" Good morning," I said to the familiar ache everywhere.
Selinus has lowered the amount of drug I can be on, so the previous euphoria of energy has been thrown to the curb. I wouldn't say what I am feeling now is the full or even an eighth of the entire gauge of pain that this body should be feeling, but...
I don't want to move.
If I move too quickly in any direction, be it standing up or falling, the world blurred, and I want to hurl. If I read for too long, I get returning headache. A chill consistently runs through me, and I randomly shudder for no reason.
It is harder to eat as well; food becomes much more tasteless, and the texture makes my stomach stir violently. The air burns as I inhale, and exercise makes me want to flop like a fish out of water.
The dull ache crawling rampant under my skin is like pins and needles poking from the inside, and overexertion makes everything connect like dominoes crashing into each other, shooting a sharp pain through my being, and the world flips upside down into static.
After yesterday, I gained a new skill after successfully do a full mana circulation.
_________
Action performed has met sastisfactory condition.
A reconstructive code has been trigged.
------
[New timed skill obtained]
The Things Under My Skin.
Description: The human body is a fickle thing. Especially in a world so magical, the world too have no mercy on the foolish and the ignorant. Self-preservation is a must cultivated virtue. Match your fact to reality and witness everything for yourself.
Manage your condition and keep yourself healthy, fate await nobody.
------
[New theoretical knowledge received][New theoretical knowledge received]
[New theoretical knowledge received][New theoretical knowledge received]
[New theoretical knowledge received][New theoretical knowledge received]
...
_________
Throughout the entire night, it wouldn't stop blinking and disrupting my focus so I have to shut it off. I didn't really expect something like this would popped up after a single study session in the library.
I assumed it would be the something about my Intelligence stat slugging it way up with the collective effort's elbow grease. But seeing the almost invisible increase in percentage, I could only cry to myself.
It seem that reading book alone won't cut it.
Mana and Intelligence.
The two stat that fail to get better no matter how much lessons I take and the long arduous hours of looking through books and memorizing them.
The bane of my existence. Truely.
With Amelia's talent in the novel as a magic swordman, it is clear that both of them are absolutely vital to my path ahead.
There is hardly anything I can do about this body when it come to mana, doing anymore than mana circulation will have to wait until the estate medical team can physically bust inside and mend everything from the roots.
Which mean- Reconstruction Surgeries.
I was mildly put off on the thought at first since sanitation isn't really a thought that cross the mind of people in medieval time. But, but, but... this is not the modern world that I was familiar with( I desperately reminded myself at the time) and that this is a magical world with additional sciences call- Divine power and Magic.
The Laurel family just like the conglomerate and wisdom powerhouse that they are, show my peasant eyes the true might of money. Sets of scalpels and state of the arts(or magic committee approved in this world) equipments that may differ slightly to a whole lot yet work about the same in the matter of principle.
As a totally trustworthy writer, I pride myself with my strange collection of knowledge, no matter how questionable. Though my work doesn't touch on the actual operations of those top class graduate that I couldn't even compete with their toes, I could stand to confirm that knowledge allow miracles and money create them.
Maybe?
Don't take my words on that.
You could say I was brief on the matter, tho I doubt that pilling stack of scroll and paper threatening to collapse could be considered 'brief'.
Intelligence wise, I need to go frolic through the garden to figure out what I need to see first. The skill clearly point to it so that should be the next step forward for now...
The problem now is that this skill has a deadline.
_________
Duration: This skill will exist for exactly 2 years after you have select your goal. If the goal is not selected within the next 3 days, this skill will automatically disappear.
Please insert your goals here: [ ]
_________
I get that this is important and all, however, I have no idea what this skills is use for.
This remind me of those books of dreams they hand to children before walking away and not guiding them ahead. Mine ended up in a charity donation years later with only three words written like chicken scratches that no one can make out.
Despite having a general goal ahead, I can't just activate some weird skill that pop up after one night.
"I vote for free testing perk please~" I said into the air, my hand shamelessly raised up like someone who just asked to bring away the entire plate of free samples in the supermarket.
