"So, when will we be leaving, father?" Kai asked eagerly, his excitement palpable as he awaited Velc's response.
"Next week," Velc replied, his tone firm and decisive.
"Next week? But tha--"
"Yes, next week...." Velc interrupted, cutting off Kai's protest before it could fully form, "As soon as you finish your training. We will be departing for the Castle, as the engagement ceremony will take place in Her Majesty's presence."
Kai's brows furrowed in confusion at his father's sudden shift in plans, "H-Huh? But Father, isn't the engagement ceremony supposed to happen in the Male house?"
Velc sighed, thinking his son needed more training as he said, "That is the tradition if you were to marry a commoner or a low-class noble. However, you do know who you are marrying, right?"
Understanding dawned on Kai's face, his expression clearing as he realized the significance of Velc's words. "Oh!" He nodded.
With that matter settled, Kai left the office, his steps filled with newfound purpose, and Aether followed obediently at his side.
Kai clenched his fist in determination as he finally had his chance to fight the monsters. The anticipation of battle ignited a fire within him.
Aether glanced at Kai, observing his so-called master's determined expression, but he didn't say anything. His role was clear: to follow Kai and obey his orders without question.
He wouldn't give a damn about what Kai was thinking or feeling. As long as he wasn't the one suffering, he had little interest in Kai's concerns or ambitions.
With Kai heading to the library to study, as a slave, he was forbidden from entering the library so Kai was accompanied by Timmy.
Aether remained behind to perform other menial jobs around the household.
Throughout the day, as he washed dishes, prepared meals, and tended to various household duties.....
Night had fallen, casting shadows over the Frostblade estate as Aether lay on the floor inside his so-called room... his weary body craving a moment of respite.
His gaze fell upon a wooden plate, its contents no longer stale bread and expired jam.... but instead a meagre portion of meat.
"Well... it's at least better than bread, I suppose?" Aether muttered to himself, though the burnt and tough meat offered little solace.
Despite the meagre meal, Aether knew he couldn't afford to rest for long. With a determined resolve, he rose to his feet and began a series of warm-up exercises, preparing himself for the rigorous training that lay ahead.
"OOONNEEE!"
Aether grunted as he lowered himself into a push-up, his muscles straining with effort.
Unlike before, his hands remained steady, a testament to the progress he had made through relentless dedication and hard work....
Nah, it's all because of Log and Affection points!!
But he would never going to acknowledge that shit that put him in this hell.
"Thud"
Breathing heavily, Aether collapsed onto the ground, his muscles burning with exhaustion.
"Huff, Huff"
He panted, struggling to catch his breath.
"I need more training..." Aether muttered to himself, acutely aware of the limitations imposed by his status as a slave. With the demands of his duties filling his days, the night was his only opportunity for self-improvement.
'Sigh' With a resigned sigh, Aether pushed himself back up and resumed his exercises, the exertion of his training a stark contrast to the tranquillity of the moonlit night without a moon.
As the hours passed, he continued to push his body to its limits, each movement a testament to his unwavering determination.
Later, under the pale light from the dark sky, Aether took to running laps around the yard, the rhythmic sound of his footsteps echoing in the stillness of the night. With each stride, he pushed himself harder, his muscles burning with exertion as he pushed through the pain.
'-Huff-Huff-'
Finally, after covering what felt like an interminable distance... that was 100 meters, Aether's legs gave out beneath him, and he collapsed onto the dewy grass, his chest heaving with exhaustion
'Thud'
Rolling onto his back, Aether stared up at the starry sky above, his breaths coming in ragged gasps.
It was then, amidst the quiet of the night, that Aether's Log emitted a faint chime, signalling an update... he had been waiting to hear...
!~Ding~!
With a small smile, Aether summoned the Log and reviewed the changes,
/
Name: Aether
Sex: Male
Race: #####
Level: 0
Title: The Lost One, Slave [Eternal Contract to ########], The Only Holder of Ether and Past-less, Future-less Entity.
Attributes:
Strength: 1 ⬆
Agility: 1
Intelligence: 3
Magic Affinity: 0
Charm: 2
Compatibility: 88%
Survival rate= 0.5%
Affection Points: 10042 (1000 Affection Points = 1 *any Attributes)
?????
