Chapter 6
“I’ve Dumped All My Stats into Charm”
After finishing the birthday commemorative live broadcast,
a wave of happiness so overwhelming it felt almost unbearable washed over me.
The power of attention was stronger than I had imagined.
Feeling an unstoppable happiness with my whole body, one day after another passed.
The title of my next mini album is “Escape Plan,” and it will have a total of six tracks.
“Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”
“Uh……”
My returning sense of reality made me realize only too late that I was in Lowell’s arms.
“Uh…!”
I reflexively pushed against Lowell’s chest. Then I sprang up like a coiled spring.
“I-I’m fine!”
My heart was pounding out of control. The gaze I had just seen from Lowell wouldn’t leave my mind.
It was the same look he had before I almost became one of his “specimens.”
I almost wet myself right there.
He probably wouldn’t try to turn me into a specimen this early in the story—but that ending was just too unforgettable.
Unable to meet the eyes of the “specimen maniac,” I avoided his gaze and spoke hesitantly.
“……Thank you for saving me.”
Lowell looked at me quietly, then smiled gently.
“A student is in danger. Of course a teacher has to save them.”
I instinctively checked the empty air and sighed in relief at the unchanged system window.
‘The affection didn’t go up. Thank goodness.’
If his affection keeps rising here, being turned alive into a specimen will only be a matter of time.
Meanwhile, Lowell scanned the surroundings. The snowfield spiders were all overturned and dead.
“Still, the number of monsters has increased.”
He walked up to a snowfield spider’s corpse.
“Snowfield spiders are nocturnal. They don’t come out during the day. At night, they hunt large animals or monsters. They don’t normally attack humans during the day since it’s inefficient for hunting.”
He put on leather gloves he took out of his pocket.
“These we killed were probably a group pushed out of their habitat due to overpopulation.”
Then he continued while inspecting the corpse.
“Still, this works out. I’ve got something to do now.”
Lowell put on his gloves and pulled out the spider’s fangs.
The way he ripped out deeply embedded fangs like pulling out a carrot made me wonder how such strength came from such a slender body.
“The imperial palace does supply magical materials, but sometimes the condition is terrible. Sometimes important parts are damaged, or they’re extracted too late to be usable. Magical materials require very delicate handling.”
Lowell continued examining the spider’s body.
“The palace supply unit doesn’t seem to understand that. So I handle it myself.”
Huh? What does he mean by “handle it”?
Confused, I looked at him—and he pulled a knife from his coat.
The cold gleam of the blade made me instinctively hold my breath.
“Right before or right after death. That’s the best timing. You must extract organs before blood flow stops to preserve freshness. And most importantly…”
Then Lowell plunged the knife into the spider’s head.
With every practiced movement, the sound of flesh tearing echoed.
“You must carefully remove only the necessary parts without damaging them. Otherwise, the material is ruined.”
He pulled the knife out, inserted his fingers into the split, and extracted something, placing it into a specially made glass bottle.
Then he smiled gently at me and showed the contents.
“This is how you collect materials.”
I let out a breath I had been holding.
Only then did I realize what he had taken was the spider’s eyeball.
‘Please, for the love of grammar, put the subject in your sentences properly!!’
Hearing that from the “specimen maniac” himself was too much.
I almost fainted right there, a second I hadn’t managed earlier.
* * *
After finding cursed items in the duke’s estate, Lowell overestimated my abilities and increased the difficulty of my mana training.
Despite constant training, I still couldn’t feel even the slightest trace of mana, and Lowell’s expression gradually darkened.
“Strange… How did she detect black magic with this level of mana?”
At his murmur, I flinched.
A servant approached.
“Chifrian-nim, His Highness Prince Caliton is looking for you.”
“The Crown Prince?”
Due to the increasing number of monsters, the empire had sent an investigation team to find the cause.
Today, Caliton had summoned Lowell to form that investigation team.
“That’s it for today’s training.”
“Yes, Master.”
Hearing my former fiancé’s name again felt strange. We had grown a little attached after playing for three weeks.
Thinking of Caliton’s death by poisoning made me feel slightly sorry for him, but I decided not to sympathize with a being made of 0s and 1s.
After Lowell left, I headed toward the garden. I had something else to do today.
