I woke up to see an ordinary made of wood. It was worse than the ceiling in my grandparents' house. At night, I shivered because of the cold.
Well, what do you expect? Even if this world has immortal and every amazing stuff but their cultural development didn't advance like on Earth.
When someone could fly in the sky, would they try to create an airplane? When with only a single arrow shot could destroy the entire city, would they think of creating a nuclear weapon?
That is the power one could wield with cultivation. With the lure of such unlimited power, science and technology do not develop like how they are on earth.
Path of Cultivation is harsh and difficult, however many walked this path because of how amazing it is. To be a deity, a god among men. It is the common aspiration on the mortal of this continent.
Though, not everybody met the requirement to walk on this path. Each individual on this continent has their inborn affinity with the Heaven and Earth Qi. This is the so-called 'Talent'.
The Talent of each individual divided by a standardized unit. This unit was initiated by the Holy Emperor of High Heaven, a legendary deified figure from the High Heaven Empire.
Holy Emperor created an instrument that could appraise the Talent of one body. However, this instrument only worked when someone's age is between 10 to 20 years old.
The unit is just simply called Talent Rank. This unit is calculated based on how much Qi one can feel and absorb. The unit range from 1 to 12. A Rank 1 Talent is the minimum requirement before they walked down the path of cultivation. The higher the rank, the more they can sense Heaven and Earth Qi.
A person with Talent Rank 1 to 3 is called Low-Grade Talent, or ... Trash Grade. They could cultivate, however it will be harsh and very difficult.
Talent Rank 4 to 6 is called Mid-Grade Talent or Average Grade. They are slightly better than Trash Grade, however, they still have a limit on how far they can walk on this path.
Talent Rank 7 to 9 is called High-Grade Talent or Top Grade. They are the 'chosen one', the genius. People who have talents like this will be sought by the Sects.
Talent Rank 10 to 12 is called Peak-Grade Talent or Supreme Grade. They are the true 'heaven-defying' genius. Even a Sect won't hesitate to wage a war just to get a person with this talent.
A person with high-grade talent will have it easy to cultivate. While those with trash-grade talent will find it easier to give up.
I got my talent assessed when I was ten, and I got Rank 2 talent.
Yes, second-worst of the Talent Rank.
I had it rough as a person with Trash Talent. Even if I meditate and cultivate internal energy, I could only get this far. Minor Warrior - 3.
The average level of cultivation of my age is Minor Warrior - 6, perhaps there some heaven-defying genius that already reached Intermediate Warrior out there. And because of how hard it was to cultivate, I stagnated in Minor Warrior - 3 and there was no improvement.
However, after I got this Myscreat Card System, I don't care anymore about cultivation. With cultivation, I could raise my Mana pool. But, with level up, I also could do it by raising my INT or WIS.
From the level up yesterday, I put all six of my Attributes Point into WIS and INT. And with just that I raised my mana by thirty points. This made me realized that with level up I can overcome my trash talent.
So, right now cultivation isn't my priority.
After I took a bath in the morning, a maid comes to my room. She just bowed at me and prepared a set of attire. I glanced at the teen maidservant who just helps me wear some clothes. She looked like 16 and had a cute round face with large eyes.
"You, by what name are you called?" I asked.
While she was tightening my robe belt, her hand stiffed after hearing my question. After some needless hesitation, she spoke.
"This lowly servant is called Mei, Young Master."
"Oh, okay then. Mei ..., I'll call you Meimei. Are you fine with it?"
"I ..., this lowly servant accept Young Master." she looks afraid of me. Am I that scary?
"Where is Luze, by the way?" it's weird when a girl help you change, I'm not a kid. My body is, but my mind isn't.
"I don't know, I'm sorry Young Master." she shook her head.
"It's fine. Meimei, are you done yet?"
"I'm sorry Young Master, I'll be done in a second." she stuttered.
"There's no need to rush, I just ask. Anyway, why do you look so afraid of me? Am I that scary?" I let out my honest thought.
"There's no such thing, Young Master, this lowly servant beg for your forgiveness!" she bowed her head with a pale face.
By now she was finished tighten my clothes. She still scared of me. Well, maybe my reputation with the servant of this house is just that bad.
"Ah, forget it. Meimei, follow me."
"Yes? Ah ..., certainly, Young Master." she reluctant to follow me for some reason.
