The result of the contest was clear: Alise was the obvious winner. Even though she ended up getting bullied a little, she seemed to take it in stride. In fact, she didn't seem to be hurt at all, rather, she treated the hard words coming from them as a joke.

Then again, I'm not the best at human interactions, so I couldn't tell if they were jokes or not. Oh well, not my problem, that'll be my direct older sister's issue.

Nevertheless, as time went on, I started to 'learn' everyone's names and was able to say them without difficulty. Of course, I learned my father's name, Darcon, and my stepmother's name, Amelie. After learning that information, I started to just call stepmother Amelie. That way, I didn't associate her with my precious mother.

I needed to have that space in my heart for her. I could never risk having it be filled at all.

Days blurred like nothing, events came by without any fanfare, and everything was just the same boring motif.

I would have to learn the housekeeping duties with Alise and Amelie, Darcon and the rest of the family went out and did their farming duties, and so on. There were some peculiar events, like the time a kitchen knife vanished and one of the roosters were found with its neck snapped, but those concerns faded away with time.

I have been ditching these duties here and there to keep my memory and mind sharp. I did language skills and mathematical exercises to ensure I never forgot those set-ups, as well as taking the time to learn the written language.

Surprisingly enough, the vocal language was Japanese, but for some reason, the written was nowhere close to that at all. They didn't seem familiar with English or Japanese, so I have to assume they were something else.

I just wish we had something better for me to learn off of instead of a two-page treatise on the potential orders we were going to have to deal with.

That was boring, and I knew more information about the farm than what I really needed. The list of animals we grew, which were primarily chickens, and the vegetables we were growing, which were potatoes, carrots, beans, and peppers.

I'll have to probably hide the knife in my inventory first before I go and steal a book for me to learn off of if there is any in this small rural village. I doubt it since this place definitely doesn't seem like the place of middle-class commoners: there's way too many farmers, fishers, and foragers for this place to contain any bookkeepers.

There just wasn't many educated people here, besides the people in the church and the lord of this village, but I doubt I'll get any type of education from those groups at all. After all, a noble doesn't have a reason to look over a peasant beside the need of money or maybe a slave, and I don't want to go to that church at all.

I'll probably get pissed off and beat up the priest if I do enter that 'holy' place. That encounter God soured my experience with any religion forever, so I expect this religion's head figure to be an asshole as well.

Well, with getting educated out of the way, for now, I could try training my body and make sure that I am fit to be a fighter in the future.

Huh? Why am I not introducing the beauties of modern society to these backward-minded people and uplifting them? There's a simple reason for that.

I have no clue how to reproduce any of the technology from the modern world. Who do you think I am, some random genius or some bored person that looked up random facts on a search engine?

You think too highly of me. I was a NEET, a person that divulged themselves in isekai novels and video games. I didn't pick up any ideas on how to create the weapons of our society, the luxuries that we had, or anything. I took everything for granted like the spoiled brat I am, and brought no knowledge to bring back in any shape or form to cheat my way through this world.

Truly, I am stupid, but let's be honest, who the hell prepares all that kind of information to be resurrected one day? This kind of scenario's not supposed to actually happen, don't look at me with those condescending eyes! Wishing for something to happen isn't the same as expecting it to happen!

Ugh, I could only chastise my past self for not believing something like this could happen. Nevertheless, that's all in the past. Right now, I should focus on the present now and future, which means I will have to grow in power and become an unstoppable force.

If I ever wanted to have the chance to get back home, this was the path that I was going to have to take. There were no doubts about it, I couldn't half-ass this or attempt to delude myself into thinking that I could take it easy.

This would have to be a hardcore roller coaster from beginning to end, with as little breaks as possible.

Therefore, I needed to start my training as quickly as possible. And since I was now two years old right now, I should be able to sneak out of the house and exercise. Train with the knife I have, and maybe with a large stick for swordplay, since that would definitely be something I would have to do in the future.

