Knock. Knock.

"Enter," I groaned out and tossed my blanket off my face in defeat.

Damn it. I didn't get any proper sleep.

Every time I dozed off, Chase Daylan would appear in my dream, and it would instantly turn into a nightmare. In one dream I was buying Leona cake when he suddenly appeared as a giant cat and smashed the city. In another, I was having a delightful boat ride on a lake with my siblings before realizing it was actually a teacup that he was about to drink from.

The real Chase was problematic in a different way from the bizarre nightmares. He was dangerous, had a loose screw, and I was stuck with him for every Round.

And I can't keep filling my mouth with water and smashing mirrors to avoid his interrogations.

I rubbed my temples.

To top it off, my head was already beginning to pound because of the artifact Micah had given me the day before. I had hoped the aftereffects wouldn't have started until the afternoon, but such was my luck.

"Good morning, young master Luca." Remlend entered my bedroom. "I noticed you were up rather late into the night, so I had a strong black tea brewed. This is one of your brother's own creations. He hasn't thought of a name yet."

He set down a wash basin and handed me the teacup.

"Is it now?" I accepted it and inhaled the hot tea.

I smiled. This was the first morning I didn't feel like chucking it out.

"Where's Denise?" I asked and took a sip.

A robust flavor filled my mouth. It was strong but not bitter and had a lingering citrus sweetness. Not that it did anything for the artifact-induced headache.

"She is undergoing some training. So I will attend to you throughout the day for the time being until Jasper recovers and Denise completes her training," Remlend replied.

"Ah." I nodded.

I had requested that Denise not be punished for the sake of her brother, but that did not mean there weren't going to be any consequences for the betrayal.

I wonder just what sort of training Micah is having her undergo.

I took another sip of my hot tea.

"Will you be coming down for breakfast?" Remlend asked.

"Yes," I replied. "But no need to help get me dressed. I can manage that."

"Very well, in that case, I shall be back to clean up your room." Remlend bowed and left the room.

I pulled up my stats screen to review the progress from yesterday.

[ Player: Luca Frey

Age: 19

Title: Observant Ex-NPC

Round: 8

Level: 12 ]

[ Strength : 4

Dexterity : 41

Perception : 49

Intelligence : 63

Charisma : 17

Mana : 2

$@#!^\ : -6 ]

The increased Intelligence stat gave me pause. It had conjured up a rather bizarre new Skill when it passed 60 during my conversation with Chase.

"System, what was that skill that I earned yesterday?"

I was so busy completing the steps outlined by the Skill that I didn't bother reading through the name properly, and I felt I might have misread it.

[ A Fool's Escape: Level 1 ]

Nope. I read it correctly.

[ You might look stupid, and people will stare in wonder at you, but with this Skill's activation, you will successfully find a hidden method and needed steps to make your escape, confounding those around you. Note that this Skill is limited to only once per Round. Also, it will only work if there's a way of escaping. It also does not work if the method of escaping looks cool in any way. ]

"You gave that skill on purpose, didn't you?" I stared at the blue floating screen.

[ Hardly. You imagine it. You earned it through your increased Intelligence. ]

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

[ Besides, I don't see what the issue is. It worked wonderfully, given your situation yesterday. And it's a rather fitting Skill for you. ]

This System was for certain getting involved, even if it disputed it. The Fools' Escape Skill, while a bit odd, was well-timed to appear just as I was hoping to get away from Chase Daylan.

And then there were the half-point changes when it hinted at the correct answer. Perhaps this is its own way of helping me despite the 0.4 aspect?

I frowned at the unknown $@#!^\ stat that appeared yesterday.

If the System brought it up, it was obviously important, even if I couldn't view what it was.

And based on how prior notifications for other stats worked, I figured out that this new stat had gone down by 4 points yesterday but that the initial stat was already at -2.

"System, why was this new unknown stat in the negative when I got it?"

[ That is because it already existed. Numerous different types of stats are in existence and can be measured. However, as this is a Game and some measurements are simplified for a more enjoyable playing experience; it would be too confusing to list every little thing, so only the most notable stats and descriptions are shown. ]

I continued to drink my tea, taking this insight in.

This meant that there was a slew of additional information that I was missing on top of my known 40% limitations. When I interacted with Chase Daylan, I noted that his truth-forcing skill was working beyond the description that appeared for it.

"Very well, then what about the snake from yesterday? The description for it said it was banished for a number of years on a 'standard, linear timeline.' Just what did that mean?"

[ Why obviously, it means just that. Some timelines progress faster than others, and in the snake's case, its banishment was based upon & ^%@'s timeline. ]

I frowned.

"What is &^%@?"

[ &^%@ is the name of this realm. ]

I blinked.

"Then was the snake banished from another realm? Are there other realms?" I asked to confirm.

