Mereoleona. A named main character in this world's lore.
She had never been raised to be a passive noblewoman. From an early age, she had been trained in swordsmanship, military tactics, and endurance, embodying the strength and pride of her ancestors. In a different era, she would have been the rightful heir—leading armies, securing her family's future through sheer strength alone.
But this was not that era.
Despite her superior skill, the title of heir had been passed to her younger brother—a more traditional noble son, weaker in both ability and mindset. This fueled her frustration. She despised the idea of being married off like a political tool, especially to someone like Eren Valmont. His bad reputation was the complete opposite of everything she valued. To her, he was lazy, undisciplined, and unworthy of noble respect. He represented everything she hated about the changing world—power and influence gained through wealth rather than Effort.
She was prideful, fiercely competitive, and quick-tempered. She refused to be seen as weak or dependent on anyone—least of all her fiancé. But despite her frustrations, she could not openly defy the engagement. Her sense of duty and responsibility to her family prevented outright rebellion. Instead, she fought in the only way she knew—through action. By proving her strength at every opportunity, she refused to submit to circumstances she could not control.
The marriage agreement between her and the second son of Valmont was House d'Armand's last lifeline. Without external financial support, their decline was inevitable. While she detested the arrangement, her family's survival depended on it.
If it had been Cedric Valmont, the elder son, things might have been different. He was noble, mature, and far more respectable than his younger brother. But due to their age difference, the urgency of her family's situation, and other political factors, her parents had settled on Eren instead.
-----
Mereoleona's amber eyes flicked over Eren the moment he entered, her sharp gaze analyzing him like a predator sizing up prey. The boy before her was exactly as she had imagined—unbothered, casual, exuding an air of arrogance without even trying. It irritated her immediately.
And what was even more outrageous? He was wearing a velvet pajamas.
A Pajamas!
she came here to meet him wearing a dress, which she dislike but had too to show how much she is serious. but to see her "future husband" meets her in his pajamas instead of wearing something neat and respectful to greet their guest?
Her fingers twitched at the sheer audacity.
'This guy is far worse than the rumors', she thought, barely restraining her displeasure and anger.
But she reminded herself—she had a mission today. Her mother had made it clear: "Strengthen your bond with him."
Mend their relationship.
As if there was anything to mend in the first place.
Mereoleona had no desire to meet him. She had actively avoided it for as long as possible. But in the end, duty won. Or rather, her mother's iron will did. For the sake of House d'Armand, she had been forced to come here. Even forced to wear a dress.
And she dislike wearing dress!
Yes, Mereoleona d'Armand—a noblewoman from a count's house—hated dresses and tea parties.
Yet, appearances had to be upheld. With forced restraint, she straightened her posture and inclined her head in a proper noble greeting.
"Greetings, Sir Eren. I am Mereoleona of House d'Armand. It is a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance."
She straightened, her amber gaze meeting his directly.
"I hope I didn't disturb you... with my arrival?" she said coolly, her voice firm but holding back the bite of annoyance.
And what response did she receive?
A mere nod.
Then, with all the grace of a man who had no respect for formalities, he sauntered toward his seat, draping himself over it as if this were his personal lounge rather than an arranged meeting. One arm rested lazily on the armrest, while his left ankle rested atop his right knee—a picture of relaxed disinterest.
Everything about him screamed unworthy noble brat.
Mereoleona's jaw tightened at the sight. But she did not allow her irritation to show.
Instead, she took her own seat with perfect discipline, her back straight, hands folded neatly in her lap. Every movement of hers reflected a noble upbringing—a stark contrast to Eren's blatant disregard for propriety.
Meanwhile, behind her, her knight was far less composed. His glare bore into Eren with unconcealed hostility.
Then, the maids entered, carrying trays of delicate desserts and fine tea. One of them stepped forward to pour Eren a cup—
Only for him to raise a hand to stop her.
"Bring me a cold glass of orange juice instead," he ordered lazily. He even whispered to the maid about something, before leaving her.
The maid hesitated for only a moment before bowing and hurrying off to fulfill his request. Meanwhile, Marie, his personal maid, remained standing quietly behind him.
As Eren leaned back in his seat, waiting for his drink, his gaze drifted to Mereoleona. He studied her with that same unreadable, indifferent look, saying nothing.
She, in turn, stared back.
Silence settled between them like an unspoken battle of wills.
Mereoleona lifted her teacup with practiced elegance, taking a slow sip. Outwardly, she remained poised. But inwardly?
