"Since I can't avoid it, even if I sense a trap, I have no choice but to accept this reality,"
he muttered to himself, his mind racing.
"At this moment, I'm too weak. Well... maybe this is actually a good thing. Now I have a guardian, and that means more protection. At least when I level up and fight monsters, Alice can help me. I can just relax, take it easy, and earn experience without lifting a finger."
His thoughts were conflicted — part of him was terrified, the other part was calculating.
He wasn't ready to fight her, not yet. But maybe, just maybe, this was an opportunity.
If she truly became his guardian, she would be bound by the contract.
A contract that required absolute loyalty, obedience, and even sacrifice. That was a power he could use.
And if she was lying? If this was all a trick?
Well, Vale had learned one thing from the game — you never fully trust anyone. But sometimes, you had to take risks.
So, with a deep breath, he raised his head, meeting her gaze.
"Fine," he said, voice steady. "I accept your offer. But don't think for a second that I'm going to let my guard down. If you betray me, I won't hesitate to end you — even if it means dying in the process."
Alice's smile widened, almost like she had been expecting that answer. "Oh, I like you, Vale. You're not as naive as the others."
And with that, the contract was sealed.
But in the shadows of Vale's mind, a new fear took root — not of Alice, but of the power she represented.
Because even if she was now his guardian, he had no idea what kind of monster she truly was.
Vale's eyes widened as the experience bar surged forward rapidly, glowing with an unnatural intensity. The Crimson Forest echoed with the screams of the Ghoulfire and the Stone Gargoyle, their bodies crumbling under the merciless power of Alice's Crimson Sacrifice Blade.
Then came the system message —
[Congratulations! Due to your guardian killing a 10-level monster, you have received an additional experience bonus of 2400 points (10x experience, party bonus 50%, level difference 150%, totaling 12x experience).]
Vale's level skyrocketed — 8th level.
And just as quickly, another message —
[Congratulations! Due to your guardian killing a 15-level monster, you have received an additional experience bonus of 6000 points (10x experience, party bonus 50%, level difference 150%, totaling 12x experience).]
Vale's level jumped again — 10th level.
He stood there, breathless, his body trembling slightly from the sheer power of the experience gain. He had barely begun, and already he was at level 10.
Then, with a flash of crimson light, Alice reappeared — her expression calm, but her eyes sharp.
Vale turned, and their eyes met.
They both spoke at the same time —
"What are you doing here?"
The words hung in the air, filled with a mix of shock, confusion, and something else — a strange, unspoken tension.
Alice tilted her head, her lips curling into a faint, amused smile. "You didn't think I'd just sit around, did you? I was just... doing my job."
Vale narrowed his eyes. "You were supposed to be my guardian. Not a solo monster hunter."
Alice's smile widened. "Oh, but I am your guardian. And right now, I'm doing what's best for you."
Vale clenched his fists. "You didn't even ask. You just went off and killed monsters on your own."
Alice sighed, as if she was dealing with a child. "You didn't specify. And I don't like waiting. Besides — this is faster."
Vale wanted to argue, but the truth was — she was right. He had barely started, and already he had reached level 10. With her help, he could surpass all limits.
But there was something else — something unseen.
Alice's eyes flickered, and for a moment, she looked almost... pleased.
"Vale," she said, her voice soft, almost teasing. "You should be thanking me."
He looked at her, and for the first time, he wasn't sure if she was a ally or a monster.
Because now, he had power.
But he also had a guardian who might be more dangerous than any monster in the world.
Susan's voice echoed through the air, calm and precise — like a system message that had no room for error.
[System Prompt]: The maximum level of this world is currently 10. To continue leveling up, please wait until 0:00 tomorrow.
Vale's eyes widened. He had just reached level 10 — the highest possible level in this world. But now, the system was telling him that he couldn't go any further.
He turned to Alice, who was still standing there, her crimson eyes watching him with a strange, unreadable expression.
"Wait... what?" Vale muttered, his voice low. "That's not possible. There has to be a way to go higher."
Alice tilted her head slightly, as if she had known this all along. "You really thought it would be that easy, didn't you?" she said, her tone almost mocking. "This world has limits. And right now, you've hit the ceiling."
Vale clenched his fists. "But I just got to level 10. I wasn't even done yet. There's still so much I need to learn, so much I need to become..."
Alice took a step closer, her presence suddenly more intense. "Then you'll have to wait. But don't worry — I'll be here. And I'll make sure you're ready."
Vale looked at her, and for the first time, he wasn't sure if she was trying to help — or if she was just playing her own game.
He turned back to the system message, his mind racing.
Vale's eyes widened in sheer horror as the sensation hit him — a warm, unnatural pressure at his lower body, followed by a soft, wet touch that sent a chill down his spine.
He instinctively looked down, and his pupils contracted in disbelief.
Alice — the tiny, adorable girl with the red cloak and the doll-like face — was kneeling before him, her lips wrapped around him, her tongue moving slowly, sensuously, as if she were tasting something delicious.
Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes glowing with a strange, almost feral hunger, and her voice was soft, almost pleading — but it carried a dangerous, seductive edge.
"M-m-master... I want it... I want your blood... I want your human essence... Please... give it to me... I'm so hungry..."
The words were sensual, almost hypnotic, and for a moment, Vale felt as if he were trapped in a dream — a dream that was too real.
He tried to move, but his body was paralyzed, as if some unseen force had taken hold of him. His mind screamed for him to pull away, to resist, but his body refused to obey.
Alice's eyes locked onto his, and in them, he saw something — not just hunger, but power, control, and a game that she had already won.
"Why... why are you doing this?" he managed to whisper, his voice hoarse.
She smiled, a sinful, knowing smile, and whispered, "Because I want to become stronger. And you... you're the perfect vessel."
Her lips moved again, and the warmth spread through him like a poison — not just physical, but spiritual, mental, and emotional.
Vale's mind flickered, and for a brief moment, he felt something inside him break — a barrier, a limit, a control.
And then, Alice pulled away.
She looked up at him, her face still flushed, her eyes still glowing with that strange hunger.
"Thank you, master," she whispered, her voice now calm, almost disconnected.
Vale staggered back, his breath ragged, his body trembling.
"What... what was that?" he gasped.
Alice tilted her head, as if she were watching a child who had just learned something dangerous.
"You're stronger now," she said simply. "And I'm... happier."
Vale stared at her, his mind reeling, his heart pounding.
He had just signed a contract with a monster.
But now, he was beginning to realize — Alice wasn't just a guardian.
She was something else. Something older. Something hungrier.
And now, she had tasted him.
And she would never stop.
"You're not just my master, Vale."
"You're my new source of power."
Alice wiped the white, milky liquid from her lips, her expression still full of satisfaction.
"Your little ones are really mischievous and cute, aren't they? They were all jumping around in my throat, so eager… I let them slide down my esophagus and into my stomach. That way, they could become my new ingredients."
Vale's face turned red, and a strange, empty feeling spread through his body — as if something deep inside had been taken from him.
"You... Alice, you have to let me know before you do something like that next time."
Alice's face was flushed, her eyes glowing with a soft, almost heart-shaped light.
"I understand, master. By the way… I really like your offspring. They taste perfect in my mouth."
[System Prompt]: Congratulations! You have completed a soul fusion with your guardian. Your agility attribute has now increased by 100 points!