Gathering Husbands with a System in a Game Like World [BL]
Chapter 6: Rewards!

Chapter 6: Rewards!

The road before House Valerius was quiet once more. The cheers of the crowd had faded. The Royal Knights had disappeared beyond the rolling hills. Even the dust left by Caelum Draven’s carriage had settled.

Kai stood at the manor gates for several moments before turning back. His silver-blue eyes wandered across the estate. It was still the same crumbling manor. The walls were cracked. The gardens were overgrown with weeds. The old fountain in the courtyard had dried up long ago. Nothing had changed on the outside.

And yet everything had. Yesterday this place had been a prison where Kai Valerius waited to die. Today it felt like home. A small smile found its way onto his face.

"Let’s go inside."

Edmund and the remaining servants followed behind him in silence. None of them wanted to disturb their young master after everything he had been through.

The moment Kai stepped into his bedroom, a familiar chime echoed in his mind.

[Main Quest Completed.]

[Quest: Survive Your Predestined Execution.]

A brilliant blue window unfolded before him.

[Quest Complete]

[Difficulty: SS]

[Status: Cleared]

[Rewards]

• Host Level increased to Level 10.

• Bond Points +5,000.

• Beginner Gift Pack II.

• System Shop Unlocked.

• S-Rank Skill Selection Ticket ×1.

• New Function Unlocked: Status Window.

Kai’s eyes sparkled.

"Finally."

He immediately shut the bedroom door.

The servants outside exchanged confused glances.

"Young Master?"

"I’m fine. I just need a little privacy."

Edmund smiled knowingly.

"As you wish."

The room became quiet. Kai rubbed his hands together.

"Okay. This is the exciting part."

He tapped the floating window.

"Status."

Another elegant screen appeared.

[HOST STATUS]

[Name: Kai Valerius]

[Age: 18]

[Race: Human]

[Level: 10]

[Class: Sovereign of Bonds]

[Strength: 19]

[Agility: 22]

[Vitality: 18]

[Mana: 35]

[Charm: ????]

[Luck: ????]

[Titles: Survivor of Fate]

[Skills: Beautification Beyond Measure (EX)]

[Bond Points: 5,000]

Kai blinked.

"Why are Charm and Luck just question marks?"

The system answered immediately.

[Beautification Beyond Measure exceeds measurable standards. Host’s Charm cannot currently be quantified.]

Kai stared.

"That’s ridiculously overpowered."

[Confirmed.]

He laughed.

"I appreciate your honesty."

Then he noticed another detail.

"My Strength is only nineteen? I thought becoming Level 10 would make me incredibly strong."

[Negative. Host possesses no formal combat training. Current statistics represent physical potential, not mastery.]

Kai nodded thoughtfully.

"So if I picked up a sword now..."

[Host would lose to an experienced Level 2 swordsman.]

"That brutally honest, huh?"

[Affirmative.]

Kai sighed dramatically.

"I see my system believes in emotional damage."

The system remained silent.

"You’re impossible."

Kai selected the next menu. Several glowing icons appeared.

Status. Husband Profiles. Inventory. System Shop. World Events. Map. Bond Skills. Quests. Titles.

"This thing is practically cheating."

He tapped System Shop. A massive silver door materialized before him. Ancient runes covered its surface. The moment Kai touched it, the door swung open. Countless shelves stretched endlessly into the distance.

Weapons. Armor. Ancient books. Floating crystals. Strange fruits. Potions glowing in every color. The sheer scale left Kai speechless.

"This... is a shop?"

The system answered immediately.

[Affirmative. Welcome to the Interdimensional Exchange Shop.]

Kai looked around.

"It feels more like a museum."

He reached toward one magnificent crimson sword floating on a pedestal.

[Crimson Dragon Emperor Sword]

[Grade: Divine]

[Price: 18,000,000 Bond Points]

Kai blinked, then looked at his balance of 5,000 points.

"..."

"System."

[Yes, Host?]

"Are you making fun of me?"

[Negative.]

"You gave me five thousand points."

[Correct.]

"And this sword costs eighteen million."

[Correct.]

Kai folded his arms.

"So who exactly is this shop beginner-friendly for?"

The system answered without hesitation.

[Beginners who continue growing stronger.]

Kai deadpanned.

"That didn’t answer my question."

He sighed.

"I knew it."

Determined not to be discouraged, Kai began exploring. Above each section floated elegant golden signs.

Skills. Weapons. Armor. Bloodlines. Consumables. Professions. Companions. Fashion. Housing. Mounts. Mystery Goods.

"They even sell houses?"

He opened the Housing section. The first listing appeared.

[Floating Celestial Palace]

[Includes: Infinite Library, Personal World Tree, Four Seasons Garden, Nine Spirit Springs]

[Price: 860,000,000 Bond Points]

Kai immediately closed the window.

"Never mind."

Next came Fashion. The first outfit displayed itself on a mannequin.

[Starwoven Noble Attire]

[Charm +50]

[Mana Recovery +20%]

[Price: 250,000 Bond Points]

Kai looked down at his plain white clothes.

"Maybe later."

The Professions section intrigued him. Master Blacksmith Certificates. Saint-Rank Tailoring Manuals. Legendary Chef Classes. Master Architect Blueprints. Even farming techniques for mythical herbs.

"This shop doesn’t just sell power. It sells knowledge."

The system replied.

