Ch - 3 Dinner with Grace family

Mike repeated the three moves, again and again, as all his concentration was drawn to it, slowly he forgot about his surroundings because of his basic concentration skill. It seemed like he was cut off by reality, all along in his world. As many notifications sounded in the background.

"Ding, you are practicing fencing with the sword, and you have learnt [Sword Mastery] skill."

"Ding, you just received +1 strength while practicing fencing constantly"

"Ding, you increased proficiency of [Sword Mastery] skill while practicing fencing, your proficiency +1"

"Ding, you increased proficiency of [Sword Mastery] skill while practicing fencing, your proficiency +1"

"Ding, you just received +1 vitality while practicing fencing constantly"

"Ding, you just received..."

The excitement of gaining proficiency from practicing fencing made Mike forget the timing, of when Sun went down. Until the sound of the door opening in the evening came.

'He completely forgot that he is still a ten-year-old now, and... He was adopted by his father's sister, Aunt Helen!' Mike thought to himself, as he immediately realised the key point of the problem. In the game, he could do whatever he wanted, even if it caused suspicion, it didn't matter.

After all, it was just a game, and he was the player who can do whatever he wants. But here, now it all had become the real world.

He didn't see any save-load function in his system. He can't cheat reality by infinite resurrection and when he will be back everything will be reset, so there is no chance to return after any choice is made. Then, what kind of attitude should he take? To face this world.

... Well, this philosophical issue can be discussed later. The top priority is, who can tell him how to play a ten-year-old child.

In other words, what did the original Mike used to act like?

It's better to act dumber and speak less as possible in front of them.

Just as Mike was hesitating and trying to calm himself, the door was already open, and a woman who was in her early thirties with three children, but still looked young and graceful pushed the door open and walked into the room, as looked at me as asked.

"Hey, little guy."

"You must be hungry"

"Go get fresh and join us downstairs. Dinner will be on the table soon."

As she saw Mike in the room soaked in sweat with all those practices. She was Helen Grace, his father's sister and the only grown person in the family.

Mike didn't know how to respond, so he nodded silently, but he seemed to be doing it right, because Helen, who came into the room to him, didn't say anything, but touched his head in love.

But Mike didn't care about these things. Instead, he set his sights on the game panel that only he could see.

But this status panel is not his, but Helen's.

He can query NPC information templates, because of his [Observe] skill, but only the most basic information.

[Name: Helen Grace]

[Age: 33]

[Strength: 8]

[Vitality: 9]

[Agility: 9]

[Intelligence: 9]

[Wisdom: 9]

[Remember: a divorcée with many troubles related to life issues.]

Helen's panel has nothing to look at, as she is an ordinary person, Helen has neither hidden blood nor deep background. But this is not affected Mike as he knows that he is one of the main supporting role in [The Spiderwick Chronicles] dungeon.

Just when Mike finished watching Helen's panel when she has already started to return to prepare a simple dinner. So, Mike hurriedly threw the fencing sword back into his cousin's packed stuff and went to have a quick shower, before joining his aunt and his cousins at the dinner table.

Based on his understanding of the country United States, Mike knew Helen's short-term prepared dinner, wouldn't be something special. So, Mike didn't have much expectation from the dinner as he joined them at the dining table.

One instant Macaroni and cheese per person with a loaf of bread, and some small desserts, plus a large glass of milk is the entire dinner, very simple.

... But although there was not much, they are better than the cold pizza and also it tasted good. At least they are much better than most American families' dinners where sometimes children had to make their food.

Also taking into fact that we will be moving soon and she had to make sure that everything is packed and other things like checking all the accounts, etc.

. . .

Sitting at the dining table, Mike tried to play his newest role, of an introverted but silent kid who listens to everything as he does his work, but from time to time Helen looks his way... Maybe he use to be not so silent in normal times.

But he didn't know what to say. Even if he knew what Mike was like before, it would be difficult to imitate him. After all, he use to be an adult, he is not a real ten-year-old child. And acting like that would make it more hilarious.

Although Helen doesn't know why Mike was so silent today, she is not a parent who likes to dig into children's secrets. So she shrugged a little helplessly, as Helen started talking to my cousins about their packing.

Mike quietly ate how much he could, and unexpectedly he eat more than he expected. As he listened to them talking about their packing and how tired they were with all this.

But Mike didn't care about these things. So he started viewing others' status panels to see their attributes.

[Name: Jared Grace]

[Age: 9]

[Strength: 5]

[Vitality: 7]

[Agility: 7]

[Intelligence: 9]

[Wisdom: 7]

[Remember: an ignorant kid with troublesome nature ]

[Name: Simon Grace]

[Age: 9]

[Strength: 4]

[Vitality: 7]

[Agility: 6]

[Intelligence: 9]

[Wisdom: 8]

[Remember: a kid with nerdy nature and is respectful of authority.]

[Name: Mallory Grace]

[Age: 13]

[Strength: 6]

[Vitality: 8]

[Agility: 8]

[Intelligence: 9]

[Wisdom: 8]

[Remember: a skilled fencer with adventurous and risk-taking nature.]

