Chapter 37: A Master
KAI LORNE’S POV
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It has been over a month since the Knight Elixir incident, and Lady Sapphire has requested that I participate in the Sword Knight Academy entrance exam. In preparation, I’ve undergone various forms of training — physical, mental, and everything in between. But let me be clear: I didn’t choose this path because of Evelina. I’m not trying to play the role of some fairy-tale knight for a damned princess. That kind of storybook loyalty never belonged to me.
To me, the academy represents something else entirely, a chance to start over. After everything that’s happened, I needed a way out of the manor, away from that had happened. The Sword Knight Academy isn’t just an escape; it may be a doorway to something beyond survival. Maybe even something close to peace.
It had been a month of silence in the manor, of Lady Sapphire’s quiet grief, and Lord Sapphire’s grim determination. A month of Evelina lying still in her bed, her breathing shallow, her dreams shattered. And a month of me, Kai Lorne, trying to be the supportive brother, the grieving son.
I sat in my room, the silence of the manor pressing in on me. I flickered my hand, and the Narrative Override Engine materialized before me.
I had been diligent over the past month. While Evelina lay comatose, and the family grieved, I had quietly, subtly, performed various mild and slight story divergences. Nothing too drastic, nothing that would draw immediate attention. Small changes to conversations, minor alterations to daily routines, subtle shifts in the flow of minor events. Each one, a tiny ripple in the fabric of this reality, had yielded a trickle of Override Points. It was a slow, meticulous process, a risk-reward mechanic I was determined to exploit.
I scanned the system’s main interface.
Reality divergence sits at 14%
Glitch at 15.8%
The numbers weren’t that high. Reality divergence had jumped from to 14%. A significant increase, reflecting the cumulative effect of my subtle manipulations. The Glitch Coefficient, however, was also a concern. It had risen to 15.8%. The system flicker, which had been frantic after the assassin’s attack. It was truly unsettling, but I had grown accustomed to it.
I navigated to the stats screen.