Status Window.
It’s a common concept found everywhere when you rummage through RPG games, a convenient setting that quantifies and conveys a character’s information and abilities.
In the original work “Savior,” there’s a broader and more convenient setting than the typical status window.
Player Buff System.
The system that’s casually referred to as the status window is, fittingly, a setup to buff the player from start to finish.
Although you set up your character before starting a round, the fundamental reason you can show incredible growth rates and limits is that the player is determined to do so.
These status windows are divided into various branches based on what they buff.
There are three main types of status windows used.
First, Measurement.
It functions like the standard status window.
It objectively measures the state of an entity and conveys it numerically.
Using this on the player reveals stats, unique abilities, powers, and mental states.
The mental state here includes physical, mental, and spiritual conditions.
For instance, it encompasses race, the extent of physical injuries, mental disorders, active buffs and debuffs, spiritual deviations, and titles that can collectively summarize the entity.
Thus, the measurement tells the player’s specs, and with points, you can instantly boost stats and unique abilities or increase the growth buff.
Second, Exploration.
It acts as a quest window.
While wandering around, the status window automatically dishes out quests, and by clearing them, you gain points.
Typical examples include monster hunts, dungeon conquests, rescue missions, increasing affinity with specific people, and resolving significant incidents.
The points acquired this way can help the player grow.
And the third, Affinity.
Affinity isn’t directly helpful to the player.
It’s a feature that allows you to secretly peek at how other characters feel about you and the affinity scores by paying with points.
How someone thinks about you comes from combinations of words or phrases.
Basic emotions can be things like affection or dislike, distrust or trust, gratitude, fear, guilt, malice, hatred, etc.
Keywords related to the individual, such as ‘crazy person,’ ‘fool,’ ‘criminal,’ ‘hero,’ or ‘savior,’ also occasionally crop up.
The score ranges from 0 to 100.
0 to 9 indicates a hostile disposition, fitting for those with feelings of hatred or contempt.
10 to 19 signifies dislike, not enough to want to kill but definitely at a level of not wanting to be close.
20 to 29 means a neutral relationship.
30 to 39 is a fairly ordinary acquaintance level.
40 to 49 indicates an average relationship, neither particularly liked nor disliked.
50 to 59 suggests a weak sense of affinity.
60 to 69 shows a considerable amount of affection built up.
70 to 79 implies a rather close relationship.
80 to 89… well, it’s vague.
It might indicate a deep connection or strong familial affection.
90 to 99 marks an even deeper relationship.
It suggests a score so high that it might mean they are the entirety of that person’s life.
100 has yet to be reached. Although I’ve gone around, tried marrying, and attempted to gain affinity from various characters, they mostly stop in the high 80s or low 90s.
Beyond that, there are a few other status windows.
There’s crafting, where you can easily create equipment or facilities by pouring points into it.
Or trading, where you can procure materials, like warm chicken, in harsh places like dungeons or dangerous areas.
There’s a variety of things, but I haven’t really used them.
Crafting seemed useful at the start, but the quality of the outputted equipment or facilities was unsatisfactory, and trading costs were too high for me to bother using even early on.
What I primarily used were Measurement, Exploration, and Affinity.
Measurement is the backbone and all of the status window, as it conveys my specs numerically and enhances stats and unique abilities.
Exploration is equally indispensable.
It’s the primary source for the points needed to grow the player. I can’t not use it.
Additionally, if I loiter near suspicious areas, Exploration automatically drops quests that provide clues.
I could predict future events through pre-informed quests.
Affinity also had its uses.
Seeing how others view me allows me to discreetly deal with anyone harboring malice and stay close to those I truly trust.
‘…No, wait, that’s not it.’
Suddenly aware of my errant thoughts, I stiffened my face.
If someone harbors animosity or deep-seated prejudice against me, I can clear them out, and if they trust me, I keep them close.
However, acting based on the judgments made through Affinity has landed me in hot water before.
On the eighth round.
In the eighth round, Baek Ahrin definitely “trusted” the player. The Affinity score was also high. There was no hint of emotions that would promote betrayal.
While challenging an uncharted tower, the slumbering boss of the Tower of Eternal Winter unexpectedly pushed through, forcing me to halt the tower challenge and rush back to the front lines.
Thus, I engaged in combat with the Tower Lord of Eternal Winter, only to be stabbed in the back by Baek Ahrin and killed.
Even in that moment, Baek Ahrin’s Affinity score remained intact.
‘Eighth round Baek Ahrin…’
I rummaged through my memories to recall the Affinity score of Baek Ahrin from the eighth round.
