Pain pulsed in every corner of my body, a slow, dull throb that reminded me I wasn't dead.
Yet.
The System's translucent interface hovered just above my head like a patient vulture, waiting for me to act.
[Wealth-to-Power System ACTIVE]
[Current Balance: 10,000 Gold Crowns]
[Available Upgrades:]
— Basic Vitality Boost (500 GC)
— Apprentice Rank Strength Boost (1000 GC)
— Enhanced Poison Resistance (8,00 GC)
The list scrolled endlessly. Each item, a tantalizing promise—strength for sale, survival for the rich.
And I was very, very rich.
"Buy Basic Vitality Boost," I whispered.
[Transaction Confirmed. -500 GC]
[Vitality Boost Acquired. Regeneration +15%. Fatigue Recovery Improved.]
Warmth spread through my body like sunlight spilling through storm clouds. My breathing eased. The heaviness in my limbs lightened slightly.
Selene stirred from where she'd dozed beside me. Her eyes fluttered open, puffy and red.
"You're awake again," she said softly.
"I don't plan to die twice," I murmured.
She smiled faintly but didn't speak. Instead, she reached for a damp cloth and gently wiped the sweat from my brow.
"You were burning up," she said. "Garron had to argue with the physician to keep your bodyguards in place."
"Smart man," I said. "I imagine Reynard is furious I didn't croak quietly."
Selene hesitated. "He's... playing the doting uncle for now. He's declared you under 'close watch for recovery.'"
A prison with velvet curtains. I was still in danger.
[System Notification: Fate Interference Detected – Passive Defense Activated]
[New Upgrade Unlocked: Aura Concealment – 2500 GC]
Interesting. The System wasn't just a glorified shop; it was reacting to threats. That meant it could grow with me, adapt.
I remembered my predecessors helplessness as he watched Reynard slowly erode his control and right over the estate. if it wasn't for Garron and a few more people loyal to his father, he might just have croaked sooner.
in the end, Reynard had still gotten to him. I didn't plan to follow in my predecessor's footsteps, not while I'd gotten another chance at life. This was my life now, I was Lucien D' Aureville, and that wasn't going to change anytime soon.
I knew that he would get increasingly desperate as time went on. I was still the heir to house Aureville and he knew that. i needed to be more careful and proactive.
I glanced at the interface again. So many options, and yet I had to spend wisely. A million crowns might seem like a fortune, but in a world of monsters and political vipers, it was kindling.
Time to invest in survival.
"Buy Apprentice Rank Strength Boost."
[Transaction Confirmed. -1000 GC]
[Strength +12. Bone density and muscle fibers enhanced. Host eligible for basic martial training.]
It was subtle at first—like something in my body shifted into place. My joints felt cleaner, smoother. My fingers no longer trembled.
I sat up, slowly. Selene gasped, but I held up a hand.
"I'm fine," I said. "Better than I've felt in... ever."
She looked at me like I'd grown horns. "That's impossible. You were half-dead last night!"
I grinned. "Turns out money can buy health."
She didn't laugh.
Her hand closed around mine. "Lucien. Be careful."
"I intend to be," I said. "Careful—and lethal."
Later that day, Garron returned. He found me on my feet, leaning against the polished bedpost like I belonged there.
"Lord above," he muttered. "You look... awake."
"Awake and angry," I said. "Tell me—how far does Reynard's reach extend within this estate?"
Garron scowled. "Too far. He's replaced your personal staff, stripped most of the old guard. I'm one of the few left with direct loyalty to your father."
"And the council?"
"Split. Most assume you're a weak heir with no heirs of your own. Reynard's working to claim regency—says your illness made you unfit to lead."
"And my assets?"
"Frozen until you're deemed 'stable.' Only your monthly discretionary fund remains—controlled by Reynard."
I gritted my teeth. Of course he'd cut off my purse. The system would be useless if I couldn't pay into it.
But there were ways around that.
[System Alert: Passive Objective – Regain Access to Primary Treasury]
[Side Option: Covertly Liquidate Artifacts, Investments, or Smuggled Assets]
"Good," I said. "Then it's time to be clever."
That night, I summoned Selene and Garron privately. We gathered in the old greenhouse, long since abandoned after my mother's death. The scent of wilted jasmine lingered beneath the mold.
"Do either of you remember the key to the Vault?"
Selene blinked. "You mean the hidden treasury your mother kept? No one's used it in years. The access glyph was carved into your birthright ring—"
"Which Reynard stole," I finished grimly. "But I have the memory now."
I held out my hand. A small shimmer of light danced around my fingers as I traced the rune into the air. The System hummed in approval.
[Personal Sigil Recognized. Hidden Access Protocol Available.]
[Vault Location: Lower West Wing Crypt, behind the false sarcophagus.]
"Then we retrieve it," Garron said.
"And wake the shadows Reynard left there?" Selene asked. "He won't make it easy."
I looked at them both. "Then we go prepared."
[New Mission: Reclaim the Vault. Reward: Full Treasury Access + Unlock Prestige-Level Purchases]
[Warning: Enemy Combatants Detected. Estimated Strength – Champion Rank.]
That was above me, for now. I'd need more than brute force.
I needed a plan.
And more money.
"Selene," I said. "We'll start small. I need access to anything I can liquidate—paintings, heirlooms, even rare herbs."
"I can do that," she said. "Quietly."
"Garron. You'll need to recruit a few loyal fists. No one with ties to Reynard."
He nodded. "I have a few in mind."
"Then we move at dawn," I said. "Let the snakes think I'm still weak."
As they left, I stared at the flickering System panel.
[Current Balance: 4000 GC]
[Available Perk Suggestion: Strategic Insight Lv1 – 2000 GC]
I grinned.
Let Reynard come.
He thought I was just a sick boy in a gilded bed.
He had no idea what kind of monster he'd created.