A Simple Kill

Bel stared at the glowing numbers on his system screen, his heart still pounding from the shock. EXP: 78/100.

He replayed the moment in his head.

He had been sitting there, wiping the boots, then, without any effort, he had crushed a spider, and his EXP had skyrocketed. There had been no other action, no other event between then and now.

He had trained for hours, pushing his body to its limits for small, gradual gains. Yet in a single instant, he had exploded his progress. It was clear. It had to be the kill.

"Killing… gives points?" he muttered under his breath.

For the first time, Bel considered the importance of the EXP stat. The system was clearly tracking something, measuring his progression in a way that wasn't about raw training alone. Experience.

It was right there in the name.

He took a deep breath, his fingers tightening around the boot he had used to crush the spider. He glanced at the purple blood oozing from the crushed remains.

It wasn't normal. He had killed plenty of spiders before, but never had one bled this color.

Why so much EXP… for something so small? Why purple?

His mind raced, connecting the pieces. The system had rewarded him massively for this tiny creature. If EXP was tied to combat, then logic dictated that the stronger the enemy, the more experience he should gain.

But this? A mere spider had given him more than any amount of training had.

What was it, really?

More importantly, if he reached 100/100 EXP… what would happen?

He exhaled sharply, grounding himself. This wasn't just about getting stronger anymore. This was about understanding the system itself.

He had been doing it wrong from the start.

He didn't need to train endlessly. He needed to fight.

And maybe… even kill.

The realization sat heavy in his chest, but the weight of uncertainty was quickly replaced by something else: curiosity. He needed to test this. To confirm it. To know what reaching 100 EXP would do.

Bel's eyes flicked back to the spider's remains. If this thing was worth so much… then what if he found another one?

There was only one way to find out.

Later that night, Bel sat in the library, his hands resting on an open book as the soft glow of candlelight flickered against the rows of towering shelves.

Across from him, Madame Alverna, the estate's senior maid and his assigned tutor, carefully turned the pages of an old manuscript, her sharp eyes glancing up every so often to ensure he was paying attention.

The lesson began as usual, focused on history, geography, and the intricacies of noble etiquette. But Bel's mind wasn't on the text before him. His thoughts circled back to the spider, its unnatural blood, and the massive jump in his EXP. He needed to know more.

Feigning casual curiosity, he closed his book and leaned slightly forward.

"Madame Alverna, I read something strange today. Do creatures with purple blood exist?"

Alverna's hand froze mid-turn. For a moment, there was silence. Then, slowly, she looked at him, her expression unreadable, yet a flicker of something, doubt? Suspicion? Crossed her face.

"Purple blood…" she echoed, setting the book down. "That is… not something commonly found in natural creatures. Why are you asking that?"

Bel kept his expression neutral, though his pulse quickened.

"So it does exist?"

She studied him carefully, her fingers interlacing on the table.

"Where did you hear of such a thing?"

Bel shrugged, keeping his voice as nonchalant as possible.

"I read about it in an old book, but it wasn't clear. It got me curious."

Alverna's lips pressed together, and she exhaled, as if debating something internally. The room felt smaller, the silence stretching uncomfortably. Then, after a long pause, she nodded to herself and spoke in a lower tone.

"Purple blood is… often associated with the demon race," she admitted carefully. "Not all, but many demons have it running through their veins. It is an unnatural trait, a sign of corrupted life. Seeing it is rare unless one has encountered a demon directly."

Bel stiffened. Demon. The spider… was a demon?

Alverna observed his reaction keenly, then tilted her head.

"Why do you ask, Bel? Have you seen such blood before?"

He hesitated. 

Thinking quickly, he let out a sigh and forced a tired expression.

"I… I think I did. Back in the village, when the demons attacked." He rubbed his temples, as if struggling to recall. "There was so much blood everywhere. I guess… I must have seen some."

Alverna's sharp gaze softened slightly. She leaned back in her chair, seemingly satisfied with his answer.

"I suppose that makes sense," she murmured. "It must have been a horrific sight for you."

Bel nodded, letting out a silent breath of relief. That was close.

But inside, his mind raced. The spider was a demon. That explained the massive EXP reward. But how did it even get there? He had found it inside a knight's boot, meaning it must have crawled in from somewhere. Most likely… the forest.

He had heard of lesser demons roaming around in untamed areas, but they were said to be weak, no threat to trained knights or adventurers. 

Bel felt his chest tighten with excitement. The system rewarded him for killing monsters. And the way forward was clear.

If he wanted to reach 100/100 EXP, there was only one place to go.

The forest.

The morning sun bathed the estate in warm light as Bel went about his plan. His target: Sir Aldric. His goal: get permission to enter the forest and hunt monsters.

For hours, Bel worked tirelessly to win the knight's favor. He polished the training weapons until they gleamed, fetched water before Aldric could even ask, and even went so far as to bring the knight his favorite morning tea, carefully prepared under the instruction of the maids.

Aldric, initially suspicious, eventually nodded in approval.

"Hmph. You're finally acting like a proper squire," he muttered, taking a long sip from his tea. "Maybe I misjudged you."

That was Bel's cue.

"Sir Aldric," he began, putting on his most eager yet respectful tone, "I've been thinking about our training, and I believe I need real combat experience. Not just eating and running, I mean actual fighting."

Aldric narrowed his eyes.

"... I thought we had an agreement... but go on."

Bel straightened.

"I want to learn how to battle monsters."

Silence. Aldric set his tea down with a sigh.

