After carefully analyzing my status, only one conclusion came to mind:
Trash.
Not just weak—pitifully weak.
Trash among trash.
A joke in a world where power meant everything.
These stats…
They wouldn't protect me from a stray beast, let alone a dungeon explosion that could wipe out an entire fortress.
Liana…
Could I even protect her with this level of strength?
Could I even protect myself?
No.
Not like this.
I needed to improve.
Drastically.
Faster than I ever imagined.
Because death wasn't just a possibility anymore—it was practically guaranteed.
But one thing stood out to me.
One oddity in this hopeless mess.
My Status Screen.
It wasn't normal.
Most people's screens were basic—just stats and affinity.
That was all.
But mine…
Mine showed skills.
Mastery levels.
Titles and Traits.
Even my sword style was listed, down to the percentage of each form.
It felt… different.
Advanced.
Not like a full system, but something close.
A glimmer of hope sparked in my chest.
So I whispered aloud, just to check—
"System."
Nothing.
No sound.
No glow.
No interface.
Nothing.
"…Well, worth a try," I muttered, sighing.
I guess the protagonist still had the cheat all to himself.
That damn system of his, guiding him, protecting him, throwing quests and stat boosts at him like candy.
If I had a system like that…
My chances of survival would skyrocket.
But I didn't.
So I'd have to claw my way up the hard way.
Alone.
After I was done analyzing my stats, it was time to meet the captain of this fortress.
I made my way through the stone corridors, each step echoing off the cold, cracked walls of Morvath's Vigil. As I walked, my thoughts drifted toward the man I was about to meet.
Commander Arvell Dyne.
He died in the original story.
Like everyone else here.
But now, he was very much alive—and still terrifying.
An S+ rank aura user.
In this world, S+ rank wasn't just a title.
It was a force of nature.
They were the real battlefield monsters—the ones who actually fought on the frontlines.
They didn't sit in ivory towers giving commands. They moved, they acted, and when they did, the ground shook.
Those above them—SS or SSS ranks—rarely lifted a finger unless absolutely necessary.
Their presence alone caused fear. Their movements brought destruction.
They were war.
But men like Arvell… they were the weapons.
I stopped in front of his office door, my body freezing on instinct.
There was a pressure.
A silent, heavy weight in the air seeping through the cracks of the door.
My instincts screamed at me to turn around.
Don't enter.
My hand hovered for a second, then clenched into a fist.
He won't kill me for being stupid.
Right?
Even if I was exiled, I was still the son of his master—the head of the Thorne family.
Not that it held much weight here… but it was something.
I took a deep breath and smirked to myself.
"Let's get this over with."
I knocked.
A voice came from inside, deep and composed.
"Come in."
I opened the door and stepped inside.
He was there—sitting behind a desk stacked with worn documents.
But he wasn't reading them.
His gaze was fixed squarely on me.
Cold. Sharp. Measuring.
And in that moment…
I felt like prey.
"You were sent here to become stronger. To be disciplined."
His voice no longer calm. There was clear anger in it now.
"But what did you do?"
He leaned forward slightly, eyes locked onto mine like a predator watching a reckless cub.
"I know you want to be stronger. To be recognized. But that—"
He paused, then said it bluntly, "—was just stupid."
His tone wasn't cruel. Just cold. Brutally honest.
"If you want to become someone that matters, do something that actually helps us. Be useful. Not a burden. Not someone who nearly gets their comrades killed."
I just stood there. Silent.
Not because I didn't have anything to say—
But because every word he said pierced straight through me.
It hurt.
And I didn't know why it hurt so much.
I barely knew this man. His words shouldn't carry weight.
But somehow… they did.
That's when I realized—these feelings weren't mine.
They belonged to Kael.
The real Kael.
That desperate need to be acknowledged… that burning desire to prove his worth… it wasn't mine.
But now, I had to carry it. I had to deal with it.
Even if I didn't care what others thought of me, Kael had.
Deeply. Painfully.
Maybe that's why he had rushed out without thinking.
Maybe that suicidal charge was just a final scream for attention—"See me. Please."
Still, my face showed nothing.
Not pain. Not guilt. Not sorrow.
My Stoic Resolve kept it all buried beneath the surface, like a mask I couldn't take off even if I wanted to.
