-[Ding]
-[Conditions Met: Player has earned the bond system]-
-[The system allows the player to bind with various characters through genuine affection. Binding allows the player to access the target's future and one of their abilities]-
-[Target: Lady Hera has shown genuine affection towards the player]-
-[Would you like to bond with the target?]-
-[Yes]- -[No]-
The interface was strange, to the point that even an avid reader had no idea what it was.
Neo blinked. 'An interface? I've seen this before, but not in this novel. A system?'
As the interface lingered in his peripheral vision, Neo hesitated for a moment.
'Good', he thought.
Seeing the future of the target was already giving him a disturbing plan.
If he managed to survive, that meant Hera wouldn't erase the academy, and the main character wouldn't get his progression.
The whole story hinged on that moment when her son died. It was inevitable.
Neo accepted the bond with Hera, and a condition flashed before his eyes.
-[Condition: Once the target dies, you lose the ability]-
-[Accept?]- [Decline]-
Neo accepted the condition. He was confident Hera wouldn't die. After all, she was one of the main villains.
"Neo", Hera called again.
When the interface appeared, he had completely forgotten she was there with him.
The nurse had also arrived with bandages and iodine to clean his wounded fist.
When the nurse came in with the female bodyguard, her heart nearly leapt out of her chest under Lady Hera's stare.
"Why did you let my son-"
"Mom", Neo spoke weakly. The word sounded awkward coming from him.
If he hadn't stopped her, someone would have died. Specifically, the nurse. "It wasn't her fault", Neo added.
Hera frowned, then allowed the nurse to proceed. She quickly fixed Neo's fist, clearly eager to leave. Staying in the same room as Hera was suffocating.
Hera sat beside Neo. Near the door, a girl stood, someone Neo recognized all too well.
She wore a black sleeveless uniform, and her shorts barely covered her thick thighs.
Her seductive, curvy figure contrasted with her emotionless facade.
Blue hair, purple eyes, and a full chest. Even in a dream, he wouldn't forget his fictional crush.
Esme, one of the strongest characters ever created by the author, and his personal bodyguard assigned by Hera.
Seeing her in person nearly made him forget his major problems. Nearly.
"I want you to meet Esme", Hera said. "From now on, she will stay with you. She's also attending the academy, so she'll be with you at all times."
Neo nodded. 'The academy… I almost forgot.'
How could he forget the Nether Academy? That was where everything went wrong.
Esme's loyalty, on the other hand, knew no bounds. When Neo died in the book, she disappeared and later returned with tremendous power. By then, Hera had already destroyed the academy.
'That relic', Neo thought with a quiet sigh. 'Only ice attributes are compatible with it anyway. What if I bond with…'
"Neo, are you listening?" Hera pulled him from his thoughts. "I'll be leaving for an important meeting. It'll take a few days, but if you need me, I'll return immediately", she said.
"Let me come with you", Neo said.
"No, honey, it's too dangerous. Esme will take you home now. Be a good boy, okay?" Hera ruffled his hair. Before leaving, she paused in front of the female bodyguard.
"Not even a single scratch", was what Neo heard before she walked out.
Neo sighed. If only that level of protection could prevent his coming death.
Soon after Hera left, two nurses walked in. After removing the bandages, they checked his vitals. Neo was in decent condition.
'Woah, she's not even trying to start a conversation', he thought. Esme stood by the door, arms folded, eyes fixed on him.
It was beginning to unsettle him, but he distracted himself with the strange interface from earlier.
-[Target: The Tyrant Queen Hera]
Loyalty: 100%
Trust: 100%
Affection: Boundless
Bloodline: Chronos
Ability: Timeless Goddess
Main Ability: Eraser: Allows the target to erase anything from existence. [Cooldown: 365 days]
Sets: Time Domain, Time Rewind, Time Expansion, Time Freeze, Infinite Time Loop.
-[System Notification: You have yet to select one of the target's ability sets]-
Although he already knew about her abilities, seeing them like this sent chills down his spine.
Her Time Domain made her ten times faster in combat. Her Expansion extended only within that domain, and her Infinite Time Loop could only activate upon her death.
Hera was nearly immortal, but what truly unsettled Neo was her main ability.
'I pick the Eraser.'
-[System Notification: Target's main ability cannot be selected. Please reselect]-
Neo sighed. He had expected as much.
He carefully examined all five ability sets, his thoughts focused on what could help him survive the future.
He didn't care about what happened before his death. All that mattered was preventing that one fatal moment.
'Give me Infinite Time Loop', his response was transmitted directly to the system.
-[Process... 10%...40%...67%...90%...100%]-
-[Ding]
-[Congratulations: You have obtained the ability: Infinite Time Loop (Passive). Activates only upon death]-
-[Ding]
-[Congratulations: You have gained access to the target's future]-
-[Talent: The Unseen Eye]-
The system didn't take long to understand. It was fairly straightforward.
Although his choice didn't give him offensive power, Neo was genuinely satisfied.
'This is good. With the Unseen Eye, I can try to prevent my death and track changes in Hera's future. This works. For now…', Neo glanced at Esme.
Silence.
Even as he stared at her, Esme remained composed. "Is something wrong, young master?" she asked calmly.
Neo said nothing. The same emotionless expression that defined him in his previous life settled on his face once more.
He wasn't entirely pleased with what he was seeing. When he attempted to bond with Esme, a notification appeared.
-[Target: Esme Esdeath]
-[Alert: Bonding Failed]-
-[Reason: Target does not show sufficient genuine affection towards you]-
Loyalty: 89%
Trust: 79%
Affection: 10%
'What's the use of giving her the relic then'
Neo frowned.