Lucas furrowed his brows in bewilderment as he reentered the mansion. The sight before him was far from what he had expected. Instead of discovering Lucy sitting patiently and enjoying her extravagant meal in the midst of the apocalypse, he is met with an unexpected scene.
There she was, engrossed in conversation with none other than the hero himself, standing far from the spot where she had promised to wait for him.
He couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Huh? Why is she there?"
Lucas quietly observed Lucy and the hero as they conversed. Their voices were distant whispers in the midst of the bustling hall.
Standing at a distance, Lucas strained to discern Lucy's voice amid the cacophony. He managed to catch fragments of their conversation.
"...my country is quite distant from yours," Lucy's voice held a trace of shyness, accompanied by a delicate blush as she absentmindedly twirled a strand of her hair.
Her cheeks deepened in color as she stammered, "Oh, truly? I've never realized that before."
A whirlwind of emotions churned within Lucas as he witnessed the unfolding scene. It was unmistakable that Lucy was deeply captivated by the hero, and the hero himself wielded words that seemed to enchant her.
For the very first time, Lucas witnessed it with his own eyes—the undeniable charm the hero held over Lucy. He couldn't deny that the hero had a remarkable way with words capable of ensnaring Lucy's affections within the short hour he had been absent.
Suddenly, Christopher, appearing beside Lucas, leaned in and whispered, "Your girlfriend seems to be getting quite cozy with another man. You better act fast or he might steal her away."
Lucas chuckled awkwardly at the comment and brushed it off, focusing on trying to hear more of their conversation. He moved closer, pushing his way through the crowd. It seemed everyone wanted to get close to the hero and the saintess, who were at the center of attention due to their secretive society.
Inwardly, Lucas thought, 'Girlfriend? People are getting the wrong idea.'
With determination, Lucas made up his mind to approach Lucy and discuss the emblem he had recently acquired. He let out a resigned sigh, knowing he would have to navigate through the bustling hall to reach her.
As he struggled through the crowd, Lucas tried to find a gap that would allow him to hear their conversation clearly. After a bit of effort, he finally managed to make his way closer to the hero and Lucy, where he could overhear their exchange.
"Yeah, I'm only 16 years old for now," Lucy said with a bashful smile, her eyes meeting the hero.
The hero's charming grin widened as he responded, "Only 16 and already this pretty. Is everyone from your country as lovely as you?"
Lucy's blush deepened as she replied, "Haha, I'm not that pretty. There are millions of people in my country who are far more beautiful than me. I'm just average."
"Why would you say that? You are the most beautiful girl I've ever met," the hero said, his voice oozing with charm.
Lucy's heart fluttered, and she looked down, her voice barely above a whisper. "Really?"
The hero nodded with a reassuring smile.
"But I'm still young, you know. Do I really deserve the affection of a hero like you?"
The hero reached out, his fingers gently brushing Lucy's hair. "Of course, my dear. You are the most breathtaking woman I've ever laid my eyes on."
Lucas, his disbelief growing, could only stand there in shock, his expression marked by a clear sense of disgust.
---
"The Hero has exuded an Aura of Charisma!"
"Title: Dawn Kingdom King has been activated!"
"Dawn Kingdom's King Resists the Effects of Skills!"
"The charisma of a king surpasses that of a hero!"
---
As the notification appeared, Lucas's contorted, and disgusted expression instantly transformed into one of relief. He realized that Lucy was likely under the effect of a skill, which explained her unusual behavior. Letting out a sigh, Lucas made his way through the crowded space toward Lucy and called out to her, "Lucy!"
Lucy, momentarily infatuated with the hero in front of her, turned to look at Lucas and asked, "Lucas? What are you doing here?"
Before Lucas could respond, the hero inquired, "My dear, who is that person?"
Lucy replied, "He is my friend. Don't worry too much. Lucas, go back!"
Lucas, not wanting to waste any more time, approached Lucy and used his knuckles to lightly tap her on the head. "Lucy, are you out of your mind?"
"Ouch, Lucas, what are you doing?" Lucy exclaimed.
