Red Alert Palace

Around 5 a.m., before the sun had risen, Lumien naturally woke up.

Waking at this hour had become part of his biological clock. As soon as his mind cleared, he summoned the system.

<Name: Lumien Ofnir>

<Race: Human>

<Level: 1>

<Strength: 3>

<Agility: 2>

<Intelligence: 1>

<Vitality: 10>

<Stamina: 7>

<Classes: None>

<Abilities: None>

Recently, it had become a daily habit for him to check his status first after waking up. It was no different from people checking their phones the moment they opened their eyes.

Also, seeing his stats increase bit by bit each day gave him a small but satisfying boost of motivation to keep going and work harder. It's like watching a child grow, and who doesn't love to see their children grow up?

It was a stark contrast to the past, when the numbers remained stagnant, plunging him into waves of depression.

"Oh, looks like I forgot to allocate the point I earned last night," he muttered to himself after noticing there was still unspent one stat point.

Not that he could blame himself. Last night's daily quest had been exceptionally taxing, both physically and mentally for him. As soon as he was done with it, he quickly fell asleep.

Without Azalea there to pose for reference, he had been forced to rely on his imagination alone.

Obviously, it didn't help much.

In fact, because it took much longer than usual, he had managed to hurt his "little brother" from all the excessive rubbing.

"I really don't want to go to the bathroom. Taking a bath is going to sting like crazy," he groaned.

But there was no way he could avoid taking a bath, not when he only had a couple of hours before the banquet started.

He leaned back against the pillow, lamenting loudly. "Why does the duke have to start the banquet in the morning anyway? Aren't these things supposed to happen at night? How ridiculous."

After grumbling to himself for a while, Lumien refocused his attention on the system.

"Let's see… Being weak and plagued with sickness used to be my greatest problem. But now that I've spent fourteen points; nine on vitality and the remaining five on stamina, I haven't fallen ill since. So, I guess it's not a major issue anymore."

"That means I can finally start investing in the big three: Strength, Agility, and Intelligence. But which two should I choose?"

It only took him a moment to decide. A wry smile spread across his face.

"Silly me. Is that even a real question? Of course, it's strength and agility!"

Intelligence was not an option for him. The attributes it represented still felt unclear.

If it really was related to mana as he suspected, then it was useless to him for now. After all, he did not even have a Mana Core.

Lumien promptly put his plan into action and allocated his available stat points to Strength.

"I wonder if I'll start looking muscular soon,"

"If that happens, would my family be shocked by the change?"

...

"Darling, do I look good?" Lumien heard his father's nervous voice as he asked Eleanor.

"You look perfectly fine. How many times are you going to ask that? This is the fourth time already!" Eleanor chided, shaking her head with an amused smile.

Lumien and his family had just left their family mansion and were now on their way to the banquet. They were traveling together in the same carriage. The event was being held at Red Alert Palace, located in the heart of Arsnova City, just a short twenty-minute ride from their estate.

Earl Elias and his family had left around the same time, their carriage following closely behind theirs.

"Well, I'm about to meet the Duke himself. It's only natural to feel nervous, right?" Leonard said, loosening his collar slightly.

"That's understandable, but the way you're acting right now might make people suspicious," Eleanor replied with a chuckle, spending the next few minutes comforting him by steering the conversation toward lighter topics.

Soon, Eleanor turned her attention to Lumien. "Lumien, you'll be fine, won't you? This is your first time attending a banquet, and it's quite a grand one at that."

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous," Lumien chuckled, then quickly added before his mother could respond, "But don't worry, it's just a little nervousness. Didn't I handle myself well with Sir Earl Elias last night?"

"If you say so," Eleanor replied, though her tone remained slightly concerned. "Still, someone has to accompany you. Your father and I will be too busy mingling with the other guests."

Her eyes shifted to Azalea. "Azalea, you keep an eye on your little brother, all right?"

"I will, mother," Azalea replied without hesitation.

For this banquet, Azalea was dressed in an elegant dark crimson gown that perfectly complemented her striking red eyes and raven-black hair. Her hair was styled in soft waves, left loose to frame her face and reveal her pale, slender neck.

Lumien recalled his mother praising the dress to be suited her daughter so well earlier and mentioning that it had cost nearly a hundred gold coins.

The currency in this world was straightforward and much like in RPG: copper at the lowest tier, silver in the middle, and gold at the highest.

One hundred copper equaled one silver, and one hundred silver equaled one gold.

For ordinary citizens, a hundred gold coins could sustain a household for ten years or more. Yet, for nobles, it could barely cover the cost of a single gown!

Even so, his mother had declared this dress to be the best and most suitable choice for the family's finances. That, of course, meant there were gowns even more lavish and absurdly expensive than this one.

Lumien found himself glancing at the dress again, trying to comprehend how something so simple in appearance could be worth that much money. But seeing how it brought out Azalea's natural elegance, he begrudgingly admitted it was worth it.

His eyes subconsciously went on her face afterward, noticing her facial somewhat off-state, but with the family present, he decided against asking her about it.

Leonard, however, appeared troubled as he spoke. "Actually, I had a plan for Azalea all along for this banquet."

"What plan?" Eleanor asked.

"I heard that Duke Sauron's youngest daughter is around the same age as Azalea," Leonard explained. "If they get along well, it could help strengthen the relationship between our families."

"But then there won't be anyone to look after Lumien," Eleanor said.

Actually, I don't need to be watched. I can take care of myself... Lumien thought, ready to voice his protest. However, before he could speak, Azalea had spoken first.

"I can do both. There's no need to worry," Azalea said firmly.

Her tone was so confident that it left no room for argument.

