Chương 49: A Moment of Reflection

'Home sweet home...' mused Will, plopping face down on his bed after a quick search to ensure no traps or recording devices had been installed in his absence.

sniff sniff

Noticing a faint, pleasant aroma emanating from his blankets, a wry smile adorned Will's face. His training with Leshien had allowed him to awaken a Skill called Keen Senses, and, as the name implied, it made his hearing, sight, and sense of smell much sharper than normal. As a result, he could detect a faint aroma from when Ohta had made himself comfortable atop his bed.

Rolling onto his back, Will decided to open his status to check his growth and see what Quests he had available. Several had popped up throughout the day, but since he wasn't fond of windows constantly appearing before him, he had modified his Settings so that only high-priority Quests related to 'Main Objectives' materialized.

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Name: [William Aladfar Oirthear]/[Aiden Ward]

Title: Pathwalker(10% increase to Parameters based on the number of incarnations)

Race: Human(Spirit)

Age: 11(83)

[Parameters]

Health: 3,394/4,217

Mana: 3,998/4,231

Constitution: 151(256)

Strength: 39(66)

Agility: 50(85)

Dexterity: 42(71)

Intelligence: 30(51)

Luck: 64(108)

Spirit: 27(45)

Wisdom: 39(66)

Charisma: 35(59)

Soul Tier: 1

Karma: 40,973

[Skills]

[Dominate(Innate:D)], [Energy Regulation(B)], [Swordsmanship(B)], [Cooking(B)], [Spearmanship(B)], [Pain Tolerance(B)], [Keen Senses(C)], [Hunting(C)], [Hunger Resistance(C)], [Meditation(C)], [Dismantling(C)], [Throwing(D)], [Concealment(D)], [Observation(C)], [Tracking(D)]

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'If only I made this much progress in my previous incarnations...' thought Will, adopting a faint smile. Much of his growth came from ingesting stat-boosting items, but since he hadn't been compelled to expend his Karma on food and other resources to survive, he was able to routinely boost his stats to simulate growth while also hoarding a sizeable stockpile to use as emergency funds.

'Now, let's see what we have for Quests...'

Moving his status window to the side, Will pulled up a long list of Quests, several of which pulsed with a faint golden glow to indicate he had yet to check their details.

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[Grasping One's Weakness(S)]

[Feline Affinity(E~B)]

[Sight to the Sightless(B)]

[Guiding Light(C~A)]

[Solitary Star(C~S)]

[The Birth of a New Constellation(C~SSS)]

[Deal with a Devil(A~SS)]

[The Shortest Distance to the Heart(D~A)]

[King of the Academy(A~S)]

...

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'Mmm...it seems my days at the Academy won't be a complete and utter waste...' thought Will, his eyes glistening as he took stock of the twenty-three Quests he had unlocked. He wasn't particularly fond of having his actions dictated by the System's whims, but by perusing the objectives of each Quest, he could glean insights into things he might have overlooked and form plans around them.

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[Grasping One's Weakness]

Rank: S [Linked Quest]

Objective(s): You've noticed an increasing number of parallels between the enigmatic Ohta and one of your six soulbound companions. Uncover the truth without exposing yourself, and a great bounty awaits.

Optional Objective(s): Increase your rapport with the target until you are acknowledged as a friend(0/1), Increase your rapport with the target until they develop feelings for you(0/1), ????(0/1), ????(0/10)

Reward(s): 5,000 Karma, [????]x1, [????]x1

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'Well, that's a fucking landmine...'

Though he was determined to uncover Ohta's true identity, the Optional Objective(s) listed in the Quest gave Will goosebumps. The rewards for completing them were almost always better than the standard reward of Karma, but if he got Ohta to develop feelings for him and it turned out his suspicions were correct, he couldn't even fathom the amount of drama it would create.

With such thoughts in mind, Will relocated the Quest to the Hidden tab, disabling related notifications. He then did the same with [The Birth of a New Constellation], [The Shortest Distance to the Heart], and [King of the Academy], as all three involved romance or outright creating a harem. Of the three, [King of the Academy] was by far the most troublesome as one of the many Optional Objectives required him to steal someone's fiancee.

'This one looks promising...'

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[Solitary Star]

Rank: C~S [Linked Quest]

Objective(s): The path of the strong is paved with blood and sacrifice. One might attain great power in the desire to protect, but the only way to reach the pinnacle is to press forward alone and overcome all obstacles. Let nothing stand in your way.

Optional Objective(s): Acquire the unified Rank 1 position within the Royal Academy(Current Position: 911), Acquire three Gold Medals in the Duelist League, Junior League Championship Series(0/3), Prove your strength by triumphing in the Pleiades Selection Trials(0/1)

Reward(s): 10,000 Karma for each Optional Objective completed, [Medal of Valor]x3, [Warrior's Proof]x1

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Since he was already planning to use the Duelist League to alert the other Sages to his presence, Will eventually dragged and added [Solitary Star] to the tab that tracked his active Quests. He was tempted to do the same with [Sight to the Sightless], which required him to fix Madeen's eyesight, but as she had never asked for his help, he wasn't willing to invest 30,000 Karma in a Quest that only guaranteed 5,000 in return.

'That just leaves this...'

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[Deal With a Devil]

Rank: A~SS [Linked Quest]

Objective(s): The Royal Public Relations Agency, Altus Platina, is looking to recruit attractive, talented, and well-connected individuals to increase their influence and promote a hidden agenda. Whether this agenda is one of malice or munificence is something that can only be ascertained at the highest levels of the organization. Are you willing to sell yourself to unveil and potentially expose the truth?

