When she tells the knights what’s been on her mind, Eric is surprisingly the first to respond.
“So change it.”
What? Change it?
“Change...you want me to change the world? The system? Everything?”
He stops Azure and turns back to look at her.
“Yes.”
“Are you MAD?!”
How does he expect her to change every single thing about a world that she knows barely anything about?
“‘Then, my answer is that though the system is flawed, it cannot be any other way unless the narrative of noble bloodlines being ‘purer’ and more honorable is put to rest for good, all associated prejudices are eradicated, and a support structure with formal procedures and adequate penalties is put in place to both protect the fledgling new normal, and enable it to grow and permeate until it’s deeply ingrained in society as ‘the way things are’. Forcing it would lead to too much resistance, from nobles and commoners alike who have been indoctrinated with these prejudices for so long it’s pretty much a part of their bones. It needs to be a gradual change brought about in a carefully curated plan, with a focus on incremental gains over the long term. Some quick wins early on would be good, of course, to improve morale, secure more support from stakeholders, and build momentum. But more importantly there should be regular successes to sustain the initiative and support over the longer term, and these milestone achievements should be part of the plan. Just like the apologue - if you put a frog in boiling water, it’ll leap out. But if you put it in cool water and raise the temperature little by little, eventually the frog will be boiled without it even realizing that itself.’”
It’s what she’d said to him that time - word for bloody word - as they’d been reaching the County of Nonsense on their way to the capital.
His photographic memory impresses her so much she just stares.
This guy has definitely never failed an exam in his life.
Eventually she remembers what they’d been talking about.
“Eric, that’s about nobles and commoners. In my case, not only are there Terrans who want to extract players’ powers, if not for the way this system works for players I wouldn’t constantly be worrying about other players being out to get me.”
“So you’re saying changing the way nobles and commoners view and treat each other is easy?”
Why are you being so difficult?!
“No, that’s not what I’m saying.” He reminds her of the clients who’d given her the most headaches. And of her asshole CEO Dean. “I’m just saying that in my case, I’d need to literally change the greater power that controls this world. That’d be like fighting God.”
“Do you think this system is a god?”
Huh?
His handsome face is grim, lips a hard line as brown eyes roil with untold emotions.
“...isn’t it? It’s powerful enough to reach into other worlds and pull some of us in with no apparent rhyme or reason. It’s powerful enough to grant us abilities no one in this world has. It’s powerful enough to control what happens to us when we die in this world. Don’t you think only a god can do that?”
“Players only started appearing after the fall of the moon of Truth, the Goddess Verita.”
So that means...
Eric nods once, then turns back around and puts Azure into an easy trot.
I didn’t think of that. So if I can somehow reach that corrupted tower and maybe deal with that...
“After you get to level 10, I’ll tell you something only a handful of people in the world know.”
Snapping her head up to stare at those broad shoulders, Lexi can only follow in silence, mind a jumbled mess.
----------------------------------------
Easier said than done.
They’ll be reaching the griffins’ nest tomorrow, but Lexi doesn’t think she can lift Akara anymore.
WHY do you KEEP pushing me to fight?!
A part of her knows why, of course. She’d worried about what would happen to her in this world - with and without Eric’s protection - and while Lexi doesn’t believe for a second that the commander actually cares about her she suspects he’s been preparing her for the future in his own cold way.
Still, even if her mind knows that, her body is screaming bloody murder.
Today's fights had been especially hard since they each involved sand-snakes that blended perfectly into the ground. Fortunately, Sight had helped Lexi spot them, but that didn't change the fact that those serpents were fast and worked as a group, with scales that hardened or softened as needed.
Had it not been for Akara, she'd probably never have finished the fights. Eric calls her style the ‘flopping fish’ - the asshole - because she's too tired to care about form and so pressured by monsters and blood that she flails a lot.
I didn’t know that part of me could ache.
She can barely sit up on her own, struggles to hold herself steady as she blearily bites into a stale sandwich, the last of the food they’d bought at the town they’d stayed in en route.
"If you used proper form instead of panicking, you'd conserve more energy. And if you breathe properly you wouldn't gas out in seconds like a total amateur."
Lexi doesn't even have the energy to get mad at the incessant nagging.
Ray tells her to sleep as soon as she’s swallowed the last morsel, and Lexi knows she should be grateful the knights don’t make her stand watch but right now all she wants to do is absolutely nothing for a week.
It seems like she’s only just closed her eyes before Ray is shaking her awake, looking like he hadn’t stood guard half the night.
