Lydia had a look on her face that showed she was thinking about what he said. She shifted from side to side on her feet with one hand on her chin.
"You're really enjoying yourself with this one aren't you?" Lucas said.
"Well," She answered,"it's not everyday the great Lucas Estellan asks for help from yours truly. I had to ponder it very deeply."
Lucas became a bit annoyed, "Are you going to do it or not?"
Lydia's cheeky smile faded and her expression became very stern.
"Are you really serious about this?" she asked, "Or is this some elaborate prank or a way to get closer to me for... other reasons?"
"What other reasons would I have to get close to you?" Lucas asked.
"I don't know maybe you're lusting after my body or maybe you're a human trafficker who wants to isolate, kidnap and then sell me. The second one is highly improbable but I wouldn't put it past you BUT if I had to bet, I'd say you are lusting after my body. Is that correct?" She said.
"NO!" Lucas answered.
The fact that his predecessors reputation was so poor really rubbed Lucas the wrong way, especially since he was actually one of the most likable characters in the game.
Despite this though Lucas had to admit that Lydia was very attractive and he could see why she would think that he was doing this just to satisfy his lusting for her body.
After all, her face was smooth, with even features: straight nose, full lips, and clear skin that gave her a youthful look. Her eyes were wide and framed by long lashes, the shape drawing attention whenever she glanced up.
Her body was slim yet curved, with a narrow waist and hips that balanced her frame. Long legs gave her a tall appearance, and her posture made the curvaceous lines of her figure easy to see.
Calling her attractive would be an understatement and Lucas was sure he hadn't seen much women who could hold a candle to her looks but he wasn't here for that. He was here for business.
"I'm completely serious," Lucas said in response. "I know I haven't given you any reason to trust me before, but I'm asking you to give me a chance to prove I've changed."
"Well, I'm not sure how you could be a different person than you were twenty minutes ago but give me a little bit of time to think." She said, striking a dramatic thinking pose.
Lucas was annoyed but he felt there was a good chance she would accept.
He knew from the game that beneath her sharp exterior, she was fundamentally kind-hearted. Her harsh words were more armor than aggression, a way to protect herself from those who might take advantage of her circumstances.
More importantly, he remembered one of the most tragic aspects of her character from the game - her profound loneliness. Despite her beauty and intelligence, or perhaps because of them, she had few genuine connections.
Most students either feared her sharp tongue or assumed she looked down on them because of her academic prowess. The truth was that Lydia desperately wanted meaningful relationships but had built walls so high that few people bothered to climb them.
"Fine," she said finally. "But I have conditions. First, you actually have to put in effort. I won't waste my time if you're just going to slack off again. Second, we do this properly - structured study sessions, not just you copying my notes and cheating from my testpapers. And third..." She paused, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "You can't tell anyone I'm helping you. I have a reputation to maintain."
Lucas couldn't help but smile at that last condition.
He had suspected she would add a clause like that.
After all, although she was lonely, that didn't mean she had no dignity or pride. She wouldn't throw away everything she's worked for up to now just for some company otherwise she'd have done so a long time ago.
This arrangement also suited Lucas because it allowed him to investigate and stay close to a important character without having everyone in the school know which would affect the story even more than it already has.
"Deal," he said immediately. "When do we start?"
"Now, if you're available," she replied, adjusting her satchel strap. "We can go to the library. It's usually quiet this time of day."
As they crossed the academy grounds toward the library, Lucas took in the scene.
The academy sprawled across several acres of green lawns dotted with ancient oak trees.A wide courtyard sat at the center, paved with worn cobblestones.
Stone benches circled a fountain carved with dragons and griffins. Water trickled from their open mouths into the basin below.
Wooden practice dummies stood in rows on a flat field behind the dormitories. Metal weapons racks held swords, staffs, and bows.
Target posts marked with painted circles were scattered across the archery range.
Gardens filled the spaces between buildings. Herb plots grew in neat rows, marked by small wooden signs.
Apple and pear trees lined the outer walls. A greenhouse with foggy glass panes sat near the library tower.
The library itself was a round stone building with narrow windows. Its heavy oak doors were bound with iron strips and large hinges.
A bell tower stood at one corner of the grounds and its bronze bell was visible through the open arches at the top.
Students in navy uniforms moved up and down. Some of them were in groups while others were alone but all were going about their business.
His own uniform was just like theirs. It was a navy jacket with silver trim, a white shirt beneath, and trousers to match.
The crest of the academy was stitched onto the chest. The jacket was smooth and well-fitted, the fabric thick and slightly stiff against his shoulders.
"The library's just ahead," Lydia said pointing to the building. "I need to stop by my dormitory first to return some books I borrowed. Would you mind waiting for me outside the library? It'll only take a few minutes."
"Of course," Lucas said. "Take your time."
As he watched Lydia go, Lucas felt now would be a good time to check out the system so he went over to the front of the library and did what he saw from many novels.
"System."
===== System =====
[STATUS SCREEN]
[EQUIPMENT ]
[QUESTS]
[SHOP]
[ACHIEVEMENTS]
(N.B You can access any system subcategory by calling for it directly.)
=====
"Oh, it comes with a home screen. That's neat. Let's check my stats first." Lucas said.
=====
[STATUS]
Host: Lukas Estellan
Villian Level: Novice Villain – Rank F
Age: 17
Race: Human
Rank: Common (Basic)
Villain Points: 0
Health: E
Mana: F-
Strength: F-
Intelligence: F
Agility: F-
Charisma: F
Luck: F-
Overall Grade: F-
=====
These stats....are absolutely terrible
In the world of Aquestius, power was ranked as Common —> Copper —> Iron —> Bronze —> Silver —> Gold —> Diamond —> Platinum —> Mythril.
Common was the weakest and was divided by the masses into Basic, which describes those who don't know how to manipulate Mana and Advanced, for those who did know how to use Mana.
You became a Copper Rank by forming a Mana Core and advanced by purifying and compressing the Mana to an extreme degree. It was so extreme that supposedly one drop of Mana from a Mythril rank could saturate the Mana cores of 1,000 Copper Rank Cores.
Putting that aside, Lucas being a Common Basic rank meant he was one of the weakest possible people in the world right now.
He was thankful though, as the Mana Core had so many secrets and abilities that he would rather form one himself than have inherited one from his predecessor.
Especially with how lazy he seemed to be in this version of Aquestius.