"Looking for romance novels?" asked a young clerk, approaching with light steps. "Our romance section is one of the most popular in the store. We have titles for all ages!"
"Ah… well…" The black-haired boy lifted his gaze, offering a smile that looked more confused than polite, as if he were trying to imitate the correct expression.
"Do you have any specific book in mind?"
"Something popular among teenagers, maybe? It's a gift for my sister."
"For your sister! Got it! In that case… how about The Brightest Star?"
The clerk walked a few steps ahead, motioning for him to follow through aisles overflowing with colorful covers. He led him to a themed corner decorated with galaxies, shimmering flowers, and dozens of copies featuring the mystical illustration of a blonde girl holding stars as if they were part of her body.
"This one's our bestseller. Even though it ended last year with six volumes, it just won't stop selling! By the way, sir… what's your name?"
The black-haired boy picked up one of the books, flipping through it without real interest. Maybe he didn't think it was appropriate?
"You can call me Edi." He met the clerk's eyes as he closed the volume. "Sir, could you summarize the story for me? I'm terrible with romance novels, haha."
The laugh sounded perfect—but empty.
"Of course, Edi! To put it simply, the story follows a young orphan named Aria, known for her rare power, The Brightest Star. With it, she defeats monsters that emerge from the realm of Lysgard to devastate the territory of Dante, in the Avennor Empire. In the end, Aria awakens the powers of an ancient sun goddess from Lysgard, bringing peace between the two empires that were at war. That war was led by General Cael, who betrayed Dante after Aria refused to marry him."
"Wow, that's so cheesy."
Edi's gentle smile widened, his voice suddenly brightening.
"I actually summarized it a lot!" the clerk laughed nervously. "Sure, the premise is cliché, but the worldbuilding and the romances make everything feel so… fluid! Do you want to see a video that explains the world?"
Edi tilted his face up.
"Well… why not?"
***
Seated in the multimedia area, in front of a large TV, Edi contrasted sharply with the cluster of teenagers around him. They vibrated, whispered, eagerly waiting for the video—while he looked like a misplaced shadow in a room full of bright colors.
"Oh, it's starting…"
On the screen, a cheerful blond anime-styled girl appeared. She wore elegant armor—closer to theatrical gladiator cosplay than anything used in real combat—but it matched the fantasy aesthetic.
"Hi! I'm Aria Lyath, and today I'll explain everything about the world of The Brightest Star!"
"Honestly, don't turn this into another show, will you?"
A man with silver hair and red eyes entered the frame, authoritarian posture, polished medals gleaming on his chest.
"Oh, Cael! I'm so glad you're here!"
Edi glanced around. The girls' reactions were immediate: gasps, swoons, squeals for the silver-haired character. He inhaled deeply, annoyed by the mismatch—how out of place was he here?
Aria pointed at the camera.
"Hey, you! Ready? Because our world is way bigger than it looks!"
Cael sighed, folding his arms behind her. His shadow formed a rigid, military backdrop.
A massive map appeared.
"The world of The Brightest Star is divided into four continents: Prímalei, Soltharia, Vorn, and Brumhildor!" Aria explained, hopping between regions.
The camera zoomed in on the border between two major territories.
"And here in Soltharia we have two great empires: the Avennor Empire—home of elemental mages—and Lysgard, known for its armies of manipulators and alchemists!"
"In Lysgard, there are lots of tourist spots!"
Aria showed illustrations of its crystalline forests and glowing temples.
Cael appeared beside the drawing, adjusting a medal.
"You forgot to mention the unbearable heat. But their alchemists are efficient…"
Aria ignored him and pointed to the opposite side of the map.
"And over here… the Avennor Empire!"
The lights dimmed into darker tones. Cael dominated the screen like he owned it.
"Land of clerics and elemental mages."
Images of the place flashed by—bright, lively, completely at odds with Cael's strict demeanor.
"And grumpy generals" Aria teased.
"Correction: efficient generals."
The girls behind Edi sighed with enough force to drain oxygen from the room.
"And now… the part everyone's been waiting for! The power system!"
Cael stepped in slowly, like a living shadow.
"We have five Orders. Let's begin with the Primary Order: the Elemental Mages."
Aria appeared with a tiny wolf made of flames perched on her shoulder.
