Director Mormon stared at him, his gaze sharp and piercing looking as if they were trying to dissect his very being and get the truth out of him. While Lanor pretended not to feel the gaze but his discomfort was growing by the second.
"Director," Tonia called, and Lanor couldn't be happier for her interruption. "The young master isn't doing well, I'll appreciate it if you wouldn't cause him any more distress."
"Has there ever been a time he is not in distress?" Director Mormon asked.
"Then you know how much he is enduring already," she argued.
"I am not leaving until he answers." Director Mormon said firmly.
Tonia glared at him, her fist balling. "The young master isn't in the state to answer the question. Can't you see how delicate he looks right now?"
At her words, they both turned to look at him only to find him slipping under the covers, pulling the sheets all the way until his head was covered.
"I know you can hear me, so don't test my patience anymore and answer me, boy," hearing the director, Lanor shivered, he then pulled bedsheets down but only enough to reveal his face.
"You scared him, sir," Tonia said, running to stand beside the bed. "The young master needs to rest. He can answer your questions later and…"
"Will you tell that to his father?" Director Mormon asked, and Tonia froze, but only for a second.
"...Yes," she replied. "He has been through so much already. He might as well get some rest."
The director's gaze shifted from Tonia, no longer listening to whatever she had to say, and locked on Lanor. "Talk, I'm listening."
"Well…uhm… you said I should put in effort, right?" Lanor stuttered.
They paused. Both Tonia and the director just stared at him, wondering if they heard him right.
After a heartbeat, Mormon asked, "What did you try to do?"
Remembering the last message he saw from the status window before he lost consciousness, he stretched his hand towards the director.
Understanding the gesture, Director Mormon stepped forward and took his hand. "You want me to check your pulse?" he asked just to be certain.
Lanor gave a weak nod.
He didn't know if what he saw was real or not, so this was his chance to find out. If it worked, it'll keep the director off his back for a while, and if it didn't, it meant the system was a scam. Either way, he had nothing to lose.
"I will channel mana into your body, with your constitution, it might be painful, so bear with me," the director said as he got into position.
"If it'll hurt him, then don't…"
"It's fine, Tonia," Lanor said, giving her weak smile.
"But sir..." she wanted to argue, but since he said it was fine, she relented. "Alright. I'll be right here."
Lanor gave a nod, and she stepped aside, giving them some space.
"Sit up and close your eyes," Director Mormon instructed, and Lanor obliged. "I will begin now."
It started slowly. Like a thin thread weaving into his body through their joined hands.
Then it spread. The director's mana moved through him, controlled and precise, tracing the oaths if every vein the connected his body until it enveloped his whole body.
Lanor's body tensed up instantly, and just as quickly, he heard the director's voice.
"Don't resist."
The voice sounded distant even though the man was holding his hand ans was right in front of him.
Taking a deep breath, Lanor let his body relax. Then he heard the sound of a system message, and his eyes opened.
"Mana detected"
"Skill: mana absorption activated"
A few seconds later, everything stopped, and director Mormon let go of his hand.
"Strange…" the director murmured, staring at his hand.
"Something wrong, sir?" Lanor asked, tilting his head innocently.
"Your blocked pathways have all been opened," Mormon said, lifting his gaze from his hand and looking at Lanor. "What did you do?"
It was something to be proud of and was worth celebrating, but when everything has been done and all resulted in failure, it leaves one more curious than happy.
"I can't explain," Lanor said, his voice low. "It just happened while I was meditating."
Mormon looked at him, skeptical, but since there was no better explanation, all he could do was accept it. He nodded his head, though his doubt still remained uncleared.
"As long as you are alright, all is well," he said, and Lanor smiled sheepishly. "Congratutaltions, Lanor."
"Thank you, sir." He said softly.
The director hummed and headed for the door. He didn't stop and only glanced over his shoulder briefly before he opened the door and closed it after him.
"Is it true, master?" Tonia asked, coming to his side once again. He looked at her, a wide smile plastered across her face and her eyes sparkled like stars at the news.
"That's what Director Mormon said," Lanor replied.
"Then this good news and I'm sure your father will…"
"Tonia," Lanor interrupted. "I'm hungry."
"…Right, I'll be right back, sir," Tonia quickly left the room to get him some food.
"Finally, they're gone," he sighed, falling back on the bed.
He looked up at the status window, and his brows furrowed. "System, what's that little mail thing there?" He asked.
The system zoomed in.
"Inbox," he read out loud. "What does it do?"
"OPEN INBOX"
Lanor looked at the message and exhaled, then he said, "Yes, open Inbox."
The status window expanded and the messages appeared one after another.
"Sloth system successfully activated— Reward: 500 EXP"
"Hidden quest: Absorp mana form a human —completed. Reward: 200 EXP."
"There are hidden quests?" Lanor asked, surprised.
"Correct"
So, I really did absorb Mormon's mana back then. No wonder he looked so shocked, he though, chuckling.
"Then what's "EXP" and how do get them?" He asked.
"EXP: used to raise stats, e.g strength, agility, intellect, etc and to level up."
Level? Does that mean I can level up enough to see what I wasn't able to see before? He thought remembering that system said his level was too low before.
"Then, how do I get them?" He asked, his interest piqued.
"Complete quests to gain reward"
"Fine," he sat up sighing. "Let's see my stats then, I'm curious."