Survivors (2)
The neighboring house was overall dark.
It wasn't just that the lights were off; even in the middle of the day, the place was dim, likely due to the thick curtains completely covering the living room windows.
'Smart.'
That way, they wouldn't have to worry about being attacked by flying monsters like the Kellikan.
'But it's way too dark.'
Once I stepped outside into the hallway, I realized something—my Dignified Presence skill applied anywhere within my domain.
That's why I was able to ring the doorbell and freely open the door.
Within my declared territory, everything happened according to my will.
'This is how it works, right?'
I looked up at the living room ceiling and focused.
'Turn on.'
Flash—
As soon as the lights came on, I sensed the entire Choi Hyung-jun family flinch and tremble.
"Oh? The lights turned on!"
Only the youngest child, around five years old, was amazed without understanding what was happening.
The rest were shaking in fear.
I handed a bottle of Samdasoo water to Choi Hyung-jun, who was staring at me with trembling eyes.
"Let's get the kids hydrated first."
"Oh, yes. Thank you."
Choi Hyung-jun cautiously accepted the water with both hands.
He was so overly polite that it almost made me uncomfortable.
'Was my entrance too overwhelming?'
Ringing the doorbell, boldly opening the door—it was all intentional.
I wanted to maintain a mysterious image while also taking control of the conversation.
But it seemed to have worked even better than expected.
"Nayun, Seoyeon, drink some water."
Even as they gave water to the kids, they kept glancing at me anxiously. As a result, the kids also watched me warily.
"Cough! Cough!"
"Seoyeon! Are you okay?"
Sure enough, the tense atmosphere made Choi Seoyeon choke on her water, causing her to cough repeatedly.
'I need to ease the tension before we talk.'
Feeling a bit guilty for scaring them, I pulled out a tangerine from the box and approached Seoyeon.
I crouched down to her eye level, held out the fruit, and spoke.
"Do you like tangerines?"
Still coughing, Seoyeon slowly nodded.
"Here."
"Th-Thank you. Cough."
She bowed politely as she accepted the tangerine, then carefully passed it to her mother, Park Hyewon, while glancing at me.
"Just a moment."
Park Hyewon skillfully peeled the tangerine and placed a slice in Seoyeon's mouth.
As the sweetness spread in her mouth, Seoyeon quickly relaxed and smiled.
"Hehe. Mom, give me more!"
"Is it good?"
"Yes!"
As the four-year-old beamed, the frozen atmosphere quickly melted.
"Mom, me too! Me too!"
Choi Nayun, who seemed to be around six, ran over to her mother and grabbed a slice of tangerine as well.
And then—
[Citizen Choi Seoyeon's trust level has increased.]
[Citizen Choi Nayun's trust level has increased.]
[Citizen Park Hyewon's trust level has increased.]
[Citizen Choi Hyung-jun's trust level has increased.]
More messages continued to appear in rapid succession.
[Citizen Choi Seoyeon's trust level has reached 50.]
[Loyalty is now unlocked.]
[Citizen Choi Seoyeon's loyalty has surpassed 30.]
[Citizen Choi Seoyeon has met the requirements for vassal registration.]
Choi Seoyeon's trust level had been high from the start—already at 42.
And just with a tangerine, it had surpassed 50.
I quietly opened the Citizen Management Window to check Seoyeon's information.
Name: Choi Seoyeon (Lv. 2)
Trust Level: 57
Loyalty: 33
Awakening Ability: None
Experience Distribution: 0%
Compensation Distribution: 0%
★Assign Quest
☐ Expel
Not only had her trust increased, but a new loyalty stat had appeared.
And it was already at 33.
'Probably because she's a child.'
Still, thanks to this, I now understood the requirements for vassal registration.
The vassal registration system had appeared when my Dignified Presence skill reached level 2.
At first, I had tried registering Choi Hyung-jun as a vassal, since he had the highest level.
But I failed.
A message appeared: "Requirements not met."
Trust level 50 and loyalty 30.
That was the minimum requirement for vassal registration.
'Should I register Seoyeon as a vassal?'
After a brief thought, I quickly dismissed the idea.
'She's too young, and her level is too low.'
Unlike citizens, I could only have 10 vassals at most.
I could have registered her as a test, but what if, like the shop system, I couldn't undo it?
It would be too wasteful to experiment like that.
'This could have a significant effect, so I should save vassal slots for stronger candidates, like Hyung-jun.'
A sturdy man in his 30s, already at level 9.
It made sense to strengthen him for more effective monster hunting.
'But…'
□ Choi Hyung-jun (Trust Level: 31) (Lv. 9)
Even after rising a bit, his trust level was still just 31.
There was a long way to go before it reached 50.
'Honestly, I feel like using a slot on him is a bit of a waste.'
Then—
"Uhm…"
Choi Hyung-jun finally spoke up.
"How can I ever repay this debt…?"
"There is a way."
"…What?"
"Let's talk privately in the hallway."
"Oh, okay."
It was a conversation best had away from his family.
Because I was about to ask him to risk his life for me.
Out in the hallway, alone with me, Hyung-jun was stiff as a board, just like when we first met.
To lighten the mood, I started with a casual question.
"Did you receive your citizenship?"
After hesitating briefly, he answered.
"If you mean that strange notification window that appeared in the air, then yes. My family and I received it about thirty minutes ago."
I had asked to confirm whether citizens could perceive their status when I granted them citizenship.
"Did anything unusual happen before the notification appeared?"
"Well…"
"Was there?"
"Yes. For a moment, I felt completely paralyzed. I couldn't move at all."
"I see. Thanks for sharing."
It seemed like there was a brief paralysis effect before someone was accepted as a citizen.
'Then what about monsters?'
When my Territory Declaration skill reached level 5, the entire 30th floor became part of my domain.
Naturally, as my skill leveled up, my territory would expand even further.
Eventually, there would be monsters within my domain.
If they also got paralyzed or could be expelled at my will, that would be ideal—but things rarely worked out that conveniently.
'…I'll deal with that when the time comes.'
I had too much on my plate to worry about hypotheticals.
"Let's get straight to the point. I can give you back a stable life—cooked meals, hot showers, and safety inside your home."
"…What?"
"And I can guarantee that no monsters will enter, unless I allow it."
"Is… Is that really possible?"
"I swear on my name."
His eyes trembled as he processed my words, then he looked at me with resolve.
"…Of course, you wouldn't do all this for free. What do you need from me?"
I stayed silent for a moment, then spoke.
"What I'm about to ask could cost you your life. Will you still do it?"
His hesitation was surprisingly brief.
"Yes. If it means keeping my wife and kids safe, I'll do whatever it takes. I was already planning to go out and search for water and food, even if it meant risking my life."