CH.29 Thinking about Attributes
<span style="font-weight:400">“Is it normal for people to be born without any attribute?” I ask Henry.
<span style="font-weight:400">“It does happen sometimes.” Henry told me.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Is there no study or something that would have exact statistics?” I ask him.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I apologize lord Brian, but I wouldn’t know about something like that. Only schrs and nobility have ess to research like that.” He said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I see…” That should be expected, but I need answers. (Laura do you know?)
<span style="font-weight:400">(I have no ess to human research, but system information tells that around 8% of people don’t have a sufficient attribute.) Laura told me.
<span style="font-weight:400">(Do you know why?) I ask.
<span style="font-weight:400">(Ites down to the attribute of the parents. If the parents have opposing attributes, there is a high chance to have a child with no sufficient attribute.) She told me. But that sounds so obvious. Have people never realized that?
<span style="font-weight:400">“Henry, do you know the attributes of lord Brandon anddy Christina?” I ask the butler.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes I do. However I’m not allowed to tell personal information of the Lord anddy to anyone.” He said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I see. That’s fine. I’ll just have to ask them directly.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Does this have something to do with Miss Alice?” He asked me.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Possibly.” I answered. “System support did give me a theory that would exin why Alice has no attribute.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Could you tell me?” Henry asked. “I also wish to see Miss Alice’s work pay off.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Nope. You don’t tell me what I ask for and I won’t tell you my theory. And even if I told you, there isn’t anything you could do about it.” I said to him.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I see. So I am just a powerless butler.” He says.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Don’t me yourself for that.” I told him. “I don’t think there are many people in the world that can affect the attributes of people.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Does that mean that people who can exist?” He asks.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I think they should.” I mean I can, but you don’t need to know that yet. “At least I can’t think of a reason you couldn’t do that. It would be difficult most likely, so you would have to have a very high level, most likely.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“If you do know someone, you need to tell me.” Henry says. “Only her personal maid knows better of the sorrow Miss Alice goes through having to practice magic daily only to never be able to use any. And now with the dungeon idea not paying off, she may very well shut herself in her room.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I see.” Now I feel even more bad for her. Overprotective father who doesn’t let her outside and forces her to train magic every day. And she can’t seed without having an attribute.
<span style="font-weight:400">—
<span style="font-weight:400">As we entered the Watchman grounds I told Henry, “Please don’t tell the baron anything about the talks we had. I would prefer him to not know yet.”
<span style="font-weight:400">He did ept to keep it a secret for now, but he was against it. Something about him needing to tell. I was thinking I would have to use the dungeon as a card over him, but luckily he agreed without so for now we are good.
<span style="font-weight:400">The carriages came to a stop and I got out after Henry. I notice Brandoning out of the other one after Henry opens the door for him, but it doesn’t seem like Alice is. I really hope the baron didn’t do anything too stupid to Alice after I left them alone. If Alice asks me to kidnap her, I might just have to do it.
<span style="font-weight:400">—
<span style="font-weight:400">At the door, I’m taken away by Nicole. Seems like she is back in service now in the afternoon. Or would this be evening?
<span style="font-weight:400">“Lord Brian, dinner will be served in a little while. Would you like your bath before or after dinner?” She asks me.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’ll take a bath before, thank you.” I told her. While my body is a lot more high speck than before and my clothes resist dirt and grime, I did walk a while today. I would rather feel at least somewhat clean before dinner.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Of course. I will get it ready.” Nicole said. I don’t know how they do it, but I hope it’s magic. I’m going to say it’s magic.
<span style="font-weight:400">—
<span style="font-weight:400">As we enter the guest room I’m staying in, Nicole makes her way into the bathroom. I can hear the sound of running water.
<span style="font-weight:400">(Laura, do you know how she is filling up the bathtub?) I ask Laura.
<span style="font-weight:400">(You could just go and take a look.) Laura told me.
<span style="font-weight:400">(I think that might make things awkward.) I tell her.
<span style="font-weight:400">(Fine. She is using abination of water magic and magic stones installed in the tub.) Laura tells me.
<span style="font-weight:400">(Why use both?) I ask.
<span style="font-weight:400">(It’s the fastest way and you cannot make hot water with water magic unless you also have the fire attribute. And as you already seem to know, fire and water are opposite attributes, so having both is extremely rare.) Laura informs me.
<span style="font-weight:400">—
<span style="font-weight:400">“Lord Brian, your bath is ready.” Nicole tells me.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Thank you.” I thank her and enter the bathroom. I take off my clothes and enter the bathtub. The warm water feels nice.
<span style="font-weight:400">There is a knock at the door and Nicole opens the door a little.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Would you like me to wash you?” She asks.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m fine.” I told her. It would be a little awkward to get washed by someone I barely know. Unless she just, “Actually, you could wash my hair.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes, lord Brian.” She answers andes into the bathroom.
<span style="font-weight:400">Nicole picked up a scoop and positioned herself behind me. Then using the scoop she began wetting my hair while rubbing it with her other hand. This feels nice. I don’t usually have someone wash my hair, but I remember enjoying it as a kid. Nowadays it''s only when I get a haircut. But this time it’s a little different. I’m sitting in a bath, while getting a hair wash.
<span style="font-weight:400">After getting my hair wet, Nicole grabs one of the soap bars. After she rubs it against her hands for a second, she begins to rub it into my hair and scalp.
<span style="font-weight:400">After rubbing my hair for a bit longer, she uses the scoop again to wash the soap off.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Is that everything Lord Brian?” She asks.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well, since you are here, you could wash my back as well.” With her already looking at me in the bath, I’m a lot more open to the idea of her helping me. And washing your own back is annoying and you can’t get it right without a good brush.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Of course Sir. Please lean forward.” Nicole says.
<span style="font-weight:400">She grabs a brush and wets it in the bathwater. Then she rubs some soap on it.
<span style="font-weight:400">Having a backwash isn’t that bad either.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Sir, can I ask about that bracer on your arm? You didn’t have it yesterday.” Nicole ask me.
<span style="font-weight:400">“It’s something from the dungeon.” I told her. She doesn’t need to know it’s a founder’s terminal. I don’t think she would do anything stupid even if she did know, but better safe than sorry. Not that I think it can be stolen in the first ce.
<span style="font-weight:400">(Founder’s terminals cannot be stolen Master. They, in fact, can never be removed.) Laura informs me.
<span style="font-weight:400">(What if someone were to cut my arm off?) I ask her.
<span style="font-weight:400">(The terminal would appear at a different part of your body, like your other arm or a leg. Not all terminals are like yours, Master. Thebat mode is always different depending on the founder’s fighting style. With Master being a summoner who uses cards, the terminal became a support tool for that style. But for a sword fighter it would be a sword, and for a bowman a bow.)
<span style="font-weight:400">These dungeon terminals seem extremely adjusting to the user. Making a weapon out of nowhere.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Sir, I finished washing your back. Will that be all?” Nicole asked me.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes, thank you Nicole.” I say back to her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’ll take my leave so you can finish your bath. Do you need me to take some of your clothes to theundry?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“No, don’t” I tell her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“As you wish.” With that Nicole walks out of the bathroom and I start rubbing myself with the brush. I don’t really take baths daily, but I could get used to this.