'Wait, I'm Supposed to Become a Goddess?! But I'm a Guy!'

Mize walked at a leisurely pace, his steps light against the smooth marble path beneath him.

The crisp morning air brushed against his skin, carrying the faint scent of flowers from the vast garden stretching around him.

His eyes flickered across the scenery, taking in the different shades of purple, blue, and yellow swaying gently in the wind.

His lips curled into a small smile as he finally stopped, lowering himself into a squat beside a cluster of delicate blossoms.

He reached out, fingers brushing over the soft petals as he murmured, “It’s quite refreshing… having a change of scenery once in a while.”

His voice was soft, unhurried, blending seamlessly with the rustling leaves and distant chirping of birds.

Behind him, the maids and guards halted immediately, standing at a respectful distance.

Their gazes, however, were not on the flowers but rather on the person holding them.

The morning sun cast a gentle glow over Mize’s features, enhancing the porcelain-like sheen of his skin, so fair that the faintest hint of blue veins peeked through near the wrists.

His long lashes fluttered as he brought the flower close, his ruby-red eyes narrowing slightly as he breathed in the scent.

A few of the younger guards tensed visibly.

For a brief moment, an unspoken fear gripped their hearts, not from danger, but from realization.

They had fallen.

Fallen into the unshakable pull of their first lady’s beauty, without even knowing when it had begun.

One of them swallowed dryly, his grip tightening around his shield.

“Such breathtaking beauty…”

“Y-yeah… Perhaps the first lady is undoubtedly the most beautiful person I have ever seen"

“I once had the honor of witnessing a passing Angel Race envoy when I was a child. Their beauty was… unforgettable. Yet I must admit, our first lady is… comparable, if not surpassing them.”

“Blasphemous claims!”

“Hush!” someone hissed in a hushed whisper.

“Lower your voice! Pray the first lady does not hear your whispers, or we’ll all find our heads personally harvested by Minister Aizen!”

Their quiet murmurs died out, but the emotions lingered.

How could they not?

The sunlight filtering through the trees caught the strands of Mize’s long, cascading black hair, making them shimmer like the finest strands of woven silk.

Each movement sent a ripple through the soft waves, strands swaying against the gentle breeze like they had a life of their own.

His delicate fingers, adorned with a soft natural pink at the tips, curled gently around the fragile petals of the flower, his every movement filled with a quiet elegance that seemed almost ethereal.

With a small tilt of his head, Mize’s lips parted slightly as he blew a gentle breath against the flower’s petals, watching them quiver under the soft air.

A simple gesture.

Yet for those watching, it was a vision, one they would never forget.

Mize lingered a bit longer, fingers brushing lightly over the delicate petals of the flowers.

The soft fragrance lingered in his nostrils, a mix of sweet and faintly sharp, gentle yet striking.

"Sweet… stingy a bit, yet soft," he murmured in approval.

His mind wandered briefly.

"Halb truly is an interesting individual."

A man capable of decorations, warfare, and even cultivation. A proper multi-talented general.

The contrast between his towering, robust figure and the delicate beauty of this garden was almost laughable.

A small chuckle left Mize’s lips.

"At least he surprises me a bit. Good impression, I must say."

His musings were cut short as hurried footsteps echoed from the castle gate.

"My lady…!"

The butler appeared, half-breathless, his hurried strides evident from the flushed complexion on his face.

Beads of sweat clung to his collar, marking the urgency of his journey.

Mize raised an eyebrow.

"Did you… run here?"

The butler lifted a hand, fingers resting over his chest as if physically trying to catch his breath.

"The carriage… is ready," he exhaled, struggling slightly. "Please… follow me, My lady."

Mize tilted his head, lips curling slightly.

"Splendid," he replied, then turned cheerfully. "Lead the way."

The guards, noting the butler’s subtle glance, immediately fell into step, moving in silent synchronization behind Mize as they followed the wide marble path leading to the right side of the garden.

Soon, they approached another gated area, the entrance framed by high stone walls enclosing what lay beyond.

The butler stepped forward and gestured toward the open space beyond the gate.

"My lady, please…"

Beyond the threshold, several maids stood waiting, neatly aligned beside a luxurious carriage parked near a guard sentry post.

Behind the carriage, twenty horses stood ready, along with several smaller horses, likely intended for the maids and guards who would be accompanying him.

'So even the maids know how to ride horses in this castle, huh?'

Mize’s expression remained neutral, but internally, he took note of how capable these people were.

'With Liam’s personality, it’s natural that he’d provide only the best for me.'

His gaze swept across the scene, taking in every detail as he approached the carriage.

As if on cue, the guards stationed at the sentry post stiffened, moving in perfect synchronization.

Then, in one resounding voice, they greeted him.

"Greetings, Her Highness!"

The sheer force of their voices sent a subtle tremor through the air.

Mize smiled faintly, offering a small dismissive wave before turning his focus back to the carriage.

'So many guards stationed here… How many are there? 100? 200?'

His gaze flickered toward the top of the enclosing walls, following the trail of armored figures patrolling in synchronized rotations.

'Strict security. It doesn’t feel excessive, though.'

Satisfied with his observations, he finally turned his attention fully to the waiting carriage.

The carriage stood medium-sized, crafted from a pale, ivory-like wood, polished to a glossy sheen that reflected the ambient light.

Every edge was meticulously carved, exuding an air of elegance.

