The original 50 points of mana decreased to 40, and I was drenched in sweat.
"Fortunately, I removed the clothes, now there are four more places to go, but let's eat first and take a bath."
For the time being, I had no intention of visiting the Magic Tower, so after breakfast, I just started implementing the techniques on my entire body.
Legs, arms, upper torso, lower torso, and then finally the head.
But rather than speeding up, the process grew slower and more challenging as more areas of my body acquired the anchored mana.
The more complex the body part, the more time it took because any single mistake could have put me in a tight spot.
Hence, the head took the longest—about a whole day.
"If not for Mana Affinity (A), it might have really taken a week or two to get it done like Sylvia."
In the process, I had to even use 900 UC of my remaining 990 UC and get 9 more mana stats.
At last, by the end of the fourth day, I was finally done.
[Revered Physique (S)] (5/5)
[The body is undergoing a qualitative change.]
[The host is advised to prepare for the pain...]
'Fuck!'
Even though I already knew about it, I still couldn't help cursing when the time came because I realized that I had overlooked a crucial detail.
Unlike Sylvia, who passed out during the procedure, and the protagonist, whose masochism caused him to pump up from the pain, I was just a villain with the worst traits possible in this situation.
『A composure that is unshakeable regardless of the severity of the circumstances.』
Despite this, I wasn't even given enough time to prepare.
Thump-!
Suddenly, the mana tension on my body reached an extreme level, and I wanted to curse this System.
But I couldn't because, after that, the excruciating pain of the mana forcibly penetrating every cell and tissue of my body and becoming an integral part of it prevented me from doing so.
Shit!
Inwardly, I was cursing and suffering from all the pain, but on the outside, my expression remained stoic.
Cold sweat formed on my forehead, yet my bastard pride made my lips curl upward in the face of such pain.
"That's it? It doesn't even tickle."
Tickle my ass.
『A pride that is paradoxically elevated in the face of adverseties.』
Because of the throbbing pain all over my body, I wanted to lose my mind and collapse, but I couldn't.
『Axel von Goldline Vaiself is a noble, and the words compromise and effrontery aren't even in his dictionary』
'Shut up, bitch!'
Mana began to link and fuse with every fiber and tissue, creating a new pathway that appeared to exist and not exist simultaneously.
"Should I say it is ephemeral?"
It was that kind of thing, and fortunately, the pain vanished when the ephemeral mana pathway was created.
[New Trait Created: Revered Physique (S)]
[New skills are being granted...]
[Skill: Rapid Growth (Passive)]
[Skill: Dual Mana Stream (Active or Passive)]
It couldn't compare to the skill [Harmonized Streams] that the protagonist got after creating that heaven-defying technique, but it was enough for now.
A wave of coolness washed over me, and I let out a sigh of relief.
Phew~!
Contrary to what one might expect, I wasn't fatigued, instead, I felt rejuvenated, as if all the cells in my body were dancing in joy.
"Finally!"
With excitement and anticipation bubbling up, I couldn't wait to see the result of the changes my body had gone through.
"Status!" I called coolly.
Ding!
────────────────────
[Name: Adrian Vaiself] [Age: 20]
[Race: Human]
[Class: Nobility] [Level: 1]
[Strength: 14] [Agility: 12] [Constitution: 16] [Mana: 9] [Intelligence: 15]
[Luck: 4/100] [Charisma: 32/100]
[Traits: Pride (A), Nobility (A), Composure (A), Mana Affinity (A), Revered Physique (S)]
[Skills: Mental Resistance (passive), Intimidation (active), Stealth (Active), Rapid Growth (Passive), Dual Mana Stream (Active/Passive)]
[Stat Points: 0] [UC: 90]
[Inventory: Watch...]
[System Store: Opened]
───────────────────
"Just so so, it needs to be improved."
Even my eyelids twitched when those words came out of my mouth, and I couldn't help but explode inwardly.
'So so? Improve? Are you fucking kidding me?'
'Of course it needs to improve, but can't I just be happy and satisfied for once?! Fuck you, Nobility and Pride traits of mine.'
But I knew there wasn't much I could do about it, so I just took a cigarette out of the side drawer, slid it between my lips, and lit it.
Phew~!
Finally, as the smoke went into my lungs, the nicotine got mixed in my blood and reached my brain. My mind relaxed a little, and I got lost in thought.
Except for Luck, every other stat of mine was changed.
There were some good traits and skills too, but the most important were still the two skills:
[Rapid Growth] and [Dual Mana Stream]
"Now I can use pathway for a warrior-type class too and finally cover my close-range weaknesses."
An awakened human body had only one pathway, and your class type determined what kind it would be.
For example: A mage type class would had a mana pathway, and traits suitable for mages.
Therefore, it was almost impossible for anyone to become an expert in a class other than their own, or use different types of mana pathways than what they had.
One could only specialize in one thing.
Fortunately, my class doesn't fall under any of those categories and was a neutral type, which could change its pathway at the starting levels.
Of course, once changed, they too could not be changed.
Nonetheless, there was no way I was going to stay content with using Mana to only cast spells.
