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Goddess Quest
1. Defeat Mark in the Duel for Hero Candidate (Complete)
2. Complete the Blackmore Family Quest for Hero Candidate
Failure Penalty: Your mother, Takahiro Ayase, will die of cancer in the hospital.
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I stared at the quest progress notification and smiled faintly. I was halfway to saving my mom. But soon, dizziness crept over me, and my vision began to blur.
"Looks like it's time for the Sleepy Princess to rest again. Don't hold back—just sleep! I'll make sure to wake you up," Envi, that annoying system, jeered at me, even in this condition.
"Good job…Nao."
For once, Envi's tone sounded strangely normal, almost sincere.
With a weak smile, I let the darkness take me, collapsing with Mark still in my grasp.
---
I woke up to the sight of Naoki's ceiling.
"Ugh… my body still feels like it's been trampled on."
"Hey, look who's finally awake! Our beloved sleeping princess." Envi's mocking voice greeted me, as always.
"Oh, give it a rest… How long was I out this time?"
"How should I know, idiot? Ask the maid over there." Envi directed my attention to a maid stationed in the room—Vivin. She was sitting on a chair but had dozed off herself.
"Vivin, wake up. Hey, Vivin!" I called out to her, trying to shake her from her sleep.
"Mmm… Still eating… don't bother me…" Vivin mumbled in her sleep, apparently dreaming about food.
"Sigh.. Fine..You can eat all you want after you wake up!" I shook her lightly again.
"Huh…? H-HIIIKHH! Lord Naoki, you're awake?!" Vivin yelped, springing to her feet with a frightened expression.
"Relax, I'm just a guy who woke up from a nap, not a monster." I chuckled, trying to ease her nerves.
"F-Fhew… I'm so relieved, Lord Naoki. But your injuries haven't fully healed yet, so please continue to rest." Vivin sighed in relief, clutching her chest as if a weight had lifted.
"And how long was I asleep this time?"
"Oh, this time it wasn't so bad—only three days!" she said proudly. Clearly, my reputation for long recovery times had solidified in her mind.
"Ugh, three days is still a lot. I seriously need to work on my endurance."
"I agree! But first, check your status, Nao," Envi interjected, sounding a bit suspicious.
Curious, I opened my status screen.
"What the heck? My level didn't go up at all after defeating that demon shadow?" I exclaimed in disbelief. My level was still stuck at 32—exactly where it was before my fight with Mark.
"Hmm… maybe it's because what you defeated wasn't a true monster or demon, but rather the remnant of a demon's soul. Oh well, sucks to be you! All that pain for nothing—HAHAHA!" Envi laughed smugly, earning my ire. I decided to ignore the obnoxious system.
"Vivin, what happened after my fight with Mark?"
"Um, well… After you collapsed, the Patriarch ordered the maids to tend to both you and Lord Mark. The spectators were evacuated and treated for injuries caused by the battle's aftermath, including the judges and Sir William." Vivin's tone carried a hint of sadness.
"It must have been a mess. The crowd must have been terrified after witnessing Mark's demonic transformation. What did the Patriarch do?"
"The Patriarch claimed that it was an attack by a Doomspire Demon spy trying to disrupt the duel. Because of this, he ordered the Blackmore family's forces to scour the territory for any traces of demonic activity."
"That makes sense. Thanks for explaining, Vivin. By the way, you can go grab some food now—I bet you're starving, huh?" I teased lightly, having heard her stomach growling earlier.
"H-HIIKK! I-I'll take my leave then, Lord Naoki. I'll also inform the Patriarch that you've awakened." With an embarrassed expression, Vivin hurriedly exited the room.
Her report lingered in my mind. It seemed the Patriarch was already aware of the Doomspire Demons' growing influence in Blackmore territory. I'd need to discuss this with him directly.
---
Not long after, the Patriarch himself came to my room. A rare occurrence—usually, I was the one summoned to his office.
"How are you feeling, Nao?" he asked, his tone stern but laced with genuine concern.
"I'm fine. Just need a few more days to recover fully."
"Good. You fought well."
His unexpected praise caught me off guard.
"T-Thank you… How is Mark doing?" I asked hesitantly.
"He hasn't woken up yet, but his life isn't in danger. Once he regains consciousness, I'll interrogate him. It's disgraceful that a member of the Blackmore bloodline succumbed to demonic power in front of an audience." The Patriarch's frustration was palpable.
"You're right, but what's done is done. Right now, we should focus on bringing Mark back to his senses and uncovering the source of his power. That way, we can better understand the Doomspire Demons' movements." I offered cautiously.
