Solomon didn’t approach the servant right away.
He decided to do some digging first.
He didn’t want to be misled by a single smile.
The afternoon breeze drifted through the estate as he made his way across the courtyard.
Servants moved between buildings carrying baskets of laundry, stacks of documents, and gardening tools while the distant sound of training swords echoed from the practice grounds.
He found Wilfred by chance and decided to ask him about the servant.
The moment he stepped within Wilfred’s line of sight, the guard visibly brightened up and started smiling.
Solomon shuddered slightly.
The system truly was evil.
Just ten desire points gained from the man and he was acting like a lovesick puppy.
“Hello, Wilfred.”
Wilfred looked around himself before pointing at his own chest.
“Yes, you, Wilfred.”
Honestly, if you didn’t expect me to talk to you, why are you looking as happy as a dog getting belly rubs?
Solomon cried internally.
“How can I help, Young Master?” Wilfred straightened his posture immediately.
“It’s nothing much.
I would like to ask about a servant.”
“You want me to fetch someone.
Understood.”
Wilfred immediately moved with haste.
Solomon barely caught his wrist in time.
“Calm down, Wilfred,” he said as his eye twitched.
“I haven’t even described them to you.”
“Oh.
Yes indeed, Young Master.”
Wilfred instantly became sheepish once more.
Nope.
This man is a lost cause.
Regardless, Solomon gave the description to the best of his ability.
He had only observed the man’s actions and not his features.
Thankfully, Wilfred recognized who he was talking about despite the awfully scarce description.
“You must mean Marvin.”
“Marvin?”
“Yes.
He’s a really cheerful soul.
Helped me run an errand once.
A really nice young man.”
“So he doesn’t just help his fellow servants with a smile.” Solomon placed a hand on his chin.
“Is he even human?”
The guy probably didn’t have his desires suppressed, but was it really possible to have such a flawless outlook on life?
That was totally and genuinely crazy.
Solomon couldn’t even begin to fathom such a thing.
“I’ve never heard him speak badly about anyone.” Wilfred paused before adding, “Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him angry.”
For some reason, that sounded far less reassuring to Solomon’s ears than it should have.
A strange chill ran down his spine.
Solomon bid Wilfred goodbye and decided to confront the servant directly.
He had gathered enough information to know that Marvin was indeed displaying his real personality.
Now it was time to befriend him, or at least have a brief conversation that could lead to a longer one in the future.
When he finally reached the servants’ quarters once more, the smell of fresh laundry drifted through the air.
Voices carried from nearby rooms while servants moved about with practiced efficiency.
“He truly is admirable.”
Solomon tilted his head slightly while his index finger tapped thoughtfully against his cheek.
“I wonder how much stamina he has?”
Like earlier, the servants greeted him while still being curious about why he had descended to their humble abode.
Solomon only told them that he wanted to make sure their facilities were in proper working order.
Several of them exchanged puzzled glances but accepted the explanation without question.
When Marvin finally placed the elderly man down onto a nearby chair, Solomon called out to him.
He watched Marvin freeze for a brief second before taking slow and steady steps in his direction.
“Hello, Young Master.
Do you need something?”
“No, actually.
I was just curious about you.”
“About me?”
Marvin pointed at himself in surprise.
“Well, yes.
You looked like you were enjoying yourself earlier while helping everyone.
I really admired that.”
A faint red tint appeared on Marvin’s cheeks.
Ding.
+3 Desire Acquired
Host has acknowledged Marvin and boosted his confidence.
Host currently has +74 Desire Energy.
Solomon controlled himself.
He ignored the system that was being unreliable as always and threw his attention back into the conversation before the blasted thing could ruin his mood.
“Can you tell me a little about yourself?”
“Well, I love helping others.”
“And?”
“It puts a smile on their faces.”
Bro, don’t you have a life?
Solomon took a slow breath.
Thankfully, his inner thoughts weren’t leaking out.
Marvin seemed completely determined to circle every conversation back toward everyone else rather than himself.
The someone in question being Marvin.
Refusing to surrender, Solomon resumed his twenty questions.
“What do you enjoy doing?”
“Whatever work needs doing.”
“Any hobbies?”
“Not really.”
“Anything you want to try someday?”
Marvin hesitated.
It lasted only a fraction of a second.
Most people would have missed it.
Solomon didn’t.
He caught it immediately before Marvin’s cheerful smile returned to its usual place.
“I’ve never really thought about it.”
The statement—and that tiny hesitation—unsettled Solomon more than any bad news could have.
“He can’t be serious…
right?”
The longer the conversation continued, the heavier it became.
It felt as though he was speaking to someone who had spent so long living for other people that the concept of living for himself had become foreign. This chapter is updated first at g.com.
Solomon suddenly felt exhausted.
The conversation was surprisingly draining.
He turned around to leave but paused midway through his step.
His foot stopped.
His shoulders stiffened.
Then he glanced back over his shoulder.
“What’s your dream?” he asked quietly.
Marvin froze.
Not metaphorically.
Actually froze.
The smile on his face struggled against several emotions threatening to surface.
Confusion appeared first, followed almost immediately by panic.
For the first time since Solomon had met him, Marvin looked genuinely lost.
“My dream…?”
The words left Marvin’s lips and entered the world, yet Solomon could tell from the way he spoke them that he didn’t understand their meaning.
It was as though nobody had ever asked him that question before.
Worse.
It felt like he had never asked it of himself.
Solomon was about to interrupt when the system decided to join the chaos.
Ding.
SPECIAL TARGET DETECTED
Target #1 Located
Condition: Desire Suppression — Severe
Current Dream: Unknown
Recommendation: Restoration Required
Solomon’s eyes flicked between the bright blue interface and Marvin, who stood only a few feet away.
Then back to the interface.
Then back to Marvin.
Several times.
His mouth slowly opened.
“…You’re kidding.”
Marvin blinked in confusion.
“Young Master?”
Solomon couldn’t believe it.
Out of everyone.
Out of the entire estate.
The first Special Target just happened to be the random young man he had noticed because he represented a tiny sliver of hope.
A person who smiled too much.
Helped too much.
And apparently didn’t even know what a dream was anymore.
Solomon lowered his head and covered his face with one hand.
“Is this some kind of sick joke?” he whispered.
The system remained silent.
The world around him continued moving as though nothing had happened.
Servants carried laundry.
Workers pushed carts.
Voices drifted through the hallway.
Life went on.
Yet Solomon stood there completely dazed.
For the first time, he realized that he hadn’t even begun to see the full picture of the game the world of Elaria was playing with him.
And somehow…
That realization frightened him more than the system ever had.