The bread smell got stronger as I descended the stairs. My stomach had been growling since I woke up, but now it was practically clawing at my insides.
The inn's ground floor was warm and alive with the small noises of the morning — the clink of mugs, the murmur of voices, the soft scrape of chairs against the floorboards. The room itself was modest: a counter at the far end where a middle-aged man polished mugs, a hearth with a low fire, and a scattering of wooden tables.
A few early risers sat hunched over their meals. Two men in worn leather gear — hunters, maybe — were speaking in low tones near the fire. A pair of women in aprons moved between tables, balancing trays with practiced ease.
It was the kind of scene that would've been background noise in my old life. Here, though, every detail pulled at me — the flicker of the firelight on polished mugs, the sound of a wooden spoon tapping against a pot, the faint shift in a woman's scent as she walked past. My senses weren't just sharp. They were tuned toward people.
I stepped up to the counter, and the man behind it looked up. His eyes flicked over me, and something in his expression shifted — not fear, not suspicion, but a small, unconscious recognition. The kind a person gave when they saw someone who stood out without meaning to.
"Morning," he said, setting the mug down. "You're awake earlier than I expected. Breakfast?"
"Yes," I said simply.
He gave a nod toward an empty table near the wall. "Have a seat. I'll send one over."
As I sat down, I caught my reflection in the polished metal of a hanging lantern. Even without trying, I looked… composed. Like I belonged here, even though I was still figuring out where here was.
And that's when the voice returned.
[System interface stable. Communication link active.]
I kept my face neutral. I didn't know if anyone else could hear her — or if I'd look insane talking to myself in the middle of the room.
You picked a great time to show up again, I thought.
[System can receive unspoken commands. Vocalization is unnecessary unless preferred.]
That was good. At least I could talk to her without looking like a lunatic.
Alright. Let's start from the top. What exactly are you?
[The Ultimate Desire System is a performance-based enhancement framework, bound to the user's physiology and psyche. It rewards you for the fulfillment of your strongest personal desires, converting the satisfaction of those desires into Desire Points.]
You mean you're basically a… wish-granter who works on commission?
[Inaccurate. Wishes are passive. The system rewards only tangible accomplishment. Wanting without acting yields nothing.]
I smirked faintly. So the carrot's always there, but I have to take it myself.
[Correct.]
The serving woman arrived then, setting a wooden plate in front of me: thick slices of bread, a slab of butter, and a small bowl of stew. The smell was rich — vegetables, herbs, and something meaty. My stomach growled again.
I ate slowly, but my focus was still on the voice.
Alright. What exactly counts as "fulfilling my desires"?
[Primary high-yield method: physical conquest of targets you are attracted to. Secondary methods: establishing dominance in social interactions, defeating opponents in combat. The greater the difficulty or resistance overcome, the higher the Desire Point yield.]
Physical conquest, I repeated. So… seduction.
[Seduction, domination, and the formation of a loyalty bond. Superficial encounters yield low returns. Complete subjugation — body and soul — yields the highest.]
The bread paused halfway to my mouth. Body and soul? That's… a pretty intense choice of words.
[Once claimed fully, a target becomes incapable of betrayal and will act in your interest, even against their own.]
I leaned back in my chair, considering that. Loyalty wasn't just about attraction then — it was absolute. Dangerous in the right hands.
How many can I… claim?
[No upper limit.]
That pulled a grin out of me. So you're saying I can build my own personal… empire?
[Accurate.]
I finished my meal, the last of the stew's warmth settling in my stomach. The hunters had left, the two serving women chatting by the hearth now. My gaze drifted toward them without thinking. One was younger, with dark hair tied back, her figure trim and neat. The other was older, fuller in the hips and chest, with a laugh that carried across the room.
It would be easy to imagine either of them in my reach. But that was the old me — the guy who imagined and never acted. Now, there was a mechanism in my head practically begging me to take steps.
But I needed to know more.
Alright, I thought, you've got me interested. What's stopping me from just… walking out there and charming every woman I see?
[You currently have no enhancements active. Your advantages are natural only. This body is exceptional compared to your previous one, but system abilities will significantly amplify results.]
And to get those abilities…
[You require Desire Points. Or you may request your Starter Gifts now.]
That made me pause. Starter gifts?
[Designed to accelerate your early growth and allow you to generate points more efficiently.]
And they are…?
[Access restricted until request is confirmed.]
So she was going to make me ask for them. Tease.
I drained the last of my water and stood, sliding the chair back. The man behind the counter glanced at me. "Heading out?"
"Just getting some air," I said, which was technically true.
Outside, the sun had climbed higher, spilling gold across the village. People moved along the road, their faces open and unhurried. This wasn't a place that seemed to run on fear — which meant opportunities might come slower… or more dangerously, when they came at all.
I walked toward the edge of the village, past small gardens and stone walls. Every so often, I caught someone's eyes on me — women pausing mid-step, men narrowing their gaze in that subtle way men did when they recognized another man as competition.
Even without the system's abilities, I could feel the pull I had now. This body's looks weren't just cosmetic — they were a weapon.
You weren't kidding about natural advantages, I thought.
[Confirmed. However, relying on them alone will limit your growth. This world's power structures favor the strong. Without augmentation, your survival odds decrease significantly.]
Alright, I said, stopping in the shade of a tree. Then let's talk about what happens if I accept these starter gifts.
[Starter gifts are permanent skills. Once acquired, they cannot be removed or downgraded. They will provide immediate, tangible benefits toward fulfilling your desires.]
And the cost?
[No initial cost. However, all skills draw from your stamina pool. Excessive or reckless use will incur penalties, potentially lethal.]
So the leash was always there.
I leaned back against the tree, watching a woman in a blue dress pass on the road. She gave me a glance that lingered just a little too long before she looked away, cheeks faintly flushed.
It wouldn't take much to follow her. Strike up a conversation. Test the waters.
The system's voice was calm, almost knowing.
[Your instincts are correct. This is your first world — and it is full of claimable opportunities.]
Opportunities that will kill me if I overdo it, I reminded her.
[Correct. The system does not protect you from your own excess.]
I took a slow breath. This wasn't something I was going to waste. Not on the first person who smiled at me. If the roadmap for my life was being rewritten, I was going to start strong.
But first, I'd need those starter gifts.
I pushed off the tree, turning back toward the inn. Tomorrow, maybe, I'd see just how far my new "advantages" could take me.