[Talent of the Raven Duke: 100% Boost to Experience Gain (Level 1)]
[New Skill Obtained: Noctierre's Swordstyle (0.8%)]
[Minor Quest Unlocked]
[Unlock 10% of Cassian's skill]
[Reward: Skill Gacha (Romance Tree)]
"W-Wait... is this finally what I've been waiting for!?"
I couldn't hide the smile spreading across my face. No normal person could hide their joy at seeing something like this. It was the fantasy, the dream, of anyone who had ever read even a single litRPG in their life.
A system that actually helped you grow stronger.
I know hard work is important and all, but that wasn't about to stop me from being thrilled over getting a cheat.
Even something like double experience gain was already a huge boon, and better yet, the new quest I received and the reward waiting for its completion...
A gacha for a romance-related skill?
Well... it was better than nothing.
"Haha... yes!"
I couldn't help clenching my fists in celebration, that was how happy I was, and at that moment...
FWISH!
The doors behind me opened. A servant entered carrying a tray, with a teacup and a cup of coffee on it, the rich aroma drifting through the air.
"D-Duke Noctierre...!?"
The servant almost dropped the tray, but I caught it before it could fall, not realizing how close I had gotten in my attempt to help.
"Are you okay?"
I asked, but then I realized what I had actually done. Me... a half-naked handsome duke, just inches away from a female servant after helping her in a way that looked like it came straight out of a scene from the novel itself.
"Ahem..."
I stepped back and placed the tray on a long table filled with plants.
"I apologize for the intrusion..."
"N-no need to apologize, my lord...!" the servant quickly replied, the tips of her fingers touching as she turned her head away from me, one eye briefly flicking toward me from time to time.
"It was... actually quite a pleasant experience."
Excuse me...?
"I-I need to go now, my lord!"
The servant immediately rushed off, leaving the training room before calling out something—something loud enough that, considering she hadn't even waited for the automatic doors to fully close, it echoed clearly behind her.
"Thank you for the treat!"
Huh...
I looked at the cup of coffee.
"Well... that was something."
I picked up the cup, still warm, the faint steam curling into the cool air of the glass garden.
"...Treat, huh? Even my servants aren't immune to this body's charms."
I muttered under my breath before taking a sip.
It was good.
Way better than anything I used to make back in my old life. Rich, smooth, just a little bitter, exactly the kind of thing that made you feel like you had your life together, even if you absolutely didn't.
"…Yeah, I needed that."
I exhaled, rolling my shoulders as the tension from training slowly faded. My arms still ached, fingers tingling faintly from the repeated impacts. Even with this body, that machine didn't pull its punches.
But now…
Now it felt different.
I glanced at the system window again.
[Talent of the Raven Duke: 100% Boost to Experience Gain (Level 1)]
[Noctierre's Swordstyle: 0.8%]
"Point eight, huh…"
That was after all that?
A bitter laugh slipped out.
"Yeah… no shortcuts after all."
Even with a boost, I still had to grind this out the hard way. The system didn't replace effort, it just made it more efficient.
Still…
My grip tightened slightly around the cup.
"That just means I'll get there faster."
I set the cup down and stepped back into position, picking up another practice blade from the rack. My hand still trembled faintly, but it steadied as I tightened my grip.
"Alright…"
I glanced at the control panel.
Difficulty: Lowest
Adaptive Response: Off
My eyes lingered on that last setting.
"…Let's not get cocky."
Not yet.
"Again!"
***
CLANG!
The moment I resumed fighting, I could already feel the new passive I'd obtained taking effect. It felt natural, as if I'd been born with a talent for swordsmanship.
A 100% boost had sounded minimal at first, but in practice?
It was far more of a game changer than I'd expected.
If I did the math...
It sounded even more ridiculous.
CLANG!
If it would normally take me ten years to become a grandmaster, then this passive could cut that down to just five. That was how absurd the numbers were.
But what made it even crazier...
CLANG!
Was that it was still only level one. That meant...
Using that timeframe as a basis, it probably wouldn't even take a full year for me to become a grandmaster.
I snickered as I continued clashing with the machine, now filled with a newfound confidence that bordered on arrogance, my body and mind sharper and deadlier than before from the adrenaline and excitement surging through me.
Right now, I felt unstoppable.
CLANG!
"Checkmate..."
I panted, my sword and his only inches from each other's throats. I still lost, but this time, I was getting close.
"Never mind..." I laughed.