Mallory's panel looks better compared to others, she has fencing skills and adventurous nature. But she doesn't help much maybe he can use her during the fight with the goblins.

"Mike, have you kept back that sword in packed things?"

"Yes, Aunt Helen it was kept in right place."

"Good, kids make sure you packed everything and don't leave behind any important things, then go back to bed early. Tomorrow morning we will be moving to our new place."

Hearing that we will be moving tomorrow Jared got angry as he still thinks that his dad will be coming back. Aunt is having trouble telling him that he is not coming back to the family, and Jared also doesn't want to understand it all.

Anyway, it's none of his business. So Mike finished his dinner, as he stood from the chair, and whispered that he was full, then left the dining table and returned to his bedroom.

. . .

Mike returned to the room and slumped on his chair in distress. In this era, even computers have not been popularized. Let alone the invention of smartphones. There is no such thing to kill time.

So he has enough time to think about his life and how spends his life.

'What kind of attitude should I use to face the world!'

Mike realised that he had encountered the first key problem after crossing and that this problem was not a mere nuisance.

Because this is the real world, Mike once again told himself in his heart.

But even though he told himself that, it's just. . . With these increasingly familiar surroundings, and new family, including the status panel, everything that is almost the same as when he was playing games, it is still difficult for him to reverse his mentality and let him adopt a more serious and serious attitude to face the new world.

The virtual reality game is very too real which makes me feel that still I am in-game. Although it is not a virtual world, for most players who don't like to delve into the roots, it is already.

Although this world has a touch of realism compared to the game, it is like removing the beauty filter, but it still makes Mike difficult to reverse for a while.

Soon Mike realised what was wrong with him at this time. Because he can't really be substituting himself into this world and truly become a person here, his thinking is still subconsciously extending the thinking and attitude of the previous game.

Which is very... dangerous, but also very subtle. Because the game is different from reality, no matter what kind of person you are in reality, in the game, you will subconsciously change into another person, completely different from what it is in reality.

Mike naturally does the same.

Because he knows that it's just a game, a fake reality, so he like all other players, does whatever he wants and be bold without any hesitation... there was no shyness even when facing a young lady.

Of course, these practices are not a problem in the game, but now, it is no longer a game.

That's why Mike remained silent at the dinner table because he was afraid that he couldn't help but come up with words and actions that were proper to the people of this era or this world.

Although he shouldn't be dragged to pour holy water, as he has passed the time of middle ages of ignorant devil possession. However, human beings have understood new ways to deal with strangers behaving people, in more modern ways.

He might be taken by Helen to see a psychiatrist. So his mind is not good.

Mike is an adult, after all, he has already passed the age of middle-school acts. Although he is nerdier, he is also a normal person. So he knows that this kind of casual attitude is not desirable.

And this kind of idealism is also the most troublesome.

But is going to play is a ten-year-old kid... who knows what a ten-year-old child should be like, and he has forgotten how to cut it after more than ten years.

'Forget it.' Charles sighed.

'Speak less and shut up more.'

At least until I understand their habits and then try to get together. Or worse could be, he has to act till goes to England to his mother's family.

'I will be a precocious child. This is not uncommon in the United States anyway.'

What should a ten-year-old child look like? The ghost knows, so this sudden change is normal, because who knows what these little ghosts are thinking!

So Mike started checking his status panel for new changes in it.

[Status]

[Name: Michael Wilson]

[Race: Human]

[Title: Otherworlder (9 Star)]

[Rank: Civilian]

[Age: 10]

[Life Level: 1]

[Occupation: N/A]

[Talent: Gamification (9 Star)]

[Fate: N/A]

[Strength: 7]

[Vitality: 8]

[Agility: 9]

[Intelligence: 15]

[Wisdom: 13]

[Charm: 9+(20)]

[Luck: 8+(20)]

[Skills: Observe, Sword Mastery]

[Equipment: Old Silver-white necklace (Neck)]

[Item: All-rounder utility tool]

[Free attribute: 0]

[Inventory (1/100): Cheat Book]

[Currency: $17]

[Reputation: Nobody]

. . . SKILLS. . .

[Sword Mastery

Rank: Common

Type: Passive Skill

Level: Trained (99/100)

Effect: it increase the attack damage with swords.

Remark: A skill that allows user to freely handle swords. It is obtained through continuous sword training and can be handy when defending yourself in danger.]

. . .

Looking through the status panel, Mike realised that there were the increase in attributes because of his hard work for whole afternoon and evening. Furthermore, massive increase in proficiency points for sword mastery, which is equivalent to the amount of practice compare to 3-4 months by average talent.

Even though, proficiency increased very soon in few hours because of game leveling style. But now it had started to slow down and may take a long time to level up. At least now he can swing the sword easily, against the monsters in the upcoming dungeon.

As, he confirmed his all changes in status panel. So, he got relaxation and lay down on his bed. As he soon fell asleep, so he can wake up early morning for journey to his aunt's new place.