The banquet was... interesting.

The food was good.

Really good, actually.

But for most of the time, my attention wasn't exactly on the plates in front of me.

People were looking at me. Some with friendly expressions. Others, not so much.

The heirs themselves couldn't hide their discontent.

There was envy.

One or two looked at me as if I had stolen something from them.

On the other hand, the adults seemed satisfied.

Some of the leaders from the other Six Families were studying me with curiosity, as if they were examining a rare animal.

Others came up to me directly, introducing their children and trying to get to know me better.

I responded automatically.

To begin with, I was never very good at social interactions.

Back on Earth, I was always a bit odd.

But it wasn't just that which kept me distant.

A holographic message floated before my eyes. Invisible to anyone but me.

It was strangely familiar.

The interface, the metallic borders, the characters that rearranged fluidly.

Everything reminded me exactly of the game screens.

During the banquet, the message displayed only a percentage.

[42%...]

[57%...]

[89%...]

It was loading something.

Now, however, the words had changed.

[Initialization complete.]

[Awaiting assignment.]

[Do you wish to assign the system?]

———

The ride in the carriage was peaceful.

No one spoke much.

The sway of the vehicle and the sound of the wheels against the stone ground created a monotonous, relaxing rhythm.

My mother murmured something, but I was too busy to listen.

Now, I am in my quarters. 

The room is... big.

Luxurious.

The carpets have intricate patterns, the walls are adorned with elegant carvings, and there's a fireplace at the back, still unlit.

My bed looks like something straight out of a fairy tale—fine fabric sheets, an imposing canopy, pillows that probably cost more than my old salary.

Sometimes, I feel like I hit the lottery.

Just this room I'm in now would be worth at least three of my old apartment in my past life.

But I focus on what matters.

I turn back to the System.

I'm standing in front of the mirror.

I had already confirmed it before, but... the window doesn't reflect.

What I see on the glass is only my appearance.

My own eyes stare back at me.

It's a different look from what I had on Earth.

But still, mine.

I open my mouth.

[Do you wish to assign the System?]

[Yes/No]

— Yes.

Nothing happens.

I blink, confused.

The System doesn't seem to respond to my voice.

By instinct, I stretch out my arm.

I touch the screen.

No resistance. No texture.

It was like touching air, but a strange cold spread from the tips of my fingers.

[Confirmed.]

[Greetings! Welcome back, user.]

[An error was detected in the old Fourteenth.]

[Invalid username.]

[To unlock the System's features, registration is required. Please enter your name in the designated action space.]

A golden line blinked on the screen, like a signature waiting to be filled in.

[Enter your name here: ___________________.]

Below, a small keyboard floated, the characters glowing as if waiting for my choice.

For a moment, I considered the options.

Something pompous? Something discreet? Something ridiculous?

One name came to mind.

Without hesitation, I typed it in. Then, I pressed the button.

[You have declared your name as 'Loki'. Know that this name will be used in the Akashic Records as your identification from now on.]

[Do you wish to confirm?]

[Yes / No]

I pressed "Yes". The surface of the screen grew even colder.

[The decision was successfully made.]

[The system has been reset.]

Silence.

No magical explosion. No sudden change.

Then, a new wave of notifications flickered on the screen.

[The functions have been successfully enabled!]

[You now have access to the Skills tab.]

[You now have access to the Overview tab.]

[You now have access to the System.]

[Some functions may still be locked.]

A sharp sting shot through my eye, as if a needle had pierced my retina.

[The 'Enhanced Performance' mode has been automatically enabled. Your eyes have been adjusted to the System's will. They will no longer tire as easily. Navigation and interaction with the System options have been simplified.]

[The 'Cat Eyes' skill has been acquired.]

I blinked.

My eyes burned, and a greenish reflection painted my pupils.

Before, they were just a little different… now, they were completely transformed.

Golden from the pupil to the edge, an amber hue blending with green at the perimeter of the iris.

In the dim light of the room, I closed the curtains.

Darkness fell.

If it were before, I wouldn't see much beyond the blackness.

Now…

Every detail around me remained sharp.

The contours of the furniture, the texture of the walls, even the ripples in the fabric of the curtains.

