"Tomorrow marks the seventh day since the Awakening Ritual ended. I hope you will not overstay and miss something important," Mikael said before closing the door behind him.

"Huh! I have been unconscious for a whole week?" Vlad gasped. "We need to move out right n—"

He stopped mid-sentence, his eyes shifting to the sleeping figure of Chloe in his lap.

"It’s not like we can reach in time even if we leave now," he sighed, leaning back. "I guess we will miss the orientation."

After staying still for a couple of seconds, he rubbed his eyes and stared at the blank space before him.

’Why am I still seeing these strange messages?’ he muttered, looking at the holographic screen before him.

[Congratulations! You have completed the first quest!

Quest: Surpass the Fire!

Description: Defeat Ronald, the Two-Ring Mage!

Status: Completed]

[Claim Reward]

He slowly lifted his hand, moving it towards the screen. His arm passed right through it. He felt nothing, as if it wasn’t even there.

"So it’s really just a hallucination," Vlad murmured, waving his hand around the screen. "Did I hit my head too har—"

His words came to an abrupt stop as he felt his finger touch something within the screen. He had accidentally pressed the claim button.

[Congratulations! You have received the following rewards for completing your first quest:

1. Access to the Status Screen.

2. Foresight Eye.]

’Huh? What does any of this even mean?’ Vlad muttered, more confused than before. After thinking for a few seconds, he asked with a gulp,

"W-who are you?"

[Hello, Host! I am Ren, an artificial intelligence, your personal assistant and the manager of the Legacy System.]

"Oh, I can communicate with this thing."

Vlad was both intrigued and surprised.

"What is this Legacy System, and why can only I see it?"

[The Legacy System is an advanced technology developed to help its Host obtain their true desire by providing them a series of quests. When the Host completes a quest, the Legacy System will provide suitable rewards, moving them one step closer to their goal.

Only the Host is able to see the system screen because the System is connected to your Soul.]

That was a load of nonsense. Vlad would have said as much, but he had already confirmed that even someone as perceptive as Mikael had not reacted in the slightest to the screen when he entered the room.

"Why was I selected by the Legacy System?" Vlad asked, his tone laced with suspicion. He knew nothing came without a price. The system must want something from him in exchange for helping him reach his goal.

[The Legacy System will ask for only one thing once the Host reaches their goal. Until then, the System requires nothing from the Host.]

Vlad massaged the bridge of his nose, trying to make sense of everything he had just read. In the end, he decided to accept the system, not entirely of course. He would never take on a quest that went against his principles.

Not that he could simply dismiss the system. It had never been his choice to begin with.

After a few seconds, he asked one more question.

"Is there anyone else who has access to the Legacy System?"

[Yes, there is one other person.]

"Who is it?"

[Error! The Host does not have sufficient authority to obtain that answer.]

"Eh?" Vlad raised an eyebrow. "Of course you won’t answer that. Then tell me who developed the Legacy System."

[Error! The Host does not have sufficient authority to obtain that answer.]

"Again?" he muttered, his brow furrowing. "How do I increase my authority?"

[By drawing closer to your goal.]

"Do you even know what my goal truly is?"

[Of course. It is to become the Legendary Knight and save Ja—]

"Alright, you can stop there," Vlad muttered, his eye twitching in irritation as the system struck precisely where it hurt.

Since the system already knew everything about him, Vlad decided to make use of its guidance.

"Show me the status screen," he ordered, composing himself.

[Initialising Host’s request...]

---

Status Screen

•Host Name: Vlad

•Rank: D

•Attributes: Lightning, Darkness

•Core: N/A

•Stats:

 –Strength: 32 Speed: 29

 –Defense: 31 Agility: 31

 –Endurance: 38 Vitality:40

•Skills:

 –Foresight Eye {Yet to learn}

---

"Are these my physical stats?" Vlad murmured, rubbing his chin. "They all seem quite low. Ren, what are the stats of the average adult human?"

[A regular adult human has physical stats of 8 to 10.]

"Oh, my stats aren’t as low as I thought," Vlad chuckled, rubbing the back of his head.

The next thing that drew his attention was the sole skill listed on the screen. Curious, he tapped on it.

[Foresight Eye: A forbidden ability that allows the user to see continuously 0.5 seconds into the future.

The Host does not possess a Core to learn this technique.]

"Th-this is an incredible ability," Vlad gasped, barely restraining himself from leaping out of excitement. He understood full well how decisive a difference of even half a second could make in a real fight.

Now he was looking forward even more to reaching the academy and forming his Core.

Every awakener, whether mage or knight, forms a core in their Nadir to store mana. It functions like a reservoir.

The core does not directly reflect the power of an awakener. It indicates how much mana they can draw upon.

The core can be expanded as the individual grows stronger, though the mana capacity of two individuals at the same level is not necessarily equal.

Naturally, capacity varies according to talent.

An A-rank’s Core can store more mana than one formed by a B-rank, and the gap only widens with each difference in rank.

"Meat..." Chloe groaned, shifting in her sleep, her head slipping from Vlad’s lap onto the bed.

"Having the dream of your life, are you?" Vlad chuckled softly, wiping the corner of her lips with the edge of his sleeve.

He was about to rise from the bed when Chloe spoke again in her sleep, her voice low and unsteady,

"Don’t... l-leave me, Papa... Mama."

Vlad leaned back onto the bed, took her hand gently between both of his, and whispered,

"I’m here, Chloe. Don’t worry." 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Vlad... d-don’t leave me..."

"I won’t. So rest easy," Vlad murmured, softly patting her head.

Chloe’s murmuring faded, and she settled back into a deep sleep.