Show Me Your Stats!

Once again, Ayra was urged to return inside where it was safer, but she shook her head and refused. Instead, she followed Jinas around, observing how he managed the disaster recovery efforts.
The steward was highly capable, and judging by the way the people inside and outside the castle obeyed him without hesitation, he was also deeply trusted.

For now, that was fortunate for Ayra. But at the same time, an uncomfortable realization settled in—someone this competent and respected was not a person she could afford to make an enemy of.
By the time night had fully set in, the immediate crisis had been handled. Given how powerful the earthquake had been—enough to bring down entire sections of the castle walls—the casualties were surprisingly low.
A few unlucky people near the walls had been crushed by falling debris, while hundreds of estate residents suffered minor to moderate injuries inside their homes.

Once the work was done, Jinas, looking utterly exhausted, requested a private audience with Ayra.
However, even after sitting down with her, he remained silent for an uncomfortably long time.
Ayra was the first to break the silence.

"If there are no major issues, how about holding the succession ceremony tomorrow, Sir Jinas?"
"…Actually, there is a problem."
She tilted her head slightly, gesturing for him to continue. Jinas spoke in a low, serious tone.

"We placed an order with one of our usual trading companies for the supplies needed for the succession ceremony, but they haven't arrived. The delay is too long to ignore. We’re running short on necessary goods."
"Then keep it simple."
Ayra cut in decisively, unwilling to let that delay things further.

"That’s not the only issue."
Jinas exhaled heavily before continuing.
"A significant number of our extended family members and elders, who were supposed to attend the ceremony, are also arriving far later than expected."

At that, Ayra narrowed her eyes.
She had noticed the dark shadows under Jinas’ eyes, the way his face had grown thinner over the past few days.
After a brief pause for thought, she spoke firmly.

"Then we’ll hold the ceremony without them. We’ll figure everything else out later. We can’t keep postponing it just because certain people aren’t here."
Jinas, who had been staring off into space with a dazed, weary look, suddenly snapped his head up.
His gaze was oddly intense as he met Ayra’s eyes.
Then, with a determined expression, he nodded.

"Understood. Given that we’re in a situation where you—ah, I mean, where circumstances are unfavorable, we should go ahead and install you as the lord as soon as possible."
…Had he just almost said “a situation where you can’t run away” before correcting himself?
And why had he phrased it like that? "We should go ahead and install you as lord" instead of just "hold the ceremony"?

Something about that wording was deeply unsettling.
Before Ayra could question him, Jinas suddenly stood up.
"The succession ceremony will take place at dawn. I have a lot to prepare, so I’ll take my leave now."

Then, as if terrified that she might change her mind, he rushed out of the room after a brief, hasty bow.
Ayra sat there in silence, an uneasy feeling swirling in her chest.
Jinas’ urgency didn’t seem to stem from some overwhelming sense of responsibility toward the estate.

It was something else.
The creeping suspicion that her family’s deaths had been orchestrated rather than accidental resurfaced.
"It’ll be fine… right?"

Looking around, things didn’t seem like a complete disaster.
For now.
Still, with the ceremony scheduled for dawn, Ayra decided to turn in early.

Though exhausted, she lay in bed wide awake, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Then, with a light fluttering sound, the spirit stone darted through the air and smacked against her cheek.
"Just what kind of game are you?"

A stat window, decision prompts, and now estate management mechanics—the system seemed to be a bizarre mix of genres.
Fiddling absentmindedly with the small stone, Ayra’s thoughts drifted to Janus.
She bit her lip, only to wince when she remembered it was still swollen.

"…I really thought we were getting along these past few days."
Not just getting along—she had even thought they had been flirting.
And yet, when faced with those endless Bad Endings, she had been genuinely shaken.

Sure, anyone would react negatively if they believed a mage was using magic on them.
But still.
Her frown deepened.

"And what exactly did he mean by 'I’ll accept your little trick'?"
Beyond that, it was worrying how he had noticed the stat window at all, and how, despite being a mercenary, he was apparently strong enough to trigger a Bad Ending.
And, above all else—

That damn favorability score of 1!
Regardless of personal feelings, Janus was now the person she needed to keep the closest eye on.
❄

Ayra tossed and turned for a long time, too annoyed to sleep properly.
By the time Botello woke her for the succession ceremony, exhaustion was written all over her face.
After a hasty breakfast, she changed into the ceremonial robes worn by the previous lords of the estate.

The long, trailing fabric nearly caused her to trip multiple times, until Sir Bloom finally took hold of her arm and practically dragged her along.
The ceremony required them to hike up the mountain behind the castle, and with the thin ceremonial robes, the cold morning air bit into her skin.
Shivering, Ayra clutched at Bloom’s arm for warmth.

Even the spirit stone darted back into her body to escape the chill.
Feeling the tremors from her grip, Bloom glanced at her with concern.
"Are you feeling unwell?"

"No, just cold…"
The longer she stayed in this estate, the colder it seemed to get.
Yet, from her childhood memories, she distinctly recalled this season being summer.

If it was already this cold now… how much worse would it get?
Bloom’s expression hardened.
"You're unwell."

"I said I’m just cold!"
Annoyed, Ayra shouted in protest, only to stumble over a tree root and nearly fall again.
Bloom caught her immediately, his face unreadable.

Ayra gasped for breath as they climbed the steep trail, struggling to keep up.
His gaze darkened even further.
And then—

[Bloom’s Favorability has increased by 1.]
Current Favorability: 66
…Why was his favorability increasing just because she was struggling?

Luckily, the ceremony site was not at the mountain’s peak but on a spacious plateau midway up.
A massive, sunlit white boulder stood in the clearing.
The front of the boulder was engraved with the image of a dragon, lying with its body curled around itself.

This land, Solar Estate, had once been a grand territory inhabited by a mighty dragon.
When the dragon perished, the land had fallen into ruin, only to be rebuilt once more.
This engraved boulder was said to be a remnant of that destroyed land—some of the locals even believed it to be the dragon’s corpse.

A stone altar stood near the dragon’s head, where Jinas and several others waited.
The gathering was pitifully small.
There were barely any tables or decorations—thanks to the missing supplies—and hardly any attendees.

"Wait, isn't this just the same group that attended breakfast the other day?"
Ayra sighed, stepping forward to the altar, where a large metal goblet rested.
She lifted it carefully, feeling the biting chill of the frozen liquor inside.

"I, Ayra of House Solar, swear to rule and protect this land until my final breath."
As the first rays of sunlight hit the goblet, the clear liquid inside glowed red.
And as she drank, a notification appeared.

[From this day forward, User ‘Solar Sing Ayra’ is officially the Lord of Solar Estate.]
[Territory Management System has been unlocked.]
Ayra’s heart pounded with anticipation.

Finally.
She had gained full authority over the estate.