[Love Cultivation
Spark Grade Yang Cultivation Technique
Every percentage of Affection you earn increases your CF by 1 permanently, and every Affection threshold you pass gives a bonus 10 CF.]
So this would make him stronger? At least, that's what he thought it did. He didn't know what CF was, but he remembered that he had seen it under his status.
[Malcolm
Condition: Healthy
Realm: Spark
Affinities: Yang
Techniques: (Liderc's Grip)
Spells: None
Charisma: 8
Strength: 8
Perception: 5
CF: 1]
So it was some kind of statistic, he thought to himself.
Wait, maybe it was Crimson Fire? The glossary had mentioned that when he was checking the realms.
[Realms: A measurement of the strength of your Crimson Fire.]
'Yep,' Malcolm nodded. 'It has to be Crimson Fire.'
As for the others, they seemed pretty self-explanatory, so he didn't worry about them.
"What do you do in your spare time?" Serena asked, shaking him out of his thoughts.
"What?"
"I'm simply curious," Serena said, her face expressionless. "We have some time on our hands, so what better way to use it than to get to know one another?"
"I… I don't know." Malcolm scratched his head. "When I'm not farming, I'm usually sleeping."
"The city gives you vacation days. Surely you don't spend it all sleeping."
"There's not much else to do out here, my lady," Malcolm replied with a shrug. "I recently picked up reading, but before that, I'd usually just farm even during the breaks."
"Reading?" She raised an eyebrow at that. "I didn't know farmers could read."
Malcolm paused for a second, waiting for a "no offense" or "let me rephrase that," but it didn't come. "A friend taught me. I believe he was a servant before they reassigned him."
"Ah, that explains it." She nodded, her ponytail bobbing with the motion. "I'm sure you'll be pleased to hear that we have a fine selection of books at our estate. I peruse them in my spare time as well. But if you prefer to keep your hands busy, you can tend to the garden."
"That sounds lovely," Malcolm replied, his hands still feeling the seat. "…Is everything in the city this luxurious?"
"For the most part." Serena tapped a part of the wall next to her, and a section of it slid open. She reached in and grabbed a bottle filled with a dark red liquid and two glasses, then filled each and handed one to him. "Thirsty?"
Malcolm accepted the offer gratefully, downing the drink in two quick gulps before wincing as a burning sensation settled in his stomach. "Ah… What, what is this?"
"Wine. You've never had wine before?"
"Only water. Why does it burn like this?"
"That means it's working," she said apathetically, drinking her own much slower. "If you'd prefer water, I believe I have some."
"Yes, please."
She filled his glass with water and ice cubes, and he took a tentative sip of it.
It was cold, but somehow that made it more enjoyable to drink. The water he had drank all his life had come from a tap, and was always lukewarm at best.
He could get used to this.
.......
"Please leave your shoes at the door," Serena instructed, pulling her own shoes off to reveal dainty feet with nails painted red.
Malcolm complied, and she led him into the estate.
He could hardly wrap his mind around it.
The walls were light blue stone and were lined with busts, statues, and paintings, each of which was worth more than his house, and the floor was covered in carpet just as lush as the carriage's seats.
"Where do you sleep?" He asked.
"This is just the entrance hall."
Entrance hall?
Serena swung open two grand, dark oak double doors and Malcolm's eyes widened.
The room was easily four times bigger than his humble shack outside the city. Two staircases that appeared carved straight out of a mountain spiraled up on either side of the room to a railed balcony.
Door after door lined the walls, more than he had ever seen before, and a crystal chandelier as tall as he was lit the cavernous room.
"This place is huge," Malcolm said with awe.
"I suppose it is. But I've gotten used to it." She checked a grandfather clock in the corner of the room. "It's getting late. Let me show you to your room. Tomorrow, we shall go to the city hall and be wed."
She brought him upstairs and through the door in the center of the mezzanine, down a hallway, and to a door in a room lined with them.
"This is your room. Consider everything within it yours. I expect you to be up at dawn, dressed in the finest clothes you can find in your closet."
Malcolm nodded and Serena left him to his own devices.
Taking a deep breath, he entered his new room.
He was almost happy to find that it was a simple arrangement, with only an admittedly large bed with a nightstand next to it, a small desk, and two doors to the left which, after he inspected them, he found went to a bathroom and the aforementioned closet.
A maid stood at attention in front of his bed with her hands clasped in front of her stomach and a smile on her face.
Her skin was as brown as her long hair and eyes, giving her an exotic look he had never seen before, and she was quite pretty, though not as pretty as Serena.
"Hello, young master," she greeted. "My name is Renna. If you have anything you need, please ring this bell."
She gestured to the bell sitting on the nightstand.
"Thank you, I will," Malcolm said. "Now please leave, I'm very tired."
She bowed deeply before picking up her skirt and leaving, closing the door softly behind her.
Malcolm sighed, plopping down on his bed.
He brought up the quest he had received only an hour ago, the one that required making Serena fall in love with him.
He wracked his brain as he tried to figure out how he would even go about that. She clearly had no interest in a romantic relationship, and forcing such a thing could very well do more harm than good.
[Serena
Description: The Princess of Flames
Affection: 32%
Current feelings: tired, hesitant]
He sighed again. Worrying about it wouldn't help. He'd have to let it come naturally.
He buried himself in the covers of his bed, sinking into the heavenly softness of the mattress and soon falling asleep.