#14 Collecting free points

The woman finally revealed herself and performed a deep bow.

Although I couldn't see her face because of her mask, she should be around 20 years old with her body. She was wearing some strange black elastic clothes which showed all of her incredible curves.

I guess those clothes are the reason behind her "invisibility" ability.

"I-I am sorry about this but this is the job entrusted to me by the Lord Phoenix himself. This one is named Ichika." She said while she kept looking at my reaction.

"I understand but...your presence is too annoying. I will give you 2 options to choose from. Either you will leave me alone or you will become exclusively loyal to me which means that you will be able to remain by my side." I said with a small smile.

---

[Gain Ichika's loyalty (*)

Reward: 1 free SP

Consequences: Ichika will inform your father about your abnormal awerness]

---

The display appeared in front of me once again but this time it was just some kind of objective. Judging from Ichika's not changing expression, she can't see it.

"A-Are you saying that you want me to betray your own father, young lord?!" She widened her eyes and looked like she was about to disagree.

"You can't call it betrayal, after all, I am his son. Your main objective is to keep me safe, it shouldn't matter who you will be loyal to...no...since you are to keep me safe, you should be loyal only to me. Not to mention that in the future I will become the leader of this house...Don't you want to gain my favor? All you have to do is simply keep your mouth shut about unnecessary stuff, my father doesn't need to know everything I do" I slowly approached her with my hands kept behind me while telling all of this with a smile

"...I-" She looked slightly uncertain because anything could happen and I don't have to become the leader either.

And now for the final act...

"Why are you still so uncertain? Let me ask you something else...How much do you worship "Fire Lord"? Are your beliefs even the same as ours?" I narrowed my eyes and asked her with a suspicious look.

"?! Of course I worship him! Your father, the Lord Phoenix, was the one who freed me from poverty and trained me. I have resolved myself to believe in anything he believes in, no matter what!" She resolutely said while keeping one of her hands to her heart.

"Good...if you believe then what do you think about this..." I said, closed my eyes and spread my arms.

"Young lord?" Ichika was confused by my stance.

I have never tried to do this but...let's just focus on the image of the bright fire.

After 3 seconds of concentrating, little flames suddenly appeared all around me on the ground and my arms were engulfed by fire.

When I slowly opened my eyes, a little flame escaped from my right eye, the flames all around my room grew even bigger but none of them were damaging my furniture.

---

'W-what is this?! Is it possible for the young lord to have a fire type teigu already at this age?! No...this is not a teigu. Fire-type teigu would start to devour anything closeby, possibly even its owner in case he would be too weak. These flames aren't damaging anything and even though they are extremely close to me, I can only feel comfortable warmth...What kind of being is the young lord?' Ichika thought while looking at Akashi with wide-open shaky eyes.

---

I stopped concentrating and pouring my energy outside of my body which made the flames completely disappear like they never existed.

"What about now? Do you think I am unworthy to become a leader of the Phoenix house?" I said with a smirk.

"N-no! I would never dare to say such a thing! Please forgive me for doubting the young lord!" She quickly kneeled on one leg and said with a strong voice, however, it was still visible that she was shaken and confused from the previous event.

[Charisma comes in many forms, it's on you to choose which way you will take as your primary one. You can also choose the way of balance.]

[+1 Charisma for intimidating Ichika.]

[+1 Charisma for Ichika being in awe of your unknown power]

[Objective completed: + 1 Free SP. You can assign it by thinking about the specific stat.]

Is it so easy to gain charisma? Nah...this must have been some kind of test since all my life I was just an underling. I have never cared about leading anyone, maybe that's the reason for my low Charisma. It will probably stop increasing so fast once I hit the minimal amount what's for me as a noble required.

I will keep that free stat for now.

...Still, this kneeling thing is too strange...I get bowing to someone but kneeling...*sigh* I guess I will have to get used to this too.

I brightly smiled and extended my arm to her while my cold eyes became warm filled with a calm flame.

"No need for such ceremony. It's being said that words can't express real respect while actions do it better. I think that both are lacking. Seeing the look in your violet eyes is enough for me to see your respect. You don't need to kneel to me just to make me feel that I am above you. You are the part of my house and if you will prove your loyalty to me, I will treat you as my own family and anyone who will try to hurt you will be cleansed by my flames." I said while a few rays of the sun were shining through the window right at my face.

---

'?!' Ichika was speechless after listening to Akashi's honest words together with his friendly expression that was being illuminated by the rays of the sun. She could only keep staring at his face and extended arm.

---

[+1 Charisma for showing your kindness to Ichika]

Heh, as I thought, it works this way too. I couldn't help but smile even more widely when I noticed the text in front of me.

Now my Charisma should have 3 points.

"Oh! I am sorry for the delay, young lord! Please let me protect you and I promise that I won't say anything you don't want Lord Phoenix to hear." She took hold of my hand and got up.

