After I decided to proceed with the scenario, Piya became more active in explaining the in-game systems to me.

One of them was the favorability rating.

As I expected, it uses 0 as the base, with positive (+) numbers indicating favorability and negative (-) numbers indicating disfavor.

‘So that means Gloria had exactly 0 favorability towards me, truly indifferent with neither like nor dislike.’

[Favorability doesn’t simply represent romantic feelings. But if you’re interested in that, Lulu, we can switch to conquest mode and only check the favorability of the opposite sex. (ʃƪ ˘ ³˘)♥(˘ ε˘ʃƪ)]

‘Conquest mode?’

[Yes, in conquest mode, we provide various skills and options to help you win over the opposite sex! Σ>―(〃°ω°〃)♡→]

‘No, that’s okay…’

Piya seemed somewhat expectant, but I had no intention of building a harem like Hezen.

Like other stats in the game, favorability only becomes meaningful from 100 and above.

In other words, Klaus, whose favorability was -100 when we first met, had disfavored me from the very beginning!

‘But why? We weren’t acquainted like I was with Orent.’

But the problem didn’t end there.

[If favorability drops below -500, they feel hatred accompanied by violence, and if it exceeds -900, they develop murderous intent, so be careful! ♡◟(⑅’ㅅ’⑅)◞♡]

In a word, it means they want to kill you.

Just like I felt towards Hezen.

‘That can’t happen…’

Klaus Winster was one of the Heroes of Light who appeared in the original work, and someone who had to set out with me to slay the Luminous Dragon.

If such a person harbored murderous intent towards me, it would undoubtedly become difficult.

Even hatred accompanied by violence wouldn’t do.

, Heir of the Winster Duchy

Favorability: -280

I gulped as I saw Klaus’ favorability stopped at -280.

Fortunately, there was still some leeway before it turned to violence.

No, can I even call this leeway?

“Greetings, Your Highness Luibel Azester, the Third Princess.”

Klaus greeted me with a polite voice and a respectful manner.

He appeared like the epitome of a gentleman, with no visible ill feelings towards me.

His neat and courteous demeanor even made him seem favorable towards me.

If not for that dreadful favorability rating above his head, I would have believed it too.

“Oh, Klaus. Looks like you went to the training grounds. I was just heading to have tea time with the princess, so could you please…”

“Enjoy your time.”

Although Sylvia elegantly told Klaus to step aside, he walked past us briskly, leaving a curt greeting before her words even finished.

“What, did he just ignore what I said?”

Sylvia grumbled at Klaus’ retreating back.

I was so anxious about Klaus’ significantly lowered favorability that I couldn’t concentrate at all during the tea time.

‘What’s the problem?’

I wanted to check Klaus’ detailed information window, but couldn’t as he disappeared as if he didn’t want to encounter me at all.

As I was racking my brain trying to find a way to win over Klaus, something caught my eye.

‘Huh? This is…’

There was a faint glow around the candlestick on the tea table.

‘That must be the guiding light Piya mentioned.’

I opened the minimap that I had turned off as it wasn’t needed, and the red dot indicating my location on the grey map was blinking next to the light.

I lightly touched the candlestick.

The faint glow around it disappeared and the map brightened.

[SYSTEM] You have found the guiding light!

[SYSTEM] The minimap of is now activated!

The minimap didn’t show everyone’s locations, only the locations of those I had contact with, indicated by dots.

‘With this, I can find Klaus.’

I excused myself from Sylvia, pretending to look for the powder room, and went to find Klaus.

Klaus, who had washed up and changed into a neat shirt, was reading a book in his room.

As I passed by his room on the 2nd floor corridor, I caught a glimpse of Klaus through the slightly open door.

, Heir of the Winster Duchy

Favorability: -280

I silently sighed as I saw the dizzying favorability rating above his head.

Then I opened his detailed information window.

[Heir of the Winster family. A skilled individual who caught a bear with his bare hands at the age of 6, and a talent who went to study abroad in the Holy Kingdom. (Support Level: 20)

.

.

▶Trait: Abstinence

▶Ideal Type: Luibel Azester

▶View on Love: Considers romantic feelings as impure and unnecessary, harboring a strong aversion.]

‘His level is higher than mine?’

Considering that Orent, who was praised as the most outstanding swordsman until Hezen’s appearance, had a support level of 8, Klaus’ level was quite high.

‘Wasn’t this quest impossible to complete by beating him into submission from the beginning?’

As I recalled the third clear condition and lowered my gaze, I discovered something unexpected.

‘His trait is abstinence? What’s that… Huh?’

My name was unexpectedly listed as his ideal type!

In my surprise, I unconsciously made a noise.

Klaus swiftly turned his body towards me and strode over.

He strongly swung open the door, not giving me a chance to run away.

I, who had been peeking at him from in front of his room, ended up making eye contact with him.

“Princess Luibel Azester…?”

