บท 4: Leveling Up... Personality?

Argider lay crammed in the oppressive darkness, the hidden compartment feeling more like a medieval torture chamber than a clever escape plan. Every bump and jolt of the carriage rattled her bones, and the heat was unbearable, her breaths shallow as if the air itself had taken offense at her presence.

She squinted through a small hole near her face, the only link to the world outside. Unfortunately, the view was blocked by Faeralys' lower body, leaving her in a murky, nearly pitch-black limbo. Her ribs throbbed, her fingers tingled, and the ever-present rocking of the carriage was doing wonders for her nausea.

Thud!

The carriage hit a rock, sending Argider's head smacking into the top of the compartment. "Dear lords," she hissed, her face scrunching up as she fought back tears of pain.

Above her, she heard a soft, unmistakable sound: Faeralys laughing. Of course.

"Is this amusing to you, Your Grace?" Argider drawled, her voice laced with exasperation and muffled by the walls pressing in on her. She shifted uncomfortably, her limbs trembling from the strain of maintaining her awkward, contorted position.

Faeralys' laughter turned colder, more deliberate. "How does it feel to be forcefully embraced, whore?" she quipped, her tone dripping with mockery.

Argider snorted. "Are you suggesting that being embraced by me is as unpleasant as being squeezed by these miserable walls?"

"Very much so," Faeralys shot back without missing a beat.

Women. Argider rolled her eyes, a flicker of irritation flashing across her face. She thought back to her mother, whose dramatic flair could turn a stubbed toe into a national tragedy. Dealing with Faeralys felt eerily familiar. Lesson learned: emotional conversations were a losing game.

"I beg to differ, Your Grace," Argider said, a sly smirk tugging at her lips. "I'm hardly a wall. Think of me more as... two big, plump pillows. Quite the comfortable embrace, wouldn't you agree?"

Faeralys froze. For a moment, the only sound was the rattling of the carriage. Then her face turned a vivid shade of crimson, her composure cracking under the sheer audacity of Argider's statement.

"Y-Y-You and your filthy talk!" Faeralys sputtered, her voice jumping several octaves. "W-Where is your dignity as a woman?"

Argider gave a casual shrug, or as much of one as her cramped position allowed. "I speak only the truth. You wouldn't understand, of course. You don't carry such... burdens. Your assets are, shall we say, rather minimal?"

The silence that followed was deafening. Faeralys' face turned a deeper shade of red, her eyes narrowing into a glare so sharp it could probably cut through steel. Her outrage simmered quietly, like a pot of water on the brink of boiling over. She clenched her fists, staring at the seat beneath her as if willing it to burst into flames.

"Y-You insufferable woman," Faeralys finally muttered, her voice barely above a whisper but filled with the kind of rage that promised a reckoning.

— [New Notification]

— [Faeralys Merovia Affection Points -3]

— [New Affection Status: -3]

Argider stared at the hologram, cursing under her breath and chastising herself for her quick tongue.

It was a familiar situation - her mouth often moved faster than her thoughts, and she found it hard to curb her natural instinct to defend herself.

"Shut up! Shut up! I will hear no more of your idiocy!" she exclaimed, repeatedly kicking her seat. Each hit sent vibrations, Argider's face receiving multiple blows from Faeralys's stomping foot.

"W-wait! Stop! I apologize!" Argider whimpered, her body writhing under the barrage of blows. Her face seized up, and a persistent throbbing exploded in her head, leaving her thoughts in a disoriented, dizzying whirl.

The carriage gradually came to a standstill, and the rider voiced outside the vehicle, breaking the chaos. "Is everything alright, your grace?"

"Hansel! Hurry up and speed up this carriage and get past the checkpoint!" Faeralys yelled, her order carrying through the air.

There was a fleeting moment of understanding between the two before the carriage lurched into motion, its pace increasing, jolting the tightly packed space. Argider's body ricocheted in all directions, each bump further aggravating her already uncomfortable confinement.

Could this day get any better…

After the guards at the checkpoint bowed respectfully and allowed their passage, Faeralys' carriage pulled over to the side.

Rising, Faeralys opened her seat and looked down at the slightly battered Argider. Despite a pang of pity, her anger was more pronounced.