"I've only been gone for an hour, and I come back to this?" Lucas retorted in frustration.
"Are you insane, Lucas? I'm getting my first-ever boyfriend right now!" Lucy protested.
No longer interested in arguing, Lucas grabbed her hand and attempted to pull her away in front of the hero. However, as he did so, someone else grabbed his hand.
The hero locked eyes with Lucas and questioned, "What are you doing? The lady said to let go."
"Yes, Lucas, listen to him. Let go of me," Lucy added, seemingly still affected by the skill.
Ignoring their protests, Lucas continued to tug at Lucy's hand, but the hero refused to release his grip.
Lucas could feel the absurdity of the situation washing over him. It was utterly ridiculous for him to find himself in a confrontation with the hero, especially one involving the seduction of his only friend in a hall filled with people.
"Look at this, everyone," the hero declared loudly, drawing the attention of those around them. "This man is trying to kidnap this young woman that I was just talking to. What could be his intention in kidnapping her, especially when she has clearly asked him to release her hand?"
Lucas found himself at the center of attention, surrounded by curious onlookers. The hero's voice resonated through the hall, commanding and persuasive. "See this, everyone? We have all witnessed the state of the world before. Every day, there are degeneracy and people who have lost their morals and dignity. Here stands a person who does not respect personal boundaries, someone about whom we know nothing regarding their actions in the real world."
In response to the hero's words, all Lucas could manage was a bewildered, "Wow." The hero certainly possessed a way with words, and the effect of his rhetoric was undeniable, even to Lucas, who was now faced with a holographic screen displaying the consequences of his actions.
---
"The Hero has upheld a Code of Honor."
"Title: Dawn Kingdom King has been activated!"
"Dawn Kingdom's King Resists the Effects of Skills!"
"The honor of a king surpasses that of a hero!"
---
Lucas glanced over at Christopher and Jessica, who wore expressions of concern and helplessness. They shook their heads, signaling that there was little they could do in this situation.
He couldn't help but shake his head in disbelief too as he observed the hall filled with Tier 1 humans, most of whom seemed easily influenced by the hero's words. Despite Lucas's own "god" class, he couldn't deny the overwhelming effect of the hero's skills, which appeared to surpass his own.
"Lucy, just come with me!" Lucas urged; his frustration evident in his voice.
Lucy, her voice tinged with confusion and weariness, replied, "No, Lucas, why are you so concerned about me being with him? You're interfering too much."
Lucas could feel his temper rising to its limit. He reached out and forcefully removed the hero's hand from Lucy's right hand, pulling her forward.
"Lucy shut up and just keep up with me," Lucas ordered, his voice firm.
"Lucas, wait, wait—" Lucy protested, her tone a mix of confusion and anger as Lucas hurriedly led her away.
The hero, shocked that Lucas, who was beneath him in status, dared to drag his "prey" and knock his hand away, immediately spoke out, his words flowing like smooth honey and entrancing the surrounding people. They reluctantly began to move and then rushed after Lucas.
"Capture him! A man like him is a hindrance to the restoration of the world, a person of poor morals and dignity, a person without a heart, a person who dares to kidnap a minor who doesn't even know him. By what right does he act so arrogantly and conceitedly?" the hero proclaimed.
His words echoed through the hall as Lucas sprinted as fast as possible. The hall, accommodating four long tables and almost a thousand people, was vast, making it challenging for Lucas to reach the exit quickly.
Listening to the hero's accusations, Lucas couldn't help but sneer. The hero had accused him of kidnapping a minor who didn't even recognize him, despite the fact that countless people had witnessed Lucy calling his name amidst the skill's effect. It was the hero who was the predator without moral ground, not him.
"I swear to god, if I ever find out how he obtained his class, I'll complain to god himself," Lucas muttered to himself as he finally crossed the boundary outside the mansion and entered the forest.
"Quick, capture him!" a voice commanded loudly. Lucas turned to see the saintess standing near the mansion. Her vibrant white and gold embroidered clothing exuded elegance as she grabbed the hero's hand and led him back inside. Even from a distance, Lucas could see her lips moving as she mouthed the words, "They will deal with it."