Follower

[Objective: Talk to the Forest Spirit.]

[Congratulations! You are now level 12!]

[Unlocked: Follower System.]

[New Objective: Establish a Follower!]

"What is this now?"

[This allows you to manage your followers and check their relationship bond.]

"Relationship bond?"

[It functions as an indication of your closeness to them. It will increase their trust, affection, and even their sexual desire.]

"Wait, are you serious about this?" he questioned. "Is the last status even necessary?"

[Remember, Goddesses or their Prophets have never been touched by a male divine in their entire lives. It's also your task to give them this experience—a secret weapon to make them fall under your control.]

Hearing that has made Aldebaran flustered. He hadn't done this before; he was amateur and inexperienced. Let alone the divine obligation—Aldebaran was a loser not only in the career aspect but also in terms of romance. Hearing this task did not boost his confidence.

"That's not what I expected," Alissa stated, breaking Aldebaran's reverie. "The light from the Goddess Pond draws them out. Well, it looks like we're all desperate to see her. Are you alright?"

Clumsily, he nodded, flashing a forced smile. "Yeah, nothing happened except this." He showed her the ornament.

Alissa's eyes lit up when she saw the Spirit Springs. "So far, the Forest Spirits have been holding back. Perhaps Leader Lorient's patience has worn thin with humans."

"They're waiting for the Goddess's order," Aldebaran sighed. "If she doesn't have a solution, then it's over. Bloodshed might happen between them."

Alissa lowered her head, thinking deeply. Her demeanor softened. "But we have to try, right? We can't give up. I'm sure Goddess Thalendra still has the right answer for all of this."

"Part of me believes that," she added in a hushed voice. "The other part believes in you."

"No offense, but back then, my doubts about you were strong," she admitted. "I mean, there is no male divine at all, and that light earlier—I thought Goddess Thalendra had come. But I was mistaken."

Aldebaran choosing to listen.

"When I met you at the swamp, I sensed the same aura I had missed the most. You indeed have it. And now, the Goddess Pond has opened my mind and erased all those doubts," she said, her eyes occasionally locking onto his. "Please, allow me to dedicate myself to the divine once more. Allow me to become a follower of God!"

Aldebaran couldn't utter a single word. "Did she just offer herself?" he muttered under his breath. Then, addressing the system, he asked, "Tell me, what are the benefits of them becoming my followers?"

[Them? You will gain various abilities from them, and they will gain your trust. Additionally, they can receive your God essence, which enhances their divine aspect.]

"Just that?"

[Don't underestimate God essence. It's already a significant gift for them to receive.]

"Whatever that is, I don't want them to follow me without gaining something in return," he expressed and he felt responsible, it was like having a subordinate, someone he trusted to handle tasks for him.

Taking a deep breath, Aldebaran stepped forward. "Alissa, do you believe in me?"

Their eyes locked, and for a moment, the tension between them was noticeable. Both radiated an unspoken trust, though Alissa felt a hint of embarrassment as she held his gaze for so long. "I... I believe in you," she replied, her voice steady despite the faint blush on her cheeks.

[Follower System activated! Current members:

1. Alissa the Prophet (Info)

2. None

3. None

Invite more followers to receive more benefits.]

"Then we should not waste a moment," Aldebaran uttered, stepping past Alissa. "We head to that herd of rabbits."

"Wait!" exclaimed the blonde woman, stopping him in his tracks. "You need the Whispering Tree Heart, right? I've spoken to the Orbivians before, they're not entirely hostile. Maybe we could negotiate with them?"

Aldebaran considered her words. "Where are these Orbivians located?"

"They're still in the Eanor region. Not far from here," she replied confidently.

Alissa had proven to be far more useful than he thought. Without her, he would likely have died before reaching the Goddess Pond or claiming the Spirit Springs. Her guidance and knowledge were valuable, her role in his adventure too significant to ignore.

This time, Aldebaran chose to read the information about Alissa the Prophet.

[Name: Alissa

Title: The Truthful Prophet

Description: Alissa has carried out many tasks for Goddess Thalendra and was once her most beloved Prophet. She is loyal to the divine, highly dedicated, tenderness, and more intelligent than her siblings.

Her banishment occurred because she believed the worsening conflict between humans and Orbivians required immediate action, while the Goddess remained passive. Alissa attempted to mediate the conflict herself, holding deliberations between the two parties. However, her actions were deemed disobedient by the other Prophets.

With the Forest Spirits raging toward humans as well, all blame fell on Alissa for allegedly escalating the situation. As a result, she was banished from the divine haven and chose the Goddess Pond as her temporary refuge in the wild.]

Aldebaran frowned, reflecting on the irony of her fate. It was clear she had acted with noble intentions, yet she was punished for it. Compassion stirred within him. "Her background makes sense now. But what about her skills?"

[Skills:

1. Beast Pacifist – Pacifies Mystical Beasts ranging from low to medium levels, enabling her to tame them.

2. Light Shield – Creates a barrier in front of her, blocking all physical and magical attacks for a short duration.

3. Subtle Heal – Heals minor injuries over a short time.]

"Well, she has skills that are useful for survival," Aldebaran muttered, his gaze inadvertently wandering toward Alissa's figure.

For a moment, he found himself fascinated by the roundness of her buttocks, noticing how they bounced slightly with her stride. Realizing what he was doing, he shook his head violently, forcing his eyes to focus elsewhere. "Damn it! What am I even doing?"

[Relationship with Alissa:

Trust: 80 (Strong Bond)

Affection: 45 (Neutral)

Sexual Desire: 10 (Negative)

Fear: 25 (Negative)]

Aldebaran rubbed his temple. He didn't know how to react to the stats, nor did he want to. After all, they had only met yesterday evening—it was absurd to expect anything deeper between them so soon. "Come to think of it, how can I acquire her skills?"

[To acquire her skills, you must be connected with her.]

"Hold on, can you explain that further?"

[Are you really this innocent? It requires sexual intercourse.]

Aldebaran stopped dead in his tracks, his brain short-circuiting for a moment. Alissa, noticing his abrupt halt, turned around, her brows furrowed. "Something wrong?"

He forced a smile, quickly coming up with an excuse. "No... it's fine. Just... this scene here is so beautiful," he conveyed, gesturing to the surroundings before continuing to walk.

As they moved on, he commented under his breath, "Is there no other way than doing that?"