“You, really are a masterpiece, aren’t you?”
The prince, who had been laughing heartily for a while from across the room, wiped away the tears welling up in his eyes as he made this remark.
“Noel, you’ve truly brought a bizarre individual with you. Even I didn’t see this coming.”
“?”
“..?”
Honestly, it felt like a half-hearted provocation, but wasn’t his reaction a little too mild? Just as he was about to open his mouth, thinking maybe he had more to suggest—
As if he had read his mind, the prince spoke up, beating him to the punch.
“You’ve said enough. I don’t plan on suggesting anything more. Wouldn’t it be fine to leave things as they are?”
“?”
“..?”
The bluntness of his words, indicating surrender, made Aiden narrow his eyes further.
“Isn’t it? If they’re staying close because they like each other, it’s a bit forced to try and separate them.”
“However.”
The prince smiled subtly as he continued.
“The ‘danger’ that comes with that, I’ll assume you’ll handle on your own.”
His voice was calm, polite as usual, but—
“Let’s meet again, Aiden.”
As the prince stood to leave, there was something chilling embedded in his words, a coldness that could freeze your spine.
“We’ll surely meet again.”
It was a sentiment that even Aiden found himself agreeing with deeply.
“Aiden.”
“Yes?”
“There seems to be something wrong with Lady Noel. Do you know anything about it?”
The moment he returned to the banquet hall, Stella asked this question, causing Aiden’s eyes to shift nervously.
“Something wrong, you say… in what way?”
“She looked like her soul had been sucked out of her, as if she couldn’t regain her senses, and then she suddenly left, saying she felt unwell and returned to the military headquarters. She never acted that way at an official event before…”
“……”
“Judging by her unusually flushed face, it doesn’t seem like a lie, but… she’s not one to fall ill so suddenly.”
‘So that’s why I haven’t seen him around for a while.’
At Stella’s worried tone, Aiden nodded slightly, his expression complex.
He had a guess.
-System Message-
▶ Noel Astria Simus’ favorability has increased.
▶ The increase in favorability is significantly high!
▶ Bond level has skyrocketed from 3 to 5. Two additional skill copy attempts have been added!
▶ The accumulated bond is now high enough. The application of ‘Weaver of Fate’ will soon change!
Main quest details will soon be updated!
A new entry has been added to the quest ‘Sham Marriage’!
Yes, that’s right.
“Well… I’m not really sure.”
For now, this was all he could say.
Frankly, if Noel had overheard the conversation he had just had, the rise in favorability made sense.
He had strongly taken Noel’s side against the prince, and at the end…
‘I feel like dying of embarrassment.’
Thinking back on the words he had practically blurted out in what felt like a public confession, his face flushed with heat.
He’d have to think of a way to smooth things over with Noel later. A real misunderstanding would be problematic.
Although, in retrospect, it might not be too much of an issue.
After all, he had gained two skill copy opportunities.
‘If it’s a gain, it’s a gain.’
This time, though, it felt uncomfortable because it hadn’t been intentional. The deepening of his relationship with Noel was becoming noteworthy, and—
‘It’s dangerous.’
He was aware of his contradictory state. In his current situation, he needed to collect as many skills as possible to survive, and Noel was too powerful to leave out of that list.
Setting her abilities aside, just maintaining the marriage with her was a vital pillar for his survival. No matter how you looked at it, his relationship and favorability with her were essential.
But, on the flip side—
Because of that, if he were to become genuinely close with Noel on a personal level, that would be a headache in itself.
Not because he disliked Noel or found her unimportant, but quite the opposite—it was because she was too important.
‘I need to be cautious with all the main characters.’
His priorities remained the same as before. Ultimately, he needed to raise their favorability. However—
In a situation where the protagonist is absent, Aiden is bound to face these individuals until the main scenario concludes. If he were to grow genuinely close to them and make even the slightest misstep, the consequences would be severe. As the saying goes, the higher you rise, the harder you fall. Once a close relationship is deeply fractured, it becomes almost impossible to repair.
Furthermore, the closer people are, the more often they end up hurting each other—this is a common truth in life. Aiden, at least, was aware that anyone could fall into such a situation. Therefore, approaching all of them required caution and delicacy.
Still, that’s a worry for later. For now, there are more pressing matters to deal with.