/
'Fuck!!' His heart raced as he realized he had finally achieved a positive increase in strength, though the process had been arduous and painful.
However, his gaze lingered on the Affection Points, a valuable resource he yearned to utilize but dared not, knowing the watchful eyes of Velc and Mortimer were upon him....
"Should I increase the intelligence?" Aether contemplated his options, pondering the significance of increasing his intelligence. He recalled Mortimer's words regarding its importance in understanding magic and delving deeper into the arcane arts.
'There are no visible physical changes... Then it might be the best one' He contemplated.
After a moment of contemplation, curiosity prevailed over caution.
"Well, let's see what happens," he muttered to himself, his curiosity overpowering his reservations.
"Increase Intelligence"
!~Ding~!
[+1 Intelligence]
[Intelligence: 4⬆]
Aether waited with eager anticipation, his heart pounding in his chest. However, to his dismay, no immediate changes materialized within him, nor did he experience any influx of newfound knowledge flooding his mind.
"???"
"Not enough?"
"Increase Intelligence," he repeated, determination etched in his voice.
!~Ding~!
[+1 Intelligence]
[Intelligence: 5⬆]
"...." Aether's brow furrowed in frustration as he attempted to increase his intelligence once more.
"Increase Intelligence"
!~Ding~!
[+1 Intelligence]
[Intelligence: 6⬆]
"...."
"Increase Intelligence by Four"
!~Ding~!
[+4 Intelligence]
[Intelligence: 10⬆]
"...." Aether's confusion deepened as he observed no discernible difference.
"Increase Intelligence"
!~Ding~!
[Error]
[Limit reached according to the Level]
"????" Aether's mind buzzed with questions.
"Limit reached... Level?" Aether's brow furrowed deeper as he scrutinized his Log, realizing his Level remained at zero.
"Oh! Right, that old man did say Level would depend on the ALL Attributes... so..." Aether muttered, connecting the dots. If he wanted to increase his level, he needed to reach the limits of every attribute.
"Arrh... I just wasted my affection points," Aether groaned in frustration, feeling as though he had lost something valuable that could have saved him.
But no one could blame him; he had been hoping to gain the knowledge and skills injected into his mind that was necessary to navigate this new world more effectively and... importantly Magic!!
He looked at his log with a dissatisfied expression, contemplating his next move,
/
Name: Aether
Sex: Male
Race: #####
Level: 0
Title: The Lost One, Slave [Eternal Contract to ########], The Only Holder of Ether and Past-less, Future-less Entity.
Attributes:
Strength: 1
Agility: 1
Intelligence: 10⬆
Magic Affinity: 0
Charm: 2
Compatibility: 88%
Survival rate= 0.5%
Affection Points: 03042 (1000 Affection Points = 1 *any Attributes)
?????
/
The text represents Intelligence was flickering with red, indicating it had reached its limit. However, there wasn't even a slight increase in his survival rate, as if suggesting his intelligence was not contributing to his survival.
It felt like a blatant slap in the face!!!
"Arrh," Aether let out a frustrated sigh, but managing to control his turmoil, he decided to take a bath.... feeling a mixture of disappointment and confusion swirling within him.
It was then,
"SHIT!!"
Aether's heart skipped a beat when his eyes caught a sight that sent a shiver down his spine. Like ethereal sentinels piercing the darkness, a pair of obsidian eyes materialized against the expanse of the dimly lit sky.
Each pupil, a void devoid of light, rotated with an eerie fluidity as if searching for something amidst the shadows. Then, with a graceful inevitability, they settled upon Aether, casting an unsettling glow upon their surroundings.
"!!!!"
Frozen in place, Aether felt the weight of those eyes bearing down upon him, their gaze like icy tendrils probing every inch of his being with a cold, calculating precision. It was as though they were dissecting him, unravelling the very essence of his existence with a curiosity that sent a chill coursing through his veins.
"Ether, close your eyes!!" A voice suddenly snapped him out of his trance-like state.
Reacting instinctively, Aether squeezed his eyes shut, his heart pounding against his chest.
After a minute or so,
"Now open your eyes"
Hearing that same voice, tinged with urgency, Aether slowly complied, cautiously opening his eyes..... only to find a pair of blue eyes gazing at him with concern and familiarity, their warmth a stark contrast to the chilling gaze he had just experienced.