To save us

It turned out to be a great decision to come out.

From that brief conversation at the bar, Arlo now knew exactly what he had to do—find a cure for the Scawy Virus.

If he succeeded, it would bring recognition to his family. That was the goal. Definitely not money.

…

After downing the last of his drink, he stood up and headed back to the main residence.

Arlo spent the next four hours locked in his room, researching and studying the Scawy Virus.

Thankfully, their family still retained most of its privileges, making information-gathering relatively easy.

"I guess going to school wasn't a total waste," he muttered, exhausted.

When he was younger, he'd been hailed as a genius. Despite barely studying, he consistently ranked among the top in his class. If not for his so-called bad attitude, he probably would've been a valedictorian. But that wasn't important now.

Just as frustration started creeping in, the system gave him a small but crucial boost.

[Host's overall intelligence has increased.]

It seemed to be a one-time enhancement, likely meant to help him tap into the full potential of his ability. Thanks to that, his understanding of the disease quickly reached 60%, which was enough to start formulating a cure.

Two more hours of deep research later, his comprehension hit 70%, and the system revealed the ingredients necessary for the cure.

Arlo leaned back in his chair, exhaling sharply as he stared at the list before him:

[Heigh Powder – C Grade]

[Green Fruit – D Grade]

[Geda Leaves – D Grade]

[Mountain Oar Plant – A Grade]

[Aloe Vera – B Grade]

[Fallen's Claws – C Grade]

The grading system measured the rarity and importance of materials. D-Grade items were common and could be purchased easily, while S-Grade items were so rare that only a handful existed in the entire kingdom.

"Maybe I can hire people to get them…" he murmured.

Then, the system dropped another bombshell.

[All materials above B-Grade must be obtained personally by the user. The potency of crafted items decreases significantly if this condition is not met.]

Arlo's expression darkened.

"You've got to be kidding me."

[…]

He was beginning to realize that, even with a system, life wouldn't just hand him things on a silver platter.

"I never thought I'd be putting in this much effort…" he sighed dramatically. "At this rate, I might fall sick myself. The only thing keeping me going is the mo—No… saving my family and the manor from ruin."

His deadpan delivery made it clear that even he didn't believe himself.

Just then, a knock on his door snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Excuse me."

The door slid open, revealing a young woman a few years older than him. She had long, glossy black hair and striking blue eyes, dressed in a simple yet elegant black gown.

She bowed slightly. "You called for me."

Her name was Lhea, the head maid of the manor.

Arlo studied her in silence before finally asking, "Everyone knows about my family's situation, including you. So why do you stay?"

Lhea blinked, momentarily caught off guard.

In all her years working here, this was the first time Arlo had asked about her thoughts. He had always been the same—selfish, detached, uninterested in anything outside his own comfort.

After a brief pause, she answered.

"As you should know. Your father saved me and my younger sister six years ago. If not for him, we would have met a terrible fate… If we were lucky, it would've been a quick death. I owe my life to this family."

Arlo raised a brow. "Dad did that?"

Lhea's expression twisted.

Don't tell me… he didn't even know.

Her opinion of him somehow managed to plummet even further.

Despite her young age, Lhea was highly respected in the manor. That was because she was a True Nexoran—a rare and powerful warrior ranked in the Nexoran hierarchy:

Basic Nexoran

Advanced Nexoran

True Nexoran (Lhea's rank)

Grand Nexoran

Master Nexoran

Peak Nexoran (believed to be a myth)

True Nexorans were extremely rare. The fact that she had reached that level made her one of the three strongest individuals in the entire manor.

In short, she could get away with hitting Arlo if she really wanted to.

"Is that all?" she asked, preparing to leave.

"Oh, right." Arlo grabbed a piece of paper, scribbled something down, and sealed it in an envelope. "Give this to my father. I'll be gone for a few days."

She accepted the letter, her frown deepening. "Gone? Where?"

"You don't need to worry about that. Just buy as much time as you can for my father until I return."

Instead of answering her, he pulled out another sheet of paper and began writing again.

"This is a list of materials I need. Make sure to acquire everything before I get back." He said, handing the other paper out.

Lhea glanced at the list before looking back at him. "What exactly are you planning?"

Arlo paused at the doorway, then glanced over his shoulder.

"…To save us."

And with that, he walked away.