"You're sharper than I expected, Nao. I didn't know you could be this perceptive," the Patriarch remarked with a furrowed brow. I could feel the sting of his backhanded compliment, but I let it slide.
"Once you've recovered, we'll train together. I'll personally oversee your development, so prepare yourself!" The Patriarch left after delivering that ominous proclamation.
Chills ran down my spine. Training with him would be nothing short of hell.
"HAHAHA! You're screwed! Training with that old lion is practically a death sentence!" Envi cackled gleefully.
"Don't get too comfortable, Envi. When things get tough, I'll switch places with you! Let's see how you handle *his* training!" I shot back.
"Ugh! You're insane… but fine, whatever. You'd be useless without me anyway. HAHA!" Envi puffed up with exaggerated pride.
As our gag continued, I spent the rest of my time focusing on healing, steeling myself for the storm ahead.
...
...
Three days had passed, and my body had fully recovered. I was now ready for private training with the Patriarch.
As I donned my armor and picked up my katana, I grabbed my backup blade. My main katana—crafted by Edwin—was cracked but not shattered. I'd have to ask him to upgrade it with better materials someday.
Walking through the lobby, I arrived at the Blackmore family training grounds. The Patriarch was already there, standing alone, his imposing aura radiating even from a distance. Just being near him felt suffocating, but I had no choice. I had to endure this—for the sake of growing stronger!
"So, you've arrived, Naoki. Prepare yourself. I'll teach you the Blackmore Family Swordsmanship techniques you've yet to master," he said firmly, his voice heavy with authority.
"Back then, you couldn't grasp what I taught you. You only managed to learn
"But now… I believe you're ready. Get ready!" He drew a practice sword and immediately lunged at me.
"W-Wait!" I barely managed to raise my katana to block his sudden attack. My stance was sloppy, but it was enough to deflect the blow.
"Good reflexes!" he said, his strike clearly a test of my instincts.
From there, he unleashed a relentless series of strikes:
I lost count of how many times I failed to block his attacks. My practice armor shattered piece by piece under the strain, and my body was riddled with bruises.
---
Five days passed.
I struggled to mimic the Patriarch's techniques, eventually managing to learn
As he knocked me to the ground for what felt like the hundredth time, he stopped his assault and asked me, "This is strange. By now, you should've mastered Forms Four and Five. But it seems you're more comfortable with that strange sword style of yours—using that slender blade."
There was suspicion in his eyes as he continued, "Where did you learn such an unusual sword technique? And where did you get that sword?"
"Eh—uh… well…" I stammered, trying to come up with a believable answer. "I guess I just… got inspired? And started developing my own style, haha."
"Pfft. You're a terrible liar," Envi chimed in, barely suppressing laughter. That smug system had no idea how nerve-wracking it was to deal with the Patriarch!
"Hmm. Strange… but your sword style holds its own against Blackmore Swordsmanship. Perhaps it suits you better," the Patriarch admitted, crossing his arms.
"Yes, that's right. For some reason, I feel more at ease using this technique. However, I've been combining it with Blackmore Swordsmanship, so I've named it the
"This is unprecedented… but fine. Develop your unorthodox style. As long as it makes you stronger, I have no objections."
"However," he added with a stern gaze, "I'll teach you Forms Six and Seven of Blackmore Swordsmanship eventually. They're advanced techniques, so you'll need to reach Knight Rank A before you're strong enough to handle them."
"I understand, Patriarch. I'll grow stronger!" I declared with determination.
"You'd better! While I acknowledge you, know that you're still weak! If I were you, I wouldn't have hesitated to kill Mark during that duel." His voice turned icy, cutting deep.
"I would never do that. No matter what, I won't sacrifice my family," I replied firmly.
For a moment, he was silent. Then, a faint smile crossed his face.
"Very well. Show me that you can protect this family in the future," he said, his voice softer now.
But then his expression darkened. "There's one thing that puzzles me. Nao, where does your power come from? The magic you used to cut through the demonic shadow inside Mark—it's something only the Blackmore family's founder could wield. No one else has been able to use Dark Magic since then."
The question froze me in place. I had no idea how to respond. Should I tell the truth?
"Uh… well…" I hesitated, my mind racing.
The Patriarch's aura flared, oppressive and heavy. His piercing gaze demanded honesty. Then he asked:
"Who are you, really? You're not Naoki."
He raised his sword, pointing it at me, his expression unreadable.
Panic gripped me. Had he figured it out? Was my secret exposed?!
...
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---Volume 1 End---