-Skill Info-
<Weaver of Fate>
+Arden Brimstone Lionel
– Malevolence: Stage 1
– One skill can be imitated.
※ This target cannot form a ‘bond.’
The skill’s effect differs from the original!
Although the skill copy ability just extracted from the prince was obtained, the mechanism felt different from the ones Aiden had used up until now.
The term “imitation” rather than “copy” stood out, and upon opening the skill window and examining the internal effects, this impression was magnified.
‘The performance is severely nerfed.’
Compared to the original skills possessed by the prince, all of them had subpar performance. Whether it was power or the range of applicability, everything was weakened, and some skills were marked in red, indicating they couldn’t be imitated at all.
However, one notable detail stood out:
-The target’s “Malevolence” level is low.
Currently, only “imitation” is possible.
▶ Raise the Malevolence level to unlock additional functions such as “Rebound,” “Overload,” and “Seal”!
Compared to skills copied through favorability, this one had a lot of extra utility features. Though the original power couldn’t be fully utilized, Aiden had the sense that he could exercise some form of “influence” over the skill itself.
The exact details would only become clear once the Malevolence level was raised.
‘More importantly, the condition is called ‘Malevolence’…?’
The more this person dislikes Aiden, the more skills he can acquire from them?
‘No matter how you look at it, that activation condition is a mess.’
He has to deliberately earn someone’s malice? Aiden let out a deep sigh as he rose from his seat.
“Are you leaving?”
“Yes. I’ve met everyone I needed to.”
He said this, but the truth was that he was about to meet the most troublesome person now.
***
After walking a bit outside the banquet hall, Aiden spotted a knight in full armor sitting by a fountain, propping her chin up as if drowsy. As soon as he saw her, Katia kicked her legs and immediately voiced her complaint.
“Boooring.”
“……”
“What’s this? There’s nothing fun happening. Isn’t there some big incident going on?”
What big incident are you talking about?
“Why? I don’t care what it is, as long as I get to cause trouble.”
“Can’t I just punch someone, burn something down, or kill someone?”
The person saying this is the same one who insisted on becoming his Lieutenant, claiming she wouldn’t embarrass herself at official events.
“Weren’t you the one who insisted on becoming a Lieutenant? You should fulfill your duties.”
“That was only so we could spend more time together, remember? I became your Lieutenant so I could stick by your side.”
Katia, as always, was nonchalant about saying things that made others uncomfortable. Aiden pressed his temples as a headache set in.
“Well, shall we go do something fun? We’re done with the banquet anyway.”
“Really? What are we going to do?”
Aiden glanced around at the banquet hall building nearby. The event was taking place in the imperial palace, a vast structure filled with history and secrets. One of those hidden places was his current target.
But the task at hand… well, how to put it?
Scratching his chin, Aiden tried to think of a more palatable way to describe what he was about to do. In the end, realizing it was all the same no matter how he phrased it, he simply spoke the truth.
“Grave robbing.”
“Oh.”
“The Hall of Honor?”
At Aiden’s request, Katia, who had “infiltrated” the location with him, uttered those words. She seemed fully aware of where they were.
“It’s an actual grave, huh? Not metaphorically, but literally?”
The custom of honoring great figures exists everywhere, and the Empire is no exception. The Hall of Honor is the place where items related to famous figures and their achievements are kept.
Technically, it could be considered a museum, but Katia wasn’t wrong in calling it a grave. After all, they even preserved the remains of the great figures whenever possible.
Katia, seemingly intrigued by the place, looked around with curiosity. Meanwhile, Aiden, who was quietly following her from behind, couldn’t help but feel a chill.
“She really is a monster…”
As expected, anywhere in the imperial palace is equipped with top-tier security. Yet, watching Katia casually leap around and break through all these barriers without a second thought, with Aiden in tow, it was hard to tell if she was a member of royalty or a highly trained infiltrator. It seemed as though she had more than a few hidden talents.
“…Princess, you didn’t really fight seriously when you went up against Lady Noel, did you?”
“Hm? That wasn’t even a real fight in the first place.”
Aiden was once again struck by the realization of what kind of monster he had as a Lieutenant. Shaking his head, he stepped into the Hall of Honor.
“But when you say ‘grave robbing,’ you mean we’re here to steal something, right? What are we taking? Weapons? Secret techniques? Armor? Whatever it is, it’s bound to be a top-class item, right?”
