Eren is getting Fat

"I believe the young master is a Self-Awakener," Oswald stated firmly, his tone carrying a mix of certainty and unease.

Hearing the butler's words, Edric sighed heavily and massaged his forehead. He wasn't particularly troubled by the idea of his second son being a Self-Awakener—if anything, he was secretly pleased. However, the circumstances surrounding Eren's awakening made him feel conflicted.

Unlike commoners, nearly all nobles underwent the ritual at the church to receive their blessings. The process wasn't just a tradition; it ensured that noble bloodlines remained strong and produced talented heirs. Some nobles sought Signets to gain strength and power, while others used them to refine their talents in various fields.

Not all Awakeners were warriors like adventurers and knights. Some pursued non-combat paths, like himself and his wife, Isadora.

The true advantage of a Signet was that it acted as a natural enhancer, accelerating one's progress and granting an edge over those without it.

For example, Edric had received his Signet at the age of fourteen in the church's blessing ceremony. Since he had always been more inclined toward business and wealth accumulation rather than combat, his Intellect attribute had been his highest. Over time, through rigorous work, his Signet had granted him skills suited for his field. One such ability was Mind Endurance, which allowed him to maintain clarity and concentration for extended periods, even during grueling hours of paperwork, strategic planning, and high-pressure meetings with other nobles.

That was how the blessing worked. It did not instantly grant power but rewarded dedication and effort in a chosen path.

Now, at his current age, he was a Level 2 Awakener, the same as his wife. Their progress had remained stagnant since they rarely trained or fought monsters like knights and adventurers. Instead, they focused on social gatherings, political maneuvering, expanding their business empire, and managing noble affairs.

Then there was Cedric, his eldest son.

Unlike his parents, Cedric had dedicated himself to both combat and strategy, splitting his time between battlefield training and political responsibilities. His efforts had earned him the rank of a Level 4 Awakener—a remarkable achievement considering his age.

Edric exhaled sharply, returning his thoughts to the current situation.

"My lord, what should we do?" Oswald asked, his voice laced with concern.

Both the butler and the Marquis understood the gravity of Eren's situation. For a fifteen-year-old to awaken his Signet and immediately gain a unique skill powerful enough to defeat a trained knight, it could only mean one thing—Eren's fate was set. He would have no choice but to follow the path of a combatant.

That was what truly troubled Edric.

It was exceedingly rare for an Awakener to gain a skill immediately upon receiving their blessing. Skills were earned through effort and experience, not freely granted. The fact that Eren had instantly acquired a powerful combat skill suggested that he possessed an extraordinary Signet, one that could potentially shape his entire future.

From Oswald's report on the duel, the conclusion was clear—Eren's skill was swordsmanship or combat-related. It wasn't just a matter of raw talent. He had never trained in swordplay before due to his long-term illness, and yet, he had completely overwhelmed a fully trained knight who wielded Aura.

A normal person could not accomplish such a feat.

For years, Edric had accepted the reality that his second son was weak and sickly. But now, fate had thrust a new, unpredictable path before Eren.

Hiding this information was no longer an option. The Count's daughter and her knight had already witnessed Eren's strength firsthand. There was no doubt that rumors would soon spread. Once the noble circles caught wind of this development, there would be pressure for Eren to attend Celestia Academy, the most prestigious institution for noble children with combat potential.

Edric sighed, rubbing his temple.

"We will leave the decision to Eren," he finally said, his voice heavy with resignation. "It is not my place to dictate his future."

Oswald nodded, understanding the Marquis' reasoning.

A brief silence filled the room before Edric suddenly narrowed his eyes and spoke again.

"Now that I think about it… have you noticed any changes in Eren lately?"

The butler hesitated, reflecting on the past few days.

"To be honest, my lord, I don't believe much has changed," Oswald replied after a moment. "The young master still spends most of his time in his room, lazing about as usual."

Just then, a thought struck him.

"Ah, wait—there is one thing."

Edric immediately straightened in his seat, his eyes sharp.

"And what would that be?"

"The young master's appetite has increased."

Edric blinked.

"...His appetite?"

"Yes, my lord," Oswald confirmed with a thoughtful expression.

