I woke up early—before the sun even touched the sky.
The slums were still wrapped in silence, but inside our little home, warmth stirred. I got up, stretched, and moved quietly to the small kitchen. Just a simple meal this morning—boiled eggs, a bit of toasted bread, and warm goat milk. Nothing fancy, but enough to start the day.
Today, I wasn't going to the guild.Today was for Leah.
After setting the table, I walked over to her room and gently knocked before pushing the door open. She was curled beneath the old blanket, breathing softly. She looked so peaceful I almost didn't want to wake her.
"Leah," I whispered, nudging her shoulder. "Time to get up, little mage."
She groaned, stretched, then blinked at me, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
"Huh...? Big Brother?" "I made breakfast. We've got somewhere to go today."
We sat together and ate, sunlight slowly spilling through the window. Her eyes lit up with every bite, and she smiled more than usual.
Then she looked down at the black and red pendant that always hung around my neck.
"Big Brother… where did you get that necklace? And… why are we earning more now? Did you get a raise or something?"
I paused, mid-bite. For a second, I considered telling her everything—the system, the god. But I shook my head gently.
"One day," I said. "When the time is right, I'll tell you everything. I promise."
She looked at me for a moment, then nodded.She always trusted me.
"Alright," she said softly. "I'll wait."
I smiled and reached over to pat her head.
"Get dressed. We're going to the magic academy today."
Her eyes widened.
"Really?!"
"Yeah. Mom and Dad… they were both aura users. But they always said they wanted their little girl to walk a different path. They dreamed of you becoming a mage. And I know… that's your dream too, right?"
Leah's eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Yes! I want to become a great mage!
I chuckled, though part of me stiffened at that.She didn't know the truth behind that pendant… or the god of fire watching us from afar.
Not yet.But someday—she would.
"Then let's make it happen."
Stepping out of our home, I took a deep breath of the morning air—thick with the scent of the city, smoke, and old stone. The streets were already bustling, but today wasn't about work or patrols.
Today… was about Leah.
We made our way toward the center of the city, where the towering spires of the Vat Magic Academy stood like spears piercing the sky. I brought eight silver coins with me—five for Leah's enrollment, and three for anything extra we might need.
As we reached the heart of the city, the crowd thickened. Merchants shouted over one another, city guards patrolled with practiced eyes, and nobles in polished carriages rode past, barely glancing at the rest of us. But none of it mattered—because standing ahead of us, gleaming in the morning light, was the academy.
Leah stopped in her tracks, her hand gripping mine tightly.
"It's… so big," she whispered.
I looked up with her.The white marble walls, the golden archways, and floating crystals radiated power. Magic pulsed in the very air, humming with life. Even after everything I've seen lately—even with the system, and the monsters I've faced—this place still amazed me.
We stood there for a few quiet seconds, just staring.
Then I nudged her shoulder.
"Ready, little mage?"
She nodded quickly, her eyes wide with wonder.
Inside the admissions hall, five people were already lined up, most of them commoners like us. I could also see a few noble families off to the side. Their children didn't have to wait in line, of course. Nobles didn't need to enroll—they were accepted by name, legacy, or political weight. Only we commoners had to pay our way in and start from the bottom.
Still, none of that mattered now.
After waiting a few minutes, we stepped forward as the woman behind the desk called for the next in line. She wore a deep purple robe and held a mana quill in her fingers, her expression tired but efficient.
"Name?" she asked, eyes on a ledger.
"Leah," I said quickly. "She's here to enroll in the basic magic program."
The woman glanced up at Leah and nodded, scribbling a few notes.
"Age?"
"Fifteen."
"Any known elemental affinity?"
"Not yet."
She hummed and continued writing. After a few seconds, she reached under the desk and pulled out a thin metallic card—silver-gray with a small crystal embedded in the center. It looked like an ID of some kind.
