I choked, the potion sticking in my throat. Violent coughs wracked my body, and some spewed out of my mouth.

  The demon was back.

  The demon was back, and its words were too shocking.

  Qi dispersing?

  I heaved, pounding at my chest, coughing until I could breathe easier. I went to the water jug with shaky steps, filling a gss and downing it. My mind was foggy, but I instantly regretted it.

  I didn’t know what it was, and it couldn’t be good considering who I got this potion from. I should have known anything she gave me wasn't a good thing.

  My stomach dropped.

  I ran to the bucket, pushing my finger down my throat, forcing myself to vomit.

  Qi and mana.

  The words switched back and forth in the sentence, reminding me of the tugging I felt in css as I looked at the gcier potion and touched the orb.

  I ughed, the sound hollow.

  I slumped heavily beside the bucket, my hand around the rim, supporting my weight. There was a familiar weakness in my body as I trembled—I knew it would pass, but that didn't help calm the storm of emotions churning inside me.

  With the back of my sleeve, I swiped away the snot and dribble that streamed down my face. I was losing track of how often I ended up covered in my bodily fluids.

  This potion was really my destiny. Just like getting hit by the Duke, tea thrown in my face, or Madeline entering my room. They staged the meetings with a specific outcome in mind.

  Madeline wanted her niece to work at my side.

  The Duke wanted me to fear and hate the Baron while desiring the prince.

  The Duchess needed me to drink this potion.

  I brought my knees up, curling in on myself, my hands tugging at my hair. The folds of my skirt muffled my scream.

  ***

  System 02

  Code Name: Genesis

  Head of Department

  Systems Management Bureau

  #3, 73rd Street

  Angels Avenue

  Country: Rilyn

  Pnet: Odinium

  Sor System: Teter

  Date: 46/12/9681

  3rd Bedroom

  West Tower

  Lord’s Castle

  Amber Duchy

  Country: Sargos

  Pnet: Terra

  Sor System: Blue Ribbon

  Re: System Dispcement and Bonding to the Wrong Host

  Mr. Gideon

  I am sorry to hear about your predicament. We have checked our systems and found the interference you mentioned in your report. I assure you that the company and I are working tirelessly to resolve the issue. You will be the first to know when we have an answer. I would like to commend you for your quick thinking and swift action when binding to a host. The safety and well-being of our systems are our top priority. However, I regret to inform you we currently cannot connect to your location and cannot recall you from deployment.

  After a meeting with the company's senior-most staff and hours of discussion, we decided you should continue your mission and help your host build a sect. We understand the challenging nature of this task since you don’t have access to technical support and are in an environment unsuited to your current assignment. With this in mind, we are upgrading you to a ptinum system despite this being your first mission.

  See the data packet below.

  With this upgrade, any challenges you encounter will be easier to handle as you are better equipped. Your rewards for reaching mission milestones will also follow the standard of a ptinum system.

  I want to wish you the best of luck and assure you we are working diligently and swiftly to find a solution.

  [Deployment+upgrade&rlz=1C1CHBF_enTC855JM855&biw=1366&bih=667&sxsrf=APwXE]

  Best Wishes,

  Genesis

  ***

  I sat on the window ledge, pying with the bottle in my hand.

  The blue screen was before me, but I couldn’t focus on it. My eyes concentrated on the distant peaks of Wraith Mountain.

  “Lords of old on distant peaks, chanting magic under the moon. Lostonia, how wonderful is she? My heart calls for the city of old--where magic ran free.” I remember my mother singing that song to me. We'd walk for days, little girls clinging to the skirts of the adults. At night, we'd set up camp and the elders would gather us around a fire to pass on our history.

  When I was little, huddled together, with my friends, I loved the story of Amia the most, but the longer I lived in the duchy, the story of adventures seeing the ancient civilization that lived beyond those mountains resonated with me more. It was such an escape for me in my past life that I researched what I could about it—not that there was much—only a few historical records remained, but many considered it the birthpce of magic. Schors named it Lostonia to make it easier to reference, but the real name was lost.

