Lust System: Conquering the World Beauties

Rowan slowly looked Liam up and down, his eyes lingering on the young man’s snow-white hair before settling on his face.

He had to admit it.

The bastard looked ridiculously handsome.

Even as another man, Rowan found it irritating how perfect Liam’s features were. Sharp jawline, calm blue eyes, flawless skin... if there was one thing Liam couldn’t be criticized for, it was his appearance.

No wonder she’s clinging to him.

Rowan’s gaze shifted toward Tatiana.

She was still holding Liam’s arm so naturally that it was obvious she enjoyed doing it.

He clicked his tongue.

”Hmph.”

”It makes sense, I suppose.”

Liam raised an eyebrow.

”Oh?”

”Women are naturally attracted to handsome men.”

He shrugged casually before folding his arms.

”But looks only get you so far.”

His smile slowly widened.

”In this world...”

He tapped his own chest proudly.

”...only strength matters.”

His eyes drifted back toward Tatiana.

”A woman as beautiful as you shouldn’t waste your time following a pretty boy.”

”You’ll only get yourself killed.”

”You should be with someone capable of protecting you.”

”...Someone like me.”

Tatiana’s smile disappeared instantly.

The warmth in her emerald eyes vanished, replaced by cold annoyance.

She slowly released Liam’s arm and finally looked directly at Rowan.

”...Who are you?”

Her tone was flat.

Completely uninterested.

To her, this stranger had walked up out of nowhere and immediately started talking about taking her away from Liam.

It irritated her to no end.

Rowan threw his head back and laughed loudly.

”Hahaha!”

The booming laughter echoed throughout the guild hall, drawing even more attention.

Several adventurers exchanged amused looks.

Even Liam tilted his head slightly, curious to see where this was going.

Rowan wiped an imaginary tear from the corner of his eye.

”So...”

”You don’t know who I am?”

Tatiana’s expression didn’t change.

”...Should I?”

The laughter around the guild grew louder.

Someone nearly spat out his drink.

Rowan’s smile twitched.

”I am Rowan.”

He puffed out his chest proudly.

”The youngest Rank-Two adventurer in this guild.”

”My future is limitless.”

He flashed what he believed to be a charming smile toward Tatiana.

”I guarantee...”

”It won’t even take a few moments.”

”You’ll be begging to stay by my side.”

Tatiana stared at him.

For several long seconds...

She simply stared.

Then...

Her stomach churned.

Not from nervousness.

From pure disgust.

She had genuinely never heard anyone speak with so much confidence while making absolutely no sense.

Her expression almost looked offended.

Meanwhile, Rowan mistook her silence for being speechless.

He smiled even wider before finally looking toward Liam.

”Listen carefully.”

He pointed directly at him.

”The woman beside you...”

”I’ve taken an interest in her.”

”So do yourself a favor.”

”Leave her.”

His grin became even more arrogant.

”She belongs to me now.”

The entire guild became noticeably quieter.

Several adventurers winced.

Even they thought he’d gone too far.

Tatiana’s emerald eyes instantly turned icy.

A terrifying pressure leaked from her body.

Without saying another word...

She took a step forward.

Her fingers curled slowly into a fist.

She wasn’t planning on arguing.

She was planning on introducing Rowan’s face to the floor.

However—

A warm hand gently caught her wrist.

She stopped.

Tatiana looked sideways.

Liam.

He simply shook his head once.

His expression remained calm.

She immediately understood.

With a quiet huff, she stepped back beside him.

Rowan completely missed the tiny interaction.

He was too busy admiring himself.

Liam looked at him for a few moments before scratching the side of his head.

”...Can I ask you something?”

Rowan smirked.

”What?”

Liam sighed.

”Why is every man I’ve met in this world so unbelievably daring?”

The question caught Rowan completely off guard.

Liam continued before he could answer.

”Is it always women, women, women with you people?”

”You’ve never seen a beautiful woman before?”

The guild grew strangely quiet.

Then Liam tilted his head innocently.

”...Or better yet...”

He smiled.

”...Have you never slept with one?”

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Then—

”PFFT!”

Someone burst into laughter.

Another immediately followed.

”Hahaha!”

”Did he really say that?”

”Oh gods...”

One adventurer slammed his mug onto the table while laughing so hard he nearly fell off his chair.

Even the bartender had to turn away to hide his grin.

Everyone knew Rowan.

They also knew...

He spent far more time boasting than actually succeeding with women.

Liam’s words had landed directly where they hurt most.

Rowan’s face instantly darkened.

The veins on his forehead bulged.

”You bastard!”

His voice echoed through the guild.

”Do you have any idea who you’re talking to?”

His pride had taken a direct hit.

The laughter surrounding him only made it worse.

Meanwhile, Liam looked genuinely confused.

”...I thought you already introduced yourself.”

Another wave of laughter erupted.

Rowan’s fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.

He had been inside the guild yesterday.

He’d watched everything.

He remembered seeing Liam get launched across the hall with a single kick.

To Rowan...

That image had already decided everything.

Liam was weak.

Painfully weak.

The only reason Tatiana stayed beside him had to be because of his face.

Perhaps she simply enjoyed keeping a handsome little companion around.

Maybe he entertained her.

Maybe she treated him like a toy.

