**Loki POV**
The spear of light in his hands was shining just like his eyes as he forced all thoughts of guilt to the back of his mind. A monster like this one would never make peace with those he cares for no matter the efforts that may be put into it. This isn't murder, it is putting down a rabid animal. Loki willed the spear of light forward as it pierced through the heart of the goblin. The light in the eyes of the goblin dimmed as some black blood was seeping out from the wound on its chest. Loki had stiffened up expecting to be hit with nausea or a headache, but it had never come. He looked to Mekkla for guidance who quickly inferred what the unasked question was.
"Your Highness, if you had leveled up there would have been a notification even before any symptoms. I had looked over some records and I believe there is truth in the theory that unique classes require more experience to level up. Despite us having tied up the goblin it would still be seen as a higher level compared to a level 0." The explanation caused Loki to nod in understanding and made him curious on what exactly the status system does to the body. This idea helped distract him from the fact he had just ended a life which was unable to fight back.
He approached the second goblin using the same spell and a few seconds after piercing it through he still hadn't gotten a single notification. Nonetheless, Loki moved onto the final goblin that had been tied up and ended it in a similar manner as there was now a change.
[Congratulations! Your level has increased by one! Stats in Status has been unlocked!]
[● HP + 12
● Str + 12
● Mag + 28
● Skl + 16
● Spd + 11
● Lck + 10
● Def + 8
● Res + 20
● Charm + 13]
Loki began to sway on his feet, his face pale like a ghost as a soldier quickly caught him before he hit the ground. Healing mages rushed over casting a myriad of spells as ominous creaks and groans could be heard from within the body of the Prince even heard by the guards around the edge of the forrest. Most of those who stepped into the Status system would not see any double digit increase for a single stat until they had some of their own stats sitting around fifty for even those with true talent and training. Pops, cracks, and snaps soon joined in the series of sounds being made, the breathing of the Prince having become rather strained. Despite that he was letting out pained sounds which were similar to howls, trying to cope with the pain brought by the changes.
(Gahhh! This stings, end it end it end it end it
end it end it end it end it end it end it end it end it end it end it end it end it end it end it end it end it now!!! It hurts more than that truck did!!)
Loki was practically sweating buckets with his internal body being remolded, his muscles in a constant state of tearing and regenerating along with his bones that would crack one moment and then resettle the next. Loki who had been howling in pain couldn't even howl any longer and he had lost track of the time going between feeling like he wanted to die, to feeling a surge of vitality the next second.
After what felt like an eternity to Loki the pain had started to subside ever so slightly and even that was enough for him to fall unconscious as the guards quickly set up a camp with a tight guard over the unconscious Prince who was confirmed to not be in danger any longer.
**Mekkla POV**
The Vice-Captain had a stern and mellow expression on his face as he watched over the Prince who seemed to have fallen asleep. He knew that something out of expectations would happen from his research, but he wasn't sure what exactly would happen. He regretted not reaching out to the Tores family and getting their opinion though Mekkla himself wasn't trusting them after the recent event with a curse.
(Hell, I can't even clear the Nibulgs of suspicion since their food wasn't cursed. Was that a ploy to earn the trust of His Highness? The Crown Prince is barely stronger than some of the division commanders despite his blood, but he is still the Crown Prince at the moment. The Dina family if they got serious could probably help bring the Crown Prince to level ninety in a flash, but they are probably worried that those ten extra levels might only compare to a few levels for Prince Loki which is why they haven't done that. The Gyrants ... I don't have a clue of what they are planning during all of this either. As for the Tores family they have some who could stretch and say they have royal blood and shouldn't they have been able to detect that curse?)
Granted, Mekkla wasn't the most knowledgeable regarding magic let alone curses though he could tell that the Palace was reeking of battles that would soon unfold either in the dark, the light, or even both. Such dramatic changes weren't in the records pertaining to the Late Emperor Balthus who was confirmed to have possessed a tier 1 unique class. This made Mekkla wonder if Loki really would be safe staying inside the Palace with the clear potential he had. It was only a danger for him, since he lacked the strength or allies that would be exclusive to him and would protect him till the time he can bloom.
Those worries could easily consume Mekkla if he thought about them for more than he should especially since his job this time was to ensure no harm came upon the Young Prince. It was not in his responosbiltiy to ensure that he wasn't possibly walking into a scheme that may only be launched years into the future or not happen at all. He would fulfill the duty he had been assigned and any other missions on his honor as the Vice-Captain of the Imperial Guard.
**Loki POV**
The eyes of the young Prince opened and one of the nearby Servants who saw that quickly spread the news resulting in a rather weary Loki's tent quickly becoming occupied by the three leaders of his protection force of sorts who had posed a request. It took a bit for Loki to wake up and understand just what had been asked of him.
(The crystal ball? Isn't that supposed to wait until after the hunt is over? Wait my body doesn't hurt anymore? Is that what they want to see? To decide what I should be able to handle?)
Loki began to do small stretches relieved when rather than feeling sore to the extreme he felt as if he was brimming with power. Loki gave a nod of assent to the requests to have his stats alone displayed pushing some of his mana into the measuring orb activating it. The orb had a silver gleam before it displayed his current level and stats for the three people.
[Status]
[Stats]
[Level 1]
[Tier 1]
[ ● HP: 12
● Str: 12
● Mag: 28
● Skl: 16
● Spd: 11
● Lck: 10
● Def: 8
● Res: 20
● Charm: 13]
Mekkla, Jirai and Simon all rubbed their eyes at the same time and even pinched their cheeks in a circle before looking at the measuring orb once more. Jirai was looking at Loki with almost predatory eyes causing Loki to shiver as he quickly got rescued by Simon who stood in between the two.
"I know I was expecting something else from hearing the prince had a unique class, but this ... were all the ancient races like this?" Simon was saying such a thing tinged with depression though he kept his gaze locked on Jirai which seemed to help kick him out of his trance of sorts."My apologies I was lost in thought, if it is already like this I wonder how much of a shock will be caused once the results of the hunt are announced." It didn't take Loki much time at all to figure that he would be seeing no small amounts of attempts to take his own life in the near future.
"We cannot lie about the stats that will be shown without a doubt, but perhaps we could obscure His Higness' level. Considering it took three goblins to level up, I'd expect that at most level ten will be achieved. The Crown Prince hit level twenty five with his first hunt after all and his class was closer to average. If we show results that say Prince Loki got to say level twenty or fifteen it should keep some people from being as wary." While normally Mekkla wouldn't suggest such a dishonorable thing or going against a tradition of the Empire, in his eyes the most talented prince might get silenced if the real level for his stats should be shown.
Loki's face had paled slightly though he nodded as well, while it could be nice to hear people call him a prodigy without equal he knew he didn't have the strength to protect his talent at the moment. He had next to no supporters sworn to his cause alone and his own strength was in a similar state. A decision having been made the three leaders of the guards set off to setup the obscuring as well as moving the hunt along and having the guards locate additional prey.