Morning fog drifted across the valley like a slow-moving river.
The lands of House Alderheim rested near the southern frontier of the Kingdom of Valtheria, where civilization slowly gave way to untamed wilderness. From the balcony of the manor, the world stretched wide and quiet—rolling wheat fields swaying like golden waves beneath the wind.
To the west stood the Eldergreen Forest.
Ancient trees formed a dense wall of emerald that swallowed sunlight. Few villagers traveled deep into it without armed escort.
Because inside that forest lived creatures older than the kingdom itself.
Monsters.
Not every monster was violent. Some were merely animals touched by mana, while others possessed intelligence rivaling humans.
But some…
Were pure calamities.
Takemi leaned against the balcony railing, watching the fog dissolve beneath the rising sun.
He was now six years old.
Though his body was still that of a child, his mind had already adapted to this new world. The memories of his previous life no longer felt strange; instead, they had become something like a distant dream.
Still…
One thing from his past remained constant.
His instincts.
Takemi tossed a small apple into the air.
Then—
His arm snapped forward.
The apple launched across the courtyard like a cannonball.
It struck a wooden fence with a loud THUD, embedding itself halfway into the timber.
Takemi stared.
"…Yeah."
"Still ridiculous."
Behind him, a calm voice spoke.
"Your throwing form is improving, young master."
Takemi turned.
Butler Cedric stood nearby, holding a silver tray with a teapot.
Takemi scratched his head.
"…I thought you said I needed control."
Cedric nodded.
"And you do."
He poured tea calmly.
"But natural talent should never be suppressed."
Takemi sat at the small balcony table.
Steam rose gently from the teacup.
For a moment the world felt peaceful.
Then Takemi asked a question.
"Cedric… what exactly is magic?"
Cedric raised an eyebrow.
"An ambitious question for a morning tea."
Takemi shrugged.
"Well… everyone keeps talking about mana."
Cedric set the teapot down.
"Very well."
He gestured toward the valley.
"Everything in this world contains mana."
Takemi blinked.
"Everything?"
Cedric nodded.
"The air."
"The earth."
"The water."
"Even living beings."
He continued.
"Mana is the invisible energy that sustains the world."
"Magicians simply learn how to shape it."
Takemi leaned forward.
"So spells are just… controlled mana?"
Cedric smiled slightly.
"Precisely."
Later that day, Takemi followed Cedric into the manor's library.
The room smelled of old paper and cedar wood.
Tall bookshelves lined the walls, filled with histories of the kingdom, monster records, and magical theory.
Cedric opened a thin book.
"This is the most basic concept taught at the Royal Magic Academy."
Takemi's eyes lit up.
"That's the school I go to when I'm ten, right?"
"Yes."
Cedric placed a crystal on the table.
"This is a mana crystal."
The crystal glowed faintly blue.
"Mana naturally gathers in certain minerals."
Takemi reached toward it.
The moment his fingers touched the crystal—
The glow intensified.
Cedric's eyebrow twitched.
"…Interesting."
Takemi blinked.
"Did I break it?"
"No."
Cedric studied the crystal.
"It seems your body naturally resonates with mana."
Takemi remembered the God of Life again.
Five times stronger.
Maybe that included mana sensitivity.
Cedric continued explaining.
"Magic is divided into several schools."
He raised his fingers.
"Elemental Magic."
"Fire, water, wind, earth."
"Enhancement Magic."
"Strengthening the body."
"Summoning Magic."
"Calling creatures from other realms."
Takemi's eyes widened.
"Summoning monsters?"
"Yes."
"But only trained magicians attempt it."
Cedric's voice became serious.
"Some creatures should never be summoned."
Takemi tilted his head.
"…Like what?"
Cedric closed the book slowly.
"Demons."
The word hung heavy in the quiet room.
A few days later, Takemi walked with his father along the outer farmland.
Workers were reinforcing wooden barriers near the forest edge.
Takemi pointed toward the trees.
"Are monsters in there?"
Lord Harland nodded.
"Many."
He crouched beside Takemi and drew shapes in the dirt.
"In this world, monsters follow a natural hierarchy."
He drew a small circle.
"Lesser beasts."
"Goblin."
"Wolf-type monsters."
"Slimes."
Then a larger circle.
"Mid-level monsters."
"Ogres."
"Trolls."
"Wyverns."
Takemi's eyes widened.
Then his father drew the largest circle.
"Calamity-class monsters."
He paused.
"Dragons."
Takemi felt a chill.
"Are dragons really that strong?"
His father smiled faintly.
"Dragons are not simply monsters."
"They are ancient rulers of the sky."
Some dragons could destroy entire cities.
Some were said to possess intelligence greater than kings.
And some…
Were rumored to speak human language.
Takemi looked toward the clouds.
Somewhere beyond the mountains…
A dragon might be flying right now.
That afternoon Takemi wandered near the orchard again.
He found a fallen branch.
Instinctively, he gripped it like a baseball bat.
"Let's test something…"
He tossed a rock upward.
Then swung.
CRACK
The rock exploded midair.
Fragments scattered across the grass.
Takemi stared.
"…Okay."
"That's new."
Cedric, watching from the distance, sighed quietly.
"Five times stronger may have been an understatement…"
Takemi swung the branch again.
The air itself made a whistling sound.
If that strike hit a person…
It would be devastating.
Takemi lowered the branch slowly.
"…I really need training."
Cedric nodded.
"Which is exactly why you must attend Magic Academy."
"Strength without knowledge is dangerous."
Takemi looked toward the distant horizon.
Beyond those hills…
A larger world waited.
Cities.
Guilds.
Adventurers.
Magic.
And the boy who would one day become his greatest rival.
Rauk.
Takemi clenched his fist.
"Ten years old can't come soon enough."
That night the Alderheim family sat beside the fireplace.
The wind outside rattled the windows.
Takemi's mother read quietly while Lord Harland drank warm wine.
Takemi asked suddenly.
"Father… have you ever seen a dragon?"
The room fell silent.
Harland leaned back slowly.
"Once."
Takemi's eyes widened.
"When I was young."
"It flew far above the mountains."
Its wings had blocked the sun.
Its roar echoed across the valleys.
And for a moment…
Every living creature had frozen in fear.
Harland looked at Takemi seriously.
"If you ever see a dragon…"
"Run."
Takemi nodded slowly.
But deep inside his chest…
A strange excitement burned.
Because he had a feeling.
Someday…
Running wouldn't be an option.