[Eden's POV]
The ability to feel someone else's emotion
Is this a good or bad ability? Many people may think it's a useful skill. It's a bit like wielding a two-edged sword. It can be much easier if you can read the emotions of the person in front of you. And, to be honest, I tend to agree.
It is, in my opinion, one of the most powerful qualities to possess. The ability to perceive and respond to the emotions of others is akin to having a backstage pass to the human psyche, a ticket to the heart of any topic. It's a golden ticket for skilled manipulators to dominate anyone.
However, the angle from which you view the ability is really important. Consider a young, innocent girl, her eyes full with wonder but naive of the world's darker tones.
With this unique ability, she could absorb not only her loved ones' happiness, but also their deepest tragedies and darkest feelings.
It's a two-edged sword for her as well. These profound, agonizing feelings swirling around her pure soul have the potential to break her.
It's as if you're staring into the abyss and it's staring back at you, threatening to suck you in. The weight of feelings she can't quite grasp may push her past the point of no return.
"Huh."
The pink-haired girl's surprised and confused voice came from her lips as she gazed at me, her unexpected reaction drawing everyone's attention.
"What are you doing?"
The black-haired girl said her voice was irritated, but she disregarded her and stared at me in a stupor.
"Any problem, Lady Nadya?"
The woman, clad in a full suit of armor, inquired, concern etching her features.
"N-no, nothing," Nadya said, emerging from her trance and seeking to shelter herself from whatever had provoked her peculiar reaction by hiding behind the armored lady.
I, not one to let awkward silence linger, decided to break the ice. "Something I can help you with?"
"Let them in".
A authoritative voice sliced through the tension from behind me. I turned to see Sylvia standing regally with her arms folded beneath her breast.
Following her lead, I flung the door wide open, welcome them inside.
"It's an absolute honor to be under your care, Lady Sylvia," the lady in armor said respectfully, her words dripping with genuine reverence. The opinions were repeated by the other two girls, who also showed their respect.
Sylvia, in her regal grace, acknowledged their gestures with a warm grin and a nod.
"It's heartwarming to see you all grown up," she said, her eyes brimming with nostalgia.
"The last time I saw you both, you were just toddlers." As she took in the looks of the girls, her chuckle echoed throughout the room.
"Linda, you've grown up splendidly," Sylvia said, her words illuminating the young girl's face like a ray of sunshine. The armored lady, too, couldn't help but smile proudly and joyfully.
"Ember had filled me in on your situation, so you can stay here, and no one will bother you," Sylvia promised them with a warm and reassuring grin. Both girls nodded in acknowledgement.
"Thank you," they chimed in unison, showing their respect with a graceful bow.
Sylvia continued, "You're free to choose any room for yourselves; every room is vacant." With her words, the trio of girls moved on a quest to find their ideal room, leaving Sylvia and me alone in the main hall.
"Aren't you famous, Master".
As soon as they moved out of our sight, I said as I moved closer towards her.
"What do you know, brat? I am pretty famous, you know".
She replied with a proud smile.
I furrowed my brow, puzzled by their early arrival. "So, why did they come so soon? Weren't they supposed to arrive next month or so?".
The timing of the dungeon outbreak should be around the same time as their arrival, but as of now, there is quite some time for the later event.
Sylvia's face became solemn as she spoke. "Things aren't looking good for the noble faction." Eve's continent's economic prosperity and the Merovingian royal family's rapid rise over the last year have set the scenario.
They'll establish a very strong alliance with the forthcoming marriage of the Darkoina continent's imperial family and the royal family of Eve's continent."
"So, the royal faction of the Darkoina continent is growing increasingly paranoid and is pressuring the neutral faction to align with their cause," I added, highlighting the situation's complexities
"Exactly," Sylvia said as she wrapped up the assessment, "and both girls, being the granddaughters of one of the leaders of the neutral faction, have suddenly become prime targets for marriage alliances aimed at binding the neutral faction firmly with the royal faction."
My perplexity grew, and I couldn't help but wonder, "How is there such a sudden economic boom?"
Sylvia's statement put some light on the situation, but I couldn't help but feel the gears in my head start to turn.
"I'm not entirely sure, but they've introduced new, never-before-seen products that have gained tremendous popularity among both nobles and commoners."
As I mulled over the implications, my frustration bubbled up, and I couldn't help but mutter, "Ahh, fuck it!"
I bit my lower lip, considering all the potential scenarios that might unfold.
Sylvia put her hand on my head, ruffled my hair, and said, "Don't worry, I've got your back."
"Now go make some breakfast; don't run away like you do every day."
Sylvia shoved me in the direction of the kitchen before I could respond to her encouragement.
"Why me?" I groaned, slightly irritated by her request.
"Who told you to start making better food than me?" she responded, mockingly.
"Who told you to suck at cooking?" I couldn't help but respond.
"You!"
As she approached me aggressively, I took advantage of the chance to go to the kitchen, dodging her pursuit.
As soon as I walked into the kitchen, I thought to myself, 'Edda, show me my stats.' With that command, a holographic screen appeared in front of me.
=====================
Name: Eden Morton
Experience Points (XP): 95,663
Gold Coins: 190
Health Points (HP): 150/150
[Status]
Mage Path: Origin Level 3
Mana Art's: Void Breathing
Mana Points (MP): 370/370
~~~~
Knight Path: Origin Level 3
Aura Art's: Eclipsing Void.
Strength: 375
Agility: 380
Defense: 390
Endurance: 385]
[Hidden Status:
Luck: 9
Charm: 45
Charisma: 16 (locked)
Bloodline:
●"????"
●"Phonecia's Bloodline"
[Affinities: fire, water, wind, earth, space-time].
======================
I've been inside Kraken's domain for four months now, making my stay with Sylvia a total of ten months, and I'm fourteen years old.
As of now, I could see the fruits of my labor; the stats have a risen a lot, despite the fact that I have spent over half of the day within the dungeon killing creatures.
"Soon," I said to myself, a determined glint in my eyes as I scrolled through the experience points on the screen. Just one more run through the dungeon, and I'd be able to buy the elixir.
I reached towards the counter and wore the apron as I started to make preparations for the breakfast, but my mind was preoccupied with something else.
'Was it the butterfly effect?'
I was thinking about the current scenario.
On Eve's continent, one of the reasons I left the continent as a whole was that I didn't want to have too much of an impact on the plot of the story, at least the plot of the first game.
After all, the ending of the first game was linked to my life, but it appears that things did not happen as planned.
"Don't you die on me, Princess" .
I murmured as I recalled my ex-finance. For her, death is an easy way out, and I don't want that. Though Sylvia never openly said this out of concern for me, I know Angelina is in a pretty fucked-up position.
She had become a prime target for assassination by the Royal Faction of Darkoina, a critical link between the two continents.
As the game's events unfolded, the dark church intensified their hunt for her, driven by her unique bloodline. In addition, there lurked a traitor within her own family, hell-bent on ending her life.
"It looks like I need to make quite a few more backup plans." I mumbled as I placed a lively vegetable on the counter, its odd sounds evoking an attempt to escape, but I held it firm.
With a swift, decisive motion, I sliced it in half, and its last cry echoed through the kitchen before it was consigned to the boiling water.
I had already planned to take as much as possible from the game's characters.
Every item that will help me increase my strength is within the reach of my fingers, but more than that, I needed individuals I could trust enough to pass over some of my plans to, and I have a few people in mind, but more importantly,
"Let's begin with taming the villainess" .