Her question came with a sense of excitement, as if she were thrilled to be doing something reckless. Her eyes even seemed to sparkle.
And, whether by luck or fate, Aiden had a response ready that wouldn’t disappoint her.
“…The person themselves.”
“What?”
Katia tilted her head in confusion, but instead of explaining further, Aiden continued walking. As mentioned before, this space housed preserved remains. And Aiden now stood before one of the better-preserved remains.
A spirit clings to the body, and the better the condition of the body, the higher the chance of success for what Aiden was about to attempt.
“…The Knight of Dawn?”
Katia read the name of the preserved body Aiden stood in front of.
“You know of them? He’s an imperial hero.”
“Wouldn’t it be stranger if I didn’t know? ‘The First Knight’ is still a favorite subject among artists, you know?”
The hero of the Empire, who had achieved countless military exploits and built a legendary legacy. He was the conqueror of the nameless valley, the one who toppled the Tower of the Sky, the champion capable of taking on a thousand enemies alone. The first and strongest knight, and the most loyal servant of the goddess Karva. He was also the first to discover the use of inner energy and martial arts. Apart from Noel, no one else had been able to master such a pure form of energy.
“Even in the Holy Kingdom, the Knight of Dawn is highly respected. I doubt there’s anyone on the continent who dislikes him.”
Aiden responded nonchalantly, scratching his ear.
“I need to correct one thing, though.”
Aiden spoke calmly.
“He’s not that great of a person.”
Katia’s expression shifted to one of disbelief—an expression Aiden rarely saw on her. She clearly hadn’t expected a citizen of the Empire to belittle one of their own heroes.
“…Huh? Really? But isn’t he still regarded as a hero of the Empire?”
“People glorify the past. In reality, he wasn’t all that impressive. My personal suspicion is that some of his accomplishments might’ve been fabricated.”
Katia gave him a puzzled look but didn’t ask for an explanation. Instead, Aiden silently activated a skill interface. He had spoken enough that it was about time for a “reaction.”
-Skill Info-
<Weaver of Fate>
{Rania Ashan}
Bond: Stage 1
– One skill can be copied.
The skill he intended to use was the one he had copied from Rania earlier. He replicated one of the skills he had his eye on.
[Copying the skill ‘Spiritual Sensitivity’!]
—
-Copied Skill-
<Spiritual Sensitivity>
Those who are touched by divinity can see, speak, and interact with beings unseen by others. Your senses will open to detect spiritual entities.
—
As soon as he copied the skill, faint “presences” began to appear in his peripheral vision. The air around the Knight of Dawn’s remains subtly shifted, as if smoke were rising from the preserved body—something that likely only Aiden could see.
Just as he suspected, the spirit was still lingering. The remains were well-preserved, and a soul as powerful as his wouldn’t fade so easily.
Necromancy isn’t something that comes easily. Meeting face-to-face with the dead is an act that defies natural order. Normally, it would require the help of a powerful shaman from the Far East, but under certain conditions, even someone like Aiden, who had no special talent, could manage it.
For example, if a person strong enough to defy common sense hears something so outrageous they can’t rest even in death, their soul might return temporarily.
The Knight of Dawn was such a case.
This man had indeed achieved feats that were blindingly dazzling. But his personality…
“…He’s petty.”
Aiden smirked as he continued.
“If you’ve got a problem with what I said, why don’t you come out and refute it?”
As soon as those words left his mouth, the smoke-like presence around the preserved remains began to stir violently, and then, tangible effects began to manifest in the surrounding area.
“What’s happening?”
Even Katia was startled as the wind picked up, objects around them began to tremble, and her skin prickled with electricity. It was unbelievable—the sheer “presence” was causing these phenomena to occur.
This indirectly showed just how powerful the spirit inside was.
This, ladies and gentlemen, was the so-called “world’s strongest petty man.”
Despite his overwhelming power, he could never tolerate being insulted, even in death.
In other words, Aiden’s words had gotten under his skin to the point that the Knight of Dawn’s spirit couldn’t remain dormant.
[What did you say, you little…!]
There it was.
As the enraged spirit began to emerge from the remains, Aiden couldn’t help but let out a small, amused sigh.
Cliche Novel 
Let deceased souls rest. Or they might bite you unexpectedly.
LikeLike