I Put all my Stats into Charm - Chapter 6
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
I Put All My Stats Into Charm Episode 006
“Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”
“Uh…”
My senses suddenly returned, and I belatedly realized I was being held in Rowell’s arms.
“Uh…!”
I reflexively pushed against Rowell’s chest. Then I sprang up from my spot like a coiled spring.
“I’m, I’m fine!”
My heart was pounding wildly. The look in Rowell’s eyes that I had just met wouldn’t leave my mind.
It was exactly the same look I saw right before Rowell turned me into a taxidermy specimen.
I almost wet myself right there on the spot.
Surely he wouldn’t be thinking of turning me into taxidermy from this early stage, but that ending was just so intense.
Unable to meet the taxidermy maniac’s eyes, I fidgeted and opened my mouth while avoiding his gaze.
“…Thank you for saving me.”
Rowell quietly looked at me before breaking into a gentle smile.
“When my student is in danger, it’s only natural for a teacher to save her.”
I reflexively glanced at the air and let out a sigh of relief at the quiet system window.
‘The affection level didn’t go up. Thank goodness.’
If the affection level kept rising here, getting turned into taxidermy while still alive would only be a matter of time.
Meanwhile, Rowell looked around the area. The Snow Spiders were all dead, lying with their bellies up.
“The number of monsters has definitely increased. Snow Spiders are nocturnal and don’t come out during the day. They hunt large animals or monsters at night, not humans during the day when hunting efficiency drops.”
He approached the Snow Spider corpses.
“The Snow Spiders we defeated must be a group pushed out of their habitat due to increased population.”
Then he took out leather gloves from his pocket and put them on.
“This worked out well though. Now we have something to do.”
Rowell used his gloved hands to open a Snow Spider’s mouth and pulled out its fangs.
Watching him pull out the deeply embedded fangs like pulling carrots, I wondered how such grip strength came from that slender frame.
“The Imperial Palace does provide magical materials, but sometimes they’re in terrible condition. Important parts get damaged or they extract them too late to be usable. Magical materials require very delicate work.”
Rowell continued speaking while examining the Snow Spider’s body.
“The Imperial Supply Unit doesn’t seem to understand that. So I often have to handle it myself.”
Huh? What does he mean by handle it?
When I looked at Rowell with a puzzled expression, he pulled out a knife from his coat.
I instinctively gulped at the sight of the sharp blue blade.
“Right before or right after death. That’s when it’s most perfect. You have to extract the organs before blood flow stops to maintain freshness. And the most important thing is…”
At that moment, Rowell plunged the knife into the Snow Spider’s head. Every time the knife moved skillfully, I could hear the squelching sound of flesh.
“Precisely cutting out only the necessary parts without damage. Otherwise, the materials get ruined.”
Rowell pulled the knife out of the Snow Spider’s head.
He stuck his fingers into the split gap and pulled something out, then put it in a specially made glass bottle.
Then he showed me the object in the glass bottle with a gentle smile.
“This is how you collect materials.”
I let out the breath I had been holding.
I belatedly realized that what Rowell had taken out was the Snow Spider’s eyeball.
‘Please use proper subjects when you speak!’
Of all people, for the taxidermy maniac to say such things.
I almost fainted right there on the spot from the shock I couldn’t have earlier.
After finding the cursed item at the Duke’s Palace, Rowell overestimated my abilities and began training me with increased difficulty in magic.
Despite consistent training, when I couldn’t even sense the slightest bit of magic power, Rowell’s expression began to harden.
“This is strange… How did you detect black magic with this level of magic power?”
Just as I felt a pang of guilt at Rowell’s muttering, a servant approached.
“Master Cyprian, His Highness Calliton is looking for you.”
“His Highness the Crown Prince?”
The Empire, troubled by the increased number of monsters, dispatched an investigation team to find the cause of the monster increase.
Today, Calliton had definitely called Rowell to form an investigation team.
“Let’s end today’s training here.”
“Yes, Master.”
It’s quite moving to hear my former fiancé’s name after so long. I did grow somewhat attached during the three weeks of playing though.
Thinking of Calliton’s final moments when he was poisoned made me feel a bit sorry, but I decided not to sympathize with a function made of 0s and 1s.
After Rowell left, I headed toward the Garden. I had something else to do today.
When I arrived at the fountain, I spotted my target.
Jerome, dressed in a black military uniform, was walking through the Garden with perfect posture.
His movements were as neat and orderly as the tightly fastened buttons on his uniform, without a single flaw.
I waved at him and ran over.
“Duke!”
Is it because my stamina is LV.1? My body made a big fuss just from running that short distance.
If I had known I’d have such terrible stamina, I would have allocated some stats to stamina too.
Jerome quietly watched me gasping for breath before opening his mouth.
