Kerrin

Kerrin approached the snake cautiously, he had little experience killing things, but being cautious seemed obvious. Silently, he went to a mental checklist of ‘things to do’. Approach the monster, stab it, get out of there, go back to stab it again. The plan was set. Now to implement it.

As soon as Kerrin reached the stabbing distance of the worm, he swung his sword and stabbed at it. The sword missed. Kerrin promptly headed back as the creature’s frog eye turned its attention to him.

For a snake about the same size as his arm, the creature was far more threatening than Kerrin had thought. Lightning crackled across its body as it lunged at Kerrin, Kerrin swung his sword wildly, trying to swat the creature away. It worked, but not before the creature released a bolt of lightning into Kerrin’s body, making him loosen his grip and fall down.

Now bereft of his weapon, Kerrin was easy prey to the snake. Kerrin shook off the incoming dizziness and lunged towards his sword, it had not fallen far, somewhat within reach, and then the snake lunged, landing right on top of the sword. The little thing was too intelligent.

Suddenly Kerrin was very glad that whatever this thing was couldn’t attack with its lightning. Kerrin would have become a cooked meal if it could. Kerrin backed away from the creature that was now approaching him slowly, as if goading him, telling him in his final moments how weak he was. Kerrin could practically feel the smugness roll off it.

Just as Kerrin thought that he was going to die, an icicle pierced the creature from the side, and his sword suddenly flew towards him. Reflexively raising his hand, Kerrin caught the sword.

“Try again, this time kill it.” Aswelth intoned.

So, there he was. Failing again. Kerrin swung his sword at the injured creature, not missing this time. The sword cut through the creature easily. Telling Kerrin that if he had simply cut it that first time, he would not have been at risk at all.

Not that he had been at risk at all. The Archduchess had sent her bodyguard to protect him, after all. And rightly so, he would have died if she had not.

Killing blow detected!

Lightning Snake Chimera: Class 1 (Baby)

Qi gained!

And it was even a baby

“What happened out there?” Aswelth, the bodyguard asked

“I missed,” Kerrin said, avoiding the man.

“Look at me.” Aswelth ordered, and Kerrin did, “What happened back there is called lack of experience, it comes from not having swung your sword at things before. I would question not giving any training, but that training would be mostly useless, the true sword training requires the use of large amounts of Qi.”

“Learning an entire art when you were to use it only once was foolishness. Especially when the Archduchess and I could just injure something and have you land the killing blow. It is how most Nobles level into their first seed. “

If Lord Aswelth thought saying, ‘the nobles do the same’ was going to calm him, then he was wrong, there was no way to be calm. Not in this situation. Nobles had always been useless wastes of space that leached on the populace. And now it seemed that Kerrin was too.

“And now what are you thinking? Still not convinced?” Aswelth asked.

Kerrin kept mum, telling a noble’s bodyguard that nobles were wastes of space seemed like a bad idea.

“I see…let me in on something, I got my powers that way too. In fact, the only person I know that killed a beast as an ungerminated is Archduchess Altura Selrin. First in line to the throne. So don’t try to compete against monsters, that is how you sink into the paths of Death and become a real monster.

“If the Archduchess felt that you were worthy to be her first retainer, then I am sure you are.” Aswelth finished.

Kerrin frowned at that, asking, “If killing them is so hard, then why did you have me try to risk my life?”

In response, Aswelth began laughing, “Because it would give you real experience and have you remember that you are not invincible,”- Aswelth suddenly turned serious, “And you were never in any danger, there is no way that squirmy little thing could react before I killed it. Remember that.” Aswelth replied.

“These things tend to spawn in groups, there should be more around here for your friends to kill.” Aswelth continued “Come, we should join them”

Kerrin sighed as he followed Aswelth, he would never be successful, would he?

(Altura-MC)

I sighed as I watched my 'housemates' kill their prey. After the initial fiasco, Aswelth had decided to injure the little creatures from the get go. Then there was the fact that they had chanced upon a horde of the beasts this time. Rather hard for the ungerminated to kill them all.

I took the opportunity to sneak away, I had my own stuff to do. A few hours ago, I might have still been happy and feeling lucky, but I had done some thinking. I could no longer remain weak. This world was, as the System said, one of death. It would not be the last time someone tried to kill me, and next time Aswelth might not be able to save me. I had to get stronger.

