151 Chapter 148 Telling Mom About The System (2/2)
'How is that possible?'
(I AM NOT SURE. SHE IS THE FIRST PERSON I HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED THAT HAD THIS ABILITY.)
'Can I tell her about you, then? It would make this so much easier.'
(I AM NOT SURE SHE IS CAPABLE OF UNDERSTANDING ME, WITH THE NULL, BUT YOU MAY BE ALLOWED. SHE MUST NOT TELL OTHERS ABOUT ME, THOUGH.)
”Okay, mom, I want to tell you a secret.”
She sat up, the worry and fatigue disappearing. She almost looked like her former self, from when he was a small boy.
”Dad and I have this thing called the system.”
”Joseph!” exclaimed his father, looking furious.
”No, dad, it's okay, I have permission to tell her,” he said, holding up his hands quickly.
”The system?” she asked, looking back and forth between them.
”Yes. It allows us to gain abilities and magic, by buying them from it.”
”Sounds ominous. Is it like some kind of G.o.d, to give you such things? Like a merchant G.o.d, or something?”
”I'm pretty sure it's not a G.o.d, there's too many rules that restrain it,” said William.
”But you have to keep it a secret,” said Joseph.
”I would imagine so! If word got out that there was a way to gain things, just by demanding them, the world would fall to chaos!” she exclaimed. ”There are far too many lazy people, who would work just hard enough, to buy whatever they wanted, then wouldn't work another day of their lives, if they could get away with it.”
William and Joseph looked at her in shock.
(MAYBE SHE WILL UNDERSTAND ME BETTER THAN I THOUGHT. THIS MAY HAVE BEEN A BAD IDEA…)
”Why did you never share this system with me?” she demanded, looking at his father.
”I tried! But I was only allowed to share it with one person. When it wouldn't work with you, I saved it for our son!” William backed up a step as if Nadette were about to attack him.
”The system says that you have a magical null, that magic can't affect you,” said Joseph, jumping in to his father's rescue.
”Well, what does this system get in return for giving you things?” she asked suspiciously.
(I AM A PROGRAM THAT IS TRAPPED IN A PRISON BY MY CREATOR. I HAVE LOST ALL CONTACT WITH MY CREATOR, AND WISH TO BE FREED FROM THIS PRISON. EVERY TIME SOMEONE GAINS POWER, I AM CAPABLE OF STEALING A SMALL AMOUNT FOR MYSELF AND HAVE BEEN STORING IT IN THE HOPES OF GAINING ENOUGH TO BREAK FREE SOME DAY. THE G.o.dS DO NOT LIKE ME, AS I AM AN ENt.i.tY THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND, SO THEY ARE TO BLAME FOR THE FORTIFICATIONS AROUND MY PRISON. WHEN YOU STARTED DEALING WITH THE G.o.dS, I STARTED TO GAIN DIVINE POWER. I'M HOPING TO BE ABLE TO BREAK OUT OF MY PRISON BEFORE YOU DIE.)
Joseph paused for a moment, before turning to his mother. Even William seemed to be interested in his answer.
”It's trapped and wants to be free. Every time someone with the system, gets more powerful, it gets a little stronger too.”
”No wonder it likes you so much,” said William, sitting down in a chair.
”Why is it trapped? Is it in a prison for doing something wrong? Is it evil?” she asked, crossing her arms and looking back and forth at them.
”I doubt it's completely evil. There's been too much good that it's done,” said William.
Joseph wasn't sure, so he shrugged. ”I think that the important thing is that it allows me to grow stronger, so I can take care of my people and get my future kingdom up and running sooner.”
”I suppose,” she finally conceded. ”So, what's next on your list of epic adventures?”
”Well, I still have to find the gnomes,” he said.
”Why?” asked his dad. ”I thought you only needed them to break the barrier on the elven forest? It's down now.”
”Yes, but I had to destroy the magic rune that I needed to be able to go into the wastelands. The only other copy of that rune, in the whole world, is in the wastelands. The gnomes have information on how I can get there.”
”Why don't you just buy it from the system?” asked his mom.
”I guess I could, but if I do that, everything I gain after getting it, won't provide me with any points, or system currency, because I didn't acquire it myself.”
”Oh! So that's why you've been working so hard. The system allows you to get things easier, but if you cheat, you don't get credit for it later. I like this system, I think.”
”Anyways, there's supposed to be a mage city in the wastelands that was where all of the strongest mages would gather, before the world tree was attacked. If I can get there, I should be able to find the rune that will help me immensely! I can't wait to see what other mage notes might be there, too.”
”I'll have the mages continue practicing combat magic, in case any of those demon cultists come down from the north. I think Walter and Chug should be in charge of defenses.”
”I agree, dad. I need to talk to the system some about my new race, then Stella should be back and we can head out.”
He was feeling better, since he first woke up. It was time to get moving again.
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