Chapter 1025: Survival Probability
Chapter 1025 –Survival Probability
The system hovered in silence.
[That is imprecise, but sadly convincing.]
Lux leaned back on one hand, eyes lowered. "Envy House smiles while measuring your wounds. Even when they help, they file the shape of your gratitude for later use."
[That is a broad generalization.]
"It kept me alive."
[It kept you functional. Those are not identical.]
Lux’s eyes narrowed at the window. "Did Lullaby teach you that?"
[No, my lord. Your household has merely provided abundant evidence.]
He said nothing.
The system shifted its display.
[Distrust of Cyrinne may be reasonable. Total rejection of her cooperation is inefficient.]
"I know."
[Wanting to trust her while refusing to trust her is creating internal friction.]
"I know."
[You are exceptionally bad at letting people prove they are not your past.]
Lux went still.
The system continued in the same deadpan tone.
[My condolences on this shocking development.]
Lux let out a low laugh. Tired. Almost unwilling.
"You’ve become annoying."
[I learned from the best available household data.]
"That is not a compliment."
[It was not intended as one.]
Lux closed his eyes.
Behind his lids, he saw Cyrinne’s face.
Her controlled smile.
Her flustered blush.
Her wrist accepting his brand without hesitation.
He believed the facts.
The Eye of Truth had confirmed them.
But belief in facts was easy.
Belief in people?
That required muscles Lux had overworked, torn, and neglected until scar tissue grew where trust should have been.
"She might not betray me," Lux said quietly.
[Correct.]
"She might."
[Also correct. An unhelpful but accurate pair of statements.]
"If I let her close, she becomes a bridge. If I don’t, Envy remains a wall."
[Also yes.]
Lux opened his eyes.
The system panel waited.
Lux looked toward the door, as if he could hear the dining room far below. The voices. The laughter. The women pretending not to worry.
"They’re making me soft," he murmured.
[Incorrect.]
Lux frowned. "What?"
[They are making you rested enough to notice you were already soft in several structurally important places.]
Lux stared.
[This is not a flaw. Though based on your expression, you are preparing to treat it like one.]
Lux leaned back fully onto the bed and covered his face with one arm.
The ceiling remained quiet.
The room remained quiet.
His brain did not.
Lux lowered his arm slightly and stared at nothing. "I’m not going to dwell on this topic."
The system appeared above him.
[Run away, sir?]
Lux closed his eyes. "Shut up."
[Right away.]
The panel vanished.
Lux huffed.
For about three seconds, the room returned to silence.
Then Lux’s brows tightened.
Something felt strange.
Usually, even when he told the system to shut up, it hovered nearby with the spiritual energy of a butler standing outside the door holding a tray and judgment. This time there was nothing.
Lux opened one eye. "System."
No answer.
Lux slowly sat up. "...System?"
His frown deepened.
Lux sat fully upright.
"System?"
A hologram panel appeared.
[You told me to shut up.]
Lux stared at it.
The panel waited.
Lux slowly inhaled. "I allowed you to speak."
[Generous.]
"Now show my status."
[As my lord commands, now that basic communication rights have been restored.]
Lux rubbed his face. "I already absorbed a lot. I need exact numbers."
The system window expanded.
[Status Display]
[Name: Lux Vaelthorn]
[Class: Sovereign of Twin Sins]
[Level: 481]
[HP: 4,923,712]
[DP: 1,984,267]
[Strength: 1,767]
[Agility: 1,883]
[Magic Affinity: 2,132]
[Charisma: 999] [MAX]
[Passive Effects]
[+15% Resistance to Light-Based Status Effects]
[+10% Spell Damage vs Celestial Targets]
[+15% Physical Attack]
[+20% Magical Attack]
[+20% Physical Defense]
[+20% Magical Defense]
Lux stared.
Level 481.
For a moment, even he had to admit it looked good.
No, it looked absurd.
There were demons who would sell their ancestral tombs, their rival siblings, and probably their favorite limbs for numbers like that. Most high nobles could spend centuries scheming and still never reach this range without an inherited authority, forbidden pact, or very creative murder schedule.
Lux had gone on vacation and accidentally become a crisis.
Wonderful.
The system continued.
[Additional Report: Absorption residual power successfully integrated into core.]
[Core Reinforcement: +10%]
[Your core is now significantly more resistant to forced collapse, spiritual piercing, extraction, and inconvenient death.]
Lux’s brows lifted. "Inconvenient death?"
[All death is inconvenient, sir. Yours more than most. The paperwork alone would be offensive.]
Lux stared at the panel. "Wow. Thanks."
[You are welcome.]
Lux leaned back against the headboard.
His numbers hovered in front of him.
It should have comforted him.
In another situation, it might have.
If this were a dungeon report, he could smile, stretch, flirt with whoever complained he was reckless, and enjoy the satisfaction of growth. A stronger body. A stronger core. A better chance of surviving the next horrible thing his vacation threw at him.
But tonight, the numbers felt smaller than they should.
Because now he knew.
Kaelmor could siphon power from prisoners.
But what was a level compared to a king who might have been harvesting power quietly for centuries?
How much had Kaelmor stolen?
How much had he stored?
How much of his royal presence was truly his?
And how much was borrowed from sleeping mouths that never consented?
Lux’s fingers tightened against the bedsheet. "Analyze."
[Specify subject.]
"Comparison between me and the king. Power difference. Survival probability if direct conflict happens."
The system did not answer immediately.
That alone was bad.
Lux looked at the panel. "System."
[Calculating.]
The panel shifted.
[Comparative Threat Analysis]
[Subject A: Lux Vaelthorn]
[Confirmed Level: 481]
[Class: Sovereign of Twin Sins]
[Authorities: Greed, Lust, Partial Ancient Absorption, Contractual Rewrite Access, Eye of Truth, Barrier, multiple high-grade relic interactions.]
[Core Status: Reinforced +10%]
[Combat Profile: High mobility. High magical output. High authority adaptability. Abnormally high survival through reckless legal violence.]
Lux’s eyes narrowed. "Reckless legal violence?"
[Accurate category.]
The system continued.
[Subject B: King Kaelmor]
[Confirmed Level: Unknown]
[Confirmed Authorities: Royal Authority, Unknown Borrowed Power Systems, Ash Ledger Inheritance Manipulation, Prisoner-Based Siphoning, High-Level Political Control, Personal Guard Network, Possible Pre-Sin Resource Access.]
[Estimated Threat Range: Unstable]
[Power Certainty: Low]
[Danger Certainty: High]
Lux’s expression hardened.
[Direct Combat Simulation]
[Scenario: Lux Vaelthorn vs King Kaelmor]
[Condition: No external interference]
[Condition: Kaelmor does not access hidden prisoner reserves]
[Survival Probability: 42%]