"This is your student sigil," she said, handing it to Leah. "Bring this every day. You'll be called for your initial magic evaluation within the week."
I nodded and quickly handed over the five silver coins.She took them without fanfare and stamped Leah's name into the card with a soft glow of magic.
Just like that… it was done.
"That's it?" Leah asked, surprised.
"That's it," the woman confirmed. "Welcome to the Vat Magic Academy."
We stepped aside to let the next in line through. I turned to Leah, who was still holding the card in both hands like it was made of gold.
"You're officially a student now," I said, smiling.
She looked up at me, beaming.
"Thank you, big brother."
"No need to thank me," I said, resting a hand on her shoulder.
Tomorrow marked the start of Leah's new life at the magic academy. And today—I just wanted her to feel normal. Happy. Like a regular girl walking the streets of the city without worries.
We visited the merchant district, where the smell of grilled meat, sweet spices, and fresh bread filled the air. Stalls were packed with people—adventurers, workers, children, even a few well-dressed merchants with their guards.
As we walked side by side, Leah's eyes wandered from stall to stall, lighting up every time she saw something new. Eventually, one particular stall caught her interest. She tugged at my sleeve.
"Big Brother, can I buy that?" she asked, pointing at a roasted meat skewer dripping with sauce.
I chuckled and handed her a silver coin.
"Go ahead. Get one for yourself."
She grinned brightly and hurried off toward the stall.
Just then, a quiet voice spoke beside me.
"Good morning."
I turned slightly, caught off guard. A man stood beside me—young, with sharp features, deep golden-red eyes, and short black hair. He looked… oddly familiar. Handsome in a way that made people glance twice. The strange part? He wore simple clothes, like any other city local. Nothing about him stood out—except everything about him did.
I gave him a polite nod.
"Good morning."
He smiled softly and nodded toward Leah.
"She's your little sister?"
"Yeah." My eyes narrowed slightly. "How did you—?"
"I figured," he interrupted, "from how often you kept glancing her way. Protective type, aren't you?"
I stayed silent, uneasy now.
And then he said something that made my heart skip.
"Wow… what a nice pendant you're wearing."
My gaze shot down to the black-red pendant on my chest. My hand instinctively gripped it, and I turned to face him fully, my voice low.
"What do you want?"
He raised his hands calmly, as if trying not to startle a frightened animal.
"Relax," he said, voice calm. "No need to be hostile. I just came to give you something."
He reached into his pocket and pulled something out—a pendant. One that looked exactly like mine.
"Give this to your sister," he said. "It'll help her… and you."
I took it from his hand, completely confused. It was identical. Same design. Same strange aura. My mind was racing.
"How is this possible…?"
Before I could ask him anything, I glanced up—But he was gone.
I spun around, searching the crowd. Nothing. No trace of him. My eyes darted from stall to stall, scanning every corner.
"Brother?" Leah's voice broke through my thoughts. "Are you okay?"
I turned back to her. She looked worried, holding the food she'd bought in one hand.
"Yeah… yeah, I'm fine," I said, forcing a smile. "What did you get?"
"Look!" She held it up proudly. "Meat skewers! They gave me an extra one for free!"
I smiled and ruffled her hair gently, trying to push the unease from my mind. But my other hand gripped the second pendant tightly in my pocket.
"Who was that man...? Was it… him? The God of Fire?"
We headed back home, but the questions never left my mind.
In a shadowed corner of the crowded marketplace, he stood once again. The same man—unseen, unnoticed, as though he had never been there at all.
His golden eyes watched the siblings with calm intensity.
"Two now… including the sister," he muttered, hands behind his back. "That's two system users."
A slight smirk touched his lips.
"Even if I lost a Divine Point to gift it… I'll earn one back every single day. Slowly… surely. I'll guide them. I'll protect them."
He turned, his silhouette beginning to shimmer like heat in the air.
"And through them… I will rise."
Then he vanished—just like before—without a trace.