The Duchy

{Author Note} Huge thanks to Thomas Stewart for becoming a patron! He is now given the noble rank of Duke!

As I have decided that every patron I get, you guys will get a bonus chapter.

Anyway, I have got a job! So I have to wake up at 5am to get ready for work. Then I start at 06:45 - 15:45…

So the chapters will still come, and on the same schedule, but I have a lot less time to write now.

So if I get sick or something, I won't have that many extra chapters ready. But will try my best.

Anyway, here you go!

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[Ding]

[Mission Completed, Reward: 200xp, Skill: Insight (Active)]

I look at the text in front of my eyes as I make my way through the woods. 200xp is a huge amount. I only need 50 more and I will level up, but what is this skill?

[Skill: Insight will allow you to read other people's emotions. In early levels, you will only be able to see people's emotions in the following colors. Red - Anger, Blue - Sadness, Green - Happiness, Fear/Anxiety - Light Blue]

That actually seems very useful. Then I will be able to see if a person's emotions match what they are saying or doing. If I had that before, then maybe I would have found out about May before…

Enough thinking about her, she is probably dead soon either way. She deserves to die as she tried to sell me. Everything that happened to her was earned.

I think I will arrive at the estate in a couple of minutes as I've walked for some 20 minutes. I took my time as I needed to think of a bunch of stuff.

I should re…

[Ding]

[You Killed A Level 24 High Elf, Reward: 2300xp, Skill: Cruel Butler Level up]

[Host has leveled up]

[Host has leveled up]

[Host has leveled up]

[Host has leveled up]

[Host has leveled up]

[Host has leveled up]

[Host has 24 Attribute Points Available For Allocation]

What! I almost yell out loud. Wait when? High Elf, is this May? Since when did I get a message for killing someone? And why can I see her levels? Why do I have so many Attribute points?

[Host unlocked this feature when you got your first kill and every 5 levels you gain 10 attribute points]

I sigh out loud as I hear that. I guess that is good then. But first, show me my status.

[Butler System]

[Arken - Level 4 → Level 10 (250/550)

[Race - Half Arch Demon/Half High Elf]

[Affinity - Space] (Locked)

[↓Stats↓]

[Strength - 18]

[Agility - 18]

[Constitution - 20]

[Intelligence - 22]

[Mana Control - 5] (Locked)

[Mana Capacity- 5] (Locked)

[Attribute points - 24]

[↓Skills↓]

[Butlers Work - Level 3] (Passive)

[Cruel Butler - Level 1 → Level 2] (Passive)

[Martial Art - Level 2] (Active)

[Genius - Level 1] (Passive)

[Insight - Level 1] (Active)

[↓Missions↓]

This is great! I have so many points, I should use them right now before I get to the estate. Also understandable that I leveled up my Cruel Butler Skill. But that Is also good.

Now back to the stats. What should I place them in? It should be best to split them up between the different stats. I am almost nine years old, so it's not that far away that I unlock my mana. I am going to use 10 points for mana. But let's save that to last.

System put 4 in Strength, 4 in Agility, 3 in Constitution and 3 In Intelligence and lastly put 5 in Mana Capacity and Mana Control.

Just as I use all my attribute points, my core starts pulsing again. Just like last time, but this time I'm ready for it. I have to make it through with consciousness as who knows what lives in these woods.

After a couple of minutes, the feeling starts fading away slowly. I breathe out a rugged breath as I take as deep a breath as I can. Trying to calm my raging heart.

But just as fast as I was going to curse at the pain, something else drew my attention away from it. My body feels so much lighter.

I think I can punch a hole in a tree. No, I probably can't. Even so, it feels like the difference is huge. I'm sure I could almost easily beat the man from before.

[↓Stats↓]

[Strength - 18 → 22]

[Agility - 18 → 22]

[Constitution - 20 → 23]

[Intelligence - 22 → 25]

[Mana Control - 5 → 10] (Locked)

[Mana Capacity- 5 → 10] (Locked)

[Attribute points - 0]

Still, I would rather not feel that pain again. Even though I was ready for it. I almost collapsed again. Maybe I should just save the points I'm going to invest in Mana until I actually unlock my core.

Oh, it looks like I'm at my destination. Just as I arrive at the edge of the woods, I get greeted by a well-built cobblestone road. Finally some hard ground to walk on, I was getting tired of the woods.

Right up ahead, a couple of kilometers away, I can see a huge gate with an enormous mansion behind it. There seem to be two people on guard duty standing at either edge of the gate. Both wearing black and silver armor without helmets, completely contrasting to the color of the mansion. I decide to walk up to them and ask.

"Halt, State your visit or go away!" The buff guard on the left yells at me as he points his lance at me. The other guard just stands there and stares at me. For some reason, I am more careful about the quiet guard.

He has long brown hair set in a ponytail and sharp facial features. He is about the same height as me but gives of an imposing aura.

"I am looking to apply to work as a butler at this duchy." I say, not expecting them to agree, but at least give me some information about how to get the job.

"The Duchess is not hir…"

"Sure, please come with me."

The quiet guard cuts off the other one and then walks over to the gate and opens it. While this is happening, the other guard stares at me, then at the guard who let me in before just going quiet and moving back to his position at the side of the gate.

He looks back at me and gestures at the gate. "You coming?" I am still very confused about this whole thing but chose to follow him as I used my insight skill and he was not showing anything hostile.

I walk up to the gate and enter. The inside looked nothing of what I could have imagined it would do. It was roses and tons of fresh flowers being cared for by a few workers here and there.

Beautifully cut bushes into what I think are creatures and the pathway in stone. Trees in full bloom, standing erect in different places of the vast garden as far as I can see. The garden has to be at least a couple of kilometers in each direction.

Lastly, the majestic mansion standing in the middle. Clad In full white and gold. It has got to be at least a kilometer wide. And it looks to be three or four stories.

"Majestic right? Names Sir Berwin, Head knight of the duchy. And you are?"