“How long until we get there?”
Lexi can’t wait to be back in the duke’s manor, sleeping in a soft bed with silky sheets.
“Three hours’ ride at most, my lady.” He hands her a plate of eggs and bacon, as well as a blessed cup of coffee. “We don’t know how many there are, so the Commander wants you to use Foresight just before we reach the nest.”
Smart.
And also, screw you dude. Foresight makes me sick.
Though according to the crown prince, Foresight is like a muscle - the more she uses it, the easier it’ll become for her.
“Up to 15 minutes in the future for 20 seconds, correct?”
Eric’s ability to memorize anything is scary, so Lexi just nods.
“Alright. Use it when I tell you to.”
Do I have a choice?
These two knights look far too excited - almost bloodthirsty - this early in the morning, and Lexi resolves to just ignore them and enjoy her food.
She’ll probably be vomiting it all out in three hours anyway.
----------------------------------------
Lexi does vomit, a lot, because looking 15 minutes into the future after so long of not flexing this mystic muscle absolutely wrecks her head. Fortunately, Ray had come prepared with some sort of tonic which settles her nerves and makes her feel a lot better and stronger after drinking it.
This is pretty cool. Tastes like cough medicine though.
When she’s recovered, Eric questions her like she hadn’t just puked her guts out.
Calm down, calm down. He’s just doing the whole ‘tough love’ thing. Don’t get mad at him, you need him.
At least, she hopes he really is doing the ‘tough love’ thing and not just being a sadistic handsome bastard.
“Ray, we’ll go with the viper formation.”
What the hell is the ‘viper formation’? Can we even do any formation with just two combatants and one weak ass woman?
“My lady.” Trust Ray to explain things to her nicely. “We’ll leave the horses here. Whatever happens, always stay behind me.”
That I can do.
----------------------------------------
That I CAN’T do. Why are you so fast?!
Lexi knows nothing about vipers, except that they’re snakes and dangerous, so she isn’t prepared for the way Eric and Ray are tag-teaming after hitting the monsters with initial blasts of their aura blades.
One strikes first then pulls back immediately after immobilizing the enemy as the other strikes quickly from another direction before pulling back and darting out of reach.
Just like the sand-snakes.
It’s incredibly seamless, and if she’d been watching it on the big screen in her room back home she’d have applauded and stuffed more popcorn in her mouth, but right now it’s taking everything she has just to stay behind Ray.
I definitely need to boost speed and agility more.
For such a large man - he’d told her he’s seven feet nine inches tall when she’d asked out of curiosity before - he’s incredibly light on his feet, and possesses the grace of a professional dancer performing a well-practiced repertoire.
Go, Ray! But don’t go too far, for God’s sake, I can’t keep up!
It takes even these knights almost half an hour to defeat all thirteen adult griffins and seven griffinlings - since the monsters’ levels range from 5 to 53, and they're fighting in the griffins' territory while protecting a weak player - and by the end of it Lexi can’t even muster up the strength to stand.
“Get up. You need to learn to harvest.”
Go away.
Eric just stares at her silently, and eventually Lexi drags herself after him, sullen and panting.
She knows why they didn’t leave her with the horses, knows why they forced her to follow them into this nest and run around trying to stay behind Ray, but that doesn’t mean she’s not really bloody tired.
As expected, he only lets her harvest the mini-griffins, because the adult ones are too valuable. She’s covered in blood soon enough, hating the system and vowing to storm the corrupt tower and rip the hair off that crazy bitch who’d started everything.
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
After sealing the containers stuffed with hearts and livers - she’d failed miserably in the tear harvesting - Lexi tries to tries to distract herself from the blood drying on her face when she spots a faint glimmer.
Guide?
Why didn’t I see it earlier though?
To be fair, she’d been too preoccupied trying to stay close to Ray’s large, muscled back.
Rising unsteadily to her feet, she stumbles over to the glint.
This isn’t Guide. Guide would’ve activated 100 feet away.
Which means this thing is actually shiny. And not vital to my journey.
Curiosity makes her kneel and dig through branches, dried leaves, and all manner of things she’d rather not think about.
Oh?
“What is it?”
Eric is probably the only person in the world who can creep up on her like that.
Heart beating too fast to speak, Lexi wordlessly holds the ring out to him.
Once he’s rubbed some of the dirt off, brown eyes widen before turning to her.
“This is a magic ring.”
I figured as much.
