At the moment, I had 52,000 affection points — an amount I had gathered in just one week.
That was more than enough to take my first real step in this world by purchasing the Sacred Foundation Elixir.
"SYSTEM, I want to buy the Sacred Foundation Elixir."
[Request accepted.]
[Processing in 3... 2... 1...]
Before I knew it, I drifted into a deep sleep.
When I awoke several hours later, I immediately felt the difference.
I could sense particles in the air swirling around me — mana, dancing and pulsing as if alive.
Now I could see mana clearly.
Before this, I could only feel its presence.
Closing my eyes, I focused inward — and there, at the center of my being, a cone-shaped diagram floated in my abdomen, radiating violet light.
"So this is a Mana Foundation? It looks… incredibly powerful."
This cone was the very core of one's strength.
The sturdier and more refined it became, the stronger its wielder would be.
After getting up from bed, I had lunch with my little sister, earning a few more affection points in the process.
Then, I went to visit my mother — I needed her permission to leave the mansion.
Meeting My Mother
When I entered her office, I found her buried beneath a mountain of documents.
Since my father's death, she had shouldered the full weight of our family's responsibilities — and if she hadn't been such a strong woman, she might have collapsed long ago.
As I watched her work, fragments of our family's history surfaced in my mind.
My mother, Shopia Fernandez, was the only daughter of the former emperor and the younger sister of the current one. She was said to possess remarkable talent in both swordsmanship and archery. She had even joined the military and built her own brigade, earning numerous achievements.
That was how my parents met — my father, though not particularly powerful, was a genius tactician and a commander respected by many.
While I was lost in thought, Mother finally raised her head from the paperwork.
Her eyes softened as they met mine — her only child with jet-black hair. She smiled warmly and beckoned me over, patting her lap.
Like an eager child, I ran over and sat in her lap, resting my head against her chest.
Shopia gazed at me, overwhelmed by a swirl of emotions.
I hadn't changed much in appearance, but my behavior was different now. She had been deeply worried about me ever since Father's death — how I had closed myself off from the world, retreating into a cage of grief and guilt.
She had feared I would never emerge from that darkness.
But now… I was changing.
She had received reports about what had been happening over the past week — and while "surprised" was an understatement, she knew all too well how fractured our family had become since Father's passing.
Guilt gnawed at her. She had been too busy with her duties to mend the broken pieces of our family.
Yet somehow, I had begun to put those pieces back together.
Relief washed over her.
As she looked down at me sitting so innocently on her lap, she couldn't resist reaching down and pinching my cheek.
'I really need to spend more time with my children,' she thought to herself.
Sitting there, I looked up at her. She stared back, lost in thought, a storm of feelings behind her eyes.
I wasn't a mind reader — but I could guess what was going through her heart.
"Mother," I said softly, "is there something bothering you?"
My question snapped her out of her thoughts. Seeing the genuine worry in my eyes, her heart warmed.
"No, I'm fine, Zeref. I'm just a little sleepy, that's all. You don't have to worry."
"Mother, you don't need to worry about us. We understand you're busy — and we don't blame you for it."
"We love you… no matter what."
I pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek and began patting her head like a parent comforting a child.
+1000 Affection Points
My words and actions brought a small smile to her lips — and then tears began to stream down her cheeks.
"Mother? Are you alright? Why are you crying? Did I do something wrong?" I asked with the innocence of a frightened child.
But instead of answering, she burst out laughing.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Then she pulled me into a tight embrace, and I was enveloped in her familiar scent of roses. After a moment, she looked at me with a playful smile.
"So… my little Zeref is trying to cheer up his mother, huh?"
"N-No! I just wanted to make you feel better because you looked sad!"
"Don't worry, I'm not angry at you," she chuckled.
We talked for a while after that. Eventually, she asked why I had come to see her, and I told her my wish — to go outside for some fresh air.
She agreed immediately.
Stepping Into the City
Minutes later, I was outside the mansion for the first time openly, accompanied by several guards and my maid, Tania.
We were dressed like ordinary townsfolk — this was meant to be a secret outing.
It was the first time I had truly seen the city in daylight.
The last time I had gone out, it was at night — and I hadn't paid much attention to my surroundings.
Now, I could finally see everything.
The streets were bustling with humans, elves, beastmen, and even a few demons mingling freely.
As the capital of a duchy, our city was breathtaking — its noble district radiated a kind of elegance rarely seen anywhere else.
The buildings resembled something closer to the modern era than an ancient one.
While there were no cars, telephones, or airplanes, the world of Megicula had developed in its own remarkable way.
Clean streets, lively cafés, amusement parks — everything was here.
And above all, the smiles of the people living their lives in peace.
I pulled my hood over my head as we strolled through the streets. At some point, we stumbled upon a crowded shop, with dozens of young men standing at its entrance. Some of them were clearly noble-born.
They clustered together like a flock of birds, craning their necks for a glimpse of something — or someone.
"Tania, what's going on over there? Why are so many people gathered around?" I asked curiously.
"Oh, that? That's just an archery shop," she replied.
"An archery shop? Then why are so many people standing outside?" I tilted my head like a clueless child.
"Well, young master, rumor has it that the shop owner is an extremely beautiful woman. That's why so many men come here."
"Why would they come here just because a beautiful woman owns the shop?" I asked innocently, staring straight into her eyes.
My question seemed to catch her off guard. She looked unsure how to respond.
"Young master… you'll understand when you're older."
"Oh… I see. Well then, let's go inside! I really want to see what's so special about this shop."