In the quiet, grand hall of the Cross family's main mansion, the air was still, save for the soft crackle of a fireplace. The windows framed the afternoon sun, casting warm light across the polished floor.
Seated in a high-backed chair of dark wood, the patriarch of House Cross — a man of broad shoulders and sharp eyes, streaks of silver in his dark hair — listened as Darius finished his report.
Darius stood before him, one knee slightly bent, his head lowered in a respectful bow.
The patriarch's fingers drummed once on the armrest. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth, and a soft chuckle escaped him.
"Oh? That frail boy did that?" he said, his voice deep, edged with both amusement and curiosity. His gaze drifted toward the window, as if trying to picture it.
"That Adrian?"
Darius nodded, straightening slightly but still respectful.
"Yes, patriarch."
The patriarch leaned back, the smirk now a full smile.
"Interesting..." he murmured, the light in his eyes brightening. That boy might not be as fragile as we thought.
The patriarch's smirk deepened as he leaned his cheek against his hand, eyes half-lidded, thoughtful.
"Let him do as he pleases... for now," he said softly, watching the flames in the hearth dance. Just a little more time before his mother realizes his talent...
His voice trailed off into a chuckle, one filled with both affection and anticipation.
Across from him, Darius swallowed hard, a drop of sweat trailing down his temple.
"Y-Yes, patriarch," Darius replied, his voice steady — but just barely.
The patriarch's sharp gaze flicked to him, the amusement clear in his expression.
"Oh? Darius... are you that afraid of my wife?" he teased, his smirk growing wider.
Darius stiffened, his ears burning red.
"N-No! Of course not, my lord..." he said quickly, trying to compose himself.
But the patriarch's laugh echoed warmly through the hall.
"It's alright, Darius," he said, his tone light. "That's just how she is when it comes to our son."
The tension eased as Darius allowed himself a small smile, but in his heart he knew — the lady of the house's fury was no small thing.
Morning sunlight streamed gently through the tall windows of Adrian's room, casting warm golden stripes across the floor. The soft rays crept onto his small bed, finally reaching his face.
Adrian stirred, his lashes fluttering as his eyes blinked open. He let out a little groan, trying to sit up—
"Ah—ow..."
His body ached. His tiny arms, his back, even his fingers — all of them felt sore, like he'd lifted mountains instead of swinging a small hammer.
Why does it hurt this much... Adrian thought, wincing as he rubbed his arm.
Then, that familiar voice echoed in his mind — the voice of his strange new companion.
「That's normal, you know.」
「You made your first artifact, after all. Even a simple item strains your body at this stage.」
Adrian let out a small sigh, flopping back against his pillow.
"Geez... I didn't think crafting would hurt this much," he muttered.
But before he could grumble further, the system's voice chimed in again — this time sounding a bit smug.
「Reward granted: +20 RP.」
Adrian blinked, confusion in his still-sleepy eyes.
"RP...? What's RP supposed to be...?"
The system almost seemed to chuckle in his head.
「RP — short for Recruitment Points. You'll use those for gacha-style Summoning.」
Adrian tilted his head, curiosity overpowering his soreness.
"Gacha? Summoning...?"
「Exactly. The higher your RP, the better the list of items, creatures, or allies you can summon. Don't worry — I'll help you earn more.」
The voice sounded confident, almost like it was excited for him.
Adrian sighed again but smiled faintly as he stared at the ceiling.
"Summoning, huh... this is getting kinda fun."
Outside, the mansion stirred with morning life — but for now, Adrian lay there, plotting his next move.
Adrian's small hand rested over his chest as he lay there, eyes glinting with curiosity. The soreness of his body was forgotten for a moment, replaced by a sense of wonder.
He took a quiet breath, and in the softest whisper, he said:
"Activate Summoning..."
Suddenly —
「Summoning menu activated.」
Before his eyes, a translucent screen of pale blue light appeared. Rows upon rows of glowing icons unfolded — categories neatly labeled:
✨ Weapons
✨ Items
✨ Materials
✨ Skills
✨ Monsters
And as he stared, he noticed something odd — next to the Monsters category was a symbol: a small pink ♀ icon.
Adrian tilted his head, cheeks puffing a little in confusion.
Only female?
Shrugging, his curiosity got the better of him. He tapped on Monsters — and the screen shifted, showing him the cost.
「300 RP required for one spin.」
Adrian's eyes widened.
"W-What?! Why's it so expensive?!" he whispered, feeling his heart sink.
The system's voice replied, as if amused by his shock.
