Chapter 17: The feeling of power

"Ah~ I feel lighter," Strax said as he let the pickaxe, stained with blood, fall to the ground. He was completely calm, despite having just killed three people, one of whom had been tortured.

"Young Master, what happened to you?" Jason questioned. Strax really thought about what to answer and even considered saying "I have been reborn," but he just commented, "I have matured."

"Maturity doesn't make someone kill another through torture without any remorse, kid. You killed three men." Those were Jason's true thoughts, however, he was content.

"Now you can cultivate and still fight with a sword... even if it's clumsy and needs polishing, your technique is solid," he judged as he watched the man, who was still a child to him, climb the stairs.

"What? Are you staying here?" Strax questioned, and Jason shook his head, beginning to ascend the stairs and following him.

Strax climbed the stairs and encountered two staff members and a maid who had heard the noises and awakened. Strax didn't have much to say, just commented, "Intruders, and a traitor. Miss is in my room resting, prepare a bath for her, Monica," Strax said to the maid. Her name was Monica, and she was one of the oldest employees in the place. Despite Beatrice's managed city being very small and everyone knowing each other, Monica was truly loyal to the Baron's family.

"Was it Oswald?" She questioned. Of course, she had always stood by Strax's innocence, she had known him since he was a child, despite being around thirty years old.

"Sharp as always. His body is in the basement. If you don't have a weak stomach, ask one of the men to go down and set fire to his remains, and they will remove the two corpses from Miss's room," Strax ordered, as if he were the Baron himself, something Monica didn't doubt could happen, as she knew quite a bit about Beatrice.

"Jack, Mason, listen to what Strax said. I believe Lady Beatrice would agree with your orders, bury the bodies," she ordered. Now, the two men truly listened to her and quickly began the work.

"Remember to prepare the bath for Beatrice, and please, something to eat, she's tired now," Strax said, and Monica nodded.

"Help those men bury the bodies. I'll check on Beatrice." Strax said to Jason, who agreed and commented, "Don't forget what needs to be done, we need to go to the Duchy." He reminded Strax, who sighed in agreement. "All in due time," he commented and climbed the stairs again, this time, however, heading towards his room.

He walked, seeing some remnants of the fights, and began to think about what he would say to Beatrice. Strax wasn't someone with good relationships, and he could hardly talk, especially about such a delicate matter.

He crossed the cold corridor and passed by Beatrice's room, where the corpses of the men who had tried to kidnap her were still lying. "Disgusting," he said and continued walking.

"First, I'll deal with the problem with Beatrice and then... I'll go after those stupid thieves who wanted to use her." He commented mentally as he walked down the corridor, finally reaching the door.

He thought about knocking, but remembered this was his room, so if she wanted to complain, she could do it elsewhere.

Turning the doorknob, he entered the room. Fortunately, Beatrice was sleeping peacefully, covered by a blanket with her hair spread out over the bed.

Strax looked at the scene, illuminated. The moonlight streamed through the window, surely touching Beatrice's face, who looked like an angel sculpted by the heavens.

Strax sighed with passion for a moment, but soon began to remove his clothes, stained with blood on all sides. 'Fortunately, she didn't wake up, that would be complicated to explain,' he thought, taking off his shirt and throwing it into a corner while grabbing a fresh set of clothes from the small wooden wardrobe.

He headed to the bath, turning on the water and letting it cleanse his whole body. He wet his hair, looking at the floor.

"That was insane," he said, for a moment thinking about everything that had happened in the last few hours, from the moment he saw the drunks fighting, to finding Jason and saving Beatrice. "That was really insane."

"But... it felt so good..." The taste of power, that was the feeling he truly sought, the feeling of being strong in front of the weak, the feeling of being able to do something, the feeling of being a sovereign in what he wanted.

"This feeling... it's very good," he thought and looked at the window beside him. "You seem quite interested in what could happen, don't you? Strange system."

[Level: 10]

[HP: 171/171]

[Vitality: 12]

[Resistance: 10]

[Strength: 10]

[Agility: 10]

[Intelligence: 1]

[Defense: 5]

[Points to be distributed: 7]

"Distribute everything to Intelligence," Strax said, and so the System did.

[Level: 10]

[HP: 171/171]

[Vitality: 12]

[Resistance: 10]

[Strength: 10]

[Agility: 10]

[Intelligence: 8]

[Defense: 5]

[Points to be distributed: 0]

"I still don't really know how the system works, but I'll keep the points balanced until cultivation starts to be effective. If my guess is right, maybe the stats can also increase with each level of cultivation," Strax thought. He didn't have much to think about, he just wanted to tread the best path, but without understanding the system, something had to be done, even if only he had to test it until he understood.

"Now... let's get to the point."

[Skill: Brutal Cut (1*): A fatal and lacerating cut, the user's strength increases by 80% to deliver a crushing blow to finish off the target, can only be used for finishing.]

"It seems strong, but it's a pity it can only be used as a finishing blow. Ah~ I wish I had a sword technique. Maybe I can improve it and create my own style? I don't know, these swords are so... useless. It feels like something is missing in them. Has my perception of them... improved?" he thought. The feelings of the Old Strax were still clear in his mind. When he held the sword, he felt nothing, not even a trace of the will to wield it. The current... he felt like the sword rejected him, as if his style didn't match it, as if his aura denied it.

"I don't have time for this," he said as he left the bathroom only in a towel. When he opened the door, he saw Beatrice standing in front of the door, staring at him.