Optional Objective(s): Get engaged with Sylvia Proxima Pipoltr(0/1), Marry Sylvia Proxima Pipoltr(0/1) ????(0/1), ????(0/1), ????(0/1)

Reward(s): 20,000 Karma, 5,000 Karma for completing the First Optional Objective, 15,000 Karma for completing the Second Optional Objective, [????]x1, [????]x1

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True to the Quest's Rank, Will found the main and Optional Objectives to be ass. Nevertheless, he was also intrigued. The flavor text of the former hinted at a potentially national-level scheme, so if he were serious about introducing meaningful changes and reforms, there was merit in working his way to the heart of the most influential PR firm in the country, maybe even the entire world.

"Sylvia, huh..." muttered Will, picturing the raven-haired girl and recalling her performance during the Duelist League tryouts. Given her mastery of Water and Ice Magic, her true form was most likely a Scylla, a Merperson, or another aquatic subspecies of Demon. Unfortunately, as info on House Pipoltr was extremely limited, and he didn't want to be flagged by looking into them via data terminal, he could only speculate.

doo-doo-dowh

"It's a good thing I decided not to undress and take a bath..." muttered Will, rolling to a seated position and dismounting his bed to see who was at his door. The most likely candidate was Ohta, who, upon their return to the dorms, decided to take a shower in the privacy of his own room. But, as the Academy was abuzz with rumors regarding his withdrawal from the Duelist League tryouts, it was nearly as likely to be his brother.

While preparing himself for the slim possibility of an attack, Will opened the door to his dorm to discover, of all people, his cousin and prospective Chamberlain, Thomas.

"Did something happen at Eastwarden...?" asked Will, stepping aside to indicate and allow Thomas to enter.

"My father sent me," explained Thomas, entering the room and looking around as he added, "He heard about your withdrawal from the Duelist League tryouts and wanted to know the reason."

"I simply determined the timing was ill-suited," excused Will, causing Thomas to tense as he made his way over the kitchenette and began preparing tea.

"What do you mean...?" asked Thomas.

"The First Years comprising our current team worked hard to attain their positions and secure sponsors," explained Will. "By delaying my entry into the League these next six months, I'll be able to join without undermining their efforts or jeopardizing their futures."

"Is that the real reason...?" asked Thomas, his brows creasing and a slight frown soiling his otherwise handsome face. He hadn't interacted with Will much since the latter's arrival in the Capital, but ever since their very first encounter, he got the impression everything his younger cousin did was a performance.

"It's the reason you'll give your Lord Father..." stated Will, making his way over to Thomas, smiling as he presented the grimacing youth with a fresh cup of black, sugarless tea.

Feeling he didn't have a choice, Thomas accepted the cup and downed its contents in a single go. Will, in turn, gave a slight nod before sampling the contents of his own, taking his time to savor the tea's paradoxically bitter taste and pleasant, leafy aroma before lowering his cup, his gaze focused on the swirling brown liquid as he asked, "What do you know of the Royal Public Relations Agency?"

"Are you referring to Altus Platina...?" asked Thomas, his eyes widening and expression one of shock before he composed himself and explained, "They came into power around seven years ago and quickly became the most influential PR firm in Axial by recruiting three Braves and sponsoring several high-profile sporting and recreation events. Why, did one of their representatives approach you?"

"Does it matter...?" asked Will, raising his right brow as he asserted, "They are just a PR firm. The moment you start fearing their status or valuing the propositions they offer as legitimate opportunities and not simply a means to further your personal goals, you've become their mark. Don't forget. An Oirthear's pride is as vast as the sky. Only the stars* themselves have any claim over us..."

"Right..." muttered Thomas, regaining a frown as he resisted the urge to retort he didn't need a lecture. Instead, he did his best to control his tone as he explained, "But you shouldn't underestimate them. Alongside three Braves, they have no fewer than six Masters, at least ten Champions, and hundreds of people ranked Adept or lower on their payroll. If their growth continues at its current rate, many believe they will be able to oppose the Martial and Magic College's monopolies in the next ten to twenty years..."

"Mmm...that would certainly explain why they're extending their influence to students of the Academy..." muttered Will, raising his gaze and staring at a spot above Thomas as he considered what the firm's objectives could be. Regulation of information and propaganda was how autocrats, tyrants, and opportunists, in general, gained and remained in power. If the Queen managed to build an organization to rival the Martial and Mage's Colleges, specializing in promotion and publicity, she could potentially flip the entire system on its head by poaching talent from every industry...

'This is what happens when the only form of antitrust regulation is the whimsy of a single person...' thought Will, making Thomas increasingly uncomfortable as his deliberation led to a lengthy silence.

Noticing his elder cousin's discomfort, Will raised his brows and stated, "If you've nothing else to convey or discuss, you're free to leave. I'm sure you're just as busy, if not more so, as the other Fourth Years."

"Indeed..." responded Thomas, his voice low and begrudging as he forced a bow. Then, as returning his cup to Will would be an extreme faux pas, he deliberated momentarily before asking, "Before I depart...may I make use of your kitchen and sink?"

"Of course," responded Will, casually proferring forth his own cup so that Thomas could bus and wash them both. It was a bit mean-spirited of him to play the youth's emotions in such a manner, but there was a method to his madness. It might sound counterintuitive, but if he could get Thomas to snap at him and affirm his position, they might actually be able to build a relationship as friends or equals. Until then, Thomas's frustrations were largely the result of internal conflicts within himself and the pressure he was experiencing from external sources such as his father and those who doubtlessly wanted to use him...

"Feel free to see yourself out," said Will, returning to his room and leaving Thomas to his own devices. At least, that's what he appeared to do. The moment Thomas departed, Will emerged, carefully inspecting the kitchen and lounge area for listening or recording devices before relaxing on the sofa until Ohta's arrival...

...

(A/N: The stars* Will is referring to in his conversation with Thomas is the Royal Family, specifically the King.)

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