Three months passed in the blink of an eye for Ashreign, though for a newborn, each day stretched into an eternity of discovery and adaptation. Frostveil Hold settled into a fragile peace after Sergeant Kaelen's departure, but Garren and Elara knew better than to let their guard down. Extra guards were posted at every entrance, and trusted servants were the only ones allowed near the heir's nursery.
The nursery itself was carved from pale mountain stone, warmed by enchanted braziers that cast no smoke but filled the room with the clean scent of cedar. Walls were lined with shelves holding leather bound tomes, polished swords, and intricate carvings of frost wolves and mountain eagles, symbols of House Valdris' strength and resilience. In one corner sat the Valdris Sword Legacy Manual, its leather cover gleaming with silver runes that seemed to shift and dance when Ashreign focused his gaze on it.
[DAILY TASK REMINDER: MEDITATE TO STRENGTHEN ARCANE AFFINITY]
Ashreign lay in his cradle, swaddled in furs dyed the deep blue of his house. His eyes, already the same ice blue as Garren's, were fixed on the manual as he focused on the warm energy flowing from the amulet at his throat. The Serpent's Brand on his palm pulsed in rhythm with his breathing, and he could feel the knowledge within the book seeping into his mind, even without touching its pages.
Images of swords flashed through his thoughts, long swords wreathed in flame, short swords crackling with lightning, broad swords glistening with frost. Each technique felt familiar, as if he'd trained them a thousand times before. His tiny fingers curled and uncurled, mimicking the grip of a swordsman holding a sword far too large for his current form.
[PROGRESS UPDATE: MASTER THE FIRST STAGE]
[PROGRESS INCREASED TO 45%]
[FEEDBACK: Elemental sensitivity developing faster than expected, amulet enhancing learning speed]
A soft knock at the door pulled him from his meditation. Elara entered, carrying a wooden tray with warm goat's milk and honey cakes, followed by a tall, gray-bearded man in robes embroidered with the Valdris sigil. His name was Master Theron, the house's oldest arcane scholar and swordmaster, a man who in the game had died defending Ashreign from assassins when he was just five years old.
"Your Grace," Master Theron said, bowing deeply to Elara before turning his attention to the cradle. His weathered face broke into a gentle smile as he saw Ashreign watching him. "The young lord is awake, I see. And by the look in his eyes, he's been thinking deeply."
"He's always been alert," Elara replied, setting the tray down and settling beside the cradle. "Even as a newborn, he seems to understand more than he should."
Master Theron stepped closer, his eyes narrowing slightly as he noticed the faint silver glow from Ashreign's palm. He didn't recoil like others might have, instead, he knelt and extended a wrinkled hand toward the baby's. "May I?"
Elara nodded, though her hand moved instinctively to the dagger at her belt. "Be gentle, Master Theron. His mark… it reacts to strong arcane energy."
As the old scholar's fingers brushed against Ashreign's palm, a surge of power passed between them. The amulet glowed bright silver, and the runes on the Valdris Sword Legacy Manual flared to life, floating off the pages in a spiral of light.
[ARCANE RESONANCE DETECTED]
[USER HAS ESTABLISHED CONNECTION WITH HOUSE VALDRIS ARCANE HERITAGE]
[BONUS VP EARNED: 1,000 VP]
[TOTAL VP NOW: 122,000 VP]
Master Theron gasped, stumbling backward as the light surrounded him. "By the old gods… this is not corruption. This is harmony, the mark is not feeding on arcane energy, it is guiding it."
He scrambled to his feet, his eyes wide with wonder. "My lady, I must see the lord at once. The texts were right, there was a time when the Serpent's Brand was revered, not feared. It marked those who could blend magic and swordsmanship into something greater than the sum of its parts."
Elara's jaw dropped. "You've read of this?"
"Only in the most ancient scrolls, locked away in the forbidden section of the library," Master Theron said, his voice urgent. "They were hidden after the Ironclad Dominion spread their lies. If we can find them, we might be able to prove the mark's true purpose."
Ashreign's mind raced. In the game, Master Theron had never discovered this truth, he'd died before he could uncover the hidden texts. This was the first major divergence from the original story, and it filled him with hope. He focused on the system interface, opening the Villain Shop for the first time.
