Chapter 4 : The One Who Became My Gramps

The old man stepped toward Shame, leaving the crater with a certain slowness. The sun, setting behind the treetops, bathed the forest in a gentle, warm light, finally revealing its beauty to Shame’s eyes.

Once he reached him, the man spoke in a calm, almost paternal voice.

"I'm Grealf, kid. And you?" he said.

Shame hesitated for a moment. He had never liked this name imposed by the system; he felt that no one could choose for him, not even this strange world.

"Shyme," he replied without adding more, avoiding saying too much.

"Tell me, kid, there was a wave of summoned ones recently, wasn’t there? I’ve been coming here for years to help them, to show them how to try to get back home... but..." murmured the old man, scanning the surroundings. Shame sensed what was coming next.

"Well, I didn’t find anyone, haha... Maybe my old age is clouding my vision!" he joked with a quiet laugh. Despite everything, he seemed to be doing his best to lighten the atmosphere, to calm this young man who still appeared terrified and nervous.

"You too, you’re part of that wave, aren’t you? Would you know where they’ve gone? I’d at least like to help the youngest get home," added Grealf, his kindly smile lighting up his face.

Shame felt trapped. He knew that all the others were dead. But admitting it… that would mean taking on part of the responsibility. After all, it was he who had, in a way, called the wolf. He convinced himself that it was his fault they hadn’t survived.

He hesitated for a moment. Should he tell the truth, or lie to avoid the weight of guilt in front of this man who, despite everything, had only extended a hand to him?

"I... I don’t know where they went. Anyway, most of them were nobles; they must know much more than me," he replied, looking away to avoid meeting Grealf’s gaze.

[ Star of: "The Guilty"!

Alignment Level: 1 -> 2 | Level up! You just lied to a truly benevolent man; your guilt increases! |

Skill: {Guilt} -> {Guilt Lv.2}!

Condition for Alignment Upgrade: Unknown. ]

And so, Grealf decided to bring Shame to his home. The old man lived in an enormous mansion, secluded in the heart of a forest. At first, Shame remained on guard, as was his habit, but seeing the generosity displayed by the old man, he gradually let his guard down.

A week later...

In the garden of Grealf’s vast mansion, a young man was doing push-ups alone. His body, once frail, now displayed well-defined muscles—a transformation far too rapid for someone who had only been training for a week. But Shame was not following an ordinary training regimen.

"Come on! Just one more, damn it, I know I can do it," he murmured to himself, continuing his push-ups, sweat dripping down his forehead. He trained outside to enjoy the fresh air.

The sun had barely begun to rise, and the young man only stopped when it had set.

"Let’s see what my stats look like..." he added, panting but determined to continue.

[ Name: Shame

Divine Name: None

Orb Level: 1 -> 2

Status: Rejected

Skill: {Guilt}

Celestial Alignment: Star of the Guilty ]

"Gramps was right, huh... perfect," he said, noting his level improvement. To understand better, we need to go back a bit, to the moment when Shame first arrived at the mansion.

Grealf and he were standing in front of the massive gate.

"Shame—or rather, Shyme—are you sure you don’t want to go back home?" asked Grealf, his tone curious.

"I already told you I can’t, it’s blocked," replied Shame, looking away.

"Very well, young man, I will train you," declared the old man, a slightly twisted smile on his lips. "It would be a shame if you died right after being saved."

"And you think you’re capable of saving me? I admit you’re strong, but how could I believe—" Shame tried to justify, before suddenly being interrupted by a system window that appeared before him.

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[ Name: Grealf Dracarys

Divine Name: The Light of the Eternal Throne

Orb Level: Transcendent (unable to read the ancient characters used to define the level)

