[ALICE'S PERSPECTIVE]

  It's been four years since I was reborn into this world.

  Four years of being trapped in this small body, learning to walk without stumbling, learning to speak without the words coming out garbled and childish. Four years of watching, listening, piecing together how this world works.

  And it's nothing like Earth.

  I spend most of my days wandering the mansion—exploring halls lined with enchanted portraits that sometimes move, libraries filled with books written in scripts I'm still learning to read, courtyards where knights practice with weapons that glow faintly with mana.

  Sometimes, with guards flanking me on both sides, I'm allowed to venture into the city below. Those trips are my favorite.

  The streets of Reinhart City are alive in ways I never experienced back home. Market stalls overflow with produce I don't recognize—fruits that shimmer with inner light, vegetables that hum softly when touched. Street performers conjure illusions for copper coins. Children chase each other through alleys, some of them already showing signs of magical talent—sparks jumping between their fingers, small gusts of wind following their laughter.

  And everywhere, I see it.

  Magic.

  Real, tangible magic woven into the fabric of daily life.

  I've learned a lot about this world just by listening and observing.

  Humans exist alongside other races—elves, beastmen, and dwarves—and each has their own territories and lands. The human race lives in the eastern continent called Osteria, which is divided into four kingdoms: the Kingdom of Hearts, the Kingdom of Spades, the Kingdom of Diamonds, and the Kingdom of Clover.

  Each kingdom has dukes who govern regions and maintain order, while the king serves as the central figure ruling over all of Osteria.

  I currently reside in the Kingdom of Hearts.

  My family—House Reinhart—is one of the major ducal families. We govern Reinhart City and its surrounding towns and villages from the castle that crowns the mountain's peak, overlooking everything below like a watchful guardian.

  It's beautiful here. Safe. Peaceful.

  The kind of place where you can actually breathe without worrying about what tomorrow brings.

  And this world contains magic—something I never would have imagined could be real, but here I am, living proof of it.

  I've been training in secret, trying to learn how to use mana. I've read every book in the library I could get my hands on, studied the diagrams and theories, tried to replicate the techniques described in dusty old tomes.

  But reading about it and doing it are completely different things.

  I can feel the mana inside me—a warm, bright presence sitting in my chest like a second heart. But controlling it? Making it do something?

  That's proving much harder than I thought.

  Every time I try to channel it, the energy surges too strongly, slipping through my mental grasp like trying to hold onto lightning. Once, I accidentally shattered a vase across the room when I got frustrated. Another time, light burst from my hands so brightly it left spots in my vision for hours.

  I need proper training. A teacher who actually knows what they're doing.

  A soft knock at the door pulls me from my thoughts.

  "Come in," I call out, already knowing who it is.

  Clara enters—one of the head maids, a kind woman in her thirties with warm brown eyes and graying hair tied back in a neat bun. She's been with the household since before I was born, and she's one of the few people here I feel truly comfortable around.

  "Come quickly! I want to hear new stories," I said to her, sitting up eagerly.

  Clara smiled, shaking her head fondly. "You know, Princess, you've grown up now and you still want to hear stories before going to bed?"

  "Yes! It's fun listening to stories from you," I insisted.

  She gave me that warm smile—the kind that makes you feel safe—and moved to sit on the edge of my bed.

  But instead of reaching for one of the storybooks on the shelf, she just... sat there. Empty-handed.

  I blinked. "You're not going to tell me a story from a book?"

  "Today," she said softly, "I'll tell you about a story that was passed down in my village. Honestly, it's more of a myth. It's not really written in books."

  My curiosity spiked immediately. "Whoa. A story that's not written in books? That's fascinating!"

  Clara's expression grew more serious, her voice taking on that tone adults use when they're about to tell you something important.

  "Thousands of years ago, there was once a monster who traveled across the world, destroying lands and bringing calamity wherever it went. It's said that during that time, elves, humans, beastmen, and dwarves gathered all their strength to stop it."

  She paused, letting the weight of the words settle.

  "The legend says this monster was capable of taking other creatures' abilities as its own. During that battle, nearly half the world was destroyed—or was going to be destroyed, if they hadn't stopped it."

  "No way. Half the world?" I stared at her, shocked. "That's... that's impossible, isn't it?"

  Clara nodded slowly. "That's what the legend claims. The monster was so powerful it managed to gather other strong monsters and make them work together. It led a war against humans, elves, beastmen, and dwarves."

  She leaned forward slightly, her voice dropping.

  "You know how monsters usually don't work together, right? Especially not different kinds. But this creature's strength was so terrifying that it united them. It gathered monsters capable of speech and intelligence, formed organized groups, and even the unintelligent creatures followed. They formed an army."

  A chill ran down my spine.

  An army of monsters. Led by something that could steal abilities.

  That's...

  I shook my head. Stories like this always sounded impossible until you remembered that magic is real and I'm literally living in a fantasy world.

  "Seeing the scale of the disaster approaching," Clara continued, "humans, elves, beastmen, and dwarves did something unprecedented—they formed an alliance. And after a long, brutal battle, they were able to defeat the monster."

  Her expression softened slightly.