“Its name is ‘Flammanon’. I’m guessing it protects against fire?” Her paternal grandfather had taught her some Latin when she’d been a child, a means of trying to connect with the firstborn of his firstborn, and she can only hope she’s not talking out of her ass.
The imperial family’s surname is ‘Solusol’ and the emperor is called ‘the sun of the empire’, while Ray’s family name is ‘Fortisutum’ and he’s known as the ’shield of the empire’. It might be nothing, or it might be something. Only one way to find out.
“From the looks of it, it’s a defensive item, so you may be right.” From the looks of it? So offensive and defensive items are clearly different even when in the form of a ring? Or is he just speaking from experience as a crazy rich aristocrat and the Commander of the Hawk Legion? “Flammanon, huh?”
Even when Eric repeats the name she can see hovering above the item, no number appears.
Huh? I thought that as long as I get a person’s or object’s name from another source I can see their levels.
Status window.
Lexi's Level 7 Full Bio [https://i.imgur.com/XSPxHeA.png]
Sight Allows user to see information about others. User can view levels of people and items that the user already knows the complete names of. User can view names of people and items that have not been shared. Note: User can only see levels if the original source of information about person or item is someone other than user. Level up to unlock additional abilities. [https://i.imgur.com/SNpacgC.png]
NOW you tell me.
I get that the system is trying to provide some balance but still...
Also sucks that I’m probably right about Sight only upgrading in multiples of three.
Shaking her head at Eric, Lexi is pleasantly surprised that he’d been expecting it when she tells him that although she’s leveled up, Sight doesn’t allow her to view the levels or attributes of people and things she hasn’t been told the names of.
“Thought so. I’ll go to Sage Elise when we’re back.”
They’d decided to let Eric figure out if it’s safe for her to meet the oldest player in the world before introducing Lexi.
When he walks off to talk to Ray, Lexi decides to tap on the other skills - especially her newest and final passive skill, Intuition.
Foresight Grants user ability to see the future. Length and duration at current level: up to 20 minutes in the future for 20 seconds. MP required: 29 [https://i.imgur.com/5bHoO75.png]
Hindsight Grants user ability to see the past. Length and duration at current level: up to 15 minutes in the past for 20 seconds, can only be activated upon touching the specific object or person whose past the user wishes to see. MP required: 26 [https://i.imgur.com/jmouID8.png]
Flow Allows user to see effect of flow of time on object, person, or surroundings with different variables by level. Current level allows user to see up to 3 variables’ impact on two items or persons, up to one day in future MP required: 16 Note: types of variables that may be used differ according to Intelligence points [https://i.imgur.com/m3VXgKR.png]
Guide Indicates items and people of important to player’s journey. Level 5 unlock: Guide leads user towards items and people of importance from up to 100 feet away Level up to unlock additional abilities. [https://i.imgur.com/6vHWTHM.png]
Clarity Allows user to see past illusions in accordance with user’s level. Current level: 7 Illusions that are level 7 and below do not work on user. [https://i.imgur.com/72jshLO.png]
Intuition Allows user to see warning signs over people, objects, monsters, and locations. Synchronizes with Guide. Current level: user can see simple warning sign in color starting from yellow (some danger) up to red (danger imminent). No warning sign will be displayed if no threat is detected. Note: danger may not be directed at user [https://i.imgur.com/4VZesIK.png]
So THAT’S what it was. I thought I was just seeing red lights everywhere coz I was exhausted and about to pass out.
Might be a leap at this stage, but I think that Flow scales by one additional variable at a +1 MP cost every even numbered level, and one additional item or person at a +3 MP cost every odd numbered level. And it looks like the P-ATK parameters and the like go up by 1 naturally every two levels.
As for the stat points...
Strength: 10 + 4 Speed: 15 + 5 Dexterity: 11 + 4 Agility: 14 + 5 Intelligence: 18 + 4 Vitality: 18 + 5 Charisma: 13 + 4 Luck: 13 + 4 [https://i.imgur.com/64ce0me.png]
This should do.
Upon confirming, HP, M-ATK and P-DEF go up as expected.
Before Eric can ask, she tells him the points distribution and rationale, as well as the final passive skill, and Ray chuckles.
“Let us know whenever you see lights closer to red on our way back.”
Nodding, she gets to her feet with Ray’s aid and stumbles down the mountain path towards their horses.
----------------------------------------
Not even a day later, Guide has decided to make them detour slightly.
The sparkles have no other color accompanying them, which means it’s safe, but even so Ray makes her stay behind him as they approach a tall oak tree they’d passed on their way to the griffin nest.