  It was an escape for me. I always dreamt of finding it, running away, and being happy.

  I scoffed. It was a children's song and a pipe dream. Over the years, hundreds entered those forests, but none returned.

  They had magic, but I had nothing and wouldn't stand a chance.

  No—I had magic too. I took a deep breath, carefully unclenching my hand and resting it on the windowsill. Any more and it would shatter in my hand.

  I looked at the courtyard.

  The seventh-year students were nowhere to be seen, but the second-years clutched rge tomes and waddled in groups. They’d wasted no time after the rain stopped to go out and about.

  It was hard to wrap my mind around. A part of me wanted to deny, to hide away from the truth and pretend it had nothing to do with me. I'd always wanted magic, but now that the possibility was in front of me, it was scary and hard to accept.

  I grabbed the bottle and threw it, enjoying how the students scattered, looking up to find the culprit. I'd hit someone; they clutched their head, but I didn't care.

  I didn't care.

  I cared.

  I didn't want to sh out at unreted people, but I was too terrified to throw the bottle at people who deserved it.

  “Lord Demon?”

  There was no response, and the screen was bnk.

  “System?”

  [Yes]

  I breathed a sigh of relief. “May I ask what price you require for granting power, Lord Demon?” I’d calmed down since our st encounter and had reconsidered my willingness to sell my soul. I hoped it would take something else as payment. Other people’s souls, perhaps. Well, maybe something else. Hitting someone was difficult enough; I imagined getting a soul would be several times more difficult.

  [.... I am not a demon. I’m a Random Generating Quest System from the Revenge Series. My code name is Gideon.]

  Did demons admit to it? Yes. The rules for them to exist on this pne were straightforward. You needed to summon them with a sacrifice, and they couldn’t lie but might hide the truth. I tried to remember what else I'd read. I was so dull, if I'd paid attention I wouldn't always be caught wrong-footed. All I could remember was that it was best to ask direct questions.

  “Are you a demon?”

  [No]

  That confused me, but I was less cautious. No, I was more desperate than I was afraid. thought of summoning a demon before, or else I wouldn't have read that book. “You won’t ask for my soul or any other form of payment?.” I asked. Anything that seemed too good to be true usually was.

  [There is always a price. The System allocates revenge points and other rewards for completing tasks, which are the host rewards. In return, as the host cultivates and escapes their mortal fate and challenges the heavens, the System can collect Devine Qi.]

  I nodded. As expected, instead of upsetting me or making me nervous, my st bit of vigince toward this system disappeared. I didn't know what use revenge points or Devine Qi had, but an equal exchange was happening. I didn’t trust it, but I knew the price it was asking on the surface.

  “You’re going to take my mana?” This question was twofold. I wanted to check whether the Qi and Mana were the same. I also wanted to see if I was losing more than I had gained.

  There was no excitement at finding out I had Mana. There was only a gaping loss and soul-deep anger.

  [Mortals don’t have access to Devine Qi until they have cultivated to the atomic realm and can start seeing the threads of fate.]

  “Do I need Devine Qi?” It seemed fantastical—more unreal than a hidden utopia in the mountains.

  [All cultivators passively store and collect Divine Qi, but it's inaccessible. If the Host survives the heavenly tribution and ascends to the upper realm, you can absorb and cultivate Devine Qi.]

  “If you’re not a demon, why are you collecting Devine Qi?”

  [Does the Host care if I’m a demon or not?]

  Good question. “Not really. I just don’t want to get screwed over.”

  [The System won’t contract a Host who doesn’t desire revenge and isn’t in a perilous position. To answer the host's question, Devine Qi has multiple uses, but systems as a species cannot cultivate and collect it ourselves—as such, we provide a service in exchange for payment.]

  Yeah. There was no leeway to care if it wanted to screw me over. My situation was the definition of perilous with the danger increasing the more I learned. Still, the system's willingness to answer my question made all this a little easier. “Are you a god?” It cimed to be a creature, but while I didn't know every animal in the world, there weren't any systems.

