The maid's cheerful humming echoed through the hallway, a stark contrast to the string of colorful curses that suddenly erupted from behind a nearby door. She paused, duster suspended in mid-air, as Aric stumbled out of his room.
"Damn it... stupid ass system," he muttered, rubbing his temples.
"Young master?" the maid ventured, concern etching her features. "Do you need any assistance?"
Aric managed a wry smile that looked more like a grimace. "I'm good," he said, voice rough with sleep and frustration. He took a step forward and promptly staggered, as if his legs had forgotten how to work.
As the maid's footsteps faded, Aric leaned against the wall, willing the world to stop spinning. With a thought, he pulled up his status:
[Status]
Name: Aric
Level: 1
Race: Half Dragon
Primary Ability: None
Title: None
HP: 50/50
MP: 25/25
Strength: 5
Agility: 5
Vitality: 5
Perception: 5
Intelligence: 5
Endurance: 5
Points Remaining: 0
[Reckoning protocol initiated]
Halved stats
These changes will revert after 24 hours.
"Fuck me," Aric groaned. He pushed off the wall, legs wobbling like a newborn colt's. "Pretty sure a stiff breeze could knock me over right now."
The system, ever helpful, chose that moment to remind him of his daily tasks:
[DAILY TASK ACTIVATED]
Objectives:
Consume food: 2000g [0/2000]
Hydrate: 3liters [0/3]
Push-ups: 100 [3/100]
Sit-ups: 100 [0/100]
Squats: 100 [0/100]
Run: 10km [0/10]
Aric stared at the floating text, a mix of disbelief and resignation washing over him. "You've got to be shitting me," he muttered. "Half my stats and I still gotta do this crap?" He ran a hand through his curly hair, tugging at the roots in frustration.
He paused, rubbing his chin. "Wait... what happens if I don't?"
Then, like a bolt of lightning, realization struck. "Even with my intelligence halved," Aric muttered to himself, "it's probably not wise to skip the daily tasks again." He shuddered, imagining what fresh hell might await him if he ignored the system again. "Nope, not happening again," he muttered. "Message received."
Lost in thought, Aric wandered the opulent corridors. Gold-leafed moldings, priceless paintings, and antique vases that probably cost more than his old village's yearly income. It was all so... excessive.
He turned a corner and collided with something soft. No, not something. Someone. Three someones, to be exact.
Aric hit the floor ass-first, a grunt of pain escaping his lips. He immediately scrambled to his feet, bowing low. "I'm so sorry," he stammered. "I wasn't watching whereâ"
"Clearly," a cold voice cut him off.
Aric risked a glance up. Three girls, probably around his age. The one who'd spoken had hair like freshly fallen snow with a patch of black near her temple. Her blue eyes, sharp as ice picks, bore into him with undisguised contempt.
Beside her, a timid blonde murmured an apology of her own, while a raven-haired beauty didn't even spare Aric a second glance.
"Watch where you're going next time," the white-haired girl snapped. "Servants these days, I swear."
Aric kept his head bowed as the trio swept past him. Only when their footsteps faded did he straighten, a bitter taste in his mouth.
"Servant, huh?" he muttered. "Guess some things never change... Ryze."
The name felt like acid on his tongue. He'd hoped to avoid her, but clearly, the universe had other plans.
...
Arriving at his grandfather's residence, Aric's knuckles hovered inches from the study door. One... two... three steadying breaths, then he rapped twice and entered.
His grandfather sat behind a massive desk, blue eyes as piercing as ever. They narrowed as they took in Aric's disheveled state.
"Your mother's spoiling you," he said by way of greeting.
Aric bit back a retort. Now wasn't the time to explain the system's "tough love" approach.
"A little beast horde, and you sleep for a week," his grandfather continued, voice dripping with disdain. "Pathetic."
Something in Aric snapped. "I lost friends," he snarled, fists clenching at his sides. "People I cared about. Does that mean nothing to you?"
