Raiden's sleep couldn't be any shorter. At least to him, considering her had a mission to complete the next morning.
Immediately thenfirst ray of sunshine sneaked into his room, Raiden woke brimming with the kind of restless energy that only came when the Skill Draw System dangled a reward in front of him.
"The carrot stick technique, huh? Not bad." Raiden grinned as he rose up.
The carrot stick technique was a method that uses rewards to motivate and encourage a desired behaviours and right now it was being used and just for the record, it was working on him.
The mission from yesterday still glowed in his interface as he sat up in bed.
[Mission: Broaden Your Arsenal – Use five different skills in practical situations.]
[Progress: 0/5]
"Today's THE day," he smirked.
He slipped out of his room, careful not to wake Kent, who had fallen asleep in the adjoining room. For once, Raiden wanted to complete a few tasks under the radar. Not everything had to involve his overbearing big brother.
_____
First Use: Helping a Maid
The opportunity came sooner than he had expected. As Raiden strolled down one of the quieter hallways of the estate, he spotted a young maid struggling with a heavy laundry basket. The load swayed dangerously in her arms, threatening to topple.
Raiden tapped his chin. "Perfect. Let's try this."
He activated [Lighten Load], one of the utility skills he had picked up weeks ago, but rarely bothered using them. The mana pulsed subtly through his fingertips, aimed at the basket. Almost instantly, the maid's burden grew lighter. She blinked in surprise, looking down as though half the laundry had somehow lost its weight.
"Oh…? That's odd," she murmured, shifting the basket with ease now. She smiled in relief and hurried along, none the wiser.
Raiden grinned to himself. "One down."
The Skill Draw System chimed softly.
Ding!
[Progress: 1/5]
_____
Later that afternoon, Raiden wandered into the courtyard, where his father was preparing for an official outing.
Lord Cedric stood tall in his finely pressed attire, speaking with several attendants. The carriage was ready, its two sleek black horses harnessed and pawing impatiently at the ground.
Raiden skipped forward, waving. "Goodbye, Father! Travel safely!"
Cedric's stern expression softened just enough as he raised a hand in acknowledgment. The carriage rider climbed onto the driver's seat, reins in hand, ready to set off at a measured pace.
But Raiden had other plans.
He discreetly activated [Stamina Surge], channelling it toward the horses. A faint ripple of mana slipped across their legs and into their muscles. The effect was almost immediate.
The pair of horses snorted loudly, their ears twitching as if electrified. Then they shot forward with a sudden burst of speed, carriage wheels rattling violently as they bolted out of the courtyard like arrows from a bow.
The rider yelped in panic, tugging hard on the reins. "W-whoa! Slow down!"
Inside, Lord Cedric barely had time to steady himself before the carriage vanished down the road, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Raiden waved innocently, biting his lip to keep from laughing. "Two down."
The familiar chime followed.
Ding!
[Progress: 2/5]
No one suspected a thing, making the prank even sweeter.
_____
For his third use, Raiden knew just what to do.
Of course, Raiden couldn't resist saving one skill just for Kent. His brother had been shadowing him like a hawk for days—always suspicious, watchful, and always lecturing. Raiden thought that it was time for a little payback.
By mid-afternoon, Kent finally caught up with him in the garden, arms crossed, glaring. "You slipped out early this morning. What did you do?"
Raiden feigned innocence. "Nothing important. Why, worried about me?"
"I'm not worried," Kent scowled. "I just don't trust you. Every time you vanish, trouble follows."
Raiden smirked. "If you don't trust me… let me make it easier for you."
He triggered [Red Scalp], another low-level annoyance spell he'd unlocked days ago. Kent stiffened almost immediately, his hand flying to his neck. Then his arms. Then his legs. And within seconds, he was squirming furiously, scratching all over.
"What—what did you do!?" Kent demanded, red-faced.
"Nothing," Raiden replied smoothly, clasping his hands behind his back. "Maybe you should bathe more often, big brother. I warned you about the fleas."
Kent glared, trying to resist scratching, but the more he fought it, the worse it seemed to get. He cursed under his breath while Raiden doubled over laughing.
Ding!
[Progress: 3/5]
Raiden thought he had pulled it off flawlessly.
Three skills down, two more to go, and still no one had traced anything back to him. He was already planning what to use next: maybe on one of the guards, maybe even on himself, just to count.
But fate, as always, had other plans.
"Raiden."
The voice froze him mid-laugh.
He turned slowly, his grin fading. Miss Hilda stood behind him, arms folded, watching with an expression that was equal parts disapproval and exasperation.
Kent immediately pointed an accusing finger. "See!? He is up to something! He cursed me with itching!"
Raiden chuckled nervously. "I—I was just… experimenting a little."
Hilda's eyes narrowed. "Experimenting? You mean recklessly throwing around magic like it's a toy?"
"No, no, it's not like that!" Raiden tried to defend himself. "I was practicing—practical training, you know? Using my skill in real-world scenarios! Isn't that the point?"
Her lips tightened. "The point is control. Responsibility. You don't heal a fish one day and then recklessly torment your brother the next."
Kent huffed, scratching furiously again. "Thank you! Finally, someone gets it."
Raiden lowered his head, though his inner thoughts told a different story. 'At least she only caught me on the third one. The maid and the horses remain unknown.'
Hilda sighed heavily, rubbing her temple. "From now on, you don't use any spell or skill unless I'm supervising. Understood?"
Raiden pouted, dragging out the word: "Fiiiine…"
Yet, even as he glanced at his shimmering system interface, the mission progress bar glowed encouragingly before his eyes.
Progress: 3/5.
He couldn't stop now. Even if Hilda tried to keep him in check by watching him, Raiden was determined.
Two more skills and forty skill points would be his.