Eddra wondered to himself if he could ever take a vacation leave even after serving for three years since the knight major handling the team he was part in was a stingy and strict man. What his mother wanted him to do—to take visits every year—was simply impossible... Or maybe he could do it after all?He remembered how the stingy man defined him as weak—that Eddra was someone who would cause trouble when he was provoked and someone who would flee if he could not defeat the opponent entirely. When he had heard it, Eddra was silent, because he knew that the knight major"s words were true.
"I promise, Mother." To sum things up, the yearly visit could probably happen if Eddra would change his att.i.tude. "I will take yearly visits. So, please help me register for the army within two days, or maybe less."
From the given duration and the hastily looked painted on Eddra"s face, his mother moved her head backward for a bit and raised a brow. "Why are you this eager? Do you really wanted to leave the household and suffer that much?"
Eddra had the urge to shake his head. It was entirely the opposite of what she said. If the [System] would just be a little bit gentle to him, he would not be joining for the army. Just as when he was given the chance—that he did not want from the first place and had no plan of having—Eddra still needed to encounter the same experience.
Without a word leaving his mouth, his mother shifted her body and turned her back to him. "I understand..." she mumbled and Eddra barely caught her words. "But do you really want to leave the residence? Tell me the truth, Eddra."
"No, Mother. If Bancroft wasn"t this strict, then I would gladly idle here in the mansion."
"Hmph. Your words will not make my heart falter, young man."
"... Mother, are you going to help me?"
With his question, his mother became silent. Eddra felt his heart racing, beating quickly as if it wanted to escape from his chest. "... I am a person of my word. I hope you would never even think of neglecting our discussion tonight, Ed."
Ding! Ding! Ding!
[You have completed the Side Quest (2/2)!]
[You have received 40 EXP!]
[You have received the items!]
"Yes!"
His mother turned her head around and eyed him when she heard his cheer. "I mean, I will never... I promise you this, Mother," Eddra coughed and repeated his words.
"... It is getting late, my eldest son. I will take care of the registration so you can go back to your room now. Gale will escort you."
Shortly after she finished her words, the butler who was waiting outside stormed in. It was then that Eddra remembered that he also have to talk with the butler about his registration.
"Milord."
Oh. Here it was. The butler that Eddra was following now had chosen to speak and break the silence from both of them. Eddra was confused as to why was his heart started racing for the second time this day. Perhaps it was because he had treated the man as his second father—
Eddra stopped from his track to his realization but also returned shortly when he became aware of what he did. That was it! He treated Gale as his second father, and probably it was the same matter to his other siblings. More so, the butler had also treated them as his own children. Why did Eddra not think of it sooner?
Without hesitation to his mind, Eddra stated to his mind, "[Status Check]."
Ding!
[Name: Galet.i.tle: Household"s Butler
Family Name: None
Age: 56s.e.x: Male
Job: None (None)
Level: 2
HP: 100MP: 60]
"... I think he is normal too." Eddra surveyed the butler"s [Status] and unknowingly hummed, pleased with his completion.
Ding! Ding!
[You have completed the Hidden Quest!]
[You have received 60 EXP!]
"Milord, it"s a shame you didn"t receive a beating. I heard the Baroness" shouts from the outside so I thought I would also hear your cries—a pity."
Eddra raised a brow, staring at the back of the butler. "Aren"t you going to scold me, too?"
"I would if you want me to," was his reply, "I am surprised, however, I think this would be better than enrolling you in the academy since the Lord"s brain is in his toes sometimes."
"Hey—"
"Milord, I hope you would take the promise between you and the Baroness" seriously."
Scratching the back of his head, Eddra felt more pressured to the butler"s words. "... Of course."
...
Eddra stood by the window while he watched the sun as it finally peeked, rose, filling the sky with its gentle shade of orange and a hint of gold. The coming sun rays evaded through the closed window, touching him softly and giving warmth to him from inside out. With his mind contemplating the unknown sentiment he started feeling when he woke up that early day, Eddra heard a ring sound rang to his ear.
Ding!
[Daily Quest: Routine!
