Bab 14: Progress Of Two Weeks

"Jarvis, my profile."

[Yes.]

Jarvis nodded and the blue screen appeared in front of me.

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[Edward Amael Falkrona] [16]

[3rd Ascension]

[Charm: 18]

[Affection Points: 0]

[Falkrona Bloodline~1st Wing~]

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"Fuck!"

"Jarvis! How the hell is my charm still below twenty?!"

I asked angrily. The disappointment was crushing.

Jarvis had mentioned that the average human's charm was around twenty, but even after all the training, I was still below that average.

[I can't provide an answer to that question.]

[<Why are you so disappointed? You've just awakened the first wing of your bloodline.>]

Cleenah seemed puzzled by my reaction.

"Yeah, I'm happy about that, but... it's just that my charm is still below average..."

I slumped my shoulders.

Will I be subjected to bullying at the academy, just like in the game?

Honestly, I didn't really care— well, I did care, but I also wanted to experience a normal life at a magical academy without any troubles. Although I'll be altering the storyline to achieve a happy ending in the first game, I still wanted to avoid the bullying I endured in the game's setting.

I mean, yes, they might bully me, and then I'll retaliate in the most ruthless way possible, getting my hands dirty. I definitely won't cowardly escape like Edward did at the start of the game.

I shook my head.

Whatever.

What truly matters isn't one's appearance, but rather their character.

Yes, that's it.

Definitely.

I repeated this to myself, trying to convince my own thoughts.

[<Below average?>]

Cleenah muttered, and although I couldn't see her, I could almost feel her scanning me from head to toe.

[<There's no way you're belo->]

[Goddess Cleenah.]

[<Jarvis?>]

[Sometimes, being modest is better than being arrogant.]

A peculiar silence followed Jarvis' statement.

What was that? Some famous quote or something?

'You're talking about me, aren't you? When have I been arrogant? Huh?!'

[<I understand... You're right, Jarvis! He's already like this; I can't even imagine what would happen if he knew. It would be cringe.>]

What on earth were they talking about?

And 'cringe'?

I'd never be cringeworthy!

I think I'm rubbing off on Jarvis and Cleenah. They're learning new words from me and using them against me.

[<The day has come for you to abandon your reclusive lifestyle and return to civilization.>]

"Don't treat me like a psycho who willingly chose to live in a cursed temple. I had goals, and I've achieved them."

I snapped my fingers, and a spark of purple fire flickered and wrapped around my wrist like a bracelet. It didn't burn my skin, but it could easily incinerate anything. Trust me, I tested it. The charred ground near the temple was my doing. There had been a big tree there, but I accidentally burned it down in a matter of seconds. Fortunately, no one was around to witness that.

I immediately canceled the purple fire, feeling my face go pale, and my mana depleting at an alarming rate. That purple fire was taking a significant toll on me. I had been training with it cautiously to avoid overexerting myself and slipping into a coma.

In the game, this purple fire was known as the [Rings of Vysindra] or [Anathemas Fire]. It was one of Edward's elemental abilities, although calling it simply fire would be an oversimplification.

Vysindra was a renegade dragon who lived centuries ago when dragons still freely roamed the skies. Yes, dragons existed in this world, as the game's title, [Princess And Dragon], might suggest. Dragons were just one of many factors that made this world a dangerous place.

As I mentioned, Vysindra was a rogue dragon who, according to the game's side story, had violated celestial laws and mercilessly killed both humans and dragons. He managed to elude capture for centuries, thanks to his unique purplish fire breath.

The name [Anathemas Fire] was well deserved. Vysindra's fire had razed countless towns and incinerated countless lives.

After a hundred years, a Hero finally slew him, and peace seemed to return. Or so one might have thought. Instead, the Hero betrayed his fellow dragons, turning against them and initiating a massacre. He spared only dragon eggs and defenseless hatchlings. Never underestimate humans; they knew exactly how to take down dragons. Though he might have been a jerk, that Hero was incredibly powerful. He even earned the title 'Dragon Slayer.'

Ah, I'm cringing again.

Some dragons managed to escape, but most were either killed or captured. The man who had been hailed as a Hero went on to establish his own empire, the Rhedorah Empire, using the remains and territories of the fallen dragons...

Anyway, for some inexplicable reason, Edward inherited the abilities of that deranged dragon.

In the game, Edward had only obtained Vysindra's fire with the assistance of an Evil God he formed a pact with. But surprisingly, I didn't need that evil god's assistance.

Was it because of Cleenah's presence?

No.

She couldn't even teach me one of her abilities. She was utterly useless.

[<Come on! Check the display below; maybe something has changed!>]

"I doubt it."

I shook my head at Cleenah's rather futile enthusiasm and looked at the display.

[Vysindra's Oath]

[???]

Just a week ago, two slots were displayed like that.

Probably Edward's other abilities.

Despite having played the game, I couldn't even begin to guess. I wasn't particularly interested in Edward during my previous gameplay. Ephera was the only one who had delved into Edward's information.

Is this karma?

To be sent into the body of the character I used to mock every time I played the game...

"Nothing new to see."

I sighed and left the lake.

Afterwards, I dressed in torn black pants and a similarly tattered black shirt.

You might ask where I found these clothes.

The black pants were the same ones I had been wearing when I first arrived here a month ago, and the black shirt came from a deceased body I had discovered near a table. There were other corpses with clothing that suited me, although I had to wash them extensively before I could wear them.

[<Pffft!>]

"..."

That girl.

"What's so amusing, useless goddess?"

[<Pffft! Ahaha!>]

She continued to laugh. Even without asking, I knew what was prompting her laughter.

[<I—I mean, you really look like a beggar. Ahahaahah!>]

"…"

Yes, of course. Dressed in these rags, I certainly looked like a beggar.

"At least I don't resemble a jobless, worthless goddess."

[<Hey! I'm a world-toppling beaut—>]

She suddenly stopped speaking, as if our connection had been abruptly cut off.

"That idiot."

A vein throbbed on my forehead.

One reason Cleenah couldn't grant me her power was that she became extraordinarily weak after I released her from her seal. So weak, in fact, that she couldn't converse with me for more than an hour.

All because that moron chatted needlessly throughout the entire morning.

'World-toppling beauty,' she had been about to say...

I facepalmed at my own stupidity. I shouldn't have taught her that phrase, but it wasn't my fault! I had to make her understand that regardless of her beauty, she couldn't compare to Ephera!

Whatever.

"Finally, some peace and quiet."

[Not for long, since you'll soon be returning to civilization.]

"Don't start with this too, Jarvis! I haven't been living in the wild for decades!"

I retorted and began to select some black clothes to wear, covering myself entirely.

Given that I was heading to the Falkrona Capital, I needed to keep a low profile. People might still recognize me, even with my weight loss.

After a full hour, I was finally prepared for a two-to-three-hour journey. I left behind the remaining clothes and took nothing else. Clothes and money would be easily attainable once I returned to the mansion, where I could play the role of an innocent nephew to Aunt Belle.

[You don't deserve her.]

"Shut up! I'm still grateful, okay!"

Belle was perhaps the first person, as Nyr, whom I genuinely liked in this world. Having lost my parents at seventeen, I had forgotten the warmth of familial love.

A small smile touched my lips as I recalled how she scolded me.

The last person who had reprimanded me like that had been Ephera, and before her, my parents.

I truly miss them.

If there's any way to bring Ephera back, I'll do it, regardless of the consequences. Her death was my failure and negligence. Emric might blame himself, but for me, it was my responsibility.