"Lately, I've noticed that he requests more food than usual. He frequently asks the maids to bring extra meals to his room, especially sandwiches and seafood."

The butler then scratched his chin, recalling another peculiar detail.

"He even requested rice at one point, though we did not have any in stock. I had to personally arrange for shipments from the Far East merchants, which, as you know, was quite difficult to acquire."

Edric's dull confusion slowly shifted into amusement, a small smirk forming on his lips.

"Heh… I see."

Hearing that his son was finally eating well brought him unexpected joy. Both he and Isadora had always enjoyed indulging in different cuisines, so knowing that Eren shared their passion for food filled him with odd parental pride.

No wonder both of Eren's parents had gained some weight over the years and are now Fat.

With that, Edric took a piece of parchment and began writing a letter. Just as he finished, Oswald hesitated before speaking again.

"My lord… about that knight…"

"Leave it," Edric interrupted sharply, sealing the letter with his family crest. "I won't hold them accountable this time."

Oswald bowed, accepting the decision without protest.

The Marquis then slid the sealed letter toward his butler and added a final instruction. He finished writing a letter to Mereoleona's father as his son requested.

"Take 100,000 gold coins with this letter and send it to the d'Armand estate."

Oswald's eyebrows rose slightly, but he did not question the order.

"Understood, my lord."

With that, the butler took the letter, bowed once more, and swiftly exited the office to carry out his task.

Edric exhaled heavily, leaning back in his chair.

So many unexpected things had happened in a single day.

It seemed his son's lazy, sickly days were truly over.

And if Eren's awakening was only the beginning… then what came next?

Edric wasn't sure whether to feel proud or worried.

One thing was certain—his son's path had just begun.

...

...

...

Meanwhile, Eren was lying on his bed as usual, lazily sprawled out while listening to Useless, who was explaining the details of Awakeners and the Signet blessing. However, despite asking for the explanation himself, Eren's focus wasn't on the information at all. Instead, his hands were occupied with his gaming console, his eyes locked on the screen, completely immersed in his game.

[...Master?]

"Hmm?" Eren responded with a distracted hum, his fingers still tapping the buttons without missing a beat.

The system's holographic panel flickered slightly, and if Useless had a face, it would have been twitching in pure frustration. A moment ago, its master had specifically asked it to explain more about Awakeners, their abilities, and how Signets worked. Happy to fulfill the request, Useless had eagerly begun explaining, offering a concise yet detailed overview of Signets, Awakeners, and the concept of Aura users.

But halfway through its explanation, it noticed something infuriating—its master wasn't even paying attention!

Every time Useless paused to confirm whether Eren was still listening, all it received were nonchalant responses like "Yes," "Aha," and "Continue." Thankfully, Eren hadn't said the dreaded word "Skip." But even so, the fact that he was playing video games while it was explaining something so important made Useless seethe with irritation.

After finally saving his game progress, Eren put his console aside and lazily glanced at the system's floating holographic panel.

"Is that all?" he asked, his tone indifferent, as if he had just skimmed through a boring book and was only asking out of politeness.

[Yes. That is all.] Useless responded in a deadpan tone, its voice void of emotion—though, in reality, it was anything but calm.

A brief silence stretched between them before Useless hesitated and cautiously asked:

[Master, if I may ask… Were you even listening?]

Despite the robotic tone, there was an underlying desperation in its voice. It wasn't just asking—it was begging for reassurance.

"...Yes," Eren replied flatly, his expression as unreadable as ever.

[Then, how much do you recall?] Useless pressed further, a flicker of hope in its voice.

Eren paused, his fingers tapping idly on his bed as he tried to recall the information. After a moment of contemplation, he lazily answered,

"Right from the beginning until you said, 'Signet is the blessing for the Awakeners.'"

[...]

The holographic panel glitched for a split second, as if Useless itself had short-circuited from pure shock. A deep, unspeakable rage surged within it as its internal systems screamed in frustration.

'THAT'S THE VERY FIRST SENTENCE OF MY EXPLANATION!'

"By the way. Did you finish what I asked for?"

Snapping from its thought, Useless's answered.

[Ah Yes! About the World's Systemic Architecture...]

...