Chapter 18: Survival rate….
“Hey, speak with me!”
“…”
“Hey!”
“…”
“HEY!!”
“…”
“This Fucking shit!!” Aether shouted in frustration, his voice echoing in the storage room.
The eerie silence persisted, amplifying his growing annoyance. He had been yelling, hoping for his system to respond, desperate for answers to the multitude of questions swirling in his mind. Upon scrutinizing his profile, which seemed genuine to him but camouflaged with falsehoods to others…. he wanted to know whether the system was alive or not.
He was fucking eager to engage in a conversation with the silent system.
After waiting for a few more agonizing minutes, frustration welled up within him. Veins popped on his forehead as he called out once again,
“Log In!!”
“…”
But, to his dismay, nothing appeared. He frowned and repeated himself with increased intensity,
“Log In!!”
“…”
The persistent silence began to wear on his nerves. After a moment of contemplation, he hesitantly called out,
“L-Log!”
!~Ding~!
Upon hearing that distinctive sound, Aether’s eyes lit up with a glimmer of relief… He just thought his system got angry and left him.
Anyhow, Aether contemplated, ‘When I called it the first time, it was ‘Log In’ but not just ‘Log’…What is happening?’
“Come to think of it,” Aether mumbled, his mind working through the puzzle, “that old man also said ‘Log’ right? Instead of ‘Log In’
Does that mean because I am the first time logging into the character called Ether?” His mind raced through the possibilities but soon he shrugged it’s not worth thinking too much.
“Hello, Log, speak to me!” Aether pleaded his tone a mix of frustration and desperation. Yet, the system remained silent, refusing to unveil the mysteries surrounding his identity.
He wanted to know what the fuck was happening to him.
He was desperate to understand the Fucking changes happening to him.
Who was he?
Aether or Ether?….
The answer remained unknown…..
To him, he was Aether while for others he was Ether….
Moreover, Both Aether and Ether had similar facial expressions and body structures, except for the hair colour, which was deep black for Aether while dull white for Ether.
That’s the only thing that made them different…..
He yearned to ask the system or log whatever that shit was… that brought him here, but there was no response.
No, he was uncertain about whether the log had a soul or not, he pondered if his previous pleas were merely answered through camouflage, hence raising doubts about something residing inside the log…. right?
Sighing, he decided to calm down and once again scanned his log, seeking any clues or information about his predicament.
/
Name: Aether
Sex: Male
Race: Human
Level: 0
Title: Slave (Eternal Contract)
Attributes:
Strength: -1
Agility: 0
Intelligence: 3
Magic Affinity: 0
Charm: 1
Compatibility: 82%
Affection Points: 00002 (1000 Affection Points = 1 *any Attributes)
????
/
“So, you won’t answer?” Aether gazed at the screen with a sceptical look, wondering if there was more to the log than met the eye.
The silent screen seemed to hold secrets, leaving him to contemplate whatever the shit he wants.
An exasperated sigh escaped Aether’s lips, as his gaze shifted to the mysterious ‘Affection Points’.
“2?” Aether questioned as he tried to tap the Affection points, but the screen remained unresponsive, offering no explanation.
Frustration continued to build up within him, an emotional storm brewing.
“Come on! Just give an explanation about Affection Points!” Aether shouted the echoes of his voice absorbed by the wooden walls. Despite having some basic ideas, uncertainty lingered, and the lack of response intensified his irritation…. He couldn’t be sure that Affection represents real affection from others unless he got an explanation.
His frustration remained unanswered, and the screen stubbornly stayed the same. Sighing again, he reluctantly calmed down and decided to inquire about potential tasks or missions just like the novels he read.
“Do I have tasks or missions, something like that?” Aether asked the air in the room heavy with anticipation, ‘I hope not..’ he thought.
However, to his dismay,
As soon as those words left his mouth, a series of mysterious sounds echoed.
!~Ding~!
[Request: Mission!]
[….]
[….]
!~Ding~!
[Affrimative]
An alarming sound filled the room, breaking the silence. The profile changed for the first time, revealing….
/
Mission: Survive until The beginning
Survival rate: 0.0001%
/
Aether’s body trembled as he felt a rush of emotions. His eyes shot a bloodshot glare at the Log, frustration and confusion evident in his expression.
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” His tone conveyed a mix of anger and frustration, echoing in the storage room.
However, his questions were met with the same silence that lingered in the air.
Frustration reached a boiling point, and he let out an exasperated sigh.
What else he could do other than get angry and then immediately calm down?
“Aarhh!” He clenched his fists, feeling a slight headache, and his alone surroundings seemed to intensify the pressure within him, ‘Fuck, This useless system!’.
Did the mission only appear because he asked?
What was it supposed to mean?
Did it imply that if he hadn’t asked, it would never have shown up?
As questions continued to pile up, Aether found himself engulfed in deep frustration.
‘DEEP INHALE’
Feeling the intense pressure, he took a sudden, deep breath, hoping to release the pent-up frustration,
‘DEEP EXHALE’
Exhaling slowly, he sought to calm the storm within. The alone atmosphere of the room seemed to respond, gradually settling into an eerie stillness…. alone.
As Aether regained his composure, he turned his attention back to the system profile, which had returned to its normal state but now featured additional data,
/
Name: Aether
Sex: Male
Race: Human
Level: 0
Title: Slave (Eternal Contract)
Attributes:
Strength: -1
Agility: 0
Intelligence: 3
Magic Affinity: 0
Charm: 1
Compatibility: 82%
Survival rate= 0.0001%
Affection Points: 00002 (1000 Affection Points = 1 *any Attributes)
????
