After being in that position, I open my eyes and realize that light is coming through the window of this room. I even feel drool falling from my mouth, which I wipe away.
"It seems I really fell asleep while meditating, System."
[
Name: William Sanders
Age: 19
Race: Human
Titles: None
---
Strength: 6
Agility: 5
Endurance: 5
Intelligence: 9
Luck: 4
Perception: 7
Willpower: 10
---
[Skills]
---
[Quests +1]
[Shop]
]
I notice what appears to be a notification in the quests section. I don't have to be a genius to realize that the only quest I actively tried to complete has been finished.
[ CALMING MEDITATION (COMPLETE): Meditate for 1 hour without moving and staying calm.
Reward: [Skill: Calm Mind]
[CLAIM REWARD] ]
I claim the reward—at least I'll have a new skill, and I need to check its details.
[Calm Mind: You can remain calm under extreme stress.]
"A skill that doesn't seem to boost my strength but does improve my mentality."
I look at the suitcase I had prepared to leave today and decide to hide it under the bed for now. The System has forced me to change my plans a bit, so today I'll go look for a cheap place to stay. I put on a light running outfit and grab a bag with some money and clothes before leaving the room. Though it would be best to go down and get something to eat first, since running on an empty stomach might make me pass out. Checking the time, I realize I've already missed breakfast entirely.
As I walk downstairs in complete silence, I hear voices and laughter coming from the dining room. I approach cautiously and notice that everyone is already seated like a happy family. They didn't even bother to set a plate for me.
"So, tell me, dear, would you like us to buy you a suit for Alice's party?"
"That would be great, Mother, but we don't need to rush. Alice's birthday is still a month away. Besides, you said you had a lot of work to do yesterday, so I don't want to bother you with this. I already troubled you and Father enough by asking for a small party because I was feeling down."
Seriously? They threw him a party just because he was feeling depressed? So that was the big emergency that made my parents and sisters abandon me on my birthday?
"I would never consider you a bother. You're my son, and I'll always make time for my children, no matter how much work I have."
"The same goes for me. I may be a man with many businesses, but if you call, I'll always help you."
Such loving parents. My mother says that, yet she was always too busy working on my birthdays, and my father with his precious businesses. I don't even feel like laughing—hearing this conversation only strengthens my resolve to leave this place.
"Mom, Dad, Brother is right. You shouldn't waste time on small things like this. That's why, since I have some free time, I'll go pick out the best suit for him."
"Are you sure, Diana? We know your cosmetics business is doing well, but you shouldn't neglect your responsibilities just because it's profitable now."
At that moment, a 14-year-old girl stands up.
"Since none of you have time, I'll go with Brother!"
They all look at her and laugh.
"Sweetheart, how are you going to go? You're just a kid. I doubt you know what suit would look perfect on your brother."
My little sister pouts and looks away.
"You don't have to mock me, Mom. Besides, Brother would look handsome no matter what clothes he wears."
"You're right about that, but we still don't want the suit to make our dear Ernesto look bad."
I'll never understand how someone so handsome ended up abandoned on the streets. Despite his common black hair and eyes, his face enhances those features, making him very attractive. Even without our family's signature golden hair, no one doubted he could be my biological brother.
Tired of listening to their mundane conversation, I enter the room, pretending to scratch my head as I stretch.
"Good morning."
I walk into the dining room without hesitation. Everyone turns to look at me, but I ignore them and head straight to the kitchen. I open the fridge and see five apples—I put four in my bag and start eating the last one slowly.
I know fruit won't be enough after skipping breakfast, so I'll buy something from a restaurant and leave without spending time with them.
As I'm about to leave the dining room—which has strangely fallen silent—I notice someone standing up. It's my older sister, Diana.
"Don't you think you're being a bit disrespectful, William?"
"What do you mean?"
I said good morning, minded my business, and was going to leave with a normal goodbye.
"Yesterday, you left all the food Mother made for you untouched. Today, you skipped breakfast, AND YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE THE DECENCY TO SIT AND EAT WITH US!"
