Conditions of the Code (3)

'Have you seen the Young Lady?'

'Is she really back?'

'She has this beautiful long black hair and mesmerizing blue eyes like the count and her brothers.'

"You saw? You saw the young lady?!"

'Have you heard? She had been staying at the old mansion for a while now.'

'That must be the reason why Count visit the old mansion everyday'

'I heard she went on a venture 2 months ago. . .'

'Wait, that was the young lady?'

The knights who first witnessed the appearance of Kaleena never spoke about it because of the sensitivity of the topic but speculations and rumors among the servants spread like wildfire.

Only selected servants and knights saw the rumored young lady since she never came out of her room but her existence is proven real with boxes of girls clothes, shoes and accessories continuing to pour in and meals are regularly delivered to her room.

She didn't resume her weapons training or lessons since her condition is still under observation. She quietly stays in and reads books all day long.

Konrad provided her books, clothes and everything she needed. He will sometimes drop by and have tea with her,monitoring the code and side effects. She didn't utter any word under the pretext of her sore throat when the truth is it was healed days ago and they both know it.

She closed her book. She rang the bell for the first time and two maids came rushing in. They both have brown hair and hazel eyes. One with short brown hair and freckles is called Rissa and the other one with curly long hair and a mole in her chin is called Tami.

Rissa and Tami are her new assigned maids. The servants from the old mansion didn't appear again.

"Yes, my lady."

"Yes, my lady."

They await her orders with a bright face.

"I want to see the Co-- father. I want to see my father."

They both look at the young lady with a surprised look.

'What?'

"Ofcourse, my lady." Tami elbowed the slightly open mouthed Rissa.

"Ye-Yes, my lady." Rissa returns to her senses and bow again.

"What dress would you like to wear?" Tami asked.

'Dress?' She is wearing a light green long sleeved dress with loose little ribbon at the back.

"No. "

Her servants gave her a confused look. She looks clean but her clothes are one step closer to looking like sleepwear. She was not bothered about it and the count ignored etiquettes.

He doesn't knock. Even if he did, he opened the door right away. She faces him in her nightgown or after training outfit. If she is being honest, her look right now is the most presentable look she had ever since they met.

*Knock Knock

"Your Grace, It's Hoston. Lady Kaleena has requested your audience."

Konrad stopped from writing and glanced at the door. He didn't expect her to visit him nor the name 'Kaleena' will ever be mentioned again.

"Let her in."

A young lady in a light green soft dress walked in. Her jet black hair glossed over and complemented her blue eyes. Konrad looked at her with anticipation in his eyes. He thought of his own daughter entering. He stopped for a moment before returning to his senses. She wasn't her. He didn't know why he expected his own daughter to walk in.

Konrad receives her and gestures for her to sit down. He rang the bell and Hoston entered.

"Prepare tea and chocolate drink."

Hoston didn't say a word and just bowed down. He looked at the father and daughter and expected a loving reunion atmosphere but there was nothing like that.

Konrad sits across from her. A soft knock came and the refreshment arrived almost immediately as if they were already prepared. The servants left, and Konrad started drinking his tea.

"How is the code?"

"It's fully restored and no headaches anymore."

She rolled up her sleeves and showed the perfectly engraved code. Konrad opens his palm and she rests her wrist on his. The count slightly closed his hand to feel the code. His daughter's code. For the past month this code was endangered of disappearing and even after she regained her consciousness the code was still incomplete.

The count raises his other hand and brushes his blue jewel pin with his hand. A violet ray of light appeared and scanned her code.

A scene she was familiar with, back when she sneaked out and observed the town for the first time, she saw how the guards use an item that produces the same purple light to scan code.

"..?!"

A purple semi transparent screen pops out in front of the count. Kali flinched at its sight and immediately retracted her hands. They both are wide open staring at each other.

'System' She screams internally.

The floating screen is identical to the system's screen but instead of the blue color screen it is purple.

"What is the matter, child?"

"What is that?"

"Code Information Screen."

"..." She tried reading it from the back but she can't make anything out of it.

"It's your identification.

Her eyes grew big. The system has that same feature, the 'Profile' Tab.

THE SYSTEM: [ Profile Tab]

Player's Name : ???

Title/s : Ogre Slayer

The Hundred Mutant Hunter

Level : 41

(Exp needed to level 42)

[. . . .]

"It is different from what I saw in town. . .In town there was no screen. . . th, They use some kind of device and . . . there is a crystal ball. . ." The thing she saw back in town is a small item with a blue stone embedded similar in color to the Count's blue stone pin. She tries to look calm and be rational but the purple floating screen is so much alike that it made her panic for a moment.

'Did he force the system out? Does he have it too? How. . .'

"This. . . " Konrad rubbed his blue stone pin.

". . . and the item you saw is called 'Code Readers'. They are used to read code information. The difference is I granted him 'authority' to read code. "

"What do you mean by authority?"

The count pursed his lips together, swallowing a sigh.

"Nobles can read codes while commoners do not possess authority or ability to read any code."

". . ."

" However, nobles can grant part of their authority to commoners. "

"Why would you do that?"

"Leverage."

". . . . . . ah" She finally got the basics.

'The nobles have both the ability to read code and give commoners the same ability. Nobles use commoners like the guard checking the identities of travellers in behalf their Lord. . . '

"How much of 'authority' can be granted?"

". . ."

". . ."

"I'll prepare a book about 'The Code', next time." Konrad picked up his tea and sipped it beautifully.

'He doesn't want to explain.' She swallowed a snort.

"Thank you, your grace but can I ask what my information says?" She needed to know, how much different it is from the 'Profile' tab of the system or was it any different?

She is guilty of omitting information if her secrets were to be discovered. This way she can see the worst case scenario, her arm being amputated to get back the code.

"Impossible to read."

~ Code Information Screen ~

Name: K2◇•●°¥@,÷ °[!¥+&@

Age: ▪︎▪︎

Nationality: 0•!¥#,÷ ₩!*

[________]

!*!_@*@*@))!)!_

Title: [••¡~20•]°!¥@;÷^#(#

: 9[°[°"\°92}[°

[Other Information are Unreadable]

They both frown at the floating purple screen. It was indeed unreadable.

"You have two titles." Konrad lightly taps the screen.

'Ogre Slayer and The Hundred Mutant Hunter' She remained silent not by choice.

"Looks like the code is not yet truly complete" Konrad waved his hand and the 'Code Information Screen' disappeared.

Her eyes twitch before nodding and return to her seat. They become quiet once again.

'The Code and System Screen are oddly too similar with each other. Does he know the system too? I have to be more careful using the system'

Since she knows the count will not answer her questions anymore, she has no other choice but to rely on the book the count will provide.

'He is always like this. . . answer some then cut it short.'

What is the connection between the code and the system? Is it connected to her past? She is determined to find her answers but first, she has to ask the count some questions again. . .