Chapter 59: The Male Lead [Part-2]

Kael’s POV:

With the sword humming warmly in my grip and strength coursing through my limbs like nothing I’d ever felt before, I turned to face the remaining mercenaries surrounding the carriage.

There were still easily over a hundred of them left, but something had fundamentally changed inside me. My eyes, once ordinary, now seemed to catch every small detail with startling clarity. I could see the subtle shift in a man’s shoulders half a second before he swung his blade, the faint tension in his knees just before he lunged forward.

[Basic Swordsmanship Mastery]

[Enhances the user’s understanding of basic sword techniques, footwork, balance, and combat instincts. Movements become smoother, sharper, and more precise, allowing the user to react instinctively to incoming attacks.]

The first mercenary charged, his blade swinging wide in a clumsy, telegraphed arc. I sidestepped effortlessly, my new sword flashing once, and he collapsed before he even realized the fight was already over.

Another came from my left, then two more from behind. I moved through them like water flowing around stones, my body somehow already knowing exactly where to be before I even consciously decided to move there.

’This is insane. A week ago, I couldn’t even land a clean hit on a training dummy without my arms shaking afterward.’

The mercenaries, though numerous, were clearly low-tier hired ones, the kind hired cheaply in bulk rather than skilled individually. Against my newly awakened abilities, they barely posed a threat at all. One by one, they begin to fell, until finally, the last of them turned and fled into the surrounding trees, abandoning whatever contract had brought them here in the first place.

I stood amid the wreckage, breathing heavily despite barely feeling winded, staring down at the sword still glowing faintly in my hand.

[Ding!]

[Threat neutralized. Returning to standby mode.]

The blade’s warmth faded, though it remained solid and real in my grip, an actual weapon rather than some fleeting illusion.

A soft, frightened voice broke through my scattered thoughts.

"Is... is it safe now?"

I turned toward the carriage. The door creaked open slowly, and a young girl peeked out, her dark hair disheveled, wearing a luxurious gown. Despite the obvious fear still lingering in her eyes, there was something undeniably elegant about the way she carried herself even now.

"It’s safe, They’re gone." I said, sheathing the sword awkwardly at my side, still not quite used to its weight.

She stepped down carefully, her legs visibly shaking as she surveyed the carnage scattered across the road. Her eyes lingered briefly on the fallen knights before flicking back toward me.

"You... you saved me, I mean, I guess. I didn’t really think it through, honestly. Just kind of happened." she said slowly, as though still processing the fact herself.

I rubbed the back of my neck, suddenly feeling far more awkward than I had moments ago while actually fighting off a hundred armed mercenaries.

A small, surprised laugh escaped her lips, quickly covered by her hand. "That’s... an interesting way to describe single-handedly defeating an entire mercenary band."

[Ding!]

[Affection Point Gained: +5]

[Target: Elaine]

[Current Affection: 5/100]

I blinked, momentarily distracted by the strange notification flickering at the edge of my vision.

’Wait, what was that? Affection points? What in the world does that even mean?’

I decided to worry about it later, focusing instead on the girl in front of me.

"You should probably come with me, The nearest village isn’t too far from here. It’s not much, but it’s safer than staying out on the open road with your escort... well, gone."

Her expression flickered with something like hesitation before she finally nodded. "Alright. Thank you."

As we walked together down the narrow forest path, she introduced herself simply as Elaine, offering no further details about her family or standing, though the fine embroidery on her gown and the golden lion crest still visible on the abandoned carriage made her identity fairly obvious even without her saying anything.

’A princess? Great. Just what I needed. I save royalty completely by accident, and now I’m probably going to get dragged into trouble. I just hope I don’t end up caught in some mess.’

"So... what’s your name?"

"Kael. Just Kael. No fancy titles or anything. I’m just a commoner."

"Just Kael?" She raised an eyebrow, a faint smile appearing on her face. "The same Kael who somehow managed to take down an entire group of mercenaries?"

I scratched the back of my head awkwardly. "Well... when you put it like that, it sounds a lot more impressive than it actually was."

"Doesn’t it?"

"I mean, I wouldn’t exactly say I did it without training. It was more like..." I paused, searching for the right words. "A very sudden miracle."

[Ding!]

[Affection Point Gained: +3]

[Current Affection: 8/100]

Elaine studied me for a long moment, an unreadable expression crossing her delicate features before a small, genuine smile finally broke through. "Well, Kael, whatever the reason, I’m grateful."

By the time we reached the village, the sun had begun sinking low along the horizon, painting the sky in deep shades of orange. My small, modest home sat near the edge of the village, hardly anything special, just a simple wooden structure with a thatched roof and a small garden out front that my mother had once tended before she passed.

"This is my place," I said, pushing open the door and gesturing her inside. "It’s not much, but you can rest here until we figure out how to get you back safely."

Elaine stepped inside cautiously, her eyes sweeping curiously over the sparse, humble furnishings. "It’s... cozy."

"That’s a nice way of saying small, You hungry? I can make something for us to eat." I said, chuckling as I moved toward the small kitchen area.

She blinked in surprise. "You cook too?"

"Well, someone’s got to, Living alone teaches you a few things." I shrugged my shoulder as I pulled out a few simple ingredients, vegetables, some dried meat, a bit of rice I’d been saving.

I busied myself preparing a simple stew, the familiar rhythm of chopping vegetables and stirring the pot helping settle my still-racing thoughts. Elaine watched curiously from the small table, occasionally offering quiet, genuine questions about village life, about my family, about how I’d grown up.

I found myself answering more openly than I expected, telling her about my parents passing when I was young, about growing up mostly on my own, scraping by through odd jobs and hunting whatever I could manage in the nearby forest.

"That sounds lonely," she said softly, once I’d finished.

I shrugged, ladling the finished stew into two simple bowls. "It is what it is. You get used to it."

[Ding!]

[Affection Point Gained: +7]

[Reason: Genuine vulnerability shared.]

[Current Affection: 15/100]

I set the bowl down in front of her, watching curiously as she took her first tentative bite.

Her eyes widened immediately. "This is really good."

"Don’t sound so surprised," I smirked slightly as I sat down across from her with my own bowl.

She laughed softly; a genuine, warm sound that seemed to ease some of the earlier tension still lingering from the attack.

"Thank you, Kael, For everything. I mean it." she said quietly, meeting my eyes directly.

Something in her expression, the sincerity behind it, made my chest tighten unexpectedly.

[Ding!]

[Affection Point Gained: +10]

[Current Affection: 25/100]

[Milestone Reached: 25% Affection]

[Reward Unlocked: "Minor Charm Amplification" — Passive skill enhancing natural charisma and likability.]

I blinked at the sudden notification, glancing down at my own hands as though expecting something visible to change.

’Twenty-five percent already? I’ve known her for maybe three hours.’

I had absolutely no idea what any of this actually meant yet, whatever system had suddenly attached itself to my very existence, whatever strange, increase in affection points were now quietly tracking my every interaction. But sitting there, sharing a simple meal with a princess I’d saved entirely by accident, one thing was becoming increasingly clear.

My life had just changed completely, and I had absolutely no idea what was going to come next.

...

[A/N: Hello everyone, this novel is currently at 5th Rank in WPC contest. Please support to reach it to top 3!

If we reach Top 3, I will mass Release 5+ Chapters!]