Why… why am I getting a system?
And what happened to the family head? Is this his real body… or just some kind of clone?
A cold shiver runs down my spine as glowing text suddenly unfolds in front of my eyes like a scroll from the void.
> [SYSTEM]
Character Info
────────────────────────────
Name: Selgor Nightreign
Age: 55
Ability: Locked
────────────────────────────
[STAT UPDATE]
Level: —
Strength: —
Agility: —
Intelligence: —
────────────────────────────
Status: Awaiting Unlock
Why is the status locked? And what does "awaiting unlock" even mean?
> [STATUS UNLOCKING…]
Nothing happened. Just blank silence.
"Tch… do I have to do some quest or something?" I mutter under my breath.
---
Knock Knock
"Master, the family meeting time has arrived. Everyone is waiting for you."
A tall, broad-shouldered knight entered, his armor gleaming faintly in the morning light. His voice was firm and loyal, but his sharp eyes scanned me like a hawk.
This is… Dravik Selgor, my father's most trusted knight and the commander of the elite guard. If he notices even the slightest slip in my behavior, I'm finished.
I can't afford to mess this up.
I have to play my role perfectly.
"Lead the way," I said, trying to imitate the calm authority I'd seen in the original Selgor's posture.
---
The massive hall loomed before me as the heavy doors creaked open.
Grrrrrk… Thud!
The air inside felt colder. A row of grand marble pillars stretched toward the ceiling, each one guarded by an elite knight in black armor, their spears pointed downward in disciplined silence.
At the center of the hall stood a long obsidian table, large enough to seat a hundred people. Family elders sat on either side, their gazes sharp, some curious, some unreadable.
And at the far end—elevated above the rest—was the throne of the family head.
As I stepped closer, a strange pressure wrapped around me.
It was as if the throne itself whispered, "You are not worthy."
My heartbeat quickened. I forced my body to remain straight, every movement calculated. One wrong expression and I won't leave this room alive.
My eyes scanned the gathering.
Most of the faces were unfamiliar to me—ancient bloodlines, distant relatives, schemers. But among them, two stood out clearly:
Uncle Agnes Selgor — my father's elder brother and the second strongest swordsman in the family. His presence was overwhelming, like a mountain ready to crush.
Aunt Serenya Selgor — a woman with a calm smile but eyes that seemed to pierce straight through one's soul.
Why have so many key figures gathered all at once?
Something big… is coming. I can feel it.