"Master Telemachus!"
Adam woke up with a jolt, the glare of the sunlight forcing him to squint briefly.
He surveyed is surroundings. He was in a moderately large room lying on a straw bed, surrounding him was a small group of six people: four men and two women, all looking concernedly at him. The woman on the far left, who was also the one closest to his bed spoke up, relief evident in her voice.
"Master! You're awake!" She turned to the others. "Quick! Inform the madam!"
Immediately, three people left the room, leaving only three left. Adam stared at the three intently, waiting for them to speak.
They didn't— in the end— so he did.
"I... want to see my mother."
It was a risky move, especially considering the fact that he knew next to nothing about the body he now inhabited. Yet it was also the most logical. He did not know the names of anyone in that room, and he certainly wouldn't ask for them. The woman from before had also mentioned a "madam" which was probably referring to the mother of his new body, or it could also be referring to the head of the servants.
Either way, it all worked out in the end, as he was now being led through a spacious courtyard, the summer breeze flowing through his now curly hair. They stopped in front of an ornate oak door, the servant from before stepping forward to knock on it.
"Lady Penelope? Your son is here to see you." there was a brief period of silence before the woman behind the door spoke, her voice soft and melodic.
"Tell him to come in."
The servant opened the door, ushering him into the room. Adam looked around the room, it was quite average, with a few chairs and stools lying around, the floor and walls were carpeted by intricate murals and rugs.
Sitting on a stool near the loom was the most enchanting woman he had ever seen, her olive skin glistened softly in the sunlight, her dark, curly hair gathered up at the back of her head with a leather band.
She had an air of regality about her, yet her gaze seemed quite forlorn, as if she were waiting for something that would never come.
'So this is my mother...' Thought Adam.
When he walked in, a large smile blossomed on her face. "Son!" She rushed forward and enveloped him in a tight embrace, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.
It took almost all of Adam's willpower to stop himself from pushing her away.
Here was this woman, who he barely knew, hugging him like her life depended on it. It was all so very confusing—she was his mother, yet not at the same time.
The young man slowly wrapped his arms around her in an almost mechanical fashion, awkwardly reciprocating the hug.
His mother pulled away, the smile still remaining on her face.
Adam could see a few wet spots on her face, most probably from her crying earlier. She tugged at his arm, forcing him onto a nearby stool with surprising strength. Adam glanced up at her in shock. Her delighted expression had disappeared, instead replaced with one of pure fury.
"Tell me... Who did this to you?"
Well, shit.
"I..."
Adam stammered, struggling to get the words out.
"So, who did it?" Penelope questioned, her frown deepening by the second. Her eyes seemed as if they could bore holes right into his skull.
It had happened, he was caught, he'd get found out and thrown into a dungeon or something. And he'd never see the light of day again.
Her piercing gaze grew deeper. Penelope was running out of patience, he could feel it.
"Well?" She demanded "Who. Did. It"
"I..." Began Adam. "I couldn't tell, It was all so sudden, I didn't have the time to react."
Penelope did not seem convinced, yet let it slide.
At the same time, Adam finally heard the Voice of the World.
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{Congratulations, you have successfully entered the first trial!}
{Displaying Stat Window...}
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Name: Telemachus (Adam Ontario)
Age: 24 (19)
Evolutionary Rank: Human Tier 1 ( 0/100)
str: 15
spd: 30
stm: 25/25
dex: 50
end: 24
Skills: Silver tongue: Rank 5 (350/400), Petty Thievery: Rank 4 (80/100)
Lineage: Ontario (Strong)
Title: Slippery Weasel
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Briefly glancing at the screen, Adam turned his gaze to his mother, who seemed to be lost in thought. "Erm...Mother?" He said, breaking her train of thought. "Can I go to sleep? I'm quite tired from what happened, and I'd like to rest a bit."
His mother turned and- for the second time now- smiled at him.
"Of Course!"
After receiving confirmation, Adam wasted no time, instantly rising from his seat and leaving, making sure to close the door behind him.
