The doors opened with a low creak, revealing a room far simpler than I had expected.
No gold. No extravagant displays of wealth. Just a wide desk, shelves filled with neatly arranged books, and a single man seated behind it.
The Duke.
At first glance, he didn't seem particularly intimidating. No visible aura, no overwhelming presence—nothing like what I imagined from one of the most powerful men in the Empire.
But the moment his eyes met mine, that illusion shattered.
There was weight behind that gaze. The kind that didn't need to be shown to be felt.
"You're here."
I nodded.
For a while, he said nothing. His eyes remained fixed on me, studying me in a way that made it feel like he was peeling back layers I didn't even know I had.
It was uncomfortable.
"The empire mourns its hero," he said at last. "Yet you stand before me."
"I survived."
A simple answer. It should be safe.
He didn't react much, just leaned back slightly in his chair, fingers tapping once against the armrest.
"What do you remember?"
"Not too much" I replied. "The battle. The Saintess. The Demon King. Just the basics."
Not entirely false. Just incomplete.
His gaze lingered.
"You speak differently."
I flinch.
Letting out a small breath, I say, "Nearly dying tends to do that."
Silence followed. Not empty—measured.
Then, without warning—
Something changed.
My breath hitched.
A crushing weight slammed down on me without warning. It wasn't visible, but my body reacted instantly—far more violently than it should have.
My chest tightened.
Too fast.
Too sudden.
My bones felt like they were getting crushed.
My muscles could no longer exert any strength.
|Otherworlder's Aura Activated|
The pressure deepened.
No—it intensified.
What should have been barely manageable turned suffocating in an instant. My muscles locked, my lungs struggled, and even standing upright felt like defying something absolute.
This wasn't just the Duke's aura.
It was being… amplified.
This damn system. My own trait is screwing me over...?
Are you kidding me?!
|Emergency Condition Detected|
|New Mission Generated|
|[Mission: Endure the Duke's Aura]|
|Objective: Remain conscious for 10 seconds|
|Difficulty: F|
|Reward: ???|
|Failure: Loss of consciousness|
My vision blurred as the pressure intensified. It felt like the air itself had thickened, pressing against me from all sides, forcing its way into my lungs and refusing to let me breathe properly.
This is an F difficulty quest?!
My body trembled.
Move.
I couldn't.
Resist.
I wasn't strong enough.
This wasn't fear. Not entirely. It was something deeper—something instinctual. Like standing before a predator so far above you that your body simply gave up the idea of survival.
My knees threatened to give out.
My thoughts slowed.
No… not here.
Not like this.
I clenched my teeth, forcing my body to stay upright even as everything in me screamed to collapse.
Seconds passed.
Or maybe they didn't.
I couldn't tell anymore.
|Skill Acquired: Beast Instincts [D]|
|Passive Effect Activated|
Something snapped into place.
The pressure didn't disappear—but it changed.
No… I changed.
My senses sharpened, picking apart the suffocating force around me. It wasn't just weight. There was intent behind it. Direction. Flow.
Without thinking, my breathing adjusted.
Shallow. Controlled.
My stance shifted ever so slightly, distributing the strain just enough to keep myself from collapsing.
It wasn't resistance.
It was survival.
|Condition Cleared|
The pressure vanished instantly.
I staggered slightly, catching myself before I could fall. My lungs burned as I dragged in air, my body slow to realise that it was over.
For a moment, I just stood there, trying to steady myself.
"…I see."
His voice hadn't changed.
I looked up.
The Duke watched me, his expression calm, but his eyes sharper now. Certain.
"I had my doubts," he said. "But it seems they were unfounded."
A pause.
"You have truly lost your power."
…
So that's what that was.
A test.
If Cain still had his divine power, he would have resisted it.
But I didn't.
I couldn't.
"I suppose that answers that," he continued, almost to himself.
Then his gaze settled on me again.
"What is your goal now?"
The question caught me off guard.
Goal?
I opened my mouth… then stopped.
What was my goal?
Survive?
Figure things out?
Fix this mess?
"…I'm not sure," I admitted quietly.
For the first time, his expression softened. Not by much—but enough to notice.
"That is acceptable," he said. "You have earned the right to be uncertain."
He leaned back slightly.
"You may remain here and recover. Take your time. The estate will accommodate you."
…That was unexpected.
No conditions?
No pressure?
Just… rest?
"Thank you," I said.
It felt like the right response.
|Mission Complete|
|Reward Granted: 100 Coins|
At least the system was consistent.
I stood up, my body still slightly unsteady but no longer on the verge of collapse.
As I turned to leave, I could feel his gaze linger on me for a moment longer—not oppressive this time, but thoughtful.
Like he was reconsidering something.
The doors closed behind me with a soft thud.
The moment I stepped out, the tension in my body eased completely.
I let out a long breath.
"…That was insane."
I thought I was gonna die.
|3 Unread Notifications|
Oh?
"Show."
|Dexterity increased by 0.2|
|Mana increased by 0.2|
|Market Upgrade Available|
So training and… whatever that was… actually paid off.
Not bad.
"Open Market."
|Current Coins: 150|
|Upgrade Cost: 125|
"Upgrade."
|Market Level Increased|
|New Items Unlocked|
Good.
|Achievement Unlocked: First Expansion|
|Reward Granted|
"Another reward? You're generous today, System."
|Innate Trait Acquired|
|???|
|Description: Unavailable|
|Condition: Unknown|
…I spoke too soon. This fucking system.
I frowned.
"System, explain."
|Condition not met|
Haaaaah.
I let out a tired sigh, running a hand through my hair.
A new world. A broken body. A system that only half-explains anything.
With my unbelievably trash luck, I'm afraid of what more life intends to throw at me.