Pawn

Bel stared at the floating screen in front of him, his breath caught in his throat. His hands trembled slightly as he reached out, though he couldn't touch it.

The glowing letters remained perfectly still, as if waiting for him to process what he was seeing.

[ Draconic Evolution System Activated ]

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Name: Belzerion

Title: None

Race: Dragon

Class: Lesser Wyrmling

Level: 1

EXP: 0/100

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Core Stats:

HP: 50/50

MP: 10/10

Strength: 10

Toughness: 12

Intelligence: 10

Speed: 10

Agility: 11

Stamina: 14

Pressure: 1

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Draconic Core: 1%

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Unlocked Traits:

- Wyrm's Resilience

Slightly enhanced endurance and recovery.

Bel blinked, his mind struggling to grasp what he was seeing. He could read the words, but their meaning escaped him. Was this some kind of magic? A message from the gods?

He had barely learned how to read numbers, let alone understand something like this. His eyes darted through the strange glowing text, trying to make sense of it. 

Race: Dragon. His stomach twisted. Was that really him? He tried to recall everything that had happened, the burning village, the bodies, his master lying dead on the ground.

His fingers clenched the sheets beneath him. He barely remembered losing consciousness, but here he was, alive, in an unfamiliar place.

Before he could process anything further, the door creaked open.

A well-dressed man entered, his refined steps soft against the polished wooden floor. The butler, middle-aged with streaks of silver in his neatly combed hair, carried himself with grace. His sharp, discerning eyes studied Bel before speaking.

"I see you are awake, young master. How are you feeling?"

Bel hesitated before sitting up, his body surprisingly light despite what he had endured.

"I... I think I'm fine," he admitted, still distracted by the glowing system hovering before him.

The butler nodded, stepping closer.

"That is good to hear. You have been unconscious for nearly two days. Given the circumstances of your arrival, that is quite fortunate."

Bel frowned, pushing aside the screen in his vision.

"Where... am I?"

The butler clasped his hands together.

"You are currently in the estate of Duke Alden Verholt, in the capital province of Eldoria. You and the Baron were brought here after the attack on your village. The Baron has a long-standing relationship with Duke Verholt, and as such, he was offered temporary refuge until assistance arrives from the royal capital."

Bel swallowed hard.

"And... what about the others? The people from my village?"

The butler's composed expression faltered for just a moment.

"I'm afraid... there were very few survivors. The Duke has sent messengers to the capital, but for now, the Baron and his daughter are the only others who made it here."

Bel felt a cold weight settle in his chest. His master was gone. The village, the only home he had known, was in ruins. And now, he was in the house of a noble, alone and uncertain of what lay ahead.

His eyes flicked back to the glowing screen still hovering in front of him. It was there, clear as day, yet the butler hadn't even glanced at it. Did he not see it?

Bel hesitated, shifting slightly. He looked at the butler, then subtly turned his gaze toward the floating text, trying to see if he would react.

Nothing. The butler remained composed, watching him with mild concern.

Bel swallowed, his throat dry.

"Do you... see anything strange?" he asked carefully, tilting his head slightly toward the screen.

The butler raised an eyebrow.

"Strange?" He studied Bel for a moment, then frowned. "Are you feeling unwell? You did suffer considerable trauma. It would not be unusual to experience some disorientation."

Bel's fingers twitched. So it was only visible to him. He wasn't imagining things. His stomach churned. Whatever this was, it wasn't just some passing hallucination. It was real. And it was his alone to deal with.

The butler studied his reaction before continuing.

"The Duke will be expecting to speak with you once you have recovered. Until then, you are free to rest here. If you require anything, do not hesitate to call upon the staff."

Bel nodded slowly. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, but one thing was clear, his life had changed forever. 

Suddenly, the door burst open with such force that the butler took a startled step back. Bel flinched as a figure stormed into the room.

It was the Baron.

Before Bel could even react, the man rushed to his bedside, gripping his shoulders and scanning his face with an intensity that left Bel speechless.

"Boy! You're awake! Thank the heavens!" the Baron exclaimed, his voice thick with exaggerated relief.

His hands moved, patting Bel's arms, his forehead, even shaking his shoulders slightly as if to make sure he was truly there and not just some dream.

Bel opened his mouth, but no words came out. He had expected anger, suspicion, maybe even fear. But this? This was something else entirely.

The butler, still standing a few steps away, looked just as stunned. Bel took note of it. At least one thing was certain, this wasn't normal.

"I... I'm okay," Bel finally stammered, his voice hesitant.

The Baron exhaled deeply, as if those words had lifted a great weight from his chest. But there was something in his eyes, a mix of relief and something like anxiety, or fear. 

This was at least what his trembling hands were saying.

"Good! Good, that's what matters!" he said before suddenly turning to the butler.

"Why is he sitting here like this? He just woke up after all that, and there's nothing for him to eat? Do I have to handle everything myself?!"

The butler stiffened, recovering his usual composure.

"My lord, I was in the process of checking his condition..."

"Enough excuses! Go fetch something for the boy! He needs strength! Make it the best breakfast in this estate!"

The butler hesitated for only a second before bowing.

"As you wish, my lord."

Bel watched the butler retreat swiftly from the room, still confused by the whole performance. The Baron turned back to him, his expression softening once more.

"You gave me a real scare, boy," he said with a shake of his head. "For a moment back there, I thought I'd lost you too."

Bel hesitated. The Baron had never shown such care before. In fact, they never interacted before. The way he was acting now didn't match the ruthless nobleman the villagers whispered about.

Bel swallowed past the lump in his throat, gathering his courage.

"What… happened?"

The Baron's smile faltered. He sighed, rubbing his temples as if trying to push away a terrible headache.

"Demons happened, boy. My estate, my people... all gone." His voice wavered just slightly, but he pushed through. "We are the only survivors. You, me, and my daughter. That monster wiped everything else out."

Bel felt his fingers clench into the sheets, his knuckles trembling. He had suspected it, he had witnessed some of it, but hearing it confirmed his fear. His village.

His home. His master. All gone forever. A hollow emptiness spread through him, the images of burning houses, the screams, the blood soaking the dirt. He had nothing left.

No place to return to, no familiar faces, only a past erased in a single afternoon. His breath came in short, uneven bursts, his vision blurring for a moment before he forced himself to swallow it down.

The Baron took a deep breath, then placed a firm hand on Bel's shoulder.

"Listen to me. I refused to abandon you. After what we endured together, I couldn't just leave you behind." His grip tightened slightly. "You're like a son to me now, boy. That's why, from this day onward, you will be an honorary member of my house."

Bel's breath hitched.

"W-what?"

The Baron nodded, his expression firm, yet his tone almost too rehearsed.

"You heard me. I'm not just saying empty words. As far as I'm concerned, you are part of my family now." His voice carried a kind of conviction that left no room for doubt, though something about it felt carefully placed. "You will be treated with the utmost care, given proper training, and when the time comes, you will serve as a knight under my house's name."

Bel could barely process what he was hearing. The Baron, the same man he used to criticize when he was mentioned, was now swearing to protect him. Offering him a place, a purpose. But why? Just because he was from his estate?

The Baron turned toward the door impatiently.

"Where is that damn butler? That meal better be here soon!" He scoffed before turning back to Bel with a small smirk. "I won't have my knight starving under my roof. From today onward, you'll be treated with the utmost care as the knight of House Eldrin."

Bel sat there, stunned, as his life shifted once more.

A new life, a new role, a new fate, and a mysterious system that had entered his life, invisible to others offered to him.