His grandfather's expression didn't change, but Aric plowed on, weeks of pent-up grief and rage pouring out. "Where were you when they attacked, huh? If something happened to me, I know you wouldn't give a shit. And I don't expect you to. But Emily..." His voice cracked. "If anything happens to her, I swear to every godâ"
"Enough," his grandfather's voice cut through the air like a whip.
Aric's chest heaved, angry tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. "You sent us away for 'protection,'" he spat the word like poison. "And look where that got us. A hole in my chest and Emily trapped in a fucking crystal!"
His grandfather's gaze didn't waver, but his fingers tightened imperceptibly on the desk's edge.
Silence stretched between them, heavy and suffocating.
Finally, his grandfather spoke. "If you're looking for an apology, you won't get one." He tossed an envelope onto the desk. "You'll be attending Veylthar Academy. That's final."
Aric stared at the envelope, then back at his grandfather. Without a word, he turned and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
As his footsteps faded, a hidden panel in the study slid open. Elara stepped out, worry etched on her face. "Don't be so hard on him," she pleaded "and why can't you be more empathetic." She said while scooping up the discarded envelope.
Her father said nothing, his gaze fixed on the door Aric had just exited through.
...
Aric's anger carried him through the manor's winding corridors, down staircases, and finally to a nondescript door guarded by two stone-faced men.
"Let me through," he demanded.
The guards exchanged a look. "Sorry, kid. This place is off limits."
Aric opened his mouth to argue, but a familiar voice cut him off. "It's alright," Elara said, appearing as if from thin air. "He's with me."
The guards stepped aside, and Aric followed his mother into a chamber that seemed to have been carved from the bedrock itself. Cold seeped into his bones, but he barely noticed. His eyes were fixed on the source of eerie blue light at the chamber's center.
Emily.
His little sister suspended within a crystal cocoon, eyes closed as if in peaceful slumber. Aric's breath caught in his throat as he noticed streaks of white appearing in her jet-black hair.
"What's happening to her?" he whispered.
Elara placed a hand on his shoulder. "We're not sure," she admitted. "Your grandfather thinks it's part of her awakening process. She created this... Crystal to protect her vulnerable self while going through this transformation."
Aric's brow furrowed. "Has this ever happened before? To others in the family?"
His mother shook her head. "Never."
Aric approached the crystal, pressing his palm against its cool surface. "I'm sorry, Em," he murmured. "For everything."
He turned back to his mother, determination hardening his features. "Did he send you to convince me?"
"No," Elara said softly.
"But we did agree on this course of action." She held up a hand as Aric opened his mouth to protest.
"Listen to me. Your grandfather... he's proud. Too proud to admit when he's wrong. But he loves you. Both of you."
Aric snorted. "Yeah, sure."
Elara lowered her voice. "The academy isn't just about learning. It's about protecting you. Veylthar is secure, with experts who can keep you safe. And since you haven't awakened yet, you won't be allowed on expeditions."
A chill that had nothing to do with the chamber's temperature ran down Aric's spine. "What's really going on?"
His mother's eyes darted around the room before settling back on him. "Your grandfather is... livid about the attack. About what happened to you and Emily. He's going to make someone pay." She squeezed his arm. "Trust me. Go to the academy."
Aric studied her face for a long moment before nodding slowly.
...
Back in his room, exhaustion settled over Aric like a lead blanket. He flopped onto the bed, wincing as his muscles protested the movement. With a thought, he pulled up his status and daily tasks.
"Alright," he muttered to the empty room. "Message received, loud and clear. This is real. And if I can get stronger..." He trailed off, images of Emily trapped in crystal, of his village in flames, flashing through his mind. "I don't care whatever hardship I'll have to face."
Aric pushed himself up, ignoring the trembling in his arms. "You want to play?" he asked the flickering system screen. A grim smile spread across his face. "Let's play."