"These are the mages who control nature's elements and the spirits within it! Water, fire, wind, earth… even spiritual animals! Their power comes from their bond with the living world!"
Cael glanced at the flaming wolf, unimpressed.
"I'm not fond of little critters."
The wolf growled. Cael simply raised an eyebrow and continued.
"We also have the Vital Order—the Energy Manipulators."
Golden energy streamed from Aria's hands.
"They manipulate life energy from everything around them! They can transfer energy from one person to another, from objects to spells, or drain and amplify power!"
Aria added carefully:
"Most of them aren't that strong, so they become dangerous strategists. But a single high-ranking Vitae mage can wipe out an entire army without touching a sword."
The lights flickered behind Cael, as if being sucked in by his presence.
"And then we have the Hermetic Order—the Alchemists and Purifiers!"
Aria appeared in a mystical lab, grinding herbs that glowed like crushed stars.
"These users create their own magic! They mix herbs, essences, catalysts to craft enchantments, potions, even magical tools! Some can even… well…"
Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper.
"…almost bring someone back from the brink of death!"
Cael frowned.
"Almost. Anything beyond that usually ends in a 'press F' situation."
A flask in Aria's hands exploded in blue smoke. She coughed, smiling.
"Oops—happens all the time! Haha!"
Cael stepped forward.
"The Pactbound Order houses Contract Users."
The lights went out. A magic circle opened beneath him, and silhouettes—demonic, celestial, bestial—rose behind him.
Aria trembled.
"These are the Pactbound! Individuals who make contracts with ancient beings, spirits, demons, legendary creatures—anything beyond our understanding!"
Cael tilted his head slightly.
"They range from weak spirits to the strongest entities. Pact Users tend not to live long. And broken contracts usually… cause headaches for everyone involved."
Huge eyes appeared behind him. Aria hid behind a floating torch.
"Y-yep! Totally worth it if you're chosen… maybe a bit dangerous if you can't negotiate!"
The music faded. The background became a vast star-filled void.
Aria appeared with divine-like radiance in her eyes.
"And lastly, the Celestial Order of Astral Mages!"
A slightly smug smile crossed her face.
"These are the rarest—those who receive power from the stars, moons, constellations, eclipses, even cosmic events happening billions of miles away!"
Cael closed his eyes, voice low.
"They say such powers only arise in reincarnations of ancient entities. They are so rare that information is scarce."
Aria smiled at the camera.
"Powers like these can change the fate of the world… or almost destroy it."
The glow behind her intensified until it filled the screen. Cael raised a hand to soften the light.
Aria spun in midair as each Order's symbol shone.
"And that, travelers, is our magic system!"
She beamed. "Five incredible, complex, mysterious—and dangerous—Orders!"
Cael appeared beside her, fixing his cape.
"If you plan on entering our world, memorize these differences well." His voice was indifferent. "You never know how you'll die later."
Aria pushed his arm down, laughing.
"Don't mind him! Thank you for watching, and remember…"
The image froze on Aria's star-lit face.
"Even the smallest spark can become… the brightest star!" ✨
The screen faded with a soft chime.
"Uh…" Edi ran a hand over his face, looking around.
He was the only one still seated.
"Did I seriously get invested in this nonsense?"
"Mr. Edi, what did you think of the universe explanation?"
"Honestly… Even though the names are all clichés, it seems pretty…"
With a sudden jump that knocked over the folding chair, Edi grabbed the clerk's hands.
"Pretty, REALLY pretty cool!"
"I knew you'd like it! How many volumes will you take?"
"How many do you have?"
His eyes sparkled with frightening intensity.
***
"Sir… why does your money have brown stains on it? Is that blood?"
"Oh, it's not blood. It's brown paint! I'm a painter, haha!"
"But…"
"Can you wrap everything nicely and add a dedication? And one of those fancy ribbons? I also want white flowers—the same from the theme area. Doable?"
His smile grew even brighter.
"S-sure… What's your sister's name?"
Edi seemed to light up from within.
"Yano. You can write 'sweeetie yaaaano'. She'll get super popular if she starts reading this and talking about it, right?!"
And the clerk realized, in that instant, something revealed only when the name was spoken: Among all the gentle expressions that boy showed… the only one truly human was the smile he had when talking about his sister.