I want to ask her about something but with how she reacts in front of me, I cease my thought. I went out of the building and I could see Allescar is waiting in front of my courtyard. Just as I wanted to call him, a cold voice sounded behind me.
"A good morning for you, Young Master. Madam Liu has expected for your presence in the Dining Hall."
It was a woman in servant clothes and with arrogant expression. She seems like a cold woman, but not to the level of an ice queen. She reminds me of Lan Yu, the masochist receptionist lady on my company on Earth.
"Oh, you startled me ..., and who might you be?"
She glanced at me with eyes that seems like saying 'what's the use of someone of your status knowing my name?'. But that 'someone of your status' feels like 'insect-like you'. Well, what an arrogant maidservant you are. I'm your Young Master you know?
"I'm Madam Liu chambermaid," she stated with a sub-zero cold tone.
"Okay then, 'Madam Liu chambermaid', let's go!" I smiled playfully at her.
It's fine if she didn't want to tell me her name, I just went with what she would say. But, she seems irritated by how I call her. She also didn't want to correct me.
When I walked out of the courtyard, Allescar greeted me.
"Lord, you're awake. About yesterday, I-" before he began talking, I answered.
"Umu ..., I understand what you want to say, it's my fault for being insensitive. I ask for your forgiveness." I bowed my head down, I asked once again to make him wouldn't talk about this subject any further "did you have breakfast?"
"No, I haven't, Lord." the old veteran shook his head.
He looks a bit relieved.
"Come with me then," I asked him to join.
"As you will, Lord."
"Young Master, this personage is?" mom's arrogant maid asked.
"He's my retainer."
"Even still, for a foreigner like him to be Young Master's retainer. How and why you could bring him to your side, Young Master?"
"A foreigner ...? Hey, miss chambermaid, have you met a foreigner like Allescar before?" I asked.
As far as I know, this continent inhabitant was Chinese. There's also a slight racial diversity, however their culture still influenced by the Holy Emperor culture. And this person, this Holy Emperor was someone who invented Jiang script. This world equivalent to the Han script. Those Chinese ideograms on Earth.
No f*ck, it's a whole continent influenced by Chinese culture. Just imagine how chaotic it would be. As a person who lived in Asia, I was an admirer of China. That was the center of Asian culture.
But shit, when the entire continent is influenced by only one culture like this, and Chinese at the top of that! It will never be the best.
That's why I rather curious by the term 'foreigner' said by this maid. Was there another race with a different culture than Jiang in this world?
"Yes, from this personage and that golden-haired woman facial features, they are likely someone who comes from another continent. The Withorn Continent north of the Dread Sea."
"Withorn Continent?" muttered Mei, as if just heard those words.
I also want to ask mom's maid about it, but this little maid seems like a curious cat.
"Hngh, there is 5 known continent in this world. Withorn Continent in the north; Jaire Continent in the east; Nasett Continent in the south; Firema Continent in the West; and lastly our Lastarte Continent in the center. It has been agreed that Lastarte Continent became the center of the world because of its vastness and history. Separating the five continents are the Dread Sea, Endless Water, Silent Wave Ocean, and Abyss Ocean."
"Hehh ..., you sure know a lot." I nodded for her telling me this much information.
"Hmph, this much is nothing." she smiled cheekily. It seems that she likes to be praised.
While she's getting full of herself, I communicated with my system.
'Hey, System ..., did you catch that?'
[Yes, Host. I already recorded this new information. However, for the sake of making a detailed map, please look at a world map or read a book about the geography of this land.]
'I will, soon ..., just wait for a bit until I visit the library.'
[I also want Host to read more about this 'cultivation' things. Maybe I can upgrade myself and make you stronger.]
'You what? Wait ..., so you can upgrade yourself? How? Who's the one made the upgraded version?'
[Yes, I can. This system is capable of developing itself. In other words, I can improve myself to be more useful for you, Host! Don't you feel like this system is super convenient? I tell you, there is no better system in the universe than this one.]
'What are you really? Heh, alright, I promise you I will read more about this cultivation thing.'
[Much appreciated, Host.]
'For the time being, can you put a headmark or something to them. I can't remember their name well. They're Chinese after all.'
After I said that, I can see some markers with names at the top of their head. I can see Allescar and Meimei's name, however, for the chambermaid girl her marker showed 'Mom's Chambermaid'.
[Done. The known name will be visible at the top of their head.]
'Ohhh ..., thank you, what a convenient system you are.'
[I told you, Host. Please immediately find references material so this one could upgrade.]
