9 Ch.8 Gaining An Ally

I could see that he was surprised, confused, and somewhat incredulous. Still, I couldn't let him brush it off, motioning around the study. "I can tell, that my father cares, that he loves and wanted to help me and my mother. But he couldn't find the cure, I don't believe he did this on his own, he hired healers, didn't he?" I'd look at him, seriously, deeply. It made the man uncomfortable and he answered slowly. "Yes... Young Master, many... Who couldn't find the source of the sickness."

I nodded, "That's because it wasn't sickness, it was a poison. By that woman, she not only knows poisons but apparently practices some kind of Poison Art Cultivation... I think it's something her family practices." Gripping a hand tighter, I'd raise up the first, looking at it then at him. "That bitch, she killed my mother... And killed me... If not for what I can only assume to be a miracle, you'd have buried me a few days ago, when I woke up with memory loss." Lowering it, I'd release a long breath.

"This knowledge I have, I gained something after I died and came back. It lets me see things, including that you're a spy and an assassin..." A risk, a big risk, but I was betting he wouldn't kill me when I said it. Though his eyes did turn sharp, and it looked like he wanted to break my neck, he stopped himself, gaze growing cool but a look of belief surfacing. "That's a powerful ability you have, to see such things... Why are you telling me this?"

A simple question, with a simple answer, "Because when you spoke of my mother, I could hear the pain in your voice... When I saw that woman as well, and the way she looked at me, I could tell what that gaze meant. More than the information on her, it was that look... She killed my mother, I know it." My gaze would turn as cold as his, and my own murderous intent would show, something that surprised him, made him step back. Probably because it was self-destructive murderous intent. "I'm going to kill her... But before I do, I'm going to torture her in every way that my knowledge has given me... And you, Alfred Helmsford, will help me." I'd place my hands behind my back, one hand holding the other's wrist as I'd smile, body slightly shaking with excitement. "I will have her skull as my drinking cup for what she's done." I twitched, damned twitching, thought this body wouldn't have it.

But the strange scene of a young boy talking of torture and killing, I guess it was unnerving, as Helmsford would actually take a step back, the surprise in his eyes carrying a hint of something... Discomfort perhaps? No matter, he'd calm himself quickly and would look at me for a few quiet seconds before finally saying. "I serve the Dueller house Young Master, I will faithfully serve Young Master's family to the best of my abilities." Giving a bow, I'd smile, a smile tinged with my own brand of strange, but a smile nonetheless. "Thank you Helmsford, for now... I must read, and I must understand things better... Keep that bitch away from me for now, and... Ah! You mentioned her son..."

At that moment, a complicated look appeared in his eyes, but I'd say to him, "Don't harm her son, and remember... That the sins of the parent, isn't carried by the child... It's the parent's sin... So please, hate that bitch, but care for what's possibly my half-brother as if he was a true Dueller... Because after she's dead, he won't have a chance to be infected by her poison... Whether physical, mental, or emotional." Hearing that, the man looked relieved and gave a nod. "Understood Young Master." Before he could speak again, I'd turn to walk toward the book I was about to read. "That's all for now Helmsford... You can go ahead and bring out the tray, I quite liked the biscuits, they were very light and easy to pick up."

Reaching out, I'd slowly pull out a book, though it was obvious I was having difficulty with it since it was a bit heavier than the others, but I was determined. Now I had a goal to live by, so I'd pull it out, and held it carefully as I opened it to read, struggling arms or no. A few minutes later, the door would close, I'm guessing Helmsford had left... And I finally had my thoughts freed.

So, let's organize my thoughts. I found out why I was poisoned, or at least who... Still not sure why she poisoned me. But considering she has a son, and from what I've read about the politics of this kingdom, the first born son is the inheritor unless specifically dictated... And if Arnold loves me as much as I think, it's unlikely for that to change... Well, at least I should be the first born if that woman is the second wife.

But hey, at least I now know, and I got a target for revenge... Especially after that look, those eyes... Even just thinking about them makes me squeeze the book until the thin muscles on my arms bulge enough to even press out my veins. Calm down, calm down... Alright, let's figure out a way to get stronger and then find an excuse to arrest that bitch and torture her to death.

Continuing to read, I'd finish this latest book which was about crops, unfortunately what I read was annoying. I mean, they don't even have the understanding or idea to use crop rotation yet! Plus the tools, are basically slave powered or animal powered... It's terrible, I might try to introduce an idea or two to Arnold to see what he thinks of it. Either way, need to keep reading. I reach out to grab another book, pulling it out.

The title, "Basic Cultivation Art" that's something... Curiosity grows as I open the book and read the first few lines. Immediately afterward I put it into my inventory and look at the result with a grin.

Basic Cultivation Art – This skill book will allow the reader to learn the skill Basic Cultivation. Requirements – None. Learn? Y/N

Without even a second thought, I'd select yes and the book's description would fade a moment before the Learn selection would turn gray. On top of that, a strange sensation would run through my body and knowledge I didn't have before would appear. Opening up my status screen I'd find that my skills section would have a new addition.

