Chapter 5 - Modified System

"Wh–what's happening?" Confused, Princess Quintella asked; a flood of information, all of which could be said to be unfamiliar to her, was currently surging in her head like spreading electric shock.

"Stay still." Grey casually said.

"O–Okay? I trust you, Mister." Sensing the gentle hand atop her head, Princess Quintella didn't move a single inch.

It was then... something that only she could hear–

Ding!

...eventually entered her ears, which was followed by a system screen that suddenly appeared in front of her crimson eyes.

[Modified Extraterrestrial System Integration... Processing!]

[Creation of the subject's Status Window... Processing!]

[Creation of the subject's Pseudo-Archive... Processing!]

After an unknown amount of time, the integration of the modified Extraterrestrial System ended, which was followed by silence from the seemingly dumbfounded magical Princess.

Her eyes were fixated on the system screen unfamiliar to her, where words in this world's language were virtually written.

[Modified Extraterrestrial System Integration... Complete!]

[You have obtained a Status Window.]

[You have obtained a Pseudo-Archive.]

[The system function, "Augmented Reality" has been incorporated.]

[The system subfunction, "General Wisdom—Outer and Inner" has been incorporated.]

[A portion of the Extraterrestrial System has been imprinted into your Soul Core.]

"M–Mister, what are these floating squares...? It's similar to the broadcasting method via Light Manipulation Spell. U–uh, am I under the effect of some kind of forbidden spell?"

No matter how many times Grey heard it—that the system was treated as some kind of forbidden spell since it was unexplainable, he still found it hilarious.

Letting go of his hand atop the little Princess' head, Grey then said, "It will be your guide to understand things that seem incomprehensible. Anyway. Stop treating it as some kind of forbidden spell."

'Krishnaya, for now, you can decide for her until she gets used to it. So, at the very least, make a schedule for her to train and study."

Considering the thousands of dead bodies that were rotting across the battlefield some distance away from the lake, the knowledge that Grey had stored in the Alien Archive: Devourer Dimension was more than substantial enough for Princess Quintella to necessarily learn.

There were dead squad captains on the battlefield, which allowed the Alien Archive to store information about war tactics and battle arts, etc.

The battlefield was the embodiment of an infinite library with thousands of unorganized books, waiting to be picked up. For Grey's existence along with the Extraterrestrial System, this side of the war that seemed to have been abandoned or ended was just dormant knowledge that needed to be compiled.

[Yes, Master. I will create a routine for her.]

At that moment, in less than ten seconds since Grey's order, a ding sound of alert echoed in Princess Quintella's skull.

Ding!

[The Path of Revenge—Schedule]

"H–huh, Mister? S–schedule for what?"

"Can't you read? It's for your desire. Get stronger and learn more things about my ways if you want to accompany me." Grey casually answered.

"W–well, Mister. I'll go wherever you go! I want to be of help!" Princess Quintella said, her fists clenched.

"That's why you need to be stronger," Grey responded.

'When I think about it, would the DNA Modification make her an overpowered person, just in case?' He added in his mind.

Knowing these thoughts, the Extraterrestrial System interjected,

[Master, if she holistically develops the right way compared to other individuals at her age range in this world's standards, that would make her superior to most.]

'Most... but not all, huh?' Grey pondered.

[Sufficient data has not been acquired to make an accurate deduction. Existences such as the Hero, Demon Lords, and other mystic races have yet to be gauged, Master.]

'I see. Anyway. Let's watch over her. Since the path she wants to walk on is revenge, it'll be filled with blood and deceit. I don't want to force my morals on her in any way, but it will do no harm to monitor her growth all in all.

'On a different note, make her understand science stuff and DNA Modification. Then we'll see if she wants her body or soul to be modified, especially about the limited age acceleration.'

[Yes, Master.]

The unidentified alien race and alien system discussed this and that for some time while Princess Quintella rested her back on the nearby tree, still trying to make sense of whatever she was seeing with her crimson eyes.

***

[Say 'Status' to open your Status Window.]

'What will happen if I say it?' Princess Quintella thought.

[...]

Her gaze then landed on Grey, who was in human form and now fishing some monstrous-looking fish on the seemingly contaminated lake.

Princess Quintella was about to interrupt him when she remembered his words about this system being a guide of some sort, 'Sigh, I–I have no choice but to follow Mister's will, haven't I? I owe him my life, and it's not like he has ulterior motives... Okay, let me try it.'

"S–Status."

Ding!

Princess Quintella flinched, hearing such a sound. It was then that a series of information was laid in front of her eyes.

————————————————

Name: Princess Quintella of Lumenasia

Age: 9 Years Old

Birthdate: Abril 05, 805, Fantasia Calendar

Race: Human

Societal Status: Royal/Commoner

Soul Core: Dark

Element: Darkness

Specialization: [To be determined]

Skills: [Empire's Basic Sword Arts]

Current Background: [A lone princess who has been abandoned by her own nation, but was found and saved by an unidentified alien race through a stroke of fate. Her desire has been engraved in her heart, and her guardian shall watch over her.]

————————————————

'This is similar... to a diary? And what about my guardian then...?' Princess Quintella smiled, her solemn eyes looking for her savior.

'Also, what's an alien race? Is Mister identified as that? I mean, is that a new type of Mutant?' She added in her mind.

Ding!