  [No]

  [Ding. Random Quest: Copy five hundred books on art, culture, history, and magic*]

  [Ding. Optional Quest: Cure status ailment.]

  It wasn't hard to accept after all. I was reborn—why couldn't there be other worlds?

  “What is the difference between random and optional quests?” The tter appeared more critical than the first. If I couldn’t remove the potion’s effect, I could cultivate or become a mage.

  [Random Quests are tasks chosen arbitrarily from an avaible list of questions. After the Host completes a certain number of quests, their level will increase, and they can access more functions of the System. Optional quests rete to cultivation. The Host can choose when or how to complete them. Cultivation is a battle against the Heavens. A person’s resolve determines how far they will progress. The Host must choose their path. Every step will be arduous, and they must decide whether to proceed or stop.]

  Far from being dismayed or worried, I was excited yet I couldn't shake the worry that this was all too good to be true. “Which is better, becoming a cultivator or a mage?”

  [That is a comparison of apples and oranges, but with your resources and situation, cultivation is the better path.]

  "What does that mean?" I didn't know about cultivators, but I knew mages. 'd sent the wonders and horrors that magic could produce: men who didn't age, who could summon the dead, who could destroy mountains.

  [I am configured and contain the resources to help you cultivate Qi. I can not help you study or practice Mana.]

  It was a dumb question. I should have already known the answer. I wanted to find out more but hesitated to ask. In the end, I switched topics.

  “System, do you have a potion to cure the mana-dispersing potion?”

  [The Host can call me Gideon. Yes. The store has several medicines that can cure or nullify the poison.]

  “Call me Jal. How do I access the store?” The blue screen changed.

  [Storage] [Store] [Quest] [****][****]

  I giggled, tapping on ‘Store’ excitedly.

  The water-like thing rippled and changed, and there was a list of five items.

  User ManualFasting Pills Qi Generating PillsRemedy PillBrick I tapped on ‘Remedy Pill’ without Gideon needing to prompt me.

  - (x100) Remedy Pill- cures low-level injuries, including cuts, broken bones, and burns. (Price= 1 Point)

  I reread the description. “I don’t think this is what I need.”

  [Insufficient level to access other items for purchase.]

  That brought me back to reality. I was too eager for quick success, even though Gideon said each step would be arduous.

  I couldn’t help wishing it was that easy. With a few presses of my finger—the shame, regret, and greed that defined my life would be gone.

  Over and over, I’d wanted to steal magic or destroy those who had it while not knowing I was the one who’d had it stolen from me. What a nice world that would have been. Power at my fingertips as I strived to master spells and advance. I would be powerful. I knew it. While having two Mana Sources wasn’t as good, I had ice and water, which were complimentary.

  Maybe not.

  The dream disappeared as I caught a bck-cloaked figure walking across the courtyard, blond hair glistening in the sun. I could hear the pretentious tap of his cane as he walked.

  The people who gave me that potion were my family.

  The entire premise of my life colpsed the moment I had mana.

  My mother’s reason for selling me was that I didn’t have magic, and the Ka Tribe wouldn’t accept me. The price the Duke paid made more sense, but why spend so much if you were going to disperse my magic?

  This raised questions about my marriage as well. Did they continue to give me the potion? They had no reason to do that. It made more sense for them to want me to learn magic. That would help regain some of the prestige lost by the Crown Prince’s marriage to me and the Duke’s slight of the Royal Family.

  I didn’t know how this would affect my already tenuous pns of staying in the Duchy while married to Baron Smolt.

  It was already a foolhardy pn, closer to blind hope and desperation than a strategic move. f I was smarter I'd have more options.

  I sighed. The people who had the answers I needed would never tell me. I could only increase the urgency of my pns to visit an apothecary. It was already on the list of things to do on my outing, but I no longer needed a Healing Potion since I had the Remedy Pill.

  I didn’t know whether I could make a discreet inquiry or if they could help me.

  Everything had to be done slowly. Any wrong move and I'd tip off the duke and duchess.