'Yes, yes ...'
I see, so the name shown was what my mind recognizes them. I still didn't know the cold girl's name, so it would be like that. Well, not that I care about what she calls herself anyway.
Let's continue digging more information from her.
"Then, tell me about this foreigner! Are the people on Withorn Continent different from us?"
"Indeed, generally they are taller than us. They have green, blue or red eye color. And the most noticeable physical trait is that they have this metal-like hair color. Like the golden-haired lady, or this silver-haired old man."
"But ..., aren't those who have reached old age also has silver-hair?"
"Young Master isn't wrong, but the foreigner from the Withorn Continent has this hair color since birth."
So basically Withorn Continent is the Europe of this planet. While this Lastarte is Asia. But what about the other Continent?
"Are foreigners like Allescar and Therese not allowed to live here?"
"There is no such thing Young Master. It's just, strange seeing them. No, that's not it, it's just a rare sight to see them here." she denied my word.
"Then it's fine. They won't make any trouble. Next, tell me about the other Continent? There is three more right? The Jairya, Nasset, and what again? The Firma Continent?" I asked.
Mom's chambermaid smiled at my question, it's not the cold smirk like before, but a true pure smile.
She said. "It's Jaire, Nasett and Firema Continent, Young Master."
"Yes, yes ..., Jaire, Nasett, and Firema is it, okay. What about those places? Are people there also different?"
My question was somewhat childish, like a naive young man who didn't know the world.
This question itself isn't something strange. I'm a 14-year-old anyway, I will use this form as effective as possible.
"Yes, they are different from us. The Jaire Continent has the Warmonger Tribes, they are shorter than us, the Jiang, and has copper skin. The way they live also different from us, they always wage a war and there's no peace in that continent. The interesting fact is that Jaire Continent is the origin of mankind.
In the scorching continent of Nasett, inhabits the Desert Man, the unit tribe, and the Snake tribe. They look like ..., that's right the unit tribe is like a bipedal lizard, and the Snake tribe is a man with the lower half of a snake. I don't know how to describe the Desert Man, but ..., maybe next time I'll show you the illustration.
Firema Continent was the habitat of the Demon tribe. As for their appearance, 'their appearance is scary and evil.' That's what the numerous records write. It's a vague word, but even today I have yet found any illustration for those tribe."
The maid kindly explained the difference between the inhabitants of the continent. In contrast to the cold expression he showed earlier, he explained to me with a face full of smile.
I think I know what kind this woman is.
"Have you ever gone to another continent, Miss Chambermaid?"
She shook her head and said, "Even though I have never been there. I have read many records of the other continents. Young Master, you must study well in the future so you know many things. Knowledge is a bridge to a bright future after all." She even advised me attentively.
"Thanks for your explanation, miss chambermaid. I appreciate it." I smiled at her.
"That ..., Young Master, could you please stop with 'miss chambermaid'?"
Oho, so you've given up. Fine then, I wanted to tease you a little longer. But if this your limit, I gladly stop it.
"Tell me your name then!" I stated.
"I ..., it's Dian Juewang, Young Master." she shrank her body.
Her name on the marker changed.
"Juewang, what an overbearing name ..."
In the Jiang script, her name means Noble Monarch. Bestowing a heavy name like this to a girl, especially a servant, how arrogant her parents were.
"I-It's just my parent, t-that's, no ..., I'm sorry, Young Master." Juewang wanted to explain but stuttered and couldn't muster a word.
I see, so she also felt troubled by her name. She looked down and stopped acting cold. I wonder, is she this cold because she doesn't care about other people's thoughts about her?
By now, we have arrived at the front of the dining hall, but I stop my footsteps and turn back.
Looking straight at Dian Juewang, I stated. "It's true that your name is overbearing, however," the cold lady looked up at me in the eyes, I smiled at her and said, "I don't hate it. It's a beautiful name, actually."
"..., Young Master."
"Well, you're a smart lass, maybe someday you live up that name." I turned back and opened the door.
Even though she looks cold on the outside, when she explained things to me, she looks very bright. I love her expression when she seriously explaining things.
This type of girl is one of my favorites. A smart and capable girl. I want to do her someday, but ..., I won't force her. Maybe I'll gradually open her heart and make her accept me.
But, not now. I have so many things to do at the moment and I have no time to deal with her.
Now, I have to face my mother. My young and beautiful mom in another world. How would I explain all this to her?