5. Passive Skill

I sat alone in the main headquarters of the floating castle, letting myself sink into a rare moment of solitude. In front of me, a screen hovered, displaying an array of system menus:

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Name: UwoghCunny123 

Level: 1 

Base Level: 1 

Server: EARTH001 

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At the bottom of the screen, I selected the "Inventory Base" option.

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Base Inventory

Base Gold: 10,000 

Moondrops: 0 

Research Points: 0 

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"That's it?" I muttered, sighing as the reality sank in. This castle was only at level 1, and resources were extremely limited. I'd have to manage everything carefully—especially base gold. Knowing how vital it was for upgrading the castle and my combat units, I resolved to be cautious with it.

Suddenly, my stomach rumbled. I'd forgotten how hungry I was. I glanced over at Luna, who stood quietly by my side as usual. "Luna," I asked, "is there any food in this castle? I'm really starting to get hungry."

Luna nodded gently, her usual warm smile in place. "You can purchase food through the Shop menu, Navigator," she replied.

I opened the Shop menu on the screen and browsed the available options: bread, roast meat, soups, salads… all of it seemed like European-style fare, and none of it felt familiar to someone used to rice-based meals. I scrolled through the list, hoping for something more like home, but no luck. Not even a hint of Asian food, let alone anything Indonesian. I sighed. No other choice, it seemed. The cheapest item was a sandwich for 2 gold.

With a click, I chose the sandwich, and my base gold dropped to 9,998. The sandwich materialized on the screen and then appeared directly in my hand. I had to admit—it was pretty cool. The sandwich was neatly assembled, with slices of meat and fresh vegetables tucked between thick pieces of bread.

I took a cautious bite. Bland. The meat was milder than I expected, and the vegetables weren't particularly fresh. "Guess I can't expect much from something that just popped out of a screen," I mumbled, chewing slowly.

"Luna, you don't need to eat, do you?" I asked, a bit curious.

She shook her head gracefully. "No, Navigator. I'm designed to function without the need for food or any external resources. Unlike humans, I operate just fine without consuming energy from outside sources."

I smirked slightly. Lucky you, I thought. At least you don't have to worry about burning through base gold just to keep from starving. If I kept relying on the Shop, my base gold would get depleted just covering basic needs. With that in mind, I realized depending solely on the Shop might not be the smartest move. That gold was supposed to go toward upgrading the castle, strengthening units, and building new facilities. If I used it all for food, I'd be broke soon enough.

"I think we're going to need another solution for food, Luna. We can't rely on the Shop alone," I said, half to her, half to myself.

She gave a small nod. "You could always look for alternative methods, Navigator, though it would require further research and exploration."

I nodded back, agreeing. It wouldn't be easy, but with some exploring, maybe I could find something authentic in this world. I wondered if the nearby town, Lilac, might have a market where I could find more fitting food. For now, though, I'd have to make do with these Shop sandwiches.

As I finished the sandwich, I began mapping out a strategy for what lay ahead. Our main goal was the dungeon in Lilac Town, but these minor issues like food and resources couldn't be ignored. I had to make sure everything went smoothly without draining the base gold.

After finishing, I reactivated the screen, thinking through my upgrade options while considering ways to save resources.

"For now, maybe I'll just focus on planning our next move with this Lilac Town dungeon. If there's anything useful in there, maybe I can bring it back here."

***

Catherine stood in front of a simple wooden stall, her eyes scanning the items on display. There were silk fabrics, glass perfume bottles, and a few leather goods. Although she had no money to buy anything, Catherine looked on with genuine interest. Occasionally, she would touch the fabric or lift a perfume bottle, her face softening with a gentle smile. The vendor, a middle-aged man in plain clothes, smiled back warmly, pleased that someone was admiring his wares.

Meanwhile, Thomas took the chance to start a conversation, making small talk about the merchandise before gradually steering toward the real topic. "This town seems peaceful, but there must be trouble lurking, right?" he asked, his gaze fixed on the vendor's eyes. "Especially these days."

The vendor looked at Thomas with mild surprise, then chuckled. "Ah, yes, you're right. Peace always comes at a price." He shook his head slightly. "Lately, the guards have been complaining about being ordered to patrol late into the night. They say strange creatures have been spotted in the forest on the edge of town. Monsters, they call them."

The word "monster" made Thomas pause, deep in thought. Monsters? In this world? Hard to believe, but he couldn't dismiss anything in this mission. "What kind of monsters did they see?" he asked, his curiosity barely concealed.

The vendor shrugged, seeming not to know many details. "I haven't seen them myself, just heard stories from the guards. They say they're large, towering creatures with glowing eyes in the darkness. Sometimes there's a roar that chills them to the bone."

Thomas fell silent for a moment, taking it all in. Something about it felt off. If there were monsters here, were they truly native to this world, or perhaps… something from outside, maybe from an astral point?

The thought was met by the soft voice of the Navigator echoing in his mind. "These monsters could be creatures from the astral point," the Navigator suggested. "There's a chance they're connected to the dungeon you need to investigate for this mission."

Catherine, who had been listening quietly, glanced at Thomas, raising a single eyebrow elegantly to signal her agreement with the Navigator's insight. "Perhaps we should find out more from the guard commander," she whispered.

Thomas nodded, agreeing with the plan. "Yes. We need to learn more about what's really going on around here."