[VILLAIN SHOP UNLOCKED]
[DAILY RANDOM REFRESH COMPLETE]
[SHOP NOTICE: Items and their rarities are randomized daily. Rarities can range from Common to GODLY, with higher rarities appearing less frequently.]
[AVAILABLE ITEMS FOR TODAY:]
[RARITY: UNCOMMON]
[ITEM: Healing Salve (10 per pack).
COST: 300 VP]
ITEM EXPLANATION: Made from crushed mountain herbs and infused with minor healing magic, this enhanced batch treats cuts, bruises, and minor burns faster than standard salves. Each pack contains 10 doses and can be stored indefinitely without losing potency. Safe for all ages, including newborns.
[RARITY: SR]
[ITEM: Enchanted Crib Shield (protects from dark magic/assassins).
COST: 6,000 VP]
ITEM EXPLANATION: When placed under the crib mattress, this shield creates an invisible barrier that repels dark magic and alerts guardians to anyone attempting to approach with harmful intent. It also emits a calming aura that helps young children sleep deeply and develop stronger arcane affinity over time.
[RARITY: COMMON]
[ITEM: Arcane Ink Vial (for copying ancient texts).
COST: 150 VP]
ITEM EXPLANATION: Special ink that bonds with parchment to preserve and enhance readability of ancient arcane texts. It glows faintly when near hidden writing or coded messages, making it ideal for deciphering old scrolls. One vial can copy up to 5 large parchments.
[RARITY: Lamp]
[ITEM: Lost Valdris Battle Standard Fragment.
COST: 12,000 VP]
ITEM EXPLANATION: A piece of the original battle standard carried by Valdris warriors in the age of the first kings. It boosts morale and combat effectiveness of all Valdris soldiers within a 50-meter radius. Collecting all fragments will restore the full standard's power to summon ancestral protection.
[RARITY: RARE]
[ITEM: Portable Arcane Lamp.
COST: 3,000 VP]
ITEM EXPLANATION: A small, handheld lamp that emits light powered by arcane energy (no fuel needed). It can adjust brightness from soft glow to blinding flash, and its light reveals hidden magical traps or markings that are invisible to the naked eye.
[RARITY: GODLY LIMITED TIME RANDOM DROP
ITEM: Ancestral Valdris Sword Hilt.
COST: 95,000 VP]
ITEM EXPLANATION: The hilt of a legendary sword forged for the first bearer of the Serpent's Brand. It can be paired with any blade to create a weapon capable of channeling multiple elements at once. Once fully restored with additional materials, it will unlock the sword's true form and unique abilities. This item appears in the shop only once every 30 days at random.
[SHOP MESSAGE: NEXT RANDOM REFRESH WILL OCCUR IN 24 HOURS. LIMITED TIME GODLY ITEM WILL EXPIRE IN 12 HOURS.]
Ashreign's heart raced as he saw the GODLY rarity item, while it was expensive, the ancestral sword hilt could be crucial for his future. But he also knew the library key he'd hoped for wasn't available today, and Master Theron needed access to the forbidden texts urgently. He weighed his options carefully, then made his choice.
[ITEM SELECTED: SR]
[Enchanted Crib Shield & RARE – Portable Arcane Lamp]
[COST: 6,000 VP + 3,000 VP = 9,000 VP TOTAL]
[PURCHASE CONFIRMED, ITEMS WILL MATERIALIZE SHORTLY]
A small, silver disc (the crib shield) and a polished brass lamp appeared on the table beside his cradle. Elara picked up the lamp, and when she touched it, it glowed with a warm blue light that filled the room.
"What incredible craftsmanship," she murmured. "It feels… alive."
Master Theron examined the silver disc, his fingers tracing the runes etched into its surface. "This is powerful protective magic, older than any I've seen in my lifetime. With this in place, the young lord will be safe from even the most skilled assassins."
Ashreign cooed softly, then focused on the GODLY item in the shop. He made a mental note to save his VP in case it appeared again, or if another critical item showed up in tomorrow's random refresh.
The next morning, Ashreign activated the portable arcane lamp and directed its light at the map of Frostveil Hold hanging on his nursery wall. To everyone's surprise, hidden markings glowed bright under the lamp's light, revealing a secret passage that led directly to the forbidden library section.
ITEM EXPLANATION (Portable Arcane Lamp): The lamp's light reacted with hidden arcane ink used to mark secret passages in Frostveil Hold. This feature is unique to today's random rare variant of the item, standard versions do not have this capability.
