After what felt like an eternity, Modret finally opened his eyes slowly, his eyelids feeling as heavy as lead. Regaining consciousness, the first thing he saw was his mother's tired gaze, filled with nervousness and silent worry.
'I must have made her worried, huh?' he thought to himself, then slowly scanned his surroundings. He was lying in his room. Aside from the familiar decor, his father sat not too far away, gazing blankly into the distance, as if lost in memories or deep contemplation.
Only the two of them were present. As Modret groaned softly, it served as a signal to the others that he was awake. The moment the groan escaped his lips, Anna's eyes widened and she turned sharply toward him, her expression laced with both relief and concern.
"Son!" she cried out and immediately wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. A pair of soft, warm treasures pressed lightly against his chest, and he felt her heartbeat fluttering with emotion.
"How are you feeling? How is your body? Are you hurt? Are you in pain?" she asked rapidly, her voice trembling with urgency. Her questions poured out in a breathless stream, each one revealing her overwhelming anxiety.
Once she finally paused to catch her breath, Modret gave her a reassuring smile and replied calmly.
"I'm fine, Mom. You really don't have to worry so much."
Hearing his voice and seeing the light return to his eyes, Anna exhaled deeply, a gentle smile slowly blooming across her lips. Just then, Donald cleared his throat from his seat, the low sound breaking the emotional silence in the room.
"Father," Modret called out softly.
Donald gave him a small nod of acknowledgment, though his eyes betrayed a hidden curiosity. He was deeply interested in how Modret had managed to survive an assassination attempt not once, but twice.
Despite his inner questions, he refrained from prying. He understood that everyone had their secrets, and when the time was right, Modret would share his.
"Do you remember what happened?" Donald asked as he approached the bed.
Modret thought carefully for a few seconds, then began to relay everything he could recall. He spoke slowly, recounting the events in detail. However, near the end, he paused and ultimately decided to withhold certain suspicions he had.
If he told his parents about the strange occurrences from when he was just a few weeks old, they might think he was making things up. After all, how could a newborn experience such things? Worse still, it might make them suspicious of him.
He sighed faintly and watched as his parents processed the information.
"Such meticulous planning. This was not something orchestrated in a day or two. They timed it perfectly. It is almost as if the mastermind can predict our every move," Donald muttered under his breath, his brows furrowed with thought.
Anna's expression darkened as she turned to her husband, worry clouding her features. "Don, you have to do something. I cannot bear the thought of them targeting our son again and again. What if… what if he does not survive the next attempt?"
'Talk about jinxing my fate,' Modret rolled his eyes slightly, his expression becoming a little awkward as he looked at his mother.
Donald sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder, his tone filled with resolve. "Do not worry, my love. I will do everything in my power to find the one behind this."
Modret's eyes flashed slightly at that moment, and he quickly spoke up. "Father, what if it is someone from the royal family?"
'That's right, Dad. A hint. Focus on the family. That's where you should look,' Modret urged internally.
But Donald immediately shook his head in disbelief.
"What nonsense are you speaking?" he snapped, his eyes sharp with disapproval. "Do not ever accuse a noble family member of something so outrageous. It is impossible that they would stoop to such things."
With those words, he turned and left the room.
Anna remained beside Modret and sighed, noting the stunned expression on her son's face. He had not expected his father to react so strongly. If this was his reaction to a mere suspicion, then what would have happened had Modret shared everything?
He was silently grateful for holding back. A wry smile tugged at his lips as his mother comforted him gently.
…
After his mother left, Modret's gaze sharpened. The memories of the last moments before he lost consciousness surged back to him. He quickly summoned the system interface, and within moments, a glowing blue panel appeared in front of his eyes.
[Obtained a shadow servant.]
[Obtained a D-grade movement ability.]
[Gained 100 shadow fragments.]
"What?" Modret exclaimed aloud, his eyes widening in disbelief.
'I got an ability? How is that even possible? Fairy, show yourself and explain this to me right now!' he demanded internally.
In response, a small floating creature materialized before him, emerging out of thin air. She glanced briefly at the system panel, her expression unreadable. After a brief silence, she began to speak.
{It makes sense that you obtained 100 shadow fragments. Just kill a few more awakened beings and you will be able to spin the roulette.}
A calculating light flickered in Modret's eyes, though his conscience tensed. Despite the temptation, the idea of killing innocent people to gain strength disgusted him.
'There has to be another way,' he muttered silently, his mind already searching for alternatives.
Unfazed, the fairy continued speaking.
{As the name suggests, you have obtained a shadow servant. Every time you kill someone, you can turn them into your shadow servant. They are devoid of life, unable to grow stronger. You may summon your shadow servant to see for yourself.}
[Also, regarding the ability. As the lord of shadows, it is natural for you to gain the abilities of your shadow servants.]
Hiss.
Modret inhaled sharply, the fairy's words echoing through his mind. They thundered like war drums, each phrase more shocking than the last.
'How terrifying.'
'How thrilling.'
'How utterly exhilarating,' he exclaimed three times in his heart. Then he carefully went over the fairy's explanation once more.
"So you're saying that by killing and obtaining shadow servants, I can gain their abilities? Is this world seriously trying to make me overpowered?" he said, taking another deep breath.
{Do not get ahead of yourself. You cannot use the ability yet. Your body lacks mana.}
Her words quickly dulled his excitement, but Modret remained optimistic. "As long as I have the ability, I can find a way to get mana. That part is only a matter of time."
He then asked curiously, "How do I summon the shadow servant?"
The fairy replied instantly.
{It is a natural process. Just call her. It should be easy enough.}
Modret nodded, closed his eyes, and focused. A peculiar sensation stirred in his heart. Following his instincts, he whispered the command. Immediately, a faint whooshing sound swept through the room, and shadows began to gather.
They twisted and coiled, forming a humanoid shape. When Modret opened his eyes, he froze, and his heartbeat spiked in alarm.
For a moment, he thought he was under attack again, because the shadow servant looked completely human.
She appeared exactly as she had before Modret had killed her. Upon fully materializing, she bowed slightly and said in a calm voice, "Lord of Shadows."
Modret blinked in astonishment, stunned by what he had just witnessed.
'She can speak? And did she just call me… the Lord of Shadows?' he thought, completely dumbfounded.
It seemed things were about to get far more interesting than he had ever imagined.