Struggling as a Villain

A few days have passed. After Henry's funeral, Lilia decided to remain with her mother for the time being. They were still in Awsperg and since the town was under risk, Bellarine assigned some soldiers around the mansion.

Returning to the Duchy, Richard was busy in preparation for the Academy. He knew that the plot had somehow pushed to its destined path but some major changes have been brought.

The death of Ethan's source of motivation. Rage fuels one with motivation but knowing that the Headless Puppet was slaughtered, would Ethan actually remain the same as he was canonically?

Not to talk about, he lost his mother who recovered from her illness. Losing a mother who was already on the verge of death was another thing. However, Ethan lost his family after being given the hope for a bright future.

'Wait...so did the System intentionally force me to provide the potion so Ethan suffers more?!' The realisation made Richard widen his eyes in disbelief.

"System?" He called out, aware that the system hears his inner thoughts.

[The system only aims for the betterment of the Host.]

"You bi-" Richard stopped himself from cursing aloud. Only to send such a cryptic message after making him wait for this long...this system, indeed, is a bitch.

"Tell me, did I receive enough quest points to see my sis?" He asked after calming down. He currently was watering the plants in the garden to pass the time.

The system suddenly popped some messages,

[Ding!]

[Congratulations host!]

[You have achieved enough points to surveil the subject of your interest for a whole minute in a week!]

"... a week? Are you for real?"

[Extending the limitation requires more points.]

[Quest points: 51/200]

"Really, you are playing very well, system."

Heaving his sigh, Richard first stopped watering and found himself a quiet place. A shed in the garden which was, naturally, not occupied by anyone.

He sat there and finally asked for the footage,

"Show me how my Bella is doing."

With a broad smile, Richard waited as another system screen opened before his eyes.

However, the moment his eyes landed on the screen, he froze and a deep frown marred his face.

"The hell...." There was darkness all around, but that couldn't hide the mountain of corpses on which currently Bella stood and faced a thing which could be easily called a dinosaur.

"But wait...is that a turtle?" It was massive, almost the size of a stadium with long protruding horns all over its massive shell and eyes glowing ominously.

Even though Richard was behind the screen, not in person, he could feel the power emerging from that being was not something his little Bella should be facing.

Since the camera was showing the scene from the third person's perspective, he was able to witness how fearlessly Bella was standing atop the mountain.

He was so focused on the monster that he never realised how much his sister had matured and changed in so little time.

Suddenly, the monster moved, increasing Richard's heart rate as he shouted, "Get away, Bella!"

Richard didn't know how such a huge monster appeared on Earth, but right now, he was only focused on his sister and her safety.

However, his warning proved to be unneeded.

Bella suddenly connected her fists and when she separated them, a thick red and flaming rope emerged. She detached the rope from her left hand and swung it like a whip.

The turtle neared her and Bella leaped. Before the monster could have reached she whipped the flaming rope and struck it on the incoming danger...but to no avail. The mutated beast didn't stop.

"Oh no..." Richard sweated as he saw the monster now inches away from Bella—who remained nonchalantly standing at her place.

Just as he thought his sister might not make it alive....a miracle happened and the turtle split into two.

"What the hell..." He slowly uttered in disbelief as the massive structure of the turtle got separated into two symmetrical pieces with glaring red flesh at the dissection signifying that it was no miracle.

Bella caused it...

*Blip*

Although the screen disappeared Richard remained seated at his place with his lips parted and eyes still stretched.

After a whole minute, he slowly uttered,

"System....stats..."

[Name: Bella Anderson]

[Age: 19]

[Race: Human, Awakened]

[Str: 46]

[Spd: 72]

[Int: 108]

[Luk: 47]

[Mgc: 231]

[Special skills: Skinning, baking.]

[Spells: Fire Ball-> D-rank

Flame Maze-> C-rank

Meteor rush-> A-rank

Amber whip-> A-rank

Molten platform-> C-rank

Hell Blaze-> S-rank

Flame Serpent-> S-rank.]

[Available points: 50]

[Switch stats?]

[Y/N]

Richard closely read the content and realized something.

Time doesn't flow in the same manner between the two worlds. While he has spent only over a month in this world, it seems over a year has passed on earth.

What made him astonished was the reach of her magic, which had expanded drastically. He still hasn't reached a hundred points in his quest to know more about that world, but from what he has seen for the whole minute, Richard knows that Earth has changed completely.

Just like how he read in novels, humans began to awaken and zombies began to mutate. This wasn't good news that the common foes of humanity had improved and evolved, but the gift of magic would surely help them overcome the danger.

Especially Bella, who not only has been hard-working but seems to be a prodigy when it comes to magic.

Now, things come to a pause near the end of the system panel.

"Exchange stats? What does that mean?"

[The moment the host decided to share the benefits of the system with the subject named Bella Anderson, she was also linked to the System. As such, the Host can adopt the stats which the subject possesses for a limited period.]

[Adopting stats doesn't mean the subject would lose her skills or powers.]

"Means I can use her skills and strength while she won't go under any change?"

[Indeed, host.]

That was surprisingly a very good function of the system. In case of some emergency, he can borrow the strength of his sister. But what made him troubled was this sudden inclusion of the feature.

He hasn't achieved anything significant to suddenly gain this feature. Which means...

"Hey, system....are you compensating for the 'Punishment' you put in the last quest?'

[....]

There was no response but just dots from the system and that was enough for a response.

Richard rolled his eyes before saying, "Just don't do that again and we are cool."

Saying so, he left the shed and walked back into the mansion.

"My lord, Madame Duchess has asked for your presence in her office." Violet suddenly appeared before him and stated.

Richard nodded and delayed his plan to take a bath.

He went to her office, which was on the ground floor, and after knowing once, he stepped inside.

"You called me?" She lifted her eyes from the document she was working on and gave him a bright smile.

Richard sat on the chair across from her and heard her saying, "Did you give the measurement of your Academy uniform?"

Richard nodded, "Yup, it took a whole lot of time but I think I have provided all the alteration I need in my uniform."

"Good. I will send someone to buy books for you tomorrow."

Richard thought for a moment before asking, "If possible then let me go there and buy it. I want to look around the market a bit."

Bellarine raised her brows before asking, "Are you sure, baby? That's a crowded place you wish to visit."

"Yeah, I can manage."

Bellarine didn't insist, rather, she wrote something on a paper before giving it to Richard, "Give this to Gerald. He is the owner of the bookshop called Wisdom Cave."

Richard gazed at the list and found there were numerous books written on it, but not all of them were included in the list that arrived from the academy.

But well, since it was his mother who told him, Richard didn't question her and kept the note in his pocket.

"So...was there anything you wanted to talk to me?" Richard knew that, while working, Bellarine wouldn't have called him just to ask such trivial things.

Bellarine became a little hesitant hearing his question, shy as well. He could see her fidgeting in her seat which urged him to say, "Just tell me whatever it is, Mom."

Bellarine collected herself before asking, "Richie...I was wondering if you can...I mean...would you like to get trained?"

Richard blinked in confusion before asking, "By whom?"

Bellarine slowly raised her right hand, before pointing her index finger toward herself.

"..." Richard's face became blank. She was feeling nervous about this?

He leaned forward, and after holding her hand, he spoke in utmost sincerity, "Mom, I would love to get trained by you."

"Realllly?" Her eyes sparkled in joy.

Richard nodded in agreement. Seriously, what was she even thinking? That he would reject the opportunity of getting trained by the strongest witch in existence?

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A/N:- I am preparing the characters sheet. Might post it next week.