Shit...
That was all I could think of as I stared at Mira's suspiciously inquisitive gaze. My brain scrambled, trying to think of a plausible excuse. The seconds dragged like hours, each tick of the clock mocking me.
"Uh, it's because of the... images," I blurted, my words tumbling out faster than I could process them. Mira raised an eyebrow. "The pictures in the books... you know, those stories my mother used to read to me at night? Especially this one. You know, it's one of my favorite."
Mira's skeptical expression softened, just a little. She knew that the marchioness occasionally visited me at night. The last part, at least, wasn't a total lie. "Hmm... I guess I can see that," she said, though her tone was still tinged with doubt.
Crisis averted. Sort of.
I let out a silent sigh of relief as Mira led me to a fancy oak table in the library. She settled next to me, opening the book like some kind of sage about to deliver the secrets of the universe.
"A long time ago, there was a hero, whose name the stars forgot. But tales of his venture remained in whispered lore. His wisdom ended the ancient wars..."
As Mira continued, I couldn't help but feel a chill run down my spine. Something about this sounded... familiar. Too familiar. I leaned forward, my elbows propped on the table as I drank in every word.
"Why's the hero's name forgotten?" I blurted, interrupting her mid-sentence.
Mira looked up from the book, showing a small smile. "Nobody knows. Some say the gods themselves erased it."
"That doesn't seem fair," I muttered. "Saving the world, ending wars, and they just forget your name?"
Mira shrugged. "Legends are tricky like that. The truth gets tangled over time."
I frowned, chewing on my lip as she continued reading. There was that nagging feeling again—the one that told me I should know more. The word Aetheria had echoed in my mind as if it had been written into my bones.
Mira went on for hours, reading various books that unraveled the strange history of Aetherium. I was hooked, especially when we got to the part about the gods' children.
"So Auriel has three children, and Morthos only has two?" I asked, resting my chin on my hand.
Mira nodded. "That's right. Each of the seasons is named after them, except for one. Morthos' son."
"Wait, why not his son?" I leaned closer, genuinely intrigued now.
"Because he…" Mira hesitated, looking thoughtful. "Well, nobody knows. He's… different. There's not much record of him."
I frowned again, feeling that familiar tug of curiosity pulling at me. "That's strange. Why even have a son if you're not going to name a season after him?"
Mira chuckled softly, "Gods don't exactly follow the rules of logic, do they?"
"Yeah, clearly." I snorted. "Maybe his son was just really bad at his job. Can you imagine? 'Sorry, son, you're not summer or autumn. You're just… disappointment.'"
Mira actually laughed at that, although she's still looking at me like I have some screw loose "Maybe. Gods might be more petty than we think."
But then, as I was about to add more to my highly intellectual analysis of godly family dynamics, a familiar and dread-inducing sound echoed in my ears.
Ding!
I froze, the ominous chime ringing in my head. I stared at the glowing message that popped up in front of me:
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Warning! You have not finished your tasks. Failure will result in your body condition worsening.
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Oh no. Not again.
I jumped up so quickly that the chair screeched against the floor, and Mira stared at me like I'd lost my mind. "My lady? What are you doing?"
"Uh, I just remembered!" I blurted, trying to sound casual despite the panic rising in my chest. "Yeah, I need… to work on my routine. You know, to get stronger. Staying fit is crucial, like those heroes in the stories!" I flexed my arms weakly, as if that would prove my point.
Mira looked at me, her face a mix of confusion and skepticism. "A...routine, my lady?"
"Yes! Totally! Planking, squats, all of that. It's important I build strength for... survival, you know?"
Her brow furrowed ever so slightly. "Squats, my lady? And... planking? May I ask, what is planking, and to survive... what exactly?"
"Strength training," I said hurriedly, already sinking to the floor to attempt a sit-up. "To build my muscles. I must accustom my body to this new routine."
Mira's eyes widened further, flicking between me and the empty library. "Milady, I must insist—what are you doing?" Her voice was tight with shock, quickly softening. "This is highly unbecoming of a lady of your stature, not to mention your frail health…"
"Mi..ra...ca.n..you help me?" I grunt, struggling with my first sit-up. "Can you give me..a..little boost? Just a p..u.sh..from behind."
Her composure wavered, and for a moment, she seemed unsure whether to obey. With a reluctant nod, she carefully knelt, hesitating before offering a delicate push from behind. After what felt like an eternity of awkward sit-ups, I finally managed five. Then came the plank.
"Mira," I breathed, "Count to thirty for me."
Though visibly uncertain, Mira complied, her counting measured and formal. After what felt like an hour (it didn't), I finally finished.
Ding!
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Congratulations! You have completed the Daily Quest.
You have received 100 coins and a mystery box.
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Ding!
Another notification?
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Mystery box can be accessed through your inventory.
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How convenient. Thanks for letting me know.
I laid flat on the floor, unable to move a muscle.
Ding!
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You went passed your limit. A bonus has been awarded. 100 coins have added. All stats increase by 1.
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Isn't that too easy?