"H-Hello?" Argider forced a smile.

While Faeralys did have a diminutive stature, she harnessed all the force she could muster to grab ahold of Argider's collar and managed to forcefully hoist her up, roughly heaving her out of the carriage and sending her sprawling onto the ground.

"Unlike you, I keep my promises!" Faeralys snapped, her arms crossing before she slammed the carriage door shut with a resounding thud. With that, her carriage turned and stalked away, leaving Argider behind.

— [Side Task Complete: Successfully Lie To Faeralys and Go Beyond the Entrance]

— [New Interface Unlocked: Command to View]

— [Yes Or No?]

….

"Not yet…"

Argider strained to shift herself up, disregarding the vehement protests of her aching body. A sudden wince escaped her as she became aware of the fresh, tender bruises adorning her knees, evidently inflicted when she had rolled onto the ground. She glanced down at her arms, noticing the redness that had begun to bloom.

People nearby turned their attention to the commotion, their curiosity piqued.

"What in the world..."

"Was that- Was that not Lady Faeralys?" One of the people exclaimed, recognizing her fiery temperament.

The other person nodded, her face creased with concern. "Y-yes. She was the one who threw this woman out of the carriage," she confirmed, gesturing towards Argider's bruised and crumpled form on the ground.

Argider could only muster an uneasy smile, scratching her head sheepishly. Not wanting to draw more attention to herself and aware of her disheveled appearance, she hurried past the people, who parted to make way for her.

In a vain effort to hide her appearance in fear of being recognized, she tried to cover her face with her arms while furtively glancing around, searching for an alleyway to seek refuge in.

She realized that everywhere she turned while walking to one street stall after another, people's gazes followed her, their stares burning into her skin.

It was not a threat, thankfully.

Atleast in a city as prosperous and meticulously managed as this, there was little worry about street trouble since even the most clandestine crimes would likely be swiftly dealt with.

However, Argider faced a different concern - her dignity was at stake, yet all she had to cover herself with was a robe. With such meager garb to shield her, it seemed almost impossible.

Argider halted her rushed pace for a brief moment, addressing the absent hologram.

"Hey, Redemption System," she called out, her voice urgent. "How much time do I have left?"

— [Main Task Remaining Time: 4 hours, 50 minutes, 3 seconds]

— [New Interface Still Unlocked]

— [View Now?]

Argider quickly surveyed her surroundings, her gaze zoning in on a narrow, shadowy alley that was barely visible past the stall of fruits.

Without hesitation, she sprinted towards it, her steps echoing loudly in the still tension. As she darted into the alley, her form was swallowed by the darkness, the stall and the bustling street now a world away.

She sank beside a large trash can, her form shrinking against the dimness of the alley. "Let me view the new interface."

— [Command Accepted]

— [Loading…]

— [Installing..]

— [Resources Installing…]

— [Completion…]

— [Complete!]

….

PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT STATUS:

[Cognitive Level]

Stage 1 - Low

[Psychosexual Level]

Stage 1 - Extremely Low

[Moral Level]

Stage 1 - Extremely Low

[Psychosocial Level]

Stage 1 - Extremely Low

[Physical Level]

<>Locked - Has Separate Interface!

….

[Next?]

Argider huffed in frustration, her eyes meeting every display that indicated low levels. "Oh, why am I not surprised?" She released an exasperated sigh, incredulous at the revelation.

"How on earth is this possible?! I'm already 19 years old, for Pete's sake!" she cried out, her tone dripping with lividness. "Next!"

[Loading...]

Ding!

— [Cognitive Level: It represents your mental capacity and intellectual abilities, such as memory, reasoning, problem-solving, attention span, and decision-making skills, among others]

....

— [Psychosexual Level: It represents your level of interplay between psychological and sexual factors of your development and behavior. It can involve various processes, from early childhood to adulthood]

....

— [Moral Level: It represents your level of sense of right and wrong, which is your ability to differentiate between morally acceptable and unacceptable behaviors. It reflects your internal moral compass, cultural values, and beliefs]

....

— [Psychosocial Level: It represents the level of the interaction between psychological and social factors that influence an individual's development, behavior, and overall well-being. It includes mental health, social relationships, cultural environment, and life experiences]

....

