The morning after, I woke with the faintest ache in my muscles — not the kind that slowed me down, but the kind that reminded me of what I'd done to earn it. The smell of her still clung faintly to my shirt where I'd tossed it over the chair.
I'd slept well. Better than I had in years.
The system didn't wait long.
[Desire Points earned: +10. Cumulative total: 25.]
[Bond progress: 85%. Target nearing full loyalty.]
The words carried a subtle satisfaction, like the system approved of my work.
I sat up, rubbing a hand over my face. "Eighty-five percent," I murmured. "So… what happens when it hits a hundred?"
[When a target reaches full loyalty, they become incapable of betrayal. Their actions will align with your benefit, even against their own self-interest. Emotional and physical devotion will be constant unless loyalty is intentionally broken.]
"And… there's more, isn't there?"
[Correct. Full loyalty from a target also grants a permanent enhancement to your abilities, proportional to the target's individual value.]
"So she's going to make me stronger just by being mine," I said.
[Correct.]
That was incentive enough.
I dressed and headed downstairs. The common room was already in motion — a couple of early customers at the tables, the smell of bread and coffee filling the air.
She was at the counter, hair pinned up neatly again, but there was something different in her eyes when she looked at me.
Not just recognition. Not just interest.
It was softer, warmer — and without the guarded edge she'd carried before.
"Morning," she said, and her voice had a note of familiarity it hadn't before.
"Morning," I said, taking the seat closest to her.
She poured me a mug without asking, sliding it toward me. Our fingers brushed, and she didn't pull away this time. If anything, her touch lingered.
"You eat yet?" she asked.
"Not yet."
"I'll fix you something." She didn't wait for me to ask — just turned and moved toward the kitchen.
[Bond shift detected.]
The system's voice threaded quietly into my thoughts. [Target's behavioral indicators confirm near-complete alignment. Target now prioritizes your comfort and presence above baseline obligations.]
I watched her from my seat. There was no hesitation in her movements — no calculation. She was simply… taking care of me.
She returned with a plate — bread, butter, and a small slice of cheese — and set it down in front of me. "Eat while it's still warm."
I tore off a piece, chewing slowly. "You didn't make breakfast for the others yet."
"They can wait," she said, matter-of-fact.
That was new. Yesterday, she would've tended to the room first without a second thought. Now, I came first.
"You look like you slept well," I said.
Her lips curved faintly. "I did." Her gaze lingered just a beat too long before she turned to wipe down the counter.
[Bond progress stable at 85%. Continued interaction will push toward completion.]
I finished my meal, then leaned back in my chair. "I might take a trip into the market today. See what else this place has to offer."
She paused in her work, looking over her shoulder. "Be careful. Not everyone here is… friendly."
"You worried about me?" I asked, letting Desire Tongue slip into the words.
Her expression softened. "Maybe I am."
It was there — the shift. She wasn't thinking of me as a passing guest anymore. I was someone she wanted here. Someone she was willing to protect in her own way.
And if the system was right, by the time that bond hit a hundred percent, she'd be willing to do far more than that.
As I left the inn, I caught the faintest trace of her eyes on me from the doorway.
The system's voice was a whisper in my ear. [Target loyalty completion projected within 1–3 encounters.]
I smiled to myself. That wouldn't take long.