"Sheesh, if I didn't have Recursion, this training would've been so much harder," Ash muttered, collapsing onto the edge of his bed, limbs sore but satisfied. His room wasn't lavish in the way outsiders might expect of a prince. No — it was personalized, customized over the years by both Ash and the maids who doted on him.
The floors were obsidian black with veins of glowing sapphire that pulsed faintly with mana. The walls were carved with intricate patterns of celestial beasts — symbols of Neyru's imperial heritage — yet softened with hanging tapestries and enchanted silk drapes that shifted color based on the time of day.
The centerpiece was his bed: a wide, low-railed platform wrapped in sky-blue sheets and silver embroidery, large enough for three or four to sleep comfortably — a habit formed by years of sharing it with his sisters.
One corner of the room held a reading table with floating mana-lamps and books stacked haphazardly.
A large arched window opened out toward the glowing spires of the capital, casting gentle light across the entire chamber.
Tonight, for the first time in a while, Ash had the room to himself.
He lay back on the bed, arms folded behind his head, and stared up at the crystal-lit ceiling.
'Hey, system. Do you have a name or anything?'
[Master, of course I do. My name is Riya,]
Ash blinked.
"Riya, huh? That sounds a bit familar..."
He said absentmindedly, then asked, more seriously.
"Mind telling me something? Why do you keep calling me 'Master'? And why do you act like… we know each other?"
There was a pause — a hesitation in the otherwise flawless voice.
[That… is something I can't explain yet. You'll come to understand everything in time.]
Ash clicked his tongue.
"Ugh, so cliché."
He rolled over to one side, propping himself up on an elbow.
"Honestly though? This life… it's kind of perfect. A loving family, people who actually care, and on top of that, we're rulers of the world. Ha! Isn't that cool?"
[Hehe~ Indeed, Master. But this is only the surface. The world is vast, and the true fun won't begin until you start cultivating.]
"Cultivation, huh…" Ash repeated, voice drifting.
He turned his head toward the window, watching a faint stream of lights pass across the capital's skyline.
"Funny thing is — I haven't seen any cultivators around, well nothing that screams cultivation. No flashy robes, no floating weirdos meditating under waterfalls. What gives?"
[Hmm… likely a restriction placed by your parents or imperial ancestors. After all, this is a peaceful world. If cultivators were allowed to run unchecked in public, chaos would follow.]
Ash narrowed his eyes.
"Tch. You're dodging again. You're just like a game on hard mode — no tutorials."
[Exactly. I won't give you answers to everything. That would defeat the point of adventuring, wouldn't it?]
Ash chuckled, flopping onto his back again.
"Fair. But what is the point of this system, then? Are you like… my guide? Or some secret cheat code from beyond the void?"
[Mmm, not quite. The system is more like a tracker. It'll monitor your growth, your cultivation, and most importantly — It's the bridge between you and your created aspects.]
[Each aspect you created — bloodline, soul type, innate ability — must be earned through tasks. Complete them, and It'll grant you what is rightfully yours.]
Ash frowned.
"So, I don't have a cosmic, reality-breaking, I-can-do-anything system?"
[Correct~]
"…That sucks."
[Not really. Unlike most systems, yours isn't bound by limitation. You created potential that no one in this universe has ever seen. That uniqueness alone puts you above 99.9999% of beings alive.]
That made Ash pause.
He didn't fully understand it yet… but the way Riya spoke, there was something far bigger at play.
"So, what you're saying is… I'm special?"
[Very. But also very… watched.]
"Watched?"
[Forget I said that~]
Ash groaned and threw a pillow over his face.
"You're annoying."
[And you're adorable, Master. Now sleep. You've got blade drills at sunrise.]
Ash muttered something incoherent, but a soft smile crept across his face.
He closed his eyes, his body sinking deeper into the plush mattress.
The stars outside twinkled silently.
And slowly, the Fifth Prince drifted into sleep — unaware that somewhere far, far away, a pair of beautiful red eyes had their gaze toward him.