Leo opened his eyes and instinctively looked to Amanda's side of the bed, but she wasn't there. A delicious aroma wafted through the air, making his stomach growl. Is that soup? he thought, his curiosity piqued. He turned his head towards the kitchen and saw Amanda cooking. A smile spread across his face as he began to get up.
The wooden floor creaked under his weight, catching Amanda's attention. Leo heard something clatter to the ground, and as he looked, he saw Amanda running towards him. She hugged him tightly, her relief palpable. "Oh, Leo, thank goodness you're okay," she whispered, her voice trembling.
He felt her chest pressing into him, making him blush. He was about to ask her to let go when he noticed something. "Was Amanda always this small?" he wondered. Leo stared down at his hands, his eyes tracing the new contours of his arms. His muscles, once lean and unremarkable, now bulged with unfamiliar strength. He flexed his fingers, watching the sinews shift beneath his skin, the sensation both exhilarating and alien.
"Were my arms always this big?"
Ahem..
The voice made Leo look up. It was Ranna, standing in the doorway, holding a tray of food. She placed it on the table and smiled at him. His eyes widened in surprise. "Why is the farm owner here?"
He gently grabbed Amanda's shoulders, trying to get her attention, but Ranna waved him off, indicating it was fine. "I'm glad you're awake, Leo," she said warmly. "You've been out for three months."
Leo's eyes darted between Amanda and Ranna, his mind struggling to process the information. He felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead. "Three months?" he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper. His hands trembled slightly as he reached out to steady himself on the table.
Amanda nodded, her eyes filled with a mixture of relief and concern.
Leo's mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. He glanced down at his hands, turning them over as if seeing them for the first time. The muscles in his arms seemed foreign, almost as if they belonged to someone else. He flexed his fingers, feeling the strength in them, and shook his head in disbelief.
Amanda’s breath hitched as she clung to Leo, her hands trembling ever so slightly against his back. She buried her face in his chest for a moment longer, her body sagging with the weight of months of worry and exhaustion finally lifting.
She wiped the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand, her fingers trembling slightly. With a final, deep exhale, she straightened her posture, her expression shifting from one of raw emotion to a calm, determined look. She glanced at Leo, her eyes now clear and focused, and gave him a reassuring smile before turning back to the kitchen to fetch the remaining food.
They all sat down at the table, the clinking of utensils and the aroma of the meal filling the air.
As they ate, they talked about what had happened. Leo learned that he had collapsed suddenly, and Amanda had used her spells on him every day to keep him alive since he couldn't eat or wake up.
"I can't let you go, Leo," Amanda said softly, her eyes reflecting the depth of her care for him. "I had to do everything I could to keep you here."
Ranna leaned back in her chair, the wood creaking beneath her weight. "You know, Amanda wasn't able to work because of you," she began, her tone light but carrying an undercurrent of concern. "You're already three months late on the house payment, not to mention the food I always bring to you."
His eyes widened in shock, and he opened his mouth to apologize, but Ranna burst into hearty laughter, slamming the table with her hand.
Tears of mirth formed in her eyes as she calmed down. "I'm just messing with you, kid," she said, wiping away her tears. "But seriously, do you have money to pay me anyway?" She laughed again, clearly enjoying the light-hearted teasing.
Leo managed a chuckle, though his mind was already racing. He knew he needed to keep a good relationship with Ranna. She wasn't just an adventurer; she was a strong one and a farm owner who is constantly importing goods to the capital. Her support would be invaluable. He glanced at Amanda, who was finishing her food. She noticed his gaze and responded with her warmest smile.
Standing up, Amanda said, "Leo, keep Ranna company, okay? I promised to work once you woke up."
Ranna smiled at her and said, "Good thing you remembered, Amanda. You owe me a hefty amount of coins." She laughed, clearly still in a playful mood, and Amanda laughed along before grabbing her tools and gloves and heading outside with a never-ending smile on her face.
As Amanda's laughter faded into the distance, Ranna's gaze followed her out the window. The smile lingered on her lips but didn't quite reach her eyes anymore. She sighed softly, absently tracing a pattern on the wooden table with her fingertip. "You know," she began, her voice quieter, "there's something we need to discuss."
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Leo leaned in, listening intently.
"It's about the Dragon Lord," she said. "He went here to check the powerful aura, but he didn't see anything unusual, you need to be careful if we ever meet him again."
Leo furrowed his brow. "The Dragon Lord? That's an odd name."
Ranna chuckled. "It's not his name, Leo. It's his system's."
He tilted his head, confusion clouding his features. "Wait, a powerful aura?" he repeated.
Why would someone like him sense something here? He searched his memory for anything out of the ordinary but came up empty.
I don't recall anything that would draw that kind of attention. His gaze drifted to the window, thoughts swirling.
Could something have happened while I was unconscious?
