Sunlight filtered softly through the curtains, painting the room in golden hues. Subaru blinked, consciousness returning slowly, like a lazy tide. His head ached, and a familiar pang in his abdomen reminded him it hadn't been a dream.
He opened his eyes fully. He was lying in a comfortable bed, with soft sheets and a fluffy duvet. The smell of fresh flowers and polished wood filled the room, very different from the stench of blood and decay in the alley.
He looked around. The furniture was elegant, the space was spacious. This was a room in Roswaal Mansion. He'd made it.
He brought a hand to his stomach. It was no longer bleeding. Instead, a clean, tight bandage covered it. The wound still hurt, but it was a manageable pain, not the stabbing agony it had been before.
[Natsuki Subaru has leveled up.]
[Level: 1 -> 2]
[You have received 5 Attribute Points (AP) to distribute.]
The system notification appeared again, persistent even in his sleepy state. Subaru smiled weakly. He had done it. He had reached Level 2.
"Status Window," he murmured, and the interface materialized again in front of him.
[Current Attributes:
* Strength: 5
* Agility: 6
* Stamina: 6
* Intelligence: 11
* Charisma: 5
* Luck: 1]
He had 5 Attribute Points available. How would he distribute them? His Intelligence was already high thanks to his knowledge. His Charisma had risen slightly, but it was still his weak point for the social interactions to come. Luck was pitiful, and he wasn't sure if it could be improved, or if Return by Death itself influenced it.
He needed to be stronger. He couldn't rely solely on his knowledge. Elsa was proof of that. If he wanted to protect the people he cared about and overcome the horrors he knew were coming, he had to be able to stand on his own two feet.
"Distribute AP," he thought. He decided on a strategy. He needed agility to evade, stamina to endure, and strength for any confrontation. He couldn't ignore charisma, but combat was an initial priority.
* Strength: 5 -> 7 (2 AP)
* Agility: 6 -> 8 (2 AP)
* Stamina: 6 -> 7 (1 AP)
[Current Attributes:
* Strength: 7
* Agility: 8
* Stamina: 7
* Intelligence: 11
* Charisma: 5
* Luck: 1]
[Available Attribute Points: 0]
Subaru felt a slight buzzing in his body, a subtle but definite feeling of strengthening. It was as if his muscles had tensed, his mind sharpened. It wasn't a miraculous transformation, but it was a start.
Now for the fun part.
"System Shop," he invoked excitedly. The interface changed, revealing a new window with several categories: Items, Skills, Enhancers.
[Welcome to the System Shop.]
[System Currency: SP (System Points)]
[Current SP: 5]
Subaru was excited. A shop! It was like an RPG. With 5 SP, he didn't have much, but it was a start. He browsed through the categories.
Items:
* [Minor Healing Potion]: Restores a small amount of vitality. Cost: 2 SP.
* [Energy Ration]: Temporarily increases resistance to fatigue. Cost: 1 SP.
* [Basic Stealth Kit]: Temporarily reduces the sound of footsteps. Cost: 3 SP.
Skills:
* [Basic Strike]: A simple and direct physical attack. Cost: 5 SP.
* [Quick Dodge]: Improves the ability to evade attacks. Cost: 4 SP.
* [Enhanced Concentration]: Temporarily increases intelligence in stressful situations. Cost: 3 SP.
Boosts: (Requires more SP)
* [Accelerated Training (Strength)]: Doubles the Strength boost from EXP for a period. Cost: 10 SP. (Blocked)
"Basic Strike... Quick Dodge..." Subaru considered his options. He needed defenses, but also something to attack with. He had to be smart with his 5 SP.
[Quick Dodge]: Cost: 4 SP. It was the most logical choice. It would improve his base Agility, making him even harder to hit. If he couldn't dodge blows, strength wouldn't matter.
"Buy Quick Dodge," he thought, and the window flickered.
[Acquired Skill: Quick Dodge.]
[Current SP: 1]
Subaru felt a new understanding flow into his mind, an instinctive connection with how to move his body to avoid a blow. It was incredible.
A soft knock on the door brought him out of his thoughts.
"Subaru-kun, are you awake?" Rem's soft voice came from the other side.
"Yes! Come in!" Subaru replied, his voice a little hoarse.
The door opened and Rem entered, holding a tray with steaming soup and a glass of water. Her large, blue eyes looked at him with a mixture of relief and slight wariness.
"I'm glad you woke up. I thought we'd lose you last night," Rem said, her expression more open and friendly than Subaru remembered from the anime at this point in the timeline. "Miss Emilia was very worried about you. And Felt is safe too. She's with Miss Emilia right now."
Subaru felt a pang of satisfaction. He had changed the first loop. Felt and Rom were alive. And he was back at the mansion, stronger and with a system.
"Thank you, Rem. And thank you for the soup. I was really starving," Subaru said, feeling genuine gratitude.
Rem handed him the tray, and as Subaru ate, an idea began to form in his mind. He had to gain the trust of the mansion's inhabitants. And to do that, he needed more than just knowledge; he needed action.