12~ Pity

12~ 

"System show me status"

[Displaying Updated status]

|Status|

Name : Cardea

Age: 16

Class: none

Grade: none

Rank: E

Combat power: -E

Strength : E

Endurance : D

Agility : D

Intelligence : B

Mana : B

Luck : B

Title: Clear headed fool

Skills: 

-Engraving

-Oppression

-Spell storage

-Aegis

Technique: Dash

Shop points : 55500

| Inventory | Shop |

—

" hmm i am not sure if its good or bad but its improvement, system open skill window "

[Processing…]

[Displaying skills ]

Skill: Engraving

grade/rank: pawn/C

Class: main

Category: Crafting.

Mastry: 50%

A skill that allows the wielder to engrave the will onto the target.

Note: More information will be revealed as mastery increases

Cooldown: None

Cost: Unknown

…

Skill: Oppression

grade/rank: Bishop/B

Class: main

Category: area target, selective target, mental attack.

Mastry: 0%

A skill that allows the wielder to emit a certain presence to those the wielder considers as enemies or sets them as targets.

Note: More information will be revealed as mastery increases

Cooldown: None

Cost: none

…

Skill: Spell storage

grade/rank: Bishop/E

Class: Sub

Category: Crafting and storage.

Mastry: 23%

A skill that allows the wielder to store spells in the form of information, can be used in engraving or other crafting purposes.

Note: More information will be revealed as mastery increases

Cooldown: None

Cost: mana

…

Skill: Aegis

grade/rank: Queen/X

Class: sub main

Category: defence and attack

Mastry: 0%

A skill that has its own free will, will protect the wielder when it determines the wielder's life is in danger and the wielder is unable to do anything to prevent it.

Note: More information will be revealed as mastery increases

Cooldown: varies on the will of the skill

Cost: mana

…

"Everything looks fine, but what does 'Class' mean?"

[Classes are the classifications of skills based on their primary use.]

"So I have two crafting-related skills, one defensive skill, and two attack-based skills."

Aegis technically counts as both attack and defense, but since it's passive and I don't fully understand how it works, I won't count it as an active combat skill. As for the others, I have a general idea of how they function.

Mastery seems to determine how much of a skill's potential I can utilize, and it will grow as I continue using them.

A Few Minutes Later

Suzanne returned with a tray.

"Why are you in the same position as when I left?" she asked blankly.

"I'm not sure if it's okay for me to move around. I don't want to mess anything up," I admitted. She may have spoken blankly, but she still felt intimidating enough to make me blurt out my thoughts.

Suzanne let out a small chuckle but quickly covered her mouth the next second.

"You can move around, but you shouldn't walk yet. It's our fault for not explaining properly."

She helped me sit up on the bed and placed the bowl of chicken soup on the small table in front of me before stepping outside to talk to Layse.

…

Outside in the Living Room

Layse leaned against the kitchen counter, arms crossed, watching as Suzanne stepped out of the room.

Layse: "Is he eating?"

Suzanne let out a small sigh and nodded. "Yeah. He's struggling a little, but he won't ask for help."

Layse scoffed. "Typical. He doesn't trust us yet."

Suzanne sat down on the couch, rubbing her temples. "Can you blame him?"

Layse hesitated before replying. "No… I guess not." She paused for a moment, then narrowed her eyes. "Suz, I didn't ask earlier, but what exactly was he fighting? His injuries weren't from claws or bites. It looked like something kept piercing him—over and over again. Like a spear."

Suzanne didn't answer right away.

Layse took a deep breath. "I didn't want to say this in front of him, but his condition was worse than we thought. Broken ribs, a hole in his stomach—just an inch from his spinal cord—a dislocated arm, internal bleeding… and a severed blood vessel in his head. If you had taken him to a hospital, he wouldn't have made it."

Suzanne clenched her fists. "I know."

Layse eyed her suspiciously. "Do you? Because if you did, you wouldn't have just brought him here like it was nothing."

Suzanne stayed silent.

Layse glanced at the television, where a breaking news report was playing. Footage showed the ruins of a five-star hotel, reduced to rubble. The anchor's voice was grave as they described the attack of a Knight-Grade Mutant Monster, which had massacred everyone inside.

Layse's expression hardened. "That's where you were?"

Suzanne nodded. "Yeah."

Layse's fingers curled into a fist. "Don't tell me…"

Suzanne remained quiet.

Layse's voice dropped to a whisper. "He survived that massacre?"

Suzanne nodded again.

Layse swallowed. "And he fought a Knight-Grade monster?"

"Yes."

Layse exhaled sharply. "Holy hell. He's lucky to even be breathing. Good thing you got him out when you did."

Suzanne looked away.

Layse stiffened. Then realization dawned on her.

"Wait… he didn't just survive, did he?" She turned to Suzanne, her voice lower now. "He killed that thing, didn't he?"

Suzanne hesitated but eventually nodded. "Yes."

Silence.

Layse ran a hand through her hair. "I don't know if I should be impressed or terrified."

Suzanne finally spoke, her voice quieter. "Same."

Layse let out a dry laugh, but there was no humor in it. "Is that why you brought him here?"

Suzanne hesitated. "I… don't know."

Layse scoffed. "You don't know? You went against protocol, pulled an unknown factor out of a disaster zone, and you don't know why?"

Suzanne looked away, unable to answer.

Layse sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "This is just great. I don't know whether to be relieved that he made it or pissed that if you had gotten there earlier, he wouldn't have been in that nightmare in the first place."

Suzanne's voice was barely above a whisper. "We were told no one survived."

Layse glared at her. "But he did."

Suzanne shook her head. "I wasn't allowed to enter without clearance from the higher-ups."

Layse crossed her arms. "Since when do you care about their clearance?"

Suzanne had no response.

Layse sighed and sat down, staring at the ceiling. "You know what? I like the kid. He's quiet, he listens, and he doesn't complain. If he's willing to learn, I might take him in as my assistant."

Suzanne looked at her in surprise. "You would?"

Layse shrugged. "Yeah. He's got potential. And judging by what he's already been through, he doesn't need pity—he needs a direction."

Suzanne nodded slowly. "I'll check if he's done eating."

Layse's expression darkened. "Just don't pity him. That's the last thing he needs right now."

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