Gathering Husbands with a System in a Game Like World [BL]

"You’re awake."

Kai opened his eyes and for several seconds he stared at the ceiling before the memories returned, the entity, the battle, Dexter, Kai’s eyes closed again.

"You’re kidding me."

The System appeared.

[Host has regained consciousness.]

Kai sighed.

"I already know that."

[Acknowledged.]

"Then why say it?"

[Standard recovery protocol.]

"Of course."

He sat up slowly as his body ached, not the ordinary soreness that came after training, every muscle felt as though it had been stretched beyond its limits and then stitched back together, he looked around the room, the familiar walls of the inn greeted him, morning light spilled through the window, for one brief moment everything seemed normal then Kai remembered that Dexter used to climb through that window, his expression fell and he looked away.

"I really hate this room now."

The System remained silent as Kai stared at his hands then he remembered something else, the promise, the reward, back when the emergency quest had been issued the System had explicitly stated that surviving an extreme threat would qualify him for a high-grade reward, he had survived, barely.

Kai looked forward.

"System."

[Yes, Host.]

"The survival reward."

The System responded immediately.

[Survival conditions have been verified.]

Kai straightened.

[Evaluating survival circumstances.]

A series of notifications appeared.

[Threat classification: Extreme.]

[Estimated survival probability: 2.7%.]

Kai blinked.

"Two point seven?"

[Correct.]

"Crazy"

[Host survived.]

"Somehow, yes."

More notifications appeared.

[Host survived direct confrontation with an entity exceeding current combat parameters.]

[Host’s divine blessing was activated.]

[Host protected multiple individuals during the encounter.]

[Host survived the collapse of an unstable vessel.]

[Special survival conditions fulfilled.]

Kai’s eyes widened.

"You are kind of exaggerating but i get what you trying to say"

[Reward grade upgraded.]

A final notification appeared.

[High-Grade Survival Reward is available.]

Kai leaned forward.

"Open it."

A translucent panel unfolded before him.

HIGH-GRADE SURVIVAL REWARD

Reward 01: 30,000 Bond Points

Reward 02: Infinite Strength Compatibility Increase

Reward 03: One-Time Husband Selection remains available

Reward 04: Special Bond Record unlocked

Kai stared.

"Thirty thousand?"

[Correct.]

His previous accumulation had already been considerable, thirty thousand additional Bond Points was enormous, but his attention moved to the second reward.

[Infinite Strength compatibility: 5% to 8%.]

Kai smiled despite himself.

"Eight percent."

It wasn’t much, not compared to what Infinite Strength could eventually become, but it was progress, his body had survived something that should have crushed it and the result was tangible, then he noticed the third line.

"The husband selection isn’t being used?"

[Correct.]

Kai frowned.

"I thought this was part of the reward."

[The One-Time Husband Selection was previously obtained through the Emergency Quest.]

[It remains unused.]

Kai nodded slowly.

His eyes moved to the fourth reward.

"What’s the Special Bond Record?"

The panel changed.

[Special Bond Record: Dexter Runt.]

Kai froze as the words seemed heavier than the others.

[Candidate 004’s individual bond record has been permanently preserved.]

[Memories, interactions, affinity progression, and established bond data remain recorded.]

Kai stared silently.

"So he’s not just... deleted."

[Negative.]

Kai looked down.

"Good."

It was a ridiculous thing to say, Dexter was dead, no notification could change that, no preserved record could bring him back, still Kai appreciated knowing that the System hadn’t reduced Dexter to a completed objective, Dexter remained Dexter, a person, a relationship, a memory.

Kai exhaled.

"Can I trade all of these rewards?"

There was a pause.

[For what?]

Kai looked toward the window. Then without knowing the reason why he randomly said;

"For him."

Silence then:

[Impossible.]

Kai smiled bitterly.

"I knew you’d say that."

He stood, the room was quiet again but this time the silence didn’t feel quite as unbearable, he dressed and stepped outside, the corridor was unusually busy, adventurers moved through the inn discussing the previous night’s chaos, Voltra had already begun waking up to the consequences.

Kai walked downstairs, Elias was sitting at a table, he was alone, the assassin looked up.

"Morning."

Kai stopped.

"You look annoyingly normal."

"I’ve been told that’s one of my better qualities."

"You’ve never been told that."

"You’re right."

Kai sat opposite him and for a moment neither spoke then Elias placed something on the table, a small object, Kai looked down, it was one of Dexter’s belongings, a small silver pendant with a scratched surface, Kai’s fingers hovered above it.