There was a pause in the usually punctual system, like they has to step away from their table to take a breather from bafflement. I sat there like the spineless leacher I am and keep on pleading for a good 20 minutes.
_________
...
_________
_________
...
The system has register you request.
The skill [ The Things Under My Skin ] has activate a freebie perk for the unregistered user.
_________
Before I could cheer for my audacity, the world wrapped for a moment. When I look down at my hand, I could feel my heart jumped in shock.
My flesh has became strangely translucent, the totally corporal arm is now only define by a thin glowing outline. The veins and blood vessels under it were also colored in, showing all the unnatural break and twist happening in real time.
I feel myself quickly rolling of the floor and run straight to the full body mirror once more.
It wasn't just hands, no...
I could see under my entire body.
The organs underneath twitched every once in a while following accelerated heart beats. Lungs inflated and deflated, bringing motion in the coursing blood stream. Each part is colored in, some part discolored with globs of something clung to both the ins and outs of each body parts.
Some of these things wiggled intensely, aiming for healthy tissues to spread and destroy. Yet... Some are completely motionless, or barely moving, a secondary layer overlapping it in black as the source start from the main stomach.
It slowly reach out, everywhere it touch, the volatile 'alive' poison stop like it was frozen over, sedating them while recovering some of the off color part.
My head whipped straight to the unconsumed 'black overlay' resting half finished next to the pile of books. I could feel myself launching at it, gulping down greedily until there was nothing left.
For the next minutes, I stared on at the mirror watching those strange previous moving globs. Even when the freebie effect ran out, I find myself staring into the empty cup until the doctor came for another check up.
' Was that the poison?' A sudden dread was over me. Goosebumps rising up felt like insects crawling under my skin.
For the first time since coming into this world, the word 'magic' feel like bile on my tongue. When I first see A-rank, the only thing I could associate it with those deadly neurotoxin that kills within minutes. Now, it would seem the poison Gu(bugs) from Murim realm would be a closer in comparison.
The image of sentient like poison clawing your inside is not something I have ever picture myself seeing, neither do I expect that situation to be happening.
" This is ridiculous." It felt like air was clogging my lung. A sudden strike of reality make my hand tremble, unfocused gaze turn back to my reflection.
The stomach churning memories of wriggling maggots and rots cling to the back of my head, a pungent stench sneak up form the bottom of scattered memory with the burning sensation of acid on the back of my throat. It feel like being pulled under, downing in ashes.
I didn't know how I got myself to the bathroom, letting out the nauseating feeling pilling up in my stomach.
*urk*
*bleargh*
*blarg*
Watching the bile get flushed away by the stream, mixing with the undigested black medicinal tar with faint regret. However, the strange feeling of comfort settle on my tense body when little speck of those poison was ejected out as well.
When I came out, Adriane was already there with another handmaiden, with the other two quickly bringing Silenus and Dawn in tow.
Watching them fuss and bicker, I feel like the unknown stress from before let loose, allowing me to relax a bit.
"... sorry for throwing up the medicine." I found myself saying unconsciously.
The people in the room visibly froze as silence fell.
Oops.
I shouldn't have said that.
Before I could think of something to redirect the conversation, Selinus finish checking on my body. His eyes burning holes on my forehead, fully screaming the sentence 'the f*ck did you just say'.
" A patient should not apologized for something that can't be help."
The words I just came up with got swallow back down, settling on a creeping grin in stead.
" Hehe, doctor Selinus surely is the type to be cold on the outside, hot on the inside right?"
These words aren't baseless as even in the novel, he would come to visit Amelia's grave often, prompting his encounter with the group of Heroes.
One of his greatest regret would be that he was unable to help the children of the Laurel that gave him the life and achievement he had. Someone who was saved by the family he served, ultimately fail to paid what he sworn to return.
I never made it to the conclusion but being reminded of that fleeting figure failing to arrive just by a hair's breath again and again surely bring a bitter feeling.
The doctor ruffled my hair, then brush off invisible wrinkles on my clothes.