After asking the vendor for the location of the guard headquarters, Catherine and Thomas left the stall and made their way down the bustling streets toward it. The roads in Lilac Town were lively, filled with residents going about their business, which occasionally slowed their progress. Along the way, Catherine continued observing the townsfolk, taking in their behavior, facial expressions, and snippets of conversation. She firmly believed that through body language and small talk, one could sense the mood of a place.

When they finally arrived in front of the guard headquarters, they found a sturdy, modest building with gray stone walls, guarded by a few soldiers at the entrance. Thomas stepped forward first, addressing one of the guards. "We'd like to speak with your commander, Carlos," he said in a calm yet authoritative tone.

The guard eyed Thomas and Catherine with a hint of suspicion but didn't show any intent to turn them away. "Carlos is busy right now. Is there a particular reason you want to meet with him?"

Catherine, as if she had anticipated this, offered a warm smile. "We're travelers from quite a distance. We heard stories of monsters in the forest, and our curiosity about the local culture got the better of us. Who better to explain than the head of the town's guards?" she said, her voice just a touch softer than usual, making the guard blush slightly.

Eventually, the guard nodded and asked them to wait for a moment. Soon after, he returned, signaling for them to enter. Catherine and Thomas exchanged a glance before stepping inside the headquarters.

Inside the guard headquarters, Catherine and Thomas faced Carlos, the burly, experienced-looking commander. Yet, as Catherine began to speak, Carlos, who initially appeared stern and serious, gradually softened under her smile. Catherine spoke in a gentle but curious tone, and Carlos answered each of her questions without hesitation, as if he were speaking to someone he trusted deeply.

"How long do you and the guards usually work per shift at night, Commander?" Catherine asked, her gaze attentive.

Carlos nodded. "We split the shifts into three watches, Miss. Each lasts about four hours. Since the monsters were spotted in the forest, we've added two extra guards at each post."

"Very interesting," Catherine replied, her eyes fixed on Carlos. "And in which part of the forest are they usually seen? Is there a specific time when these creatures appear?"

Carlos thought for a moment. "We mostly see them from midnight until dawn. They appear in the eastern area, near the village border."

Thomas, observing this exchange, was slightly amazed. Catherine asked questions with such detail, almost like an interrogation, and to his surprise, Carlos seemed more than happy to answer. They were obvious strangers with unusual clothing, hardly blending with the locals.

With a smile, Catherine continued, "Then, who were the first ones to see these monsters? They must have had unique experiences we could learn from."

Carlos scratched his head, responding, "If I recall, it was Erik and Jonas on duty at the north post last week. They reported strange sounds and faint lights from the forest, but they couldn't tell what they saw."

As their conversation concluded, Catherine smiled warmly. "Thank you very much for the valuable information, Commander. We truly appreciate your time."

Carlos, seemingly helpless under Catherine's charm, could only nod nervously. After that, Thomas and Catherine calmly left the headquarters.

Outside, Thomas appeared thoughtful. Catherine noticed the hint of suspicion on his face, even though he tried to hide it. Without turning, she spoke in a calm voice, "Thomas, what's on your mind?"

Thomas paused but finally admitted, "I… I'm just puzzled. Carlos seemed unable to resist you, even though we're obvious outsiders. You even asked such detailed questions, and yet he answered everything without hesitation."

Catherine chuckled lightly, then summoned the Navigator in her mind. "Navigator, explain my ability to him."

Moments later, the Navigator's voice echoed in their minds. "Thomas, Catherine has a passive skill called Mask of Charisma. This skill influences those around her, making them more likely to submit to her and less susceptible to negative effects."

Suddenly, a system screen appeared in front of Thomas, displaying the details of Catherine's skill:

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Catherine de Medici "Serpent Queen"

Passive Skill – Mask of Charisma

Description: Catherine's charm makes allies more resistant to enemy magic or debuffs, and non-allied units are affected by her charisma.

Effect: All nearby allies gain a 20% debuff resistance and a 25% poison resistance while Catherine is within a certain radius.

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Thomas looked at the screen, processing it quickly. So, this was why Carlos had been so compliant. "Interesting," he murmured, wondering if Catherine might have other hidden skills. But he also realized something else: he himself seemed unaffected by Catherine's charm, even though others appeared easily influenced.

Catherine, without turning, seemed to read his thoughts. "Would you like to show me your abilities as well, Thomas?" she asked, half-teasing.

Thomas paused, then nodded. "Navigator, show my passive skill to Catherine," he said, his tone firm but without resistance. Another system screen appeared before them, showing Thomas's skill details:

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Thomas Hobbes "Monster of Malmesbury"

Passive Skill – Doctrine of Control 

Description: Hobbes' natural influence makes allies more resistant to enemy debuff.

Effect: All nearby allies gain a 15% resistance to status effects like stun, silence, and charm while Hobbes is on the battlefield.

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Catherine laughed lightly upon seeing it. "So that's why. Because of your skill, my charm doesn't work on you," she said, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

Thomas offered a faint smile, somewhat relieved that they now knew each other's abilities. "Alright, Catherine," he said. "Now I understand why you can gather information so effortlessly. Though I'll never stop questioning your methods," he added with a slight nod.

Catherine smiled confidently. "Sometimes, charm is more effective than force, Thomas. And now, we know more about what awaits us out there."

They exchanged a silent look of agreement, ready to face the monster threat awaiting them in the forest.

***