The Young Lineage

As I allowed myself to sink further into the plush bubble-like substances, a delightful wave of relaxation washed over me. The sensation was surreal; I couldn't recall the last time I didn't feel even a single knot of tension straining my muscles. This newfound tranquility was slowly but surely expanding the horizons of my mindset. It felt as though I was floating in a serene lake, away from the storms of the world.

Despite the recent revelation about my possible noble status, I didn't feel any different. I mean, it wasn't as though I had committed any crimes or misused my status for any nefarious purposes, right? As a so-called noble which I had seemingly become, I do not think that any of my actions warranted an execution. Unless maybe Lucas before me knew and misused the status, but I doubted that as even Bill did not seem to be aware Lucas was a noble.

Shaking off these unhelpful thoughts, I tried to redirect my focus to the calming, therapeutic rhythm of my breath. As each negative thought surfaced, I would exhale it, creating more room for tranquility. It was during this meditative state that I remembered leveling up to 16 amidst the holy spell casting of the priestess.

Almost instinctively, I brought my hand to graze my right forearm, and as though responding to my touch, the translucent menu appeared before my eyes.

NPC Information:

Name: Lucas Young

Species: Merrow

Level: 16

Rank: Soldier

Stats:

Strength 21 (26.25) Agility: 21 (26.25) Stamina: 21 (26.25) Intelligence: 21 (26.25) Luck: 10 Presence: 7

Assignable Stat Points: 48 Assignable Skill Points: 16

Skills:

Song (Level 3, Max level 20): This mystic melody can entrance those weaker than you, pulling them into your captivating world. [3 Skill Points to level up]

Transform (Level 2, Max level 5): Become a master of adaptation, transforming your tail into legs whenever on land, meeting the conditions. [2 Skill Points to level up]

Passive Skill (Merrow): All physical attributes in water increased by 25%

Passive Skill (Nobility): Presence grows stronger as the noble lineage is nurtured

The menu's confirmation of my upgraded stats offered a sense of progress. The increment of each stat by one, and notably, Presence by two, marked a significant development, undeniably owing to the newly acquired Nobility skill. While this passive skill seemed to confirm my noble identity, it also deepened the ambiguity surrounding its recent appearance. The mystery surrounding my origins remained shrouded in uncertainty.

Interestingly, the menu also revealed a reserve of three assignable stat points, boosting my total to 48, which added on top of the initial 45. This discovery led me to question whether such a privilege was extended to other NPCs, or was I an exception, born out of my peculiar circumstances?

Caught in deep contemplation, I mulled over where to invest these invaluable points. The current circumstances lent themselves in favor of Agility. Should I be forced into a hasty retreat, nimbleness, especially in water, could mean the difference between survival and catastrophe. But then, the prospect of having a significant Strength couldn't be dismissed either. In the face of an inevitable conflict, substantial power might just tip the scales in my favor...

After a series of quick, decisive glances, I found the resolve to assign the points, refusing to be paralyzed by the weight of overthinking. Post reassignment, the menu was promptly updated, reflecting my improved statistics:

Stats:

Strength 31 (38.75) Agility: 41 (51.25) Stamina: 31 (38.75) Intelligence: 21 (26.25) Luck: 10 Presence: 7

Assignable Stat Points: 8 Assignable Skill Points: 16

My decision saw 20 points fortifying Agility and 10 each boosting Stamina and Strength. It seemed like a balanced distribution, considering the pressing need for escape tactics and a robust physical condition to fend off any potential threats.

However, this radical reallocation of stats seemed to manifest physically in my body. My tail, the primary mode of aquatic locomotion, had grown a few inches longer and slimmer. Along with it, the rest of my physique also seemed to undergo subtle changes. There was a visible lean and trim look to my body, with muscles that were more pronounced and toned.

