The second week of training began. For the protagonist, this point in the game would've been the two-minute mark of the tutorial, time to choose a base class and unlock beginner skills. For Xian, it was time to eat dirt.
"The training's theme for this week is combat." Moris whose stern as ever said to Xian already lying on the floor.
"… Should've told me before you started." Xian groaned from where he was already sprawled on the stone floor. At least he didn't get whipped for not waking up in time.
He thought back on the night after his conversation with Carmillia.
There was some tense moments but he managed to pull through. Somehow, he'd passed. But even with regression, he wasn't ready to test how far his mind could stay sane if he ever failed.
He might just break down and go back on his oath to romance Carmillia's route if that happens. He played the game and reached bad ends, sometimes even on purpose. But from now on the consequences will be experienced directly by his body.
Since now, he's not merely clicking on the screen but interacts in reality. The pain in his body still stung and he flinched like a child in front of Moris. Turns out, the endurance doesn't make pain go away, but it does make your body tough.
He can feel it. That he can still move and fight back. That his lungs wasn't done heaving heavily for a long time. But Xian himself wasn't used to it. Pain made him remember his younger days, and fists to his face made him tremble.
It was embarrassing, but he also felt indignant.
It was all because of his realization.
What if he gets tortured for a long time before regressing? What if he becomes a mentally ill person? What if he becomes a cripple and the villainess doesn't die right away?
He was afraid of the consequences. He couldn't just not care anymore.
Xian shuddered at the plethora of possibilities he could think of. This is truly a punishment of doing what he loved over and over again.
Rozenfall, was an unkind game for everyone and its own characters. That's why the protagonist is there to save all of their asses being handed down to villains like Carmillia.
"Strange. You have a certain degree of strength but is like a child with a knife." Moris mused as he straightened his mustache.
'Even Moris find it strange.' The fact that the level up boosted his stats but not his control skills was something he didn't expect.
For now, Xian forced himself to get up. His hands trembled and his legs shook, unfit to his fierce and robust appearance.
Once again he raised the pair of dagger's given by Moris. He recommended them as suitable type of weapons in his line of duty. Easy to carry and hide, but deadly sharp like a sword.
"Hm. It doesn't matter." Moris said coldly. "Your body will learn in a week. Even if it breaks."
He held a small pastry knife used to cut butter. It shimmered slightly with dark light, obviously coated in his aura to prevent breaking and that was all he used to give Xian a run for his money.
Xian dashed forward with force, a move he was surprisingly getting used to. He aimed both daggers at Moris and slashed mindlessly.
It's going to be blocked anyways, so he attacked like a wild animal and vented his rage that way.
Until afternoon that was all Xian did apart from lunch break. He missed the attendant lessons a week ago where he only needed to read and demonstrate tea pouring and escorting.
Moris left and he finally collapsed to the ground, covered in small cuts and bruises. An estate maid approached and began healing him without a word.
She even assisted him in getting up to walk towards his room.
He blinked slowly, mind foggy, then turned on his [Conqueror's Eyes].
A gray heart flickered over the maids head with the value of 79.
'Quite high.'
Something clicked to Xian's mind. If the system didn't limit affection meters to romanceable characters, didn't that mean that essentially, everyone is a target to conquer?
Even this maid who didn't exist in the original game routes.
"Sorry for the trouble." he said with the gentlest smile possible—one he'd practiced in front of a mirror.
"Ah—! N-No, it's nothing." She stammered with a weak voice. "I mean—I'm just doing what I'm told…"
"Still, you're very diligent. I must be quite heavy though, are you alright?"
"T-thank you, but I'm alright... S-sir Xian is diligent too." She said with a fleeting smile.
'Oh? She knows my name? She's already better than Carmillia in my heart.'
Xian waited for a moment and it happened. Her mood count rose, indicating that her attitude towards him improved. The number inside the gray heart now numbered 89.
His little experiment unfortunately came to a halt as they reached their destination, his room.
"Then, see you tomorrow again." He remarked before saying goodbye to this random maid.
"Um, it depends on the assignment but.. I'll try!" She left flustered with her head bowed down.
'Let's see if this grow's into a bond.'
This little moments of experiments brought joy in his slow life at the Montagne estate.
A while later, he was lying in the bed looking at the rewards he received from the [Conversation Event].
A [Replay Ticket] [Prying Lens] and [Threadwatch Ticket]
A Replay ticket allows him to see specific scenario of his own choosing from the source game. A Prying lens gives him ability to see the perspective and experience of a chosen character as it is in this world.
And lastly, the Threadwatch ticket will show what events will transpire and develop due to his interventions. Like a movie foreseeing the future.
'They are all top tier items for information gathering. I'm glad the system still retained its reward function.'
