After cleaning myself and eating the food Grandma prepared for , I returned to the living room.
"... So, how's your first day?"
How should I answer that? My first day is good; I accidentally unlock my Mana and then learn about how to use magic and the history of this world; then, on the way back ho, I feel like soone is watching ; should I answer it like that?
Without realizing it, a sigh ca out of my mouth, rembering the event that happened that day.
"... Why are you sighing? Is it that hard?"
"Yeah~ Grandma is hard"
Hearing my answer, Grandma narrowed her eyes slightly.
"Hard?"
She repeated, crossing her arms.
"What do you an by that?"
I shrugged, putting on my usual lazy grin.
"Just that your questioning is tougher than my entire day"
A small "hmph" escaped her lips, but I could tell she wasn't fully convinced.
Her sharp gaze lingered on a little too long, like she was trying to peel back my words and see what I wasn't saying.
I kept my posture relaxed, heading toward the kitchen.
"But yeah, the first day was alright. Nothing crazy"
Not a complete lie. I an, sure, I unlocked Mana, learned magic, and felt sothing unnatural watching from the shadows, but overall? It wasn't the worst first day in history.
But Grandma followed, her presence steady behind .
"Nothing crazy, huh?"
"Yep"
I said as I grabbed a glass from the cabinet and filled it with water, taking a slow sip before speaking again.
"... Just learning the basics, eting people, my first custor, all that stuff. Pretty normal, right?"
She didn't respond imdiately. Instead, she studied with that sharp, knowing look only grandmothers seem to have.
I t her gaze, keeping my expression neutral. Years of practice. Years of hiding my true nature, my feelings.
Finally, she sighed, shaking her head.
"... You're terrible at lying, Mikail, you know that"
I nearly choked on my water at those words. Shit.
Still, I kept my cool. Raising an eyebrow, I leaned against the counter.
"Lying? About what?"
She didn't answer right away. Instead, she turned away, walking toward the living room.
Before she left, she simply said.
"If you ever feel like talking about it, I'm here"
Then, just like that, she was gone.
I let out a slow breath, staring at where she had been.
Even if I didn't say anything, sohow, she knew.
"... Bad at lying?"
With those words coming out of my mouth, a grin slowly made its way to my mouth.
I'm not bad at lying.
"... You're just too good at detecting my lie, Grandma"
I've been lying my entire life, maybe not my entire life, but I began to put on a mask to cover my true feelings since my parents died; I'm lying about everything; I can lie about anything without another person noticing it.
But you, Grandma...
"... You're just too good"
I swirled the water in my glass, watching the faint ripples dance across the surface.
A smirk played on my lips, but deep down, I knew she was right.
No one had ever caught in a lie before.
Not my teachers, not my so-called friends, not even the people who thought they knew best. But Grandma? She saw right through like it was nothing.
'... Scary old woman'
I shook my head, setting the glass down with a soft clink before heading to my room. For so reason, I don't dare to face my Grandma right now.
Afraid I'll say sothing that I shouldn't.
The house was quiet now, save for the faint creak of the wooden floors beneath my feet. The weight of the day pressed down on as I closed the door behind .
Leaning against it, I let out a slow breath.
Today was... Overwhelming.
Unlocking Mana, learning about magic, feeling that eerie sensation of being watched, it was all too much to process in one go. Yet, I kept my face neutral, my emotions buried where no one could reach them.
It was easier that way.
I sat on my bed, staring at the ceiling.
My body felt heavy, but my mind wouldn't shut up. The sensation of being watched earlier still lingered in my thoughts. It wasn't paranoia. Soone or sothing had definitely been observing .
But who?
And more importantly... Why?
I closed my eyes, letting my thoughts drift.
Grandma's words echoed in my head.
"If you ever feel like talking about it, I'm here"
A bitter chuckle escaped my lips.
"...Talking, huh?"
Maybe in another life.
For now, all I could do was keep moving forward. Keep pretending. Keep hiding.
Because if I ever let my guard down...
I wasn't sure what would happen.
--------
"... System"
As Mikail said those words, a blue interface appeared in front of him.