Commander Arvell stared at me for a few seconds more. Then, he leaned back in his chair.
"You're dismissed," he said coldly.
"But if you pull something like that again…"
His voice dropped, sharp as steel.
"…you won't just lose your right to train here. You'll lose everything."
I gave a nod, turned, and walked out.
And the whole time, the weight of someone else's pain sat heavy on my shoulders.
Hell, she was really beautiful.
If she ever walked outside the fortress, soldiers would be falling over themselves for her.
That thought alone made something tighten in my chest.
These men… they weren't saints. This was a remote post. Harsh. Lawless.
If I didn't protect her, who would?
She'd always been by Kael's side. Even after everyone abandoned him—his family, his so-called friends—she stayed.
She never judged him. Never said a cruel word.
Not even when the world turned its back on him.
She didn't deserve the ending the novel gave her.
No.
I couldn't save everyone in this fortress. I didn't even know if I could save myself.
But Liana?
I had to protect her.
That much… I was sure of now.
I let go of her hand and stood up.
"You still have duties to attend to, right?" I said casually.
She gasped, as if she'd forgotten completely. "Ah—yes!"
She quickly got up and hurried toward the door. But right as she reached it… she paused.
Without turning around, in a small voice, she said:
"I… I like it when you smile too."
Then—without giving me a chance to react—she darted out the door like a startled rabbit.
I blinked.
What?
I stood there frozen, staring at the empty spot where she'd been just moments ago.
A beat passed. Then another.
And I chuckled.
"…Seriously, what was that?"
Smiling faintly, I threw myself onto the bed.
The meeting with the commander had drained whatever strength I had left.
Tomorrow, I'd start training.
Tomorrow, I'd begin my path to power.
But for now…
I needed rest.
With that promise to myself, I closed my eyes—and drifted into sleep.
Liana's POV
Splash…
The sound of water echoed in the kitchen as I scrubbed another plate clean.
This had become my new routine. Washing dishes. Cleaning halls. Running errands.
Back in the Thorne family estate, I never had to lift a finger.
I wasn't treated like a maid—I was Kael's personal attendant. Respected. Protected.
But here…
Here I was just another worker.
Another nameless face in the fortress.
And strangely, I didn't mind.
As long as I could stay by Young Master Kael's side, I was fine doing anything.
When I first came here, I was terrified. Not of the monsters beyond the walls… but of what waited inside.
Kael had changed. He barely spoke. He barely slept.
All he did was train—until he collapsed, unconscious.
Over and over again.
No matter how many times I begged him to rest, he never listened.
I used to curse the Thorne family in my heart.
I was sure… they were the ones who broke him.
But I couldn't do anything except follow him here.
Watch over him.
Support him the only way I knew how.
...But now he was changing again.
Today, he smiled. Really smiled.
He sat in front of me and held my hand.
His hand was warm.
Big.
Gentle.
Just thinking about it made my cheeks burn.
"Euiii~! W-What am I thinking?!"
I shook my head quickly, splashing water in the sink.
"Liana? Are you okay?"
A young, cheerful voice called out, and I turned to see Mira—the 13-year-old daughter of the mess hall manager. She was always bouncing around, full of mischief.
She had soft brown hair, curious eyes, and the energy of five people combined.
"I-It's nothing," I said, forcing a smile. "Just lost in thought."
"Thinking about your Young Master?" she asked, teasing with a knowing smirk.
I coughed. "W-What are you saying?! It's nothing like that!"
"Alright, alright! Sorry!" Mira grinned. "It's just… you look really happy today."
I blinked. "I do?"
She nodded. "You usually work with this serious look—like the weight of the world's on your shoulders. And your smiles… they were always kind, but a little forced.
But today…"
She tilted her head. "It feels like something heavy finally left your heart."
Her words surprised me.
She was right.
Until now, I'd spent every moment worrying about Kael. About what might happen to him. About the pain he was carrying all alone.
But today… after seeing him smile, hearing him talk like before…
It felt like a tiny piece of that fear melted away.
I smiled again, just thinking about it.
"That smile!" Mira pointed. "That's what I meant!"
She giggled, then turned and ran off to finish her chores, leaving me behind in the kitchen.
I stood there, hands still in the soapy water, watching her go.
And for the first time since coming to this lonely fortress…
I was looking forward to tomorrow.