"Where did you get this?"

"It was with him."

Kai looked at Elias.

"You kept it?"

"I found it after the fight."

Elias pushed it toward him.

"He would’ve wanted you to have something."

Kai slowly picked it up, the pendant was warm from Elias’s hand, he closed his fingers around it.

"Thanks."

Elias leaned back.

"Don’t make a big deal out of it."

"I wasn’t."

"You were about to."

Kai glared, Elias smiled, for a moment it almost felt normal then Kai remembered Dexter’s final words, take care of him, Elias seemed to remember them too, his smile faded slightly.

"I meant what I said."

Kai looked up.

"About Dexter?"

"Yeah."

Elias rested his arms on the table.

"I don’t know what he saw in me."

Kai almost laughed.

"Neither do I."

"But he trusted me."

Elias’s voice became quieter.

"So I’m keeping my word."

Kai looked at him.

"You don’t have to become some kind of saint."

"I’d be terrible at that."

"Obviously."

Elias smiled.

"But I can keep you alive."

Kai rolled his eyes.

"I was doing pretty well before you."

"You almost died several times."

"So did you."

"Exactly."

They stared at each other then Elias grinned.

"Perfect partnership."

Kai groaned.

"There you are."

The familiar annoyance was strangely comforting, Kai slipped Dexter’s pendant into his pocket, he still wasn’t ready to think of Elias as Candidate 004, that was something he would have to deal with privately, for now Elias was simply Elias and perhaps that was enough.

Later that morning Kai found Nox outside the inn, Midnight was curled beside him in his ordinary cat form, it was difficult to believe that the small creature had transformed into a gigantic dark-green tiger-like beast the night before, Nox was writing in his notebook, Kai stopped.

"You really write everything down?"

Nox didn’t look up.

"Only things worth remembering."

Kai glanced at the notebook.

"And I’m worth remembering?"

"Unfortunately."

Kai snorted.

"You’re annoying too."

"I spent time around Elias. It appears contagious."

Midnight opened one eye then went back to sleep, Kai leaned against the wall.

"So what exactly are you writing?"

"The conclusion of the investigation."

Nox shut the notebook.

"The Curator’s network is finished. The remaining artifacts have been secured. The corrupted specimens have lost their activity."

Kai nodded.

"And the disappearances?"

"Connected."

Nox’s expression became serious.

"Several missing people have already been located. Some survived. Others didn’t."

Kai lowered his gaze.

"At least some were saved."

"Yes."

Nox watched him.

"You’ve been thinking about Dexter."

Kai didn’t answer, Nox continued.

"You don’t have to tell me anything."

"Good."

"But I will say this."

Kai looked at him.

"His death wasn’t meaningless."

Kai’s fingers tightened around the pendant in his pocket.

"I know."

"The person he saved is alive."

That made Kai look up.

"The prisoner?"

"They’re awake."

Nox paused.

"And they asked to speak with you."

The rescued prisoner looked much younger in the daylight, Kai had expected someone older, instead the person sitting on the bed looked exhausted and fragile, bandages covered their arms, there were bruises around their neck, their eyes carried the hollow look of someone who had spent too long trapped in fear, Caelum stood nearby, Nox remained by the door, Kai entered, the prisoner looked at him then at Nox.

"You’re the one who came after me."

Kai nodded.

"Yes."

Their eyes moved downward.

"Where’s the fox?"

Kai went still.

"He’s..."

The prisoner understood, their expression fell.

"He died."

Kai nodded, the prisoner closed their eyes.

"He saved me."

"It appears he did"

"I thought I was going to die."

Their voice trembled.

"They kept putting that thing inside me."

Kai’s expression hardened.

"What thing?"

"The violet energy."

The prisoner swallowed.

"They said my body was compatible with it. They wanted to use me to stabilize the artifacts."

Kai listened.

"The Curator said the entity needed a vessel that could survive its power."

Nox’s eyes narrowed.

"How long were you there?"

"I don’t know."

The prisoner looked toward the window.

"Days."

A pause.

"Maybe weeks."

Kai felt a chill.

"Did you see where the artifacts came from?"

The prisoner nodded.

"Some came through the southern transit routes."

"Anything else?"

"The Curator had people everywhere."

They looked at Kai.

"I am sorry about him"

Silence filled the room until finally the prisoner whispered.

"Thank you."