Seeing Leo's confused look, she decided to explain. "The Dragon Lord thought another system user had emerged when he felt that powerful aura. He was disappointed not to find one. You see, system users can see the power of other system users."
He nodded slowly, absorbing the information. As her words settled in, a spark of realization flickered in his mind. Wait, could it be because of my system? he wondered. Maybe that perk caused this aura leak. But I need to confirm it. He kept his face neutral, not wanting to reveal his suspicions.
I should check this when I get the chance.
He then found it intriguing that having a system was a normal occurrence in this world, yet the Dragon Lord had been unable to detect his. He didn't know why, but he thought it was for the best. Internally, he couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of being called "The VIP." It sounded almost comical, like a title from one of his favorite video games back on Earth.
"Why do I need to be careful with him?" Leo asked, leaning forward. A hint of unease crept into his voice.
Ranna's eyes flickered to the window, where the late afternoon light cast long shadows. "The Dragon Lord," she began, her tone measured, "wields immense power through his system."
She traced a finger along a crack in the tabletop, her gaze distant. "He’s ruthless. We’ve seen him raze entire village to the ground because they dared to fool him. And if he ever sets his sights on you or Amanda…" She trailed off, her gaze darkening. "He won’t stop until he’s taken everything."
Leo felt a shiver run down his spine. The weight of Ranna's words settled heavily on him. He realized that the stakes were higher than he had imagined, and the mysterious protection of his VIP system might be the only thing standing between them and the Dragon Lord's wrath.
His face hardened with resolve. "We'll be careful. I won't let anything happen to Amanda."
Ranna smiled, though her eyes remained serious. "I know you won't, Leo. Just stay vigilant. This world is full of dangers, and you need to be prepared for anything." Leo nodded, determination etched in his features.
As the meal concluded, the clinking of utensils gave way to a comfortable silence. Ranna stretched her arms and stood up, collecting her plate. "That was satisfying," she remarked. She helped Leo clear the table, their movements unhurried. Pausing at the doorway, she gave him a reassuring smile. "Take it easy for now. You've just woken up."
Leo nodded, watching her leave. The quiet of the room settled around him, broken only by the distant sounds of the farm. He took a deep breath, his thoughts turning inward.
Now's a good time to check my system, he decided.
With the scent of lingering spices in the air and the soft hum of insects drifting through the open window, Leo settled back at the now-cleared table. The smooth wood felt cool beneath his fingertips. Time to see what's going on, he thought, taking a steadying breath before focusing on his system.
Why couldn't the Dragon Lord detect me? Back at the table, he discreetly summoned his system interface. The familiar glow greeted him, and he navigated to his perks. His eyes landed on "VIP Protection."
A slow grin spread across Leo’s face as realization dawned. "So… you’re shielding me," he murmured, the weight of the Dragon Lord’s looming threat suddenly feeling a little less suffocating. Relief washed over him, the tension in his shoulders melting away. The system had his back, even against someone like the Dragon Lord.
Next, he saw the Share the Pain perk and reminded himself to be more careful using it in the future. His eyes caught sight of a blinking left arrow on the middle left side of the screen, with a badge that said "New." Curious, he tapped the arrow, and a page slid from the left, pushing the VIP page out of view. He was surprised; he hadn't known he could do that since he had been so focused on the system last time.
A thought struck him. "What if I do this?" he wondered. He waved his hand from right to left, and the VIP system screen slid back into view. A grin spread across his face as he waved his hand back and forth, the screen changing accordingly. It felt like a game, and he was enjoying discovering new things about the system.
Suddenly, he stumbled upon a third page. It was titled Sync List and had one item: Amanda. He tapped it, and another page opened.
Amanda
Level 50
Class: Priestess
Race: Elf
Synced years: 100
Bonus Status Points: 1000
Below is data about her that he already knew. He skipped that section and went straight to the skills and abilities section. It listed skills like Heal, Cure, Minor Shield, and Guiding Light. He didn't check all of it and scrolled down further. He then saw a locked section titled Race Skills.
"Race skills?" he mused as he checked some of them. "Elf's Perception, Nature's Favor, Elven Knowledge," he read aloud. "So I can't use Race skills, huh?"
He then waved his hand towards his left side. The previous page was displayed again and it was titled Adventurer Details.
Leo
Level 1
Class: None
Race: Human
He noticed a section that wasn't on the previous page.
Status
Strength: 1015
Agility: 1015
Intelligence: 1015
Stamina: 1015
Hmm, so the initial status is 15 points, huh? Leo thought, analyzing the numbers.
Excitement bubbled within him, a restless energy that made his fingers tap against the table.
Leo’s gaze drifted toward the horizon, the sky ablaze with the vibrant colors of day. A thrill shot through him at the thought of testing his new strength, but it was tempered by a quiet sense of responsibility. This power wasn’t just for him—it was for Amanda, for their future. And tomorrow, he would see just how far it could take him.