CH.17 Breakfast
“Let’s begin breakfast.” As the baron said that the maids brought over our food.
The baron was sitting at the end of the table, I was on his immediate right and opposite to me was the baron’s wife Christina. Next to her is their daughter Alice.
Our breakfast was pork chops, well it still is boar but same difference, rice and boiled carrots. The ladies had the same as me and the baron, but a smaller pork chop and more carrots compared to the rice. The baron and I also had some sandwiches with bacon. The bread was the same as I ate yesterday, but with the bacon juices in it, it tasted a lot better. I guess bacon just makes any food better. Well almost any. I don’t think I want to try bacon cake any time soon. For drinks we had some cold tea. I would call it ice tea, but it doesn’t have any ice in it.
Before I touch my food I bring my hands together and say in a quiet voice. “Mighty system, thank you for this meal.”
“Is sir Brian religious?” The baron’s wife asked me.
“Not really, but my grandpa taught me to always thank for my food.” It’s not really a lie. My grandpa did have a short prayer at the beginning of meals. And on holidays a long one. Like five minutes long. I remember a time that grandma forced him to stop after like eight minutes because the food was getting cold.
“So sir Brian believes in the existence of the system?” Christina asks.
“Of course I do. Is it not common?”
“Well there are some priests who still talk about it, but the belief of the Great System has faded. There have not been any holders of the legendary ‘System support’ in over eighty years.”
“Really now? Well I guess there haven’t been any publicly known ones.”
“Does sir Brian know someone who holds it?” Christina is getting excited.
I take a bite of the pork chop before answering. “Of course I know someone. I have it myself.” I really hope I won’t regret that.
““WHAT?”” Both the baron and his wife seem extremely surprised. Alice doesn’t seem to get what the big deal is and is just looking between the baron and I.
“You are not lying right? You should know that lying about such a thing is illegal. It can get you hung.” The baron is both warning me and trying to intimidate me. I guess system support is rare enough.
“Why would I lie about that?” I simply ask. I continue to enjoy breakfast as I’m questioned.
“People who hold the System support are angels of the system. They can predict events ahead of time and warn the masses. Legends also say that people around them can learn Extra and Unique skills.” As the baron gives his reasoning, I begin to understand why that is. I didn’t know that I got those missions because of system support, but I guess if you get a mission like ‘save the capital from a dragon’ people would say you can predict the future. It’s more like the system is warning you about things ahead of time.
“Would you be willing to show us your status?” The baron asked me.
“Why would I do that. I don’t think system support shows up on it.” I answer.
“Of course it does. It appears as a symbol at the end of your race.” The baron informs me. So that’s why I have that question mark at the end of my race. I thought it was because I’m from another world and I’m not exactly the same as the humans here.
“I see. I didn’t know that. Yeah my race does have a mark at the end of it.” I answer.
“Please show me!” The baron pegs me. Please don’t do that.
“I really would rather not. I don’t really want others to see it.” I just don’t want people to see my skills. Well one of my skills.
(Master, it is possible for you to hide your skills from others because you have me.) Laura’s voice told me.
(So can I hide my unique skill?) I ask her.
(No. You can only hide all of your skills or none at all. Doing this will also mask Masters level.) Laura informs me.
(Fine. Let’s do that. How do we do that?)
(I already did it, Master.)
(Thank you Laura.)
“Lord Brandon, I’m willing to show my status to you if you want.” I tell the baron.
“Really? You will? You can’t take back a promise to a noble.” That sounds like a lie, but lets just go with it for now.
“Yeah, it should be fine.” I look around the room. There are two maids and the butler Henry here other than the baron's family. “As long as you ask the maids to leave.”
Brandon looks around the room noticing the maids. “You two, leave.” He orders them. After they have left the room he looks back at me. “Is this fine? I can have Alice, Christina and Henry also leave if you want.”
Christina is looking like she wants to argue against that and Alice just doesn’t seem to care. “I don’t mind them staying.” As I say that Christina seemed relieved. I guess she really wants to believe in the system and I’m something like a livin proof of its existence.
For the first time I say: “Status open.”
Name: Brian Wood |
Race: Human ? |
Level: - |
HP: 140 |
Mana: 140 |
Strength: 70 |
Defense: 120 |
Magic: 70 |
… They are just staring at my status. It’s not that weird is it?
“So… Is this enough?” I ask the baron and his wife.
“So you really do have it. You must be an angel. You come here with information on a dungeon and you have the System support.” The baron is going crazy. I mean, I’m not an angel. I don’t have wings.
“Please marry our daughter!” Christina is also going mad. She wants me to marry their daughter. I really don’t think having system support is that big of a deal. Well, not that I know any better.
“MOM! You can’t say something like that!” Her mother's comment also got the attention of Alice. She looked at my status for the first time. “I also don’t want to marry a loser with no skills.”
“Alice, quiet.” The baron got angry with his daughter. “He does have skills, you just can’t see it. Just like we can’t see his level.”
So the baron noticed it. I really wasn’t sure they would but that doesn’t really matter.
“I didn’t know you could do that.” Alice muttered in a quiet voice.
“Yeah system support told me I can hide my skills so I did.” I told them.
“Can you talk with the System support?” The baron came back on me like a beast.
“Yes… Is that weird?” I ask.
“I don’t know actually.” The baron said.
(Master, most who hold system support can talk with it.)
“Well good thing system support just told me. She said that most who hold system support can talk with it.” I told the baron what Laura told me.
(Master, you should remind the baron that you have a schedule to stay on. We will be late if this keeps going.)
“Baron, we should get back to our breakfast. We do have a schedule to hold.” I tell the baron and hide away my status.
“You are right. We still need to take care of that dungeon today.” The baron finally seemed to remember and sat back down.
Good. So I can at least finish my food.
—
After breakfast (and a toilet break) I meet up with the baron at the front of the estate. There the two carriages are waiting for us. Also ready to go are the knights who will be coming with us.
“Please enter this carriage.” The butler Henry tells me. Apparently I will be riding with the baron and Henry. The other carriage is for the members of ‘Prime Rib’”. In the carriage I notice that we have an extra.
“So, why are you bringing your daughter along? I ask the baron.
“Of course I would. If staying by your side will really allow her to gain a unique or extra skill, I just have to bring her along.” The baron’s reasoning was not what I would consider sane, but it’s not my job to tell him what to do.
“You do realize that we have to walk around two hours in a thick forest. That won’t be easy for her.” I comment.
“I’m way stronger than you!” Alice answers me. So I guess she can do it.
“Just don’t ask me to carry you when you give up.” I quip back.
“You two already fight like a married couple. Now I just know you were made for each other.” The baron doesn’t seem to mind our word games.
“WE ARE NOT MARRIED!” Alice yells back.
Henry, who was on the first carriage until we picked up ‘Prime Rib’, gave the order to move and our journey to the dungeon began. And for some reason I have to sit next to Alice. This baron is really playing dirty. He is probably trying to force me into making a mistake that he could use to force my hand into marriage.