— [Physical Level: It implies your level of strength and endurance, as a strong physiological level usually correlates with better overall fitness and the ability to withstand physical stress and illness]

....

— [Loading...]

— [Entering User Personality Summary....]

— [Successful]

....

PERSONALITY TRAITS:

[Openness] - Creativeness & Response To Change

Level 1 ▪︎ 0 EXP

[Conscientiousness] - Organization of Detail

Level 1 ▪︎ 0 EXP

[Extraversion] - Socialness & Expressiveness

Level 1 ▪︎ 0 EXP

[Agreeableness] - Social Interest & Cooperativeness

Level 1 ▪︎ 0 EXP

[Neuroticism] - Emotional stability

Level 1 ▪︎ 0 EXP

....

— [Loading...]

Ding!

— [By consistently taking actions in line with your personality traits and completing designated quests, you can unlock different stages in your personality development status. As the stages progress, the tasks and challenges become more difficult and complex, providing a greater challenge that requires you to push your limits.]

— [If you fail to properly complete the tasks and challenges required for advancement in, you may find it increasingly difficult to revert to your original state. The longer you remain in this state, the longer you will remain as a woman.]

Argider quickly tensed up, her eyebrows twitching uncontrollably. "No way!" she thought, "If I fail, I can't return as a man? Bullshit!" She slapped her hands over her ears, as if trying to physically block out the dire consequences of her failure.

She burst out from the alleyway, her movements determined as she left behind the darkness of the narrow passage.

Paying absolutely no mind to herself, her completely fixated on the distant silhouette of the towering spires made from pristine white stone rising high into the air, their slender forms reaching out like fingers toward the heavens that still seemed so far away.

All she could see infront of her were gardens flourishing in the shadow of the city's walls, their foliage lush and verdant, the aroma of exotic flora filling the air with the sweet scent of spring. But she had no moment to relish them.

A sense of urgency clawed at her afterall, knowing that time was slipping away until a sudden idea flashed through her mind, offering her a shred of hope.

She knew someone who was a master of whisperers in the most unlikely of places. Someone who could perhaps let her into the palace.

Hurriedly, she changed the direction of her run.

Argider raced through the crowds, knocking people aside in her haste without a second thought. She did not care much about who or which shouted or glowered at her. She just wanted this finished. Fast.

Finally, she ceased in front of her destination, gasping for air as she looked up at the imposing structure.

"Ah, that sweet scent, how I miss it...." Argider closed her eyes and took a deep breath, the familiar scent filling her nostrils and invoking a wave of nostalgia. "But I can't savor it right now, not yet."

It was the Elysium Boudoir - a whore house.

This was where Argider met her forth, yet most favored wife.

Beautiful women stood outside the establishment, their eyes seductively meeting those of the men who passed by. The courtesans who worked here were of exceptional caliber, their services known to be sought after by the wealthy and powerful. This was no ordinary brothel, of course, as it stands here in Aloxus, the capital city.

As she stood before the doors, Argider found herself locked in a gaze with a stunning courtesan with flowing maroon hair and dreamy grey eyes. She approached Argider, her gait both elegant and seductive. Her curves were accentuated by the low-cut dress that hugged her body.

Her confident stride and sultry glance put Argider on edge, her usually unshakeable composure faltering for a moment. 'Is she... trying to seduce me?' the thought crossed Argider's mind, her cheeks flushing involuntarily. 'No, wait. But I'm a woman right now though?....'

"My, my, are you lost, girl?" she asked, her voice smooth and sultry as her slender fingers discreetly wrapped easily around Argider's arm while leading her to the establishment. "You look homeless, yet so beautiful..."

Argider's thoughts were all over the place, her mind spinning in confusion and disbelief. "Wait, are we... going to do it?" she stammered, wanting to give into temptation.

The maroon haired woman chuckled in a silky and beguiling tone, a hint of mischief in her eyes. "Going to do what, silly girl? Of course not..."

"Then... what...?" Argider asked, her heart thumping wildly in her chest.

"I'm going to hire you, darling," she drawled, a low chuckle escaping her lips. "Don't worry, I know many men who'll love to pay for you."