After a long, exhausting day, Icarius finally fell into bed. The room was simple, but it had a big, fancy mirror hanging on the wall. As he stared at his reflection, something seemed... off. His face looked different—almost like it didn't belong to him. Brushing his messy black hair out of his eyes, he caught a glimpse of what was really bothering him.
His eyes. They weren't black anymore; they were a deep, glowing purple. Since arriving in this strange world, he hasn't really taken the time to look at himself. He assumed nothing had changed, but here he was, staring at a pair of unfamiliar eyes. "What the hell…?" he muttered, leaning closer. He figured it might've been the large amount of radiation he endured in his original world that caused it. Strangely enough, he liked the new look. "Guess I'll roll with it," he said to himself, adjusting his hair to hide the shockingly vivid color a bit.
What Icarius didn't realize was that someone had been watching him. Freya had noticed his door was slightly open and couldn't help but peek inside. She watched him study his reflection, completely mesmerized by what she saw. His violet eyes were unlike anything she'd seen before—an incredibly rare trait in this world. She also couldn't stop admiring his sleek black hair, another uncommon feature. But what really struck her was how thoughtful he was, always looking out for others. That care and strength made her heart flutter in a way she hadn't felt before. Blushing furiously, Freya quickly slipped away, her thoughts racing with all these new, confusing feelings as she finally fell asleep.
The next morning, Icarius was up early. He knew the test he took was mandatory for the trading card, and he wanted to keep his options open. He decided to keep his powers hidden and headed to the Public Department, leaving the trio at a nearby restaurant. He figured they'd enjoy the break while he dealt with this, with Astrid pushing the carriage. After breezing through the test without showing his true abilities for obvious reasons, he looked over his results:
Power Level: F,
Magic: 3,
Intelligence: 6,
Normal Fighting: 4
Swordsmanship: 7
Result of the trading test: 54 out of 100 = he passed the test.
The test was a bunch of simple math that was seemingly seen as advanced, as well as the culture that was already being explained by his system.
Icarius grinned. "Perfect. Low enough to stay under the radar," he thought. No one would suspect a thing, and that was exactly what he wanted. When he rejoined them, they were curious, but he brushed it off with a casual, "All done. Let's head out early; there's no point hanging around."
"But didn't we pay for another night?" Esmeralda asked, confused.
"Doesn't matter," Icarius replied, waving a hand dismissively. "It's better if we get moving. Something tells me we'll need the extra time."
Esmeralda exchanged a glance with the two siblings, who simply nodded in agreement. They knew better than to question Icarius's instincts. Soon enough, they were packed up and riding down the road toward Turpinia, the Royal Capital.
As they traveled, Freya found herself stealing glances at Icarius. She couldn't shake the memory of those violet eyes from the night before. "What's with him?" she wondered. "There's something mysterious about him... something that draws you in."
Meanwhile, Icarius was focused, deep in thought. "This capital might be more challenging. I need to keep these two safe, but I also have to make sure no one catches on to who—or what—I really am." He glanced at Astrid, who was in his horse form, trotting along smoothly. "At least I've got you backing me up," he thought with a smirk.
After nearly two weeks of steady travel, the journey to Turpinia was peaceful—almost too peaceful. Icarius was on edge. No bandits, no monsters, not even bad weather. It felt like the calm before a storm. On the thirteenth day, the stillness was suddenly broken by a low, rumbling roar that sent shivers down his spine. Icarius's sharp senses caught it, even though it seemed distant. He knew from the system who would make that sound; it was the unmistakable growl of a Blood Wyvern.
Blood Wyverns weren't ordinary creatures. These beasts were ancient, supposedly waking only once every ten thousand years. Yet here it was, awake decades too early, like the system mentioned, something that didn't sit right with him.
Icarius kept his composure and didn't let his companions notice anything strange. But in his mind, he was already planning. "I need to check this out. Can't let them get involved, though." He thought quickly and then turned to the others, forcing a casual smile. "You know what? We've been pushing pretty hard these past few days. Let's rest up at that inn over there," he said, pointing to a small, cozy-looking inn just off the road.
Esmeralda looked surprised. "But we're only a few hours away from the next checkpoint. Why stop now?"
Icarius shrugged nonchalantly. "It's better to arrive fresh in the city tomorrow. Plus, who knows if the beds there will be as comfy as this place? Let's take it easy for the night."
Esmeralda then said, "More comfortable than...? nevermind".
Astrid, in his horse form, snorted but didn't argue. Freya and Gideon exchanged curious glances, but they didn't question it further. They settled into the inn while Icarius excused himself, saying he wanted to "take a walk to clear his head."
Once he was out of sight, Icarius dropped the friendly act and sprinted toward the direction of the roar. He could feel the pressure in the air as he got closer—an aura of pure bloodlust. "It's close," he muttered, eyes narrowing as he activated his magic to enhance his senses.
After a few tense moments, he reached a small clearing and saw it: the Blood Wyvern. The massive creature stood towering, its red scales glowing faintly in the dark. Even from a distance, Icarius could tell this wasn't an ordinary wyvern. It radiated power and malice, but something about it seemed… off. It was restless; its movements were erratic, as if it were struggling with something.
"Let's see how tough you really are," Icarius said under his breath, a confident smirk playing on his lips. He raised his hand, channeling dark energy mixed with gravity magic. "Zenongravila," he whispered, releasing the spell that compressed the air around the wyvern, forcing it to the ground. The beast roared in pain, thrashing as blood began to seep from its scales.
Just as Icarius prepared to finish it off, a message flashed in his menu: "The wyvern offers a pact: become its master."
Icarius blinked, caught off guard. "A pact? That's new…" He hesitated. It wasn't every day a monster begged for mercy, let alone offered servitude. Driven by curiosity, he decided to accept. The moment he did, the wyvern's body dissolved into glowing particles, and then it was gone, leaving behind only the faint echo of its roar in the distance.
Icarius sighed, feeling a mix of relief and excitement. "Well, that was unexpected." He quickly made his way back to the inn, where Freya and the others were waiting. They were chatting by the fireplace, but Freya's eyes lit up when she saw him return.
"Where'd you go?" she asked, trying to sound casual but clearly curious.
"Just scouting the area. Nothing to worry about," Icarius replied smoothly. "You know, keeping us safe and all that."
They understood his explanation without much fuss. Icarius smiled inwardly, grateful they didn't push for details. He didn't want to drag them into something they couldn't handle.
The next morning, they packed up and continued toward Turpinia. The city finally came into view—its tall walls and towers stretching toward the sky. As they passed through the gates, Icarius felt a strange mix of anticipation and unease. "Whatever's waiting in this city, I need to stay sharp," he thought. But for now, he had to focus on their current task—delivering them to...
"The Duke's what?" Icarius screamed.
"The Duke's residence," Esmeralda calmly replied.
"So these two are..."
"Yes, these are the heirs of the family, the Valenhurst family."
"Why did you not tell me before then?"
"I think it would just make you less open with us."
"I wouldn't do that; it has been a pleasure meeting you guys."
As they approached the grand entrance of the Duke's mansion, Icarius took a deep breath while thinking about how big it was—the mansion, of course.