Chapter 212:Guilt.
Lunch was far more relaxed than anyone had expected.
The earlier tension surrounding Hell’s River gradually melted away as contractors settled beneath the shade of scattered trees and large boulders. Fires were lit only where necessary, while many simply opened preserved rations or reheated meals prepared the previous evening.
The sounds of conversation slowly replaced the roar of the river. People laughed again.
Some exaggerated the size of the crocodilian beasts they had fought. Others argued over whose shooting had been the most accurate.
Several mechanics crawled beneath damaged vehicles, tightening bolts and inspecting suspension components that had taken a beating during the crossing.
Silver and Ravenna chose a quieter place slightly away from the larger groups. They sat beneath the shade of a broad acacia tree whose branches stretched wide enough to shield them from the afternoon sun.
Ravenna unpacked their food while Silver leaned against one of the exposed roots, quietly watching the rest of the convoy.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The peaceful silence itself felt refreshing; eventually, Ravenna handed him a lunchbox.
"Here."
Silver accepted it with a smile.
"Thanks."
She shrugged.
"You’ve been driving all morning; you deserve to eat first."
Silver chuckled.
"We’re sharing."
"I know."
The meal was simple: slices of smoked beast meat, dried vegetables, a few preserved fruits, and fresh water.
Ravenna suddenly laughed to herself. Silver looked up.
"What?"
She shook her head.
"I was just thinking..."
"What?"
"If someone had told me a few months ago that I’d be sitting under a tree in the Yellow Zone eating lunch after fighting giant crocodiles... I’d have called them crazy."
Silver laughed.
"I probably would’ve agreed."
She smiled brightly.
"...I’m glad I chose to come."
Those simple words carried more meaning than she realized. Silver quietly looked at her. He knew she wasn’t talking about the trip. She meant... Coming with him.
The System responded immediately.
[Target Emotional Analysis Complete]
{Current Emotional State: Calm
Trust: Stable
Sense of Safety: Increased}
Silver remained expressionless as the translucent blue window disappeared before Ravenna noticed it.
Another notification appeared.
[Affection Detected.]
Target: Ravenna Arkland
Affection: 40 → 43
Silver nearly stopped chewing. Three points, that was... high. Another familiar notification appeared before he could think further.
[Hidden Milestone Achieved]
『Shared Adversity』
{Description:
Together, you and your target have overcome repeated life-threatening situations while maintaining complete mutual trust.
Relationship Stability Increased.}
A soft chime echoed inside his mind.
[ Hidden Quest Completed]
『Cross the Yellow Zone Together』
Conditions Met.
Rewards Issued.}
One notification followed another.
[Reward Obtained.]
Beast Core Absorption Lv1
Passive Skill
A unique synchronization ability created by the Happiness System.
Allows the Host to absorb Beast Core energy more efficiently.
Current Effect:
• Beast Core absorption speed increased by 40%.
• Energy loss during absorption reduced.
• Synchronization with integrated beasts improves slightly during absorption.}
Silver’s eyes widened slightly. A passive skill, and exactly what they needed. The faster he and Ravenna could absorb Beast Cores, the faster they could grow.
The System wasn’t finished.
[Reward Obtained.]
Attribute Increase
Strength +2
Endurance +2
Mental Resistance +3
Silver felt a pleasant warmth spread through his body; he could clearly feel it becoming just a little stronger, and his breathing grew lighter. Even the lingering fatigue from the morning’s battle seemed to lessen.
Then came the final reward.
[Reward Obtained.]
2500 Affection Points
Reason:
You successfully completely altered Ravenna Arkland’s original fate.
Timeline deviation confirmed.
Major future event permanently changed.}
Silver froze.
Twenty-five hundred, it was, by far, the largest reward the System had ever given him. He almost instinctively wanted to open the shop, but he stopped himself.
’Not now, there would be time later.’
His gaze slowly shifted toward Ravenna. She was quietly eating while looking across the grasslands. Completely unaware that she had just become the reason he had received one of the greatest rewards since obtaining the System.
"...What’s wrong?"