But what truly stole Mize’s attention were the four beasts harnessed to it.

Massive, muscular creatures, towering over the average horse with ease.

Their jet-black coats gleamed under the light, and atop their foreheads, a mane of flickering flames burned without consuming.

Mize’s lips twitched.

'You sure this is a horse?'

His gaze ran from their thick, armored legs to their intimidating size, each movement of their muscles rippling like coiled steel.

'This looks more like a walking war machine.'

Despite the absurdity of their appearance, the butler remained natural.

With practiced ease, he gestured for Mize to step in.

Mize hesitated briefly, then took the offered hand, stepping into the luxurious interior.

The moment he entered, his pupils contracted slightly.

The space inside…

'Definitely bigger than it looks outside.'

Mize’s lips parted slightly, realization settling in.

"Space formation."

Though not excessive, the difference was noticeable, enough for comfort, with ample legroom and a plush seating arrangement.

He settled in, fingers grazing over the smooth, cool fabric of the seat.

At the front, the butler climbed onto the driver’s seat, effortlessly handling the rein of the monstrous creatures.

Mize’s gaze flickered toward the glass window at the front, watching as the butler skillfully maneuvered the reins.

"Talented guy," Mize mused aloud. "Capable of handling four tank-like warhorses too…"

Then, with a crisp flick of the reins.

The beasts moved.

The carriage lurched forward, the massive creatures stamping powerfully onto the ground.

As they passed beneath the massive archway, the shadows momentarily engulfed them, casting everything into brief darkness.

Outside, the stationed guards sprang into action.

"Her Highness is departing! Her Highness is departing! Make way for Her Highness!"

Their voices boomed, reverberating against the walls as they hurriedly pulled a massive lever.

The thick, heavy gates groaned open.

Mize’s eyes twinkled with curiosity, his attention shifting to the side window.

The design was intricate, a smooth carved edge allowing him to comfortably rest his arm while peering out.

The glass was so pristine, it nearly blended into the air itself.

Mize reached out, his fingers brushing against it.

'So clear… I almost didn’t notice it was there.'

And then, as the carriage emerged beyond the interior walls.

Shuaa…

A breathtaking scene unfolded.

Green.

Everywhere, a vast stretch of greenery sprawled endlessly, bathed in the soft glow of the midday sun.

Beneath the carriage wheels, a smooth white-marble road stretched forward, stark against the sea of emerald grass surrounding it.

And the grass itself.

Each blade stood at the exact same height, uniform and impossibly precise, as though nature had been carefully sculpted by unseen hands.

Mize’s lips parted slightly.

"Magic, huh…" 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

His voice came out in a breath of awe, his gaze drinking in the serene, almost surreal beauty.

"Incredible."

Mize’s gaze lingered on the passing scenery, his eyes flickering between the patches of forest, the workers hauling logs, and most notably, a bizarre scene that completely shattered his sense of reality.

His lips parted slightly, his mind struggling to catch up with what he had just witnessed.

"Incredible… So this is the resource point mechanic you mentioned before, system?"

[Precisely.]

Mize’s gaze locked onto a worker chopping down a tree, his axe sinking into the bark, the wood splitting cleanly as the trunk crashed onto the ground.

The worker barely had time to hoist the log onto his shoulder before.

Shhhk—!

The tree reappeared instantly.

Mize froze, his pupils constricting as he watched the scene unfold.

There was no delay, no regrowth animation, not even a flicker of change in the surrounding soil, as if the tree had never been cut down in the first place.

A small chill ran down his spine.

"That’s… ridiculous."

Even though the system had briefly explained the concept to him, seeing it firsthand was a whole different matter.

And it wasn’t just one or two trees.

There were dozens, hundreds, an entire forest of endlessly replenishing wood.

Mize’s gaze turned sharp.

"So Liam must’ve been constantly hunting for these resource points outside and transporting them back into the territory…"

That was the only way to explain why there were so many.

The resource point system was simple in concept but extremely valuable in practice.

Scattered randomly across the world, these specialized zones provided an infinite supply of materials, wood, stone, fishery, farmland, gold, and more.

But there was one major catch.

Lords couldn’t harvest resources from them until they were captured.

To claim a resource point, one had to defeat the monsters guarding it.

And the higher the tier of the resource points.

The deadlier the creatures defending it.

"It really is just like a game," Mize murmured, tapping his fingers rhythmically against the window frame.

[Indeed. The mechanics closely resemble kingdom-building games, Host.]

"Yeah, it reminds me of Clash of Kings."

He sighed, leaning against the cool glass as memories surfaced.

"I played that a couple of times, but it got boring real fast. The whales ruined everything."

Even in those games, there were players who spent absurd amounts of money, dominating the entire server and wiping out thousands of others with ease.

A beat of silence.

Then, Mize’s expression twitched.

"…Wait."

A sudden thought struck him, and he snapped upright.

"Can something like that happen here too?!"

Could there be insane pay-to-win players in this world as well? Lords so powerful that they trampled over weaker ones with sheer resources alone?!

[From my understanding, Host…]

[Liam himself is a whale-level player.]

[He alone can contend against thousands of ordinary Lords on his own.]

Mize blinked.

"Ah."

He let that sink in for a moment.

Then, slowly, his lips curled into a smirk.

"So I’m dating one of the strongest whale in the game."

[Correct.]

"…Nice."

Mize leaned back, completely satisfied.