Culmination Records 12 To Start Afresh 1 11

Eddra was not asleep, however, he was not awake either. He went inside the similar darkness he had once gone in with the same reason, the one he thought was caused by his fat finger's mistake. The conclusion Eddra made, that it was his fault why the [System] started resetting when it first ask him, was entirely false. Curse the [System] from bringing him again into the depths of unconsciousness.

"Hehe."

Eddra, hearing the small voice for the second time, opened his eyes to see who was the owner of the short laugh. Just shortly after he moved his gaze to the little girl standing on his bed, she had gone and suddenly dumped her stomach on top of his chest.

"Ack!" was his cry from the pain creeping on the spot where she laid.

Ding!

"Hehe! Mother, I woke him up! I woke, older brother Ed!" she cheered, pulling out her body on his brother's chest and taking a seat on the bed beside him.

Eddra felt the small b.u.mps on his skin, making his hair erect from the dwelling fear in him. The reason for this was, the same sentence he had heard three days ago presently left his cutest sibling's mouth.

[Location: Town of Piethe]

The fear forming and creeping around his neck caused his abnormal breathing and sweating. Is he back again from the same scenario from his dream? Did it mean he went back to the time he did not leave their residence? His entering of adulthood celebration? No way could happen.

"... Brother?" was Allie's call when Eddra aggressively pulled himself out of his bed, das.h.i.+ng straight before the window to confirm the questions forming in his head. "Brother Ed, are you okay?" he heard her ask.

Eddra watched the servants busily arranging the table outside. Shaking his head, Eddra continued to convince himself that he was simply dreaming again, and every scenario that was happening was nothing but just unrealistic. Maybe even the time he left for the academy was also a dream...

Eddra managed to at least manipulate his mind. Ignorance was bliss.

"Are you not okay?" Eddra noticed Allie's voice was trembling, glancing back at his youngest sibling on the bed, Allie brought a hand on her chest. "Should I ask for Gale... or Mother?"

"No," Eddra sternly replied, bringing his attention to the servants outside. Did he ever notice the servant frowning faces? Maybe not until he currently observed them intently. Of course, they knew it would rain, everyone must have known the clouds would pour anytime soon, except to his dumb self.

"Are you... angry that I woke you up, brother?"

Without knowing he was ignoring Allie, Eddra stood still on his position, trying his best to comprehend with the occurrence happening. Placing a hand on his face, shutting his eyes close, he took a deep breath and blew out slowly. What was happening to him?

'Am I asleep? What kind of dream is this?'

"Brother!" Eddra heard footsteps coming behind him, and shortly, he felt the small figure bearing her body on his thigh. "I'm sorry! Don't be mad at me, please..." Allie cried out as she stuffed her face on his side.

Snapping from his senses to the weeps of his cutest sibling, Eddra lowered his gaze to Allie and patted her head softly.

Sigh. He must have scared his sister. "I am not mad, Allie," Eddra a.s.sured.

"You're not?"

"Yes. I am not."

Drawing out her arms on hugging his thigh, Allie brushed off the tears streaming on her cheeks. "Hehe." She laughed shortly and raise her gaze to her brother. "Congratulations on becoming a... an... I forgot what it is." She pouted her lips from forgetting the last word.

A sad smile was drawn on his lips, remembering the same words he had already heard a while ago. "Thank you, Allie..."

Soon after, both of them heard the knocks of which was followed by the butler informing his arrival behind the door; smoothly pus.h.i.+ng the door open, Gale revealed himself. "I see. The Lady impatiently wants to greet her brother first," he commented, chuckling when he saw the small figure beside Eddra.

Gale did not close the door behind him, and instead, he looked at the little girl. "I hope the Lady would not mind joining the family members downstairs while her older brother prepares for the celebration."

"Okay!" Allie ran out of the room as she did what the butler said, leaving the two grown-ups alone.

Ding!

The plate telling his location hid and was replaced with another.

[Side Quest: Birthday Celebration! (1/2)

Stop the servants before they finished preparing the table and bring it back inside.

Time Duration: 00:39:56

Reward(s): 10 EXP u0026 (1) White Dry Table Cloth

Warning: Failing the Quest will bring death to the User.]

'Huh? A warning... at this [Quest]?' Eddra knew that he did not receive any warning from the first [Side Quest]. Wide-eyed staring on the plate, Eddra was certain there was no such thing written there.

Failing to notice that someone was walking near him, Eddra was surprised when he felt a tap on his shoulder. "What's wrong, Milord? You looked like you saw a ghost or something. Did you had a nightmare?" Gale worriedly asked him.

"... I think I am having a nightmare," Eddra replied to the butler. "I... I don't know what is happening, Gale," he finally built up his courage to say it to the butler.

Adrenaline rushed through his veins, his heart was beating like crazy as if it was trying to jump from his chest. The fear that was crawling to his neck slowly moved onto his belly, continuously getting worse as if someone was adding fuel to it.

"Perhaps you are not ready to become an adult, Milord?" Gale turned his back to Eddra, reaching the k.n.o.b of his closet as he pulled it open. "I am sure you'll do fine...," was his a.s.surance.

"Gale," Eddra called his name and he looked at him instantly, "Will you please slap me in the face?" he mumbled, asking for a favor, and when he blinked his eyes, Gale was suddenly in front of him.

"Sure, Milord. I'll gladly do what you want me to do. I am your attendant, after all."

"No. Actually, I don't want you to do it anymore."

...

Eddra had thought of a solution to solve his growing confusion to the hunting [System]. No matter how many times he wanted and asked to hide the quest or remove it from his vision, Eddra couldn't do it because the [System] was declining his command.