‘Affinity was 83… Emotional state was trust and fondness. And…’
Hope and desire.
Hope is the feeling of expecting and desiring to achieve or obtain something.
Desire is the intense wish and craving.
Eighth round Baek Ahrin had some huge expectations from the player.
Ironically, the one who ended the player was Baek Ahrin, who stabbed from behind.
Considering Baek Ahrin’s uniqueness as a “mask,” the Affinity score was an unreliable gauge.
‘…What pointless worrying.’
In the midst of that, I realized I was lost in unnecessary thoughts.
I let out a hollow laugh and slowly opened my eyes.
Amidst the murky fog, I caught a glimpse of the status window positioned in a corner of my vision.
[…….]
[…….]
[…! …! … … …!]
[……]
[… … …! … … … … ……]
[……]
‘…I can’t see…’
I can see the outline of the status window. However, the text inscribed there is invisible. No matter how intently I stare at it, straining my eyes to penetrate it, I can’t manage to discern anything.
Even employing my Observation ability yielded no results.
How can it be that the “Observation” ability can’t penetrate? It’s baffling.
Could it be that the status window possesses a power equivalent to Observation?
‘Accessing status window, accessing Measurement.’
No response.
‘Accessing Exploration, accessing Affinity, accessing Crafting…’
No response.
Even mumbling as if to speak to Hong Yeon-hwa brought no results…
My eyes twitched in unease. I reached out into the air.
Swish— My arm passed through the holographic status window. It didn’t show any sign of disruption, no matter how much I waved it around.
‘What on earth…’
I confirmed the existence of the status window, yet couldn’t use it. It’s just like a pie made of drawings right in front of me that I can’t actually eat.
Rage boiled inside me.
Earlier, I wasn’t even sure if it existed and couldn’t use it.
And now? I confirmed its existence but can’t utilize it while it’s right in front of me.
If I could leverage it, I’d grow far more quickly than now, so why…
I felt like I might lose all my hair from stress.
A sigh slipped out involuntarily.
.
.
.
During this regular banquet, I officially announced that I had activated Gop-hwa.
Thus, under the identity of Lee Ha-yul, I could freely wield Gop-hwa.
At the same time, I was now regarded as effectively a member of the Gop-hwa Clan.
Gop-hwa is an innate ability passed through bloodlines.
While I merely imitated it, the recognition of me as part of the Gop-hwa Clan upon activating it was somewhat expected.
Even the activated Gop-hwa had considerable output, so I received decent treatment during my stay at the Gop-hwa Clan these past few days.
[Thanks for the hospitality these last few days]
[Thanks to that, I was able to rest comfortably]
“It’s a bit reassuring to hear you were able to relax.”
At the main gate, where the protective barriers were installed, Choi Ji-yeon, as the lady of the clan, greeted me with a gentle smile.
“Still, it would have been nice if you could stay a few more days…”
[The suggestion is truly appreciated, but I have errands I need to take care of during the break.]
I bobbed my head in response to Choi Ji-yeon’s words of disappointment.
At that, Choi Ji-yeon’s expression turned a bit strange.
She seemed puzzled by my attitude.
And it was understandable.
Even I thought my demeanor was a bit awkward and stiff compared to before.
There was a reason for that.
A few days ago, Choi Ji-yeon was a friend’s parent.
Now, things had changed.
Last night.
I had thoroughly confirmed that Hong Yeon-hwa had no room for doubt regarding her affection. The thought that I might’ve been mistaken had never crossed my mind.
The soft, moist sensation that had brushed against my lips was incredibly clear.
The similarly vivid memory was about the scent.
Having grown accustomed to acolorless environment, once my sense of smell returned, I was hit overwhelmingly with that rich, thick scent of life.
The embrace of that warm, comforting aroma left my wits scattered throughout the night.
In a way, it was like a starving carnivore, on the verge of death, being offered a truckload of premium meat and losing their mind.
The memory from last night remained fresh.
It was so clear that every time it came to mind, my face flushed hot.
‘W-We kissed, so… we’ll probably get married later.’
It was quite a simple story.
I like Hong Yeon-hwa. And Hong Yeon-hwa likes me.
We shared a kiss. Thus, we would get married someday.
I’m still sorely underprepared to become a spouse or a parent, and the world’s changes are unpredictable, but… if I achieve my objective, that could be the case.
If that happens, Choi Ji-yeon would become my mother-in-law.
The gravity of that was entirely different from that of a friend’s parent.
I couldn’t help but feel stiff in my words and actions…
“…Hmm, the air seems a bit cold today. I think I’ll head in now.”
