Seven months had passed since Aldrich's last level-up, each day steeped in unease and anticipation. But today, as sunlight spilled through the curtains, it marked not just his second birthday but another milestone in a life that felt anything but ordinary.
His mother, Eleanor, entered his room quietly and sat beside him, her hand gently brushing his shoulder to wake him up. Her tired smile carried a mix of joy and melancholy.
"Good morning, birthday boy," she whispered, her voice warm and laced with affection. "I'm sorry your father isn't here today, but your brothers are back from the academy, and they're thrilled to see you."
Aldrich rubbed his eyes and stretched, his small but well-built frame moving with an unusual grace for his age. "It's okay, Mama," he murmured, standing and yawning softly.
Eleanor's gaze lingered on him, marveling at how much he had grown. Pride warmed her heart at his remarkable development, but a shadow of unease crept in, unbidden.
His rapid growth was a constant reminder of the day she had stood in that temple, the priest's awestruck voice echoing in her mind. Was it truly a blessing… or something far more complex and dangerous? She shook off the thought, forcing herself to smile.
At nearly four feet tall, he could easily pass for a seven-year-old. "You're growing so fast, my boy. At this rate, you'll be taller than your father by the time you're ready to train with him," she said with a light laugh, trying to ease her own nerves.
Aldrich gave a small smile but kept his thoughts to himself. It's all thanks to the system, he mused.
His transmigrated soul and advanced mental maturity allowed him to plan far ahead. When he looked like a young adult, he would leave home and begin his journey as a blacksmith.
"Where are big bro Magnus and William?" he asked, his curiosity genuine.
Eleanor's face brightened. "They're waiting for you in the living room. Your sister, Marion, is with them too. Come along; they're excited to see you." She took his hand and led him out of the room.
In the spacious living room, Magnus and William were deep in conversation, their tall frames cutting imposing figures even at rest. Marion, animated as always, gestured wildly as she recounted a story. She spotted Aldrich and Eleanor first, her face lighting up.
"Did you know Aldrich is learning the Dwarven language now?" Marion announced proudly. "He's already fluent in Englush. I think our baby brother might be a genius."
Magnus turned, his brow furrowing as he took in Aldrich's height and posture. A flicker of unease crossed his face, hidden beneath his otherwise composed demeanor. His mind churned with questions he couldn't voice—How could a child so young carry himself with such poise? Was this truly his brother, or was there something unnatural at play? The tension in his chest tightened, his instincts warning him that something was amiss.
"Mother," he said, his tone teasing but laced with curiosity. "Who is this child you're bringing in? He looks more like a young squire than a toddler."
Eleanor laughed, though a shadow of unease flickered across her face. "This is your youngest brother, Aldrich," she said. "And yes, he's grown quite a bit."
Magnus crouched down to examine Aldrich more closely, his expression shifting from amusement to suspicion. "Are you sure he's human?" he asked half-jokingly.
William, ever the serious one, crossed his arms. "Mother, what exactly happened during his appraisal? Did the priest mention anything unusual?"
Eleanor's smile faltered. The memory of that day lingered in her mind—the shock on the priest's face, the whispered warnings.
She sighed. "The priest said Aldrich has a unique blessing. Something ancient and powerful. But he's still my son, and that's all that matters."
The room fell silent. Marion looked between her brothers, her smile fading as their expressions darkened.
"That's not normal," William said finally, his voice low and edged with tension.
The air in the room seemed to thicken as his hand drifted to the hilt of his sword. The faint rasp of metal against leather filled the sudden silence, and the flickering firelight cast long, wavering shadows across his face.
His eyes, sharp and unyielding, locked onto Aldrich, who stood frozen under the weight of his brother's growing suspicion. "Mother, what if something… possessed him during the appraisal?"
Eleanor's eyes widened. "William! How can you say such a thing? He's your brother!"
But Magnus had already drawn his blade, his movements slow but deliberate. "I beg to differ. With all due respect, Mother, ever since that incident, we all know that our youngest should not be alive right now!" He fixed Aldrich with a piercing stare. "Who are you really?"
Aldrich's heart raced as the tension in the room thickened. Marion stepped in front of him, her arms outstretched protectively. "Stop it!" she cried. "You're scaring him! He's just a child!"
Eleanor's voice was sharp as steel. "Put those swords away, both of you! You're acting like fools. And you, Magnus—never mention that again."
Magnus hesitated, his grip tightening before he finally sheathed his blade. William, however, advanced a step, his gaze unrelenting. "I said, prove it," he growled.
Before Eleanor could intervene, Aldrich shrank back, his body trembling. His eyes filled with tears, and his small frame seemed to collapse inward, making him look every bit the helpless child he was.
His lip quivered as he stammered, "P-please, don't hurt me…"
The sudden shift in his demeanor caught everyone off guard.
Marion immediately wrapped her arms around him, shielding him from view. "Look at him!" she exclaimed. "He's terrified! How could you even think of hurting him?"
Eleanor stepped forward, placing a hand on William's arm. "He's your brother, William. Can't you see how scared he is? This isn't right."
William's grip on his sword loosened, his expression softening as he took in the sight of Aldrich's tear-streaked face.
Guilt washed over him, and he stepped back. "I'm… I'm sorry," he muttered, lowering his gaze. "I just wanted to be sure."
Magnus, too, sheathed his sword, his face a mask of regret. "We went too far," he admitted. "Forgive us, Aldrich."