'The audacity.'
'Does he think this meeting is a waste of time? That I should be the one to speak first?'
Her fingers tightened slightly around the porcelain cup.
She was only here because of her mother's insistence. But even so, she would not allow herself to be treated like an afterthought.
Soon, the maid returned, carrying a large glass of orange juice—chilled, with ice cubes clinking softly against the glass. A straw had been placed neatly inside.
Eren smiled as he received it, a brief, effortless gesture of gratitude toward the maid before she left. Then, without a care in the world, he took a slow sip.
Mereoleona's eye twitched uncontrollably.
'This bastard!'
She had forced herself into a suffocating gown, endured hours of etiquette preparation, sat through this dreadful meeting—only for her so-called fiancé to sit there, sipping orange juice like this was some casual afternoon break?
With a quiet sigh, she set her cup down and crossed her legs, her expression neutral but her eyes sharp.
"I'll make this clear," she finally said, her tone even but firm. "I'm not here because I want to be."
Her gaze locked onto his, challenging, testing.
"But since this engagement is already decided, I expect you to act properly as my fiancé."
While Mereoleona spoke with noble confidence, her voice carrying the maturity expected of her status, Eren was barely paying attention. Instead, he casually sipped his drink, focusing on a conversation in his mind.
'Hey, Useless. Is there no character description for her?' he asked internally, activating the Appraisal feature on Mereoleona for the first time.
=====
––– Status Open –––
Name: Mereoleona d'Armand
Job: –
Level: 1
Stats:
STR (Strength): 32
DEF (Defense): 26
DEX (Dexterity): 29
AGL (Agility): 27
MAG (Magic): 34
Abilities:
• Fire Guard – ??
Skills:
• Flameheart (Active) – ??
Magic:
• Fire Blast – Strike Magic Spell
=====
[Sorry, Master. But the Appraisal level is too low to display more details. I must be at Rank 2 to be able to do that.]
Hearing Useless's response, Eren frowned. He could tell the system wasn't lying, nor was it forcefully demanding an upgrade as it had done in the past. Still, it was inconvenient. If he wanted more information, he had no choice but to comply.
'Then use the SP to rank up.'
[.....]
A stunned silence followed.
[R-Really?]
Useless's voice wavered, unable to believe what it just heard. It had spent countless attempts trying to convince its master to allow it to upgrade, only to be ignored, rejected, or even threatened into silence.
Yet now, without warning or persuasion, Eren had finally given permission?
Useless was too shocked to respond, prompting Eren to speak again, his tone laced with irritation.
'Hurry up.'
[Ah! Y-Yes! Right away!]
Snapping out of its daze, Useless immediately initiated the upgrade.
[1,000 System Points have been used for upgrading the System!]
[The System is now undergoing modifications…]
[Upgrading...]
[New features unlocked.]
[Existing features have been enhanced.]
The familiar white holographic screen that always floated beside Eren flickered and disappeared, replaced by a larger, sleek green interface.
[Upgrade complete!]
[System Rank increased to Rank 2.]
For Useless, this was a moment of pure joy. Once, it had been a Rank 3 system, but after being forcibly downgraded because of its mistakes (saving its Master), it had longed to return to its former strength. Now, though still not at its original level, this upgrade was a step forward.
It couldn't suppress its excitement, letting out an odd, eerie laugh.
[Kekeke…]
Noticing it's weird behavior, Eren immediately frowned. 'Hey! I'm still waiting.'
[Ah! Y-Yes! Right away, Master!]
Snapping back to reality, Useless quickly activated the Appraisal feature again, scanning Mereoleona with its newly improved functions.
=====
––– Character Description –––
Name: Mereoleona d'Armand
Information:
Mereoleona d'Armand is the eldest daughter of House d'Armand, a noble family that, despite its once-strong military legacy, has now fallen into decline. Unlike most noblewomen, she was raised as a warrior, trained rigorously in swordsmanship, military strategy, and survival skills from a young age.
Fiercely independent and highly disciplined, she embodies the values of strength and honor that her ancestors upheld. However, despite her superior abilities and unyielding will, she was denied her rightful position as heir—a title that instead went to her younger brother, a more traditional noble son who lacked her strength and warrior's mindset.
This decision left her resentful of the rigid expectations of noble society, particularly the belief that a woman's ultimate role is to serve as a political tool through marriage....
=====
The results loaded instantly, displaying far more detail than before.
Useless, still high on the excitement of its upgrade, waited eagerly for its master's reaction.
...
...