Did something just appear? I didn’t see Guide activating before this.
Peering up into the thick foliage, Lexi points out where Guide is shining the brightest. Eric leaps up soundlessly, bounding from branch to branch until he pauses and kneels slightly to pick something up, then he steps casually off the branch he’s on and Lexi gasps as he lands silently.
Ten points!
The man would sweep every artistic gymnastics medal at the Olympics, no doubt about that.
“It’s a magic stone.”
Why the hell did Guide lead us to this, when there are plenty of magic stones in the capital and that county?
“Its name is ‘Interspatium’ - does that mean anything? Something to do with space, maybe?”
Both knights look pensive, and Lexi wishes she’d paid more attention to her Latin lessons before grandpa passed away.
’Spatium’ sounds like ‘space’, ‘inter’ is probably ‘in between’, but what does it mean? ‘In between the space’? ‘Space between’?
“For a magic stone to have a name, that means it’s not a common stone.”
Now we’re talking.
Eric decides to show it to Sage Elise after she identifies the ring from the nest, and just as they’re getting back on their horses Lexi sees red lights fly towards them.
“Get down!”
Attempting to shove Ray is like charging right at a boulder, and Lexi resolves never to do it again.
The knights are quick to draw their swords, deflecting arrows with ease as she’s pushed behind Ray while Eric rushes forward towards the source.
“Where?”
Peeking out from behind the vice-commander, she scans the area before spotting a concentration of red lights surrounding one that’s larger than the rest.
“At the top of the beech tree, up ahead to your left!”
Though she’d said “up ahead”, the lights have moved more than three hundred feet away.
Right. Flash.
Eric reaches the source of the lights in a blink, and then someone is falling out of the tree while the commander leaps after the body. Ray helps her onto Violet, mounting Siege quickly and leading Azure towards his superior officer, and by the time they reach it seems the redhead’s found out everything he needs to know, judging by how Ray shields her eyes.
It’s when they’re riding away that Eric quietly tells her the woman he’d killed had been a player - a rare-rank assassin armed with poison arrows - and Lexi’s head spins from throwing up earlier, the exertion at the nest, and the knowledge that someone had hired a player to kill her.
Ray had collected the arrows earlier, saying he’d have the poison inspected, but Lexi knows that whatever they’re coated in is lethal. If they’d just been aimed at incapacitating her, they wouldn’t have been accompanied by red lights earlier.
“Lady Lexi.” It’s the first time Eric’s ever addressed her that way, and Lexi’s head decides to stop spinning in shock. “Get to level 10, and I’ll tell you more.”
Stingy.
Still, it’s reassuring that he’s being an asshole as usual.
----------------------------------------
“My lady!”
The crown prince bursts into the duke’s library so abruptly that Lexi drops the book she’s reading - another one by Sage Icarian - and spins around.
While she should have known he’s coming thanks to Guide, she’d been completely engrossed in the tome. Also - and she has a bit of difficulty differentiating right now - Lexi can’t be sure but she thinks yellow lights are accompanying the glitter around this golden man.
“Your highness?” She rises because it’s good manners, moves to bow and greet him when he grabs her hands and brings his ridiculously perfect face within an inch of hers.
Woah. So this is what a drop dead gorgeous man looks like up close. The sparkles are NOT helping.
While she’s dated her share of good looking guys interested in her family’s money, none of them can hold a candle to the crown prince.
Even celebrities would be crying in their dressing rooms if they see this guy.
“My lady!” I can hear you, no need to yell. “I heard from Eric, you were attacked by an assassin player?”
Ah.
“Yes, your highness, but fortunately it was taken care of.”
Eric would have explained everything, so Lexi’s not sure why the prince is here looking so frantic.
Oh. Right.
She reminds him of his late wife - the love of his life - somehow, and that knowledge makes her heart twinge.
“Please accept this, my lady.” It’s a gold bracelet with a single gleaming stone inlaid, the name hovering above it telling her it’s a protective charm.
“This...”
“This is a level 30 protection bracelet, my lady.” Level 30?! Are you nuts?! “I apologize that it can only provide some manner of defense against physical attacks by those level 30 and below, and I promise to find you something better as soon as possible.”
I’m not Lucy.
“Your highness.” She shouldn’t accept something like this, not when she knows he sees his late wife when he looks at her, and just as she’s wondering how to turn him down her red haired savior runs in.
“Jord! Calm down, for heaven’s sake. Lexi is fine, and you can’t keep giving her such high value items.”
