Kael's voice sharpened. "Klee, say it clearly. What happened to Jean?"
"Klee doesn't know! Klee got grounded by Acting Grand Master Jean today, and while she was scolding Klee, she just suddenly fainted! No time! I need to bring Barbara!"
Kael's heart tightened.
Was Jean injured?
Or was it the emotional projection from the life simulation overwhelming her?
He wanted to run to her immediately.
But… his identity was complicated.
He wasn't even a citizen of Mondstadt. If he rushed over when their Acting Grand Master had collapsed, people would definitely suspect him.
He could only say, "Then you should go now."
Barbara had been watching his face the whole time. Hearing that answer, her legs nearly gave out.
"O-okay… I'll go now…"
Kael watched her leave with a faint sense of dread.
Did he say something wrong again?
He'd been too worried about Jean to think about anything else.
This scene… hadn't this also appeared in the life simulation?
Barbara waiting for his choice.
Ah.
He'd accidentally brushed against her inner wound again.
Kael grimaced.
He didn't want to hurt Barbara in real life. He'd planned to make things right.
Once Barbara finished treating Jean, he had to explain everything to her.
If Barbara continued resenting Jean, it could seriously affect both of their futures.
[Host, I have returned.]
The sudden voice in his head made Kael jump.
"Huh? What? Weren't you upgrading? Why are you back already?"
He remembered clearly—the stupid system said upgrading plus freeze time would take twenty days.
But it had only been a few days.
[A module finished upgrading and unlocked a new function. I must explain it to the host first.]
[Currently, a new function has been added—compensating characters you have inflicted emotional damage upon. Host will receive Attribute Points for doing so.]
Kael groaned. "You're so contradictory. First you make me hurt them, then you tell me to compensate them."
[This function was created to maintain stability in the Genshin world. We didn't expect the host to get involved with so many Genshin characters.]
The system even sounded a bit resentful.
[Because the characters the host hurt are now mentally unstable, their emotional imbalance may affect the world's equilibrium. Host must reduce their suffering in real life to lower their pain values.]
"…Aren't you literally called the Tragedy System? Won't this hurt your whole purpose?"
[All human emotions can generate energy—joy, fear, sorrow. Sadness simply generates the most stable and long-lasting energy, which is why the system specializes in emotional pain.]
Kael sighed.
So sadness was the highest yield.
Of course the system picked the most profitable route.
What a greedy mutt.
[But the pain you inflicted in the life simulation also transferred partially to their real counterparts. The accumulated energy is too great. Based on your performance in the simulations, it will only grow. We must create a release valve.]
Kael's face darkened. "So you broke the system, didn't you?"
Serves it right for being greedy.
[…In any case, the new mode benefits the host as well.]
"Fine. What do I get?"
[You will receive 10 Attribute Points for every point of pain you reduce in a character.]
Perfect timing.
Kael had been desperate for more Attribute Points.
Now he could earn points and heal old wounds.
Two birds with one stone.
He examined the list.
[Amber: Pain 20. (Initial 100)]
[Kamisato Ayaka: Pain 100. Corruption 80.]
[Yoimiya: Pain 100.]
[Kamisato Ayato: Pain 45.]
[Kaedehara Kazuha: Pain 40.]
[Xiangling: Pain 10. (Initial 90)]
[Keqing: Pain 100.]
[Ningguang: Pain 85.]
[Chef Mao: Pain 100.]
[Hu Tao: Pain 10.]
[Yanfei: Pain 100.]
[Jean: Pain 100.]
[Barbara: Pain 100. Corruption 40. (Initial 35)]
[Eula: Pain 35. (Initial 100)]
Kael stared at the long list in disbelief.
He had hurt this many people?
At least Xiangling, Amber, and Eula had dropped significantly.
That alone had earned him over twenty thousand Attribute Points.
But what caught his attention were Barbara and Ayaka.
Both had corruption values.
"Pain value I understand, but what's corruption?"
[It means their personality and mental state are approaching collapse. At 100 corruption, they will shift into a dark persona—kind to cruel, pure to calculating, eventually becoming villains. Under 100 is manageable shadowing. At 100, it's irreversible.]
"!!!"
Corruption was that dangerous?
Barbara's had risen from 35 to 40.
Was it because of Jean?
Because he chose Jean again instead of her?
And Ayaka—she was in serious danger.
"How do I decrease corruption?"
[Please explore on your own.]
That line again.
[You have received 22,500 Attribute Points for reduced pain. Please allocate them wisely. Any more questions?]
"…No."
Not that it mattered. You'd just tell me to explore on my own anyway.
[Very well. Host, please use the new function wisely and enjoy life in Teyvat. System entering freeze mode. Looking forward to our next meeting.]
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four more chapters are on the way :)