The Uninvited Guest

"What do you mean?" Elara asked, her tone laced with playful defiance as she sank into the couch.

She crossed her legs and tossed her hair back. "Realistically, I'm the better-looking one, aren't I?" A smirk curled at the edges of her lips.

She adjusted her bandana—an intricately patterned accessory that gave her outfit an edgy flair.

Elara wore loose, baggy jeans that rested comfortably at her waist and a simple white top that elegantly contrasted with the bandana's design.

Leonardo hesitated, caught off guard. His gaze flicked from Elara to Anna, who leaned against the wall with arms folded.

Anna's outfit was more vibrant—layers of a white T-shirt beneath a long-sleeved purple top, tucked into brown pants streaked with colorful stripes. Her brown hair fell neatly over her shoulders.

"I mean, compared to how you dress—" Leonardo began, but stopped as Anna's sharp gaze locked onto his.

It silenced him immediately. Her presence had that effect—commanding, unyielding, constant.

Anna sighed and stepped forward, her posture relaxing as she dropped onto the couch beside Elara.

"I feel refreshed," she said, her voice tinged with relief. "I wore the same tattered clothes for two days. I could feel every stare last longer than three seconds."

She clenched her fist at the memory, then relaxed slightly and looked at Elara with a grin.

"You'll get your bath later. For now, let me tell you about my new skill. It's basic—'Mind Fortitude.' That's why I didn't crack under pressure earlier. Actually, now that I think about it, it's kind of useful."

"You should've let the Tour Guide give you a skill," Elara teased Leonardo, nudging him playfully. "Don't follow everything I say—well, maybe everything—but still. Now it's your turn."

A hush fell over the room as attention turned to Leonardo.

Anna broke the silence. "Are you the Tour Guide's son?"

Leonardo stiffened. Sweat beaded on his temple.

The truth about Milah—Tour Guide Milah—was supposed to be secret. People only knew what was revealed to them.

"Yes," he finally said, breaking the silence.

Anna blinked, then rested her head on her hand, mimicking Leonardo's earlier pose. Her expression tightened.

"Then you should be strong—or at least have potential. Like the old geezers always say."

"I suppose you are right."

"The idea that the Tour Guide has a son is…" Anna paused, then exclaimed, "Absurd! I didn't believe it when you showed us the skillset, honestly. We chose you because there was no one else. The meeting was in a few hours."

"Yeah… Marquis didn't believe me either," Leonardo admitted, embarrassed.

"You told Marquis?! Why? Why!" Anna shot up. "Show us your stat screen. Now."

But Elara was quicker, already raising her hand. A faint glow illuminated the floating text.

---

Elara de Meaux – Status 

Age: 15 

Story Skill: Space Architect (Stage 3) 

Attachment Skill: Energy Rearrangement 

Unwritten Skills: Priest (3 Unwritten Skills) 

1: Strength Amplification 

Title Skill: N/A 

Rasvian Control Rank: Adept

---

"Space? As in the area?" Leonardo inquired as Elara nodded.

---

Anna de Meaux – Status

Age: 17 

Story Skill: Real Illusionist (Stage 4) 

Attachment Skill: Fool 

Unwritten Skill: King (4 Unwritten Skills) 

1: Mind fortitude 

Title Skill: N/A 

Rasvian Control Rank: Adept

---

A loud crash echoed. Everyone turned toward it. The noise faded, leaving behind a tense silence.

"Looks like Kaelan already started training," Anna said, more reflective. "But let's not get distracted. We've got work to do. And that means _your_ skills."

Leonardo, catching his breath, nodded. "I guess… it's nothing special. I don't even know how to use it."

Anna smiled proudly. "Exactly. None of us do. That's why smashing up the training grounds is pointless. Studying's better."

Leonardo nodded slowly. "Well, mine's—"

Leonardo focused, closing his eyes briefly before opening them again, imagining his skill set appearing before him.

The air in front of him shimmered slightly, and then the text materialized, hovering in mid-air, glowing faintly.

---

Leonardo Salvius Nox – Status

Age: 16 

Story Skill: Tour Guide Practical Officer (Stage 5) 

Attachment Skill: Adaptive Evolution 

Unwritten Skill: King (4 Unwritten Skills) 

Title Skill: [Uninvited Guest], Champion Stage 

Rasvian Control Rank: Adept

---

Anna leaned in, her eyes widening as she read the information displayed. "Wait, is that a title skill, and at Champion Stage?" she asked. "The Sage was definitely talking about you when he mentioned someone being 'special'." She nodded toward the text again. "Click on your attachment skill."

Leonardo complied, and more details unfolded before them.

"I need to know the extent of this ability," Anna said, her voice urgent. "Have you received any notifications or alerts since it manifested?"

