From what he remembered, this was the heart of the Empire of Elements — the grand, glittering capital.
A place where magic wasn't just common.
It was currency.
Status.
Life itself.
Soon, the towering spires of the Royal Elemental Academy came into view — a sprawling, overcompensating building that looked like it was designed by someone with a god complex and too much marble.
Dozens of carriages lined the road, all heading in the same direction.
Most were luxurious, polished things full of noble brats just like Sam — born into money, entitlement, and elemental nepotism.
But not all.
Among the sleek rides were rickety wagons pulled by exhausted beasts and even more exhausted commoners.
Sweat-slick faces peeked out, eyes wide with a mix of hope and sheer terror.
For them, this wasn't just a ceremony.
It was a gamble with fate.
Every year in the Empire of Elements when the fresh crop of children turned eighteen, they were herded off to the grand Awakening Ceremony.
That's when the magic kicked in.
Or didn't.
Only about forty percent awakened an elemental affinity.
The rest? Tossed aside like defective magical potatoes.
For nobles, it was a matter of status.
For commoners?
It was everything.
The only real shot at clawing their way out of obscurity, poverty, or whatever farm animal-filled nightmare they came from.
Sam exhaled through his nose and leaned back in his seat.
Out the window: flying islands, magical whales, skyships.
Inside the carriage: awkward silence and one very stiff maid.
He glanced at Nyra.
Still sitting in the corner like a prisoner of war.
"Why are you so scared?" he asked, mildly exasperated.
She flinched like he'd just accused her of treason.
"I—I don't know, Master… you're just acting weird today," she said, voice quivering like she was one word away from tears.
"Weird how?"
She hesitated.
He narrowed his eyes.
"Speak."
She looked down, and after a dramatic pause, muttered under her breath:
"...Less asshole."
Silence.
Utter silence.
Sam blinked.
Then — against all odds — his lips twitched.
Nyra realized what she'd just said and turned ghost-pale.
"Master, please don't kick me out!" she blurted in panic, grabbing his hand like it was the last thing keeping her from drowning.
"I didn't mean it, I swear, please, I—"
"Calm down," he said, gently pulling his hand back.
"I'm not kicking you out."
She blinked rapidly.
Nodded.
Then gave him the tiniest, most fragile smile imaginable.
Sam looked at her.
She looked back.
Their eyes locked.
A moment passed.
She coughed.
He coughed.
Everything suddenly felt a little too warm.
Right.
Time for a change of topic before this turned into some accidental romance subplot.
"So," Sam said, clearing his throat, "there are 107 elements, right?"
Nyra nodded, relieved to retreat into the safe zone of exposition.
"Yes. One hundred and seven known elemental affinities. They're classified into four tiers:
Common, Rare, Epic… and one Legendary."
"Light," Sam said, nodding. "The Legendaryelement."
"Exactly," she said.
"Once every century, someone awakens it.
A true prodigy.
A blessed soul. The gods' favorite. Blah blah divine destiny."
Sam snorted.
Right.
And as you've probably guessed, our dear protagonist — the Hero himself — is going to awaken it today.
He'll awaken Light. He'll save everyone from the Portal monsters.
He'll inspire a generation.
The nobles will worship him. The commoners will cry.
He sighed.
Please let me awaken at least something.
Even an Awkward-tier element.
Anything.
Just don't make me a bigger joke than the original Samuel.
Unfortunately, he wasn't exactly brimming with confidence.
But he had backup plans.
Well, technically more like suicidal side quests wrapped in delusion and desperation, but they counted.
In the novel, Sam remembered there were a few ancient legacies scattered around the world.
But most of them came with a delightful warning label:
Side effects may include spontaneous combustion, soul corruption, brain damage, or sudden possession by eldritch horrors.
Proceed with optimism!!!
Still, three stood out in the flaming garbage pile of doomed options:
First legacy: Ice-related.
Probably the safest of the lot. It involved bonding with some ancient Ice Spirit.
Very majestic. Very blue.
But Sam had dropped it immediately.
Ice was cold, emotionally constipated, and frankly too "cool" for someone who liked to feel his fingers in the winter.
Pass.
Second legacy: A potion that could grant the mythical DivineDragon Physique.
Which sounded awesome.
Until you remembered it was located in a place so dangerous that even reading about it in the novel made your survival instincts commit suicide.
Sam had mentally written "maybe later" next to that one.
And third — the one that truly tempted him — was the Eye of the Fate Angel.
Yeah. That one.
In this world, angels, demons, gods, paladins — all very real, very annoying, and always sticking their celestial noses where they didn't belong.
The Hero himself? Half-angel.
Of course.
The Eye was supposedly a remnant of a fallen Fate Angel.
Terrifying. Mysterious.
Likely to trigger divine surveillance.
So naturally, Sam was intrigued.
There had been a guy in the novel who found it — briefly.
Had one cryptic interaction with the Hero… and then poof.
Disappeared from the story forever.
No mention. No ending. Not even a death scene.
Which meant either he died in an unspeakable horror...
Or he became so OP the author panicked and buried him.
Sam was betting on the second.
As he considered which death route was most fashionable this season, the Academy finally came into view — all towering spires, shimmering gates, and enough magical posturing to make a god roll their eyes.