Status: Last of the Kings

Skill: {Titanic Strength} {Ancient Wisdom} {Dawn’s Radiance} {Phantom Blade} {Eternal Shield} {Celestial Healing} {Royal Aura} {Light of Truth} {Vision of the Ages} {Judgmental Gaze} {Hand of Retribution} {Temporal Resurrection} {Shadow Control} {Rock Resilience} {Sacred Blade Mastery} {Light Summoning} {King’s Fury} {Celestial Lion Summon} {Guided Arrow} {Fist of Destiny} {Legendary Awakening} {Ancestral Resurrection} {Divine Breath} {Ancient Precision} {Protective Aura} {Hero’s Call} {Instant Healing} {Illusion Immunity} {Absolute Strength} {Ethereal Armor} {Storm of Light} {Soul Mirror} {Imperative Word} {Realm Protection} {Voice of Destiny} {Absolute Defense} {Eclipsing Strike} {Ancient Whispers} {Mind’s Clarity} {Heart of Fire} {Sacred Charisma} {Primordial Power} {Supreme Command} {Royal Devotion} {Residual Strength} {Essence of the Star} {Infinite Protection} {Call to the Just} {Shield of Divine Wings} {Destructive Fury} {Piercing Vision} {Lightning Mastery} {Blade of Purity} {Final Judgment} {Light’s Embrace} {Inextinguishable Flame} {Voice of the Old Realms} {Unwavering Guard} {Martial Genius} {Protective Embrace} {Eternal Impact} {Willpower} {Divine Precision} {Victor’s Wrath} {Holy Fist} {Divine Protection} {Ultimate Serenity} {Flaming Eternity} {Spectral Barrier} {Empire Presence} {Cross of Justice} {Favor of the Ancients} {Sacred Fury} {Guardian’s Instinct} {Invincible Oath} {Sacred Persistence} {Shield’s Shadow} {Enchanting Word} {Divine Light} {Perfect Parry} {Supreme Balance} {Last King’s Word} {Safeguard Glow} {Royal Storm} {Ancestor’s Breath} {Perceptive Vision}...

Celestial Alignment: Star of the Brave ]

"Kid, you probably don’t know me because you’re new, but I’m pretty strong and famous. Women, wealth, power—I have it all," he said in a proud, assured voice, accompanied by a tremendous laugh that seemed to shake the environment.

Shame trembled slightly at all this information, before calming himself. He thought it was an immense chance for him.

"...Sir, please train me," he said, confident despite the dirt covering his clothes and his hair obscuring his face.

"No," replied Grealf, coldly, with a smile on his face.

"W-what...?" Shame tried to respond before suddenly…

"I don’t train strangers. However, how would you like to become my grandson, Shame?" he proposed, his face still wearing that confident smile.

The young man was no fool; he knew this request wasn’t made on a whim. He was convinced Grealf had something in mind.

"I accept, old man," he replied, wary but with little choice given his lack of knowledge of this world.

[Obtaining a family name! Shame would henceforth be called Shame Dracarys.]

A system window appeared before him. He wondered if the old man could see it since it would reveal his real name. But Grealf didn’t seem to pay it any mind. Thinking back, Shame realized that the man in front of him had probably been aware of his real name for some time.

A little later that same day, Grealf and Shame toured the mansion to find the room that would soon be the young man’s. After walking for a while, he decided on a modest room. Inside, there was a large bed, a wardrobe, and a wooden desk—nothing too extravagant.

"So this is where you want to live, Shyme, huh... What a coincidence..." murmured Grealf.

"Is there a problem?" added Shame, his voice curious, but no response came from the old man. Instead, he asked a question: "What do you want to know about this place?" he asked, his voice filled with confidence.

"I’d like to know everything. I didn’t even know another world existed," replied Shame.

"Tyralis is one of the worlds created by the Absolute Void. It’s likely beyond your understanding, so let’s move on. In one of the worlds connected to this void, a god named Aleystria overthrew paradise, creating a general anomaly, forcing each world to become interconnected," the old man said, his voice filled with wisdom. He continued, "But you see, this world has been connected with several others, including yours. To explain it quickly, it’s a world with a medieval aspect where magic exists. You’ll find castles and other things."

"And magic and the system, what are they?" asked Shame, to which the old man immediately responded.

"Elvaristria, Aleystria’s wife, used an artifact to destroy the world and rebuild it, but that’s an entirely different story. The only reason we know this is because every living being present in history at that moment had to witness the entire fight—" Grealf continued before being interrupted by Shame.

"And were you alive at that time?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"Not at all! I’m only 86! But those in this world who were alive recorded it. Anyway, returning to the story, by destroying the world, the fragments of the Void transformed into a system of stars linked to personality," Grealf explained, his gaze shining.

"...Alright, I barely understand, but let’s move on, I want to train," said Shame, his eyes blank, finding the explanation somewhat absurd.

And so, here we are back in the present, with Shame training fiercely in the garden of his adoptive grandfather.

Suddenly, a distant voice could be heard. In the garden, besides Shame, stood Grealf, who had been silently observing his grandson’s training since the morning, until this moment.

"Shyme, if you want to gain a skill through your training, you must be aware of one thing!" he shouted, his voice stern and cold, like that of a true trainer.

"Knowledge does not come from the mind, but from the heart. Do not reject what you do not understand. Accept it, and try to understand it," Grealf suddenly added, in a softer tone.

"What?" replied Shame, but at that instant…

[Skill acquired: Determination]