"You?!"
"Who are you?!" Rian demanded, his frown deepening as he beheld the unexpected girl who stood before him, opening the door.
The girl appeared remarkably youthful, her visage exuding an undeniable beauty and innocence.
Her modest and unassuming attire only served to enhance her aura of purity.
Upon hearing this, a flicker of surprise danced across the girl's features as she gazed at Rian, her concern evident.
"Are you alright?" she asked, her voice tinged with worry.
"Do you have any lingering wounds causing you pain?"
Drawing closer to Rian, a nervous expression etched itself onto her face.
Witnessing this, Rian felt a twinge of surprise, realizing that the woman standing before him seemed both oblivious and apprehensive when meeting his gaze.
"I'm fine, thank you," Rian replied, shaking his head gently.
He recognized that it was the young woman who had rescued him, and he felt obliged to express his gratitude.
Upon hearing Rian's reassurance, the girl let out a sigh of relief, her tension dissipating.
"Huff! That's a relief!" She patted her ample chest, exhaling audibly in relief.
Rian furrowed his brow slightly and couldn't resist asking, his curiosity piqued, "Aren't you afraid of sudden encounters with strangers?"
After all, they had only just met and engaged in conversation.
It seemed rather unusual for the girl to display such worry towards a newfound stranger, didn't it?
The girl, with her adorable countenance, shook her head in response.
"No, I don't think like that at all!" she replied earnestly.
"My mother taught me to always lend a helping hand and not turn a blind eye to those in need."
She spoke with a resolute grip on her palms, displaying her seriousness to Rian.
Rian, taken aback by her words, couldn't help but let out a helpless sigh.
"I can't quite figure out if this girl is truly innocent or just naive," he mused.
In this world, acts of kindness toward strangers were a rarity, and Rian, a keen observer of the world, understood that the concept of kindness was often nothing more than an elusive illusion.
This encounter marked the second occasion where he had encountered genuine kindness, the first being with Arthur.
"Her mother has certainly instilled valuable lessons," Rian contemplated, his gaze fixed upon the guileless girl standing before him.
Inquisitively, he asked, "By the way, does your mother know about my presence here?"
"I mean, it wouldn't be right if your mother wasn't aware of my existence, would it?"
Rian couldn't help but feel a sense of unease at the thought of the girl facing his mother's reprimand for not informing her about his whereabouts.
As expected, the girl's expression immediately grew nervous, and she began to twirl her fingers anxiously.
"Well... my mom doesn't know about you," she admitted, her head bowed slightly in embarrassment.
Rian anticipated this response and let out a small sigh, understanding the situation.
"Well, I won't inconvenience you any longer. I should try to get up and leave," Rian stated, attempting to shift his body to leave the bed.
However, his wound stubbornly held him back.
"Cough!" A loud, forceful cough escaped him, and a wave of excruciating pain surged through his body.
Witnessing this, the girl promptly rushed to his side, her face filled with concern, and provided support to the ailing Rian.
"Please, don't move!" Her voice trembled with fear, as if she were in the presence of an immensely important individual.
Rian perceived this peculiarity, but the intensity of his pain prevented him from dwelling on it.
Taking a deliberate, deep breath, he focused on harnessing the mana within his body, channeling it with utmost care.
Unfortunately, the mana appeared to be ensnared or restrained, rendering it impossible to channel.
"Hey~" Rian sighed helplessly, accepting the girl's assistance as he settled back onto the bed.
Relief washed over the girl's countenance, accompanied by a tinge of anger in her voice.
"Didn't I tell you? Don't move!"
The corner of Rian's mouth twitched in response to the unexpected scolding from the girl.
Surprisingly, Rian didn't experience annoyance or any negative feelings towards the girl; instead, he sensed a strange familiarity that he couldn't quite recall.
"If my daughter grows up well... perhaps she'll be around the same age as this girl," Rian contemplated, his gaze shifting between the girl before him and the memories of his own daughter.
Engrossed in his musings, Rian's introspection was abruptly interrupted by a resounding knock on the door of the wooden house.
"Knock!"
The girl's complexion turned instantly pale, and she gasped in shock.
"That's my mom!" she exclaimed, realizing that her mother had returned.
Suddenly, an adult female voice resonated from outside the room where Rian and the girl found themselves.
"Darling, are you in there?" Her mother approached, and the sound of her footsteps was distinctly audible.
"Knock!"
"Darling?" The knocking continued persistently, deepening her mother's perplexity with each unanswered call.
