Asher lay still, the faint ache from the Psychic Overload a dull throb behind his eyes. He'd survived, and gained. The System's notifications glowed like beacons in the dim room: "80 XP," "+1 Resilience." It wasn't much, but it was a start. The quest, "Neutralize Minor Toxin Residue," still active, was a constant reminder of the ongoing danger. The image of his younger sibling, a searing ember in his mind, pushed him past the lingering weakness. He had to be stronger, faster, for them.
His eyes, now sharper, scanned the room. The opulent silence of Xander's chamber felt suffocating. He needed to move, to train. He needed to find the antidote. But how? This body was still pitifully weak, and every servant, every shadow, felt like a potential spy for the commanding figure he now knew was his poisoner.
A soft click at the door stirred him. Not Elara this time. A younger maid, shy and nervous, peeked in. "Good afternoon, Your Highness. Just… checking on your comfort." Her voice trembled slightly.
Asher's Temporal Foresight flickered, showing a brief vision of the maid accidentally dropping a stack of linens outside the door later. An opportunity. He offered a weak, but kind, smile. "Thank you. I… I feel a little restless. Perhaps a short walk in the garden later would do me good. For now, I'll rest."
The maid nodded, visibly relieved at his mild tone. "Of course, Your Highness. I'll… I'll return with tea later." She closed the door.
A short walk in the garden, Asher mused. Not a walk, but a covert training session. The palace gardens would have secluded spots, hidden from prying eyes. It was a risk, but a necessary one. He still felt the remnants of the poison, a heavy inertia in his limbs.
He focused on his Status screen: Strength: Low, Speed: Low, Agility: Low. The bedrock of any combatant, any survivor. He needed to raise these.
NEW QUEST ALERT!
QUEST: INITIATE BASIC TRAINING (DISCREET)
OBJECTIVE: Perform 20 sets of concealed physical exercises. (Progress: 0/20)
REWARD: 10 XP, +1 Strength, +1 Agility.
HINT: FOCUS ON LIGHT, REPETITIVE MOVEMENTS TO AVOID SUSPICION.
Asher nodded to himself. The System understood the limitations. Light, repetitive movements. Calisthenics. He began almost immediately, starting with slow, controlled stretches on his bed, pushing his limbs gently, feeling the unfamiliar strain in Xander's underdeveloped muscles. Every stretch, every tremor of exertion, registered as a fraction of progress on the System's quest bar.
Later that afternoon, the shy maid returned with tea. As she opened the door, a stack of freshly laundered linens in her arms, her foot caught on the threshold. The linens tumbled to the floor.
"Oh, dear!" she gasped, flustered.
"Allow me," Asher said, his voice still soft. He moved from the bed, forcing his weak legs to carry him. As he bent, feigning awkwardness, he subtly obscured the maid's view of the floor, his quick hands picking up the linens. But as he did so, he also, with a tiny, almost imperceptible twitch, dislodged a loose, intricately carved wooden tile near the baseboard.
He knew from his Foresight that this particular maid would be too flustered to notice. After she scurried away, Xander's room was officially "unattended" for a brief period. The loosened tile was his silent exit.
He slipped through the narrow, dusty passage behind the wall. It was cramped, dark, and smelled of old stone and mildew. The kind of secret passage a child might find, leading to a forgotten corner of the vast palace grounds. His meager Strength was tested as he pushed through tight spots, his Agility as he navigated uneven footing. Each strained movement, even in the darkness, registered as progress on the "Initiate Basic Training" quest.
He emerged into a secluded, overgrown section of the royal gardens – a tangle of wild roses and ancient, crumbling fountains, far from manicured paths and prying eyes. Perfect.
He started with light calisthenics, movements he remembered from rigorous training regimens in his past life. Simple squats, lunges, gentle arm circles. Each repetition was a battle against Xander's protesting muscles. Sweat beaded on his forehead, his breath came in short gasps. The System's quest bar filled incrementally with each completed set.
