Glitched Goddess: My Skills are maxed out

Seraphine's grip on Kana tightens as she walks swiftly through the dimly lit streets, her footsteps silent against the cobblestone path.

The auction house looms in the distance, yet her instincts scream at her to turn away.

She hesitates briefly, glancing at Kana's peaceful face, then exhales sharply and changes direction.

Her heart pounds. Logic tells her to deliver Kana as planned, but something far stronger gnaws at her core—a possessive, inexplicable need.

A voice in the back of her mind whispers that Kana must never be put on display, never be auctioned, never be seen by prying eyes.

Before she realizes it, Seraphine's feet are carrying her down a different route, away from the bustling market roads, deeper into the forgotten alleys where her secret hideout waits.

Her chest rises and falls heavily, frustration brewing inside her.

"What am I doing…? Am I really risking everything for a girl I barely know?"

She mutters under her breath, clutching Kana tighter.

She clenches her jaw, knowing the answer already. She curses herself for falling for the strange temptation called Kana.

She knew she shouldn't have—she knew the risks—but the magnetic pull surrounding Kana was unlike anything she'd ever encountered.

Even now, the faint warmth radiating from the girl's body only fuels Seraphine's possessiveness.

Halfway through the winding path, Kana stirs slightly in Seraphine's arms, her lashes trembling as though she's on the verge of waking.

Seraphine freezes, her crimson eyes narrowing. Without hesitation, she swiftly retrieves a small vial from her pocket, cracking it open beneath Kana's nose.

A faint, sweet gas escapes, and Kana's body instantly relaxes again.

"Not yet. Sleep a little longer…"

Seraphine whispers softly, brushing a strand of hair away from Kana's face.

Inside the haze of her fading consciousness, Kana's thoughts swirl in confusion.

'Why… why am I knocked out again…?'

She grumbles mentally, directing her frustration toward the system.

'Hey, System! I have max resistance! Why am I still fainting like this? This isn't fair!'

The system responds with an unbothered chime.

[It is not due to your condition. Your physical resistance remains intact. You fainted because you were too shocked to activate your defensive skills in time.]

Kana's eyes would have twitched if she were awake.

'…So basically, I passed out because I panicked?!'

[Affirmative.]

Kana groans internally, burying her embarrassment deeper than ever.

'Fine… fine. Whatever. I'll just… pretend I'm still unconscious. If I wake up now, she'll probably drop me.'

Resolving to stay limp and quiet, Kana forces her breathing into a steady rhythm, feigning deep sleep.

But the longer Seraphine carries her, the more Kana's unease grows. Every passing moment only fuels her creeping anxiety.

'Why hasn't she put me down yet?'

The soft sway of Seraphine's steps continues endlessly, her hold on Kana unyielding.

Time stretches unbearably long, and Kana can't shake the prickling dread crawling down her spine.

Something is wrong.

Not only is the situation unbearably awkward, but a sinking realization gnaws at Kana's heart—she may have made a mistake far bigger than she can handle.

And judging by the tension rolling off Seraphine's body… she isn't being taken anywhere safe.

______

Seraphine walks briskly, Kana's weight resting effortlessly in her arms, yet her mind feels heavier than ever.

The longer she carries Kana, the more the turmoil inside her grows.

Her grip tightens unconsciously, nails digging lightly into her own palm.

The faint scent of Kana's hair lingers in the air, subtle yet intoxicating, further clouding her judgment.

Seraphine's crimson eyes waver, conflicted, as she pushes forward through the quiet backstreets.

She knows what she's doing is irrational. Taking Kana to the auction house was the plan—a flawless, profitable plan. But now, every fiber of her being resists that path.

"Damn it…Why… why her?"

She mutters under her breath, her frustration leaking into her voice.

This wasn't supposed to happen. She'd seen plenty of gifted people before, plenty of beautiful faces, plenty of rare abilities.

Yet none of them had ever made her feel like this.

There was something unexplainable about Kana. A quiet allure. A subtle pull. It wasn't just her charm; it was something deeper—an energy Seraphine couldn't identify but couldn't walk away from either.

And that terrified her.

Halfway through her thoughts, Kana shifts slightly in her arms, her fingers twitching. Seraphine's steps falter for just a second, her gaze darting down.

The girl's lashes tremble, threatening to flutter open.

'Not yet.'

Seraphine retrieves another vial from the small leather pouch hidden inside her robes and swiftly cracks it open beneath Kana's nose.

The soft, sweet fragrance seeps into the air again, making Kana's body slacken once more.

Seraphine exhales a shaky breath of relief, tucking the vial away. But this time, the act unsettles her more than before. She isn't trying to control Kana. She isn't doing this for business anymore.

No—this was possessiveness. Pure, irrational possessiveness.

Inside her mind, the thought repeats like a drumbeat:

'I can't let anyone else have her.'

Her destination shifts entirely. The bustling auction house is no longer in her sights.

Instead, she takes the winding path toward her private hideout—a place no one knows exists, not even Dorian.

Her pace quickens as her resolve hardens, though deep inside, a flicker of guilt gnaws at her. She knows this isn't rational. She knows she's going against her own principles.

But the fear of losing Kana overwhelms everything else.

Meanwhile, inside Seraphine's arms, Kana's consciousness teeters between wakefulness and oblivion.

She hears muffled footsteps, the faint rustle of Seraphine's robes, and the soft thud of her own heartbeat pounding in her ears.

Her lashes twitch slightly, and a soft groan almost escapes her lips, but she forces herself to stay still.

Everything feels hazy—warm, yet suffocating. Kana senses Seraphine's grip tighten around her, protective yet unsettling.

A faint unease stirs in her chest, though her mind struggles to focus. Something feels… off.

Why does it seem like Seraphine isn't taking her back to the auction house?

'What is going on here?'