5 Returning normality

This place was abundant in wildlife. Non- monstrous creatures flew through the sky and roamed on the ground. The grass and trees were a vibrant green that I had never seen before. Many trees and bushes sported fruit that some of the creatures would occasionally snag.

It was kind of a shame that I would upset the balance of this place, but I was way too tired of eating canned food all the time.

It made killing one of the hog like creatures all the more easier. Unlike monsters, these non magical creatures didn't explode into fragments of experience and instead acted as any other animal on Earth.

Being unskilled as I was the process was very messy, but with how lacking my family was in terms of help, it wasn't my first time. The meat was lacking in flavor but I'm sure my desire to simply taste meat overpowered the need for it.

[LP: 650]

"My LP increased again." I was starting to get used to the envisioning it required for my skill to work. Without imagination I'd be practically wasting it.

Thankfully, I had been an anime addict in my past life, so my ideas for magic was not small.

Speaking of those said magic ideas, another interesting thing I learned is that I can preview the cost of a skill before I use LP to purchase it. Of course that purchase wasn't permanent and I would need LP every time I wanted to use it, well unless I actually specified a permanent skill in which it would run on magic and I could use it without a deduction in LP every time, though the cost to buy a permanent skill was costly.

This is how I learned something like a passive LP regeneration of the lowest quality would cost around 1,500 LP points. The cool thing about it though was that after the initial purchase it would remain active and use the LP it regenerates to keep it active. This skill was already casually breaking the laws of physics.

Unfortunately, with how much LP it was using to power itself, I probably likely wouldn't be receiving much LP unless I got one of a higher quality. That'd cost me well over 20,000 points for one that was even just a little more effective.

'Water spurt.' I called upon the spell I had used before and pushed my hand to my mouth.

[LP: 640]

It was a very cheap skill, though it did reflect it's usefulness. It wasn't much good in combat, but if I were stranded without water it'd be perfect.

As I gulped down the mouthful of water I sighed and leaned back against the tree, watching as the sun slowly began to set. The orange sky and slight breeze only served to enhance my satisfaction, and as I suspected my LP went up again.

I'm sure the only reason I had been finding so much enjoyment in these little wins was because of the disgusting journey it took to get here.

I'd come here to find means to gain my freedom, yet weird enough it seemed that the way to do that was not through hard work, but relaxation.

'Seriously, that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Your suppose to work hard for power, sacrifice. I mean that's what I did to even get this damn ability.'

Speaking of, why did she even choose to bestow me with it? Out of pity?

I don't like things that don't make sense, I'm too logical to just let it be.

Though, it seemed as long as I planned to use this logic breaking ability, I'd need to learn how to.

…

[LP: 820]

Do you know how great a bath feels after weeks of not being able to clean yourself?

I'd made soap from my skill and washed up at a nearby river. Finally it started to feel like some sense of normality was returning to my life.

Perhaps thats the reason I actually had time to let my thoughts roam back to what I temporarily left behind.

…

(Alice POV)

It was raining the day we found out he left. It was bad enough that I had to wake up without that familiar warmth by my side, not to mention when I found out the source of it wasn't even in the same house anymore.

Mom had told me to call Noir down for dinner and as I usually did I knocked on his door. He was a pretty light sleeper so I was a bit surprised he didn't respond. I was even more surprised when I went in and found his bed completely empty.

Our panic didn't ensue until after we checked most of the common places he tended to go. It was then my father found the note.

…

'I know this may be sudden and my disappearance may have come as a shock, but it is something I have been planning for a while. If I want to improve my situation the only way to do it is through my efforts, and so I have decided I can no longer remain idle on this island. I have set off with one of the ships gramps left in search of a way to attain my freedom. Please try not to worry and continue living as you always have. I will make sure I come back safe and sound with enough earnings for us all to prosper. I love you guys.

Love, Noir Fou Stardia

PS. It is time you start acting like the noble you are Felix, if something happens to Mother or Alice while I am gone, I will kill you.

…

There was mixed reactions when Father finished reading the letter. The man himself held a complicated expression as he stared unfocused at the paper. Mother was sobbing while biting her lip. I could tell from where I stood she was more frustrated than anything.

As for me. I was somehow calmer than I should've been.

'He chose to act on his own.' I had always wondered if there was a way out, but never did I actually find one, even when I tried to make one. I myself was slowing growing tired of how much like caged birds my family seemed to be.

I couldn't fault him for his actions nor get mad at him. I was however deeply sad that I wouldn't see him anymore.

Him not being there anytime I had a problem I wanted to complain about, to not see his smiling face, to not hear his soothing voice. Truthfully, it felt as if a chunk of my heart had been ripped out. It was depressing.

However, I couldn't get swallowed up in that depression. My older brother was making a way for himself, it would be ridiculous if I as his sister gave him more to worry about when he came back. It was time to follow in my brother's footsteps and grow up.

'I will be waiting for you Noir, and when you get back I'll make sure I'm competent enough to support your endeavors.'

With conviction burning in my heart, I stepped toward my Mother, attempting to comfort her as Noir used to.