Chapter 2 -The Calanthor family

As That name was mentioned something lit on my head.

Ah…I remembered.

The Calanthor family, the household of one of the Dukes of the Elyria empire, the place where the one book that made me stay alive happened.

And the household of the main villain of the second book, Duke Ryker Calanthor.

"The son of Duke Ryker Calanthor??" I asked incredulously.

The young maid tilted her head again.

"Yes?"

Wait… When did he had a son?…

"Ahh!" My memories sprouted inside my head.

The maid kept staring at me with confusion within her eye.

I'm royally fucked… How could i forgot! That lame character on the first book, the one that had extremely bad luck.

He was a bit strong and had great potential, but end up dead after the final battle of that book…

He wasn't even injured. He died because he tripped with the villain's guts and he feel through a cliff… to an orc shit mountain… and got infected.

He died two weeks after that because he choked with a medicine pill.

And while he tripped and fell to that shit pile the other students and professors where laughing at him and let everything happened.

It's a bit of a shitty and stupid reason but i kind of understand it. I guess…

"Master Fin" Lia brought me back to reality.

"Yes?"

"If you feel better, why don't you go to have breakfast with your family?… Mrs and Mr Calanthor had been really worried about you…"

I notice the concerned look on her eyes and body language, she fidgets with the hem of her dress and moves her legs slightly.

*Ding*

A blue semi-transparent square materializes in front of me out of thin air.

"What?" I exclaim in shock.

"What is wrong master? Did something happen?" The maid worriedly asked.

She doesn't seem to notice the blue window in front of me.

"Uhm, nothing…" I try to brush it off.

"You can go, I'll change my clothes and then I'll go to the dinning room" I try to make her leave so i get to inspect this new 'thing'.

She nods, turns around and leave the room.

I start inspecting the blue floating window.

It looks like those systems from novels…

"New Quest: Have breakfast with your family. That's seems pretty easy, let's see. Rewards: Finnley's soul shard x1, Finnley's combat prowess"

"Soul shard? What happened to it?"

I click on top of the words with my fingers and a smaller window pops up.

"Fragment of a long shattered soul… What does that even mean…"

"Right, there's another reward, Finnley's combat prowess, that'd come handy, if i have to enter the academy and try not to die, some combat skills wouldn't hurt"

Okay.

I open the door and I'm welcome with a long hallway.

"Where am i supposed to go…"

I start walking. The hallway leads to others and the mansion doesn't seem to end.

"Ha…" I sigh.

*Clink…Clink…Clink* I miraculously spot a maid carrying a cart full of plates, silver trays, cutlery and glasses among other things"

Jackpot.

I start walking by her side.

"Ah! Young Master" The maid is surprised to see me.

"Good morning. Are you bringing the breakfast to the dining room?"

"Uhm… yeah, i mean yes!" The maid stutteres and blushes slightly.

I look at her and smile.

"Great, I was going there too." Fuck yeah! I'm not lost anymore.

The maid blushes more and gaze towards the floor.

We keep walking for some minutes until we were met with a giant door. It was about three meters and made of dark wood.

I step forward and i push open the door.

I spot them, sitting at the table, the Duke sitting at the end of the table and at his right, the duchess.

As i walk in they look at me, a shiver runs down my spine.

The duke has a harsh and judging gaze that appeared to look right through me, he stared right at my growing discomfort.

As for the duchess, just as she spots me, a bright wide smile draws at her face.

"Finnley!" She stands up and hurries towards me.

"You're finally out of bed" She hugs me tightly.

Uh… This is uncomfortable…

"Is something wrong sweetie? Why don't you hug mom back?" Fuck, I can't let her doubt about me, if they notice I'm not their son I'm fucked.

I slowly wrap my arms around her back.

"I'm sorry mom, I'm still a little bit sleepy"

The duke keeps staring at me and slowly opens his mouth.

"Finnley…" My heart stopped for a second, an imaginary drop of cold sweat runs through my forehead.

"Your mana, it's weird, it's weak"

*Cling.*

'Mission complete. Rewards are being merged into user's soul'

What?.

Strange, colorful and shiny sparkles in the air.

"Ah" I gasp.

Mana… I don't know how i know it, but I'm sure what is it. And that moment memories start striking my head.

"Ahhh!" I fall to the floor.

My head is about to explode. Fuck, this is far worse than any previous headache.

Memories that are not mine start inviting my brain, all my neurons doing millions of new connections and overwhelming my nervous system.

Black, I pass out, again.