  "In fact, Hero Fionn and the other great legendary heroes became famous during that battle."

  "That's incredible!" I said, relief washing over me. "Hero Fionn really was legendary from all the stories I've heard about him."

  Clara smiled. "He really was. Not only was he strong and noble, but it's said he never cared about titles. He spent his time with common people, went on adventures, and used his strength to protect those who couldn't protect themselves."

  I thought about that for a moment.

  A hero who didn't want glory. Just wanted to help people.

  That's... kind of beautiful, actually.

  But something didn't add up.

  "Wait," I said, frowning. "If this battle was so big—if it almost destroyed half the world—why isn't it recorded in books? Why is it just a legend?"

  Clara sighed, and something sad flickered in her eyes.

  "To be honest, we don't know. According to the tale, defeating the monster cost the heroes their lives as well. But here's the strange part—later stories say Hero Fionn died of sickness, not in battle. And the other legendary heroes of that era—Lúthien, the first Queen of the Elves, Alaric Felsung, the King of Beasts, and Dvalinn, the legendary dwarf—they all supposedly died of natural causes or illness too."

  She shook her head.

  "It doesn't make sense. Not to mention there are barely any stories passed down about monsters gathering as one and starting a war. Over time, it mostly became a legend used to elevate the heroes, not something people believe actually happened. In today's time, not many even know this mythical story exists."

  "That makes sense," I said slowly, thinking it through. "And they don't even know what type of monster led the army, right? Plus, it's impossible to take other people's magic. So it was probably just exaggerated over time."

  Clara nodded. "Yes. We don't know if magic capable of stealing other magic even exists, and we don't know what kind of creature it was supposed to be."

  She paused.

  "However... its name is recorded."

  The air seemed to grow heavier.

  "It was called Azi Dahaka. The King of Monsters."

  Silence settled between us like a physical weight.

  Azi Dahaka.

  The King of Monsters.

  The name echoed in my mind, and I couldn't help but feel a strange unease. Something about a creature that could steal abilities from others felt... wrong. Dangerous in a way that went beyond simple strength.

  Clara must have noticed my expression because she quickly added, "Don't worry. It's mostly a myth." She stood, brushing off her apron. "Also, it's getting late. You should sleep."

  "But—"

  "And wake up early," she continued, her tone shifting to something more cheerful. "Tomorrow, a teacher will come to teach you magic."

  I froze.

  "Wait. For real?"

  "Yes." Clara's smile widened. "And she's incredibly strong. In fact, she's an S-rank."

  "Whoa, for real?" My jaw dropped. "S-rank? That's incredible!"

  From what I'd learned, magic users and adventurers were divided into ranks: E-rank, D-rank, C-rank, B-rank, A-rank, and S-rank. There was one rank above that—Paladin—but usually only one person per race held that title. They served directly under their king or queen and were chosen from the strongest S-ranks.

  Stolen story; please report.

  As far as I knew, there were only four S-ranks in our entire kingdom.

  And one of them is coming here. Just to teach me.

  "Well," Clara said, clearly enjoying my reaction, "you've been trying to learn mana and magic on your own in secret, right? Your mother saw you practicing and told your father. They made arrangements."

  I felt my face heat up. "Haha... so you guys already knew I was trying to learn magic in secret."

  Of course they did. I should've known I couldn't hide anything from Mom.

  "Still," I said, fidgeting with the blanket, "you didn't have to make such big arrangements and call an S-rank just for me to learn magic. I could've asked the knights for help. Or Mom and Dad could've taught me."

  Clara shook her head. "The mage was already going to be here for a month on other business. Your parents decided it would be a good opportunity for you to learn from someone at that level. Don't be nervous."

  Then her smile turned slightly mischievous.

  "In fact, I feel a bit bad for you. She's... eccentric, to say the least. Anyway, make sure you wake up early tomorrow. You'll need to greet her properly."

  "Hey, what do you mean by that?" I asked, suddenly suspicious.

  "You'll see tomorrow." She moved toward the door. "Now go to sleep."

  She's definitely making fun of me.

  The door clicked shut, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

  I lay back against the pillows, staring up at the ceiling.

  Tomorrow my training starts.

  An S-rank is going to teach me.

  I wonder what kind of person she is.

  Excitement and nervousness warred in my chest.

  How come this family doesn't tell me about big events until the last minute? Now I can't sleep.

  I closed my eyes, trying to calm my racing thoughts.

  But sleep was a long time coming.

  Morning arrived too quickly.

  Ah, I'm already late!

  I'd been told to be present in the throne room to greet my new teacher, but I'd overslept—too anxious to fall asleep, and then too deeply asleep once I finally managed it.

  I scrambled out of bed, hastily changed into a proper dress, and ran.

  The halls blurred past me as I sprinted toward the throne room, my heart pounding.

  Please don't let me be too late. Please don't let me embarrass myself in front of an S-rank—

  I burst through the double doors, breathing hard.

  The throne room was vast and imposing—high vaulted ceilings, marble floors, banners bearing the Reinhart crest hanging from the walls. My parents sat on their thrones at the far end, with advisors standing in neat rows on either side.

