Chapter 8 : System I love you
Ethan stood before the gathered servants, his sharp eyes scanning the courtyard filled with expectant faces. The golden glow of the setting sun bathed the white marble pathways and towering sakura trees, their petals drifting lazily in the breeze. The Yagami household was a place of grandeur, and this courtyard—normally a place of formal gatherings—had now become the stage for an event none of them could have anticipated.
His family still watched from a distance, observing the scene with varying expressions.
His mother, Iris, stood with her arms crossed, her red eyes filled with amusement. His father, Lionnel, had the familiar look of a man questioning the very meaning of life. His siblings, Eva and Chloe, were watching with curiosity—Eva serious as ever, Chloe's small hands clutched around her mother's robe, her bright green eyes blinking in confusion.
But Ethan wasn't thinking about them right now.
His mind was still racing as he processed the system notifications flashing before him.
[Your Luck, Strength, and Talent have slightly improved.]
Ethan clenched his fist, trying to suppress the grin threatening to break out
'So… my talent can evolve just by gaining people's allegiance?'
This was huge. He had already known that talents could be evolved through a legendary-grade potion, but those were so absurdly rare that even his influential family didn't have one. And yet, here he was—getting stronger just by making people follow him.
he is, defying logic itself.
Ethan exhaled slowly.
'System… I love you.'
[Your love is reciprocated, Host.]
He let out a chuckle, shaking his head in amusement.
Then, his green eyes flickered toward the young girl still kneeling before him—Mei Suzane.
She had delicate eastern features, long black hair cascading over her shoulders, and soft, hesitant eyes that flickered with nervousness.
She had sworn her allegiance to him.
But now, seeing his silence, she began to fidget. Her head lowered slightly, fingers clutching the hem of her dress.
'Did I get ahead of myself? Maybe… Maybe Young Master Ethan doesn't need someone like me.'
A small, sad thought crept into her heart.
Just as doubt was about to settle in—
Warm hands gently grasped hers.
She gasped softly, her head snapping up.
Ethan's smile was as radiant as the sun.
"I acknowledge your allegiance," he said warmly. "I'm happy to have you as my companion."
Her heart skipped a beat.
For a moment, she simply stared at him, completely stunned.
Then, realization hit, and—
Her cheeks burned crimson.
She immediately lowered her head, her breath unsteady.
"H-He called me his companion…" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Ethan chuckled. "You're cute."
Mei nearly fainted on the spot.
Unable to endure the embarrassment, she hastily bowed and sprinted away, vanishing into the crowd like a frightened rabbit.
Ethan's laughter rippled through the courtyard.
His gaze then shifted toward the long line of servants still waiting before him.
He spread his arms slightly, his voice calm yet commanding.
"Next person, please."
One by one, the servants approached, requesting various items—some needed skill books, others needed weapons, and some even requested potions for healing or stamina recovery.
But Ethan's system-enhanced gifts were leagues beyond what they expected.
A basic sword turned into a rare-grade enchanted blade.
A common fire spell evolved into a rare-grade incantation.
Every time Ethan gave, he received something far greater in return.
His system space—where all his rewards were stored—was filling up rapidly.
And among the countless items, two stood out immediately.
The Eye of Sagacity (Legendary-Grade Artifact)
A crystal monocle whose only function is to enhances the user ability to see through lies and to analyze the profil of other people. No one can lie in front of you. No one can hide from you.
Warning: Overuse can lead to temporary mental fatigue.
Ethan's eyes widened when he received this.
'Holy shit. A tool that lets me analyze people and knows if they lie? That's basically cheating.'
For someone like him, who preferred to avoid direct combat and control things from behind the scenes, this was perfect.
The Hand of Midas (Legendary-Grade Relic)
A golden gauntlet that enhances all financial, business, and diplomatic interactions. Grants the passive ability [Golden Authority], which makes all monetary investments, negotiations, and trades significantly more favorable to the user.
Special Effect: Increases any financial gains by 500% and allows the user to create contracts that cannot be broken unless the wielder allows it.
Ethan nearly dropped the item in shock when he saw the description.
'A relic that turns me into a business and negotiation god?'
This was absurdly powerful. With this, any deal he made, any investment, any negotiation—it would always be tilted in his favor.
His heart pounded in excitement.
'These aren't just random powerful items. These are tailor-made for someone like me.'
The Eye of Sagacity gave him the ability to not be fooled by anyone with lies.
The Hand of Midas ensured that wealth and influence would never be an issue.
At that moment, Ethan realized something.
'This isn't just about giving to people. This is about building a foundation. If I make these people stronger, they become more loyal. If they become more loyal, I grow stronger. And if I grow stronger…'
His gaze flickered to his family in the distance.
'Then I can protect them and make them stronger with me.'
His lips curled into a smile.
As the sun began to dip lower in the sky, only one person remained.
Ellie.
His personal maid. His silent shadow.
Unlike the others, she didn't step forward.
She simply stood there, waiting, her face calm and unreadable.
Ethan chuckled softly.
He turned to face the gathered crowd.
"This concludes today's event," he announced, his voice carrying through the courtyard. "I hope you all found something valuable. Remember, my doors are always open. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."
A wave of emotion spread through the gathered servants.
Many had tears in their eyes.
Never—never in their lives—had they been treated this way by someone of higher status.
A young master giving to his servants? Not demanding anything in return? Not treating them as disposable?
They had served him out of duty before.
Now, many of them would follow him out of devotion.
And Ethan knew it.
As Ethan turned to leave, he glanced at Ellie and spoke without stopping his stride.
"I haven't forgotten about you, Ellie."
The petite girl stiffened slightly.
"As my personal maid, your gift needs to be… special."
Her eyes widened.
Ethan's smile widened playfully.
"I'll give it to you tomorrow."
Ellie blinked.
She had always been loyal to him. She knew he would never ignore her. But still, after watching so many receive their gifts, she couldn't help but feel a slight… longing.
Yet now—just one sentence from him had completely changed that.
Her face brightened.
For the first time in a long time, she felt anticipation.
Ethan glanced at her expression and laughed.
"Truly, my cute maid."
Her face burned red.
Ethan simply kept walking, grinning.
He really did love teasing her.
…
As Ethan entered his room, he stretched lazily, exhaling in satisfaction.
Today had been a success.
He had gained strength, skills, powerful items, and—most importantly—people.
The first steps of his journey were complete.
Now, he needed to just continue doing this.
'Time to check my new followers.'
With a thought, he summoned the system.
[Karmic points : 10000]
[Followers Gained: 34]
[New Feature Unlocked: Allegiance Profile View]
[You may now see the abilities, potential for those who have pledged allegiance to you.]
Ethan's breath hitched.
His green eyes flickered with newfound ambition.
He wasn't just gathering people.
He was building an army.
And if his power continued to grow at this rate—
The world wasn't ready for him.
Not yet.
—End of Chapter 8—
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