As the setting sun cast its golden light over the Royal Capital, Felyn had already bid farewell to Zervanie and Veloti, and returned to his inn. Tonight, he had to serve an important client from the Royal Capital. Her Highness Princess Dorothy of the Siveshus Empire.
Life still had to go on. He had a quiet little sister to support.
There was no giving up.
Just thinking about Olivia quietly following him after waking up from her hospital bed filled him with strength again.
His clients—all these noble young ladies—were too exhausting to deal with. He desperately needed a gentle, quiet sister to be by his side.
When he entered the inn’s lobby, he saw Miss Daiyi sitting on the couch.
“Miss Daiyi, were you waiting for me?”
Even though Felyn did a good job hiding his expression, Daiyi immediately noticed something was off.
“Mm, my father will be meeting us in a few days. So I thought we could practice pretending to be a couple tonight,” she said softly as she stood up.
“Do you have time?”
“Of course. I have a client later, but I’m free until then.”
Felyn and Daiyi walked side by side back to his room.
“Wait.” Just as Felyn reached for the doorknob, Daiyi stopped him.
“There’s not going to be some girl tied up inside, is there? What if I walk in and you can’t explain?”
“Of course not!”
Felyn shook his head and opened the door.
This was one of the most luxurious inns in the Royal Capital, complete with a living room, bedroom, and even a study.
No girls were tied up inside.
While Felyn made tea for Daiyi, who sat on the sofa, he asked, “So, what exactly are we practicing?”
“Things couples do. Like holding hands, looking into each other’s eyes, and…” Daiyi’s words were cut off by a sudden knock on the door.
Felyn set down the teapot, wiped his hands with a napkin, and went to open the door.
Standing there was a girl with short, black-and-red hair wearing a knight-style dress, a small piece of mithril chest armor strapped across her front.
“Bernice? What are you doing here?”
“I’d love to leave, but Lady Daiyi’s father has ordered me not to leave her side,” Bernice replied with a shrug.
“Yeah, right! You were off playing games at the disc hunting shop this morning! You just want to see what’s going on!”
Bernice pretended not to hear, whistling and looking away.
“Don’t whistle! You were at the disc hunting shop this morning! I’m trying to be alone with Miss Daiyi!”
Now flustered, Bernice tugged at Felyn’s sleeve. “Alright, alright! I won’t come in, okay?” She quickly shut the door, clearly afraid he might say more.
“She’s really…” Felyn muttered with a shake of his head as he returned to Daiyi’s side.
“That was Bernice just now?” Daiyi sipped the red tea Felyn made.
“Yeah. She tried to come in, but I stopped her.”
“You actually managed to block her? Do you have something on her or what?”
Suddenly, Daiyi turned to him, grasping his hands with both of hers. “Promise me this. Bernice is a good girl. Even if you have something on her, don’t take advantage of her. Don’t force her into doing things you secretly want.”
Felyn was stunned. “Are you serious?”
“Of course not. I just wanted to see if you really had dirt on her. Judging by your reaction… you totally do.”
This woman… was evil.
“Let’s start with some couple talk,” Daiyi said. “As your girlfriend, I should probably ask about your afternoon plans. You’ve got two different scents on you, and a faint sandalwood fragrance from the Saint Andros Cathedral. Let me guess… you went to the cathedral with two beautiful girls?”
Felyn said nothing.
“The only reasons three people would go to a cathedral together are either for a wedding or for divine affinity testing. Judging by your mood, it’s the latter. And your results weren’t good.”
“Are you Sherlock Holmes?”
“Sherlock what?”
Daiyi tilted her head, her emerald eyes puzzled.
“It’s just a compliment. I mean you’re amazing. You guessed everything right.”
Daiyi wagged a slender finger at him, smiling. “Too bad I can’t guess what’s in your heart. I don’t even know if I still hold a place there. I hope I’m at least one name on your long list of future wives.”
Felyn didn’t know why this goddess-like girl, practically divine, always liked to tease him like this.
He always thought Daiyi’s services were the hardest to deal with. This mischievous young lady loved to provoke him. And if he ever got serious, she’d probably laugh in his face.
“You were right. My test results weren’t good.”
“It’s fine. A low affinity with the gods doesn’t matter.” Daiyi’s expression grew serious as she tried to comfort him. “As long as it’s not zero, you’ll be okay.”
Felyn remained silent.
“…Don’t tell me it’s zero?”