[Say 'Open Path' to check the details of the Path of Revenge.]

[Say 'Open Archive' to check the details of the Pseudo-Archive.]

[Say 'Deploy Augmented Reality' to begin with the subject's desire; training or studying through virtual reality.]

A series of system messages appeared, and Princess Quintella obeyed these commands with curiosity and wonders in her glimmering eyes beneath the black sun.

"Open Path."

Ding!

————————————————

[The Path of Revenge—Schedule.]

First Day: Physical Training

[] Warm-up (stretching)

[] Running (two to three kilometers)

[] Push-ups/Sit-ups (until body limit)

[] Climbing/Jumping (until body limit)

[] Sword-Swinging (until body limit)

Second Day: Academic Training

[] Inner Wisdom (two hours)

[] Outer Wisdom (four hours)

Third Day: Hunting

[] Subjugation of Low-Rank Monsters

Fourth Day: Physical Training

[] (Repeat the First Day's schedule)

Fifth Day: Academic Training

[] (Repeat the Second Day's schedule)

Sixth Day: [Optional Rest]

Seventh Day: [Optional Rest]

Extraterrestrial System Reminder:

[To do something is always better than just thinking about it and then regretting it later.]

————————————————

'Academic Training? Maybe I should have let myself bled to death!' Princess Quintella glared daggers at Grey's back, who was still fishing using some materials provided by the Extraterrestrial System.

After that, Princess Quintella opened the Psuedo-Archive, which basically granted her Spatial Storage, nothing more, nothing less. It caused her eyes to widen since this was known according to this world as a unique spatial spell.

On the other hand, what surprised her the most was the Augmented Reality; a projected dimension where she could study and train her body. It was an overlapping reality and virtual plane of the former.

"W–wow... I–I never thought this kind of for–"

Ding!

[This is NOT a forbidden spell!]

For some reason, Princess Quintella sensed that there was a subtle irritation contained in this message just now.

"R–right, sorry honey mallows."

[Modified Extraterrestrial System has been named Honey Mallows.]

"E–eh?!" Princess Quintella's eyes widened.

***

"Have you finished analyzing everything, Krishnaya? If so, re-edit my Status Window according to your ideal set-up, but focus more on this world's standards."

[Yes, Master.]

[Reconfiguring everything from the beginning according to the latest devoured data within the Devourer Dimension.]

[Reconfiguration... Complete!]

[The host's information has been updated.]

[The communicative capability of the Extraterrestrial System has been upgraded.]

[Manifestation Progress: 5%]

Amidst this change, as simple as it sounds, Grey sensed Princess Quintella leaning on a nearby tree was exploring something new to her; something that should not exist in this world. Then, as he caught some fish, he inspected some Extraterrestrial Missions—which were divided into two categories: [Independent] and [Progressive].

Ding!

[Extraterrestrial Mission]

Mission Category: Independent

Mission Details: [Take over a Goblin Village.]

Mission Duration: Indefinite

Mission Success Reward: —

Mission Failure Penalty: —

[Extraterrestrial Mission]

Mission Title: Rise of Alien Civilization (Part One)

Mission Category: Progressive

Mission Details: [Build an Alien Village]

This mission shall be completed when the inhabitants of the pre-village reach at least 333 population.

Mission Duration: 60 days (upon acceptance).

Mission Success Reward: Anon Pillar, Vibration Level +10, Anon Serum +3

Mission Failure Penalty: Progression Quests Dormancy +1 Year (unable to accept any progressive quests).

"I like this format; simple yet concise. Anyway. Krishnaya, it's not that I'm wishing for it anymore, but why's the progressive quest's failure penalty isn't death?"

[Common sense, Master. Founding an Alien Village doesn't necessarily mean fighting against anyone to death. There are many factors present such as the condition of the mission. Remember that failure penalty is the result of prediction, not accuracy and desire.]

"I see. So that's why when saving the Princess, [Death] was the penalty since it was possible for me to die at the hands of her bastard uncle."

[Yes, Master.]

[Would you like to accept the Progressive Mission? Or would you like to set aside it and choose another one related to the Princess?]

"Let me see first the ones regarding Princess Quintella."

Upon checking, Grey chuckled.

"This will take a few more years before its completion, so I'll go with the recommended Progressive Mission as well as the Independent one," Grey said, noticing a subtle relationship between these two distinct missions.

Ding!

[Progressive Mission—Rise of Alien Civilization (Part One) has been triggered.]

When everything was settled, the night in this already plane of darkness fell.

What followed was–

[Alien Archive: Material Dimension releases a frying pan.]

[Alien Archive: Material Dimension releases a decontamination agent.]

...food preparation.

***

Somewhere in the Dark Lands.

"I cannot contact Count Gildeus. Has the Princess been taken care of? Or something happened that we are not aware of?" A pale-skinned, well-built man in white-yellow armor, whose eyes were golden, listened to the report filled with concern of his subordinate.

"The Death Lord's right hand went in their direction. We do not know yet the outcome of the battle, but it seems we just have to wait a little longer. For now, let's focus on what's in front of us—recover the bodies of the wounded and heal them."

'What the hell's Princess Quintella even gonna do? She will just die a dog's death, anyway.' The authority in this rear inwardly said, dismissing any possibility of her survival.

"Yes, Holy Guardian."

The subordinate lowered his head before leaving the tent in silence.