Today was the day my training officially began.
I sat cross-legged on the floor and summoned my grimoire. The heavy book appeared before me, its cover etched with faint elemental markings. As I opened it, the pages fluttered on their own before settling.
I scanned through them.
"…That's it?"
Only six spells.
I blinked, flipped back and forth, then sighed.
"Huh. It only has six spells. Shouldn't a grimoire this thick contain thousands—maybe even millions—of spells? I think I got scammed. Fraud. Deception."
"No, you didn't."
I nearly jumped out of my skin.
"When did you enter?!"
I hadn't sensed her at all. Maybe it was because I was still level one.
Elilia leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, amused.
"You're wondering how I entered without you noticing.
That's because I used Stealth combined with Mist Step."
"That sounds cool… but also sounds like assassin work."
She laughed.
Elilia "Your grimoire only has six spells because you haven't learned any yet. Those are basic elemental spells—the foundation. A sorcerer doesn't rely on prewritten magic like mages do."
"So… I can make new spells?"
Elilia "Yes. You can create, merge, and most importantly, learn spells."
I focused and tried to cast a water bullet. Mana gathered in my palm, but the shape wobbled violently. Instead of a projectile, I produced a trembling lump of water that splashed onto the floor.
Elilia smiled instead of mocking me.
"For a beginner, that's not bad."
"Elilia… can you teach me magic? And help me fill this grimoire?"
Elilia "Of course. You're lucky—you're a sorcerer, like me. Once you truly learn a spell, you won't need to open the grimoire to cast it."
"So the grimoire is like… a storage item? And a connector to my soul?"
Elilia "Precisely."
She handed me a cheese sandwich and a glass of orange juice.
Elilia "Eat. Then we start magic tutoring."
"No way," Arthur said from behind her. "He's learning swordsmanship first."
Elilia frowned. "What was the first thing he did this morning? He opened the grimoire I gave him."
"Guys, calm down," I said. "We can do both."
"That doesn't mean he hates swordsmanship," Arthur replied.
"Magic is essential," Elilia shot back. "Even you use magic on quests."
"I use it to enhance attacks and for wide-range strikes," Arthur said seriously. "But what happens if he's cornered, out of mana, and still level one?"
I quietly ate my sandwich, sipping the cold, refreshing juice.
Elilia "I'll teach him how to absorb mana from the surroundings," Elilia said.
I froze. "Wait—you can absorb mana? I thought we could only manipulate it."
Elilia "That technique is exclusive to sorcerers."
Arthur turned to me. "So what do you want to learn?"
I finished the last drop of juice. Shoooozzz.
"I'll train swordsmanship in the morning… and magic in the afternoon."
They stared at me.
"…Sounds good?"
"Fine," Elilia said. "Arthur, don't send him back injured and expect me to heal him."
"You wouldn't heal your younger brother?" I teased.
"What?! Fine—but don't come back dead. I'm not a necromancer."
"I'm not planning to die at five."
Arthur laughed. "Don't worry. I'll return him in one piece."
Morning: Swordsmanship
Arthur dragged me to the training yard.
"Stance," he ordered.
He adjusted my feet, then my shoulders, then my grip.
"Again."
I swung. Too slow.
"Again."
I fell.
"Again."
By the tenth repetition, my arms were burning. By the twentieth, I could barely breathe.
"Swordsmanship isn't brute force," Arthur said. "It's balance, breathing, instinct."
He demonstrated—his blade moved effortlessly, precise and clean.
I tried to copy him.
Failed.
By noon, my body felt like it weighed twice as much.
Afternoon: Sorcery
"Sit," Elilia said gently.
She placed her hand near my chest.
"Close your eyes. Feel the mana around you—not as power, but as air."
At first, there was nothing.
Then… warmth.
"It's everywhere," I whispered.
"Good. Now pull it in. Slowly."
Mana flowed into me like a thin stream. My grimoire reacted—pages fluttered, faint symbols forming and vanishing.
I practiced shaping sparks of fire, threads of water, weak gusts of wind. Most spells collapsed halfway.
"Again," Elilia said patiently.
Two Months of Training
The days blended together.
Mornings were bruises, sweat, and endless drills.
Afternoons were mana exhaustion and failure.
But slowly… I improved.
My swings grew cleaner.
My spells stabilized.
I learned to reinforce my body with mana.
One night, I collapsed onto my bed, my body heavy and aching.
So this is reality…
This wasn't the easy, overpowered life of a reincarnated protagonist from manga or anime—no instant mastery, no effortless victories. Every step forward was paid for with exhaustion, frustration, and failure. Power here had weight. It had a price.
And if I wanted to stand at the top of this world… I would have to earn it.
"Huuuh… I finally reached Level 10."
I stared at the ceiling.
"I can finally hatch and bind my bond."
"What spirit beast will it be…?"
The door creaked open.
"Did I hear you talking about spirit beasts?" Iris asked.
"Yeah."
She hesitated. "Is it possible… for us to hatch them together?"
"Huh? Yeah. Why?"
"We found them together. I thought it would be nice."
"You awaken next month, right?"
She nodded. "I hope I get a great class."
"I'm looking forward to it. But don't get your hopes up about beating me."
She smirked. "One day, your victory streak will break."
"I want to see you try."
"Good night."
The room went dark.
Iris awakens next month…
Should I get her a gift?
"…Enough thinking."
I closed my eyes and fell asleep.