This reminded me of what Chase had mentioned in our conversation yesterday at the ball. He referred to the last Player as an 'other-realmer.'

[ Yes, it was banished from the realm called !@#+?. ]

[ And obviously, there are many other realms out there. Where do you suppose the previous Players came from? ]

I honestly didn't give it much thought before. I had considered that previous Players might have been like me, from this world. Or were summoned from some mysterious and unknown place, but as to from where my imagination didn't bother thinking further.

"How many realms are there in existence? And what can you tell me about them?" I finished drinking my black tea and set down the cup.

Last night Chase had asked me a slew of questions, which, fortunately or unfortunately, I hadn't had the slightest clue about the answers to.

However, I should still understand the answers for myself.

[ There are many more realms than possible to put into a tangible perspective. Stating a number would be meaningless as you wouldn't be able to comprehend it. ]

[ Other realms exist simultaneously with this realm and have different rules that they abide by. However, access to these realms is limited, and only Players have the ability to travel between them. Thus, my knowledge about other realms is confined only to what the Players that I followed in this current Game had disclosed to me. ]

I dunked my hands in the washbasin and tossed the cold spring water over my face. The coolness seemed to subside some of my headache. Or that might have just been my wishful thinking.

"System, what are the rules to this Game that I'm playing?" I asked another question Chase had put forth.

[ The rules are simple. To clear the Game, you must prevent the fall of the Adovorian Kingdom against the Demonic Kobar Empire. There are no restrictions on the method used as long as this core goal is achieved. ]

"So I could have the continent blown to bits, and just Adovoria left, and that would clear the Game?" I asked.

[ Certainly, but we both know that wouldn't be possible for you to do, aside from your lack of ability to execute such a thing. ]

[ As I've stated before, you can reset and play the Game as many times as you wish. There isn't a limit. However, once Adovoria is saved, your world's timeline will resume as usual. ]

[ Thus, it would be of little sense or benefit for you to win but have only Adovoria left on the continent. ]

[ Now, as for additional hard-set rules, note that this is a Single Player Game, meaning that no other Player can enter the same realm. ]

"But if a Player is already within the realm, can they help?"

[ Yes and no. As I've stated before, this is a Single Player Game, and all of the Players have left the Game. That is why you were granted the opportunity to become a Player and attempt to save your kingdom. You can, however, utilize the NPCs within your realm to achieve beating the Game. ]

[ As a note. Because you are not a complete Player and only have access to 40% of the Game functions, some aspects of the Game are different for you than for a regular Player. ]

"I already know that the Game aspects are different for me. But that snake, if it's from another realm, wouldn't that mean it's a Player?" I probed further.

I recognized that the System had been trying to hint at something of importance about it but was unable to say itself outright.

[ No, that snake is not an Active Player. As I've stated before, all of the Players have left the Game— ]

"Yes, yes. You don't need to repeat it again," I cut off the blue text box.

"Can I transfer being a Player to someone else?" I asked instead another question that Chase presented to me yesterday.

Micah came to mind as the best candidate for such a thing. I had a feeling he'd be able to strategize a way to defeat the Kobar Empire. He was already a lifesaver in taking care of my troubles without me even explaining everything, and he had his own reasons for wanting to prevent Adovoria from falling. So if anyone could beat this Game, it was him.

[ Negative. ]

Damn it.

I threw open my closet doors and inspected my options for this Round with disdain. My eyes fell on a particularly sparkly pair of pants.

I really ought to have a new wardrobe of clothes made. I can't imagine going out in public dressed like this.

"System, how is it that people like Chase Daylan and Duncan Genuiver already have skills even though they are not Players?"

I changed out of my silk pajamas and tossed on a cream linen tunic with a pair of dark trousers.

[ I do not know the specifics for the two individuals you mentioned, but generally speaking, Skills are merely a measurement of an achievement someone has gained through either hard work or time. A baker might have a Skill in bread making, for example. ]

[ However, as a Player, to make the Game more fun and exciting, Skill accumulations grow faster than they would for NPCs. Also, if a Player accumulated enough points, they could buy a Specialty Skill Item from the Game Store. ]

Tsk.

"The store that you said I can't access because I don't have enough access?" I asked, recalling our conversation the previous Round.

[ Correct. It is most unfortunate, but due to your restriction as a 0.4 Player, that is one of the functions you cannot access. ]

Why even mention it again, then?

Knock. Knock.

"Yes?" I called out.

I belatedly realized I had forgotten to speak with the System in a lower voice. Or at least in the confines of my bathroom.

"Young master Luca, breakfast has been served," Remlend replied on the other end. His voice didn't indicate him having overheard me, but it being Remlend, it was hard to gauge.

"I'm coming down now," I replied.

I still had a dozen questions for the System, but I decided to ask at a better time and when I had more privacy.

I rubbed my temples. My head continued to pound, and I had a feeling that my headache was only about to worsen.