She noticed him staring. Silver blinked before smiling.
"Nothing."
"You’ve been looking at me for a while."
"Have I?"
"Mhm." She smiled teasingly. "...Do I have something on my face?"
Silver couldn’t help laughing.
"No. You just..."
He stopped himself. She tilted her head.
"...Just?"
"...Never mind."
She narrowed her eyes suspiciously before returning to her lunch. Silver lowered his head slightly, his smile gradually disappearing, replaced by guilt.
The System had rewarded him again, because Ravenna had become happier, trusted him, and had unknowingly permanently changed her future.
Every reward reminded him of something; a truth he continued avoiding. He hadn’t told her about the System, the Affection Points, the quests, and even about the fact that he could see some of her information.
Every day he delayed, the burden became heavier.
Silver quietly clenched his lunch box.
"...Coward."
The word escaped his lips so softly that even he barely heard it.
"What?"
Ravenna looked over. He immediately shook his head.
"Nothing."
She accepted the answer without pressing further, and that only made him feel worse. Silver sighed inwardly.
When had it started?
At first, he had planned to tell her once they became closer; then he wanted to wait until they trusted one another. After that, he told himself it would be after Delta Four, then after the research station, then after surviving the ravine.
There was always another excuse, another reason and another delay.
He looked at Ravenna again. She sat comfortably beside him, relaxed and at peace. Never once questioning whether he intended to betray her.
That trust... terrified him, because he feared losing it. He already knew how Ravenna viewed betrayal; she had spent years being used by people who only approached her when they wanted something.
Almost everyone had expected her to sacrifice herself while they benefited, then Silver had appeared. He had protected her, cooked for her, trained with her, laughed with her, and risked his life for her.
Without asking for anything in return, at least... that was what she believed.
Silver closed his eyes briefly.
’Would she think everything was fake?’
The thought hurt.
Would she think every smile, every meal and promise... had simply been another System quest?
He knew that wasn’t true. Long before the rewards had become significant, he had already wanted to protect her. The moment he had laid his eyes on her... he had already begun falling for her.
The System had only pushed them together. His feelings, those belonged entirely to him.
Silver smiled bitterly.
He didn’t need a System anymore to know how he felt. He liked holding her hand, hearing her laugh, watching her train, her warmth against him, and simply sitting beside her like this without saying anything.
He wanted... More, because of Ravenna. He wanted to officially ask her to become his girlfriend and truly become partners.
He was almost certain she would say yes; he didn’t need the System to know that. Ravenna had never hidden how she felt; she wasn’t someone who played games.
Whenever she looked at him, whenever she smiled... whenever she unconsciously moved a little closer while they walked...
The answer was already there; she was simply waiting for him to take the final step. And that final step required complete honesty.
Silver rubbed his forehead.
"...I have to tell her."
There was no other choice. If they became a couple while he continued hiding the System, the eventual truth would hurt even more.
Like ripping off a bandage that had remained stuck to a wound for far too long; painful and necessary.
The longer he waited, the worse it would become. He slowly exhaled.
’...Tonight.’
His eyes became noticeably firmer.
’When we make camp, and we’re alone. I’ll tell her everything.’
Not just about the System but everything; the Affection Points, quests, rewards, and the fact that he could sometimes ask the System for her status.
Everything.
If she became angry, he would accept it. If she hated him, he would accept that too. If she decided to leave... That possibility hurt more than he wanted to admit, but she deserved the choice.
A relationship built upon half-truths wasn’t the kind of relationship he wanted.
Ravenna suddenly nudged his shoulder.
"You’ve been thinking very hard."
Silver smiled awkwardly.
"...Was I that obvious?"
She laughed softly.
"You make that face whenever you’re trying to solve something difficult."
He chuckled.
"I guess I do."
She leaned back against the tree.
"...Whatever it is..." Her grey eyes met his. "...You’ll figure it out."
Silver looked at her for several long seconds, then he smiled genuinely.
"I hope so."
Deep inside, he silently promised himself.
No more excuses. Tonight... he would tell her the truth.