[Correct. The Interdimensional Exchange Shop contains items accumulated from countless civilizations across multiple worlds.]

Kai froze.

"Multiple worlds?"

[Affirmative. Host’s current world represents only one entry within the System Network.]

His heartbeat quickened.

"So there are other universes?"

[Access Restricted. Host Authority Insufficient.]

Kai scratched his cheek.

"Fair enough."

He had a feeling he had just glimpsed a mystery far larger than the game’s original story.

Kai exited the Shop. One reward remained. The glowing golden ticket in his inventory. He picked it up. The ticket dissolved into particles of light. A wheel of blue windows unfolded around him.

[Please choose one S-Rank Skill.]

Six brilliant cards appeared, each radiating strong energy. Kai’s expression became serious.

"This isn’t a decision I can rush."

He studied them one by one.

Mana Thread - weave mana into invisible threads for binding, manipulating objects, or creating formations.

Blink Step - instantly traverse short distances. Good for combat and evasion.

Arcane Eye - unparalleled perception to analyze individuals, monsters, artifacts, mana flows, hidden things, illusions, and treasures.

Shadow Stitch - manipulate shadows to bind or eliminate enemies.

Celestial Cooking - every dish gains miraculous properties to restore mana, increase attributes, heal, or grant buffs.

Beast Language - understand, communicate with, and build trust with magical beasts.

Kai sat on the edge of his bed and thought carefully. His eyes kept returning to the silver card.

Arcane Eye.

"The strongest weapon is information."

The system responded.

[Host is analyzing rather than pursuing immediate power. Recommendation Probability Increasing.]

Kai smiled.

"In the game most deaths happened because players didn’t know what they were facing. I already have knowledge of the world’s future. What I lack is the ability to understand what’s right in front of me."

Without hesitation he reached for the silver card.

"I choose Arcane Eye."

The card shattered into silver light that surged toward his eyes. A cool, refreshing sensation spread through them.

[Congratulations. S-Rank Skill Acquired: Arcane Eye.]

Kai slowly opened his eyes. Thin blue streams of mana flowed through the air. The old walls glowed with traces of magic. Even the Imperial invitation gave off a golden aura.

"So this is mana?"

He looked at the cracked flower vase.

[Ordinary Ceramic Vase. Condition: Cracked. Estimated Value: 2 Silver Coins. Repair Possible.]

He looked at his bed.

[Old Oak Bed. Durability: 28%. Recommended Replacement.]

"Rude." But he was glad to know he now had an inbuilt Appraiser.

The system stayed silent.

Another icon flashed.

[Husband Archive Unlocked.]

Kai tapped it. A magnificent leather-bound book appeared. Its cover had a silver emblem of two interlocking rings. The book opened by itself. Only one page had information. A portrait of a silver-haired man appeared.

Caelum Draven.

Kai smiled.

"So you’re the first."

The page expanded.

[Name: Caelum Draven]

[Age: 24]

[Race: Human]

[Occupation: Sword Sovereign]

[Current Affinity: 10%]

Likes: Quiet mornings. Well-brewed tea. Honest people. Sword practice at sunrise.

Dislikes: Political manipulation. Dishonesty. Wasting food. Needless cruelty.

Current Emotional Evaluation: Curious. Respectful. Wishes to observe Host further.

Kai blinked.

"This feels slightly illegal."

The system answered.

[Relationship Assistance Function. Purpose: Improve communication efficiency between Host and Candidates.]

Kai laughed.

"So basically approved stalking."

[Correction. Information sharing.]

"That’s exactly what a stalker would call it."

The system chose not to respond.

Just as Kai was about to close the archive, a loud notification rang out.

DING!

A crimson window appeared.

[Scanning...]

[Scanning Complete.]

Kai frowned.

"What’s happening?"

[Second SSS-Rank Husband Candidate detected.]

A new portrait materialized. This young man had long emerald-green hair tied back. Gentle golden-green eyes. Elegant elven ears. He wore a dark emerald coat with alchemical symbols. Glass vials floated around him. He looked scholarly and refined.

[Name: Lucien Ashcroft]

[Race: Half-Elf]

[Profession: Master Alchemist]

[Current Affinity: 0%]

[Distance: 1.3 Kilometers]

Kai sat upright.

"So close?"

[Affirmative. Candidate entered the city approximately twelve minutes ago.]

Kai walked to the window but could not see that far.

"Should I go meet him?"

[Host possesses complete freedom regarding relationship development.]

Kai smiled.

"So you won’t force me."

[Negative. Artificially pursuing Candidates solely because of proximity reduces the probability of authentic emotional development.]

Kai nodded.

"I thought so."

He closed the archive.

"If we’re meant to meet, then we’ll meet naturally."

The system responded almost immediately.

[Decision evaluated. Host’s approach aligns with the core principles of the Husband Collection System.]

Kai raised an eyebrow.

"I passed?"

[Affirmative. Relationships founded on sincerity possess significantly higher long-term success rates than relationships founded on calculation.]

Kai smiled.

"I can work with that."

He glanced toward the bustling city beyond the manor. Somewhere out there the second of his ten destined husbands was already walking the same streets. Neither of them knew that fate had begun drawing their paths together.

Kai stretched his arms and let out a satisfied breath.

"A month until the Academy. I suppose I’d better start preparing."

Outside the window the evening sun dipped below the horizon, bathing House Valerius in warm golden light. A new Chapter of Kai’s life had truly begun.