Aldrich sniffled, clinging to Marion as Eleanor knelt beside him, pulling him into a protective embrace. "It's okay, my love," she whispered, soothing him with gentle strokes of his hair. "No one will hurt you."
Marion glared at her brothers. "You should be ashamed of yourselves."
Magnus and William exchanged glances, their guilt evident. "We are," Magnus said softly. "We just… we didn't know what to think."
Eleanor stood, her expression stern. "You will not raise your swords against your brother again. Do you understand?"
Both brothers nodded solemnly. "Yes, Mother," they replied in unison.
Marion led Aldrich back to his room, her arm around his shoulders. "Don't worry," she whispered. "I'll always protect you."
Aldrich nodded, letting a few tears fall as he clung to her. Inside, his mind churned. I need to be careful. They're starting to suspect too much.
Once in his room, Aldrich hurriedly checked his status panel.
He had already finished the subquest of learning the Dwarven language, and he just needed to learn the other two languages before he could choose his keystone.
[Status Panel]
Age: 2 / 75 years
Class: Apprentice Forgemaster Level 2 (0/400)
Health: 11.5 / 11.5
Mana: 18.4 / 18.4
Strength: 1.15
Agility: 1.15
Intelligence: 1.84
Vitality: 1.15
Skill Points: 4 Unused
Attribute Points: 0.04
Experience Points: 1000
I need to lay low for now to stop their suspicions. Thankfully, Mother and Sis are a little slow when it comes to this, but they'll notice the irregularities sooner or later. I need to reach at least five feet in height before I can plan my escape, Aldrich thought grimly.
He felt a pang of guilt toward his mother and sister. Even Father might know of this, and I don't know how he'll react. I need to think of something fast in these next five years while I'm hiding.
His eyes flashed as he considered his options. I can at least steal some things from the house to fund my escape. It should be enough to feed me until I settle somewhere.
He sighed and made his way to his bed, retrieving the wooden sword hidden underneath. His fingers tightened around the hilt as determination replaced the turmoil in his heart.
He began practicing the six stances of their family's greatsword art, "Howling Steel Style."
The rhythmic movements of the stances were both an outlet and a source of clarity. For seven months, Aldrich had honed his proficiency in the technique.
Though his body stats had remained stagnant, his mastery of the stances allowed him to maximize his potential.
The wooden sword cut through the air with precision, the weight of it a comforting challenge in his hands.
Each strike, parry, and step carried the weight of his frustration, fears, and resolve.
An hour passed, and Aldrich finally stopped, panting and dripping with sweat. His small hands gripped the wooden greatsword tightly before he carefully stowed it back beneath his bed.
Time to claim the lottery ticket. He had almost forgotten about it amidst the chaos of the day. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, he mentally summoned the system.
YOU MAY NOW SELECT (1) FROM THE FOLLOWING PRIZES:
• Valor's Rebirth (Item)
• Health Potion x5 (Consumable)
• Runic Infusion (Skill, Permanent)
• Long Sword (Item)
• Blink x1 (Spell, Consumable)
His eyes widened in astonishment. Am I this lucky? He immediately dismissed the potions and sword.
Two options stood out—Valor's Rebirth and Runic Infusion.
"Let's see what their descriptions are. First, Valor's Rebirth."
Item Name: Valor's Rebirth
Stats:
+25 Armor
+5 Strength
+5 Vitality
Unique Passive – Rebirth:
Upon taking lethal damage, you revive after 4 seconds with 50% base HP and 30% mana.
Passive Ability: One time use only.
"Even in death, valor endures."
The one-time use on this thing is a bummer. Now the skill. Aldrich sighed, then eagerly looked at the skill description.
Skill Name: Runic Infusion
Type: Active
Cooldown: 20 seconds
Cost: 10 mana
Cast Time: Instant
Duration: Until next attack or 10 seconds
Description:
You begin shuffling your arcane deck, drawing upon ancient enchantments to infuse your weapon with a powerful card. You may Recast within the duration to lock in one of three Runic Cards, enhancing your next basic attack with magic damage and a potent effect.
Base Damage:
Deals 10 + (1 × Strength) + (1 × Intelligence) magic damage to the primary target.
Card Effects:
• Blue Card – Mindflow
Effect: Restores 70 mana on hit.
Visual: A burst of shimmering blue energy courses through the wielder's body.
Red Card – Emberbind
Effect: Slows all enemies within a 10-meter radius by 50% for 2 seconds.
Visual: A fiery pulse ripples out from the target point, scorching the ground with glowing runes. Gold Card – Judgment
Effect: Stuns the primary target for 5 seconds.
Visual: A golden sigil flashes as the enemy is struck, locking them in radiant chains.
He thinks to himself, Valor's Rebirth has the immediate effect of strengthening me and can even save me in time of death, while Runic Infusion is more of a mage-type build and has three different effects.
After a moment of deliberation, he chose the latter.
Congratulations on acquiring "Runic Infusion" (Skill, Permanent)
Aldrich's lips curled into a rare smile. "This skill might be my ace with my strength," he murmured.
His eyes shone, and then he thought, Just one card and it can kill the current me… but the mana cost. I can't even use it more than twice yet. Good thing I'm safe here. I need to invest more in my Intelligence.
Leveling my class boosts my Strength and Vitality a lot, so I won't need to think about those two right now.
He then committed to at least distribute five points in Intelligence in the future.
Let's start training throwing cards! Rubbing his two hands together, the next phase of Aldrich's plan took shape.