「Because they're all powerful monsters, of course. You're lucky it's just 300 RP — a bargain, really.」
Adrian pouted slightly, his small fingers scrolling back.
"Hmph... fine. Let's see something cheaper."
He clicked on Skills.
In an instant, another list unfolded — endless rows of skills, their costs ranging from 5 RP all the way to 500 RP.
Adrian's eyes sparkled at the sight of so many possibilities.
"I'll just go for 5 RP for now..." he whispered, cautious but excited.
And there it was — a flood of skill names, too many to count, all priced at 5 RP. His finger hovered, ready to explore this new world.
Adrian's small finger hovered nervously over the Spin button. His heart raced, and without thinking, he pressed his palms together like he was about to pray.
"Please... give me something cool... please..." he whispered, eyes shut tight, lips trembling in hope.
「Spin activated.」
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding-ding-ding!
A bright, colorful wheel spun on the blue screen, the sound echoing in his mind like a cheap carnival game.
As it spun, the system's voice chimed in — amused and just a little mocking.
「Praying's not gonna help you, bud.」
Adrian opened one eye, cheeks puffed in frustration.
"H-Hey, let me hope a little..."
Finally — the wheel slowed, clicking from one section to the next until it stopped.
「Skill acquired: Hinoko.」(Flying Ember)
A new window appeared, glowing softly as the system gave its detailed explanation:
「Hinoko — A basic flame skill. Releases a small spray of weak sparks in a cone shape. Effective at close range to startle enemies, ignite dry materials, or light small fires. Low damage. Low mana cost. Can be cast repeatedly with minimal strain.」
「Note: Not suitable for combat against strong foes. Utility-type flame skill.」
Adrian stared at the description, blinking.
"S-Spray of weak sparks...?" he muttered, feeling a bit deflated.
The system spoke again, this time sounding like it was holding back a laugh.
「Do you want to save this skill to your list?」
Adrian let out a breath, then nodded slowly.
"Yeah... yeah, save it. I... I can use it in other situations," he said, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. His mind already raced through ideas: starting campfires, blinding enemies, burning ropes...
His lips curled into a small, confident smile.
"Weak or not, I'll make it useful."
Adrian stared at the glowing Spin button again. His finger hovered just above it — trembling slightly.
Should I... or should I not...
His lips pressed into a tiny line, cheeks puffed out in determination but also doubt. His brows furrowed in that cute, serious way a child would when trying to decide between two candies.
His small hand drew back a little.
What if it's another weak one?
Adrian gulped, heart beating fast. He clenched his eyes shut, scrunching his nose as if bracing for impact.
"Okay... here goes nothing..."
His finger tapped the button.
「Spin activated.」
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding-ding-ding!
The wheel lit up with colors again, spinning fast — reds, blues, greens flashing by in a blur. The sound rang out, like bells at a festival, echoing in his head.
Adrian peeked through one eye, watching anxiously as the wheel began to slow.
Click... click... click...
The pointer stopped — the screen pulsed gently.
「Skill acquired: Mana Breath.」
The system's calm voice followed, delivering the full description as the letters appeared neatly before him:
「Mana Breath — A slow, steady breathing technique that helps the user recover a small amount of mana over time. Can be used while resting or in light activity. Extremely low risk of strain. Effective for beginners learning to manage their mana flow.」
Adrian's eyes widened, sparkling like jewels.
"That's... that's actually super helpful!" he said, his tiny fists clenched in excitement.
Without hesitation, he grinned and tapped the confirm button.
"I'll save it!!"
Just as he basked in the glow of his second skill, a soft voice called from outside his room:
"Young Master Adrian, it's time for your breakfast."
Adrian froze.
"Wah?!"
His mouth opened, but only strange, scrambled sounds came out — a mix between a squeak and gibberish. His face turned pink with embarrassment.
"Y-Y-Yeah! I'm going!" he called out, flustered, quickly sitting up and trying to smooth his messy hair.
After a few moments of gathering himself, Adrian took a deep breath, patting down his hair one last time. He opened his door slowly and stepped out into the hallway, his small feet making soft taps on the polished floor.
He wore a neat, miniature suit — black with silver embroidery, a crisp white shirt beneath, and tiny polished shoes that clicked adorably with each step. The jacket was a little big at the sleeves, making him look even cuter as he walked with determination.
As Adrian descended the grand staircase, the morning sunlight streaming through the tall windows lit him up like a little prince.
Down below, the maids who were busy tidying up looked up — and gasped softly.