Whatever the reason...

There was no way a man that weak deserved a woman like Tatiana.

And Rowan had already convinced himself...

If strength decided everything...

Then sooner or later—

Tatiana would leave Liam...

...and choose him instead.

Liam let out a quiet sigh before rubbing the bridge of his nose.

For a moment, he looked genuinely tired.

Then he looked straight at Rowan.

”...Scram.”

The word was calm.

Simple.

Cold.

There wasn’t a hint of anger behind it.

To Liam, Rowan wasn’t worth getting worked up over.

But to Rowan...

Those five letters were like someone pouring oil onto an already raging fire.

His expression darkened immediately.

”A weak little pretty boy...”

”...is telling me to scram?”

The muscles in his jaw twitched.

His pride simply couldn’t accept it.

He took one step forward, his boots thudding loudly against the wooden floor.

”Fine.”

”If that’s how you want it...”

His lips slowly curled into a grin.

”I challenge you.”

The entire guild seemed to pause.

”A duel.”

His finger pointed directly at Liam.

”The winner...”

His eyes shifted toward Tatiana before returning to Liam.

”...takes the girl.”

Silence.

Not the awkward kind.

The disappointed kind.

Several adventurers lowered their mugs.

Others sighed deeply.

”...There he goes again.”

”Same old Rowan.”

”He always ends up challenging people weaker than himself.”

”That’s the only way he feeds his ego.”

Nobody looked surprised.

This wasn’t the first time Rowan had resorted to bullying someone weaker.

He had already watched Liam yesterday.

He’d seen him get kicked across the guild like a rag doll.

To Rowan...

The outcome had already been decided before the duel even started.

This wasn’t about winning.

It was about humiliation.

He wanted to destroy Liam publicly.

To crush that annoyingly handsome face beneath his boots.

To prove that looks meant absolutely nothing.

All eyes slowly turned toward Liam.

Several older adventurers silently prayed the young man would refuse.

Don’t be stupid...

Swallow your pride.

You’re outmatched.

A man should know when to walk away.

There’s no shame in living another day.

Meanwhile...

Tatiana stood quietly beside Liam.

A tiny smile appeared on her lips.

She knew him.

Far better than anyone else in this room.

Liam...

Never walked away from challenges.

She was already expecting him to accept.

Then—

”...No.”

One word.

Nothing else.

No explanation.

No dramatic speech.

Just...

”No.”

Even Tatiana blinked.

The guild became strangely quiet.

Rowan stared.

Then suddenly burst into laughter.

”Hahahaha!”

”I knew it!”

”You’re scared!”

”I thought so!”

Several people looked relieved.

Others nodded approvingly.

”Good.”

”He made the right decision.”

”Better to protect your life than your pride.”

Tatiana slowly turned her head toward Liam.

Her emerald eyes narrowed.

She didn’t say anything.

She simply stared.

Liam immediately felt the weight of that stare.

”...Don’t look at me like that.”

She kept staring.

He scratched the back of his head awkwardly before finally sighing.

Then he looked back toward Rowan.

”I don’t mind fighting you.”

He shrugged casually.

”But...”

His expression became serious.

”I don’t bet with my woman.”

The guild fell silent again.

Tatiana’s eyes widened slightly.

Then...

They softened.

The tiny annoyance she’d been feeling disappeared instantly.

So...

That was the reason.

It wasn’t fear.

It wasn’t hesitation.

Liam simply refused to make her the prize of a wager.

A warm feeling spread through her chest.

The corners of her lips lifted into a beautiful smile.

Around the guild, however...

Several adventurers misunderstood completely.

”What an idiot.”

”He’s still making excuses.”

”If you’re scared, just say you’re scared.”

”You should’ve kept your mouth shut.”

”That brat will get himself killed.”

”Rowan will tear him apart.”

The insults continued flying toward Liam from every direction.

He simply ignored them.

Tatiana suddenly smiled mischievously.

Then...

She winked at Liam.

Liam blinked.

”...What?”

He had absolutely no idea what that wink meant.

Tatiana stepped forward before anyone else could speak.

”I have a suggestion.”

Every eye landed on her.

She looked first at Liam.

Then at Rowan.

”If you two want your duel...”

”...then have it.”

She smiled sweetly.

”Whoever wins...”

”...I’ll follow.”

Liam frowned immediately.

”What?”

Rowan’s eyes exploded with excitement.

”Really?!”

Tatiana simply smiled without answering.

The entire guild instantly erupted into whispers.

”I knew it!”

”So she finally figured it out.”

”Smart girl.”

”She realized Rowan is the stronger one.”

”She’s already choosing her future.”

”She’s only making it look fair.”

Several adventurers nodded among themselves.

”It makes sense.”

”A woman that beautiful can’t survive beside a weak man forever.”

”Strength decides everything.”

”Looks fade.”

”Power doesn’t.”

One gray-bearded adventurer took a long drink before nodding approvingly.

”In this world...”

”...only strength can keep a woman.”

”...Not a handsome face.”

His companions quietly agreed.

None of them noticed the tiny smile hidden at the corner of Tatiana’s lips.

Nor did they notice the brief glance she exchanged with Liam.

Only the two of them knew...

She wasn’t placing herself on the line.

She was placing Rowan’s life there instead.