He paused, resting against a moss-covered statue, feeling a flicker of Temporal Foresight. He saw a gardener approaching this section in approximately fifteen minutes. He had limited time. He pushed harder.
He focused on the System's constant presence. It wasn't just tracking his progress; it was subtly pushing him, urging him forward. Its agenda, shrouded in mystery, was intertwined with his own desperate desire to protect his lost sibling. If achieving "S-Rank" in this world was the key to bringing them back, he would push himself to the breaking point.
He moved to stretches, feeling the tight knots in Xander's limbs. As he stretched, he noticed something. A small, almost invisible crack in the statue he was leaning against. His finger brushed it.
NEW SIDE QUEST ALERT!
QUEST: MINOR ARTIFACT IDENTIFICATION
OBJECTIVE: Interact with the cracked base of the ancient statue. (Progress: 0/1)
REWARD: 5 XP, Minor Lore Fragment.
An artifact? Asher felt a tremor of interest. He knelt, tracing the crack. It pulsed faintly, unseen by anyone but him. He pressed his palm against it. A jolt, not painful, but startling, ran through his hand.
QUEST COMPLETE!
QUEST: MINOR ARTIFACT IDENTIFICATION
REWARD: 5 XP, Minor Lore Fragment.
TOTAL XP: 90 (80 XP from previous, +5 for this quest, +5 from half of Discreet Training)
LORE FRAGMENT ADDED: "The Veiled Garden – A place where power sleeps. The First King planted seeds of magic here, now long forgotten. Mana flows deep beneath."
Seeds of magic? Mana? Asher's mind immediately connected the dots. If this garden held ancient magic, it might be a place of accelerated growth for him. Or even a source of hidden resources.
He continued his training, more invigorated now. The fatigue was immense, but the progress was real.
QUEST PROGRESS: 20/20 sets.
QUEST COMPLETE!
QUEST: INITIATE BASIC TRAINING (DISCREET)
REWARD: 10 XP, +1 Strength, +1 Agility.
TOTAL XP: 100 (90 + 10 for final part of Discreet Training)
He heard the faint sounds of the approaching gardener. Time to leave. He slipped back through the hidden passage, his body aching but humming with a new, subtle energy.
Back in his room, he collapsed onto the bed, drenched in sweat. He immediately accessed the System.
STATUS:
HOST: PRINCE XANDER
RANK: RANKLESS
CONDITION: STABLE (Minor Residual Toxin)
STRENGTH: Low (+2)
SPEED: Low
AGILITY: Low (+2)
RESILIENCE: Low (+1)
HEALING: Low
FORESIGHT CLARITY: Low (+1)
XP: 100
It wasn't much, but it was tangible. He could feel the subtle shift in his muscles, the slightly steadier breath. He was moving, literally and figuratively.
Elara's footsteps approached, heralded by his improved Foresight, which gave him a clearer image of her approaching the door this time. He quickly composed himself, resuming the persona of the weak, sickly prince.
She entered, carrying a simple evening meal. Her eyes, sharper than he remembered, lingered on him. "Your Highness, you seem… restless. Did you take that walk?"
Asher forced a convincing sigh. "Alas, no. The fresh air from the window merely stirred a desire for it. This cursed weakness…" He let his voice trail off, adding a touch of self-pity that Xander would have displayed.
Elara's gaze was unreadable. She placed the meal down. "Indeed, Your Highness. Rest is best." She offered no poison this time, a small victory.
As she turned to leave, Asher looked at the System's quest: "Neutralize Minor Toxin Residue." He focused on the quest, and a new sub-hint appeared, detailing the properties of the toxin and, to his surprise, suggesting a specific antidote. "HINT: Antidote - Glimmerleaf. Commonly found in palace kitchen gardens for culinary and minor medicinal use."
This was perfect. The System was guiding him precisely. He needed to get to the kitchen gardens. That would be his next step. The stakes were rising, but so was he. And the System, his silent guide, was always watching.