"Kyaah~! Young Master Adrian...!" one of them squealed under her breath, clasping her hands together.
Another maid leaned to whisper, her cheeks flushed:
"So adorable... he already knows how to dress himself without our help?!"
But that wasn't all — at the foot of the stairs, the old butler, a thin, silver-haired man with kind eyes, watched as tears welled up in his wrinkled eyes.
"Young... Young Master Adrian..." he choked out, his voice trembling with emotion.
And then —
Plop!
The old butler fell to his knees dramatically, tears streaming down his face as he wept loudly.
"To think... the Young Master has grown so independent...! I am moved beyond words...!"
The maids all tried to hush him, but their own eyes sparkled with emotion.
Adrian paused mid-step, eyes wide, a bead of sweat forming on his temple.
In his head, he was screaming.
I still remember my past life, you know!! I just didn't want you all to see me like that!!
His small mouth twitched between a smile and panic, trying his best to act natural as he made it down the last few steps.
"U-Um... good morning..." he said softly, his cheeks pink as he quickly hurried toward the dining hall, trying to escape their overly emotional gazes.
Adrian sat at the long dining table, his small legs swinging gently beneath the chair that was almost too big for him. A steaming plate of fluffy bread, golden eggs, and sweet fruit sat in front of him.
He picked up a piece of bread, biting into it with his small mouth, his cheeks puffing out like a chipmunk as he chewed. His eyes half-closed in pure satisfaction, completely focused on the food.
Suddenly —
「Notice: Body strain decreasing. Cause: User's enhanced physique gradually adapting to artifact creation strain. Recovery estimated to complete after meal.」
The system's calm voice echoed in his mind.
Adrian's eyes brightened as he kept chewing, feeling warmth spread through his small body.
That's really helpful. Thanks, system! he thought, lips curving into a soft smile. His puffed cheeks made him look even cuter, his soft black hair slightly messy from sleep.
The maids standing by couldn't help it — their eyes sparkled, hearts melting at the sight.
"He's so precious..." one whispered.
"Look at him eat... I can't take this..." another muttered, hands clutched over her chest.
Just then —
A soft, slightly annoyed voice rang from the doorway:
"Enjoying your sweet time here, little brother?"
Adrian froze, mid-bite, crumbs at the corner of his mouth.
He turned slowly to look —
There she stood: Serena Cross, his older sister. About thirteen years old, she leaned slightly against the doorway, arms crossed, watching him with her sharp, crystalline blue eyes. Her straight blue bangs covered her right eye, adding to her cool, slightly intimidating aura. The rest of her long hair was tied back in a neat, low ponytail that hung to her waist.
She wore thick black training clothes — a cropped top that showed her toned stomach and high-waisted combat pants, a black belt at her waist. Her figure was slender but firm, her chest small but pushed out slightly in pride as she stared him down.
Her expression was gentle... but there was a hint of that big sister frustration in her tone.
Adrian blinked, then gave a sheepish grin, his cheeks still puffed with food.
Uh-oh...
Adrian blinked at his sister, his puffed cheeks still full of bread.
Uh-oh...
Before he could even swallow, Serena had already closed the distance, her boots light on the floor despite her solid stance.
"Come here, you little glutton."
With a swift motion, she reached out and pinched both his cheeks, pulling them gently but firmly so that his face squished adorably.
"Mmphhh?!"
Adrian's small hands flailed at her wrists, trying to push her fingers away, his legs wiggling under the chair as he struggled.
His eyes widened, and he let out a string of muffled, not-understandable sounds:
"Mmmmwahh! Nnnghphhh! Mmmh-hhh!"
It only made him look cuter — his puffed-up, red cheeks squished like mochi, eyes sparkling in protest.
One of the maids, seeing this, panicked.
"P-Please, Lady Serena! Don't pinch the Young Master's face like that...!"
The maid hurried over, trying to intervene.
Serena slowly turned her head, one brow raised, her cool blue eye peeking out from behind her bangs. Her cheeky smirk turned into a slight scowl.
She tilted her head, gaze sharp as steel.
"Huh??"
That single word, low and drawn out, hit like a pressure wave.
The maid froze mid-step, sweat beading at her temple.
"U-Uhm...!"
She gulped and backed away with a nervous laugh, waving her hands slightly as if to say never mind.
Satisfied, Serena smirked and returned to pinching Adrian's cheeks a little more gently this time.
"Honestly, you're too cute for your own good, little brother."
Adrian could only groan softly in defeat, cheeks red from both embarrassment and her fingers.
I just wanted to eat breakfast in peace...