Single for Eternity

I stared at the remains of 'Baldy,' or rather, what was left of it—a pile of ash and the single, ominous word burned into the floorboards:

CHAOS.

Despite everything, I wasn't overwhelmed by grief. Sure, the ancient scribble had been my best source of knowledge, but I wasn't sentimental enough to mourn a book. What did bother me, though, was the sheer weight of what had just happened.

Something—someone—had destroyed it the moment I asked about Higher elements.

Which meant… there was a force out there that didn't want me knowing.

I forced myself to push aside the rising questions and focus on what was in front of me. A faint, pulsing energy lingered in the air where 'Baldy' had burned, like an echo refusing to fade.

It called to me.

A rational person might have stepped away. Maybe analyzed the situation first, considered the risks.

I, however, had the survival instincts of a horror movie character.

Ignoring every red flag, I reached out—fingers grazing the raw energy.

[ Host has found a Fragment of Primal Chaos Energy. ]

[ Absorption will commence in… 3… 2… 1… ]

Wait, what?

Before I could even react, a sudden pulse tore through my body.

My veins ignited as if molten iron had replaced my blood. My bones splintered and reset, again and again, as if they were being reforged inside my own skin. My lungs clenched, each breath a ragged struggle.

Agony. Pure, unrelenting agony.

I collapsed, writhing on the ground, my vision blurred by the sheer intensity of the pain. I tried to scream, but no sound came out—just desperate gasps for air.

Seconds stretched into eternity.

At some point, my mind hovered on the edge of unconsciousness, but something—something in the energy itself—wouldn't let me black out.

I was forced to experience every moment.

And just when I thought I couldn't take it anymore—

[ Absorption complete. ]

The pain disappeared.

I lay motionless, staring at the ceiling, drenched in sweat and very much traumatized.

The system's messages chimed in, completely ignoring my near-death experience:

[ Host has formed an Embryonic Chaos Core. ]

[ Recovery speed and resistance to external forces have increased. ]

[ Slight mastery over Chaos achieved. ]

I clenched my jaw, resisting the urge to curse the system out of existence.

For once, I wished I had one of those mechanical, emotionless systems that just did their job instead of throwing me into hell without a warning.

But despite my frustration, I couldn't ignore the changes.

I looked down at my body—wounds that had opened from the ordeal were already sealing shut. My skin, once pale and riddled with old scars, looked… renewed.

Faint traces of energy crackled beneath the surface, something deep within me awakening.

A slow grin spread across my face.

This… was worth it.

---

I had originally planned to fix this pathetic excuse of a town at a reasonable pace, slowly gathering resources and knowledge before making any moves.

But after this?

Screw patience.

I needed information—now.

I stormed out of my room, moving through the castle's halls without a clear direction, relying on instinct alone. Eventually, I found myself in front of a door.

Mother maid's room.

I didn't knock.

The door creaked open as I stepped inside, finding her sitting on her bed, staring blankly at the wall.

The moment she registered my presence, she flinched.

Ah. She was still terrified of me.

I smirked. "Did I interrupt something?"

She hesitated, her obsidian eyes flickering with something unreadable. But whatever she wanted to say, she swallowed it down.

I leaned against the doorframe, crossing my arms. "I need answers. And you're going to give them to me."

She scoffed, her expression shifting into something closer to disgust.

"You really are trash," she muttered.

Before she could continue, I moved.

In an instant, I was in front of her, tilting her chin up so she was forced to look me in the eyes.

"Careful," I murmured. "I'm still a noble, remember? Who knows what I might do?"

She froze.

A flicker of fear crossed her face before she quickly masked it, but I had already seen it.

Satisfied, I released her and stepped back, letting her compose herself.

"…Fine," she muttered, voice tight. "What do you want to know?"

I smiled. Now we were getting somewhere.

"What's your name?"

She showed a puzzled expression before replying. "Laura..just Laura. I'm a peasant."

Figures…

Now, on to the main question.

"What's the town's primary source of income?"

She hesitated for a fraction of a second before answering, "Mining."

Figures.

"And?"

She exhaled sharply. "We have some mild agriculture, but it's insignificant. The northern border leads into a dense, dangerous forest—impossible for us to use. To the east, we have the mountain region where we mine ores and catalysts. The south is where the town is… or what's left of it. And the west?"

She scoffed. "Just a desert. Nothing worth talking about."

I took a moment to absorb the information.

This place was practically a wasteland.

The town's entire economy was built around a single resource, and even that was failing. No wonder the people here were desperate.

Which meant Einar's previous actions made even more sense.

I tapped my fingers against my arm. "Tell me exactly what happened with the mining operation."

Her gaze darkened.

"…You really don't remember?"

"I wouldn't be asking if I did."

She studied me for a moment, something shifting behind her expression. Then, she spoke:

"Four months ago, you launched a new scheme. You promised that whoever mined the most would get the chance to awaken their strength."

Ah.

I immediately understood where this was going.

"And?" I urged.

"At first, it worked. We made a lot of gold. People were motivated. But when the time came to choose the winner, chaos broke out."

Her voice wavered slightly, eyes clouding over with something between anger and grief.

"People turned on each other. Miners—the competent ones—were slaughtered by their own friends and families, all for a chance to awaken. When it was over, the entire mining operation collapsed."

I leaned back, humming in amusement.

"So they killed themselves over greed."

Laura's jaw tightened. "They did it because you—"

"They did it because they were weak," I interrupted. "Weak in mind. Weak in heart. Weak enough to let a mere promise turn them into monsters."

I chuckled, shaking my head.

"And now they blame me? How convenient."

She glared at me. "You—"

"Save it," I cut in, turning toward the door. "You people deserved what happened."

Her breath hitched.

I paused at the doorway, glancing over my shoulder.

"When you find an actual reason to hate me, let me know."

Then, I left—her silence ringing louder than any insult she could have thrown my way.

---

These people…

They wanted someone to blame.....

Fine. I'd play the villain.

If that's what it took to turn this place around—if that's what it took to make them useful—then so be it.

Because in the end, they weren't people.

They were tools.

And I was going to use them.

I already had the Tyrant path plan set. Luckily enough these people were the kinds who actively needed one.

Pathetic….