Anna reached out, pulling his sleeve back to inspect his skin. It was thicker than normal, with a density that seemed almost unnatural. The mahogany color of his skin was the same, but there was an odd sheen to it now.

"Is it just me, or is he getting taller?" Elara observed, tilting her head as she watched Leonardo. "He's grown at least an inch in the past few days. His hair seems normal, though."

Anna nodded thoughtfully. "Definitely from the enhancements. It's subtle, but it's there. I hit the jackpot!"

"Hehe," Leonardo laughed nervously.

Anna's eyes gleamed with a mix of excitement and something more dangerous. "Let's test this. Elara, I need a blade."

"Wait, what are you planning?" Leonardo asked, starting to rise from his seat.

Before he could fully stand, he found himself stuck, unable to move from the couch. Panic flickered in his eyes as he struggled against the invisible force holding him down.

"Anna, this doesn't feel right—" Elara started, her voice edged with concern.

"Bring it," Anna interrupted, her command leaving no room for argument.

Elara hesitated but obeyed, waving her hand to conjure a small construct: a short knife that gleamed with a faint, ethereal light.

"Now, Leonardo, stay still for a minute. We need to see how well your adaptive evolution works." Anna's voice was calm but edged with a hint of something sharper.

Leonardo's eyes widened as the blade approached. "Wait, Anna, I don't—"

The knife pressed against his skin. It didn't feel sharp at first, just a cold, foreign presence. But then the pressure increased, and it finally broke through, blood trickling from the shallow cut down to his wrist.

[Adaptive Evolution Taking Effect]

Leonardo winced, more out of surprise than pain. His skin had thickened enough that the knife hadn't pierced deeply. He watched, almost in fascination, as the blood trailed down, his body reacting with an almost mechanical precision.

"What will it do? I didn't cut you that deep…" Anna's voice trailed off as she waited for the skill's response.

[Pain Channeling (Minimal)]

"Minimal pain channeling…" Leonardo muttered, his brow furrowing as the discomfort dulled to a faint throb. It was like someone had turned down the volume on the sensation.

"That's… impressive," Anna noted, her curiosity unabated. "I would have thought it'd be something like healing in some way, but redirecting the sensation of acute pain into a burst of adrenaline works too. Minimal," she mused aloud, pushing a stray lock of her brown hair back as she released her grip on Leonardo's arm.

Leonardo flexed his fingers, still feeling the ache but not the sharp sting that had accompanied the initial cut.

"That hurt more than I thought it would," he admitted, glancing at Elara, who was now seated beside him on the couch.

"I'm sorry!" Elara exclaimed, her voice small and guilt-ridden. She pulled at the hem of her white t-shirt, wiping away the blood and leaving a small, dark stain.

"There was no need for that," Leonardo said, shaking his head as he reached out to stop her.

"If it's resistance, you're going to tank a lot of hits throughout this year," Anna said, her voice taking on a practical, almost strategic tone. She seemed to be calculating already, thinking several steps ahead.

"Oh no," Elara sighed, her shoulders slumping at the thought of more tests.

"Oh yes," Anna replied instantly, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"Ragehka," Anna muttered under her breath, her expression hardening for a moment.

"Huh?" Leonardo asked, looking at her sharply. "What did you just say?"

"Ragehka? It's just a word," Anna replied, her tone nonchalant but her eyes glinting with something mischievous.

"It's not just a word, it's—" Elara began, her voice urgent and pleading, but Anna waved her off.

"Alright, alright," Anna said, laughing.

"You still have a year to explain everything to me, and I'm still… pretty clueless about most of it," Leonardo said.

"Don't worry," Anna said, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "We have a whole year of exploring the Grand Bibliotheca and testing your skills. I can't wait."

Leonardo pulled up his other sleeve, exposing both of his arms now. "You seem way too excited about this…" he muttered, shooting her a skeptical look.

Anna's grin widened, a flash of unrestrained excitement lighting up her features. "Deal with it for today," she admitted, shrugging as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Leonardo and Elara exchanged a glance, a mix of confusion and disbelief passing between them. They had not seen Anna smile like that, even Elara, and it was hard to tell if that was a good thing or not.

"Dad isn't coming back for a while, and Mom's... occupied with her usual pursuits," Anna said with a sigh. "Also, don't go anywhere towards Mom without either of us, alright?"

"Understood," Leonardo nodded.

"Can we go to the training grounds?" Elara asked, her voice soft but curious.

"We should just go to sleep," Anna said, her tone slow, but she moved anyway. She pushed herself off the couch, her movements brisk and purposeful.

"Alright then," he said, squaring his shoulders as he looked at Anna. "Lead the way."

Anna gave a small nod, her expression serious—but that familiar spark of determination still burned in her eyes. "I'm sorry, too. I won't do it again."