"Welcome, guest."
These words were written on the floating screen in front of me. Confused, I tried to comprehend what was happening, but my mind was a mess. My chest burned as if it were on fire, and the pain was unbearable.
Still on the floor, with my hand pressed against my chest, I noticed a fixed gaze on me. I looked up and found Alice watching me coldly. Those eyes showed no empathy; they were ice-cold, almost disturbing. A shiver ran down my spine. Why was she looking at me like that when I was clearly in pain?
"Lord Alden, I warned you that it would be better not to distance yourself from me. Look what happened," she said, her voice tinged with indifference.
That tone, almost rude, irritated me. Was this how a servant should treat her lord? My God, respect for me was nonexistent.
Without caring for my state, she easily lifted me and cast a diagnostic spell.
"Your body is normal. How strange... it seemed like you were about to die."
"I was what?!" Confusion overtook me. But what bothered me the most was the way she was staring at me—cold and calculating, as if she were just waiting for my death to report it.
Before I could react or ask more questions, the floating screen displayed something again.
"This is not a dream, traveler. We have chosen you to save this world."
Me? Save the world? How am I supposed to save anything if I can barely save myself?
"We chose you carefully. We know your potential. You will do very well."
How do they know this? They don't even know me! If they did, they would know my life has been nothing but a string of failures.
"You have unimaginable potential. We expect great things from you. As a messenger, my only job is to deliver this message. We will not contact you again, but we will leave a special gift: a system that will make everything you desire easier in the future."
My hands trembled. This seemed absurd. My hunger disappeared, replaced by a mix of fear and bewilderment.
Alice, still there, tilted her head.
"Maybe he's gone crazy?" she suggested with a natural tone that irritated me even more.
Fred, the skinny cook who seemed frailer than his own knife, mumbled something.
"I think we should call a doctor."
There was a hint of concern in his voice, but then he added:
"That way we can prove we didn't kill him, in case he kills himself from madness."
Ah, of course. Wonderful. Even the servants had no respect for me.
"I'm fine," I said, forcing a smile. "It must be just exhaustion. I'll eat and rest."
They didn't seem convinced, but left me alone while I devoured my dinner. Once I finished, I went up to my room, still trying to make sense of what was happening.
As soon as I entered, the screen reappeared.
STATS:
Respect: -5
Strength: 4
Agility: -1
Stealth: 0
Intelligence: 10
Lands: 3
What? These are my attributes? What kind of cheat is this? These stats are horrible! How am I supposed to accomplish anything with this?
"We know your stats are terrible. That's why we've created daily quests for you to improve them progressively. If you fail to complete them, you will suffer penalties."
"Great," I muttered sarcastically. I've read something like this before, but I couldn't remember where.
The screen changed again, showing a list of tasks.
Daily Quests:
Run 10 km.Do 100 push-ups.Train stealthy steps.Study magic.Help a peasant or servant, showing leadership and empathy.I read the list again. This is going to be torture, but it seems like I have no choice. If I want to get out of this pathetic position, I have to start somewhere.
On the first day, I found myself running with difficulty. My body, weak and clumsy, could barely handle 500 meters without begging for rest. Every step felt like punishment.
"This body is trash!" I shouted, stopping to catch my breath.
Suddenly, the screen flickered.
"Detected surrender. Penalty activated."
Before I could react, I was transported to a dark, gloomy, and terrifying place. The interior of a vast castle, decorated in a macabre way, seemed to swallow any light. Chills ran through my body as I saw a throne in the distance. A man with an overwhelming presence was sitting on it, watching me with an arrogant gaze.
"Who dares to interrupt my sleep again?" His voice reverberated, cold and relentless.
He raised a finger, and the worst pain of my life followed. My body was burned instantly, my skin melting as I watched it happen. The pain was indescribable. I tried to scream, but my voice seemed to be swallowed by the agony.
"Light penalty completed."
When I finally returned to the real world, I trembled uncontrollably. That was light? I will never fail those missions again.
After a week of intense training, something changed. My body, once fragile, was beginning to show signs of improvement. The system really worked. The daily runs, push-ups, and magic study were transforming my physique and my mind.
During this time, I also started analyzing the situation of the duchy. It was obvious that everything was in chaos: criminals controlled the streets, peasants lived in fear, and the economy was a disaster. Even the nobles had abandoned the territory, leaving only the desperate behind.
The solution was clear: recruit guards and restore order.
I posted flyers throughout the duchy, offering a salary of 6 gold coins annually for new recruits. I also promised lifetime pensions for the families of those who died in service. Alice thought I had lost my mind but followed my orders.
