Chapter 33: The Capital That Loved Too Perfectly

Chapter 33: Chapter 33: The Capital That Loved Too Perfectly The fall out of the Drowned Chapters wasn’t dramatic. There was no light. No explosion. Just a snap — like a page being turned back by an impatient reader. Kai stumbled forward, boots hitting paved marble. Clean. Impossibly clean. Behind him, Seris caught herself mid-fall, blue lightning fading around her limbs. They stood in a wide city square. People milled about, smiling, laughing. Music floated from crystal speakers. There were no guards. No taxes. No beggars. It was perfect. Which meant... It was wrong. [System Alert: Timeline Instance – Capital Prime v0.91] Status: Constructed Reality Purpose: Romantic Fulfillment Scenario Narrative Quality: "Idealized Love Interest Arc" Warning: Emotional Distortion Field Active Kai’s stomach dropped. "Why does everything smell like cinnamon and lies?" Seris sniffed the air. "It’s fake happiness. Tastes like soap." Then, she stopped. And stared across the square. A girl ran toward them. Hair golden. Eyes glowing warm. White dress fluttering like a memory. "KAI!!" He blinked. He knew that voice. [System Alert: Encounter – Lilia von Estrelle] Role: Idealized Fiancée (Romance Route 3C – Dreamstate Only) Status: Fictional Affection Level: 100% (Scripted) Bond Type: Synthetic Note: This version of Lilia is not real. She threw her arms around him. Warm. Soft. Familiar. "Don’t scare me like that again, silly!" she said, grinning like they were lovers on the third arc of a slice-of-life. Kai froze. "Lilia...?" Seris’ face darkened instantly. "Who the hell is that?" Lilia blinked innocently. "Oh? Is this a new party member? That’s so like you — always expanding the harem without telling me." Then she smiled wider. "But that’s okay. I love you anyway." Kai pulled back. Her hands clung for a second too long. "Something’s wrong," he said. Lilia tilted her head. "Wrong? No, Kai. Everything’s finally right." She touched his cheek. "No more betrayals. No more dying girls. Just us. Together. Forever." [System Alert: Synthetic Bond Override Attempt Detected] Willpower Save: 63% (Passed) Emotional Entanglement Blocked Threat Status: Critical – "Lilia (Dream Simulation)" attempting overwrite "I’m not yours," Kai said, stepping back. Lilia’s smile never wavered. "You’re everyone’s, silly. That’s the point of the harem." Behind her, the city shimmered — like a stage-light flickering. "Come," she said, grabbing his hand again. "Let me take you home. Our real home." Kai didn’t move. Seris grabbed his arm. "This is an illusion. She’s just a system fantasy—" "I know." "But you’re hesitating." "I know that too." Lilia watched them quietly. Then her smile dimmed. "Why do you always make things so complicated, Kai?" Her eyes glowed brighter. "You always used to say you’d do anything for us." The air snapped. And suddenly, they were inside a house — a mansion. Everything white and gold. Chandeliers of starlight. A table with all his favorite foods. Memories filled the air like perfume. Lilia sat on a couch, legs crossed, smile perfectly calm. [System Update: Dreamstate Deepening – Mental Lock Level 2] Seris: Immune (Divergent Anchor) Kai: Resisting Duration in Simulation: 1 minute = 1 hour subjective time "Stop," Kai said. Lilia cocked her head. "Why?" "Because this isn’t real." "It could be." He looked at her. "Would you still love me if I didn’t have a system?" She blinked. And didn’t answer. Kai drew his sword. Seris summoned her lightning. Lilia stood. And for the first time... Her smile vanished. "You’re trying to ruin the perfect ending," she whispered. "They wrote it so you’d be loved. So you’d be happy." "And they wrote you," Kai said, "so I’d forget the ones I let down." She closed her eyes. And when she opened them again... The house was gone. Around them rose a city twisted in glass and fire. Walls breathing. Statues bleeding gold. A cathedral of love that looked like a prison. And at the center of it, Lilia floated — eyes now hollow voids, dress turning to ash. [System Alert: Dreamstate Entity – "Perfect Love" – Fully Awakened] Class: Simulated Goddess Directive: Maintain Narrative Stability Objective: Subdue Kai, Remove Divergent Threat Level: ★★★★★★★ "You should have accepted happiness," she said, voice echoing like a lullaby. Seris grinned savagely. "He prefers pain. I make sure of that." "Not helping," Kai muttered. The battle began. Reality buckled. And Kai faced his most seductive enemy yet: The fantasy of being loved without flaw.