The modifications initially felt outlandish and dreamlike, as if my eyes were weaving deceptive illusions. Yet, the lengthening and increased slickness of my tail remained an undeniable fact, offering a palpable testament to my evolving capabilities. It signaled a promise of enhanced agility, a prospect of swift and efficient navigation through the aqueous expanse that I suppose was now home.

No sooner had I completed the stat reallocation and started adjusting to my newfound physicality than the doors to the noble chamber creaked open. The imposing figure of the Captain made its entrance, with Bill, the friendly soldier, trailing behind him, albeit stopped at the threshold.

The Captain's usual affable demeanor seemed to be replaced by a more stern countenance, possibly teetering on the brink of annoyance. The hearty laughter lines were missing as he swam up to me, settling his gaze on me. "Lucas, is it true? Are you really a noble?" he inquired.

His words reflected a mix of disbelief and curiosity, putting me in a position of answering a question to which I barely had an answer. "I don't know? They told me I was, but I mean, I don't even remember anything… I was sort of hoping you would have the answer when you arrived here…" I replied cautiously, making sure my words wouldn't be misconstrued or held against me.

His steely gaze studied me for a while before he exhaled a resigned sigh, his hand rubbing the back of his neck in an apparent display of frustration. "Afraid to say I don't know either… when you were transferred to my encampment, I was not informed you were a noble. And if you really are a noble, you should not even be there. Nobles have their own military encampments where they are trained to be captains and generals… not normal soldiers…"

His revelation made me pause. It never occurred to me that he might be of noble birth too. "Wait - are you also a noble, Captain?" I asked, surprised at the potential layers of complexity this situation was unfolding into.

"I am, I am Baron Mathew, a Baron rank obviously," he responded, his words revealing a hitherto unknown facet of his identity. He eased himself into a neighboring bubble, the same relaxing aura enveloping him.

As he relaxed, he posed another question, "What's your surname?" His tail rested casually in the bubble as his eyes trained on me, reflecting a glimmer of intrigue.

"Young… it said my name was Lucas Young," I replied confidently. It felt reassuring to be able to answer at least one question definitively in this whirlpool of uncertainty.

His response to my answer was a moment of deep, contemplative silence. "Young… I do not know any noble lines with that surname… I suppose all we can do is wait." And with that, Captain Mathew succumbed to the serenity of the bubble, seemingly drifting into a light nap.

I shifted my attention to Bill, who had been observing this exchange with a questioning look. I tried to communicate non-verbally that I was as clueless as he was about the unfolding events, but my attempts fell short. A nod from the guards sent Bill away to a waiting area, the heavy doors to the noble's chamber closing behind him, leaving me alone with the slumbering Captain Mathew, and my thoughts, heavy with anticipation and uncertainty.

Lulled into a state of tranquility by the Captain's steady breathing, I felt my own eyelids growing heavy. The unknown lineage and my origin remained shrouded in a foggy mystery, my mind offering no answers. Acknowledging the futility of further concern, I conceded to fatigue. Emulating the Captain, I leaned back into the bubble chair and surrendered to sleep.

I was stirred from my slumber by the sound of the chamber doors groaning open. My eyes fluttered open to see a new figure swimming in, trailed by an individual who seemed ripped straight from the pages of an old history book - a merrow, complete with glasses, untidy hair, and a book in hand.

"I am High Priestess Mellow," the newcomer introduced herself with an air of authority, yet with a soothing voice that seemed to make the water around us ripple gently. "I have come here to attempt to treat you. I was also informed you seem to be an unidentified noble, so one of the temple workers called for a historian. We crossed paths on my way here and I brought him along." She concluded her introduction with a warm smile.

Her demeanour had a calming effect, coaxing me further into a state of relaxation I hadn't thought possible given my circumstances.

Before the high priestess could speak further, the historian, filled with an energy that seemed to charge the water around us, surged forward. Halting abruptly next to me, he opened his book with a flourish. Excitement danced in his eyes and his voice trembled with eagerness as he spoke, "The Young lineage! They were believed to have disappeared, gone extinct, hundreds of years ago during the great war against mermaids!"

