The morning air was cool, with just enough breeze to make the banners above the shopfronts ripple. The village's market sat at the crossroads, and from the inn's doorway I could already hear the clink of coins, the shouts of merchants, and the rustle of fabric as customers bargained.
The Landlady had insisted on making me breakfast first — she wouldn't even let me step outside until I'd finished the plate. Her fussing had grown more pronounced since last night. It was subtle, but it was there — the way she brushed my shoulder as she passed, the way her gaze lingered a second too long.
She didn't need to say it. The system's 100% bond alert had already told me everything.
[Enhanced Body I active. Stamina buffer engaged. Ability cost reduced by 5% while bonded target is in close proximity.]
I walked down the main road toward the market, my boots crunching over the packed dirt. I could feel the difference in my body now — not just in strength, but in the way I moved. My stride was smoother, more balanced. My breathing stayed even, my heart steady, even with the subtle hum of energy that came from the upgrade.
It wasn't just speed or power. It was efficiency.
The market itself was a spread of stalls and carts, their owners calling out prices for vegetables, salted fish, cloth, tools. It wasn't large, but it was busy.
I took my time weaving through the rows, scanning faces.
[Potential points sources: 5 targets identified. Confidence threshold for approach: high.]
The system was tagging women in the crowd — subtle glances, lingering eyes. A merchant's daughter with wheat-blonde hair arranging bread loaves. A traveling peddler in a tight bodice leaning over her cart. A young woman in a blue scarf carrying a basket of fruit.
I didn't move on any of them yet. Not here. Not today.
Instead, I stopped at a blacksmith's stall, where the air shimmered with heat from the forge. The smith, a broad man with soot-darkened skin, looked up from a half-shaped blade.
"You're new," he said bluntly.
"Passing through," I replied. "Thought I'd see what the market had to offer."
He grunted, looking me over with the kind of glance men give other men when sizing up competition. "You fight?"
"Sometimes."
He smirked. "Sometimes isn't enough around here. If you're headed for the capital, you'll need more than a strong stride."
I let that sit, not giving him more than a faint smile.
As I moved on, the system whispered:
[Combat encounter potential detected. Minor challenge would yield low Desire Point gain.]
Low? I thought. Even if I win?
[Correct. Minimal resistance produces minimal satisfaction, and therefore low yield.]
So, the system didn't just want victories — it wanted meaningful ones. Ones that mattered.
Halfway through the market, I caught the sound of raised voices. Two stalls down, a man in rough leathers was leaning over a produce stand, jabbing a finger at a woman on the other side. She was middle-aged, strong-shouldered, her hands clenched tight.
"Already told you," she said firmly. "Price hasn't changed."
"Don't play with me," the man growled. "You're charging me more than him." He jerked his thumb toward another customer.
"That's because he's not the one who broke my crates last week."
The man's scowl deepened, and I caught the faintest ripple of movement — his hand curling like he might reach across the counter.
[Opportunity: Social dominance. Target: aggressive male. Desire Point yield: medium.]
I stepped forward before he could push things further.
"Hey," I said casually, "you always this charming in public, or is this a special occasion?"
His head whipped toward me, eyes narrowing. "Who the hell are you?"
"Someone who doesn't like bad manners," I said, my voice even, letting Desire Tongue work under the words.
He blinked, momentarily thrown off by the calm in my tone. "This isn't your business."
"It is now," I said, stepping closer.
He squared his shoulders, but the set of his jaw wavered just slightly. I didn't break eye contact.
"Go home," I said quietly. "You'll live longer."
For a moment, I thought he might try something — but then his gaze broke first. He muttered something under his breath and stalked off through the crowd.
The woman behind the stall let out a slow breath. "Thanks. He's been a thorn in my side for weeks."
"Does he cause trouble often?" I asked.
"Often enough. But…" She looked me over with new eyes now. "I don't think he'll bother me again soon."
[Desire Points earned: +3. Cumulative total: 28.]
Not much, but it was something — and it proved the system rewarded more than just physical conquest.
I lingered in the market long enough to buy a few small things — a leather strap for my pack, a packet of dried herbs — then headed back to the inn. The afternoon sun was slanting low by the time I reached it.
She was there, of course, waiting behind the counter. The moment she saw me, her expression eased.
"How was the market?" she asked.
"Productive," I said.
Her smile deepened. "Good. Supper will be ready soon."
It was a simple exchange, but it carried that undercurrent now — the one that said I wasn't just another guest.
The system chimed again.
[Bonded target's presence: stamina buffer active.]
I couldn't help the small smile that pulled at my mouth. This was only the first trip into the world since my upgrade, and already I could feel the potential growing.