[STATUS>>Skill>>Title>>Inventory>>Quest]
[Status]
Na: Mikail Fremawan.
affiliate: Brotherhood's Cafe
Lvl: 1
---------
STR: 9
AGI: 7
VIT: 10
LUK: ???
INT: ???
--------
"... They're Changed... But why my intelligence is a question mark? What the hell happened?"
Mikail said as he stared at the glowing blue interface.
His brows furrowing.
The last ti he checked his status, his INT stat wasn't hidden. Now, it showed nothing but "???" like the system itself didn't know how to asure it.
"...Did unlocking Mana ss with my stats?"
It was the only explanation that made sense.
Mana was tied to knowledge, understanding, and control. If his INT was unreadable now, did that an his perception of magic had evolved beyond what the system could quantify? Or was sothing else at play?
A chill ran down his spine as he recalled the eerie feeling from earlier, when soone, or sothing, had been watching him.
"...Could it be related?"
He tapped on the INT stat, hoping for an explanation.
[Error: Unable to Display Information]
Seeing this, a small frown ford on his lips. That was new.
Before, even if a stat was low, the system always showed a number. But now? It wasn't just hidden, it was unreadable.
Sothing had changed.
Sothing the system itself wasn't prepared for.
Mikail exhaled through his nose, pushing down the unease creeping into his chest.
"...Guess I'll figure it out later"
Because for now, there were more important things to focus on.
He switched to his Skills tab, hoping for sothing useful.
[Skills]
(New!) Mana Sensory (E - Grade #Can be Upgraded)
Allows the user to detect and perceive Mana in the surroundings. The more refined the skill, the clearer the details.
(New!) Beginner Magic Affinity (E - Grade #Can be Upgraded)
Increases the user's adaptability with magic. Spells are easier to learn and cast.
(New!) Two-Faced has been Upgrade to Masked Presence (Passive)
The user's emotions and intentions are naturally concealed. Difficult to read.
--------
Mikail blinked at the last skill.
"... That Two-Faced Skill have been Upgraded? When? I don't rember upgrading that skill; what the hell?"
It wasn't sothing he rembered Upgrading. But thinking back... It made sense.
He had spent years hiding his real feelings, wearing a mask so that no one could see what lay beneath. The system had recognized that part of him and turned it into a skill, and with him having a Mana now, maybe the system would turn it into so new skill.
'No, the system already does that... How convenient, wow!'
Thinking about it, a dry chuckle escaped Mikail's lips.
"... So even the system acknowledges it, huh?"
Mikail said, shook his head, and closed the interface.
"... Let's sleep, and think about upgrading it, tomorrow"
For now, he needed rest. His body wasn't exhausted, but his mind felt like it had been through a storm.
Pulling the blanket over himself, Mikail let out one last sigh.
Tomorrow, he'd look for answers.
But tonight... He'd let the questions linger in the dark.
--------
- Brotherhood's Cafe. Not long after, Mikail reaches his ho.
"... You're back, lisa... Is he going back safely?"
lisa asked as she looked at Grandpa with a surprised look.
"... You know?"
"No, I guessed it"
"... *Sigh* I just make sure he reaches his ho, I have no other intention, other than that"
Said lisa while looking away to the side, before looking back at Grandpa, then asking.
"... Where are you going with that gear? Are you going to hunt so shadows? I thought you had been inactive for a long ti... What made you suddenly want to co back? And where's Moona? Why she isn't coming back yet?"
"I'm here, Lisa"
Moona's voice echoed from the doorway as she stepped outside of the locker room, her expression unreadable, She's a beautiful woman with unusual Dark purple hair and beautiful blue Eyes,
But lisa, who saw her, was a bit confused.
She looked back and forth at Moona and Grandpa.
"Are you two going to hunt Shadow together"
"No"
Moona replied.
"Grandpa just asked to gear up, so I just followed what he said because he sounded so serious"
"... lisa, you too... You better get ready too"
Grandpa said to lisa.
"But why?"
"... Because... They will be here soon"
Grandpa said while looking out the window.
....
...
..
.
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