3 weeks after Duchess Olivianne visited.
In the word of Silver Feathers, everyone will receive a skill from the skill orbin their community when they come of age (13). Now that both of them are 13 years old, they can finally receive skills. Although Albert already knows what skill Lucine is going to recieve
Silhouette knight: The user's shadow takes the form of a royal knight that will counterattack and intercept any physical attack and most elemental Magics used against it and will valiantly protect the user. ALthough insanely weak to light magic.
Albert doesn't think the original Albert in the game even relieved a skill because he was a submissive pushover. But he's no pushover, He's respected by his fiancee, He is proud, and he has the knowledge of his past life. But as he was admiring his reflection in the mirror, there was a knock on the door, it was Kuroba.
"Albert-sama, the coming of age ceremony is starting, Lucine-sama is waiting, best luck!" Kuroba's behavior has been more lax lately, probably because she has slightly less work and she gets along with the Nocturne servants.
"Thank you Kuroba, I just need to finish putting on my gloves." Albert feels comfortable with his gloves on, especially since they are a low tier magic item, and he can still access the status menu, like when he was playing the game.
Warning gloves: The gloves start to temble slightly when a being with killing intent towards you approaches.
He obtained these gloves as a birthday present when he was 10 years, although they weren't worn by him in the game, likely because Lucine sold them off. Albert knows that being the fiancee of Lucine Nocturne might even him a bounty, and he didn't want to take too many chances. After he put'em on, he walked out of his room and walked down the stairs, and there was Lucine, she turned 13 last week but dissapointingly, it's considered a minor offense to throw a party when a noble turns 13 as the coming of age ceremony already commences fairly soon after that. Lucine was wearing a beautiful violet corset connected to a grand violet and deep blue dress, she looked stunning.
"Dear Albert, how do I look, do I look like I came of age?" She asked, spinning around. She has grown over these past 3 weeks (her chest is starting to pop out like it did in the game).
"I suppose you do, and my beard is starting to grow," Albert said, stroking his beard. "But it is beard-ly a beard yet." Lucine chuckled at that joke.
"Come on Albert it's time to obtain our skills! This will prove that we are mature!" Lucine seems very excited about this, although he knows what her skill is, his will be a surprise.
They walked into the grand ballroom, this never appeared in the game, it was a large circular room, it must be 100 meters! And at the end of the hall was Albert's father Altreau Luddovan... his pitch black hair and mustache a contrast to the light, and sky blue aspects of the other guest's uniforms. He didn't look dissapointed, but he didn't look necessarily happy either.
"Albert! My boy, today's a big day. Are you nervous?" His voice was deep and thunderous, like a crime boss in video games. Albert couldn't help but flinch at his question.
"No father, I am not nervous, not nervous at all! Now where is the skill orb?!" Albert was already a little impatient, but he still hid it in his voice.
"It's arriving shortly. Anyways, while Hello Ms. Lucine, it's finally nice to meet the rich-ass lady who's marrying my son. But! I can't help but notice, you two dont appear to be holding hands." Albert realized what he's trying to do. He usually does things like this when he wants him (and more importantly, the original Albert), to mature. He also just realized he never actually held Lucine's hand, this was awkward. But Lucine, noticing him flinching yet again at the end of his father's sentence, immediately took his hand. Causing Albert to blush profusely.
"We are holding hand-in-hand, we are a couple after all, your son is quite the ideal candidate. Although you told my father he was submissive, it appears he's quite funnier than submissive. And please, can't you see my Albert is dying for us to get our skills, so please, be quiet." Albert didn't expect her to be so talkative, he knew she was an assertive character in the game, but to still have the same level of assertiveness (albeit in a more kindhearted way) at a point 4 years before the game's story started, was quite shocking to say the least.
"Forgive my bickering. I was just trying to look for some entertainment, but it appears Albert's blush filled that condition. Oh look, the Skill orb is here!" Albert was annoyed at his father, but was happy nonetheless at the giant blue crystal orb being carried by the royal guard,
"Wait... why is the royal guard here?" Albert Whispered in Lucine's ear.
"I'm a good acquaintance of the prince, so I had his permission to borrow his guard for this event, we can never be too prepared. Darling" That 'Darling' at the end somehow sent a chill down his spine. But he can't think about that now, for the Pastor walked in.
"My children, my sons and daughters, we are all here today to celebrate the coming of age ceremony of the future duke and duchess of house Nocturne, Albert Luddovan and Lucine Nocturne. Now, may our 2 honored guests kindly walk up and put your hands on the skill orb?" His voice was solemn, but with a hint of tired in his voice. Makes sense, he must have been doing this for years. But while Albert was starting to feel sorry for the poor guy, his gloves were shaking, and he froze turning pale. Someone is here in this room, with a killing intent towards him, on the coming of age ceremony of all days! But thankfully, his gloves have a secondary function
Warning Gloves secondary effect: by clasping your hands together, your hands will automatically point towards the person with the most killing intent towards you in the room.
So Albert quickly clapped his hands together, and everybody watched as his hands turned around and pointed directly behind him, it was the head maid of the Nocturne establishment, Dahlis. She was a towering 5 feet tall. Her amber colored eyes looked like a dark sun, and she was gripping something in her right arm so hard, it was making her bleed.
"Is there something wrong... Master Albert?" Her voice was elegant and cutesy, but he knows she is just trying to bye some time.
"Dahlis, ungrip your right arm." Albert commanded, trying not to sound so terrified. But Dahlis didn't move her hand. "Dahlis, whatever you are holding, let it go!" At this point, the guests and some of the other servants were staring at Dahlis, specifically at her right arm.
"Oh well, if everyone INSISTS!" She screamed, unclutching her hand, revealing a serrated daggers as she lunged at me, I was frozen in fear at the sudden attacked but thankfully, Lucine touched her and she suddenly froze. Stopping her attempted assassination
"I just love using Paralyze on people who try to hurt my precious" Lucine said, her voice relieved but with a hint of fear in them. Albert looked at Lucine, he didn't know she learned magic this early! He can't even cast a cantrip correctly! But there is no helping it, thankfully Duke Nocturne, who was silently observing at the sides came rushing in, and started to choke the maid.
"What the fuck are you doing to my son in law!! Are you possessed?" He said, his voice was already intimidating enough but this was terrifying, Albert had to clutch onto Lucine's arm to keep him from fainting.
"Of course not! I was simply testing if he was worthy of protecting the young lady, at the duchess's orders." Albert was at this point, totally lost, but he did make out that the duchess was probably petty that a viscount's son dare speak back to her and put out a kill order on him, but it appears Dahlis doesn't plan to kill him now, as the gloves stopped shaking.
"Ok, please tell mum that I will teach Albert magic, now please, we have been waiting long enough." Lucine said, with some sass. Then grabbed my hand and carried me to the skill orb, and planted mine and hers on it.
Congratulations, your unique skill is Navigation master: you now have an internal compass, and you know how far you are from places you've already been to.
Albert felt slightly betrayed, he wanted a cheat skill or something, not the ability to be a GPS. But Lucine said she would teach him magic, and he looked at Lucine expecting her shadow to be in the form of a knight like in the game. But what was staring back at him was Lucine, with a pair of angelic wings on her back.
"My skill is angel's wrath, it allows me to regernate from injuries rapidly, and allows me to spread my wings and fly with enough elation." This was unexpected, it appears Albert's intervention caused Lucine to gain a different skill.