That was extremely wasteful.
Fortunately, I won Mana Affinity in the lottery.
Otherwise, I might have had to struggle and work hard to level up.
"Anyways, that's enough for now."
With that, I took a bath and went to sleep because I was completely mentally drained.
* * * * * * *
The following morning, I woke up feeling completely revitalized and prepared to head to the Magic Tower.
"I wonder if my dear Sylvia has started to feel despair by now."
My tone was gentle, but my words were anything but.
Even my eyes contained deep sarcasm and mockery for that ignorant arrogance of hers that doesn't know the immensity between heaven and earth.
Was that the villain's dialogue from a Cultivation novel?
Unfortunately for Sylvia, even though she was a heroine, but I was her author.
Eventually, I got dressed and left the room after a long time.
Coincidentally, not a second later, I saw Charlotte, who was bringing my breakfast on a trolley.
My presence was also noticed by her, and she shouted as she was saw me in the corridor.
"Master, you are finally out—"
However, she stopped midway through her words.
Then, she ran toward me, leaving the trolley behind, and looked at me carefully, up and down, with her hand under her chin.
"What's wrong? Something the problem?" I asked, and she shook her head.
"No, but you feel different."
Then, with a curious face, she came even closer and started sniffing me.
Sniff! Sniff!
"Are you a dog?"
"Master!!!"
Like a cute, angry puppy, she stomped her foot angrily on the floor.
"Alright, tell me, what seems to be different?"
"Ummm... It's like I can't see through you anymore, your mana feels weaker, but you feel a lot more mysterious, as if there's depth but no end, and also a lot more handsome."
The last words made her blush, but my focus was on her keen senses, which made a precise judgment of my change.
'Should I say as expected of a shadow whose only task was to protect and serve me to the best of her ability?'
My mind was filled with many thoughts, but I acted somewhat surprised and pleased on the surface.
"Ho! Interesting, my Charlotte is more talented than I thought."
"Of course, I am a high ranking player after all."
She replied with a smug face, her hands on her waist, and her big breasts pushed out.
Although my heart wanted to squeeze those melons, but I knew it was not the time yet.
"I know you're the best."
Therefore, when I lifted my hand, I just patted her head while she purred like a happy cat under my touch and my sugar coated words.
It was then that she stopped my hands with hers, and spoke as if she suddenly remembered something.
"Oh, master, I remember something."
"What is it?"
"The Patriarch and that girl, Sylvia, called for you while you were in closed door training, asking for you, and I also got all the information about Sylvia that you wanted."
Hearing what she said, I immediately took out my phone, which I had turned off earlier to help me focus, and turned it back on.
As expected, there were six missed calls from an unknown number.
'I really forgot about her call for a second, fortunately, there was also Charlotte's number on my card.'
Letting out a sigh of relief inwardly, I turned to Charlotte.
"Give me the information in the car while driving me to the Magic Tower branch, also, what were they both saying."
"The girl Sylvia wanted to talk to you, as for the Patriarch,"
Charlotte paused, made a funny face, and then started shouting loudly and waving her hand like my father.
"Remind that ungrateful brat that he has a father, and tell him to come visit me as soon as he gets out."
Flick!
When she was done talking, I flicked her forehead.
"Ouch! Master!"
Charlotte rubbed her forehead and made a pitiful face, but I ignored her antics, and said seriously,
"He's my father; don't make fun of him."
"Mo! But Master, the Patriarch seemed happy for some reason."
"Of course he would be, after all, he must have already known by now about my Mana stats and the results of the test in Magic Tower."
People might not know, but I, as the author, was very well aware of how powerful the current Vaiself family was.
However, when I thought about the Vaiself family, my eyes couldn't help but become gloomy, especially when I remembered that bitch of an elder sister.
After that, we had a simple breakfast with Sharon and Rachael who were surprised to see me, and then I left for the Magic Tower with Charlotte.
Of course, I didn't forget to read the file Charlotte gave me about Sylvia's parents, and I gave her some instructions on what to do.
* * * * *
In no time, I finally reached my destination.
However, just as I entered the auditorium, a loud call of my name attracted my attention.
"Adrian!!!"
It was a familiar voice, and when I turned to look, it was a familiar face, but in an unfamiliar condition.
Nonetheless, I recognized it without a trouble.
"Sit here!!!"
Sylvia waved her hand and pointed at the seat beside her.
There was a smile on her face, but I could see the anxiety, shock, and relief behind it.
'Are you relieved and shocked that I came today and would save you?'
To be honest, she wasn't wrong.
Sadly, some things couldn't be changed even if even we wanted them to, just like Sylvia's happiness, which would be shortlived even after I saved her.
'Anyway, that was a matter for later, for now, I need to ease our anxious heroine.'
I nodded to her and said it with a calm demeanor.
"Coming."
There was a gentle smile on my face, but I was sinisterly grinning in my head.
'It looks like the fish has finally taken the bait.'
——————————————————
[A/N: Shout out to "roll_the_music" for the Inspiration Capsule.]
Thanks a lot, you guys are the best.