The morning sun peeked through my window, casting a golden hue over the wooden walls of my room. Today was different.
Today, I had officially turned five years old—a significant milestone in this world.
Birthdays weren't celebrated every year like in my past life. Here, only certain ages held cultural weight:
Five years old: Surviving infancy without succumbing to disease or injury.
Ten years old: The age when children begin learning a profession.
Fifteen years old: The age of adulthood, often marked by marriage or true independence.
I turned onto my back, staring at the ceiling. No one had wished me yet, but I knew they were planning a birthday party for later in the evening. If my meta-knowledge still held, I could already predict their gifts:
• A sword from Paul.
• A herbology book from Zenith.
• A magic wand from Roxy.
Would it be the same as I remembered? Or would fate twist events, forcing me to reevaluate my expectations? Either way, I was eager to find out.
With that thought in mind, I got up, stretched, and freshened up.
Heading downstairs, I found Paul, Zenith, Lilia, and Roxy already waiting. They greeted me with warm "good mornings," told me to eat my breakfast, mentioned training, and reminded me to bathe before practicing magic with Roxy.
We began breakfast—Paul, Zenith, and I ate together at one table, while Roxy and Lilia sat at another. The separation subtly reflected their roles in the household. Paul and Zenith didn't question it, and I hadn't seen them treat Roxy or Lilia with any malice. Perhaps this was simply how things worked in this world. I didn't support it, but I knew better than to impose my own morality while still weak and dependent. Observation before action—that was the wiser choice.
As we finished eating, Paul dropped a surprise.
"There's no training today. No swordplay. No magic," he said.
"Huh?" I looked up.
"Today, I'm taking you to the forest," he declared with a grin. "I'm going to show you how a real knight—an S-Rank adventurer like myself—eliminates monsters."
My eyes lit up. This was likely a ploy to get me out of the house while they decorated for the party, but I didn't care. I was excited. Despite everything I had learned, I'd never used magic in actual combat, nor healed anyone in the field. This was my chance.
Unlike the original Rudeus, who was too traumatized to leave the house, I'd been training outdoors with Roxy regularly. More open space gave me more freedom to experiment.
Some of those experiments even shocked Roxy—like when I demonstrated casting Elementary Water-Ball Magic using my feet. It wasn't as strong or stable as when using my hands, but it worked. I'd practiced mana circulation through both limbs long enough that casting through my legs had become possible to a degree.
My goal? Something like Toph's seismic sense from Avatar. So far, no luck—no tactile response, no vibrations felt—but I hadn't given up yet.
My work on Disturb Magic hadn't borne fruit either, but persistence is key. I kept pushing forward.
Thankfully, I'd made significant progress thanks to Zenith. I'd mastered:
(1) Intermediate-Rank Healing and Detox Magic
(2)Elementary-Rank Divine and Barrier Magic
And not just me—Zenith also taught Roxy these disciplines. I'll never forget the look on her face—how she bowed deeply to Zenith, eyes misty with gratitude. As a demon, Roxy had grown up facing discrimination, especially from Milis followers who refused to teach her Divine or Barrier Magic. Here, she wasn't just welcomed—she was taught magic long considered forbidden to her.
Elementary Rank Barrier Magic includes two distinct spells at this level: one creates a shield for protection against elementary-level offensive magic, and the other forms a barrier that can blunt or deflect physical attacks from elementary-level warriors or swordsmen. They aren't impenetrable, but they provide a solid foundation for both magical and physical defense.
Thanks to earlier experiments with Disturb Magic, I had managed to develop chantless incantations for Divine Magic. Barrier Magic, however, remained elusive when it came to chantless casting. Still, I was working on it.
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My Current Skills:
(1) Advanced-Rank in all four elemental attack magics: Earth, Water, Wind, and Fire
(2) Intermediate-Rank in Healing and Detox Magic
(3) Elementary-Rank in Divine (Holy) and Barrier Magic
(4) Fluent in reading, writing, and speaking three languages: Human-Race, Beast-Race, and Demon-Race
(5) Trained in the basics of Asuran and Milis noble etiquette, thanks to Paul, Lilia, and Zenith
Even Roxy had begun learning etiquette from Lilia. Perhaps it felt too awkward to ask Zenith or Paul after all they had already done for her.
After breakfast, Paul lifted me up and set me on his horse, Caravaggio, and we rode toward the forest.
He explained that Hunter Rawls had reported monsters near the village's edge. The reason wasn't clear, but Paul figured it was better to take preemptive action—not just to protect the village, but to maintain a healthy fear among monsters about approaching human territory.
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What I've Learned So Far About Creatures:
(1) Animals – Standard wildlife, from domesticated pets to carnivores like lions and tigers
(2) Beasts – Normal animals that mutate through exposure to miasma, a corrupted form of mana. This makes them aggressive and unstable. Common examples include Devil Hounds, Cursed Wolves, Black Lust Bears, and Treants
(3) Monsters – Distinct magical species, unlike mutated animals. They're larger, territorial, and often contain Mana-Stones—valuable magical cores that can be harvested and sold. Typical examples are Wyverns, Drakes, and Hippogriffs
(4) Mana Beasts – Legendary creatures with intelligence. They also possess Mana-Stones but have reached higher consciousness. Well-known examples include Dragons, Phoenixes, Griffons, and Unicorns, most often found in the Great Forest
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Paul planned to investigate and, if necessary, eliminate any threats. He called it a precautionary sweep.
I called it a chance.
A chance to prove what I had learned.
A chance to see real combat.
A chance to step into the role of a mage—not just in theory, but in practice.
Whatever awaited in the forest, I was ready.