Penelope watched her son leave, a contemplative expression on her face. Her hazel eyes grew almost impossibly dark, and all traces of kindness disappeared. Her countenance was as sharp as steel.
Gone was the kind and loving mother of Telemachus, and in its place was the hardened, cunning Queen of Ithaca. Penelope glanced around the room, seemingly searching for something. Her eyes settled upon an unassuming spot in the room.
"Priam." She called out, her voice oddly calm.
The air around her began to warp and shift twisting and turning like it was nothing but a thin veil. A sudden forest-like smell swept through the room, and a sudden rift appeared. Out of it came a large figure, draped in a lusterous dark coat, his bare grey arms spilled out its sides, extending almost to its knees. The figure instantly fell on one knee, fixing his eyes to the ground.
"You called me, Lady Penelope?" asked Priam, his gaze remaining on the ground. Though, it would be quite a challenge to ascertain where the odious creature fixed his eyes, the nebulous darkness behind his hood made quite sure of that.
Priam was one of Penelope's most trusted enforcers, often carrying out most of the Queen's orders without question. There was rarely a day in which Priam would be summoned for matters not pertaining to work.
Unfortunately, today was one of those days.
Penelope eyed him coldly, sending shivers down Priam's spine. He knew he'd messed up, damned curiosity! This woman could kill him at any time and there would be nothing he could do about it!
The grey man lowered himself even more, fully prostrating before Penelope, his forehead made a dull thunking sound as it came into contact with the floor.
"Please forgive my Insolence! I will never spy on your conversations again!"
Penelope scoffed at his words.
"What a lousy apology... Leave at once."
What use would a simple apology be to her? Priam was simply lucky that the queen still had use for him.
The queen's enforcer quickly rose to leave, only to stop dead in his tracks when Penelope called out to him.
"Priam." She began. "I have a mission for you."
Priam resumed bowing, the darkness within his hood gaining a strange tint.
He seemed to be enthused.
"Your wish is my command, My Queen." He said, barely suppressing an excited giggle.
'Finally! Action after so long!' Priam could see it in his minds eye; the endless bloodshed, countless felled warriors, the fearful captives!
A dark smile appeared on Penelope's face. "It seems you are on board... how delightful."
Adam sat on the bed in his room, staring curiously at the stat screen.
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Name: Telemachus (Adam Ontario)
Age: 24 (19)
Evolutionary Rank: Human Tier 1 ( 0.9/100)
str: 15
spd: 30
stm: 25/25
dex: 50
end: 24
Skills: Silver tongue: Rank 5 (350/400), Petty Thievery: Rank 4 (80/100)
Lineage: Ontario (Strong)
Title: Slippery Weasel
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He carefully examined the letters.
'Evolutionary rank, Skills, lineages and titles' He mused. 'How interesting.'
Based on his observations and experiments, Adam had determined that he could increase the number on his evolutionary rank by killing living beings, which he had tested on a few flies earlier. The physical stats were also quite interesting, they seemed to be a comprehensive collation of his physical abilities, put in numerical form.
The skills panel was quite self explanatory: with it containing every activity he had reached an agreeable level of mastery in. Though it still remained a mystery as to what that threshold was. The lineage and title panels however, were far less simple.
Titles seemed to increase specific stats by a certain amount, as shown by his title 'Tenacious Cockroach' which increased both his speed and endurance stats by 50%. They were also passive and couldn't be unequipped.
Lineage, however, was extra mysterious, requiring him to reach the rank of High Human before he could learn anything about it.
"How annoying." Adam muttered. Why show something if you were going to place restrictions on it?
He then glanced irritatedly at the door.
Since he needed to kill living creatures to gain 'points' (as he called them) Adam arranged to go on a little hunting expedition, which his mother allowed with the caveat that he bring an escort along with him.
He had agreed, and was now waiting for his to-be partner.
And had been waiting for three whole hours.
What kind of shitty worker did they assign to him?
Adam almost fell asleep, only to be jolted awake when the door opened, revealing his escort.
'Well hello, Ugly.'