All I had to do was get an opening to do so, like today, where I would be completely alone in the forest, with the duty that has been designated to me. Turns out, our house needed more firewood to stockpile up in prospects of the incoming future. Amelie was going to be busy with preparing the food that would last us for the winter with minimal crop growth, and Alise was going to have to help her with that endeavor.

The boys and Nellie couldn't grab the required sticks, since they were going to be incredibly busy out in the fields, doing their best to finally finish up all the work they needed to do before the cold and harsh winter came in next month. Normally, I wouldn't be the one to go and get the sticks, but since I had shown myself to be a little bit smarter than my peers, they assumed I would be up to the task.

Considering how hard it would be for me to actually sneak out and be able to do this kind of act later, I would have to capitalize on this right now so that I could have a head-start. With that, I headed out to the forest, with a makeshift backpack for me to secure the sticks I collected.

I hope they don't expect me to finish up my duties in a long time because I was going to take my time to train and get the sticks.

I headed out immediately, going and entering the forest. I chose to be within the bounds of the foliage just enough so that I wouldn't be spotted, but close enough that I could run away in case of any danger that would pop out. I stayed quiet as I started picking up random sticks and attaching them to the backpack one by one, at least until I had a hefty amount.

Honestly, this task wasn't that hard thanks to my trained physique. I just needed to have it finished with so that way I wasn't struggling to actually pile up the required goods for later.

"Reclaim." With the intent to retrieve the knife from the spatial inventory, the skill worked just as it claimed. A kitchen knife that I had stolen previously in secret appeared in my hand, and I inspected it.

It was rather sharp, but that was due to the fact that Alise and Amelie were sharpening it every day for the meal preparation. Not only that, but I found it to be not that heavy at all. Rather, this felt like something I could easily wield with both of my hands. Maybe my stats went up?

On a whim, I decided to check my stats, and I was surprised. There was a minor change, albeit not by much.

[Level 1]

[HP 6/6]

[MP 0/0]

[Strength 4]

[Endurance 3]

[Intelligence 7]

[Wisdom 6]

[Agility 5]

[Dexterity 4]

[EXP Points: 30]

Seems like my strength and my endurance went up by a single point, and I had 30 XP instead of 10. With that info and the math in my head, I can deduce that I'm getting a total of 10 XP per 4 months. Unfortunately, I have no clue if that is an hard-set system or if it is temporary, but I'll probably find out in the future.

Right now, I should start training. First things first, put away the knife back into my inventory, then pick up a sturdy and light stick I could wield one-handed. I don't think that having that kitchen knife swinging around with both of my hands would be safe right now, considering my age. Maybe in a year or two, when my strength was better, but right now?

It's better to start small, then work my way up. That way, I don't get muscle cramps or anything that will be incredibly difficult to hide. Then again, I do have that Minor Pain Resistance...

I shook my head. No, that's the road to broken bodies and messy ends. I needed to stay healthy, and not treat my body like some kind of puppet that I can keep breaking over and over. I can do that later when I have the money and resources to get a lot of potions to constantly heal me and keep me energized.

Not now though. Now's the time for regulation and moderation.

I did manage to find a decent stick. It wasn't too long, the rod was thin but not too thin, and the weight was light enough that I could hold the stick in one hand without too much trouble.

Great. Time to practice. I started to recall all those moments where I played those RPGs with all the warriors and their sword styles. Not just that, but I could remember vaguely several games that had sword styles that I could probably emulate poorly, but they were still a good way to have a technique idea.

I started to swing and step, recalling what I could. A nearby tree was used as a practice target, and I got to work, swinging and whacking the plant as much as possible.

Surprisingly enough, that stick held together with my actions, and I kept going, at least until it broke in half.

Alright, that idea's out. I threw the ruined practice sword away and readied my fists. According to that one anime I watched in the past, punching a tree was a good way to practice your endurance and to get better at fighting. I was hoping I wasn't wrong here, as I got to work to lightly punching the tree.