A week later, 100 men showed up. They all had thin bodies, hollow eyes, and the appearance of those who had never had a decent meal. Despite this, I saw potential in them—rough diamonds waiting to be polished.
I gathered them all in the courtyard.
"You accepted this job knowing the risks. From now on, I am your demon. There will be no deserters. Anyone who tries to flee will be punished severely, along with the others."
Their gazes were filled with pure terror, but no one dared protest. I called Montanha, the most resilient of the guards, to lead the first training.
"I want you to run for five hours without stopping. If anyone falls, the companion next to them must carry them."
Montanha shouted at the recruits and began pushing them. After hours of exhausting running, I sent them to train swimming in the lake with Robert, the best swimmer. Exhaustion was evident, but that was just the beginning.
After the grueling training in the lake, I had the recruits practice combat techniques. They were barely able to hold a sword properly, but that was to be expected. Most of them had probably never seen one before. My goal wasn't to make them masters of the blade overnight, but to forge warriors who could endure, who could follow orders, and who could be useful in battle.
Days turned into weeks, and their bodies began to toughen. The training was relentless, and their spirits were broken time and time again only to be rebuilt with each new lesson. They learned to push through exhaustion, to work together, and to follow commands without question.
Alice, who had once dismissed my methods as madness, began to show signs of begrudging respect. She still had that cold, distant look in her eyes, but I could see her analyzing my progress, calculating the potential outcomes of my decisions. She didn't speak much, but I could tell she was beginning to understand the path I was carving.
But it wasn't just the recruits who were improving. I was improving too. The system's daily quests pushed me harder than anything I'd ever experienced before. Every run, every push-up, every hour spent studying magic chipped away at my weaknesses. Slowly, I started to feel like a different person—stronger, more focused, and more determined.
However, the pain didn't stop. Every day felt like a test. The penalties for failure weren't just physical—they were psychological as well. The haunting memories of the "light penalty" still lingered in my mind. I couldn't afford to fail again. Not now, not ever.
One evening, after a particularly brutal training session, I collapsed into bed, completely drained. My muscles screamed in protest, and my mind felt as though it were on the verge of shutting down. But as I drifted into sleep, the screen flickered in front of me once more.
STATS:
Respect: 3
Strength: 6
Agility: 1
Stealth: 2
Intelligence: 12
Lands: 5
"Not bad," I muttered, looking over my stats. There was progress, but it still wasn't enough. I needed more.
Suddenly, a new message appeared on the screen.
"New Quest: Defend the Duchy."
Defend the duchy? What the hell was this about?
The screen continued:
"A group of bandits has been spotted near the outskirts of your lands. They are dangerous and well-armed. Failure to repel them will result in severe consequences."
Severe consequences? That could only mean one thing: another penalty. But I didn't hesitate. This was it. The real test. If I could conquer this challenge, I would prove to everyone—including myself—that I was worthy of the title I'd inherited.
I sprang out of bed and quickly gathered my equipment. Alice, who had been standing by the door, gave me a sharp glance.
"Going out to fight?" she asked, her voice still as cold as ever.
"Yes," I said firmly. "The duchy won't save itself."
She said nothing, but I could tell she was watching me carefully. Perhaps for the first time, she saw that I wasn't just some weakling trying to survive. I was becoming something more. And I wasn't going to back down.
As I rode out to face the bandits, the weight of the responsibility settled on my shoulders. This wasn't just about proving myself anymore. This was about securing the future of the duchy. My people were counting on me.
The bandits didn't make it easy. They were well-organized, and their leader was a hulking brute with a scar running down his face. But I had something they didn't: determination. I wasn't just fighting for survival; I was fighting for something greater.
I led my recruits into battle, each of them doing their best to hold their ground, to follow orders. It wasn't perfect, but it was enough. The bandits were driven back, and the duchy was safe—at least for now.
When the battle ended, I stood there, panting, covered in sweat and dirt. My body ached, but I felt alive. For the first time in my life, I felt like I was actually accomplishing something.
Alice, who had watched from a distance, approached me.
"You did it," she said, her tone less cold than usual. "I didn't think you had it in you."
I didn't respond. I didn't need to. The battle was just the beginning. There was much more to be done.
The system buzzed again.
"Quest Complete: Defend the Duchy."
"Reward: Strength +2. Agility +1. Respect +10."
It was a small victory, but it was a victory nonetheless. And as I looked out over the lands, I knew there was no turning back now. I had chosen this path, and I would walk it to the end, no matter the cost.