“Daiyi, if I tell you… you won’t laugh at me, right?” Felyn scratched his head.
“Oh, I’ll definitely laugh.”
The corners of her eyes curved playfully.
“…It’s -1. All the gods hate me.”
After saying that, Felyn waited for her to laugh.
But she didn’t.
Her eyes sparkled with excitement instead.
“Minus one? You’re not messing with me, are you, Felyn?”
“What’s the point of lying? I’ve got the report right here.”
Daiyi took the report from him and read through it carefully.
Then, she stood up and grabbed his hand.
“To my room!”
Outside, Bernice leaned against the wall. The door to Felyn’s room flew open, and Daiyi rushed out pulling him along.
“Wait, are they actually going to do it for real?!”
Bernice panicked. Should she follow them?
Daiyi’s room was tidy, aside from a few pairs of thigh-high socks hanging out on the balcony. Nothing about it screamed “girl’s room.”
Two hours passed.
She sat at her desk, flipping through books at lightning speed.
Felyn sat quietly nearby, afraid to say a word. He didn’t dare interrupt her thinking—who knew what she’d do if provoked?
He’d never seen Daiyi like this. And he’d like to keep it that way.
“Found it!”
Daiyi stood up, excited, a book in hand as she came over.
Her long black hair brushed against Felyn’s neck, carrying her familiar, soothing scent.
“Roughly five hundred years ago, the gods joined forces to wage war against one of their own. After decades of fighting, they erased all of that god’s followers and removed every record of her from the world.”
“The gods lost all connection to the mortal realm. Without faith, a god falls into slumber. So, from a human perspective. She died.”
Felyn raised an eyebrow. That story sounded… familiar.
“This book doesn’t mention her name, only that such an event happened. But Felyn—if all the gods hate you, maybe it’s because they all hated that god. Otherwise, how could your divine affinity be negative?”
“You’re saying… I know that god’s name?”
“Exactly. Only someone who remembers her, and her story, would be able to see her during divine summoning. But it’s been five hundred years since she was erased. You might be the only person left who knows.”
The only one who remembers her…
Felyn fell deep into thought.
A name surfaced in his mind.
“Herlomir…”
“What?” Daiyi leaned in, puzzled by the unfamiliar name.
“Herlomir. I remember now.”
Why was I the only one who knew her?
Because this world was the game I used to play before I died.
Herlomir was the “meta pick” of the latest patch—a top-tier SSR character who took 120 pulls to unlock. She’d cost Felyn a fortune. Her backstory? She’d been hunted by all the gods.
And because Felyn knew her name and past, during his divine summoning… he awakened the slumbering Herlomir.
That red twin-tailed girl who didn’t look like a god at all—she had finally woken up after meeting this outworlder.
…
By the time Felyn left Daiyi’s room, it was almost midnight.
Daiyi had refused to hear more about Herlomir’s story. She was worried Felyn might get too affected.
Back in his room, Felyn took out the teleportation seal device from his luggage.
In ten minutes, he was scheduled to meet Dorothy.
But the revelation still had him shaken.
Herlomir—meta queen of the game. The developers’ darling.
If the gods of this world had once united to destroy her, then she probably still retained her game-breaking power.
Enough thinking.
He’d deal with it tomorrow.
Felyn washed his face in the bathroom, trying to steady himself.
He patted his cheeks and let out a long breath.
At least now there was hope. A god had answered him. Staying in the capital was worth it.
Now, it was time to properly serve his client.
He activated the teleportation seal Dorothy had given him. The destination: Her Highness’s bedchamber.
Once he coaxed her to sleep, he’d think more about the gods later.
As the clock struck midnight, Felyn triggered the seal.
The familiar, childlike scent of milk flooded his senses first.
He opened his eyes, standing once again in a room he knew well.
It wasn’t what most people would imagine for a princess’s chamber—small, and about the same size as his room back in the Mist District.
“That’s what makes me feel safe,” the princess had once said.
There were no lights on, but the glow of palace lamps outside filled the space with a silvery artificial moonlight.
Zervanie posters covered the walls. Plush toys were stacked high on the pink bedsheets.
Felyn stepped onto the cream-colored carpet, looking around for Dorothy.
Just as he thought she wasn’t there, a pair of soft arms suddenly hugged him tightly from behind.
“Brother Felyn… It’s been so long~” came a sugary voice from behind.
(End of Chapter)