"Boy, you're barely holding a sword properly. You want to go picking fights with beasts?"

Bel nodded fervently.

"I won't learn unless I try! And think about it, if I go to the forest, I'll be out of your way for days. No need to watch over me constantly." He smiled innocently. "More time for you to enjoy your tea and peace."

Aldric raised a brow, mulling over the offer. A few days free from dealing with Bel? The thought was tempting. He exhaled through his nose before shaking his head.

"Fine. But don't come crying if a beast rips you apart."

Bel grinned.

"Of course not, Sir Aldric. I'll make you proud."

Later that afternoon, they set off toward the forest. Aldric rode ahead on horseback while Bel, chose to walk on foot to get as many stat points as possible.

As they approached the estate gates, the Baron and Dusteria arrived to see them off.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" the Baron asked, glancing between Aldric and Bel with concern. "Training is one thing, but the forest isn't forgiving."

Aldric smirked.

"The boy's more competent than I expected. He's holding up just fine thanks to my training. Nothing to worry about."

Bel bowed slightly, playing the part of the obedient knight-in-training.

"Sir Aldric has been a great mentor, my lord. I will learn well under his guidance."

The Baron's face lit up in an almost childlike delight. His eyes gleamed as if he had just been handed the most precious treasure in the kingdom. A dragon speaking to him with such poise and respect, it was beyond anything he had ever imagined.

He turned excitedly to Dusteria, as if expecting her to share his enthusiasm.

"Did you hear that, Dusteria? Our knight is truly starting to look like a noble!" His voice carried an almost giddy undertone.

Dusteria, however, had no such excitement. Her expression darkened, and with a sharp exhale, she rolled her shoulders in irritation before turning away without a word.

"Dusteria," the Baron called after her, his excitement faltering.

But she didn't stop, her stiff posture showing clear frustration. He sighed and turned back to Bel and Aldric with an apologetic smile.

"I must apologize for her rudeness. She's... still recovering from what happened to the village."

Bel shook his head.

"It's alright, my lord."

Aldric, watching Dusteria's reaction with mild amusement, muttered.

"Finally, a normal reaction." Then straightened. "Alright, enough standing around. Let's get going."

With that, the two departed, leaving behind the estate and heading toward the forest.

Bel and Aldric traveled through the dense forest, the late afternoon sun filtering through the canopy above. The scent of damp earth mixed with the occasional whiff of wildflowers, but Bel was too focused on his surroundings to appreciate it.

Aldric led the way on horseback, effortlessly guiding his mount over the uneven terrain, while Bel walked behind, keeping his steps light and controlled. Every few minutes, Aldric would glance back, ensuring his so-called apprentice wasn't slacking.

"You'll find that monsters tend to stay in predictable locations," Aldric explained as they navigated deeper into the woods. "The kingdom keeps track of their movements. Most creatures don't roam aimlessly; they stick to places where there's food or where their kind naturally gathers."

Bel nodded, taking in the information.

"So, if you know where they live, you can avoid... or hunt them more easily."

"Exactly." Aldric smirked. "And we're heading to one of those places now."

After several minutes, they arrived at a small clearing. A low, muddy patch with a few overturned logs marked the presence of a small group of boars, their thick hides bristling under the fading sunlight.

They were large, muscular creatures, their sharp tusks carving into the dirt as they rooted around for food.

Bel furrowed his brows.

"These are monsters?"

Aldric chuckled.

"Don't look down on them. Ever since the last Demon King fell, the power of monsters dropped significantly. The beasts we face now are weak compared to the past." He gestured at the boars. "But don't mistake 'weaker' for 'harmless.' They'll still gore you if you're careless."

Bel exhaled, gripping the short sword Aldric had given him. His heart pounded as he studied his target. A single boar, slightly smaller than the rest, lingered near the edge of the clearing. Aldric nudged his horse forward, causing the group to stir.

"I'll keep them distracted," he said. "You focus on one."

Bel inhaled sharply and crept forward, keeping his footsteps light. As Aldric moved his horse to the far side, the larger boars turned their attention to him, snorting aggressively. The smaller one, now slightly separated, was Bel's chance.

He lunged forward, aiming to strike. The boar's ears flicked, sensing danger, and it moved faster than expected. Bel's blade barely grazed its hide before the beast kicked out, forcing him to jump back.

"Tch... damn thing's quick."

He reset his stance, adjusting his grip. He tried again, feinting a swing before sidestepping. This time, the blade connected with the boar's side, cutting through flesh.

The creature squealed in pain but didn't drop. Instead, it charged wildly, forcing Bel to dodge, his foot catching on an exposed root. He barely kept his balance as the boar wheeled around for another attack.

Aldric laughed from the other side of the clearing.

"What's wrong? Thought this would be easy?"

Bel ignored him, eyes locked on his target. He adjusted his breathing, waiting for the right moment. As the boar lunged again, he pivoted to the side, bringing his sword down with both hands.

The blade buried into the beast's neck, slicing through muscle and bone. The boar let out a final cry before collapsing in a heap.

Bel panted, sweat dripping down his brow. His arms ached, his legs trembled, but he had done it. He had killed his first monster.

Then, something strange happened.

A sound, unlike anything he had heard before, echoed around him. It wasn't a cry of the forest or the shifting of leaves. It was something… mechanical. Almost melodic.

His heart skipped a beat. Slowly, he glanced up at the ever-present screen in his vision.

His jaw dropped.

[Level Up!]