Pain pulsed in every corner of my body, a slow, dull throb that reminded me I wasn't dead.
Yet.
The System's translucent interface hovered just above my head like a patient vulture, waiting for me to act.
[Wealth-to-Power System ACTIVE]
[Current Balance: 1000 Gold Crowns]
[Available Upgrades:]
— Basic Vitality Boost (50 GC)
— knight Rank Strength Boost (1000 GC)
— Enhanced Poison Resistance (800 GC)
The list scrolled endlessly. Each item, a tantalizing promise—strength for sale, survival for the rich.
"Buy Basic Vitality Boost," I whispered hopefully
[Transaction Confirmed. -50 GC]
[Vitality Boost Acquired. Regeneration +15%. Fatigue Recovery Improved.]
Warmth spread through my body like sunlight spilling through storm clouds. My breathing eased. The heaviness in my limbs lightened slightly.
I gasped as I felt the instant relief hit my body. The system was real, I wasn't hallucinating.
I felt a compelling urge to laugh out loud. I had thought my luck had been exemplary when I was given a second chance at life, who would have thought that that wasn't the end.
I had a golden finger. I had a system
Selene stirred from where she'd dozed beside me. Her eyes fluttered open, puffy and red.
"You're awake again," she said softly.
"I don't plan to die twice," I murmured. Not ever, if possible, who knew what I was capable of with the system.
She smiled faintly but didn't speak. Instead, she reached for a damp cloth and gently wiped the sweat from my brow.
"You were burning up," she said. "Garron had to argue with the physician to keep your bodyguards in place."
"Smart man," I said. "I imagine Reynard is furious I didn't croak quietly."
Selene looked at me weirdly. I knew why, I couldn't help but curse my predecessor in my mind. Lucien was the heir to House Aureville, one of the strongest and wealthiest houses in the Pierre Kingdom.
His parents had disappeared when he was young, about ten years old. He had been too young to inherit his father's title then, and his uncle had taken over as regent.
Lucien had trusted his uncle, not too much since he had been cautioned by his father's close associates.
His uncle meanwhile had worked hard, during this period he had blackmailed, bribed and threatened most of his father's associates.
The old Lucien couldn't see this since he trusted his uncle. But for him now he could totally see how Reynard had eroded Lucien's power base.
In fact Lucien himself had been responsible for giving away most of his authority to Reynard.
Until finally when it had approached Lucien's seventeenth birthday and official time to inherit he had felt confident enough to get rid of Lucien and make an open power grab.
The reason Selene was surprised was that Lucien showed open disdain and distrust for Reynard, and respect for Garron. it was usually the opposite.
Selene hesitated.
She opted to speak her thoughts. "He's... playing the doting uncle for now. He's declared you under 'close watch for recovery.'"
i nodded in understanding.
A prison with velvet curtains. I was still in danger.
[System Notification: Fate Interference Detected – Passive Defense Activated]
[New Upgrade Unlocked: Aura Concealment – 250 GC]
Interesting. The System wasn't just a glorified shop; it was reacting to threats. That meant it could grow with me, adapt.
I remembered how much of my predecessors control and right over the estate had been eroded. if it wasn't for Garron and a few more people loyal to his father, he might just have croaked sooner.
in the end, Reynard had still gotten to him. I didn't plan to follow in my predecessor's footsteps, not while I'd gotten another chance at life. This was my life now, I was Lucien D' Aureville, and that wasn't going to change anytime soon.
I knew that Reynard would get increasingly desperate as time went on. I was still the heir to house Aureville and he knew that. I needed to be more careful and proactive.
I glanced at the interface again. i needed more money. Lots and lots of it
The system's prices weren't helping either. They were downright daylight robbery.
From my predecessor's memories I knew that the currency in this world was divided into copper, silver and gold.
One Gold was worth a hundred silver coins while a silver coin was worth 100 copper coins.
A gold coin could basically feed a family for six months. The 1000 gold coins were likely due to Lucien's affluent background.
To other people it was basically an astronomically high amount. Enough for them to live in incomparable luxury
I scrolled down to look for the most important option.
Healing Lucien's body.
This world had supernatural power. A single person could take down a country.
One of the reasons Lucien was in so much trouble was due to his condition. He couldn't train, his body refused to generate aura.
He had been stuck as an apprentice for a long time. When he tried to advance to an official knight, his body would produce a terrifying backlash, once he had been so heavily injured he had almost died, much to Reynard's delight.
The bastard had been practically beaming when he came to 'visit' his nephew.
He had made sure to spread the news everywhere. As intended this had made some people give up their support of Lucien.
They judged that he wasn't worth following. Even if he commanded strong experts like Garron, without personal strength they felt he was still inadequate. House Aureville had been built by his grandfather and father, both had been astoundingly strong experts.
They had built House Aureville to the giant it was now. Even if they weren't present, their name still gave their enemies pause. If I wanted to inherit house Aureville without future problems, I needed to be able to raise my personal strength.
I needed to look for a cure to the problem .The system seemed like a safe bet. I searched for the healing options. immediately. My breath hitched as I saw the options
[Heal: ]
— Heal poison - 5GC
— Heal wounds - 10 GC
— Heal everything - 100 GC
I looked at the balance and without hesitation chose heal everything. I felt my body immediately change. All the pain disappeared.
The weakness from the poison swiftly followed along as I felt strength return to my body. My muscles limbered and my brain clearer than ever.
It was subtle at first—like something in my body shifted into place. My joints felt cleaner, smoother. My fingers no longer trembled.
I sat up, slowly. Selene gasped, but I held up a hand.
"I'm fine," I said. "Better than I've felt in... ever."
She looked at me like I'd grown horns. "That's impossible. You were half-dead last night!"
I grinned. "Turns out money can buy health."
She didn't laugh.
Her hand closed around mine. "Lucien. Be careful."
"I intend to be," I said. "Careful—and lethal."