Hearing such a seemingly unforgettable voice that could effortlessly lure in lustful men towards their own ruination, Ryder refused to turn his head to face the royal figure. Instead, he casually retrieved the [Stripper's Mask] from his [Affair's Space], sensing Luna Valentine's atmosphere leaning behind him to be on high alert.
'I don't even think if putting this cat mask matters in negating the effect of my damn [Title].' Ryder inwardly said.
"What's that? Let me see!"
Whoosh!
At that moment, even before Ryder could put on the seemingly useless item, the Royal Princess snatched it from his hands, too quickly at that, which caused him to be unable to react.
However, as an instinctual reaction, especially when another person turned out to be bothersome, invading one's personal space, Ryder quickly snatched it back from her grasp.
"No, give it back." Acquiring it from her grasp without much trouble, he then asked, "Why are you even here, Your Highness?"
Donning the [Stripper's Mask], Ryder proceeded to stand up from where he was sitting. Facing the Vampire Princess, whose pale skin was glowing under the serene moonlight, he slightly lowered his head, waiting for an answer to his query about the royalty's sudden appearance.
"You look weird. Is wearing that necessary? If I may say… you are quite similar to prostitutes in any entertainment district. Wait! Not similar… maybe you are a prostitute and the woman some time ago truly wanted your services?!" As if acting surprised, Luna Valentine gently placed her right supple hand on her red kissable lips. "Hehe. I'm kidding."
It was then that Ryder's answer caught her off-guard…
"I wear this mask because I am unworthy, Your Highness." With a sudden questioning crimson gaze from her, his formal yet tranquil voice continued to echo amidst the calm swaying leaves of the forest, "How could I possibly see you eye to eye when I am nothing but peasant blood? I will prove myself in the Lunar Circle Competition... Then, by winning it all, I want you to do something for me when I am personally declared to be your butler, Your Highness…"
Hearing every word, Luna Valentine fell into contemplation, her thoughts only known to herself.
With her gleaming crimson eyes expressing patience for Ryder's next words, the latter dealt the final blow.
"I want you to personally remove this mask."
***
'Mother permitted me to do whatever I want because the academy classes will begin in the next few months, and I asked Helene to spy on this man who seems to have no experience with women… But what the hell is this?! His demeanor seems totally different than the last time I interacted with him!' Princess Luna's mind was in turmoil as her ears absorbed every word Ryder had said in such a manner.
'Don't tell me! Don't tell me!!? I–Is this his way of making me gradually fall in love with him?!' Luna Valentine recalled the man's mutterings when the latter guarded her for the night when she almost exhausted her Chuuni Qi against Clara after using the unrefined Chuuni Expansion.
'I have seen that act of politeness as the royal princess of the Queendom of Eclipse, countless times at that. But why I couldn't get a grasp of this man? I don't know if he's sincere in showing respect or just… Sigh!' Her mind was a tumultuous of thoughts.
Throughout all of this, she decided to say…
Or at least tried to when the words that came out of her mouth were,
"Y–you want me to pull your mask if you win, which will make our faces so close to each other! P–pervert! Pervert, pervert!"
Slap!
At that moment, as though a bulldozer hit him, Ryder's face seemed to twist from one end to another.
'I–I shouldn't have come in here!' Princess Luna's emotional danger sense seemed to warn her before her figure instantly turned into shadows of bats, disappearing in front of Ryder's sight… who amusingly chuckled.
***
'It's somewhat different huh? If not for this, I wouldn't be reminded to notice…'
[The Sincerity Meter of the Attracted named Luna Valentine slowly rises…]
Compared to this system prompt, what Ryder received while interacting with the particular Awakener's Guild receptionist named Reina was different.
[The Affinity of the individual named "Reina" slightly increases.]
'I wonder what Affinity refers to…? Perhaps being genuine in the truest sense of the word? Like she finds me favorable? After all, Miss Reina isn't labeled as an Attracted by the Chuuni System, which means she's not affected by my cursed [Title]… Sigh, I don't know yet!' Ryder sat on the log of wood in front of the blazing bonfire as his thoughts trailed off.
'Anyway… Princess Luna's probably watching somewhere else, if I'm correct. This also proves that I'm still weak as fuck that I cannot even detect her.' He inwardly lampooned.
However, if there was one thing about the interaction between the two of them that had just transpired…
"If you are listening, Your Highness, please know that my words are genuine."
In these past few days of slaying monsters in the outskirts or depths of the vast Erindem Forest, while avoiding the village where the runaway Chaos Awakener being hunted by the Venerable Sky Clan was currently crashing in through disguise, Ryder composed himself, a lost one in this peculiarly familiar world.
He could not help but think of his future that was filled with uncertainty or rather… ambiguous certainty.
'I was not interested in the backstories of the Main Storyline in the game, but since the butler selection for Princess Luna began during the beginning of the academy classes, it must mean that something must have happened with the first selected supposed-to-be butler that won the Lunar Circle Competition… assuming that these non-existent scenarios in the game are connected.
'If I remember correctly, the third-ranked player in the world, a woman in her early twenties was the one who had taken the route concerning Princess Luna… but in the end, the latter still defected and still perished through assassination just because she could not satisfy the heir of a Ducal House in bed…
'Considering that, what the hell did the third-ranked player even do? Is Princess Luna truly doomed to die, especially when completing my first Main Storyline Mission doesn't mention her survival at all?'
Ryder was lost in his own world, re-assessing his current predicament that turned out to be not as simple as it seemed.
"Screw the butterfly effect, whether I follow the Main Storyline word for word or improvise on my own while following it, damn variables are still going to happen in one way or another." His stern voice echoed, resonating with the sizzling flames that also depicted his newly found resolve and spirit.
At that moment, as though the almighty was monitoring his every move…
Ding!
[The Goddess of Identity smiles at you.]