"It's here again." The flames danced gently over Lydia's head.
Reynard stared at them for a few seconds. Lydia seemed completely oblivious to the flames' presence, as if nothing was out of the ordinary.
Rubbing his eyes as if to dispel a persistent illusion, Reynard looked again. Yet, the flames still persisted, glowing softly.
"Lydia, don't you see that?" He asked, pointing vaguely at the space above her head.
"Lord Reynard?" Lydia frowned, somewhat confused by the question. With a graceful gesture, she lifted her head, her delicate neck highlighting her smooth, milky skin.
"See what?" She asked, a note of worry in her voice.
She seemed as bewildered as Reynard.
Hearing this, Reynard merely sighed. "Forget it."
He was already used to it. It seemed that, besides him, no one else could see this thing.
Lydia offered an amiable smile, interpreting her lord's tired expression as a response to the unusual visit earlier. Even though she hadn't been living here for long, she knew that wasn't normal. Something unpleasant must have occurred, causing this reaction as a result of his stress…
"If you need anything, I will be in the kitchen. Don't take too long, or the food will get cold."
She warned softly, making her way back out of the hall. Her small waist swayed with a refreshing grace while her dress, which encased her delicate figure, followed her movements in a hypnotic dance.
As Lydia withdrew, the blue flame continued to pulse like a guide light that only Reynard could follow.
'It's happening more frequently…' Reynard scratched his chin, deep in thought.
This flame had appeared a few times this month since he had taken over the former owner's body, but he didn't know what it meant.
Reynard sank back into his throne. At first, as a transmigrator, he thought this was his golden finger; however, besides glowing, it did nothing more.
No system notification sounds appeared, and he had already given up hope.
He came completely unarmed to this world.
A feeling of discouragement had taken hold of him at the time, but he quickly managed to overcome it. There wasn't much he could do, and getting a second life was already something to be happy about.
It was just that these flames made him feel like he was going crazy. He could see them, but no one would believe him if he told them. And since their utility was still unknown, the sensation of having a ghost stuck to his back was unpleasant.
He could see, but not understand.
Besides, Reynard had other concerns right now. The Cult and the meeting now seemed like two snakes wrapped around his heels. He just wanted to get rid of these things as quickly as possible and didn't have time to worry about his supposed hallucinations.
After a few minutes alone in the hall, Reynard headed to the kitchen.
The gloomy corridor seemed welcoming as his footsteps echoed off the stone walls. Upon entering the torch-lit kitchen, the tempting aromas of the food prepared by Lydia enveloped him.
Lydia was busy organizing the utensils and, noticing him, raised her brown eyes to meet Reynard's, a sweet smile blooming on her lips.
"Lord Reynard, are you feeling better?" She asked, her expression reflecting genuine concern as she invited him to sit at the table, serving the meal.
The small blue flame was still swaying above her head.
Reynard nodded, trying to ignore the sight as he settled down. "Lydia, where is Eleanor?"
"She went out earlier to buy some groceries." Lydia replied upon hearing her lord ask about her mother. Her agile hands prepared the utensils as she served him.
"I see." Reynard thanked her with a nod and began to eat, allowing himself to get lost in the textures and flavors. The two didn't talk much while eating. Reynard remained silent, occasionally casting glances at her.
However, the blue flames still danced in his peripheral vision. They continued to emanate a soft light that was quite noticeable even in the cozy illumination of the kitchen.
Lydia discreetly watched her lord, noticing the thoughtful expression that hung over him. She also noticed the occasional glances he cast at her face, making her blush slightly.
'Is there something on my face?' she thought. Touching her cheek with her fingers, she found nothing out of the ordinary and felt even more confused. After casting a few more glances at Reynard, she timidly lowered her head and waited for him to finish his meal in silence.
At the end of the meal, Lydia collected the utensils, and Reynard followed her out of the kitchen.
The night was silent, with shadows dancing around them as they moved through the castle corridors.
"Lydia, I need to speak with Eleanor when she returns. Tell her to meet me in my study." Reynard instructed casually, picking his teeth to remove a piece of meat.
"Understood." Lydia nodded like a chicken pecking corn. Following behind him with her hands clasped, held firmly against the edge of her dress, she seemed like a maid completely dedicated to her work.
She looked at his back, her brown eyes shining with curiosity.
At no point did she ask about the content of the message the messenger had brought earlier.
Despite her curiosity, she held herself back.
Even though she thought herself a little foolish, she wasn't completely stupid. If her lord wanted to tell her, he would have. If he hadn't, it wasn't her place.
Her mother had also told her not to meddle in the nobles' affairs. She should only focus on serving Reynard well after everything he had done for them, especially since they had nothing to offer in return.
With this in mind, Lydia accompanied Reynard for a few minutes, keeping him company. The two exchanged a few words about daily life in the castle and, most of the time, Lydia felt that Reynard seemed lost, as if something was bothering him.
If only she knew what Reynard was thinking…
Reynard, who left Lydia behind after a casual walk, went straight to his study.
Upon entering, he found a cozy room illuminated by candles. A simple wooden table occupied the center of the room, holding a few books he had acquired with difficulty.
Settling into his chair, Reynard carefully picked up one of these books. Its worn and yellowed pages bore witness to the passage of time, and the carefully written words revealed the history of the Kingdom of Solaris.
This was the kingdom he was currently in, and the era of this world was a bit difficult to classify with his limited information.
This was something he gave great importance to. He needed to know where he was if he wanted to keep himself safe.