Master Theron's eyes widened as he traced the glowing path on the wall. "A secret entrance! We won't need a key after all, this passage was built to allow Valdris heirs to access the forbidden texts without drawing attention."
They followed the passage through a narrow tunnel behind the nursery wall, emerging into a small antechamber adjacent to the sealed vault. With the arcane lamp's light revealing hidden locks and mechanisms, Master Theron was able to open the vault door in minutes.
Inside, dust motes danced in the lamp's blue light, illuminating rows upon rows of scrolls and tomes bound in dark leather and metal. Master Theron moved with practiced ease, his hands brushing over spines until he found what he was looking for, a large, locked chest carved with the Serpent's Brand.
As he unrolled the top parchment, Elara gasped. It showed a depiction of a Valdris ancestor with the same serpent sigil on his palm, standing beside the first king of Aethellys as his most trusted advisor. The text beneath read: "The Serpent's Brand marks those chosen to maintain balance between magic and might, light and shadow. They are not villains, they are guardians."
[NEW INFORMATION UNCOVERED]
[MAIN QUEST PROGRESS INCREASED]
[MAIN QUEST: REWRITE YOUR FATE PROGRESS NOW 20%]
[BONUS VP EARNED: 5,000 VP]
[TOTAL VP NOW: 118,000 VP]
[NEW SPECIAL TASK UNLOCKED: SPREAD THE TRUTH]
[Share the hidden texts with trusted allies to counter Ironclad propaganda. REWARD: 20,000 VP]
While the adults poured over the scrolls, Ashreign focused on his ongoing task to master Adaptive Swordweaving. The images in his mind had grown clearer, he could now visualize himself holding a sword, channeling frost magic through its edge to create a trail of ice. He could feel the technique taking root in his muscle memory, even as his body remained small and weak.
[PROGRESS UPDATE: MASTER THE FIRST STAGE]
[PROGRESS INCREASED TO 70%]
[FEEDBACK: First elemental form (Frostweave) nearly mastered, physical training will accelerate once body develops]
A sudden chill in the air made Ashreign's amulet glow bright. He could sense dark magic nearby, faint, but unmistakable. He cried out, a sharp sound that cut through the quiet of the library.
[DARK ARCANE ENERGY DETECTED STRENGTH: MODERATE]
[SOURCE LOCATION: BEHIND NORTHWEST BOOKSHELF IN FORBIDDEN LIBRARY]
[HIDDEN THREAT IDENTIFIED
HUMAN MALE, AGE ESTIMATED 25-35]
[AFFILIATION CONFIRMED: SPY FROM IRONCLAD DOMINION, TATTOO OF IRONCLAD FIST DETECTED ON RIGHT WRIST (HIDDEN UNDER GLOVE)]
[EQUIPMENT DETECTED: POISONED DAGGER (COATED IN NIGHTSHADE VENOM), INVISIBILITY CLOAK (PARTIALLY FAILED DUE TO ARCANE RESONANCE WITH VAULDRIS TEXTS), MAGIC RESISTANT LEATHER ARMOR]
[INTENDED TARGET: MASTER THERON VALDRIS, SPY ATTEMPTING TO SILENCE HIM BEFORE HE CAN DECIPHER ANCIENT PARCHMENTS]
[WEEKLY TASK UPDATE: PROTECT SOMEONE FROM HARM]
[TASK OBJECTIVE: PREVENT THE SPY FROM INFLICTING INJURY OR DEATH ON ANY VAULDRIS HOUSE MEMBER PRESENT]
[CURRENT RISK LEVEL: HIGH NIGHTSHADE VENOM IS LETHAL, WITHIN 5 MINUTES OF CONTACT]
[ACTIVATE TO COMPLETE: SYSTEM WILL ASSIST WITH ENERGY CHANNELING FOR AMULET'S ACTIVE ABILITY]
Elara drew her dagger as a shadow moved in the corner of the room. A figure dressed in black leather lunged from behind a bookshelf, their face covered by a mask, aiming a poisoned dagger at Master Theron's back. Before either adult could react, Ashreign focused all his will on the amulet, activating Serpent's Veil once more.
