would still have that same face of ingratitude…
Green’s pace involuntarily quickened as he moved further and further away from the palace where Dolores stayed.
—
At the same time, Alberke had already put the Shrinking Robe back into her spatial ring and changed back into her fitting academy uniform.
She prepared to pay a direct visit and knock on Dolores’s door.
She was still a bit skeptical of Green’s words regarding the part where Dolores said she hated him.
Alberke knocked on the door. After a flurry of chaotic sounds, the door finally opened several minutes later.
At that moment, Alberke saw Dolores, whose face was stained with tear tracks and whose emerald eyes were filled with exhaustion and a deathly stillness.
“!! Dolores… what happened to you!”
Dolores was surprised by Alberke’s arrival. Although she wanted to answer her question, for some reason, seeing Alberke made her feel an even stronger urge to cry. It was as if the person before her was a friend she had known for many years.
Like that Little Flower Fish.
Not like Green, who was “forcibly assigned” to her…
She stumbled a few steps, and Alberke quickly grabbed her to prevent her from falling.
Dolores’s hand rested on Alberke’s shoulder. The latter’s brow furrowed; she felt the former might be about to cry and wipe her tears on her clothes.
But actually, even faster than that were Dolores’s shocking words:
“Alberke… I want to kill Green… Can you… help me?”
Huh?
What?
Alberke’s expression was as if she had seen a ghost. She wanted to say she must be joking, but then she saw Dolores’s tear-stained, sorrowful face in her line of sight.
She felt that perhaps Dolores wasn’t joking.
But why?
Why did Dolores hate Green and want to kill him? Had she heard wrong… or…?