After exploring the town, sampling foods, haggling with vendors, and indulging in way too many desserts, no one batted an eye at their presence.
This was largely thanks to the fact that the tavern woman was surprisingly well-known. People greeted her with smiles and nods.
anwhile, word of chaos at Tarok's Tavern began to spread.
The zombie fiasco caused quite the stir, but no one seed to care much after the "undead nace" had been quickly dispatched by local adventurers. The tavern woman put on an Oscar-worthy performance of grief for her dead "husband," earning so sympathetic pats on the back and free drinks for her "loss."
Serafine and Calix kept to the sidelines, nodding solemnly while trying not to burst out laughing. It was a near miss when Serafine muttered under her breath, "She's definitely getting better at this acting thing."
Later, the group found another cozy tavern to settle into.
Serafine booked two rooms, naturally separating herself and Calix under the guise of "modesty" even though she'd happily boot him into the wilderness if necessary.
Calix, clutching his wooden staff like a lifeline, shuffled off to his own room with a huff, mumbling sothing about "always being left out."
The fake saintess and the tavern woman, anwhile, shared a single bed. The room wasn't particularly fancy, a small window, a sturdy wooden bed, and a flickering lantern on the nightstand, but the warmth and quiet after the day's chaos made it oddly peaceful.
She laid on her side, propped up on one elbow, looking at the tavern woman. There was sothing about her that piqued Serafine's interest, maybe it was the tragic backstory Serafine had entirely fabricated for her in her head. Or maybe it was just the fact that her "grieving widow" act earlier had been absolutely top-tier.
Just as she was about to say sothing snarky, a faint glow appeared above them.
[Ruination System Alert]
[New Entry Detected!]
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Na: Mariella Tarok
Worship Rating: 20/100
["You've gained a believer! Your charming manipulation has inspired Mariella to place her faith in you. Congratulations, Lady Saintess—she doesn't know it yet, but you're her new goddess!"]
Special Note: Worship Ratings influence your power. Convert more believers to grow stronger. Believers are rated from 1 (casual respect) to 100 (fanatical devotion).
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'Worship rating? Wait, is this woman seriously believing in ? She barely knows !'
Mariella, oblivious to the floating system screen above her head, gave Serafine a curious look. "Are you okay? You're staring a lot."
"Oh, just… admiring the craftsmanship of this bedfra!" Serafine deflected, laughing nervously. Inwardly, she was grinning.
'So, this is how it works, huh? All I have to do is get people to 'believe' in , and I'll get stronger? Piece of cake.'
As the system ssage faded, Serafine made a ntal note to keep Mariella close, for now. After all, if she could charm one person into joining her chaotic crusade, the rest of the town didn't stand a chance.
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[Ruination System Alert!]
Warning: Mask of Light duration running out! Disguise will dissipate in 10 seconds.
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'Oh, for the love of- TEN SECONDS?! Couldn't you give a thirty-second warning or sothing?!'
She panicked, frantically patting her face as if she could physically glue the disguise back on. Instinctively, she jumped to her feet, ready to bolt out of the room and avoid any awkward revelations, but Mariella's sharp eyes caught her sudden movent.
"Where are you going?" the tavern woman asked, pulling Serafine back down onto the bed with surprising strength. Before she knew it, Serafine was lying flat on her back, and Mariella was leaning over her.
Serafine's internal crisis took a sharp detour as her attention was imdiately drawn to Mariella's, well… assets.
'Waterlons,' Serafine's brain helpfully supplied. 'Absolute units. The eighth wonder of the world.'
Mariella's shirt, already snug, did little to hide the impressive bounty, and Serafine could only stare, completely forgetting the fact that she had approximately two seconds left on her disguise.
And then, right on cue, her mask dissolved with a faint shimr. Her features reford. The dark purple eyes, the golden-blonde hair, the flawlessly feminine jawline. In short, she was stunning, and her beauty practically radiated in the dimly lit room.
Mariella gasped, sitting up straight and covering her mouth. "S-Sir?! No, wait—Ma'am?! What is happening?!"
"Ah… yeah, about that. So… surprise! I'm not a man. I an, I can explain... this isn't as weird as it looks."
Their eyes were wide, but instead of outrage or horror, there was sothing else there. Was that admiration? "You're… beautiful…" she whispered, almost breathless.
"Uh. Thanks?"
Mariella, still staring, shook her head as if snapping out of a trance. "Wait. You lied to ?"
"Technically, yes," Serafine admitted, holding up a finger, "but let's focus on the positives here. Like how I just improved your evening tenfold with my dazzling presence."
"You think that makes up for deceiving ?"
"Depends. Is it working?"
It was working. Her beauty was unparalled. As she watched the woman entranced by her beauty, she sighed inwardly. 'I always knew Calix was gay... the fact that this woman is drooling over is evidence... or maybe his manhood can't function.' She shook her head at such thought.
"Well, I suppose I do look like an angel, don't I? People say that all the ti when they see this hair and my whole, y'know, celestial vibe."
"I certainly agree," Mariella said with a soft smile. "And, well, you did save back there. My husband… he'd always been so cold. He wouldn't even look at anymore. I guess it's because I'm older now, and he prefers younger girls. I always thought it was because I was… lacking."
"Lacking?" Serafine repeated, her gaze drifting south before she could stop herself. She blinked, her eyes very much not on Mariella's face. "Yeah, no. Definitely not."
"Pervert."
"W-WHAT?! I wasn't—! Okay, listen, it's not like that!"
"Are you curious, lady savior?"
"C-Curious about what exactly?"
"About what's not lacking."
For once, there was no snarky response that ca out from Serafine's lips. She was flustered, terribly so. 'Is this what it feels like to lose at your own ga?' she thought.
Serafine honestly had no idea what kind of brain damage that husband must've had to think this woman was lacking. Lacking what, exactly? Good sense? Because everything else was very much present and accounted for.
Besides, older won were chef's kiss.
Sophisticated, confident, and absolutely stacked. What's not to love?
If she were a guy right now, she'd be bricked up so hard she'd need construction permits.
"Yes, please."
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