[Quest completed.]
[Congratulations on completing the quest 'Save a Damsel in Distress'.]
[The rewards have been distributed.]
[Congratulations! Player has leveled up!]
[Congratulations! Player can assign an elemental attribute to his element.]
[Player, please check the system space for the remaining rewards.]
The series of notifications were like a melodious bell in Arthur's ears, drowning out the words that the lady was speaking.
Arthur shifted his gaze internally and immediately called up his stats.
…
[Name: Arthur Pendragon.]
[Class: Calamity Summoner.]
[Level: 1.]
[Strength: 30.]
[Defense: 26.]
[Dexterity: 29.]
[Health: 100.]
[Mana: 110.]
[Free Attribute: 1.]
'Huh?' Arthur raised a brow in surprise.
'System, what the hell is going on?'
[Please note that due to the player's unique class, the player is unable to level up. However, the system has found a way to salvage the situation by granting the host free attribute points, which can be assigned to any stat aside from the normal attributes obtained from your summons.]
'That… that's the reason?'
Previously, Arthur had always thought he'd been cursed to never level up after cheating the cycle of reincarnation, but now…
'Damn, so my class is the reason I'm unable to level up?' Arthur felt the urge to cry.
Restraining the impulse, he shifted his attention back to the words the system had said.
'System, I wish to assign the free attribute to Strength stats.'
[Strength: 31.]
Arthur felt a mysterious energy wash over him as the strange sensation swept through his being, making him understand that although the increase in his strength was slight, it was substantial.
'This… damn!' Arthur cursed silently.
He had been briefed on all the information about players, and he knew there was no such thing as increasing one's physical attributes normally.
Although there were treasures that could enhance physical stats, they weren't as drastic or overpowered as what Arthur had just obtained.
'If that's the case, won't completing more missions increase my stats even more?'
Arthur no longer felt bothered about the fact that he couldn't level up.
Just as the system had stated, it had truly salvaged the situation in a good way.
Arthur glanced down and noticed a new stat that hadn't been there before.
[Elemental Affinity: F-rank Fire — 2/10.]
'System, does this mean that when I reach ten, my elemental attribute will evolve to a higher grade?'
[Yes, player.]
'Unholy shit! This is the best system I could ever ask for!' Arthur's joy showed on his face, stunning the mature lady.
"Err, sir?" she interrupted Arthur from his daydream, already noticing that he hadn't been answering her for a while.
'Oh, right. I saved someone.' Arthur finally remembered where he was and shifted his attention to the lady.
"You don't have to thank me for saving you. It's only natural to help someone in need."
Not knowing how to communicate further with a lady, Arthur fell silent, his gaze scanning the so-called damsel.
She looked like a woman in her mid-twenties, with ample bosom and a tight-fitting dress. A robe, slightly torn, was wrapped around her delicate shoulders, accentuating her proportions.
Arthur couldn't help gawking at the sight subtly; after all, she was truly a very beautiful lady.
'I mustn't fuck this up,' he thought internally and smiled warmly at the lady.
"Err, why don't we fix the carriage while I take you to your destination?" the lady offered with an apologetic smile.
"I'm heading to the Sentient Academy. Where are you headed?"
"Oh, cool. I'm also going in the same direction." The lady offered Arthur an inviting smile.
"My name is Gabriella. It's nice to meet you…?"
"Arthur. Arthur Pendragon."
"Cool. The Pendragon family…" Her eyes briefly swept over the towering Dragon Knight.
'The Pendragon family isn't one of the higher families, so it's impossible they'd have someone of such caliber following them. Is he hiding his identity? Or has the Pendragon family been concealing their strength all this while?'
Although all these thoughts passed through the lady's mind, she kept her cool and turned to the slightly messed-up carriage.
"Well then, we better fix it. There's still a long way to Sentient Academy."
…
A few minutes later, Arthur and Gabriella were done fixing the carriage.
Just as they finished, a man who looked to be in his forties stepped out from the bushes, his clothes a mess.
"Ma'am… I'm sorry, I tried to get some help…"
Gabriella stared at the man in disgust, then snorted and entered the carriage.
The man awkwardly stood in the same spot for a few seconds before approaching the horse and getting on.
Arthur glanced briefly at Titan, then unsummoned him, feeling that his mana was dwindling rapidly, approaching its final phases.
Focusing on recovering his mana, he decided not to engage in conversation with Gabriella for now.
However, he could sense her fleeting gaze on him even as he tried to concentrate on meditation.
At first, it seemed like her gaze was fully focused on the book she was reading, but Arthur knew better as she occasionally glanced at him through the corner of her eyes.
'Damn! Am I so handsome that she can't resist my charms? She better not jump on me… Should I resist? Wait, that's improper…' Dark thoughts began creeping into Arthur's mind as he struggled to keep his focus.
Thankfully, he had a firm heart and was ultimately able to focus on recovering his mana.
Just as he reached the final phase of mana recovery, a flash of white light briefly surfaced on Arthur's body, then the snow-white fox materialized.
"Hey, little guy… are you hungry?" Arthur gently rubbed the cute, fluffy head of the little fox and asked curiously.
The fox nodded, its watery eyes staring at Arthur with a pouting expression.
Arthur didn't know whether to laugh or cry as he rubbed the little fox's head once more, his eyes filled with warmth.
He turned to Gabriella, noticing that she had stiffened the moment the little fox appeared.
'What's wrong with her?' Arthur thought with a frown, noticing that her gaze remained fixed on the little creature and that he could even see heart-shaped signs appearing in her eyes.
"How cuteeeeeeee!!!!!" Finally, Gabriella let out a shrill scream that echoed through the night skies, piercing through the air and almost causing Arthur's ears to bleed.
Arthur saw a crazed expression on her face as she reached out her trembling hand.
"Can I touch her…?"
Arthur just rolled his eyes internally.
"Women…"