The silver barrier burst outward, knocking the assassin back into a shelf of scrolls. The poisoned dagger clattered to the floor, its black blade hissing as it touched the stone. Garren burst into the room moments later, sword drawn, having been alerted by the commotion from the nursery's enchanted shield.
ITEM EXPLANATION (Enchanted Crib Shield): When the assassin entered the hold, the shield detected their harmful intent and sent a mental alert directly to Garren's own arcane pendant—allowing him to respond faster than any guard could have. This emergency alert feature is exclusive to today's random SR variant.
"Guards!" he roared, his voice echoing through the library. "Secure the perimeter, there may be more."
The assassin was quickly subdued, and under questioning, admitted to being sent by Lord Ironclad to steal any texts that might contradict the prophecy. Garren's face was grim as he looked from the bound spy to the scrolls spread across the table.
"They'll stop at nothing to maintain their lie," he said, placing a hand on Ashreign's head. "But now we have proof. With these texts, we can rally other houses to our cause."
[WEEKLY TASK COMPLETE: PROTECT SOMEONE FROM HARM]
[REWARD: 5,000 VP EARNED]
[BONUS VP FOR THWARTING ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT: 3,000 VP]
[TOTAL VP NOW: 126,000 VP]
As they made their way back to the nursery, Ashreign felt the knowledge from the Valdris Sword Legacy Manual clicking into place. He closed his eyes, and for the first time, he could feel the elemental energy around him, cold from the mountain snow, warm from the enchanted braziers, sharp from the steel of swords in the armory.
[PROGRESS UPDATE: MASTER THE FIRST STAGE]
[PROGRESS INCREASED TO 100%
TASK COMPLETE!]
[SPECIAL TASK REWARD: 5,000 VP EARNED]
[TOTAL VP NOW: 131,000 VP]
[NEW TECHNIQUE UNLOCKED: FROSTWEAVE STRIKE]
[Basic sword technique that channels frost magic to slow or freeze opponents]
[NEW SPECIAL TASK UNLOCKED: TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION]
[Teach a fellow Valdris member the basics of Adaptive Swordweaving. REWARD: 10,000 VP]
Back in the nursery, Ashreign opened the Gacha Module to use a standard pull with his remaining VP.
[SELECTED: RANDOM RARITY SINGLE PULL]
[COST: 2,500 VP]
[PULL INITIATING… RANDOM RARITY SELECTED: SSR]
A swirl of golden light filled his mind, condensing into a small, glowing object that materialized on the table beside his cradle, a polished stone carved into the shape of a frost wolf.
[ITEM OBTAINED: WOLF STONE OF VALDRIS]
[RARITY: SSR (SUPER SPECIAL RARE) RANDOM PULL RESULT]
ITEM EXPLANATION: Carved from a single piece of frost crystal found only in the deepest caves of the Frostveil Mountains, this stone is attuned to the spirit of House Valdris' sacred frost wolves. It allows the user to communicate with animals and summon a small frost wolf spirit to scout or deliver messages. As the user grows stronger, the spirit's size and abilities will increase. This item was a random SSR drop, standard pulls of this cost typically yield R or SR rarity items.
Garren picked up the stone, and as his fingers touched its surface, a small, glowing wolf spirit appeared, circling the cradle before nuzzling Ashreign's hand.
"Incredible," Master Theron breathed. "The old texts speak of these guardian stones, but I never thought one still existed."
As night fell over Frostveil Hold, Ashreign lay in his cradle, watching the wolf spirit play with the light from the portable arcane lamp. He checked the VP Shop one last time before resting, tomorrow's refresh would bring entirely new items with random rarities, and he needed to be ready for whatever critical tools might appear next.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: HOST HAS COMPLETED ALL AVAILABLE TASKS FOR TODAY]
[DAILY LOG: VP EARNED: 3,800 | VP SPENT: 11,500
TOTAL VP REMAINING: 128,500 VP]
[NEXT DAILY SHOP REFRESH IN 8 HOURS ALL ITEMS WILL BE RANDOMIZED AGAIN]
Outside, the wind whispered through the mountain passes but this time, it didn't sound like a warning. It sounded like a promise of things to come, of battles to be fought and victories to be won. With the random shop offering new opportunities each day, Ashreign knew he'd need to stay sharp and make every choice count.
The first lesson was complete, but the game was far from over.
END OF CHAPTER 2
TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 3: ALLIES AND RIVALS