Mirelle, a distant relative of Mara, had been chosen by her as Edric's partner for the night. She was the daughter of a renowned Great Knight, and her selection was no mere coincidence. Although her role would be that of a mistress and not a formal wife, many knights and even Great Knights had eagerly offered their daughters for consideration. The opportunity to form a bond, however informal, with Edric—a prodigy and the future heir of the Windwalker family—was seen as an honor by many families within the territory.
Of course, Edric had made one thing abundantly clear to Mara: he would never agree to this arrangement if the woman in question was unwilling. Even though he was not a good person in his last life, he wasn't chaotic evil either; he would rather avoid unnecessary trouble and reputational damage by forcing anyone into the task. Fortunately, that was not an issue worth considering, as the allure of aligning oneself with Edric’s promising future was enough to entice numerous volunteers.
Though Mirelle had been chosen, her role would be far from that of a high-ranking noble spouse. As the eldest son of the powerful Windwalker family, Edric's eventual marriage would undoubtedly be to a lady of high nobility, someone who could strengthen the family’s political and social standing.
Of course, now that Edric has the system, he can break the rules. Once he becomes a Legendary Knight, he can directly ignore all arbitrary rules set by the kingdom, all the traditions and expectations, etc.; he can marry whoever he wants without anybody capable of stopping him. Ultimately, laws can only strangle those who cannot break them.
However, Edric never thought of wasting too much effort on romantic affairs. He will surely break through to realms even above Legendary Knights with the system. Once he became the strongest, he could care for his romantic needs however he wanted.
The task's punishment for non-completion is death, which is the only reason Edric has been forced to have a biological child; otherwise, he would have preferred not to leave behind his bloodline. After all, he doesn't know what kind of strange spells exist; it's possible that someday, some magician using his descendants could harm him.
Edric's illegitimate children would be excluded from the line of succession; he wouldn't be able to do anything about it unless he becomes a Legendary Knight and advocates hard to change the kingdom's fundamental laws. He is not sure he cares enough to do that; as unpleasant as it is to his modern sensibilities, like all other illegitimate descendants of nobles, his children would also be discriminated against compared to legitimate ones.
Everyone, including transmigrators like Edric, has limited resources and time; if he spent his time trying to fix the world's unjust laws, he would inevitably delay his knight and mage training. His XP can only improve his cultivation level; it couldn't help him learn swordsmanship or new magic spells.
The limitation of not being included in the line of succession might not be much of a disadvantage. With Countess Lyria Windwalker being a Silver Knight, her longevity promised that Edric would have many years before inheriting the title himself. Unless an illegitimate child proved extraordinarily gifted—perhaps by reaching the coveted Golden Knight stage—the title of Count or Countess would remain far out of their reach.
...
Edric stood in a room prepared by Mara, waiting for her to bring Mirelle. The air was heavy, with an awkward tension that Edric found nearly unbearable.
"This is so uncomfortable," Edric muttered under his breath. As someone who had lived a modern life in his previous world, the entire situation felt surreal and almost absurd. In his past life, finding a romantic partner had been straightforward. In this new world, however, as the heir to a noble house, such matters were far more complicated. It wasn’t like he could stroll into a nightclub and meet someone. Leaving such arrangements to his mother and Mara seemed like the most practical—albeit uncomfortable—option.
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“Damn this ridiculous task,” Edric thought, frowning. The task was only delaying him from his knight and mage training. His only consolation was the promise of a skill from completing the task, a reward that piqued his curiosity despite his reluctance.
"System, what is a white-level skill?" he asked the system.
"Ding! The system can answer the host's question. Superficial answer: 100 XP - Thorough answer: 1,000 XP - Complete answer: 10,000 XP"
"I choose the superficial answer!" Edric gritted his teeth and said; he had been struggling for two days on whether to spend XP for the answer; until now, he hadn't, but now that he is about to complete the task, he should at least have some idea of what a white-level skill is.
"Skills are categorized into 10 categories with ten colors: Average skill with white color, Silver skill with silver color, Golden skill with golden color, Legendary skill with red color, Mythic skill with Cyan color, Ultra skill with Pink color, Super skill with Green color, Extreme skill with Purple color, Absolute skill with black color, Supreme skill with (classified) color."
"The rank of the skill rewarded by the system depends on various factors, including the difficulty of completion; for a thorough answer, please pay a further 900 XPs."
After reading the system's response, he was pretty disappointed; it turned out that white-level skills were at the absolute bottom.
After reading everything, he closed the system interface and decided to check out the thorough explanation about the skills later when he became at least a Golden Knight. Until then, he shouldn't waste his XP on anything but his personal strength.
A few minutes passed; Mara came in, leading a young woman into the room. Mirelle was about eighteen or nineteen years old.
Mirelle curtsied gracefully, her demeanor poised yet modest. “Master, I am honored to be chosen as your partner,” she said, her voice soft but steady.
Edric studied her silently for a moment. She was fair-skinned, with auburn hair that fell in gentle waves down her back. Her features were delicate but carried a hint of determination. Her posture and confidence suggested she had been raised in a disciplined, noble household, yet she exuded a warmth that made her approachable.
“Hm,” Edric murmured, unsure of how to respond. The memories of his current body offered no guidance in such situations, and his modern sensibilities only added to his discomfort. This formalized arrangement felt rigid and alien for a man used to casual relationships.
Sensing his unease, Mara spoke up. “Master, please enjoy your time. I will take my leave now.” She curtsied before slipping out of the room, leaving the two alone.
The silence that followed was deafening. Edric’s mind raced, searching for something to say. Mirelle simply stood patiently, her hands folded neatly in front of her.
“So… you’re okay with this?” Edric finally asked, his voice uncertain.
Mirelle nodded without hesitation. “Yes, Master. It is an honor for my family and me. I have no reservations.”
Taking a deep breath, Edric took out a few jars of high-quality wine.
"Take it easy; sit down, let's drink and talk!" he said.
Mirelle respectfully sat down while bowing her head.
Seeing her extremely respectful demeanor, Edric could only sigh; the two worlds were too different after all; Mirelle's demeanor was making everything much more awkward.
...
Edric lay on the ornate bed, his gaze fixed on the intricate patterns etched into the canopy above. His thoughts swirled with reflections on the night he had just experienced.
It was clear that Mara had deliberately chosen someone with at least some experience. Even though Mirelle was awkward at the start, she was focused and efficient once it began. She did not hesitate in her actions as she moved to fulfill her duty.
Now, he turned his attention to the glowing system interface hovering in his vision:
Name: Edric Windwalker
Age: 15 years, 3 months, and 6 days
Task: Have a biological child (Mirelle – 266 days left)
* Reward: A random White-level skill
* Deadline: 497 days
* Non-completion Punishment: Death
Techniques:
* Great Knight Training: 2 / 20,000
* Mage Training: 159 / 10,000
Talents:
* Knight Talent: Superior (0 / 2,400,000)
* Mage Talent: Inferior (0 / 100,000)
Cheat: Low Level – 1,000 XP per day
Available XP: 1,507
Edric's eyes narrowed as he focused on the new line in the task display:
Mirelle – 266 days left.
“So, the system even tracks my incoming descendants!” he exclaimed internally, surprised.