[SYSTEM] ‘s favorability has decreased by -10. (Favorability: -290)

[SYSTEM] has become wary.

, Heir of the Winster Duchy

§Wary State§

Favorability: -290

Looking at the added text on Klaus’ status window, I thought:

Ah, I’m screwed.

[This is the timeline separator]

“So, you’re saying Klaus’ favorability drops every time he encounters me…”

“Because you’re pretty.”

Anselot said, curling one corner of his mouth.

“Because the princess is too pretty.”

Flinch.

That straightforward remark made my face feel slightly hot.

After returning to the imperial palace, I was in the middle of telling Anselot about what happened at the Winster Duchy.

In other words, about Klaus’ trait and view on love.

Anselot spoke in a nonchalant tone as if he already knew.

‘You discovered it too late, our princess.’

‘What? You knew?’

‘I looked into it a long time ago. That bastard is a pervert.’

When I asked, he said he had seen Klaus’ detailed information window last time we encountered him at the royal palace.

Even Anselot, when I told him my name was written as Klaus’ ideal type, narrowed his eyes slightly and asked again.

‘The princess’ name as his ideal type?’

‘Yeah. Why?’

‘When I looked, it wasn’t that specific.’

‘T-Then…?’

‘That bastard has high standards. He must have had all sorts of delusions on his own in the meantime.’

Anselot muttered bitterly towards Klaus.

Well, I wasn’t the only one who could see the status window.

‘But it’s a bit… a bit embarrassing to look someone straight in the eye and call them pretty like that, isn’t it?’

I cleared my throat a few times for no reason and changed the subject.

“B-But it’s strange, isn’t it? I’m his ideal type? Then why does his favorability drop every time he sees me?”

Fortunately, Anselot continued his explanation without any particular comment.

“His trait was abstinence, right? He probably has a low base favorability towards all women, not just the princess.”

“Right. His favorability was negative even before we were acquainted.”

“But now he’s met someone who perfectly matches his ideal type. It conflicts with his trait, causing his favorability to drop and making him warier of the princess.”

“T-Then the low favorability is…”

“Because his instincts are getting scared that he might start liking the princess, preemptively lowering the favorability.”

“Does that make sense?”

“It’s a trap of favorability.”

Anselot replied indifferently.

“Human emotions aren’t simple enough to be represented by mere numbers. Human emotions are much more complex.”

“Oh, it’s complicated…”

My head got even more complicated as I listened to the explanation.

I fell into thought as I gently stroked Piya’s belly, who was sleeping on my lap, with two fingers.

The wound on Piya’s wing hadn’t healed yet. It was because she hadn’t gotten enough rest.

After learning that Piya could only rest in her original form, I urged Piya to maintain her original form and forced her to rest.

Even Piya, who insisted that an excellent messenger should be wide-eyed beside the player day and night, slept soundly once she laid down.

Anyway, to conclude the conversation with Anselot, it’s impossible to win over favorability like Hezen did.

It’s because I’m a woman.

And to make matters worse, Luibel Azester happens to be the ideal type of Klaus, whose trait is abstinence.

If it were Hezen instead of me, he would have completed the quest very easily.

‘A quest that’s in hard mode only for me.’

I let out a deep sigh and glared at Anselot with narrowed eyes.

“If you saw all of Klaus’ traits, why didn’t you tell me?”

“Just because. I didn’t want to tell you.”

I was dumbfounded by his mean-spirited answer.

“If you had told me, I wouldn’t have made a plan to raise Klaus’ favorability from the beginning!”

“Somehow it bothered me. The fact that he dared to have the princess as his ideal type.”

Anselot muttered while still looking at me with a crooked smile on his lips.

“Huh?”

I blinked, unable to understand what he meant.

“Why is that bothersome?”

“…”

Anselot didn’t answer any further.

“You really have a strange personality.”

I grumbled loudly on purpose so he could hear me.

Anyway, this is serious.

Not only is his favorability dropping, but he’s also become wary of me.

“Can’t you help me somehow?”

I asked Anselot.

“You said you’d help me slay the Luminous Dragon. At this rate, forget the dragon, I won’t even be able to take a single step out of the empire.”

Anselot replied with a serious, contemplative expression.

“I’m good at killing… But if he dies and comes back to life, his trait might change too, don’t you think?”

“No, just don’t help me.”

I shook my head firmly at his answer.

I briefly forgot that guy was an assassin.

‘If Klaus dies, I fail the quest.’

It was all because of that strange trait, abstinence or whatever.

He dislikes me so much for the absurd reason of me being his ideal type.

“Klaus Winster… He looks perfectly handsome on the outside, but he’s a strange person on the inside.”

As I muttered with a deep sigh, a somewhat sharp remark flew in from the side.

“Handsome, you say?”

One corner of Anselot’s lips curved up even more crookedly.

His mouth is clearly smiling, but… why does he seem upset?