With that, the matter was resolved, and Lumien turned his attention back to the scenery outside the carriage.

Ten minutes later, the ride suddenly became smoother. The road ahead was now paved, a contrast to the earlier ragged paths. Alongside their family's carriage, other carriages began to appear, merging in from different lanes.

Through the window, Lumien caught his first glimpse of the Red Alert Palace. True to its name, the massive structure was painted in a commanding red that exuded power and dominance. It was impossible to look at it without being reminded of the color of blood.

This palace is even grander than the three cathedrals we passed along the way. From the looks of it, the Sauron family's influence is just as immense as the records claim...

As the palace loomed closer, Lumien couldn't help but wonder how much money it had taken to construct such an imposing structure.

A few minutes later, the Ofnirs' carriage arrived at the palace gates. There, they were required to present their invitation. Leonard leaned out, handing the invitation card to the attendant. After a brief inspection, the carriage was granted entry.

The moment they passed through the gates, Lumien was struck by the overwhelming presence of the color red.

Red gardens. Red-leaved trees. Red pillars. Red roads. Even red birds perched on the branches. Everywhere he looked, red dominated the landscape.

Lumien's mouth twitched as he muttered, "The duke really likes red color, huh?"

If not for the grass still retaining its natural green, the tree trunks their earthy brown, and the bright blue sky above, he might have suspected he had just walked into hell itself.

Leonard, catching Lumien's remark, suddenly said with a hint of intrigue, "You'll understand when you meet the Duke later."

Why? Lumien wanted to ask, but before he could, their carriage came to a halt.

They had finally reached their destination.

Lumien and his family exited the carriage and were promptly greeted by the palace servants. They were escorted inside along with the other guests.

Despite the number of guests reaching into the hundreds, the hall they entered still felt vast and spacious, with plenty of room to move freely.

As they walked, Lumien took in the interior. While the red theme continued to dominate, it was tastefully complemented by accents of gold, white, and deep brown, giving the space a grand yet balanced aesthetic.

His gaze swept over the crowd. Nearly all the faces were unfamiliar to him, except for one group, the Earl Elias family.

Well, I've never ventured outside. That's not surprising...

Naturally, the two families, who were close acquaintances, met almost immediately.

While the adults exchanged pleasantries with familiarity, Lumien found himself standing side by side with Bernard, the young boy whose heart he had mercilessly crushed the night before.

To his surprise, Bernard's expression was far better than expected. There were no dark circles around his eyes, no visible bitterness, only a calmness that almost unsettled Lumien. He also noticed while he occasionally stared at his sister, it was not as frequent as last night.

"You've given up on my sister?" Lumien asked in a hushed whisper, unable to hold back his curiosity.

Had his crush on my sister really ended just like that? If so, then there was nothing to worry about. But if it hadn't... well, heh...

"My dad always says there are plenty of fish in the sea. If one relationship doesn't work out, just move on to another!"

"So I've been wondering, since I didn't meet her criteria, has my relationship with Sister Azalea already failed? But I haven't even confessed yet."

Relationship? You talk as if you're already in an intimate relationship with her... Lumien inwardly rolled his eyes.

After a moment, he responded.

"That's a good question," Lumien said, smirking slightly. "Let me answer it for you."

"You?" Bernard asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow as he sized Lumien up.

"Don't let my age fool you. I might have more experience than you think," Lumien replied confidently.

Bernard frowned, unconvinced. "How's that possible? I heard from my dad that you were sick and bedridden for years. And, for the record, I'm older than you."

Lumien was momentarily speechless.

"Don't sweat the details," he said at last.

Before Bernard could respond, Lumien quickly cut him off.

"Anyway, my answer is, even though you haven't confessed yet, it won't change the final outcome. She'd just reject you. You're not her type. That's what we call a relationship fated to fail."

"Is that so?" Bernard muttered, his shoulders slumping slightly. "Then what should I do? I still don't want to give up on Sister Azalea."

"Why not consider looking at other women? Maybe you'll find someone who suits your taste and helps you gradually forget about my sister," Lumien suggested casually.

"Who? Where?"

"Over there," Lumien said, gesturing subtly with a nod toward a lady tucked away in a secluded corner of the hall. She leaned casually against the wall, sipping from a cocktail glass as her eyes quietly observed the crowd.

The woman was undeniably a beauty, perhaps even more so than his sister. That was precisely why Lumien noticed her, despite her attempt to remain hidden in such an inconspicuous spot. After all, if she weren't stunning, why else would his gaze have been drawn to her in the first place?

Her long red hair flowed down her back, framing a face that radiated unhidden pride and allure. She wasn't exactly slender, but her curves pressed enticingly against her dress, giving her a ravishing and bewitching charm that was impossible to ignore. For some reason, the striking redness of her hair felt oddly familiar to him.

Yet, despite her beauty, no one around her seemed inclined to strike up a conversation. In fact, he could sense a certain wariness in their glances toward her.

She must be the daughter of someone from a powerful noble bloodline... Lumien thought.

The reason Lumien had chosen her as an example was simple: he wanted Bernard to understand the concept of "plenty of fish in the sea."

While Bernard might have developed a crush on his sister because of her beauty, Lumien wanted to prove a point, that there were women out there, possessing more or less charm as Azalea.

What Lumien didn't expect, however, was Bernard's reaction. After nodding as though he'd grasped the message, Bernard turned his attention elsewhere. Satisfied, Lumien allowed himself to relax for a moment. But when he glanced back at Bernard, he was shocked to see the boy had already made his way straight to the red-haired lady!

Lumien instantly froze, as if he'd been struck by lightning.

At that moment, only four words echoed in his mind:

Bernard, you fucking pig!

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