"Why do I only have 3 Health Points? And my Stamina Points and Attribute Points are even worse!" Bruce frowned as he questioned the system.
"You do realize you're just 10 years old, right?" the system replied.
"Even so, compared to other 10-year-olds, my stats seem terrible. Why is that?" Bruce persisted with his doubts.
The system responded in an annoyed tone, "You've been a pampered prince, raised in luxury without much physical activity. Obviously, your stats would be lower than a normal child's."
Bruce fell silent. His chaotic past had made him forget just how coddled he had been in his early years. He glanced once more at his personal status menu hovering in front of him.
[STATUS
Name: Bruce Sterling
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Age: 10
Ability: None | Grade: None | Level: None
Alignment: Neutral Good
HP: 3/3
MP: None
SP: 2/2
AP: 1
Attributes:-
Strength: 3
Agility: 3
Soul: 5
Endurance: 3
Will: 9
Intelligence: 4
Luck: 2
Charisma: 7
Fame: 1
Infame: 0
VENGEANCE POINTS: 0
SKILLS: None
SHOP: Locked
QUEST: (1)]
Bruce read through his status once more and asked.
"Hmm. The start is all basic stuff. Okay. I get that. But what's this 'Alignment' thing?" he asked.
"Alignment is like a simple way to show what you believe in and how you act morally and ethically," the system explained.
"It's where two lines cross, one for morals and one for ethics. Your alignment is 'neutral good,' meaning you're kind and always try to do what's right without being tied to any particular rules."
Bruce paused for a moment, then responded,
"Too confusing. Let's just move on to the next question," without feeling embarrassed at all.
"….."
"Okay, mhmm. HP is for health, SP is for stamina. What is this MP?" Bruce asked.
"MP stands for Mana Points. Since there's no concept of mana in this realm, it might be confusing. But it's similar to the energy called aether in this world's atmosphere," the system explained.
"Oh, right. Aether, the energy we refine to temper our core and use our abilities after awakening," Bruce nodded.
"Exactly. Mana is like a more pure form of aether. With the system inside you, you won't need to refine aether or temper your core. the system converts the aether you absorb into mana points automatically. These points make your abilities more powerful than others at the same level, making you superior," the system clarified.
"So, let me get this straight. Do I not have to create a core to use my powers? Because usually, a person who's awakened has to keep tempering their core all the time and keep the refined aether energy stored inside it. By tapping into this stored energy, the awakened can use their powers," Bruce asked.
"You can control your abilities directly with mana points, but it's recommended to form a core to avoid suspicion from others," the system advised.
"Wow, that's a huge advantage. I've got plenty of questions, but I'll save them for later," he said, and then continued, "So, the attributes are pretty basic. Though the numbers seem low. Well, at least my willpower and charm are decent," he muttered.
"An average person's highest attribute is 12. Considering your age and everything, yours is below average. But as you complete quests and earn vengeance points, you can boost your attributes and other stats."
"Oh, I see. So that's what the 'Quest' option is for. Okay, explain the rest," Bruce said.
"Vengeance Points come from completing quests. You can trade them for attribute points, mana points, stamina points, or health points. Basically, 100 VP equals 1 AP or 1 SP. 1000 VP equals 1 HP, and finally, 10,000 VP equals 1 MP."
"Wait, 10,000 Vengeance Points for just 1 Mana point? How many vengeance points do I get for each quest?" Bruce asked.
"It depends on the quest. But don't worry, you'll earn vengeance points frequently once you're awakened," the system explained.
"Uh, okay, I guess."
"Next, the Skill column shows all the skills you've acquired. As you gather more skills, the column will be divided by skill levels. And finally, the Shop is where you can buy things like skills, weapons, abilities, and artifacts. The Shop opens once you're awakened," the system said.
"Hey, what about Fame and Infamy? What are those?" Bruce began to ask, but his question was interrupted as Butler Leonard entered the room with a tray full of snacks. Bruce immediately forgot his question and dove into the snacks like a hungry animal. Leonard was surprised by Bruce's behavior because although Bruce loved snacks, he always maintained his manners while eating in front of others. This new behavior was unusual, but for Bruce, who had never had the luxury of eating his fill for the past few decades, manners went out the window when faced with delicious snacks.
After gobbling up all the tasty snacks, Bruce's belly felt like he'd swallowed a huge watermelon. Rubbing his belly contentedly, Bruce replied to the still-stunned Leonard, who stood there speechless.
"That was delicious, Leo," Bruce said.
Leo, finally snapping out of his daze, replied, "Uh, oh, thank you, Master Bruce. I'll be sure to tell the chef about your compliment. Would you like more, sir?" he asked, but couldn't help but notice Bruce's full belly and wondered if there was even room for more.
"Nah, I'm good. We've got work to do," Bruce replied casually.
"Um, sorry, what?" Leonard asked, confused.
"Did Martha come to see you about resigning?" Bruce inquired.
"Yes, sir. I've already let her go. No need to worry," Leonard replied.