At the fountain, my target appeared.
Jerome, wearing a black military uniform, was walking through the garden with a rigid posture.
His movements were as precise and locked-down as the buttons on his uniform.
I waved and ran toward him.
“Lord!”
My weak LV.1 stamina immediately complained after such a short run.
If I had known my body would be this pathetic, I would’ve invested points in stamina too.
Jerome looked at me catching my breath and spoke.
“It seems Chifrian-nim is quite lenient with imperial etiquette.”
“….”
This bastard.
Was he insulting my manners?
Fine. How are you so perfect then?
Just because you’re handsome?
While I glared at him sulkily, his gaze landed on my sweat-covered forehead.
Just as I was about to swear at him if he said anything else, Jerome took out a dark navy handkerchief.
It was perfectly pressed linen, embroidered with the Winston family crest.
“In the imperial palace, many eyes are watching. You should be careful.”
A faint musk scent drifted from the handkerchief.
Uh… what?
Now I feel awkward.
I quietly took the handkerchief and wiped my forehead.
“……What brings you to the palace?”
“I was summoned by His Highness the Crown Prince and am on my way back.”
It seemed Jerome had been called by Caliton for the same reason as Lowell.
I immediately moved to my main plan.
[‘Charm’ skill activated.]
“If we keep meeting like this, my heart might explode from how exciting it is! Will you take responsibility?”
[Jerome Winston’s affection increased by 10.]
[Jerome Winston’s affection: 31]
Affection Levels
Jerome: 31
Lowell: 25
???: 0
???: 0
???: 0
Finally!
Seeing Jerome’s affection surpass Lowell’s made me want to cheer.
‘No matter what I say, it’s fine. As long as affection goes up!’
While I was relieved, Jerome spoke.
“Responsibility…? That’s surprising. That kind of line is usually used between lovers.”
Even while calling it surprising, your affection is going up—that’s more surprising, isn’t it?
“Don’t worry about it. I just said it because I was happy to see you.”
I waved it off and tucked his handkerchief into my coat. I should wash it and return it.
“Are you sleeping well these days, Lord?”
“Thanks to you.”
Jerome nodded.
His face looked noticeably better than the last time I saw him.
His usually calm, heavy eyes seemed brighter, and his cheeks had a slight flush, as if his circulation had improved.
He felt like a different person.
“Aisha.”
Here it comes.
I already knew what he was going to say, but I pretended not to know.
“Yes?”
“If you don’t mind, would you like to have a meal together? I would like to treat you to lunch as thanks for your help at the estate.”
A date request, finally.
I internally celebrated and answered immediately.
“Sure. Let’s go together.”
Jerome nodded.
“Let’s go.”
Escorted by Jerome, I boarded the black carriage.
The sound of hooves and wheels filled the air. After getting on, Jerome said nothing and only looked out the window.
I knew he was a quiet man, but the silence was suffocating, so I spoke first.
“Um… was the culprit caught?”
“Still under investigation.”
“I see. I hope they catch them soon.”
“Thank you for your concern.”
“….”
“….”
An awkward silence followed.
I wasn’t good at talking with men.
‘No wonder I was single.’
Of course he’s quiet too.
Is this compatibility or incompatibility?
Just as my head started to hurt from the atmosphere, a question came to mind.
“Lady Vivian… what kind of relationship do you have with her?”
Know your enemy, win every battle.
If I was going to deal with Vivian, gathering information would help.
“She is from a family that has been acquainted with mine since the previous generation.”
“I see…”
I thought for a moment.
So it was a long-standing connection.
If Vivian had liked Jerome since childhood, it must have been a pretty deep obsession.
I only managed to attract Jerome with the Charm skill. Without it, he wouldn’t even sit at the same table as me.
“Are you concerned about Lady Vivian?”
I looked at Jerome.
“Of course.”
“May I ask why?”
“That is…”
Because she’s the one who poisoned me.
And might do it again.
But I couldn’t say the game truth out loud, so I made up an excuse.
“It’s difficult to say.”
It wasn’t a lie—it really was difficult to say. I lowered my head and avoided his gaze.
Then—
[Jerome Winston’s affection increased by 1.]
[Jerome Winston’s affection: 32]
Huh?
Why did it increase here?
