I tossed the ridiculous book onto the table with a thud that echoed through the old library.
"Seriously, nine hundred and ninety-nine steps? I'd rather learn necromancy."
Aria laughed in my head. "You'd still get rejected. But hey, at least you'd have an undead audience."
I rolled my eyes. "What time is it, anyway?"
"1:30 PM," she replied without hesitation.
"Huh. Guess time really flies when you're busy judging books by their titles."
Leaving the musty scent of aged pages and questionable romance advice behind, I made my way out of the library and through the winding halls. The sun filtering through the tall windows painted everything in a warm afternoon glow. I followed the trail of savory scents until I reached the dining room.
And... wow.
The dining room looked like something straight out of a royal banquet. A long, polished wooden table stretched across the room, draped in an ivory tablecloth embroidered with silver vine patterns. Chandeliers hung above like glittering stars, casting a gentle light that made the cutlery sparkle. The chairs looked absurdly elegant—high-backed with deep blue cushions that practically whispered, sit and never leave.
Standing silently by the side of the table was May, as composed and unreadable as ever. Her silver hair caught the light, and her eyes flicked to me as I entered, but she didn't speak.
My eyes, however, were locked onto the table. It was covered in food—more than enough for ten people. No, twenty. Roasted meats, buttered vegetables, creamy soups, warm bread, fruit platters, and desserts so perfect they belonged in paintings.
"...Did I die and reincarnate again?" I mumbled.
I sat down without waiting for permission and immediately dug in. I didn't even try to be polite. Forks? Spoons? Too slow. The food was too good to waste time on etiquette. Bite after bite disappeared, and I never felt full. My appetite was like a black hole.
Ten minutes later, the table was empty. Not a crumb remained.
I leaned back, patting my stomach out of habit, even though I didn't feel bloated at all. "Hey Aria. How did I even manage to eat all that?"
["Did you forget already?"] she replied, exasperated. ["Your skill: Absorption. You can absorb anything—food, magic, materials—without limit. Your body takes what it needs. The rest? Gone."]
I blinked. "So... I'm a walking disposal unit?"
["No. You're a walking monster."]
"…Not sure if that's better."
I looked at May, who was standing in the same place, unfazed by the vanishing act I just performed on the buffet.
"How'd you even cook all this? The kitchen looked completely lifeless earlier."
May tilted her head slightly. "That," she said with the faintest hint of amusement, "is a secret."
I narrowed my eyes. "Suspicious."
"Thank you."
"…That wasn't—ugh. Never mind."
May's face was calm, but I caught it—that tiny curve of a smirk before it vanished. She was definitely messing with me.
Feeling full of nothing but energy, I stepped out into the garden for some air. The backyard lawn stretched far and wide, the grass trimmed perfectly, and the flowerbeds bursting with colors I didn't even know existed. A stone path curved through the garden like a lazy river. Birds chirped somewhere in the distance, and the sun filtered through tall trees lining the edge of the property.
I found a nice spot beneath one of the larger trees and dropped onto the grass with a sigh. The shade was cool and dappled, and the ground was soft enough to nap on.
I closed my eyes, breathing in the scent of earth and petals. Then, curiosity tugged at me again.
"Status," I whispered.
A familiar translucent panel appeared before my eyes.
[Status]
Name: AlexAge: 14Race: Human
HP: ∞Strength: ∞Defence: ∞Intelligence: ∞Agility: ∞Stamina: ∞Mana: ∞
Skills:› Appraisal› Absorption› Skill Creation
System: Aria
I chuckled. "Still ridiculous."
Infinite everything. At first, I thought it was a joke. Then I thought maybe I'd find ways to slowly build power, level up, grind like those characters in the stories… but this?
"Hah… I guess I'll never know what it's like to get excited over finding a +3 sword," I muttered. "Hey Aria, can I at least know what this world is called? You're basically my in-head tour guide, right?"
["Find out yourself."]
"Oh, come on. Not even the name?"
["Nope."]
"Ariaaaa—please? Just something basic. I don't even remember how the calendar works here!"
She sighed, but I could hear the smirk in her voice.
["Fine. I'll give you something small. But just this once. After that—you figure things out yourself."]
I grinned under the shade. "Deal."