I'm Looking for the Male Lead for the Ending - Chapter 6
Chapter 4.1
Ding.
As the system window disappeared along with the noise, I anxiously awaited the window that would soon appear, swallowing dry saliva.
‘Yeah, it should be right… No, it has to be right.’
…Because I chose to accept even the penalties I didn’t want right now.
“Ardi.”
“Are you not feeling well?”
The words of the two people approaching me didn’t register in my ears. I was completely focused on the empty space where the system window would soon appear.
Penalty for rejecting the route!
Vien di Elberg’s favorability decreases by 5%.
Vien di Elberg’s current favorability: 2% -〉 0% ]
Since favorability is at 0%, the remaining penalties will be applied to your vitality.
Health decreases by 3%.
Ardi’s current health: 100% -〉 97% ]
‘Yeah, I expected this much… Ugh.’
As a penalty for my health being decreased, I felt pain as if someone was squeezing my heart. I involuntarily grimaced at the pain I would never get used to.
Ah, I didn’t expect to feel this pain already.
Up until now, I had accepted the routes of all the target characters suggested by the system. Accepting routes for multiple characters didn’t put me at a disadvantage, possibly because there were numerous targets in this game yet declining these routes incurred a penalty. Moreover, given the game’s inherent difficulty in capturing a target, I felt it unnecessary to impose penalties right from the outset.
My mouth had gone dry with tension at the thought of doing something I’d never attempted before. I opened my mouth belatedly while looking at Vien, who was still waiting for my response.
“…I apologize, Your Highness. I’m afraid I won’t be able to join you for dinner.”
“….”
“My father only sent me to deliver a letter and told me to return immediately without disturbing others.”
I thought I had chosen my words well so as not to upset his mood.
Just as I was about to express my gratitude for the dinner invitation and wrap up the conversation, I felt another pain in my heart at that moment. Startled by the pain I shouldn’t have felt right now, my gaze instinctively darted to the vacant space where the system window was floating.
Penalty due to decrease in favorability!
Vien di Elberg’s favorability decreases by 2%.
Vien di Elberg’s current favorability: 0% -〉 0% ]
Since favorability is at 0%, the remaining penalties will be applied to your vitality.
Health decreases by 2%.
Ardi’s current health: 97% -〉 95% ]
Additional penalties were imposed even though I didn’t accept the route.
‘What is this now…’
Stunned, my mind turned white in response to the unfamiliar situation.
‘No, no. Calm down. Calm down, Ardi Aidelis.’
Although my mind went blank, I gathered my thoughts once more. Taking a deep breath and carefully examining the system window that appeared in my mind, I noticed that the number inside the heart icon in the corner of the system window had dropped to 95.
Alright.
Then, it wasn’t an error and my health really fell.
Even though I didn’t accept Vien’s route, my health has actually decreased…
‘…Y-You d*mn bastard! If these penalties weren’t temporary but permanent, how the hell was I supposed to reach an ending?!’
I could sense Heron looking at me, but in the face of an unexpected situation, I couldn’t afford to consider him right now. On the other hand, Vien’s expression hardened as if he didn’t expect me to refuse.
“Since I was the one who suggested it first, I thought you’d know it wasn’t a hindrance.”
“….”
“Or perhaps Aidelis isn’t interested in dining with the Crown Prince of the empire?”
The mocking tone sent shivers down my spine. And as if to confirm that such a feeling wasn’t groundless, my vision suddenly flickered.
Penalty due to decrease in favorability!
Vien di Elberg’s favorability decreases by 2%.
Vien di Elberg’s current favorability: 0% -〉 0% ]
Since favorability is at 0%, the remaining penalties will be applied to your vitality.
Health decreases by 2%.
Ardi’s current health: 95% -〉 93% ]
Despite the fact that I didn’t say anything this time, my health plummeted, and once again, I felt the agonizing pain as if my heart was being squeezed. I thought I should stop before my health decreased any further before finding the cause of this situation.
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