Ren sat on his bed, irritation clear on his face as thoughts of the heroines swirled in his mind.
Deciding to check on his injuries, he carefully examined his body, running his hands over his arms and legs to pinpoint the source of his discomfort. His fingers traced faint bruises and bumps that hadn't seemed significant before.
Probing further, Ren winced as a sharp pain shot through his side. It didn't take long for him to realize that he had hairline fractures and small cracks throughout his body—nothing debilitating, but enough to hinder his training progress.
"These injuries aren't severe," he muttered, "but they'll keep me from advancing for now."
Despite their minor nature, Ren understood they needed time to heal before he could return to training. With a resigned sigh, he pulled a small, ornate bottle of elixir from his closet, its liquid shimmering with a faint golden glow.
Initially, he hesitated. Wasn't it a waste to use such a precious resource for something so minor? But the thought was fleeting. "Why bother being stingy? The family's wealth can cover this." With that, he uncorked the bottle and drank it in one swift motion.
Gulp.
A wave of warmth spread through his body, tingling from his fingertips to his toes. Ren closed his eyes, exhaling deeply as he felt his body mend itself. When he reopened them, every bruise and fracture had vanished, leaving his skin unblemished.
Feeling reinvigorated, Ren decided to test his newly healed body with some light exercises.
---
[Two Hours Later]
Ren had been working out relentlessly for the past two hours, his body drenched in sweat and his energy completely drained. Collapsing onto his bed, he stared at the ceiling.
"I wasn't wrong," he muttered, recalling the system's evaluation of his body. "The stamina of this body is abysmal."
Still, a small smirk tugged at his lips. "That's fine. I'll work with what I've got."
The discomfort from the sweat clinging to his skin soon became unbearable. Deciding he needed a bath, Ren headed to the en suite bathroom attached to his room.
The bathroom was spacious, far larger than the apartment he had lived in during his previous life. After a refreshing bath, he dressed in a clean, simple outfit. Though the clothes weren't extravagant, they complimented his appearance.
Standing before the mirror, Ren admired his reflection. "Even with all stats being low, the charm stat is ridiculously high."
He chuckled softly, brushing a hand through his hair. "Grade A charm potential, huh? Guess I should be grateful for small mercies."
Before he could get too absorbed in his thoughts, a sharp knock on the door snapped him back to reality.
Knock.
Knock.
"Come in," Ren called out.
The door opened to reveal a young man dressed in a pristine butler's uniform. He carried himself with a poised demeanor, his every movement exuding discipline.
"Good morning, Young Master," the butler greeted, bowing deeply.
Ren observed the man. His name was Nathan, his personal butler assigned when Ren had turned fifteen—a tradition in the Holmes family. Personal assistants like Nathan were tasked with handling mundane responsibilities so their young masters could focus on training and growth.
In the game's original plot, Nathan had been dismissed and punished harshly after Elara took over the family. But not this time.
"He's loyal," Ren thought, a resolve forming in his heart. "I won't let him suffer this time around."
"Good morning, Nathan," Ren replied, his tone calm but warm.
"Young Master, breakfast is ready. Lord and Madam are waiting for you in the dining hall," Nathan announced, his expression professional, betraying none of his earlier shock at seeing Ren fully recovered.
Ren nodded and followed Nathan through the grand hallways of the Holmes estate.
The hallway was adorned with lavish decorations—paintings, sculptures, and tapestries, each an artifact of the family's storied history. As Ren walked, his thoughts turned to his family.
The Holmes family was one of humanity's most powerful and influential households, a legacy cemented by one of the Ten Great Heroes, Lionel Holmes, during the Great Reshuffle. Though Lionel had perished in the Demon War, his achievements and sacrifices had expanded the family's influence globally.
With several S-rankers, a few SS-rankers, and the top-ranking guild, Celestial Vanguard, under their name, the Holmes family stood as a pillar of human strength.
Eventually, Ren arrived at the dining hall. Unlike the extravagant hallways, the dining area was modestly decorated, exuding an air of understated elegance.
At the head of the table sat a man with sharp features and a commanding presence. His neatly combed chestnut hair and piercing gray eyes gave him an aura of authority. Opposite him sat a stunning woman with flowing auburn hair and striking emerald-green eyes.
Ren greeted them with a polite bow. "Good morning, Father. Good morning, Mother."
The man—Edmund Holmes, the current family head and guild master of Celestial Vanguard—nodded in acknowledgment. "Good morning, Ren. It seems you've recovered quickly."
Edmund's tall, muscular build and chiseled jawline made him an imposing figure, one befitting his status as an SS-ranker.
Meanwhile, Ren's mother, Liana Holmes, regarded him with a warm smile. "Are you sure you're feeling alright, dear? You were quite hurt a few days ago."
Liana was breathtakingly beautiful, her elegance rivaling that of the heroines. An S-ranker in her own right, she hailed from another influential family and was the perfect complement to Edmund's commanding presence.
"I'm fine, Mother," Ren assured her gently.
The family chatted briefly over breakfast, discussing trivial matters. When Ren inquired about Elara, his parents informed him she was under house arrest as punishment for her actions during the duel. Ren made no comment.
Once breakfast was over, Ren excused himself and began walking back to his room, his mind preoccupied with thoughts of his parents.
"Even though I wasn't close to them in the past, they still cared about me," he mused. "Even after my fall, they never gave up on me. If only I had listened to them back then…"
Determined, Ren clenched his fists. "This time, I'll change things."
As he turned a corner, his thoughts were interrupted by the sight of a woman approaching from the opposite direction.