Choi Ji-yeon glanced at me and Hong Yeon-hwa before clearing her throat and giving a nod.
[Ah]
[Yes]
[Thank you so much for seeing me off]
“It’s awkward getting gratitude for something as trivial as a send-off.”
Choi Ji-yeon forced a smile.
“If you ever face trouble, feel free to drop by anytime. Of course, you’re equally welcome to come by out of boredom.”
[Sure]
[I’ll keep that in mind]
With those words, Choi Ji-yeon turned to leave. The sound of her footsteps grew distant.
Hong Yeon-hwa’s gaze followed Choi Ji-yeon.
After she entered the mansion, the doors that had opened on both sides gradually closed.
“…Hmph.”
Once Choi Ji-yeon had entered, Hong Yeon-hwa finally turned her head.
She cleared her throat awkwardly and checked if anyone was watching. Her eyes scanned the area, and after confirming there were no prying eyes, she approached me.
– Tight…
And she reached out her hands, pulling me into a warm embrace.
Even now, in this familiar sentiment, waves of happiness washed over me. My body and mind instinctively relaxed.
“Good…”
My lips let out a soft sigh of longing. Hong Yeon-hwa smirked, gently petting my head and back.
“…Just make sure you don’t get hurt.”
I had already told Hong Yeon-hwa I had things to do during the remainder of the break.
Of course, I didn’t disclose my precise destination, only mentioning I had a place to stop by briefly.
Despite being tickled to reveal the truth, I ultimately succeeded in keeping my secret safe.
Consequently, without knowing my purpose, Hong Yeon-hwa looked down at me with a somewhat anxious gaze.
[Don’t worry]
[It’s not a dangerous place]
In response, I shook my head to dismiss her worries.
Where I was headed truly wasn’t a dangerous place.
This world is broadly divided into three regions.
The Black Zone, now a world of monsters, where the land has been eroded by countless dungeon rampages.
The White Zone, where under the influence of the Guild, better-quality civilization has paradoxically been guaranteed.
And in between the black and white, the Gray Zone.
While it isn’t literally land usurped by monsters, it’s substantially beyond the Guild’s control.
I intended to take a quick trip to that Gray Zone.
I’d level up through dungeons and collect artifacts.
While I’m at it, I’ll also take care of some zealots who have established bases nearby.
If that wraps up smoothly…
‘If I finish sooner than expected, I’ll spend some time with Seo-yul.’
I’m still receiving updates on Seo-yul.
Elia has been sending me daily pictures of Seo-yul, and there are so many adorable, lovable shots.
Upon realizing it, I instinctively backed up all those photos.
For reference, Hong Yeon-hwa plans to meet Seo-yul in the second semester.
Since Hong Yeon-hwa wasn’t a complete layabout, it was too restrictive to meet at the break’s end.
Thus, we decided it would be better for me, Seo-yul, and Hong Yeon-hwa to meet at Shio-ram in the second semester.
‘It’s a relief that Yeon-hwa doesn’t think poorly of Seo-yul.’
Happily, Hong Yeon-hwa held a positive view of Seo-yul.
When I anxiously inquired about how she felt regarding Seo-yul, her affirmative answer offered immense relief.
Had her response been negative… just the thought sent shivers down my spine. I’d have begged and crawled to avoid her ire.
‘…So if I finish quickly, I need to pick her up right away.’
The Gray Zone isn’t inherently a dangerous place.
Due to the Guild’s influence and the rarity of astronomical observations, all manner of criminals have congregated in the Gray Zone, but as long as you’re cautious, it’s not too perilous.
Of course, things could take a turn for the worst…
‘But at that time, I’d have a means of escape ready to save my life, so it’s fine.’
I even have insurance.
If it seems like I’m in a life-threatening situation, I can make an emergency escape.
Thus, it’s safe.
[I’ll come back safe]
I might sustain injuries, but I’ll recover and return.
I wasn’t lying.
I said that while smiling brightly at Hong Yeon-hwa, who was looking at me like I was a newborn baby by the water’s edge.
“…Should I just follow you…”
It didn’t seem to have any effect.
In resignation, I nodded, casually scanning the corners of my vision with half-lidded eyes.
[…! …! …….!!]
[……]
‘…What’s up with that since earlier?’
In the corner of my slightly opened vision, I sensed signs of something changing in the presumed status window.
Of course, I don’t know what changed.
*
[The Tower Lord of Harmony raises both hands high!]
[Using Points!]
[Oh no!&! What the $#@! are those eyes#%]
[Using Points!]
[According to my comprehension@%, all depending on the $&%@….]
[Massively Using Points!]
[… Salvation%?]
[Using Points!]
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