Only silence answered me.
I could feel my face heating up in embarrassment. That "system" couldn't possibly be a figment of my imagination. From my experience with countless fantasy novels, it had to be the reason I'd regained the memories of my past life!
But how could I summon it again? Nervously, I tried to think of a method, my mind racing. Suddenly, an AI-like voice echoed in my head.
[I will always be by your side, Host. Simply think of me, and I will appear.]
I let out a startled noise at the sudden intrusion in my thoughts.
"So, why did you awaken the memories of my past life? Is it because I know the future of this world?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.
[Your memories were returned because analysis shows that your current state– equipped with the memories of both lives– is the most optimal for completing a crucial task. This is the price required to maintain balance and alter your destined fate.]
I perked up immediately.
In these kinds of situations, didn't the reincarnated person usually become the female lead? What could my task be?
To seduce the male lead? Win over the villain? Maybe charm the second male lead?
Before my imagination could run too wild, the system, now identifying itself as 001, shattered my hopes.
[Your task is to repair the relationship between the male lead and the main villain. This is critical for the survival of this world.]
"..."
I stared blankly at the wall, struggling to process what I'd just heard.
"You want me to play peacemaker between the all-powerful male protagonist, who already hates me, and the overpowered villain, who's bound to despise me in the future?" I asked, carefully enunciating each word.
[We have provided the Host with enough leeway to change your fate of being hated by them. As long as you repair their relationship and ensure they get along, you are free to act as you wish– so long as it does not harm the world.]
I suddenly had the overwhelming urge to punch this so-called system.
"I'm literally a shrimp compared to those whales! No, not even a shrimp– I'm seaweed! If I get caught between them, I'll be crushed. How am I supposed to make them reconcile?"
[That is for the Host to figure out. The main system has arranged sufficient rewards for your efforts, along with tools to assist you. Please use them wisely. I will silently observe and guide you. Kindly refrain from calling me unnecessarily.]
"Hey! What tools?" I shouted, but received no response.
I sighed, feeling a headache brewing. 'What now? Was I supposed to shout something cliché, like "status window," the way every isekai protagonist with a system did?'
'I might as well give it a shot.'
"Status window," I murmured softly, embarrassed that someone might overhear.
To my surprise, a translucent blue panel materialized before me, glowing faintly. It looked just like the ones I'd seen earlier when I woke up here.
The screen displayed all my stats and skills.
[Username: Nora Roscente
Title(s):
Reincarnator (S)
Skills:
Ariadne's Threads (F???), Eyes of Aether (C+), Master Orator (B)(Passive), Fingers Crossed (A)
Stats:
Aether- 25, Strength- 27, Intelligence- 70, Agility- 29, Luck- 70]
In this world, hunters received notifications about their titles, skills, and ranks as soon as they acquired them. But that was it. You couldn't check them whenever you wanted. The only way to view such information was by using special items from the dungeon. Stats, on the other hand, were determined through rigorous tests conducted by the Awakened Association.
But now, I had a status window!
And, surprisingly, it showed far more information than the government's evaluation of me before I got my memories back.
I had three new skills listed, and my Intelligence and Luck stats had increased by fifty points. My other stats, however, remained unchanged. Previously, the only skill I had was Eyes of Aether, a unique ability that allowed me to see the flow of Aether– the energy that filled the universe, powering hunters' skills.
Only the Awakened could store Aether within their bodies, and its signature was unique to each individual. No two hunters could have the same Aether pattern.
With my skill, I could see and measure a hunter's Aether capacity, and by observing its flow, I could even predict their next moves in combat. However, that was the full extent of my ability.
As for my stats… they weren't exactly impressive. Compared to other C-Ranks, I was barely scraping by. The only reason I'd made it to C-Rank at all was due to the rarity of my skill, not because of my actual stats.
I didn't know what my new skills were, though.
Curious, I decided to examine one of them. I focused on Fingers Crossed, since it was labeled as an A-Rank skill. From what I could tell, it didn't seem to be a combat skill. My Strength or Agility stats hadn't improved; only Intelligence and Luck had increased.
I wondered what kind of skill it could be.
[Fingers Crossed (A): Permanently increases the user's Luck by 50%. Temporarily increases the user's Luck up to 99% for 2 hours when activated. Decreases Luck by 20% for 5 days after activation. Cooldown: 3 days.]
…What kind of skill was this? What was I supposed to do with it– buy lottery tickets and become rich?
It wasn't entirely useless, though. Maxing out my Luck stats could drastically increase my chances of surviving in life-or-death situations. Still, I had hoped for a more practical skill.
'I'll check the others later.'
As if sensing my intention, the status window vanished.
I sighed, reflecting on everything I'd learned since regaining my past-life memories. My current situation felt like a three-chapter-long info-dump from a third-rate hunterverse novel.
Oh, wait. I was in a third-rate hunterverse novel. And not as the Mary Sue main character, either.
Sitting around moping wouldn't help my survival. I needed to focus. First, I had to recall the key plot points from the original story– specifically, the events that involved me getting utterly destroyed by the male lead.
There wasn't much written about my accident, but it had been a significant event, triggering my revenge arc in the novel.
'What else had pushed me into that quagmire?'
My question was answered almost immediately when the door burst open.
A tall, handsome middle-aged man strode into the room, his golden eyes blazing with unconcealed anger. They were eerily similar to mine. His dark black hair was slicked back, and he exuded an aura of authority.
I gazed up at him calmly composing myself. This was a man who hadn't once visited me of his own accord in all eighteen years of my life.
"Mr. Roscente, what brings you here?" I asked evenly.