Liria settled into the creaky wooden chair by the fire, letting the warmth from the hearth soak into her bones. She could still feel the chill from the night spent on that cold temple floor, and every ache in her body reminded her that this wasn't just some bizarre dream.
Daena, busy stirring a pot that looked both suspiciously murky and hearty, looked over her shoulder with that hawk-eyed intensity. "So, lass. Got a name to go with that half-starved look?"
Liria froze, just for a second, before plastering on what she hoped was an innocent smile. She could hardly tell Daena, "Oh yeah, I'm Liria from a whole other world, no big deal." Instead, she said, "Liria Silverthorn."
Daena's eyebrow lifted, her expression softening just a fraction. "Liria Silverthorn, eh? That's got a nice ring to it. Family name too?"
Liria hesitated, the smile slipping for a moment. "I… don't have any family anymore. My parents… they, uh, passed away recently. Bandits." She forced herself to look down, feigning the sorrow that had become second nature. In a way, it wasn't too far from the truth.
Daena's expression darkened, and she placed a hand on her hip, giving Liria a long, evaluating look. "Well, that explains the look in your eyes. Poor child," she muttered, more to herself. Then she sighed, as if coming to a decision. "Fine then. If the world's been cruel enough to leave you alone, I suppose I can keep an eye on you. Might even teach you a thing or two about handling those bandits."
Liria blinked. Wait did she just offer to adopt me?
Before she could even process the thought, Daena was already turning to fetch something from the small pantry. "Go on, take a proper wash. The tub's behind that curtain. You're filthy enough to shame a goblin, and if I have to eat dinner with someone covered in dirt and blood, I might lose my appetite."
Liria grinned, actually grateful for the bluntness. "Thanks, Daena."
She slipped behind the makeshift curtain, spotting a surprisingly large wooden tub half-filled with fresh, steaming water. Next to it was a small jug of fragrant herbs and a rough bar of soap. Primitive, but hey, better than nothing.
Sinking into the water was absolute heaven. As she scrubbed off the grime, she finally took a good look at her new body. Her hair, now mostly clean, had two distinct colors that left her staring. The right side was a deep midnight black, while the left was a shock of bright silver. Her eyes, one a soft, amber brown and the other a vivid green, were equally unusual. She'd look like she belonged in a punk rock band back in her old world.
Well, at least I'm unique.
Once she was clean, she pulled on the simple clothes Daena had set out and settled by the fire once again, feeling almost… herself.
In the quiet that followed, she felt a familiar buzz in her mind.
[Would you like to review your current attributes, User?]
About time you showed up, she thought. Sure, give me the rundown.
A transparent panel popped up before her eyes, a neat little list appearing in crisp lettering.
Name: Liria Silverthorn
Age: 12
Race: Human
Level: 1
Experience: 0/30
Attributes:
Strength: 4
Agility: 6
Endurance: 5
Intelligence: 7
Magic: 2
Abilities: None yet (But hey, there's room for improvement!)
Liria studied the stats. Level 1, huh? So I'm basically cannon fodder at this point.
[For now. But with training, perseverance, and a little luck, you can grow stronger in no time.]
Fantastic, she thought sarcastically. So, are there any rules about this? What if I don't feel like doing certain missions?
[Unlike other systems, I'm here solely to assist, not to force you into anything. If you choose not to take on a mission, there's no penalty. If you fail a mission, there's no penalty. I simply provide opportunities to grow. You make the choices.]
Liria raised her eyebrows. So, you're not here to manipulate me or make my life miserable?
[Precisely. I am simply a tool albeit a highly sophisticated and charming one to aid you.]
Charming, she thought with a snort. I'll believe it when I see it.
[In any case, my functions include providing status updates, offering quest options, and helping you develop skills. Unlike the "villain systems" you may have read about, I'm on your side.]
She felt a pang of relief, not that she'd admit it to the System. All right, you're here to help, got it. Do I have any skills I can use right now?
[At the moment, you have no skills. However, you do have access to basic missions, which will allow you to gain experience and develop abilities.]
Just as she was starting to wrap her mind around all this, Daena returned, carrying a bundle of simple hunting gear. "Right, girl. I'm heading out to catch something for dinner. You stay put and rest up."
Liria nodded, grateful to be left to her own devices again. "Thanks, Daena. I, uh, really appreciate this."
Daena's expression softened, her eyes meeting Liria's. "You remind me of someone I knew long ago. Now rest up, and don't go wandering off. Got it?"
"Got it."
As Daena stepped outside, Liria settled back, her mind racing. Here she was, in a strange new world, adopted by a grizzled ex-bandit-basher, with some kind of sentient system by her side.
She let her mind wander back to the System. So, what are some examples of "missions" I might come across?
[Example mission: "Catch a Rabbit." Objective: Successfully hunt and prepare a rabbit. Reward: 5 experience points. This is considered a basic mission suitable for beginners.]
Liria rolled her eyes. Great, as if my life hasn't been humbling enough already. Anything more exciting?
[There will be opportunities to challenge local bandits, compete in magical contests, or even test your skills in magical herb gathering. Each mission will reward experience based on difficulty.]
I see. So, when do I get to learn actual skills?
[Once you accumulate enough experience to reach Level 2, you'll unlock the Skill Selection feature. From there, you'll have access to a limited pool of beginner abilities suited to your current attributes.]
Liria sighed, eyeing her dismal stats again. Fine, then. But I'll need more than beginner skills if I'm going to survive this place, especially if I'm stuck as a secondary character.
[Indeed. I am here to help you become… noticeable if that's your wish.]
She smirked at the phrasing. Noticeable, huh? Sounds like System-speak for "the opposite of a nobody."
[Precisely.]
Her former life school, family, boring routines all seemed so far away now. Here, she was starting from scratch. And while it was intimidating, it was also… thrilling.
All right, System, she thought with determination. Let's get started.