6 I can't use magic
Auric woke up and realized that today was the day his life would become hell until he lifted his curse. Dread and fear consumed him at the thought of Avalon discovering he could not use magic.
He learned that Avalon had taken leave from the battlefield to visit him and check his magic. This day would be the deciding factor of his life. Auric hoped for a miracle to happen so he would be saved from Avalon's wrath.
[Quest: Survive the Advent.
Description: Today, you must show your magic prowess to Avalon. If he finds out you cannot use magic, he will be furious and may even kill you. Survive this Advent, as this will also be the first time you talk to him.
Reward: 2000 SP, 2000 Exp.]
He called the system.
[Yes?] the system replied.
<Why is my life so hard? Why was I reincarnated into this cursed character who can die at any moment? It would have been better to be dead once and for all, but not a second time when every step is a death flag> Auric lamented.
[Sorry, boy. I don't know what to say. Even I have no control over what happens. I just want you to make the most of this second chance, even if it's hard. Life isn't fair, and you know that. Just see it through to the bitter end and survive. You have to be powerful and strong. This challenging time is not your fault, so don't worry. After the difficult times are over, good times will come]the system reassured him.
Auric sighed and accepted his fate. "Let's just survive this hellhole and live freely. It's suffocating living here."
Avalon had arrived at the mansion yesterday, and Luna informed Auric of his father's visit. Today would be the first time he talked to his father. Auric was not prepared for this conversation. He started thinking about what to say when his father discovers that Auric cannot use magic.
"I just hope I don't get killed somehow. I want to enjoy this life," Auric muttered.
Auric got out of bed and went to the washroom. At first, his nanny took care of him, but since he was so embarrassed, he strictly forbade them from grooming him. They were only allowed to help him wear clothes.
After freshening up, the maids helped him dress, and he went down to the main hall, where he would show his magic powers to his family and celebrate with a grand feast. Or at least, that's what he thought.
"Why is my life so tough?" Auric thought to himself as he descended the stairs, feeling nervous. He saw his family members waiting for him with different feelings in their eyes. Luna was excited and caring, Elysia was loving and concerned, and Avalon was disappointed, just as he expected.
As he descended, Luna jumped on him and hugged him. "Auric! Happy birthday! Auric~! Are you excited? Is your magic going to be fun? I'm so excited! I can't wait! Show me! Show me!" she exclaimed.
Auric nervously smiled at her and then looked at Elysia for help. Even though he was only five years old, everyone in the estate knew he was intelligent but physically weak. Even when taking a stroll outside, he would start panting and sometimes faint while playing with Luna.
When Avalon saw him struggling in Luna's arms, he gave Auric a disappointed and disgusted look, as if to say, "How could my son be so pathetic?"
"This stupid curse! How long must I suffer?" Auric thought to himself.
Elysia called out to clingy Luna and took her away from Auric.
For the first time, Avalon opened his mouth. "Come here. Do you want to have breakfast first or show us your magic prowess?"
Auric started to sweat. This was his first time speaking face to face with his father. "Um...let's have breakfast first. I am quite hungry and would need to replenish my energy."
"Alright, sit down," Avalon said in a very dominant and scary voice, with piercing eyes. Auric was quite scared, but it seemed like Luna was fine.
"Boy, Avalon is concentrating on you and is leaking some of his aura unconsciously. Because you are so weak, you can't defend against it. Please be careful. Any eruption in his mood will escalate his aura and that may even kill you by disrupting your mana circuit."
<FUCK!> Auric screamed in his mind, getting scared. But he still tried to maintain a cool face.
Auric also sat down at the table, and then the chefs started bringing out the dishes. It was quite the spread with all sorts of dishes, but Auric didn't have the appetite to eat. He was too scared, and his hands started shaking. Luna, who was sitting beside him, took notice and questioned him, but Auric just awkwardly said he was feeling out of sorts and left it at that.
Avalon didn't give any reaction and just stayed quiet. The whole breakfast was quiet, and no one made a sound, except for Avalon. Luna was the one questioning everything, but since Auric didn't reply, she too kept quiet.
And then that moment came.
"So, since we finished our small party, why don't you show us your magic?"
"Ah, yes, um...it's just that..."
"Yes?"
"I...um...don't really know how to..."
"Hmm...just feel as if you're making something come out of your body. You would be able to do it now if you try. Now...do it."
"I...I...I can't use magic!" Auric exclaimed.
Silence.
When Auric exclaimed that he couldn't use magic, there was pure silence in the whole room. Nobody even made the sound of breathing, except for Avalon.
"What? What did you say?"
"I can't use magic."
"Why?"
"I don't know." Auric couldn't say it was because of the curse. If he did, and the curse came to know about it, they would ask questions about how he came to know about that and kill him in the end. So, Auric couldn't risk it.
Avalon turned furious and turned the table over.
Bam!
"Come here," Avalon ordered.
Nervously Auric went to him, and he grabbed his wrist. He made his mana flow into him, and that was so painful that Auric started screaming.
"Ahhhhhhhhhh! Stop! It's painful!" Auric secreamed.
When this all started, Luna started crying and was quite scared. She was crying in her mother's arms.
Elysia also started pleading with Avalon to stop hurting Auric.
Avalon released Auric's wrist, his face twisted in fury and disbelief.
"Impossible! How is it that you were born into my family and yet can't even use magic? And what is with your magic system? Why is it so weak? Even a newborn infant has a better magic circuit than you. Dammit, just pathetic!"
With that, Avalon slapped Auric, sending him flying several meters away. Avalon was furious that his own blood had such pathetic results and was glad that this didn't happen in front of other nobles, or his reputation would have reached rock bottom. He decided that he would kill Auric in the future.
He then called out to Elysia, "Don't ever let me see him again. If I do, I may really beat him up very badly, and if my mood is bad in that situation, I may really kill him." Avalon spat with disgust and stormed out of the room, muttering "Pathetic" under his breath.
Auric was bleeding and in Elysia's arms. Luna was crying at the sight of him. He was barely holding onto his consciousness. When Avalon left the room, even he turned unconscious.
**
As Auric slowly regained consciousness, he found himself surrounded by his maids, who were tending to his wounds. He groggily asked them how long he had been out, and they informed him that he had been unconscious for nine hours. He couldn't believe that he had been out for so long, and he wondered what had happened while he was asleep.
As he lay there, he remembered the brutal beating he had received at the hands of his own father. Avalon's words stung him like a thousand bees, and the memory of his disappointment was still fresh in his mind. Despite everything, Auric couldn't help feeling sorry for Avalon's subordinates and the monsters he would be facing in battle. He knew that Avalon would take out his frustrations on them, and he wished there was something he could do to help them.
Auric sighed, feeling grateful for his survival, but also a bit apprehensive about what the future held. He glanced at the notification from the system, which displayed his newly acquired rewards and level-up status:
[ **Quest Complete!!
Rewards:
2000 SP
2000 Exp
]
[ * LEVEL UP *
Gained:
5 SP
5 AP
+.01 dexterity
+.01 strength
]
He couldn't help but smile when he saw his increased stats:
[
Name: Auric Everlight
Age: 5 years
Level: 14 (EXP: 560/1500)
SP: 2115
Strength (STR): 0.28
Agility (AGI): 0.23
Dexterity (DEX): 0.29
Intelligence (INT): 8
Mana: 1 + 30 (Curse Seal jewel)
Element: Dark, Thunder
Skills:
Language Sense Level 1
Appraisal Level 2
Artifact: Curse Seal jewel
]
Feeling a sense of accomplishment, Auric began to think about his future plans. He knew that he needed to lift the curse as soon as possible, to not die.