"[Hide Quest]," Eddra mumbled behind his breath numerous times that he lost count after ten, while the butler was facing his back to him, occupied, looking for the black ditto suit in his closet.

Ding!

[Unidentified command]

Well, this just meant he could only state at least four commands: [Tutorial], [Status], [Inventory], and [Status Check]. These were the only ones that were working.

For the [Tutorial], Eddra could use it for how many times he wanted to, however, it would not give him any benefits anymore since he had already finished the [Tutorial]. The command was simply nothing but showing him how to use the other commands.

In addition, with the [Status] and [Status Check], both were surprisingly useful to him but Eddra still found the [Inventory] the most convenient of all four.

"... [Inventory]."

Ding!

The portrait plate showed itself. Surely, Eddra thought, he presently had no items in his [Materials] for he did not order Gale to bring back the table inside, like what he did last time. When Eddra brought his finger and pressed the [Materials], an eye-opener showed itself. It saw the familiar item he had shoved inside the [Inventory] a while ago just before the [System] reset itself.

"It's still here..." he whispered to himself while he stared at the item. "The pen is still here."

"What pen, Milord?"

"Nothing... Don't mind me." Eddra inserted his arms to the sleeves of the suit that Gale was holding for him. When Eddra shrugged his shoulders as he fixed the suit, Gale opened his mouth.

"Then," he started, "Let's meet the family down the entrance door by the garden."

...

Glancing at the floating plate before his eyes, Eddra had thought of a solution to solve his growing confusion to the hunting [System]. If it won't grant his death, so does he won't obey what it would tell him to.

[Side Quest: Birthday Celebration! (1/2)

Stop the servants before they finished preparing the table and bring it back inside.

Time Duration: 00:03:13

Reward(s): 10 EXP u0026 (1) White Dry Table Cloth

Warning: Failing the Quest will bring death to the User.]

Eddra noticed he only had three minutes before completing the task. He consumed most of his time lazing around while the butler prepared him for the celebration, unlike the other time.

Walking out the open entrance door, Eddra could already hear his siblings' arguments and his mother, who was doing her best to silence the children, as he pa.s.sed through the servants with foods on their possessions. They all bowed to Eddra, tiered as they stood by the staircase. When Eddra set foot at the end of the entrance staircase, he was greeted by her youngest sibling.

"Brother!"

Allie ran towards him with open arms. Eddra then knelt a knee, catching the small figure and bringing her on his arms.

"Hey, older brother! I didn't see you there!" Rylan yelled the same sentences, "Congratulations entering adulthood!"

"No, brother Lan! You're supposed to wait for everyone. Why would you greet him first?"

"It's okay, brother Dell. I already greeted him first when I woke older brother," Allie b.u.t.ted in, just like the other time.

"What? That's unfair!" The two boys shouted in unison.

With Allie on his arms, Eddra went to greet his mother. "Eddra..." she softly whispered his name, removing her hands on her face, seeing her youngest daughter Eddra carried. "Allie, come sit beside me." Hearing this, Eddra put Allie on the seat and walked to his.

"... Congratulations to you, older brother." Everette faced Eddra with the smile drawn on his face.

"Oh, my eldest and second child. You guys are the only ones normal in this chaotic household." Eddra heard her recited similar words. "Happy birthday, my eldest son..."

After his mother wished him a happy birthday, the noises from his sibling were halted by a crackle of thunder flickered in the skies. His siblings' and mother's squeals dwelled in, covering their ears with their hands as the thunder was followed by the loud rumbles coming from behind the clouds

And before they knew it, the dark clouds then gave up, poured the water it was holding, showering all of his family members with rain as they ran through inside for shelter.

Not minding the rain pouring heavily, soaking him from his head to his body, Eddra moved his eyes to the plate before him.

[Side Quest: Birthday Celebration! (1/2)

Stop the servants before they finished preparing the table and bring it back inside.

Time Duration: 00:00:03

Reward(s): 10 EXP u0026 (1) White Dry Table Cloth

Warning: Failing the Quest will bring death to the User.]

Eddra waited for the duration until it finished, causing him to get all drenched in the rain.

"Huh?" was his reaction as it went all zeroes. It confused him when the [System] did not give him any warning plates, similar to the other time.

"Brother!" Everette called for him, "Come inside! It's raining!"

Looking back then stealing another glance to the plate's time duration, Eddra had chosen to walk his way back to his family, who were already inside the mansion, with worried expression drawn to their faces. He was lost in thought as he climbed through the staircase. So, Eddra would not reset then although there was a warning in the [Side Quest]?

"[Status]." An unknown feeling in him made him check his status.

[Name: Eddra Isaac t.i.tle: Son of a Baron

Family Name: Orhom

Age: 18 (21) s.e.x: Male

Job: None (None)

Level: 1 EXP: 0/100

HP: 120 MP: 15

---

Strength: 19 (-/+)

Agility: 12 (-/+)

Vitality: 11 (-/+)

Intelligence: 10 (-/+)

Dexterity: 11 (-/+)

Luck: 3 (-/+)

---

Remaining Stat Point(s): 1]

Eddra stared at the plate's contents as he noticed something changed. 'Did... the number of the [EXP] doubled?'

KKKS! KKKS! KKKS!

His head jolted from the painful scratchy sound, the one he had heard when he was waiting for his death in the war, ringing inside his ear, surprising him as he was taking the last step of the stairs. And suddenly, with no one antic.i.p.ating that it could happen nor anyone wanted—it flashed to their eyes as though they struggled to catch their breath—Eddra lost his footing.

"Eddra—No!" was her mother cry soon after his head smashed on the concrete.