After we arrived at the kingdom, what greeted Rose was the sight of two men with swords at their waists. They wore the typical dark knight uniforms—standard issue, rigid, and unmistakably oppressive in presence.
We decided not to approach any further and instead opted to go and change our clothes. They were soaked in blood, clinging uncomfortably to our skin. We had to ditch the jackets. I shivered as the mild evening breeze brushed against me, sending an involuntary tremor down my spine.
After removing the paper bags from our heads, I folded mine neatly before tossing it into a nearby waste bin. It was one of the few things I couldn't be seen with. Not just because Rose would ask questions—but because it was stained. Even a few droplets of blood could raise suspicion.
So, we decided to observe from the shadows, keeping ourselves hidden and unnoticed.
'Wow… I really am on my way to becoming The Eminence in Shadow.' A childish grin formed on my face. 'I should come up with something similar for myself… Light hidden in the shadows doesn't sound quite right. Let's rephrase that… The Star Amongst the Shadows.'
I gave a firm nod, satisfied. That was better. It had flair.
After making sure Rose was safe, we finally approached the two guards at the gates.
"Huh? Where are you two kids coming back from?" a gruff, middle-aged man grumbled with a droopy voice. His face twisted in a scowl, clearly fed up with life. His black eyes were as drained as his tone, and he looked like he could use a week-long nap.
"Training as usual, sir," I replied smoothly, not missing a beat. I understood exactly why he hated this job. It didn't pay well. No prestige. Reserved for those without strength or social standing.
Which, of course, was part of the reason I planned to pull out all the stops.
The man sighed and waved us through. "As long as I don't have to go chasing lost brats, I don't care what you're doing."
"Thanks," I said flatly, and Cid simply nodded as we walked onward.
I glanced at a small house in the distance. Modest, but enough for four people. A tiny garden sat out front, overgrown and untouched for some time.
I sighed, my eyes lingering on it for a while.
That was my home.
A place that had been quiet for too long. The emptiness was suffocating. A loneliness that clawed at the walls. Memories—ones that originally weren't mine—bubbled to the surface. My eyes briefly flickered with a golden glow before fading back to normal.
I shook the thoughts out of my head. I had to keep living better. Maybe, if I hadn't inherited the emotions tied to those memories, I could have remained unaffected.
But that was a big maybe.
I needed to figure out what this phenomenon was.
As we walked through the Kingdom for a while, my thoughts inevitably returned to Rose. She was likely safe by now. Escorted to the Royal Capital. Still, I couldn't help but feel a subtle unease. Assumptions could be dangerous.
But then again, I had made progress.
I smiled to myself.
I had unlocked my Qi. That was a major first step. Now, I needed to start planning the next ones. The road to ultimate power wasn't going to pave itself.
Still, one nagging problem remained.
'Do I even have enough talent?' I clenched my jaw. 'I refuse to believe power is determined by bloodline alone.'
I didn't have a bloodline to rely on—aside from the one the system had granted me as a parting gift. But even then, I had no idea what had changed. No clear clue. I was normal… aside from the Qi coursing through my veins.
'I still don't know if it's real… or just a prank from a god with too much free time.'
If it was a prank, at least my odds of survival had shifted a little more in my favor.
I was currently in the Body Tempering Stage—the first step, where I had to push my body to its peak. Then, slowly refine it with Qi. But to do that, I needed a deeper understanding of how the body worked. The risks. The benefits.
Cultivation was a gamble at its core.
But if I was going to roll the dice…
Then I'd make damn sure the odds were stacked in my favor.
Concluding my thoughts, I entered through the gates. A house stood before me, clearly a step above my previous one. This was my new home.
After Clare discovered that I lived alone and lacked parental care, she begged her parents to take me in. I scratched my head at the memory of the day she practically dragged me here. I was confused—and touched. Kindness was still a new concept to me.
It did give me a problem, though, since people would now monitor me. I had to suggest mountain climbing as part of my training. That was the reason we could train there.
As I walked along the pavement, the soft tapping of my shoes filled the silence.
"Oh, you're back. Are you two doing alright?" A sweet and nurturing voice made me smile a little.
A woman stood before us, black hair cascading down her slender back, eyes narrowed into gentle slits, a warm smile on her face. She wore a white t-shirt and a red skirt that extended down her long legs.
"Everything's great, ma'am. Cid and I have made a little progress," I said, with a bit of excitement in my voice. Saying "a little" was an understatement, but I wasn't about to mention that.
She nodded. "Why don't you head inside? You must be tired, so get some rest."
"Yes, ma'am," both Cid and I said in unison.
Walking past her, we failed to notice her trembling lips...
When we arrived at the kitchen, a variety of aromas instantly tickled my nose. I was already salivating at the sight of the dinner table, which looked like something out of a royal banquet—at least by my standards. The most prominent centerpiece was a huge turkey, juicy and glistening with flavor.
There were plenty of other dishes too—each more enticing than the last.
When my stomach growled in agreement, I nodded to myself. Now that the grind's over, it's time for the harvest.
Pulling a fork and knife from my utility bag, I sat down with grace.
Cid stared at me with a dumbfounded expression. Clare was no different, except her reaction was far more pronounced. Mr. Kageno and all the maids only offered me a wry smile.
Finally, Clare asked the question that was clearly on everyone's mind. "Where did the fork and knife come from?"
I glanced up at her, swallowing a tender piece of steak coated in exquisite sauce. With a casual shrug, I replied, "You never know when you're going to have your last meal. I prefer to eat whatever I can get, whenever I can manage."
The room went dead silent.
Mr. Kageno facepalmed, and if he'd hit his bald head any harder, I might've spat out my juice. He was a bald man with black eyes like Cid, and a medium build—must've come from the fortune he had.
He wore a simple black, buttoned vest over a white long-sleeved shirt. His eyes widened slightly before he finally spoke.
"That's… actually pretty good advice."
Mrs. Kageno, meanwhile, looked at me as if I were a clown. If she were in public, she would've shrunk away from me as much as possible. But now, she turned to her husband and gave him the most breathtaking smile I'd ever seen.
I decided to shut up then and there, quietly observing the wonders of the opposite sex.
"Dear," she said sweetly, "we're going to have a long talk about keeping your thoughts to yourself."
With visible trepidation, the bald man nodded obediently to his wife.
I snickered to myself. How terrifying yet utterly harmless these people appear to be.
Life in this house was never a dull moment. This place felt lived in. Not just the food, but the atmosphere, the people, the banter…
It felt like the home I lost a few years ago.
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