Shaking off a few errant threads, I pulled the communication pebble from the folds of my dress. I was sure that the folds were to hide daggers or something, but I was going to use them as pockets until I was sure I wouldn’t just kill myself with knives.

And that brought me to my topic today. The pebble finished its job, contacting me over to Duke Reiner.

“So, what do we have today?” Duke Reiner asked.

“Not much, Father, I just want to know. Can I gain Qi from killing beasts even if I have the Royalty seed?” I asked, this was crucial to a plan I had in mind.

Even through the hazy image, I could see Duke Reiner smile, “I see that you are starting to ask the right questions, Altura. The answer is yes, you can. But the Qi will be extremely limited unless it is done in defense of your land or subjects. Otherwise, the Qi gained is as low as 30% of that gained otherwise and sometimes not even that.” Duke Reiner said.

“Before you mention it, Father, I will not put my people in danger on purpose just so I can save them.” I interjected, perhaps a bit rude, but I had little patience for Xianxia nonsense now.

“That will be a problem, Altura. I realize that you want to maintain your reput-” Duke Reiner began before I interrupted him.

“No, it is not the reputation, Father, it is merely a line I refuse to cross. Besides, there are too few people in the valley as it is.” I said,“ Is there any other way to quickly level up, I mean cross realms.”

Duke Reiner became alert the second I said the words ‘ level up’, saying, “Level up. Archduchess Altura Voleriss Selrin, have you by any chance activated any abnormality within the System. I ask you this not as your father, but as the head of your house, and a representative of the King.”

So, they knew. Of course, these people knew about numerisation, it wasn’t as if it was hard to find. All you had to do was ask. I wonder what happened to the people that found it naturally.

“Yes, Father, I have. But also know that I outrank you,, and thus you have no authority over me. But since you are my father, I will tell you. I have found a System known as Numerisation. It was quite easy to find, so easy that it made me wonder how no one had found it before. Now I suppose I have the answer.” I answered.

There was no use denying it. I had already given it away, and they likely had some detection methods to top it up. How else would it remain a secret for so long.

“I am very happy that you decided to be honest, Altura…what you hold is an ability that our family forsook long ago in return for our lives. It has rendered us weak, our cultivations limited. Do not look at how no one can decipher my cultivation, truly I am not even as powerful as that bodyguard of yours. Aswelth is, after all, the most powerful person in the House.”

“The rest of the nobility do wield this power, however, it is what makes them nobles. In normal circumstances, if a commoner finds this ability they have three options, either join a sect as a serving disciple, become a concubine to a noble, or die. Most choose the third option. Remember this always, Altura, there is little the nobles of the Kingdom hate more than someone they consider inferior being superior to them.”

Oh I know, Duke Reiner, I know. It is a very popular genre in another world, you know?

“Altura, you are in a unique position. As the heir apparent to the throne it is impossible for you to join any sect or be a concubine, the nobles will no doubt push for your death if this information were to come to light. I will call upon the ancestor now, it is perhaps time the old man did his duties. And your task is to grow. Grow so powerful that the King himself feels that you are worthy enough to be his heir. Then, and only then, will you be truly safe. For the wrath of a Tree is not one mere Treelings can survive.”

And with that the connection cut off. I suppose I had my instructions, do what I was going to do anyway. But it did make me question one thing, had Altura’s situation always been so dire? Did that author create a pitiable villainess and never reveal that there was anything to pity there? It seemed to be something they would do, didn’t it?

Name

Altura Selrin

Title

Archduchess (In name) (landed)

Element

Dragon Fire, Snowflake ice

Age

10 years

Seeds

Military (ungerminated), Royalty (Seedling-Mid(149.95/150)), Energy (ungerminated)

Stats

Strength[The amount of brute force one can use]

9

Endurance[The amount of time one can work continuously]

13

Flexibility[The range of movement of the body]

11

Precision[The accuracy of one’s movements]

13

Perception[The ability to notice nuances and advanced concepts]

9

Intelligence[The ability to comprehend the advanced concepts]

12

Wisdom[The ability to effectively use the concepts]

13

Aura Force[The ability to force your will on your surroundings]

14

Combat[The speed of one’s reactions, ability to process situations and other general combat abilities]

13

Retainers

Kerrin

No cultivation. Nascent Unknown Constitution