As the day drew to a close, the leveling session finally ca to an end. Adrian stood tall, victorious yet sowhat dissatisfied.
Despite having gained valuable experience and a single level from battling various monsters, he found the speed of his progress too slow for his liking.
He then viewed his stats which was displayed as:
Adrian Everhart
Level 12
Health Points (HP): 580 → 630
Mana Points (MP): 450 → 490
Strength: 114 → 144
Agility: 72 → 92
Endurance: 90 → 106
Intelligence: 106 → 124
Charm: 68
Luck: 55
Wiping sweat from his brow, Adrian looked over at Seraphina, who had been watching the entire session with an amused smile.
"Aunt, I'm grateful for your guidance today, but I want to level up faster as I want to be ready for any unforeseen circumstances.."
Seraphina raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what do you propose, Adrian?"
Without hesitation, Adrian replied, "I need you to actively help from tomorrow onward. We're wasting ti with fighting solo. I want you to weaken them to the point where I can kill them quickly."
Seraphina chuckled softly.
"If that's what you want, I'll help you." She paused for a mont, her gaze growing thoughtful.
"I'll entrap the creatures and soften them up for you, then you can go in for the kill. You'll gain experience without the slow pace of fighting them entirely on your own."
Adrian nodded. "That would be perfect. Thank you, Aunt."
"Of course," she responded with a smile. "Now, we've done enough for today. Let's head back to the castle before it gets too dark."
The two made their way back through the Shadowgrove Forest, the eerie, ever-present shadows seeming to shift around them.
By the ti they arrived at the castle, the evening sky had deepened into hues of purple and orange.
As they walked through the grand hallways of the Everhart Manor, Seraphina glanced at Adrian and teased,
"Shall we bathe together, nephew? After all, you've been working hard. A shared bath could be… relaxing."
Adrian's eyes widened, his heart skipping a beat as he almost stumbled over his own feet. He gulped, feeling heat rise to his cheeks, and was just about to say sothing—possibly a nervous 'yes'—when Seraphina's lips curled into a seductive smile. "Just joking," she added playfully, her blue eyes twinkling.
Adrian let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, his anticipation imdiately turning into disappointnt. He gave her a wry smile. "You're cruel, Aunt."
Seraphina simply laughed softly. "Go on, enjoy your bath, Adrian. You've earned it. Besides I already said I want to be yours, you don't have to rush anyway."
With that, she left him to head to her own chambers, her crimson hair swaying with each step.
Still feeling a mix of frustration and amusent, Adrian made his way to his private bath. The warm water soothed his muscles, and he took the ti to reflect on his progress.
As much as he wanted to level faster, he had to admit today's session wasn't a total waste. He had gotten stronger, but tomorrow, with Seraphina's direct assistance, he'd speed things up significantly.
Once his bath was over, he stepped out of the water, dried off, and dressed in more comfortable clothes. Just as he was about to relax, there was a knock at his door.
"Co in," Adrian called out.
The door creaked open, and Christine entered the room with a soft smile.
"Big brother," she said in her usual affectionate tone, "Big sister and mother have already arrived at the estate."
Adrian perked up imdiately. "Already? I didn't expect them so soon. Where are they now?"
"They're in Big sister's room," Christine inford him. "Big sister is watching over mother. She seed really relieved to have brought her here."
Adrian nodded, his expression turning serious. "Thank you, Christine. I'll go check on them now."
Christine smiled, giving him a quick hug before stepping out of the room. Adrian quickly made his way to the guest wing, where Chris and her mother had been settled.
As he approached the room, he could hear Chris's soft voice from inside, speaking gently to her mother. Taking a deep breath, Adrian knocked lightly and then opened the door.
Inside, Chris sat beside the bed where her mother lay, looking visibly worried but also hopeful now that they were at the estate. When she saw Adrian, her face lit up with relief.
"Adrian," she whispered, standing up to greet him. "I was so worried for you, I am glad you returned safely. I missed you so much."
Adrian pulled her into a gentle embrace. "Of course, Chris. I am fine, what can even happen to ? Besides I also longed to see you."
Chris's eyes glistened with tears as she found a safe space in her lovers embrace.
Adrian held her close, stroking her back soothingly, said. "Don't worry about anything. I am here, let check your mother."
After a mont, Chris pulled back, wiping her eyes. She glanced toward the bed where her mother lay resting. "She's been asleep ever since we got here. She's been so weak for so long…"
Adrian nodded and moved closer to her mother, taking a good look at the frail woman lying on the bed.
Her skin was pale, her breathing shallow, and her features were gaunt as if she had been sick for a long ti. He could sense that there was more to this than a simple illness.
Activating his Observation Skill, he focused on her.
Na: Isolda
Age: 33
Class: None
Level: 4
Health Points
(HP): 150Mana Points
(MP): 20
Strength: 3
Agility: 4
Endurance: 2
Intelligence: 7
Charm: 7
Luck: 3
Status:
Cursed (Weakened Lifeforce): Drains health over ti, causing extre fatigue, muscle atrophy, and eventual death if untreated. This curse appears to have been placed intentionally, affecting both physical health and magical regeneration.
Adrian's eyes narrowed as he took in the details of the curse. No wonder she was so ill—it wasn't a natural sickness. Soone had deliberately placed this curse on her to drain her life slowly and painfully.
"She's cursed," Adrian said quietly, turning to Chris, who looked at him with wide eyes.
"A curse?" Chris echoed in disbelief, her hands trembling slightly. "But why… who would do this to her?"
Adrian shook his head. "I don't know yet, but this curse has been draining her life for a long ti. It's why she's so weak." He clenched his fist. "But now that I know what's causing it, I can work on removing it."
Chris's expression shifted from shock to hope. "Can you really do that? Can you break the curse?"
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