"Heh, I actually got out of Cina's sight," I whispered, tiptoeing across the backyard grass. That woman was basically a mini-boss built to ruin my fun—appearing the second I tried anything remotely interesting.
But not today. Today was freedom.
I grinned and opened my status screen.
Status Menu.
Name: Lucian Vanheart
Age: 5
Level: 10 (0/1000 EXP)
Title: ???
Stats.
HP: 400
MP: 200/200
STR: 1
AGL: 1
Mind: 1
Attribute: Fire Magic.
Skills: ???
Unallocated Points: 15
"Hehehe… so it wasn't a dream."
I puffed my chest. "Fifteen glorious points. Let's make history."
My eyes lingered on MP first. "If I want to cast magic, then MP is the obvious choice, right? More mana, more fireballs. But… wait, what if I dump everything into MP and then get knocked out in one punch? That'd be pathetic."
Still, I nudged 1 point into MP and watched it climb by +10.
"…Huh. Only +10? That's not as much as I hoped. But hey, it's something. Alright fine, let's put a few more here."
By the time I was done, MP was up by 4 points—240 total.
"Okay… 'Mind' is important too. It makes my spells stronger and probably helps control them better."
After careful deliberation, I slid 4 points into Mind, raising it to a solid 5.
"…Do I even need strength? I mean, I'm supposed to be a mage—mages don't exactly go around punching people. But… What if I run out of mana in the middle of a fight? Do I just stand there waving my hands like an idiot and wait to die? No, I need at least some way to fight back."
"Better to have some muscles as backup." 2 points went into STR.
Agility stared back at me like a smug rival. "…Ugh. If I skip this, I'll regret it. What good is casting fireballs if I'm too slow to dodge? Plus, speed = cool factor. With higher agility, I'll look smooth while blasting fireballs. Style points matter too, Okay, fine." 2 points into AGL.
"Last option. Honestly, I don't want to waste points in HP… but if I don't, what happens when I get hit? 'Lucian Vanheart: one-hit KO victim'—no thanks. Let's just put a couple here for safety." 2 points into HP.
When it was over, I had 5 points still untouched.
"Oh yeah. I feel powerful."
Test One: Strength.
I eyed a tree a few meters away. A solid opponent. A worthy rival.
I clenched my little fist, wound up like a pro boxer, and launched my punch.
BAM!
The bark cracked slightly, leaving a small dent. Victory!
…until my knuckles screamed in agony.
"OW OW OW OW OW!" I hopped around like an injured rabbit, clutching my hand.
HP bar: 420 → 400.
Test Two: Agility.
I dashed toward the fountain—fast, light, free!
Until a pebble betrayed me.
"Gah!"
Face-first into the grass.
I groaned, brushing dirt off my nose. "Still counts as progress."
Test Three: Magic.
I held my palm out, focusing. Mana swirled, heat building.
Fwoosh.
A tiny fireball hovered, sputtered—then shot forward.
Poof.
It barely singed the bark.
"...Well, it's not on a monster-slaying level."
Then—
Congratulations! You have learned [Fireball].
I blinked. "Wait—it actually worked?!"
The system window glowed faintly, showing the new spell.
A grin spread across my face. "Now we're getting somewhere."
I clenched my small fist dramatically. "I'll become the secret protector… the savior everyone needs!"
"…Okay, maybe I'm getting ahead of myself."
Still, for a few minutes, I stood there basking in my imaginary glory. That's when a carriage rumbled past the front gate—Marcus talking with a soldier. Curiosity struck like lightning.
By the time I crawled under a pile of empty sacks in the carriage's back, I was grinning like a criminal mastermind.
Freedom, round two.
The ride into town was bumpy, the air thick with smells—bread, smoke, and people. When the carriage stopped and Marcus started unloading, his face turned white as snow when he spotted me.
"Young master?! What in the gods' name—?"
"Relax," I said calmly, hopping off the cart. "If I asked permission, Father would've said no. So sneaking was the only option."
Marcus clutched his head. "Young master, I… I don't know what to say…"
"Say nothing," I grinned. "Don't worry, I won't trouble you much."
He sighed in defeat. "…At least stay close. Please."
"Sure, sure."
We moved through the busy market, stopping at stalls for bread, fruit, and ribbons. I trailed behind, eyes wide at the chaos. Adventurers moved in small groups, their gear clanking, their voices loud and confident. They looked like they belonged to another world entirely—one I wanted to join.
Then boredom hit. While Marcus argued over decorations, I slipped into a side alley. That's when I heard it—a woman's frightened voice.
Two men cornered her, sneering. The setup was textbook: two thugs, one helpless victim. My heroic instincts—or stupidity—kicked in.
I stepped out, puffing up my chest. "Leave the lady alone, you thugs!"
They turned. The taller one sneered. "You serious, kid? Go home."
My cheeks burned. "Watch your mouth! I'll—"
"Pick on someone your own size."
The voice was calm, confident.
Before I could blink, a man appeared between us. His sword flashed once. In two smooth moves, both thugs were down—one disarmed, the other groaning on the ground.
I froze.
It was effortless. Efficient. Real.
The adventurer turned to me, eyes sharp. "You alright, kid?"
"You alright, kid?"
"…Y-yeah," I managed, throat dry.
He gave a short, humorless chuckle. " Brave, sure. But also dumb as hell. Running into something like this without a clue? You'd have been on the ground before you even opened your mouth." His voice wasn't cruel, but it carried the weight of someone who'd seen plenty of fools get themselves killed. "Next time, don't try to play the hero. Call for an adult—or you'll just end up a corpse."
Then he turned away, calling his party to handle the rest.
I stood there a moment longer, heat crawling up my neck. I hadn't even moved before it was over. Just a helpless spectator.
Marcus nearly fainted when I came back.
"Young master! Where were you?! I thought you were kidnapped!"
"I'm fine," I muttered. "Can we just go home?"
He didn't argue.
The ride back was quiet. I stared out the window as houses blurred past. My reflection in the glass looked small—smaller than ever.
That adventurer's words echoed in my mind.
When we returned, I slipped straight to my room. No one noticed I'd been gone. I lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, mind racing.