The girl's panic surged, leaving her unsure of what to do next.
She turned to Rian with a questioning gaze, hoping for guidance.
To her astonishment, Rian's countenance transformed from one of calmness to sheer shock upon hearing the sound.
Caught off guard, the girl let out a gasp of shock, observing the rapid shift in Rian's expression.
Just as she was about to inquire, the room's door creaked open gradually, revealing a woman of mature age with an unassuming appearance yet possessing an undeniably timeless beauty.
"Darling? I called you numerous times."
"Why haven't you been responding?" The woman scolded her daughter, but her admonishment abruptly halted as she noticed the man lying on the bed beside her daughter.
Taken aback by the unexpected sight, the woman's initial intention to scold her daughter dissolved in an instant as her gaze landed upon the man.
"You... Rian?!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with disbelief and astonishment.
...
Arthur gazed at his reflection in the mirror, a smile playing on his lips.
"Ckckck! So, this is the sensation of instant strength," Arthur chuckled, his excitement evident.
Without delay, he called out to his panel.
"Appraisals."
[Statistical Data]
[Name: Arthur Asvold]
[Title: Only Son of Duke Asvold's Mansion, Heir, Temporary Ruler of the Southern Region, Owner of Astonishing Talents (Formerly)]
[Special Title: Sole Possessor of Space Core, the Unique Bearer of Two Cores]
[Age: 15 years old]
[Awakened Core: Fire (Outer)/Space (Hidden)]
[Level: Two-Circle Element (Fire)/Two-Circle Element (Space)]
[Hobbies: Reading, Practicing, Playing Chess,...]
[Mastered Elemental Arts: Fireball (Fire Elemental Art: One Star), Warp Space (Space Elemental Art: One Star), Space Teleport (Space Elemental Art: One Star)]
[Ambition: Return to his world, become the strongest, change destiny, rule the Balka Empire,...]
[Talent: Extremely Strong (Special Core Holder)]
[Main Task: Please Refer Here...]
Arthur gazed at his astounding stats and couldn't help but shake his head in disbelief.
"This is truly remarkable," he murmured softly.
The previous night, he had received a tremendous reward for his progress in the main mission, surpassing all his expectations.
Not only had his level been elevated to a two-circle elemental, but both of his cores had simultaneously leveled up!
"Damn! If I complete both tasks, I'll definitely become suddenly powerful and probably become an elemental saint?!" He thought, and perhaps it all made sense.
The task he had undertaken was undeniably arduous, making the reward all the more deserving, in Arthur's opinion.
"Speaking of rewards, the reward for my conquest of Jack and Natasya must have been incredible too!" Arthur pondered, prompting him to summon his panel once again.
"Combat stats!"
[Combat Statistics:]
[Name: Arthur Asvold]
[Mana: 2000/2000 (Fire Core: 500/ Space Core: 1500]
[Elemental Art Mastery: Fireball (Cost: -50 Mana), Warp Space (Cost: -100), Space Teleport (Cost: -100)]
[Body Status: Excellent (Peak Condition)]
[Technique Mastery: Sword Art (Peak), Spear (Peak), Archery (Peak), Horse Riding (Peak),...]
Among the new rewards he had received was a brand—new panel!
"So this is what it looks like..." Arthur mused, holding his chin as he examined the new panel before him.
Distinct from his usual stats, this panel was specifically designed to provide a clear overview of his battle-mode statistics.
"All very comprehensive," Arthur remarked with a smile, his gaze filled with satisfaction as he examined his new panel.
The detailed explanations regarding mana and its usage would undoubtedly prove invaluable in his future endeavors.
"Deactivate," he whispered softly, causing the panel to vanish instantly.
Taking a deep breath, Arthur looked up at the clear sky outside, feeling a renewed sense of purpose.
"Hm, I wonder if Arthasia is still asleep," he thought, recalling how she had appeared fatigued after gifting him the rewards and promptly retreating to her system room.
Arthur shook his head and muttered, "Let her rest; she must be exhausted from last night."
Efficiently organizing his belongings, he prepared to depart.
After ten minutes of tidying up everything he had brought, he stretched lazily, feeling a pleasant sense of relaxation.
"Ugh, once this is done, I'll have to return to the mansion and resume the journey with Vivian's mother to Arkham." He sighed softly, feeling a tinge of weariness.
The journey to Arkham was lengthy and would require a significant amount of time.
Lost in his contemplation, he was abruptly brought back to reality by a persistent knock on the door.
"Knock! Knock!"
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