By noon Voltra had begun returning to normal, the destroyed auction site was being sealed, the Guild had taken custody of the surviving evidence, the remaining corrupted artifacts had been placed under heavy containment, the Curator was dead, the entity was gone, the disappearances were being investigated by the authorities, for the first time since Kai had arrived in Voltra there was nothing left for him to chase, no immediate mission, no new lead, no reason to remain.

He stood outside the inn with his belongings packed, Elias stood beside him, Nox approached.

"Leaving?"

Kai nodded.

"Eventually."

Nox smiled.

"Good."

"That’s rude."

Kai laughed, Nox looked toward him.

"You’re unusual."

Kai immediately became cautious.

"How so?"

"Your presence."

Nox tapped the side of his head.

"When I use my ability most people leave an imprint. Yours is... brighter."

Kai’s expression remained neutral, Nox continued.

"I believe it’s related to the divine protection around you."

Kai nodded.

"Probably."

"You don’t know much about it."

"No."

Nox studied him for several seconds then he shrugged.

"Fair enough."

He handed Kai a small card.

"If you ever need a detective."

Kai looked at it.

"You advertise yourself?"

"Only to people who survive supernatural catastrophes."

"That’s a very specific clientele."

"I’m selective."

Midnight meowed, Nox looked down.

"Apparently he approves."

Kai smiled.

"Take care of him."

Nox raised an eyebrow.

"I thought that was Elias’s job."

Elias laughed, Kai immediately looked annoyed.

"I regret speaking."

Nox smiled.

"Goodbye, Kai."

"Goodbye, Nox."

The detective walked away, Kai watched him disappear into the crowd, there was something strange about the demon, not dangerous, just difficult to read, Kai suspected they would meet again but that was a problem for another day.

"You’re leaving."

Kai turned as Caelum approached, his armor had been repaired though several scratches remained, a white Pegasus stood behind him, Kai stared.

"You’re riding that?"

Caelum looked at the Pegasus.

"Yes."

"I thought knights rode horses."

"Pegasi are horses."

"That is not what I meant."

Caelum smiled.

"There has been an emergency in the capital."

Kai’s expression changed.

"How serious?"

"Serious enough that I was ordered to return immediately."

He mounted the Pegasus, Kai stepped closer.

"Then you should go."

"I intend to."

Caelum looked down at him.

"You did well here."

Kai shrugged.

"We all did."

Caelum shook his head.

"No."

His eyes moved briefly toward the city.

"You did."

Kai didn’t know how to respond, Caelum smiled.

"Perhaps we’ll meet again."

"I’d like that."

The Pegasus spread its wings, wind rushed through the street, Caelum pulled the reins.

"Take care of yourself, Kai."

Kai smiled.

"You too."

The Pegasus launched, its hooves left the ground, Kai watched Caelum rise higher and higher then something moved across the sky, a second figure, a streak of motion above the rooftops, Kai looked up, a flying figure crossed the clouds at incredible speed, for only a moment the sunlight caught the person clearly, silver armor, a familiar silhouette, Argent.

Kai’s eyes widened.

"Argent?"

The figure disappeared beyond the clouds, Caelum noticed him too, he looked upward then back toward the capital, whatever was happening there it was clearly bigger than anyone in Voltra knew, Caelum urged his Pegasus forward, within seconds both figures had vanished into the distance, Kai stood silently, Elias walked up beside him.

"Friend of yours?"

Kai shook his head.

"Not exactly."

"Hm."

Elias looked at the sky.

"Looks like trouble."

Kai sighed.

"Probably."

They stood there for a moment then Kai turned toward Voltra, the enormous city stretched behind him, he remembered arriving, the guild, the investigation, the auction, Dexter, the entity, Nox, Caelum, everything, he reached into his pocket, his fingers touched Dexter’s pendant, he closed his hand around it.

"Goodbye, Voltra."

Elias looked at him.

"Ready?"

Kai nodded.

"Yeah."

[All primary conditions have been fulfilled.]

Kai stopped as the final notification appeared before his eyes.

[VOLTRA OBJECTIVE: SETTLED.]

Kai stared then another notification followed.

[Investigation completed.]

[Corruption incident resolved.]

[Curator network dismantled.]

[Entity threat neutralized.]

[Survivor recovered.]

[Emergency survival reward claimed.]

[Candidate 004 succession established.]

Kai looked toward Elias, the assassin was walking ahead completely unaware of the words floating before Kai’s eyes, then the final notification appeared.

[VOLTRA ARC: COMPLETE.]

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