Haru woke up in a real bed.
It was early in the morning. The sun had not yet fully risen. Dim light stread through the small window of the mansion’s servants’ infirmary.
He lay there for a mont, feeling the mattress beneath his body. It wasn’t soft. It was thin, old, with springs that poked lightly into his back. But compared to the dirt and straw floor of the stable, it was an absurd luxury.
On the last day, after the beating and interrogation in the courtyard, the guards had taken Haru to the infirmary to be treated. But in the end, Haru, being the scoundrel that he is, had pretended to faint just so he could sleep in a real bed.
He spent a day that was worth three hundred and seventy-eight days sleeping on the floor and being mutilated.
He deserved it.
Haru stretched his arms above his head and sighed deeply.
"There’s a traitor here..." He thought, looking at his burned right arm, now wrapped in bandages, and then focused his gaze on the ceiling. "If I rember correctly... the butler Cedrick."
Before he could continue his thought, the system opened in front of him.
[SYSTEM SSAGE]
◊ Whenever an important figure in the ga maintains an interest in you, whether good or bad, you will receive XP points.
Haru’s eyes widened.
◊ [Baron Valtherion has taken an interest in you] 50 XP
◊ [Mr. Arwin has taken an interest in you] 25 XP
◊ [Cedrick has taken an interest in you] 10 XP
Haru frowned.
"Arwin...!? Who is this guy?" he muttered. "I hope it’s female."
The system screen continued to update.
[◊ XP: 950 / 1,000] [LVL: 6]
[◊ XP: 1,035 / 2,500] [LVL: 7]↑↑
[NEW TAB UNLOCKED: TRAITS]
[NEW TRAIT UNLOCKED]: [Predator’s Gaze"]
◊ You can see the weaknesses (physical and emotional) of any target for 10 seconds.
Cooldown: 1x per day
[Skill slots exhausted!?]
◊◊ You can use XP to purchase more slots
[QUEST ADDED: "Prove Your Worth"]
◊ Survive 7 days of training (Day 1/7)
◊◊ After completing a quest or a relevant personal goal, you will receive rewards.
Haru smiled broadly.
"Here you go!" he said loudly, getting up from the bed with energy. "I already know who to use it on. That blond son of a bitch is going to feel..."
He looked at the small wooden table next to the bed. There was a folded outfit there. It wasn’t noble clothing, but it wasn’t the worn and torn linen pants he used to wear either.
It was a simple beige cotton shirt with elbow-length sleeves and three wooden buttons on the chest. Brown, sturdy fabric pants with a drawstring at the waist for adjustnt. Nothing fancy. Clothes for a servant of a slightly higher rank. Perhaps a knight’s assistant or a guard in training.
Haru quickly put everything on. The clothes were clean. They slled of soap. He stretched his arms, testing the movent. They fit well. He left the infirmary happy, almost whistling, Haru was ready for his first day.
... anwhile, on the other side
"Father, you called for ..." said Isabella, standing still.
"You complained that the slave disrespected you the other day... Well, then YOU will train him."
Isabella’s eyes widened. "What, Father!? Just like that!?"
The baron had his back to her, looking out the high window of his office. His hands were clasped behind his back. He wasn’t wearing his red cape.
"See this as an opportunity, Isabella," he said without turning his head. "You can always teach him a lesson."
"If he fails, it’s your fault," he added firmly.
Isabela took a step forward, incredulous. "So you want that muckraking... to be my personal guard!?"
"Not exactly."
"Then what is it...?"
The baron did not answer. "We’re done here, Isabela."
She clenched her fists. "I’m your daughter!"
The baron turned slowly. His green eyes, which had been calm and calculating, were now red. They glowed faintly, like embers. "And I am your father," he said, his voice low and heavy.
Isabela took a step back and said nothing more. She turned her back and left the office, slamming the door behind her.
The baron let out a long sigh. He looked back out the window....
anwhile, Haru was in the training yard.
It was an open area of dirt, surrounded by low fences. On one side was the weapons cabinet, a large wooden structure filled with shelves and hooks where swords, spears, bows, and shields were kept. Each candidate or soldier chose what suited them best.
On the other side of the courtyard, several soldiers and candidates were training. So were hitting each other with wooden swords. Others were doing push-ups and running. So were practicing target shooting with bows.
Haru stopped in front of the weapons cabinet. He scanned the options. "What did my sensei’s sword look like again?" he muttered, trying to rember. "It was kind of curved... Let’s see..."
He picked up a curved blade, similar to the one used by the assassin who had killed him. He swung it in the air, testing it. He made a few movents that the assassin used to make. "It’s crap," he said, putting the sword back in its place.
He exchanged it for a more traditional sword. The kind used by knights. Straight, heavy, with a leather-wrapped hilt, he tested its weight. He swung it lightly. "Crap too... but it’ll do."
He fastened the sword to his waist and walked toward the training ground. He looked around. Soldiers clashing swords. Candidates sweating. No one paid any attention to him.
"Well..." he muttered, crossing his arms. "Now I just have to find soone to train with. Or die."
"Hey, manure cleaner!" It was Isabella coming toward him. Cedrick walked beside her, serious as always.
Isabella wore the sa training clothes as the other day. Short skirt, white linen shirt, long socks that went up to mid-thigh. Her hair tied up in a high ponytail.
"Go! Start running. Lap the field until I say stop."
Haru imdiately lay down on the ground. Hoping that Isabela would co up to him and stop in front of him, giving him the view he so desperately wanted from below.
"I can’t get hard now..." he thought, controlling his breathing. "She hasn’t even gotten close enough yet... hehehehe... co here..."
"What are you doing!?" Isabela shouted, stopping about three ters away.
Haru remained lying down, pretending to be tired.
"I don’t know how you fooled my father, but it won’t work on !" she continued, crossing her arms. "I’m going to break you in the next seven days. Orders from the baron!"
Haru smiled slyly, still on the ground.
"I would love for you to break ."
As he spoke, he moved in a suspicious way on the ground. He arched his back. He stretched his arms above his head. The movent was clearly suggestive.
"What the hell is this...?" Isabela muttered, frowning.
She didn’t understand, no one understood. After all, Haru’s ti was far ahead compared to that world.
Isabela ordered Haru to run. To do push-ups. Squats. Burpees.
Haru ran. And ran. And ran, stopping only for lunch, the only al the slaves had, and continued until dusk.
Cedrick kept watch in Isabela’s place, who only arrived in the afternoon, yawning. She had spent the day taking care of other things. She gestured with her hands, signaling "enough" and "co."
Haru ca. Sweaty and tired. His shirt stuck to his body. His hair wet with sweat. Breathing heavily, he stopped in front of her, gasping for air.
"I could complain... I could refuse... or use my smooth talk to get out of doing this..." he thought. "But I learned sothing from that killer: Pain is temporary, but skill is eternal. Not to ntion that the predator doesn’t wait for you to masturbate before attacking..."
Isabela looked him up and down.
"Well... I know you understand a little about fighting," she said, rembering their last fight. Haru grabbing her breasts.
"Damn it!" she thought, shaking her head quickly to dispel the mory.
"So I won’t be giving you basic lessons," she added aloud.
Isabela drew the sword from her waist. A straight, light blade, used for noble training. She began to execute a series of movents. Fast. Fluid. Precise.
Haru’s eyes sparkled.
"If you’re going to be my target... then I’ll have to figure you out."
He concentrated.
["Predator’s Gaze"]: ACTIVATED
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