Well, I’d really like them but it doesn’t feel right accepting so much from a guy who confuses me with someone else now and then.
“Ric, I’d give you something as well but you always refuse.”
Seriously? The man’s level 90!
“Jord, I know you don’t need something like this.” Yeah, Level 80 prince. “But you must know that everyone’s already talking about the favor you’re showing her. She doesn’t need more attention at this stage, not when she’s so weak.”
You’re right but I still want to smack you.
“Even if I ignore her, she’s the only Hargreaves in the world. And the very fact that she’s staying with you will ensure her name remains on everyone’s lips.”
And whose fault is that?
Not that Lexi’s complaining. The duke’s manor is wonderful - attentive maids, delicious food, luxurious clothes, comfortable bed and all.
“Jord, if she walks around with that bracelet, you know what Summoner Selena is going to think.”
Oh, that’s right.
“Why should the crown prince of the empire care?” Even when he’s being arrogant and indignant, he’s perfect.
Eric sighs. “Look, I know you don’t care what Summoner Selena thinks, but at the very least care about how I feel.”
Huh?
It seems like the prince is as confused as she is.
“I’m training Lexi to protect herself. She’s not going to get any better if she can rely on this bracelet instead of learning how to dodge and defend. And she’s only just gotten her Intuition skill - if she doesn’t learn to make it a habit to pay attention to warning signs because of this accessory, she won’t survive for long.”
That’s true.
“I see.” That beautiful face is clouded, but no less pleasing to the eye. “I understand your intentions, Ric, but I’d still like for Lu...Lady Lexi to wear it. We all know she’s in constant danger.”
Your highness, I’m really sorry for your loss.
She knows what it’s like, losing someone so close to your heart you keep speaking as though they’re still there. It’d taken a while for her to refer to her father in past tense.
Brown eyes are pained and searching, before a scarlet head bows in defeat. “At least let her take it off when I’m training her.”
The prince beams brightly enough to shame the sun, before hugging the commander. “Ric!” If Ray hadn’t mentioned that the heir to the throne is famous for remaining loyal to his late wife, Lexi would’ve absolutely thought that there’s something going on between these two childhood friends.
Especially given how expressive Eric is only with the crown prince, and how touchy the golden haired man is with the redhead.
(Through the maids, Lexi’s learned that Eric doesn’t care about gender with his bed partners - as long as they interest him enough, aren’t his subordinates or people on his payroll, and all parties involved give willing, informed consent).
His highness makes himself perfectly at home in the manor - and once again Lexi truly feels sorry for him since he has to go to someone else’s house to be at ease - then she’s being regaled with plenty of stories about other players and nobles, and Lexi’s quite confident her EXP rises with every second spent around this man who doesn’t see her for who she is.
----------------------------------------
“Do you like him?”
Stunned, Lexi stops panting for a second to stare at her sadistic instructor.
“Like...him?”
That handsome face is hard but those brown eyes are troubled.
Oh.
“Are you talking about the crown prince?”
Her response is just a clenched jaw.
Really?
“His highness is extremely handsome and very kind to me, so of course I like him.” Eric looks pained, and for some reason Lexi doesn’t like it. “But not in the romantic sense, if that’s what you’re asking.”
Why do you look so relieved?
Just because she’s tired and feels like saying whatever’s on her mind, she adds: “You’re handsome too but I don’t like you that way either.”
Somehow he’s good looking even when he snorts derisively. “I wouldn’t sleep with you even if my life depended on it.”
Lexi can’t help but laugh - really laugh - for the first time in a long time.
----------------------------------------
When Eric greets her the next day in the training grounds with a black eye and busted lip, Lexi can’t help but freak out.
“What happened to you?!” Who could reduce such a powerful warrior to this state?
“Knocking some sense into Jord.”
Seriously?
If a level 90 knight looks like this, Lexi feels bad for the all of the crown prince’s fans.
“Why didn’t you get the healers to treat it?”
Are you really rolling your eyes at me when I’m concerned about you?
“Do you think the commander of the Hawk Legion isn’t used to such injuries?”
That’s true. He didn’t get to his level with just his good looks and powerful family. He’s bled and sweat (though probably not cried) for it.
“I’d still prefer you get treated.”
She gets a snort at that, and wishes she could smack him silly.
If only I had some sort of combat skill...
“Guard.”
Lexi barely raises her practice weapon in time, and then she’s defending for dear life against this crazy scarlet beast with yellow lights flickering around him.
This Intuition thing is distracting.
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CHAPTER 11 END