That Unique Monster Who Just Got the 'Consciousness' Passive Skill

To the word "Quest," it responded.

Ring! ❮ 'Character's Creation' Compulsory Quest — Details: The Player has to create his Character. Let the Player be headed to the Forest of Benelloan, the Ancient Elven Kingdom that just has fallen, and meet with the Forest's Sisters, the Dryads. They will surely help the Player in the undertaking of creating his Character. Only then will the Game start. ❯

I nodded, barely understanding a thing. I mean, it was just as usual. I understood the words, all put together to form sentences, but what was the context behind it all?

❮ 'Character's Creation' — Head to the Forest of Benelloan. 0/1 ❯

And is that it? Suddenly, I jumped out of the bed, stood up, and frowned in interrogation. "Huh!?" The System notified me then. The 'Guiding Fragrance', it said, was the way to the quests. Always. And I smelled something. My nose definitely picked an odor. Or maybe it didn't, I don't know… but it was there, and I could sense where to go.

Sniffing all around myself like a crazy doggo, I let it guide me.

And soon, I went up to a corner of the room. "Is it… this way?" That was pretty neat. I hadn't expected anything of the sort. Well, if I had 'that', even though I couldn't noclip through walls, I could have broader directions. So long as the Guide directs me to some place, then, I can pretty much go anywhere. Even though, should I do as the System tells me? I don't see a reason to. I'm good here. I know I'm strong, so I won't die, and that means I have the right to live. And what's more, I have the kind ma'am for food and daily needs.

Sure, after a week or so of doing just as the kind ma'am told me to do, I would certainly grow bored of staying here, in such a tiny village, always with her. I didn't think about that, though. My lack of commonsense and experience made me think that way.

I went back to my bed and sat on it. Maybe it was the way, though. That System. Why do I have it with me anyway? I gathered not anyone has it… so maybe I should listen to it. Heh, and if anything, maybe I am the System and the System is me. Well. Lapsing into thought, I dared ask for more information from the silent System.

My hands rested on my thighs. I clutched my knees anxiously. "System. Quest. More info. What's that about a humanoid form in the first place? I mean, tell me something, whatever, but something. How... a 'Character'?"

A notification reached my ears. And then the Guide talked. God, it went on for a long period of time. But damn, I was served. In the end, I wouldn't really know what to do with said information. To put it in a few words, it spoke of Nobility. The concept of nobility. It said that I, the Player, had met the requirements for being a Noble Creature. Upon obtaining enough of both intellectual and physical power, a Regular Monster was acknowledged by the World—by the mana, by the rule, by the universe, put it however you please—and was granted the title of Noble Being. That brought said Regular Monster on equal terms with the Humans Races. Both human and demi-human, actually. When acknowledged as a Noble Being, or also known as a Unique Being—humans and all people with personalities, that kind of stuff, were all unique in some sense—a monster is granted a human, thus noble form. It was the way of Evolution, it said. Things and people alike are in constant evolution. And Nobility was synonymous with Intelligence. Intelligence, or rather, intelligent people were the wielders of tools. Of swords, pickaxes, knives, hammers… of flames, shields, and everything. They were the manipulators of their own tools, of their own intelligence, and that was what differentiate the human races from the rest. It made sense, a lot of sense. The Player, myself, had obtained both the Power and Sentience necessary, and as such, the Player was to obtain a Nobility. Such was about the Character the System spoke of.

To put it briefly, basically, it meant as a unique monster, I evolved a lot. Therefore, I would obtain my human form. Apparently, every stronger being like I does obtain that thing called 'Nobility'. Be it dragons or whatever. It could be the case with any regular monster that became unique. Dragons were bigger, and they had a human form. Goblins would be another example, but different. They were frail, tiny, non-intelligent, and barely human-shaped… but slowly, they could go on to being one of the strongest King Orc warlords.

I was a unique monster who had obtained the Consciousness passive skill. And, even though I didn't have a stronger foe to compare to, I also knew I was pretty strong. With a sword, that is. Hence why the System talked about all of that. Pretty damn cool, right?

Standing up at once, I spoke to myself. "A quest? Maybe I should do it. And this fragrance is showing me the way. When I thought of following the quest I just received, I could sense it. When I did not, I could no longer. Right. Hmm… Though all of that is pretty, System, but I don't think I can get out for now. So… System, Guide, or whatever is your name, let's just call it a day for now. I also got a job here. Even though there are still some technical problems, I'm sure I can still be up to the job. Maybe. I won't call it wishful thinking, because the kind ma'am is the kindest. If I work hard," my fist clenched, "maybe… yeaaah."

Today was my third sun. My third day. And today, I was going to work. Except I wasn't going to. A group of elves waited for me downstairs, but I had no idea. Closing both the window and the door behind me, I went out. My steps were light on the ground. The descending stairs greeted me with a new challenge as I went down. After the stairs, the main hall opened itself to me. There were relatively fewer people than yesterday. That made sense, we were still in the very early morning. Only a few customers who spent their nights here were sitting around tables, with their soup and bread.

My fists were clenched. Closing my eyes, I took calming breaths. What if the kind ma'am didn't want me now? Biting my lips, my fists were clenched harder as they slightly trembled. The kind ma'am just arrived in the hall and slipped behind her counter, where she took care of work. Forcing myself onward, my timid feet brought me up to her. With pleading eyes, I looked up at her face. I was relieved that she was just as usual. A bright smile was hanging on her lips. She eyed me, asking me what might be the matter. Coming to a stop the closest I could in front of her, my dry lips parted. "I-I will work!"

"Little lady? Working? Yes, yes. Working is good. Oh, do you maybe want to do the same work as myself in the future?"

"Absolutely! I will work! The same work. And eat good food. Because it's my wage. Plus, I'd like to survive too!"

"Mm-hm. I understand. Times are hard, aren't they? Here, you can have this bread and cheese."

"H-Huh!? But—"

"I'm sure you will work hard, little lady. But first, you eat up and build some strength. You're still young. So don't you precipitate yourself. Okay? You're a good girl. Your caretakers are just by their table around there… Hm? Oh my, gentlemen, good morning. Well, they're just here," she smiled.

"We're sorry," an elf said, pushing his glasses back. "Has she been bothering you?" Two firm hands were gripping my shoulders from behind. Looking up, I saw an unknown elf man in his thirties. He looked down at me, with a suspicious look, but when I eyed him, he instantly avoided my glance, with a look of blatant unease on his face. He nodded twice at the kind ma'am when she said I hadn't bothered her at all. There were two elves, and the one who was holding my shoulders heavily snorted at that. He clicked his tongue, gave me a furious look, and made to leave the inn. He murmured some things about his "Goddamn weakling of a princess tries to run away now, huh?"