It's good and all but what do you mean I went past my limit? I mean, it was difficult, but I don't think I deserved that. I checked to see my status window to see the change. My stats did increase by one, including H- eh? Wh- why is my HP only 1? ... I almost died exercising? seriously?
"ha..ha." I forced a laugh. I sense the judgmental look of Mira.
"Milady, would you like to return to your room and rest?" she asked, "Yes" I answered as quick as lighting (with panting).
She nodded and proceeded to pink me up and carry me out the library. Soon we made our way to my bedroom where I immediately fall asleep once I laid in the bed after Mira and Lily, who vanished from the rest of the day, changed my clothes.
.
.
.
So bright.
The sunlight streaming through the window was relentless, like nature's personal alarm clock. I squinted, trying to escape the brightness...
That stupid, dangerous thing almost killed me.
I stared up at the ceiling. How did things get to the point where exercise was a near-death experience? Sigh.
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[Status]
Name: Alithia Cassaine Lancefort
Skill Points: 0 Coins: 200
Race: Human Age: 8
Class:None Titles: [Reincarnated] [Heir of House Lancefort]
HP:31/31 Mana: 26 Dexterity: 1 Strength: 1 Charisma: 7 Defence: 1
Attributes: Nurse (Rare), Fragile Body (Common)
Skills: Diagnostic Insight, First Aid
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Weird how my charisma went up. I expected it to go down after my
Weird. Why did my Charisma go up? I'd think after that little show in front of Mira, it would have plummeted straight to zero. I made a mental note to ask the system later if there's a hidden stat for "embarrassment resistance." At least my HP was back up. I guess that means sleep heals near-death workout experiences. Who knew?
"Right, my mystery box!" I bolted upright in bed, though my body quickly reminded me of yesterday's betrayal. "Ouch... yeah, that still hurts." I gingerly stretched. Well, at least I wasn't stuck flat on the floor again.
"Inventory," I commanded.
Ding!
A translucent window popped up in front of me. Fancy as usual, with a banner that read "Inventory" in looping script. Everything was arranged in neat little boxes, like a perfectly organized closet. My mystery box hovered in one of the slots, looking all shiny and tempting. I tapped it, and suddenly, a small, adorable box materialized in my hands.
"Oh, it's cute! Do I just… open it?"
I pulled on the golden ribbon, and bam, a flash of light almost blinded me. "Gah! Why is everything in this world so unnecessarily dramatic?" I blinked until my vision cleared and looked down. The box was gone, but in its place was a candy wrapped in gold foil, glistening in my palm.
"A candy? I-Is this really the reward?"
Ding!
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You received a Fortune Candy. Grants the user random number of skill points.
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"Nice!" I grinned. Random skill points meant I could boost my stats quicker. Knowing my luck, it'd probably be a single point, but hey, a girl could dream.
"Alright, let's test this."
I unwrapped the candy and popped it into my mouth. It tasted… sweet. Sugary hope, like the kind that tricks you into thinking things might actually go well.
Ding!
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You gained 3 skill points
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"Three?!" I blinked. "Three?! I'm actually lucky?!" I fist-pumped the air. "Nice! Who knew I'd be blessed by the RNG gods today?"
I opened my status window and mulled over my stats. Strength was the obvious one. If walking for five minutes nearly sent me to an early grave, that definitely needed some love. I dropped 2 points into Strength and, just for extra caution, 1 into Defense. If my face met the floor again, at least I'd be slightly harder to kill by gravity.
Feeling smug, I hopped out of bed. Well, more like a slow roll followed by a wobble to my feet. I wasn't exactly ready for a marathon, but hey, baby steps. I wasn't panting just from standing, so that was an improvement.
"I wish I could get that candy every day," I mumbled. Maybe I could haggle with the system later.
I walked over to the balcony and peeked out. The garden spread out below, all beautiful and calm, a complete contrast to the chaos that had been my life for the last few days.
"Oh, my lady, you're awake," Mira's voice startled me. I turned to see her standing in the doorway, looking as perfectly put together as usual. "Would you like to have lunch in your room?"
"Lunch?" I blinked. "What about breakfast?"
"It's already noon, Miss."
"Wait, already?!" How long was I out?! Exercising must have taken more out of me than I thought.
"Yes, the marquis and marchioness were worried, but they decided to let you rest. You were quite... active yesterday," Mira said, her voice carefully neutral. I could sense a bit of judgment, though.
"Ha... ha... yeah, I guess I was," I replied awkwardly. "Let's have lunch, then. Can we eat on the balcony?"
Mira gave a nod and clapped her hands, and suddenly, an army of servants streamed in carrying trays of silver plates and desserts. They set everything up outside, and more people arrived with an actual table and chairs. They were ready for this.
I sat down and started gobbling down the fancy food like I hadn't eaten in days. It wasn't long before I was reminded of just how different this world was from my old one. Fancy food, servants, a noble house. I sighed. Yup, definitely not in my old world anymore.
"Mira, can you prepare some comfortable outdoor clothes?"
She raised an eyebrow. "My lady, are you—?"
"Yes, I'm going to continue my new routine," I said, determined.