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    I Became the Sickly Young Master of the Duke’s Family

    SYMDF 13

    by sam

    Chapter 13

     

    But wasn’t my mana stat literally “0”?

    Ion remembered well the earlier moment, staring at his barebones stats and thinking: Could anyone’s abilities really be this pathetic?

    “Status window, display.”

    Muttering the words silently, the familiar screen appeared.

    [Loading player’s status list.]
     [Stats
     ATK (Attack Power): 0
     MP (Mana): 0
     STR (Strength): 1]
     [
]

    Why, then, is my mana at zero?

    With the thought swirling, Ion wandered the library book in hand, following after Emily. As if catching his mind, the system shifted.

    [Switching to “Detailed Stats” mode.]
     [Stats
     ATK: 0 (-56)
     MP: 0 (+15)(-99)
     STR: 1 (-69)
     CON (Constitution): 1 (-32)
     WIS (Wisdom): 64
     SPI (Spirit): 79
     LUK (Luck): 56]

    Hidden values—the numbers were at least some consolation. But the negatives
 what did those mean?

    Because of the curse?

    Even as he thought it, new status texts unfurled:

    [Status Effect: Curse. □□ has cursed you. ※Lifted on □□’s death.]
     [Status Effect: Ability Loss
]
     [Status Effect: Frailty
]

    All known entries. But then a new one appeared:

    [Status Effect (Hidden): Mana Loss. Due to □□’s curse, the player’s Attack and Mana are forcibly fixed at 0.]

    So that was it. His mana had been sealed.

    Right on cue, the voice reading aloud nearby struck painfully close to his situation:

    “
Though one might think mana trivial, in truth it is like a vital bodily energy. Just as one deprived of water dies, so too does the absence or failure to wield mana lead inevitably to exhaustion, immobility, even death.”

    So I am living as a walking time-bomb.

    It wasn’t news. Yet having the world itself declare “you will die soon” from every angle left a bitter aftertaste. For him to have fallen into a vessel already cursed, already dying—was this punishment?

    What crime did I commit in another life?

    Breath already ragged, Ion leaned heavily against a desk for support. At that exact moment came a sudden cry:

    “Brother! Brother!”

    Emily.

    Quickly straightening up despite his dizziness, Ion caught her in his arms as she rushed in. His voice was gently scolding.

    “Hush—careful. Running in a library only stirs clouds of dust.”

    Immediately, his throat itched. He coughed, and Emily’s eyes widened. Yet she clung tightly, defiant and worried.

    “I’ll stop running! I will! Emily’s a proper little lady!”

    “Yes
 you’re very good. Did you pick a book?”

    Nodding proudly, Emily thrust her tiny arms forward, holding simple illustrated storybooks.

    “The mole who lived in a cottage! And this one, about a hedgehog!”

    “How about we sit and read one of them here?”

    In truth, Ion suggested it because he lacked strength to return to his room. Yet Emily squealed in delight, hauling out chairs enthusiastically.

    They sat shoulder to shoulder. Emily glowed with excitement, forgetting entirely about books as she babbled instead.

    “Brother, brother—have you ever seen a ghost?”

    “
A ghost?”

    “Yes! I haven’t—but I know one lives here in the library. Truly!”

    Her sudden claim made Ion tense—worried servants might overhear and think her strange. But no one scoffed.

    So he humored her.

    “And why do you think so?”

    Leaning close, Emily whispered conspiratorially, pointing toward a desk.

    “I left cookies here once. Next day—they were gone! Jane swore she hadn’t cleaned them! So it must be the ghost.”

    “
What?”

    Ion stiffened. At his chest, something wriggled guiltily. Pressing down, a muffled “Kku” squeaked forth. The library’s silence made it sound far too loud.

    Emily gasped, twirling her head.

    “Something odd just cried out!”

    Alarm jolted through Ion—yet he forced a calm mask, feigning surprise.

    “Must have been a bird by the window!”

    “What bird goes ‘Kku’?”

    Just a child’s question—but Ion’s heart skipped. His chest ached as though a hiccup pressed upward.

    “
A pigeon?”

    “Emily wants to see!”

    “Emily—don’t run in the libr—cough!”

    Her brother’s words chased her, but dust clawed his throat into another coughing fit.

    Eyes watering, Ion watched helplessly as Emily darted for the window.

    Please—just let some real bird be there


    The window rattled open.

    A thundering flap of wings—and a massive black shape burst forth. Golden eyes glared in brief contact with Ion’s green.

    For an instant: not beast, not bird—but something watching him. His body locked, frozen.

    What
 was that?

    But the break ended when Emily shrieked—

    “Kyahhh!”

    “Milady!”

    Maids rushed to her side.

    “Emily!”

    Ion staggered forward, only to falter in dizziness. Someone braced him before he toppled.

    “Young master—are you all right?”

    “Ah
”

    His heart still hammered from the sight.

    “What was that? It was huge
”

    Emily seemed already distracted, but Ion shivered. It had been far larger than a normal bird.

    Those golden eyes
 a hawk?

    A servant nearest the window answered:

    “An eagle, sir.”

    But Emily blurted sweetly:

    “Do eagles cry ‘Kku’?”

    The library roared with laughter. Maids lifted the girl, giggling at her innocence, while stewards shut the window and gently ushered Ion back.

    Emily chattered afterward of the “ghost,” insisting her cookies had disappeared many times.

    Ion pictured instantly—white scales, crumbs stuck at its mouth.

    So that wasn’t the first time.

    He felt the tell-tale squirm in his chest from the guilty “ghost,” and promised Emily: they’d catch it together.

    By less than an hour, Ion was drained, forcing himself to tell Emily stories would have to wait till later. Disappointed, she let her maids tug her away.

    Watching her little head droop as she left wrenched unexpectedly at him. Why? She’s not even mine


    The cost of inhabiting another’s body, maybe. Feeling what he once felt.

    “Then rest, young master.”

    “
Mm.”

    The butler tucked him in, voice soft as his wrinkled hand pressed Ion’s brow.

    After the man left, Ion collapsed back into bed, massaging a pounding temple. Then—

    Knock-tock.

    A dull rapping sounded at the balcony doors.

    From beneath his shirt, Yomnyong poked his head out curiously.

    “Kkuu?”

    Footnotes:

    • Hidden Stat Breakdown: Revealed oath shows Ion’s true numbers crippled massively negative due to the curse. 
    • Status Effect: Mana Loss: Forcibly zeros mana no matter original stat values; explains Ion’s constant frailty. 
    • Eagle with Golden Eyes: Likely more than a coincidence—possibly foreshadowing a being that is not a normal beast. 

    Cultural Note: Young nobles often had maids read on their behalf; Ion goes along to maintain appearances despite literacy.

    Note