Chapter 1 - "Eira's Awakening"
[THERE ARE NO MISSIONS, HOST. YOU ONLY NEED TO IMPROVE UNTIL YOU REACH MATURITY. WHEN THAT TIME COMES, THE SYSTEM'S ORIGIN WILL BE REVEALED TO YOU. THE SYSTEM WILL REWARD THE HOST DAILY, BUT OPENING A REWARD IMMEDIATELY WILL YIELD ONLY AN INFERIOR ITEM. HOWEVER, IF THE HOST WAITS FOR A WEEK, A MONTH, OR EVEN A YEAR, THE REWARDS WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY GENEROUS BASED ON HOW LONG YOU HOLD OFF ON CLAIMING THEM.]
"Hm?" Eira scratched her head with her small hand, a curious expression lighting up her face.
"So, it's a sign-in system, not a mission-based one," she confirmed with a cute smile, speaking softly as if to herself.
"Hehehe, interesting! So I just have to sign in daily, but if I wait... the rewards will be better!" She chuckled, imagining the possibilities. Her thoughts raced.
"With time manipulation on my side, I can pull off all sorts of things without anyone knowing," she mused, excitement bubbling up as she considered what the future held.
A moment later, Eira remembered the status screen that had been shown alongside her ability.
"System, could you show my status?" she asked aloud, her voice clear.
---
[STATUS SCREEN]
NAME: Eira Nivara
AGE: 12
GENDER: Female
LEVEL: 5
HEIGHT: 4'5" (135 cm)
WEIGHT: 70 lbs (32 kg)
HAIR COLOR: Silver-white
EYE COLOR: Blue
SKIN TONE: Fair
BUILD: Petite and graceful
HP: 100/100
MP: 50/50
STAMINA: 20/20 (Very Low)
---
[ATTRIBUTES]
STRENGTH: 12
AGILITY: 15
INTELLIGENCE: 18
LUCK: 10
CHARM: 99 (MAX)
CONSTITUTION: 10
[PHYSIQUE]: Elemental Fleetness
(Grants enhanced speed in icy environments; +2 Agility and MP regeneration during thunderstorms)
[BLOODLINE]: Frostwarden Legacy/ awaken.
(Grants innate ice magic affinity and resilience against cold-based attacks)
---
[ABILITIES]
TIME CONTROL (RARE)
Effect: Pause, rewind, or fast-forward time for 3 seconds.
Cooldown: 24 hours.
MP Cost: None.
Status: UNLOCKED.
---
[EQUIPMENT]
WEAPON: None
ARMOR: None
ACCESSORY: Ring of Frost (+5 ICE magic affinity)
---
[TALENTS]
CHARMING AURA: Naturally attracts positive attention due to her maxed Charm stat.
QUICK THINKER: Enhanced decision-making speed thanks to high Intelligence.
FROST EMBRACE: Increases ice magic effectiveness by 10% and boosts HP recovery near ice.
THUNDEROUS PRESENCE: Heightens agility and reaction time in stormy conditions, increasing Agility by 5%.]
---
Eira stared at her status, her eyes growing wide. "Whoa... I'm really overpowered! Though... my stamina's still so low," she muttered, recalling the rock that had knocked her unconscious earlier, awakening her past-life memories.
Shaking off the thought, Eira felt a thirst creep up on her. Her small hand reached for the delicate bell at her bedside, and she rang it gently.
"Ching. Ching. Ching."
"Lindy," Eira called out, her voice sweet and soft.
---
Moments later, the sound of footsteps echoed outside the door, followed by a soft knock. "Yes, my lady," came the smooth, steady voice of Lindy, her maid, whose bracelet had lit up at the sound of Eira's voice.
Lindy entered the room gracefully, bowing slightly before approaching the bed. Tall, elegant, and poised, the 29-year-old maid radiated a quiet confidence. Her traditional uniform fit her perfectly, accentuating her curves while maintaining an air of professionalism. Her dark hair was swept back into a neat bun, and a few loose strands framed her striking features.
"What may I assist you with, my lady?" she asked gently, her soft gaze resting on Eira.
"Ahh, Lindy, could you bring me some water?" Eira asked, her voice barely a whisper but filled with trust.
"Of course, my lady." Lindy's voice was warm, carrying a hint of affection. She quickly moved to fetch a glass of water from a small table nearby.
With a silver tray in hand, Lindy approached Eira once again. Her movements were fluid, almost hypnotic, as she sat at the edge of the bed. Her eyes never left Eira's, and with careful grace, she lifted the glass to the little girl's lips.
Eira's small fingers reached up to hold the glass, but Lindy gently guided it for her, the cool water flowing smoothly as Eira took small, delicate sips.
"Hic!" A tiny hiccup escaped Eira's lips, catching her off guard. Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment as she quickly covered her mouth with her hand.
Lindy chuckled softly. "No need to be shy, my lady," she said, her tone teasing yet kind.
Eira giggled, letting go of the glass. "Thank you, Lindy," she said, still a little embarrassed. "I'll call you if I need anything else."
"As you wish, my lady," Lindy said with a bow. Her figure seemed to float as she left the room, the door closing softly behind her.
Eira let out a small sigh, falling back onto her pillow. "That was embarrassing," she muttered, recalling the gentle interaction with Lindy.
---
She smiled to herself, her eyelids growing heavier as exhaustion began to set in. "Lindy has been with me for as long as I can remember…" Eira mumbled, her voice soft and fading. "She's always so calm and serious. But today, she looked at me like... like she wanted to hug me." Her thoughts wandered, the memory of Lindy's warm gaze lingering. "I wonder if she heard the rumors… about me hugging Suzu earlier."
Eira's small body shifted slightly under the blankets, her mind swirling with the day's events. Moments later, her breathing steadied, sleepiness finally overtook her, and her long eyelashes fluttered shut, her breathing slowing as she drifted off into a deep, peaceful sleep.
---
Meanwhile, Lindy made her way down the hall, heading toward the matriarch's office to report Eira's condition. A soft chuckle escaped her lips as she thought back to the little girl's hiccup.
"Haha, little Eira was so cute today... I wonder what made her so affectionate toward Lady Suzu?" Lindy mused, feeling a slight twinge of jealousy at how freely Eira had hugged her sister earlier.
With a gentle sigh, Lindy straightened her posture and returned to her usual calm, collected self as she neared the matriarch's office.