"Mm...let's go to the dining room. My parents are already waiting for me there." I nodded at her words with, now, bored look and turned to door, preparing to leave my room.

"Yes, young lord!" She said and "disappeared" or better to say that she used her clothes' ability.

She is even smart...

I thought while glancing at her from the corner of my eye.

If my father saw her unrevealed, he would definitely question her. He must have ordered her to guard me from the shadows.

I took look at my current energy

[Energy: 100/135]

Hmm, just that little show cost me 35 energy? Not to mention that I didn't do anything special with that fire and only let it take form of flames around me. Energy should come from both Intelligence and Constitution since it's not exactly "mana".

After I descended stairs and getting greeted by numerous maids, I arrived at the dining room but it would be better to call it a hall. It was too large to be called a room.

"Sweetie! Come here!" When my mother saw me enter the room, she immediately called out to me while waving her hands and pointing at the empty seat next to her.

"Good morning, mother." I said with a smile and sat down next to her.

"So you finally decided to join us, huh?" Jun, my father, said with a neutral tone with closed eyes.

Hehe, playing cold now that I am aware of your actions but when I was a little kid you were practically begging me to play with you. Tsundere father.

But I get from where he is coming from...He is trying to make me independent from the yearly age since I am in this comfortable environment, he must be thinking that I would never learn anything. He is trying to make me strive for his acknowledgment...I don't think it's a bad strategy, however, I think it is too double-edged strategy.

"Father." I said in the same tone and nodded at him with closed eyes.

"?!" He was visibly surprised by my reply but soon enough a small smile appeared on his face.

"You two, can't you greet each other normally?!" My mother scolded both of us while pouting her lips.

"...haha" Both I and my father looked at each other before we started to laugh.

"Laugh for another 2 seconds and I will stuff your breakfast into your throat myself. Hehe" My mother immediately said while looking at my father and then started to laugh herself while putting her hand in front of her mouth.

We both stopped laughing and even though it wasn't directed at me, I still tried to play dead.

This new mother is even scarier than my previous one! Thankfully, I am too young for her to "abuse" me like she "abuses" my father.

...

We quietly ate our breakfast with small talk from time to time.

"Akashi...I know that you have yet to leave this mansion so I will let you leave today since you are already 6 years old. You can go out and explore the surrounding of our territory or even play around with other kids." My father said with a small smile and I knew just from his words that he is up to no good.

"Father...haven't you said to me that the city can be dangerous?" I asked with a confused expression.

I noticed that upon hearing my words, his eyebrows raised a bit in surprise before his poker face recovered.

"It is dangerous if you are out of our territory. Here, no one will dare to do anything to you. However, I still commend you for remembering my warning." He said with a small smile and nod of appreciation.

I nodded back as a "thank you".

---

'*sigh* Is this really a good way how you are supposed to nurture your child? I am afraid that Jun expects too much from little Akashi...I don't want to see their relationship crumble but I can't speak about those things against Jun, he is the head of the family. It's just that I feel too sad...I've decided, if Akashi will get trauma from what Jun is about to do, I will make sure to stop Jun from doing anything further to our son!' Ember thought with a sad expression while watching Akashi's and Jun's exchange, unfortunately, it's impossible for her to know that they weren't talking to each other with words but with gestures and their indifference.

'...I know that sad expression the Mistress is making...She is worried about their relationship and that the young lord will grow accustomed to act cold towards the lord Phoenix. I don't understand what is going inside the young lord's head but I am positive that he won't be affected by this.' Ichika thought while observing Ember's expression from shadows with a thoughtful expression behind her mask.

'...This kid, I am already proud of him just from this little exchange. He even adapted so quickly when I suddenly became so "cold" towards him. One side of me doesn't want me to do "that" but the other side is telling me to discover my son's limits. I want to see just how far he can go before I will have to teach him other things about life.'

---

[+1 Charisma for getting father's acknowledgment]

Oho? Interesting...since he gave me a point for free, I will comply with his whims and go out.

"In that case, I think I will go...I am interested in the world beyond our home." I said with a small smile.

I have no idea what he would do if I simply said that I don't want to but to be honest, I really am interested to look around. I felt like a caged bird inside this mansion and to be honest...I am slightly missing the thrill of the fight and seeing a bit of blood.

...I hope that doesn't make me a sadist. It's just a long time since I have killed anyone so I can't help but feel like I am missing something.

------END------

[Name: Akashi Phoenix]

[Title: King of Sloth]

[Class: Young Noble (+1 Cha)]

[Health: 90/90]

[Energy: 135/135]

<Stats>

[Strength: 4]

[Agility: 7]

[Intelligence: 7]

[Constitution: 4]

[Charisma: 3 (4)]

[Free stat points to assign: 1]