She shouts the last part angrily. Neither my father nor my mother say anything, and my little sister looks at me with the same disdain as my older sister. The only reaction I catch is Ernesto's brief, malicious smile before he quickly hides it.
That's the Ernesto I know.
"First, I didn't leave the food on purpose—I was just too tired and ate what I could. That's also why I skipped breakfast. And lastly, I assumed you didn't want me to eat with you since you didn't even set a place for me."
I point to where my seat should be. Everyone looks and realizes there isn't even a plate to indicate someone should be sitting there.
At that moment, my mother seems to realize something and calls a maid.
"Come sit. The maid will bring you something to eat."
Seeing that everyone has already finished and seems ready to leave, I'd rather not interrupt. There's something more exciting I need to do, and I don't want to sit alone in the dining room while the maids and butlers pity me.
"No need. I have something important to do, so I'll probably be back late."
"Wait."
Before I can turn around, my mother stands up.
"You're not even taking any food? You skipped breakfast, and now you're leaving without lunch."
"That's why I'm taking these apples. Besides, if I get hungry, I'll buy something on the way."
Without waiting for a response, I quickly walk out.
Leaving the mansion, I see many workers, including the chauffeur.
"Where to, Young Master?"
"Nowhere."
I open the gates to the street without another word. If I used the car, my father or mother might find out where I'm going, and the longer it takes for them to know, the better.
Once outside, I look at the road leading to the city and start running. As I pick up speed, I notice the beautiful scenery around me.
"I should stop getting distracted."
I refocus and maintain a steady pace, feeling the ground disappear beneath my feet with each stride. The wind whistles in my ears, mixing with my rapid breathing. My muscles burn, but I don't stop. I even speed up, pushing past my limits. I run and run as if my life depends on it.
Exhaustion tries to take over—a weight dragging from my legs to my chest—but I ignore it. My mind is set on one goal: completing this quest. I don't even know how long I've been running or if I've finished the mission.
I only realize I've reached the city when I see people staring at me strangely. I keep running toward the nearby park. If I've already made it to the city, I must have run about 8 kilometers, but I still have 2 more to go. So, despite the pain in my legs and my ragged breathing, I push forward.
I had been running for a long time when suddenly, I felt dizzy. My head felt heavy, like it was filled with stones, and my heart pounded so hard it might burst. I tried to stop, but my legs wouldn't obey. I fell forward, feeling the ground rush toward me.
"No! Not yet!"
But it was too late. My body collapsed, and darkness swallowed my vision. The last thing I felt was the impact against the ground, followed by deep, comforting silence.
∆∆∆∆∆
I don't know how much time passed, but when I opened my eyes, I was lying on the ground, surrounded by eerie silence. My body ached, and my mouth was dry. I tried to get up, but my arms trembled so much they could barely support me.
Looking around, I saw I had fallen between some trees. People walked past, glancing at me strangely, but no one approached to check on me. If no one showed empathy for a body lying between trees, not much time must have passed.
"System."
[
Name: William Sanders
Age: 19
Race: Human
Titles: None
---
Strength: 6
Agility: 5
Endurance: 5
Intelligence: 9
Luck: 4
Perception: 7
Willpower: 10
---
[Skills]
[Calm Mind]
---
[Quests +1]
[Shop]
]
Seeing the quest completion notification, I relax against a tree. It seems I managed to finish it before anything worse happened. Though I was an idiot for not eating all the apples before running—I wouldn't have fainted or lost strength so quickly. At least I can rest while checking the quest.
[NOVICE RUNNER (COMPLETE): Run 10 kilometers without stopping.
Reward: [Skill: Running], +1 Agility
[CLAIM REWARD] ]
I claim the reward and check the skill details.
[Sprint: You can run 2% faster, maintaining a steady pace for 1 minute without fatigue. Recovery time after running is reduced by 5%.]
What a great skill. Though the benefits seem small, it's clear this skill can level up, meaning the bonuses will increase significantly over time.
"Well, for now, I should finish these apples and go look for my new home."