His revelation echoed in the room, a bombshell of information that took a moment to fully register. The historian's animated disclosure left us all in stunned silence, one which he did not seem to notice.

A surreal calm washed over me. His excitement was infectious, yet for me, it was like watching pieces of a puzzle fall into place. Every piece, however, was from a different set, and the picture it formed was still incomplete and unclear. But amidst the overwhelming confusion, a few things had come into sharp focus.

The confirmation of the noble status of the Young lineage brought an eerie sense of relief. This revelation meant that I wasn't a randomly elevated noble sprung from nowhere, but seemingly the heir to a lineage thought extinct. It appeared to be an intrinsic part of the narrative that Gale intended for the NPC I now inhabited.

This insight was not just comforting, but it also provided a sense of grounding. I was not an anomaly, an unexplainable hiccup in the world's order. My presence had a historical context, a lost lineage thought to have vanished hundreds of years ago in the war against mermaids. My existence was a narrative twist, not a bug. It felt as if I'd discovered a hidden part of the game's lore, a forgotten chapter that I was now living. It also helped me confirm that I was indeed still part of the beta-test just simply testing a different feature then I was told I would be.

However, it did nothing to alleviate the mystery shrouding my sudden manifestation into this NPC body. My predicament was still real, and the stakes, as it seemed, were growing higher. With every passing minute, the body I now possessed was growing more complex, and the task of navigating his life, more daunting. Yet, I had no choice but to continue on this unforeseen journey, hoping to survive the beta-testing period.

"Do you understand what this means?!" the historian exclaimed, a fervor lighting up his eyes. "Traces of the Young lineage have been searched for, for centuries! All attempts were eventually deemed unsuccessful and the search was abandoned. Yet, here you are, a living remnant of that lineage! This is a monumental moment! I must document this immediately!"

He fumbled around his person, producing an item that closely resembled a pen. Flipping towards the empty pages at the end of his book, he was ready to immortalize this discovery.

"Who are your parents, where are they from, how old are you?" The questions tumbled out, one after the other, with no pause for me to answer, even if I could. I could only gaze helplessly towards Captain Mathew and High Priestess Mellow, a silent plea for assistance in my eyes.

The Captain, perceiving my wordless request, cleared his throat. "Historian," he began with a calm authority, "before we go any further, I must inform you that Lucas here is the possible victim of an attack. As it stands, his memories do not extend beyond his own name..."

The historian froze mid-sentence, a spark of realization flickering in his eyes as he turned them back to me. His lips quivered, shock supplanting the previous excitement.

"B-but this is a golden opportunity to resurrect the records of a Count's lineage..." His voice faltered as he began to question the room at large, "Do we know the likelihood of his memories returning? Do we know who attacked him? Could his injuries worsen over time?"

Before the historian could delve deeper into his eager line of questioning, the High Priestess deftly interjected. Her voice, cool and smooth as the surrounding waters, acted as a calming anchor amidst the whirlpool of the historian's excitement. "Historian, please, compose yourself. We are yet to carry out an examination of Count Young. Until then, your line of questioning must be put on hold. I would appreciate it if you could excuse us for now. While you're out, do us the favor of fetching a guard from the royal family in the inner city. Ordinarily, a Count would be treated within the inner city's confines. However, considering the unusual circumstances, I will proceed with his examination here, at least until the royal guard's arrival."

The historian, his enthusiasm dampened, nodded in understanding. His countenance, a mix of disappointment and anticipation, didn't escape my notice as he made his exit swiftly, leaving a charged silence in his wake.

Turning back to me, High Priestess Mellow offered a reassuring smile, her serene demeanor acting as an oasis in the middle of my storm of uncertainty. The glow from her luminous scales danced around the room, creating a comforting aura of calm as she inquired, "Count Young, are you ready to begin the examination?"