  And in the middle of the room stood a figure.

  Everyone turned to look at me.

  "Oh, there she is! My precious Elena!" my mother said warmly, her voice echoing through the chamber.

  Every eye in the room shifted to me, and I felt my face burn with embarrassment.

  The figure in the middle turned around.

  White hair cascading down to her shoulders. Violet eyes that seemed to glow faintly in the light. Tall—maybe mid-twenties—with an expression that was equal parts amused and... predatory?

  She looked at me like a cat that had just found a particularly interesting mouse.

  I quickly straightened and bowed. "G-good morning. I apologize for being late."

  The woman walked toward me slowly, her boots clicking against the marble floor with deliberate precision.

  "So this is your daughter, huh, Reinhart?" she said, addressing my father without looking away from me. "I heard she has over 900 mana. Impressive."

  She stopped directly in front of me.

  And then I felt it.

  The air grew dense. Heavy. An invisible pressure pressed down on me from all sides, making it hard to breathe. My knees nearly buckled under the weight of it.

  This is... her mana?

  She looked down at me the way someone might look at an ant they were deciding whether or not to step on.

  "Since I'll be teaching you for a month," she said, her smile widening, "I hope you don't die."

  What.

  Before I could process that sentence—before I could even react—she grabbed me by the collar and lifted me off the ground like I weighed nothing.

  "Well then, Reinhart," she said cheerfully, completely ignoring my flailing, "I'll be taking your daughter to train in the mountains for the month. Hope you don't mind."

  What?!

  WHAT?!

  I looked desperately at my parents.

  My father finally looked up from his discussion with the advisors. For a brief moment, his crimson eyes met mine—and I saw something there. Not concern. Not worry.

  Trust.

  He nodded once, almost imperceptibly. "She'll be fine with you."

  The white-haired woman smiled slightly. "Of course she will."

  My mother waved at me cheerfully. "Work hard, Elena! We'll see you in a month!"

  A MONTH?!

  The woman turned and started walking toward the door, still holding me by my collar like a piece of luggage.

  I looked back at Clara, who was standing near the wall with the other servants.

  She gave me a sympathetic smile and mouthed: I warned you. Good luck.

  Oh.

  Oh no.

  I think I understand what she meant by 'eccentric' now.

  As we passed through the doorway and into the grand hallway, the woman finally glanced down at me with those unsettling violet eyes.

  "Stop squirming," she said. "You're making this harder than it needs to be."

  "You're carrying me by my collar!" I protested.

  "Would you prefer I carry you over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes?"

  "I'd prefer to walk!"

  She considered this for a moment, then shrugged and set me down.

  I stumbled slightly, catching my balance, and looked up at her.

  Up close, she was even more intimidating. Tall—at least six feet—with an athletic build that spoke of someone who'd spent years in combat. Her white hair was tied back in a loose ponytail, and her violet eyes seemed to see right through me.

  She wore practical traveling clothes—reinforced leather armor over a dark tunic, boots that looked worn from use, and a single short sword strapped to her hip. No staff. No obvious magical focus.

  She doesn't need one, I realized. She's strong enough to use magic without a medium.

  "By the way," she said casually, starting to walk down the hall at a brisk pace, "my name is Celeste. Try to remember it—you'll be screaming it a lot over the next month."

  I had to jog to keep up with her long strides. "Screaming it? What exactly are you planning to do to me?!"

  "Train you." She didn't look back. "Your parents said you've been practicing magic in secret. Shattering vases. Accidentally blinding yourself with light bursts. Very inefficient."

  How does she know about that?!

  "I wasn't—I mean, I was just experimenting—"

  "Experimentation without guidance is how you blow up half a city block." She finally glanced down at me. "You have over 900 mana. Do you know what that means?"

  I nodded hesitantly. "It's... a lot?"

  "It's enormous. That kind of power without control is a weapon." Her violet eyes bored into mine. "And right now, you're a weapon that doesn't know which direction it's pointing."

  She stopped walking and crouched down to my eye level.

  "Your parents asked me to teach you because they know that. They trust me to make sure you don't accidentally hurt yourself or anyone else."

  I swallowed hard. "And the mountains?"

  A slow smile spread across her face. "Can't exactly practice explosive light magic in a populated city, now can we? The mountains give us space. Privacy. And plenty of monsters for practical experience."

  Monsters?!

  "Don't worry," she said, standing up and ruffling my hair like I was a pet. "I'll keep you mostly alive."

  "Mostly?!"

  She laughed—a genuine, almost musical sound—and started walking again.

  "Come on, little light mage. We've got supplies to pack and a long journey ahead of us."

  I stood there for a moment, processing everything.

  This is really happening.

  I'm going to train with an S-rank mage in the mountains for a month.

  With monsters.

  Part of me was terrified.

  But another part—the part that had been frustrated with my inability to control my magic, the part that wanted to be useful in this world—felt a spark of excitement.

  I ran after Celeste, my small legs working double-time to keep up.

  "Wait! What kind of monsters?!"

  "The kind that'll teach you real quick why accuracy matters more than raw power!"

  I'm definitely going to die.