“Master Cyprian seems to be quite lenient about Imperial Palace etiquette.”
“…”
This bastard.
He’s definitely picking on me for being uncultured, right?
Fine. How great are you then.
Does being handsome solve everything?
Just as I was glaring at Jerome with a sulky expression, Jerome’s gaze fell on my sweat-covered forehead.
I was determined not to let it slide if he said something again, but Jerome pulled out a dark navy handkerchief from his coat.
The perfectly pressed linen without a single wrinkle had the House of Winston’s crest embroidered on it exquisitely.
“You should be careful since many eyes are watching in the Imperial Palace.”
A heavy musk scent wafted subtly through the breeze carried by the handkerchief.
Oh, what’s this.
Making me feel awkward for no reason.
I obediently took Jerome’s handkerchief and carefully wiped the sweat from my forehead while asking.
“…What brings you to the Imperial Palace?”
“I received a summons from His Highness the Crown Prince and am on my way back.”
Jerome seemed to have been called by Calliton for similar reasons as Rowell.
I immediately got down to business.
[‘Charm’ skill is activated.]
“If we keep running into each other like this, Aisha’s heart might burst from excitement! Will you take responsibility?”
[Jerome Winston’s affection level has increased by 10.]
[Jerome Winston’s affection level: 31]
===================
Affection Levels
Jerome: 31
Rowell: 25
???: 0
???: 0
???: 0
===================
Finally!
Seeing Jerome’s favorability surpass Rowell’s made me cheer involuntarily.
‘Whatever comes out of my mouth is fine. As long as the favorability goes up!’
While I was relieved by the favorability rising as planned, Jerome opened his mouth.
“Responsibility, you say? How bewildering. Isn’t that kind of talk only used between lovers?”
Wouldn’t your favorability rising while saying you’re bewildered be even more bewildering?
“Don’t mind it. I just said it out of happiness to see you.”
I waved my hand dismissively and tucked Jerome’s handkerchief into my clothes. I should wash it before returning it, that would be proper.
“Have you been sleeping well lately, Duke?”
“Thanks to you.”
Jerome nodded.
His face looked noticeably better than when I last saw him.
His eyes, which had always been calmly subdued, seemed to have gained a bright vitality, and his cheeks had also become rosy, suggesting good blood circulation.
He seemed like a different person from when I first met him.
“Miss Aisha.”
Right. Here it comes.
Even though I knew what Jerome would say next, I answered as if I knew nothing.
“Yes?”
“If it’s alright with you, would you like to dine together? I’d like to treat you to lunch as repayment for helping at the Duke’s Palace.”
Good, he’s finally asking for a date.
Cheering inwardly, I answered immediately without any need to refuse.
“That sounds good. Shall we go together?”
Jerome nodded at my answer.
“Let’s go.”
I climbed into the black carriage with Jerome’s escort.
I could hear the clip-clop of horse hooves and the sound of wheels rolling. After boarding the carriage, Jerome only gazed out the window and didn’t say a single word.
I knew he was a man of few words, but feeling suffocated by the quiet silence, I spoke first.
“Um… has the culprit been caught?”
“Still under investigation.”
“I see. The culprit should be caught quickly. I hope they’re caught soon.”
“Thank you for your concern.”
“…”
“…”
An awkward silence continued.
Actually, I wasn’t good at conversing with the opposite sex.
‘Why else would I have been single my whole life?’
Of all things, Jerome was also a man of few words.
Should I consider this a good match, or a bad one?
Just as my head was starting to ache wondering how to salvage this atmosphere, a question occurred to me.
“What kind of relationship do you have with Lady Vivian?”
Doesn’t the saying go “know yourself and your enemy, and you’ll win every battle”?
To take down Vivian, it would be advantageous to gather information about her.
“Our families have known each other since the previous generation.”
“Ah…”
I fell into thought for a moment.
‘It’s a longer connection than I thought.’
If Vivian had been harboring unrequited love for Jerome since childhood, she must have experienced truly persistent one-sided love.
I only managed to seduce Jerome this far thanks to my charm skill – without that cheat, Jerome wouldn’t have even shared a meal with me.
“Are you concerned about Lady Vivian?”
I looked at Jerome with a puzzled gaze.
“Of course.”
“May I ask why?”
“Well…”
Because she’s the woman who poisoned me, so I’m extremely concerned. And I might get poisoned again.
Unable to tell the game’s story directly, I made up an appropriate excuse.
“That’s difficult for me to say.”
It was actually difficult, so it wasn’t a lie. But feeling somehow guilty, I lowered my head and avoided Jerome’s gaze.
Then, the system window chimed.
[Jerome Winston’s favorability has increased by 1.]
[Jerome Winston’s favorability: 32]
Huh?
Why is the favorability going up here?
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————