***(Renian’s POV)***

I don't know who or how they got in, but it must have happened while I was out of action due to the metamorphosis. Even though they didn't show a hostile attitude given how they took care of me, I certainly couldn't let my guard down.

As soon as I moved, I felt my muscles rebel as they hadn't been used in who knows how long. But I still moved to reach the short sword placed on the table in the room.

I was too fast. There was no comparison with before and the perception around me had also become more defined and at the same time slowed down. It takes maybe a couple of seconds to open a door, but to me, it seemed like it was taking a lot longer.

With the short sword in hand, the door finally opened. I snapped. The muscles were now less numb and more responsive. I covered the 5-meter distance between the table and the door in maybe two seconds. I grabbed the intruder by the clothes, dropping what looked like a tub full of water, slamming it against the wall, and holding the blade to its throat.

«M-Master Renian?»

That female voice brought me to my senses. A familiar voice and looking at the intruder's face, I immediately understood who she was
Sidrie?!

***(Sidrie’s POV)***

I was furious with Master Renian. When that fateful morning I discovered my master's disappearance, I was shocked, scared but above all angry. He left without saying goodbye?! That had been my first thought when his father, Duke Irwen Flinne, confirmed my suspicions when I reported his son missing.

With the departure of Master Renian from the Flinne family, my services within the residence were no longer necessary so I took with me those few things of my property and after returning the maid’s uniform, I headed towards the commoner district where you can find all the people with my social status and more.

The Duke had informed me of Master Renian's decision to renounce his noble status, consequently, the only place I could find him was there. I practically raised him! He owes me a lecture!

I couldn't concentrate all my efforts on finding him, so I picked up my old adventurer's card again so I could support myself. Now, the severance pay given to me by the ducal house is not a small sum at all I would be settled for at least two years. But having lost my edge, I had to get back into shape and also renew my old card.

It happened a few days ago when I found Master Renian at the Guild by pure chance. Despite his hood, I could understand it was him by the way he walked and especially by those tired blue eyes marked by dark circles.

I tried to reach him but lost him almost immediately in the crowd. It took me a while to find him at the Iron Canary Inn. Honestly, it's a great choice for accommodation. It is not very cheap but the safety is excellent and is used by many adventurers. He was lucky to find a spare room.

After following him I saw him enter the door of his room, but not before turning in my direction, instinctively leading me to hide. Did he see me? The sound of a door closing and then locking made me breathe a sigh of relief. But why am I hiding?

I went to the door through which Master Renian was walking and was about to knock, but I stopped. It's true, I wanted to scold him for how he left without even saying goodbye he could have asked me for help and support, but he didn't. What if he didn't do it because he didn't want me to follow him?

That thought led me to reconsider the idea of knocking at that moment. I felt the need to reorganize my thoughts. Master Renian certainly won't be going out and changing inns anytime soon, so there's no rush. In the end, I decided to wait for him in the inn's dining room, as well as to clear my mind. For sure Master Renian will need to have lunch so he’ll come down. If he asks me, I can tell him I love their cooking. It seems perfect to me.

It was now late afternoon and Master Renian had not yet come down. He started to worry me seriously and I immediately walked back to his room. When I was about to knock, I smelled a strong ferrous odor coming from that room. That smell filled my nostrils and it is certainly not an easy smell to forget. I started knocking scared

«Master Renian! Master Renian!»

Nobody answered. I took the lockpicking tools I always carried with me and started tampering with the lock. It took me a couple of minutes as I was out of practice, but I managed to open the door.

Lying on the ground in a fetal position, Master Renian lay in a pool of blood. His skin continued to peel away from his body, revealing the flesh beneath it, then growing back.

«Master Renian!» I exclaimed scared

I approached him to see if he was still alive and fortunately, he was. He was just passed out. By uncorking a few vials of soothing potion, I poured their contents onto his body but for some reason, they did not affect him. I took his body, dirtying my hands and arms with his blood, and placed it on the bed. His expression was contorted with pain, a scream that couldn't escape his lips.

I had the instinct to start bandaging him but it was then that I noticed it: his body was changing, growing.

Only the next day did that metamorphosis end: his body was much more robust and muscular and he seemed... no, he had certainly become taller. But even though the mutation had ended, his body was hot and feverish. As at the Flinne mansion, I took care of him to the best of my ability.

On the third day, I was returning from the well with a tub full of fresh water. I opened the door and it was an instant: Master Renian had grabbed me by the clothes and lifted me from the ground with unprecedented simplicity and pointed the short sword that I had placed on the table near the bed.

«M-Master Renian?»

His concentrated gaze full of murderous intent changed to surprise. He didn't expect to see me.

***(Renian’s POV)***

Sidrie coughed after letting her go. She somehow managed to stay standing but with difficulty.

I moved away from her, but my grip on the weapon was firm. Somehow, Sidrie managed to find me and even entered my room without much trouble. Judging by the state of the lock, she's a good lock picker. Only two people have the key to a hotel room or inn: the host and the owner.

«Do you know that's a crime?»

«You can only say this after leaving without telling me?!»

«You are not my mother. And if you were my mother, you wouldn't care.»

«After almost 7 years of watching you grow, this is an insensitive statement on your part!» she stated with a pouting expression

Without paying much attention to her, I headed towards the bed and took the sheet. After all, I'm naked and my body has changed so much that my clothes now have to be thrown away: I'm much taller and if I have to make a presumption I think I'm as tall as an adult, my muscles have expanded and defined, so the clothes are tight on me. I took the sheet and covered my lower body.

«I have a lot to ask you, but first...» I began, taking a couple of silver coins, «Could you do me a favor and buy me some clothes?» I asked, throwing them

«All right.» she stated, grabbing them quickly «But don't go anywhere until I'm back. Did I make myself clear?!»

«Yes, yes.» Where do you want me to go dressed like this?

Sidrie took my measurements and then left in a hurry, closing the door behind her. I sighed heavily. I didn't believe such an eventuality could happen. I knew there was a strong possibility that Sidrie would be forced to resign, but I didn't think I would see her again so soon. I really wouldn't have imagined such an eventuality since I intended to leave the capital by the end of the month. I sighed again. Better not to think about it. Rather, Opening Status.

What the hell?

I was taken aback by my new status. These are all values never seen before in a 14-year-old human being and also the number of skills and titles I possess are literally out of the norm. But above all Human Ultima? As I thought about the name of my new race, the name got bigger in front of me and a description appeared.

Emperor93

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