Skills:

Current Skill Points: 0

Game Character -rank S- – Unlike other people, you do not upgrade your stats and skills like others do, instead you upgrade via the Game Menu by allocating attribute points and skill points to your stats and skills. You also receive more information about status inflictions than others will.

Basic Cultivation -Rank F Lvl. 1- – The basic of the basic of all cultivations. Don't expect to become a god while practicing this, but also, it's easy to switch it for something better later on.

Passive Cultivation – Increase Strength and Reaction by 1 point every 90 days. Progress:0 days

Progress after 150 Points triples in length.

Active Cultivation – increase Strength and Reaction by 1 point every 7 days. Progress:0 days

Progress after 100 points triples in length.

Looking at the new skill, I'd stare at it for a moment before suddenly grinning and clenching a hand tightly. "Yes... This is it, a way to get stronger!" I'd smile and jump up and down in excitement before stopping and frowning. "though, it will take a long time, still... Time is nothing to me."

Thinking for a moment, I'd activate the Active Cultivation and immediately felt myself freeze up movement and even my breathing turned weird. Meanwhile I'd also feel something around me, I think Mana, start to flow and move around me before slowly pulling inward with every strange breath. Confused and surprised, I'd immediately think to stop the Cultivation and it would end. Breathing heavily after that, I'd shiver a bit then gulp. "Okay, that was weird."

Still, I guess it's what it meant by active. For the next few minutes I'd practice going in and out of it to get the hang of how it worked, I even tested it by walking while activating it. I found that doing so would keep me walking but I wouldn't be able to control where I walked to and it would cause me to walk right into the bookshelf, apparently that would automatically dispel the active cultivation too, leaving me with a bit of a daze. Apparently, when outside sources stop my cultivation it causes some kind of backlash.

With the new knowledge, and the discovery of skill books, I'd look at the library with renewed interest and put that bitch on the back burner for now as I refocused on reading. I kept the skill book in my inventory as well for the meanwhile, and after a few more hours when Helmsford came back, I actually showed him my ability to store and pull the book out.

He was surprised, but I think seeing that I had something other than the ability to see what a person was helped to make him feel more relieved about agreeing to help me. I even showed him a bit of my equip ability which he viewed with fascination at how instant it happened. I didn't tell him more though, and kept it to just the inventory and it's uses for now. It helped him to trust me more and made him more confident that I wasn't just blustering, at least I think so.

Returning back to returning, I'd keep going through the books, one after another and like that a few more days would pass and I finally reached over half the books when I received a notification by the system.

Ding! Congratulations! You've managed to read 100 books of this world!

Immediately my status screen would open up, showing a surprising result from this achievement.

Name – Alexis Dueller

Strength 5

Reaction 6

Spirit 5

Intelligence 115(+1 from achievement. 116)

Luck 60

Current Attribute Points: 0

No Mage Core

Poisoned State – All Physical stats reduced greatly.

Inventory:

Current inventory slots – 10 – able to hold a max of five in each slot

[Brown Tunic and Pants]

[Basic Cultivation Arts]

Library Log

Achievements:

Walked 50 Kilometers without stopping –Move Speed + 1% –

Read 100 books – You've managed to read 100 books in a medieval fantasy world. This is actually an achievement worth bragging about! At least if you were a commoner it would be, still, may as well reward you. – Your intelligence has increased by 1 point and you've unlocked the use of the Inventory Library Log –

Looking at the results, I couldn't help but to whistle, though that Library Log was a curious new addition. Looking at the book I had just finished reading. I'd store it into my inventory and looked at it immediately.

The Study of Herbs and Relation to Alchemy – A wonderfully boring look at the various known herbs and their uses in this world's idea of potion making... You must really have no hobby to be reading this. Record Y/N?

Selecting yes, the option would gray out and the book would appear in the library log. Looking at that with some surprise, I'd find the option with the skill book too and chose to do the same to it. There didn't seem to be a stated limit so I'd look at all the books I had previously read and after just thinking for a moment, began to store, record, then remove the books. Even the skill book was done. It would take me about an hour but soon I had a hundred books stored in the Library Log. On top of that, every book that I had previous read was grayed out, when I added a new book it would be a solid black, showing that it knew what I read and hadn't read. On top of that the books would be organized into categories.

Grinning almost insanely at this discovery, my hands would rub together and I'd look at this study, all the books I haven't read. Immediately I'd go through and started storing them as well. Finally after an hour I'd finish and would with an idea, sit in the reading chair of the study. Closing my eyes, I'd lean back and immediately started the active cultivation. Meanwhile, I'd access the menu system and the Library and began to read. Confident that Helmsford wouldn't interrupt me because he saw me with that skill book, and I had something to do while I had the active cultivation running too... Should find a way to "borrow" more books... MWAHAHA!!!