Bruce stared straight into Leonard's eyes, sensing the simmering anger within him. Perhaps if he were still a 10-year-old kid, he'd be clueless about a lot of things, but this Bruce was a 40-year-old veteran who hailed from the past. He was well aware of Omega, the elite and secretive asset of the Sterling family. Leonard would never personally spring into action unless the entire family was in peril. For him, it was always about safeguarding the Prince of the Sterling family.
In his earlier life, Bruce had underestimated Leonard, viewing him merely as a common worker for the Sterling family. However, on the day his family met destruction, he witnessed the infamous Omega in action, defeating nearly 20 A-Grade assassins single-handedly. That moment taught Bruce never to underestimate anyone again.
Now, Bruce had a lot on his plate. His first task was to investigate Martha's impending demise. Although he knew Martha was more than a mere maid, having retired early even in his past life, Bruce was still unfamiliar with many aspects of her background. With danger lurking around every corner, Bruce decided to enlist Leonard's help for now, considering Bruce himself was as vulnerable as a mosquito bite could him in the current situation. And trusting Leonard was a given for Bruce; as there was no one in the world he trusted more, not even his grandmother.
"You don't need to be angry at her, Leo. When Martha asked permission to quit her job, I specifically told her to mention that I approved," Bruce said.
Leonard was confused. He didn't know what to reply. Suddenly the change in the entire demeanor of his Master of ten years left him disoriented.
'Is he really the young master I knew' he thought.
Seeing Leonard with a mix of emotions on his face, Bruce continued,
"Even though I'm just 10, I'm not oblivious to many facts, Leo. Especially the fact that if an inner circle member wants to leave the family unless Grandma or I give direct approval I know it's not valid."
Leonard was stunned. He always thought this young master of the Sterling family was innocent and clueless, but he never knew Bruce knew about one of the family's secret rules.
After a while, he asked, "Master Bruce, if you know about the rule, may I know why you permitted her? Because an inner circle member of the family holds a lot of secrets that could damage the family if leaked. Still knowing this, may I know why you approved?"
"Why shouldn't I, Leo? First, we need to stop treating those loyal to us as disposable. Martha has been loyal to the household for more than 30 years. Do you really think she would leak secrets to destroy the family?"
"But to ensure the family isn't affected, we have to take precautions," insisted Leonard.
"Do you think she's a chicken that we can slaughter just because of a single doubt we're not even sure of? Then who will be loyal to us in the future if we treat everyone as expendable?" Bruce asked.
Since Leonard hadn't experienced it, he didn't know. But Bruce knew. He knew very well the main reason for his family's destruction was not an external force, but the betrayal of inner circle members. Almost two out of three family members betrayed the matriarch and rebelled, allowing outside forces to take advantage. He knew if the family kept treating loyal workers as expendable, no one in the family would stay loyal. Even those loyal themselves would turn on them out of fear during tough times.
Seeing Leonard quiet and still unconvinced, Bruce kept talking.
"Do you trust me, Leo?" he asked.
Hearing the question, Leonard moved his right hand to his chest and replied with a slight bow,
"Trust is a big word for this slave, Master. Your orders are my law."
"This is exactly what I mean. Why do you see yourself as a slave, you bonehead? You're not a slave. Not to me or this family," Bruce replied authoritatively.
Leonard was shocked to hear these words from his Master. Although his master was kind, he was never this expressive.
"Listen to me, Leo. I'll say this only once, so never forget it. You are my friend, okay? You're my most trusted friend in this world. Never forget that," Bruce said firmly.
Leonard, still looking at his master in a daze, couldn't help but notice warm tears forming at the corners of his eyes. As much as he wanted to control his emotions, he couldn't help himself as tears flowed freely.
With a lump in his throat, he tried to reply,
"M..aster, I'm honored to be your friend."
"Stop crying like a kid, bugger," Bruce said irritably.
"Y..es, yes, Master," Leonard replied, wiping away his tears.
"Now, go find a person. I forgot his name, but he runs a Private Agency. I think it's called Lens and Pens or something. He has a goatee and always covers one of his eyes with a patch," Bruce said.
"Who is this guy, Master?"
"You'll find out once we visit him. Is that enough information to find him?" Bruce asked.
"It's more than enough, Master. I'll find this guy in no time," Leonard replied.
With that, Leonard hurriedly left through the door, intending to complete the task given by his master.
As Leonard left, Bruce opened his status and focused on the quest option. Immediately, new words appeared in front of him.
[QUEST:
1. Martha, your maid, harbors deep vengeance in her heart. She is destined to perish within a couple of days. Your task is to uncover the reason for her vengeance and seek retribution on behalf of Martha.
Reward: 1000 VP & 1 random skill.
Penalty: None
Note: Additional rewards will be granted if Martha's demise is prevented.
Time until Martha's Death: 45h:43m:32s.
ACCEPT | REJECT]
Upon reviewing the quest once more, Bruce opted to accept the quest.