The secret system of the Gallant Heir

[System upgrade complete.]

I blinked. "Finally. Took long enough."

But before I could do anything else, something strange happened. A faint glow shimmered in the air, and then—out of nowhere—a small, fairy-like figure appeared, hovering right in front of me.

I jolted back. "What?! What is this?!"

The tiny figure giggled, her delicate wings fluttering as she floated effortlessly. She had a translucent glow, soft golden hair, and bright, curious eyes.

"Hello, Host! I am your system. Thanks for the upgrade! Now I can interact with you more easily!" she chirped in a sweet yet lively voice.

I stared at her, completely dumbfounded. "You… you're my system?"

Before she could respond, a sudden knock on the door made me flinch.

Oh, crap.

"Young Master! Is everything alright? Do you need anything?" Bell's worried voice came from the other side.

I quickly composed myself. "No, Bell! Everything's fine. Don't come inside. I'll call you in a bit."

There was a brief pause before she hesitantly replied, "Understood, Young Master…"

I sighed in relief, then turned my attention back to the floating figure. She was watching me with an amused expression, arms folded as if she found my panic entertaining.

"You scared me!" I muttered.

She giggled again. "You're the one who upgraded me! Now that I have intelligence, you can give me a name. What would you like to call me?"

I crossed my arms, studying her appearance. Her golden hair and cheerful aura reminded me of something gentle yet lively. After a moment of thought, I nodded.

"I'll call you… Lili."

Her eyes sparkled, and she twirled mid-air in excitement. "Lili! I love it! Thank you, Host!"

I couldn't help but smile slightly at her enthusiasm. But a thought suddenly struck me, and my expression turned serious. "Wait… Lili, how are you going to hide? What if someone else sees you?"

"Don't worry, Host," she said with a playful wink. "Only you can see and hear me. To others, I'm completely invisible!"

"Really?" I narrowed my eyes. "Let me test that."

I took a deep breath and said, "Bell, come inside."

The door opened, and Bell stepped in with a polite bow. "What would you like, Young Master?"

I hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Bell… do you see anything floating near me?"

Bell blinked, looking at me in confusion. Her eyes scanned the space around me, but she saw nothing. "No, Young Master…?"

I let out a relieved sigh. "Alright. Bring me some tea, please."

"As you wish." She bowed again and left the room, but just as she walked out, I caught a glimpse of her furrowed brows and a worried expression.

She thinks something is wrong with me, doesn't she…?

Outside the room, Bell muttered to herself, Young Master has been training a lot lately… but now he's asking strange questions. Is something wrong with him…?

Meanwhile, Lili giggled beside me, watching my reaction. "See? I told you no one else can see me!"

I rubbed my temples. "This is going to take some getting used to…"

She beamed. "So, what would you like to do now, Host?"

I exhaled, shaking my head. "Let's start with what you can do."

"I can now do many things that were beyond my capability before," the voice said, its tone filled with an odd mix of excitement and authority. "I can offer you ideas, assist you in times of trouble, and even find the perfect item from a store based on the situation. But the most important part..." It paused for effect.

I held my breath, sensing something big was coming.

"Your stats—except for Charm—are now locked at a maximum limit of 20."

My eyes widened. "Wait… what?"

"Yes. You can now become much stronger than before. Previously, your stats were capped at 10, though you never even reached that limit. Now, there's room for far greater growth."

A rush of excitement coursed through me. This was huge! A whole new level of potential had just been unlocked. But at the same time… I narrowed my eyes.

"That sounds amazing, but… you're not going to start throwing unreasonable tasks at me, are you?"

The voice chuckled. "I wouldn't dream of it… or would I?"

I groaned. "Great. Just great."

As I was immersed in my conversation with the system, a sudden knock on the door pulled me back to reality.

"Young Master, the princess has arrived at the estate. The Duke has ordered you to meet with her," Bell's voice came from the other side, steady but carrying a hint of urgency.

I froze for a moment, my expression darkening. The princess?

A surge of irritation bubbled up inside me. What is that arrogant girl doing here?

I let out a slow breath, trying to rein in my frustration. Sure, I had accepted the engagement offer, but that didn't mean she could just show up at our estate whenever she pleased. Did she think I would drop everything just to entertain her?

Tsk.

"Alright, Bell. You can go for now. I'll be there in a bit," I finally said, my voice calm but firm.

There was a brief pause before Bell responded, "Understood, Young Master."

As I heard her footsteps fade away, I ran a hand through my hair and sighed. This is going to be annoying…

As I stepped into the garden, my eyes immediately landed on a young girl seated elegantly in the centre. She looked to be a year or two older than me, her long silver hair shimmering under the sunlight, and her piercing blue eyes holding a quiet intensity. Even at a glance, I could tell—she had grown more refined since the last time we met two years ago.

But there was something else. Something… different about her.

She sat with perfect posture, a cup of tea resting on the table beside her. Despite the serene setting, I couldn't shake the feeling that she wasn't just here for a casual visit.

I took a breath and walked toward her, keeping my expression composed.

"Good morning, Your Highness," I said smoothly, offering a polite bow. "I am Rave Gallant, heir of the Gallant Family."

She turned her gaze toward me, her expression unreadable. Then, with a small, almost knowing smile, she replied,

"Good morning, Rave. I am Lucia, princess of the Kingdom of Drocia."

Her voice was calm, yet there was an undeniable confidence behind it. I couldn't tell if it was amusement, curiosity, or something else entirely, but one thing was clear—this wasn't the same girl I had met two years ago.

For a brief moment, silence stretched between us, broken only by the distant chirping of birds and the soft rustling of leaves.

Lucia sat with perfect posture, her long silver hair shimmering under the sunlight as she took a delicate sip of tea. Her piercing blue eyes studied me with quiet intensity—calm, unreadable. It was unsettling.

Just yesterday, I was informed of our engagement. And now, she's already here?

I had barely processed the situation myself, yet she seemed completely at ease. Was she truly that indifferent to this arrangement, or was she simply good at hiding her emotions?

Taking a breath, I stepped forward, keeping my voice polite yet firm. "I didn't expect to see you so soon, Princess. To what do I owe the honour?"

She set her teacup down gently, her gaze never wavering. "I thought it would be proper to meet my fiancé in person, don't you agree?"

Fiancé.

The word echoed in my mind, unfamiliar and unwelcome. I had been given no choice in this matter—the engagement had been decided for me, just another political move between noble houses. And yet, she spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"You don't seem particularly thrilled," Lucia noted, her lips curving slightly.

I met her gaze evenly. "I wouldn't say that," I replied, keeping my tone measured. "Just… surprised. It's not every day a princess arrives unannounced."

Her head tilted slightly, a glint of amusement flickering in her eyes. "Would you have preferred I send a formal letter first?"

Is she testing me?

I narrowed my eyes slightly. "That would have been the custom."

She let out a soft chuckle. "Then I suppose I like breaking customs."

That response caught me off guard. Most nobles were bound by rigid traditions, yet here she was, brushing them aside as if they meant nothing. I wasn't sure whether to be impressed or wary.

Is she just confident, or is there more to her than meets the eye?

I remained silent, watching her carefully. I had expected arrogance, maybe even indifference—but not this. She was composed, observant, and entirely too comfortable in this situation, while I was still trying to make sense of it.

Finally, I sighed and pulled out the chair opposite hers, sitting down. "Well, since you're already here, I suppose we should talk."

Lucia smiled, satisfied.