Before sleeping Xian sat and meditated. An act he made into a habit ever since his third regression. He can neither see or feel it right now, but this body must've been an aura user.
With strength enough to make a difference against the coachman assailant and arrive at the estate unhindered by the high level guards.
If his deductions are right, he probably fought the assailant with the two swordmaidens.
And he played a role important enough to save all of their lives. That would require a level of at least in the 50's to even out the match up.
'Even stronger than the two swordmaidens.'
And if that wasn't the case. If his level is lower than that, then the only answer left would lead to…
'Traits.'
Absurd groundbreaking traits that can counter and overturn the battlefield, the swordmaidens were prime example of those. Their post-death explosion ability was nothing short of terrifying.
Right now, he had a debuff title called [Shackled One] following three bundles of question marks.
Those three traits was sealed according to the description because he's still not accustomed to a certain threshold of strength.
If he followed the current information logically, since the dispatched butler was able to save all of their lives with his strength, those traits must be really overpowered.
And since he didn't exist in any of the story lines, it must've been a glasscanon like trait.
Maybe, he died sacrificing himself after all?
A special butler meant to stop a grave threat like the martial artist coachman? The duke foreseeing the attack and sending an appropriate measure wasn't so out of the question.
It hit Xian that maybe, this is a body of a disposable guard.
It made sense to give him a body that won't cause much fuss if possessed. Although he will certainly put it to good use when it comes to causing consequences.
'Maybe that's why Carmillia was displeased? She thought that she was sent a dud?' Resetting his level to 1 must've made his aura seem like dead weight.
They surely didn't know where the threat is coming from. So they attached a one use disposable servant to her.
Xian felt like he was forcibly connecting the dots. He was tempted to use the tickets he got, but his hoarding mentality told him otherwise.
Soon, Xian fell asleep from fatigue and idle thoughts.
The next day came and by dawn, Xian was already up, fully dressed, when the door opened.
Before the door opened, Morisson was pleasantly surprised to see Xian and paused.
"Good morning, Sir Moris."
"Hmph. If you're awake, don't make me fetch you in your room." Moris, hiding his faint smile with his mustache said. "Training grounds. Starting tomorrow, don't wait for me."
"As you wish."
Xian felt it, his mind and body syncing. He was adapting. Maybe fast enough to be comparable to actual butlers of noble households.
"Hm, todays training will be a bit special." As they walked together, Moris said something unexpected. "Today, you will be training with the one of the young lady's guard."
"…Excuse me?"
"You heard it. And the young miss will watch with the other lass."
"???"
"They might help you improve better. Fighting with me is simply asking for a beating. I haven't fought at such low level in a long time, control gets harder these days due to age…"
Xian ignored Morisson's rambling.
At this early hour? That villainess?
It was just.. Unexpected for Xian.
The training grounds came into view. The weapon racks were refilled, the dummies were newly replaced and the formerly dusty ground now shimmered.
'What are the cleaners eating in this household? Are they in service 24/7?' Xian dreaded becoming the same as them.
A signature seat that didn't exist before were centered on one side of the training ground like a judge's seat. One swordmaiden clad in dark armor stood by its side, protecting Carmillia who sat there with eyes closed.
"I've brought him, young miss." Moris called Carmillia and Xian followed suit to his bow.
"Hm? Oh, you've arrived Moris… with the little butler." She stared at Xian briefly with half lidded eyes.
'Still the little butler huh?'
She was dressed in a rather simple gown, never seen before in any of the game routes. Carmillia always appeared dressed with overly eye catching gothic style possible that fits her role and personality.
Her face had lesser makeup put on and Xian… took in a breath, burning the memory in his mind.
'Those cursed devs, such a waste of character.' He clicked his tongue at the devs that turned her to a disposable villainess.
Carmillia, as lacking as she is when it comes to the variety of game sprites, was on the 3rd spot of the top 10 most beautiful of Rozenfall.
It was an unprecedented feat of someone who has never been part of the capture targets.
She had always been beautiful. As evil as she is and as tragic her fate is.
Xian… Had an obsession with that beautiful face. He could literally stare at her forever.
If only all she can do was to be stared at and admired.
Unfortunately she was a villainess. A troublesome one who caused death in her wake, and fell into it herself.
"She will be watching you today. You're opponent will be.." Xian followed Morisson's gaze.
A woman with light brown short hair walked in on the training ground. She had an impatient expression and sharp brows. Her lips pouted as if she found everything in her sight annoying.
There were glimpses of the swordmaidens face in several boss fights and scenario of the game. But there was never a scene that revealed this much.
She wore a white sleeveless training tops. A towel is draped around her neck. Xian thought that she looked like a modern athlete.
"…" With a hardened gaze, she faced Xian.
"Heh." A sneer. That was the first reaction she gave to him.
"???"
'What is that supposed to mean?'