When we entered the palace, the first thing that struck us was the light.
Everything shimmered.
The walls were decorated with intricate carvings that looked as if they had been etched by flowing water rather than chisels. Gold-lined patterns reflected the sunlight pouring through tall windows, scattering it into soft beams that filled the halls with warmth. The floors were polished so perfectly that we could see our reflections beneath our feet.
It didn't feel like a place where people lived.
It felt like stepping inside a story.
Lucas leaned closer to me and whispered, "Are we… allowed to walk here?"
"I don't think anyone like us ever has," I muttered back.
But before we could admire anything else, two guards suddenly stepped in front of us.
"Stop."
Their voices were firm. Not rude—just cautious.
Behind them stood the captain of the guard, a tall man with sharp eyes that seemed to see through everything.
He stared at us longer than necessary.
"There is… something strange," he said slowly. "An unusual aura. It feels like… a monster."
Lucas stiffened.
I felt it too.
They were sensing Mirei.
Without moving my lips, I whispered, "Mirei… please do something."
There was a small pause.
Then the captain suddenly blinked, looked around, and frowned.
"…My apologies. It seems I was mistaken."
The pressure disappeared.
We were allowed to pass.
Lucas exhaled loudly. "That was close…"
Because of the delay, we ended up at the very back of the line as we followed the others deeper into the palace.
Eventually, we were led downstairs into a large underground chamber.
At the center of the room stood a single object.
A crystal.
It wasn't very big—about the size of a human head—but it glowed faintly, like a heartbeat frozen into light.
I scratched my head.
"Hey… Lucas. What is that crystal for?"
"How would I know, man?"
"You never know anything."
"Why are you always attacking me?!"
We kept whisper-fighting while waiting. There were hundreds of children ahead of us, each stepping forward one by one to touch the crystal.
The process was slow.
Very slow.
By the time it was almost our turn, the princess sighed softly.
"I'm afraid I have reached my limit for today. Channeling energy into the crystal is exhausting."
Lucas raised his hand immediately.
"…So what about us?"
She smiled gently.
"You two may stay in the guest room tonight."
I blinked.
"…Really? You're giving us permission to stay here?"
"Of course. It is partly our fault you had to wait until last."
Lucas grinned. "Now that's what I'm talking about."
We were guided upstairs to a quiet guest chamber.
The beds were soft.
Too soft.
I sat down and immediately bounced.
"…I think I'm going to sink into this."
Lucas flopped backward dramatically. "If this is a dream, don't wake me up."
We were just about to sleep when—
Knock knock.
The door opened, and the queen herself stood there.
"Before you sleep, come eat."
I froze.
"…But we're just villagers. Are we allowed to eat there?"
"My daughter invited you," she replied calmly. "So you are welcome."
When we entered the dining hall…
We stopped walking.
The table was enormous.
Covered.
Absolutely covered.
There were dishes we didn't even recognize. Roasted meats glazed with shining sauce. Fresh bread that still steamed. Fruits cut into shapes like flowers. Sweet scents filled the air so strongly it almost made us dizzy.
I whispered, "Lucas… this is real, right?"
"I… I don't believe my eyes."
Still unsure, I asked again, "Are we really allowed to eat this?"
Princess Tamar laughed softly.
"Don't be shy. Eat as much as you want."
That was all the permission we needed.
"THIS IS AMAZING!" I shouted after the first bite.
Lucas nearly cried. "I've never eaten anything this good!"
Realizing we were yelling, I quickly bowed my head. "S-Sorry for the noise!"
Tamar just smiled. "They're adorable."
We immediately looked down, embarrassed.
At the end of the day…
We were still just kids.
But for the first time since arriving in this world, we felt something we hadn't felt in a long time.
Safe.
Happy.
The next morning, we returned to the crystal chamber.
Now it was our turn.
I placed my hand on the crystal first.
It flashed—
Red.
Lucas jumped. "Why is it glowing red?!"
Tamar nodded. "You possess the Fire Element."
"…Is that good?"
"All elements are equal," she explained. "What matters is how the user grows."
Lucas scratched his head. "That's kind of weird."
"Growth defines strength," she replied simply. "Now, Zeus. Your turn."
I suddenly felt nervous.
She had said my name directly.
I stepped forward and touched the crystal.
This time—
The light turned black.
Lucas blinked. "…Why is yours dark?"
Tamar watched carefully.
"Darkness Element," she said. "Interesting… very interesting. It seems we can expect much from both of you."
Hearing that made my chest feel warm.
We had been looked down on so much yesterday.
Now someone believed in us.
After leaving the palace, we rented a small inn for one day to rest.
That's when Mirei finally spoke again.
"In this world, age restrictions disappear after five years old. Each kingdom has different customs, but strength is respected everywhere."
Lucas asked, "So what kind of element do you use?"
"I belong to poison-based beings," she answered. "Humans do not possess this element. It belongs to monsters and certain creatures."
I leaned forward immediately. "Tell us more about monsters!"
"Yeah," Lucas added. "We want to know."
Mirei paused, then began explaining.
"There are many monsters in this world, but most are divided into two major groups: those born of the Underworld, and those belonging to the forests. I was born in the Underworld… but raised in the forest."
She continued quietly.
"There are many beings you should never trust. That is why I will remain beside you. As long as I am here, no one will harm you."
Lucas tilted his head. "It's still kind of strange. A monster traveling with humans."
"I never interacted with humans before," Mirei admitted. "But you defeated me… and then gave me a name."
Lucas suddenly shouted, "WAIT! We forgot to pick up the daggers!"
We jumped to our feet.
"Let's go now!" I said.
"Don't go without me," Mirei warned.
"Yeah, yeah—hurry!"
We rushed back to the blacksmith.
The daggers were ready.
At first glance, they looked ordinary.
Not flashy.
Not heavy.
But when I picked one up—
It felt weightless.
Like holding air.
Lucas frowned. "What can they do?"
The blacksmith smirked.
"They are extremely fast. Hard to break. And if you press the base of the handle…"
We did.
A small panel slid open.
Inside, glowing letters appeared.
Lucas stared. "…What is this?"
"Only strong weapons possess growth systems," the blacksmith explained. "Use them. Swing them. Fight with them. The more you wield them, the more they evolve. Eventually, you will unlock their abilities."
The words inside the panel even changed slightly as we held them.
As if responding to us.
We looked at each other, grinning.
We had real weapons now.
Weapons that could grow with us.
That night, we returned to the inn.
It had been a long day.
A strange day.
A good day.
We lay on our beds, staring at the ceiling.
"…A lot happened," Lucas said.
"Yeah."
"We got elements."
"Weapons."
"Information."
"And food," Lucas added seriously.
I laughed.
Outside, the city was quiet.
Tomorrow, we would finally leave it behind.
Tomorrow, our journey would truly begin.
We didn't know what waited for us.
But for now—
We closed our eyes, holding onto the feeling of this peaceful day.
Because starting tomorrow…
Everything would change.