'Shadow Cult, you are not giving me an easy life.' While waiting for Eleanor's arrival, his reflections turned to the issue knocking on his door.
Since the original Reynard had joined the Shadow Cult, he needed someone to open that door and make the connection between the two sides.
A mysterious hooded figure had contacted him previously, identifying themselves as a cult member, and made some requests to Reynard.
This was the same figure who had contacted the original Reynard.
He just needed to close his eyes to a few things that would happen on his lands and needed to carry out some cult orders in the future. When Reynard asked what those things were, the figure simply said that it was nothing he should worry about at the moment.
'What can a simple noble like me do?' No matter how he thought about it, Reynard couldn't understand the motivations that led the Shadow Cult to contact the original Reynard.
They were far from the capital, and the kingdom's influence was not that great in this area. Thus, there were high chances he wasn't the only one who came into contact with the cult.
Could this be part of their plan to stack more people on their side, shooting in all directions?
He was sure that the most powerful nobles would not receive visits from cult members, unless the cult wanted to expose itself or had the strength to silence those who would refuse.
Unlike him, who was a simple, untitled noble who could be killed easily, the same could not be said for the others.
And that opened up another possibility. There could be more nobles who yielded to desire and were corrupted by them.
'Everyone has a price…'
Thinking about this, Reynard opened the drawer and pulled out a yellowed manual from inside. 'Reynard, you only wanted to become a knight, but you ended up dying…' He gave a little laugh, thinking that the former owner of this body was indeed a little stupid.
Looking at the title of the 'Beginner Knight's Manual' written in unknown handwriting, the black ink formed words he could understand without much effort. The manual was compiled on a few pages and tied with a string, giving it an unsuitable and rustic touch.
This had been given to him by the mysterious figure from the Shadow Cult. It was one of the requests made by the original Reynard to cooperate.
'Cooperate…'
But he really had to admit, the original Reynard had some courage. Did he not think for a moment what would happen if he refused the 'invitation' to join the cult?
Or did he think things would be as simple as saying he didn't want to, and they would happily leave? In the end, he still had to accept.
The cult was exposing itself and taking a risk. If things went wrong, the first head that would roll would be Reynard's.
And that's exactly what happened.
'Knight's Manual…' The smile on Reynard's face became strange.
Knights were one of the figures of power in this world. Their prestige could reach the heavens, and each one was well-treated and cultivated by the kingdom. Even if you were just a beginner knight without rank or merit, a common noble could not compare.
This was one of the original owner's hopes.
But he didn't dare to practice.
'What if I die?' This world was unknown.
At first, he thought he was in a medieval era, until it turned into a fantasy world with the addition of demons.
At the time of his arrival, he was amazed and excited, but he felt the bucket of cold water being poured over his head quickly when he discovered he had no abilities.
He really wanted to be like those youths in the stories. It didn't have to be some powerful cheat. He would be happy with just something that gave him some advantage in this world.
'Maybe a skill to clone abilities… Maybe a system points and a system store… If I ask too much, I'll just settle for a super comprehension skill…'
These were his thoughts in the past. Now he could only look at the manual in his hands with a resigned smile.
His hopes had disappeared a long time ago, but a small spark still burned.
Speaking of burning… The flame was not common. This seemed to be his golden finger, and despite not having properly discovered its use, it still seemed a little…
'Useless…'
KNOCK
Reynard's thoughts were cast aside by the sound of an abrupt knock on the door.
"Enter." He spoke casually, putting the manual back in the drawer along with his thoughts.
Hearing Reynard's permission, the door opened, revealing a woman standing outside. With calm and composed steps, she entered the room, looking around before fixing her eyes on Reynard.
The woman was wearing a long sapphire-blue linen dress. Embroidered details lined the sleeves and neckline, showing her soft, white skin, while a thin sash at the waist highlighted her well-distributed and ample figure.
Her brown hair was tied in a simple bun, showing her delicate neck and her expression, which conveyed a mixture of kindness and firmness.
This woman, with a serious demeanor and a striking resemblance to Lydia, was Eleanor, Lydia's mother.
Her curvy figure made Reynard's eyes wander over her briefly and brazenly.
The woman let out a small dry cough when she noticed this, calling his attention.
Reynard raised his gaze, which had previously been fixed on her two generous peaks, and faced her with a smile. His expression did not change even after being caught in this shameless act.
He seemed… accustomed to it.
"Master Reynard, Lydia told me you wished to see me?" Eleanor made a small arc with her body, bowing as she greeted him. With this movement, the two generous curves followed her down.
"…"
Fortunately, the laws of gravity were still the same in this world.
Feeling Reynard's gaze on her breasts, Eleanor felt a little uncomfortable, and her serious demeanor wavered for a moment. She quickly returned to her position, trying to hide her proud bosom by crossing her arms.
"Master Reynard, did something happen?" Eleanor asked cautiously, her expression suspicious.
She had recently returned and, on the way, Lydia had informed her that a visitor had arrived at the castle and, since then, Reynard had been acting strangely.
When she asked the content of the message, her daughter merely shook her head, indicating she did not know.
But Eleanor did not notice anything different or strange about Reynard.
He still continued to be as shameless as ever.
"I was distracted for a moment. Just ignore it." Reynard broke out of his stupor, stopping his fixed gaze at Eleanor. He was looking at her, but for an entirely different reason than she imagined.
Another flame.
Eleanor also carried a small, pale blue flame above her head.
However, for a moment, while he was looking brazenly at her body, the flame had changed from blue to a slight pink hue, which left Reynard stunned.
'This…'