What was it they said? In order to get a full effect, you have to visualize the target as something you really hate. So, I decided to see the tree as the bastard God that I could recall.

I hit the bastard. I hit him in his disgusting, smug face as he laughed at my fucking face. I pummeled him in the teeth as I recalled how he was laughing at my mother's death. I put more and more force until finally, my hands started to shout in pain.

I sat down and started to breathe in and out as I stared at the ground, letting myself relax before I went and picked up the pack of twigs and put it over my back. The training for today was done for, I guess. It wasn't enough for me to feel satisfied with, but just in case anything happened...

"Status." No change in my stats. That's disappointing, but I could carry on. I headed back home, ignoring the ringing pain in my hands. There were probably just some bruises, but that can be easily explained by saying I fell down or something. A simple excuse to cover up that little problem.

As I walked back, I could see Alise spotting me as she was struggling to carry a bucket of water, heading back home. She spotted me and smiled as she put down the pail before she paled and ran towards me in anguish.

"Feliza! Feliza, are you alright?" She screamed as she rushed towards me, before grabbing my hands. "You're bleeding really bad! What happened out there!"

I looked down and mentally cursed myself. How could I not notice this? Why didn't I bother checking with my eyes to see why I had a good amount of pain?

All of a sudden, I realized that the 'Minor Pain Resistance' skill was screwing me over this time. Normally, I would've stopped at the point where I had bruises, but because my nerves were somewhat deadened, I didn't feel any pain until I actually started bleeding.

Fuck, this was going to be harder to explain. Alise grabbed me, got the pack off my back, and started to lead me inside with her hand almost instantly, so much so that I was thrown off once again.

I'm really questioning whether or not she's supposedly weak. This doesn't seem like a frail girl to me, she's the kind that could probably lift a mountain. Seriously, where's she getting her strength from?

She put me down in a chair somewhat harshly and immediately got to work. She grabbed a decent sized bundle of cloth and started to the fabric around my bloodied hands, genuinely concerned with making sure she didn't do any other harm to me.

Once she had successfully made some makeshift bandages to help heal my wounds, she finally calmed down and sat down, wiping her forehead off, before looking at me in the eyes as she held my shoulders.

"Feliza, what happened? Why were you injured so badly?" I... I didn't what to say. I guess I should tell her a half-truth? Maybe that would make her feel better?

"I didn't notice I got hurt." I noticed that she actively blinked at me, and stared at my eyes again. Time to pull out my master lying tactics... I think. If I did have any skills in deceit, I sincerely hope it's enough to fool her. "I tripped and scraped my hands. They didn't hurt too much, so I really didn't know that it was this bad. I'm sorry."

"Look, I'm not mad you got hurt, I'm worried!" I know you're worried, but I need you to believe my lie. She looked at me for a brief moment, before sighing.

"Feliza, I'm going to talk to mother about this. I don't think you'll be allowed to collect firewood for a while, at least until your older." Well, fuck. Looks like I'm going to have to train at night, while everyone's asleep. I didn't want to do this, but I really have no choice.

She then picked me up, and set me down on the bed, before tucking me in. "Look, just rest for today, I'll do the rest of the household duties. You already brought a lot of firewood, and mother had left early to go and trade for meats in the marketplace. I'll check up on your bandages in a bit, just please rest up and relax, alright?"

She then hurried off to go back outside and was left to stay in my bed. Considering the fact that she could be intimidating as hell when she could be, I decided to just relax in my comfortable crib.

I felt exhausted from my training and from carrying all those firewood back home. Not only that, but this crib was nice, better than what I could recall from yesterday.

I should get some sleep. This would probably be good for my health anyways. Well, time to rest for now. That's a good reward for my training and the firewood gathering.

I could train tomorrow night. Today, I could just relax.