[The 'Cat Eyes' option has been activated automatically.]

I tested opening and closing the curtains again.

Light came in.

My pupils contracted in the blink of an eye, adjusting instantly.

[The 'Cat Eyes' option has been deactivated automatically.]

Another metallic echo followed.

[Greetings, Loki! I see you're already enjoying the features of the System. Splendid!]

[You now have access to the extraordinary computer system, Bolster Up. This System has been granted to you by 'The Last Star'; congratulations on receiving its protection!]

[Would you like to activate it effectively now?]

My attention was snagged by the name "The Last Star."

But for now, I let it slide.

In front of me, two options flickered: [Yes] and [No].

I pressed "Yes".

A long metallic hiss rang before a deep, muffled voice broke the silence.

[It's a pleasure to meet you, user!]

The screen flickered, synchronized with the voice.

[Before confusion takes over, let me introduce myself. I am your faithful assistant, Bolster Up! You are communicating with your internal System through the Silver Serpent Adaptive Interface. No need for alarm.]

Great.

Now I had a voice in my head.

Exactly what I needed.

[Thanks to the gift granted to you by The Last Star, you have received a special integration.]

[Bolster Up now has the ability to communicate through voice! The sound you hear is transmitted directly to the auditory centers of your brain, ensuring absolute privacy. No other soul can perceive my presence.]

I sighed.

[After this brief introduction, you have the option to silence my voice whenever you wish. I am here solely to assist you.]

[Other settings can be customized according to your preferences.]

Well. At least there was an option to mute it.

Whoever invented this thing clearly knew that an incessant voice in the head wasn't exactly something desirable.

[To simplify things, let's start with a few options for you to choose from, responding with 'yes' or 'no.' Now, Bolster Upkindly asks that you say 'yes' and 'no' according to the instructions, so it can learn to recognize your responses perfectly.]

[When you're ready, please say the word 'yes' aloud. You can say it at any time.]

The messages disappeared.

[Please say the word 'yes' now. The sooner you do this, the faster the results will reveal themselves.]

I cleared my throat, crossing my arms.

— Yes.

A loud "Ding" reverberated.

[Your affirmation is duly appreciated. Now, kindly pronounce the word 'no'.]

— No, — I repeated, and for a moment, I felt like an idiot.

[Thank you for saying 'no']

The voice announced confidently.

[As we progress together, you'll learn in due time that you won't need to verbalize these commands for your System to respond to them. However, in the short term, you may find it useful to vocalize as you get used to communicating with Bolster Up.]

— Alright. Seems simple enough.

[Based on the analysis conducted during the introduction, the texts and tone of voice have been adjusted. These modifications will remain as the base and cannot be reverted. This was done to enhance user interactions.]

[Now we will proceed to the general settings], I read in a floating line of text directly in my view.

The text floated right in front of me.

It glowed brightly against the environment around me, without reflecting in the mirror in front of me. Still, a faint pulse reverberated inside my retinas.

Instinctively, I tilted my head to the side.

The text remained still. Its contrast had been adjusted to ensure perfect readability.

The System really wasn't kidding when it promised to optimize my experience.

[Warning! You are not in an area recommended for system configuration.]

[For your safety, it is advised that during your initial setup session, you find a seated position in a safe location to avoid any potential harm.]

[You have a few moments to locate a suitable spot. Please sit down.]

My eyes narrowed slightly.

Seriously? Was this really necessary?

But, considering the standards the System seemed to follow, it was likely there was a reason for this warning.

With no desire to argue, I simply sat down.

[Thank you for that.]

— You're welcome, — I muttered, not thinking much about it.

In the next moment, just a few centimeters away from me, another small list of messages was projected.

I quickly read them, from right to left.

[You have received two exclusive 'gifts' from The Last Star.]

[Through its own authority, The Last Star has granted you special permissions. Your System has been slightly enhanced.]

Nothing new.

Bolster Up had already mentioned this when it introduced itself.

Then, my eyes fell on the last notification.

[You have two unopened gifts in your inventory. Would you like to open them?]

[Yes/No]

A pang of curiosity arose in me.

Without hesitation, I pressed "Yes."

And I liked what I saw.