" You are fine. Your body is probably triggered by how quick you swallow your medicine. Listen when your healthcare professional is advising you, stop chugging your medicine, half a cup at a time!" His mighty choppy hand landed squared on top of my head.
" Ow! Do you know hard it is to swallow this tar?! The flavor and texture is like you are trying to feed me liquid charcoal. How do expect me to take my time when it feel like the cup itself would curse me if I stared at it for too long!?"
With just that strike, all sentimental thoughts was flushed down the toilet like my barf. My combative spirit winning over my mouth once more.
" Isn't that why you lovely Dawn over there pile on you so much sweet? If it wasn't for the positive components in those treats, we wouldn't even gave you any! Maybe it is time we cut those off your allowed meals as well." He challenged, provoking me with a daring crime.
" ...You wouldn't dare." I gasp like he is trying to slap me in the face.
" Try me." He said blandly.
The bickering and negotiation on snacks and beverages allowed continued on for hours afterward. Dawn look at her assistant who has just arrive with an apologetic look, pulling her into the room as well to join in the chaos.
With that being said, they ended up having a meal together in the dinning hall with me and supervising my activities for the rest of the day.
...
" System, I wish to input my goals for the skill [ The Things Under My Skin ]." After getting released back to my room for a good night rest. I hug my fluffy blanket as I huddle toward the headboard.
I pick up the gently steaming cup of golden milk( mix well milk with mash banana, vanilla, turmeric, cinnamon, ground pepper until smooth) on the bedside table, generously provided by Dawn's assistant, and take little sips as I wait for the floating screen.
__________
[Notice]
Once the goal has been chosen, you will no longer be able to change it.
The timer will start the moment your targets is locked.
Please consider selecting an achievable goal fitting with the given time frame.
__________
The mellow sweetness of mashed banana, and comforting warmness settle in my core. Clearing away the fog of today's troubling discover.
Those memories wasn't mine.
They were Amelia's, she has encounter something dead and rotting in the past.
A noble lady, living in a grand estate where employees comb through every inch of the land without fail. The forest in their backyard with a non-hostile environment, where everything rest and live peacefully.
With knights always following her in tow everywhere, how, when and where was it that she could witness such a vile scene, undoubtably connected with this poison in her body.
I couldn't answer even if I try. Asking the Laurel family to help is out of the question, I tested the water with the handmaidens, knights, doctors and even servants that regularly interact with Amelia, yet no one show any inkling of knowing something about it.
If Amelia hasn't told them, there must be a reason.
__________
{Please input here}
__________
A supposed side character that is destined to fall.
An important family perishing in the flame of war.
And the multitude of people ready to lay down their life for those who are destined to burn.
___________
Processing input
[Log successful]
The skill [ The Things Under My Skin ] has undergone a change.
Hidden utilities unlocked.
-------
[Sprouting Buds Under The Morning Sun]
Rank: Null
Duration: 18527h: 59m: 57s
Description: The human body is a fickle thing. Especially in a world so magical, the world too have no mercy on the foolish and the ignorant. Self-preservation is a must cultivated virtue. Match your fact to reality and witness everything for yourself.
Manage your condition and keep yourself healthy, fate await nobody.
Effect:
[ The Things Under My Skin ] A map of your inner world. Witness how you body work with your own eyes. {Cooldown time: 1 week}
[ Shoot For The Finish Line ] Random timed quest will appear daily to help you reach your goal. Reward will be for the diligent, while the tardy get a handy-capped.
[ From Rag to... Usable? ] Collect raw materials and learn more about them by processing them in different ways. You might earn some strange yet fascinating recipes and items through unconventional means.
[ Theory and Practice ] To get good at something, you must first know about it first. When practicing a skill you have hold theoretical knowledge of, you can preform it with lower chance of failure. You might even get strike with {Inspiration} the more you practice.
[ Fleeting Chance] A deeper insight?
------
[Designated Goals]
Vitality: E+
Mana: D-
Agility: F+
Strength: E-
Intelligence: D-
Luck: C+
Overall rank: E++
Natural recovery rate: 17.555% -> 55%
__________
This is turning out to be more and more into a fight against fate more than anything now.