/
‘Tsk, whatever!’ Aether surged, a sense of frustration enveloping him as he comprehended the sheer inadequacy of his system…. a total ‘SHIT!’
However, his attention was swiftly redirected towards the Survival rate…. He knew he somehow going to fucked up.
The ominous mission objective, ‘Survive until The beginning’….left him perplexed.
What beginning was it referring to? The past or some future shit?
‘Which beginning? Now? or When my life fucked up again?’ he pondered, grappling with the uncertainty that shrouded his mission.
Regardless,
Before everything, Aether felt a pressing need to address something crucial…..
“Let’s fuck this body!” Determination rang in his shout as he positioned himself on the floor. With his hands supporting his upper body, he began a slow descent, counting down with unwavering resolve.
“OOONNE–”
“Thud”
“OUCH!!”
“FUCK!!”
Before he could complete the countdown, his hands betrayed him, trembling uncontrollably and causing him to collapse on the floor, his face taking the brunt of the impact.
That was really painful!!
Teary-eyed, Aether rubbed his nose, feeling the warmth of blood seeping out.
Aether then glanced at his trembling hands, resembling the vibrations of a phone on silent mode…A true annoyance.
He couldn’t move his hands, every movement felt precarious as if his hands might shatter at any moment. The simple act of folding his fingers seemed like an immense task, emphasizing the fragility of his weakened body.
“Fuck this body!” Aether muttered in pain, a final realization settling in.
The ‘-1’ in his attributes represented not just a numerical value, but the stark reality of inhabiting a body that demanded extensive care and nutrients to function properly. The consequences of that negative strength attribute were becoming painfully apparent to his mental health.
He at least wanted his body to regain the robust structure of his previous life, capable of effortlessly doing 1000 push-ups.
The mere contemplation of going from 0 to 1 sent tremors through his feeble form, and the prospect of reaching 1000 seemed almost unthinkable…. It sent a shiver down his spine
“Arh… What should I do now?” Aether pondered, his eyes shifting to the Affection points.
‘If I can at least bring my strength to Zero… Then I can resume my usual training’ he mused, seeing the potential of the Affection points.
‘Okay, let’s test it out…’ Determined, he left the room, preparing to explore the possibilities and limitations of his ‘Shit’ system.
….
…
“Hello, Miss?”
“…”
“You look… Beautiful”
“…”
“….hmm”
“…”
“Well…Do you need any help?”
“…”
“….”
“…”
“…I am sorry” Aether said as he avoided disdained looking eyes.
The maid hurriedly left, wearing a disgusted expression.
Aether observed the woman, his chosen testing subject, who maintained a stoic silence throughout the attempted conversation.
‘She could have at least said something to me…’ Aether pondered why no one seemed willing to engage in dialogue…. He had been monologues everywhere.
She wasn’t his first testing subject; he had approached several others, and their responses mirrored hers….. they completely ignored his words.
‘Should I try with that old man…’ Aether considered the idea but quickly dismissed it.
The old man seemed immensely powerful, and a single misstep could cost Aether shity life.
In truth, he even attempted to interact with other men to see if there were any points to be earned. If there were, it didn’t matter anymore as he would ignore his shit system; he would solely rely on himself.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, they too remained unresponsive. Aether was relieved, yet at the same time, annoyed, as he grappled with the uncertainty of his next move.
‘If only that fucking system told me everything…’ Aether growled in anger, cursing the log.
“Hello, Miss?”
“…”
“What’s your sweet name?”
“…”
He tried every approach he had seen in dramas and anime, but the servant women looked at him with disdain.
Having suffered enough humiliation, his stomach, which hadn’t been fed since yesterday, finally growled in hunger.
‘gggggrrrrrrr’
“Right. I haven’t eaten since yesterday,” Aether thought, feeling the rumble of hunger in his stomach as he set out to find the kitchen.
After a prolonged search through the expansive estate, he eventually located the kitchen, but…
“You aren’t allowed inside!” A guard, dressed similarly to the one stationed at the entrance gate, firmly blocked his way with a stern expression.
“Why?” Aether inquired, genuinely puzzled by the seemingly arbitrary restriction.
“Your food has already been delivered to your room,” the guard replied, maintaining a serious and unwavering tone as if following strict protocol.
“It’s fine. I already came, so wh–”
“Slllinnnggg”
The guard unsheathed his long silver sword and pointed it toward Aether, a clear and authoritative signal that any intrusion was not to be tolerated.
“Okay, Okay…” Aether raised his hands in surrender, understanding that persistence would not be well-received.
Aether stared at the guard for a moment, reluctantly accepting the situation before leaving the kitchen.
‘Snort’ The guard simply snorted and resumed his vigilant position. The need for a guard in the kitchen wasn’t so much about preventing theft or hiding something; rather, it was a precaution for the safety of the Master of the Household and his family.
Even though the staff was loyal…. still, there was always a 1% chance that something might happen. Velc, the Master of the Household, placed a loyal guard under him to protect the kitchen. As a duke, Velc had enemies, and there were various odourless poisons available in the black market, which justified the precaution.
Regardless of whether Aether was aware or not.
However, there was a pair of eyes following Aether without him knowing.
Arriving at his room, Aether frowned at the absence of food. He searched around, but there was none.
‘Did he just lie to me–‘ His thoughts were interrupted by a haughty voice.
“Looks like that cockroach is still kicking around!”
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