Swing the sword (0/500)
Hit the practice dummy (0/500)
Stamina run (0/10mi)
Push-ups (0/100)
Time Duration: 23:59:54
Reward(s): (3) Stat Points u0026 (1) New System Feature
Warning: Failing the Quest will bring death to the User.]
"Oh, I can acquire more stat points with this [Quest]." Failing to survey the requirements, Eddra"s eyes immediately settled down on the rewards of the new plate floating before his face. "Hm... What should I do—!"
"Five hundred swings and hits for a daily routine? That"s inhuman!" he bolted when he saw the contents of the floating plate.
"Can"t I just complete both since I"m also swinging while hitting the dummy?"
To test out the question formed in his head, he needed to carry out a trial. Eddra then immediately went outside, heading at the back of the mansion to avoid any audience and disturbance with a tool in his hand. Hence, shivering due to the remaining cold from the night that had pa.s.sed, Eddra ignored it and continued.
"[Inventory]," he stated.
Ding!
The landscape plate popped beside the other. And what followed his command, Eddra thrust his hand to the images of the rewards he had received, pulling out the dummy then after doing the same with the wooden sword and dropping both on the ground. Lifting the hammer, the one he secretly fetched from the storage, Eddra hurriedly placed the practice dummy.
"Okay. I think that will do." He brought a hand on his waist and looked at the dummy. Nodding, Eddra went and picked up the wooden sword on the ground. "[Hide Inventory]."
As he stood before the practice dummy, Eddra lazily hit it on its shoulder, producing a thud. "Hm? Nothing happened," was his disappointed remark seeing that the zeroes did not add up.
"I mean, I did hit it... Do I have to do it correctly?" Scratching the back of his head, Eddra settled and fixed his posture. Holding his grip, he lifted the sword and threw a strong cut on the same spot where he made his first hit.
"Hap!" Just after he had done it, it produced a thud but it was louder than the first one. Eddra then glanced at the contents of the plate again.
[Daily Quest: Routine!
Swing the sword (0/500)
Hit the practice dummy (1/500)
Stamina run (0/10mi)
Push-ups (0/100)
Time Duration: 23:54:31
Reward(s): (3) Stat Points u0026 (1) New System Feature
Warning: Failing the Quest will bring death to the User.]
"... I think the swing needs to be done separately." Blowing sharply, Eddra was down heartened as he deep squatted on his toes. "This would take a while..." Eddra muttered behind his breath.
Staring at the dummy before him, Eddra thought that hitting the dummy might not be the best thing to do this early in the morning. He might wake the people from the continuous loud noises that he would be doing. "I guess I should start running around first."
...
Eddra ran for four and a half hours to complete the required distance from the [Quest]. Huffs and puffs, Eddra was trying to catch his breath from the exhaustion when he saw his mother along with Gale approaching his direction in the distance.
"Mother?" Eddra called, reaching a towel from the servant who stood beside him. "How was it?" he asked for the matter they had discussed last night.
"A close friend of mine shall arrive later this evening, although the gentleman told me that he had a few recruits with him," his mother informed him as she grabbed the parchment paper that Gale handed to her, "And this... is what he said."
Eddra accepted the paper his mother gave to him, reading the message written on it. "I"ll be leaving by tomorrow noon?"
"s.h.i.t. Then I need to finish the routine before that..." he mumbled to himself. For certain, there would be a long journey ahead of them by tomorrow. Eddra knew he would not be able to get the chance to resume the [Quest] if he won"t finish it early before the time they would leave the residence.
"Milord, seeing the expression on your face, you looked like you are not satisfied that you will be leaving tomorrow. Are you that eager to leave the Baroness" mansion?" The butler b.u.t.ted it with the annoying tone in his voice. Surely, Gale knew the contents of the paper since he was tasked to read all the received letters and the ones that would be delivered.
"No! Mother, don"t listen to him," Eddra hurriedly defended himself.
"I see..." she said, simply turning her back at him.
Eddra scrunched up his face, looking straight at the mocking butler. Just as he thought, Gale was indeed mad at him. "That crazy man!"