Volume 1: The Poor Charming's Tower Gamble
Prologue Arc: Poor Charming's Last Shot
Chapter 5: First Portal Opens – Wait, These Trial Worlds Look Exactly Like My Old Cartoons?!
The blinding white light faded, leaving Elodas Charming standing on soft grass under a clear blue sky. The roaring wind in his ears vanished, replaced by birdsong and the distant sound of a gentle stream. He blinked rapidly, trying to steady himself as the disorientation of the portal faded. His simple patched tunic and trousers were still the same, the iron pendant from his father resting against his chest, and Mira's pink ribbon still tied around his wrist. But the world around him had completely changed.
No more muddy alleys of Lowspire. No coal smoke or distant Tower looming over crooked rooftops. Instead, he found himself in a picturesque meadow bordered by a dense forest on one side and rolling green hills on the other. A grand castle with tall spires and fluttering banners rose in the distance, its white stone gleaming under the sun like something out of a painting. Wildflowers dotted the grass, and a small dirt path wound toward a quaint village visible a short walk away.
Elodas took a slow breath, the air sweet and clean in a way the slums never were. Okay… this is definitely not Lowspire, he thought, his internal voice laced with growing disbelief. Portal worked. I'm in the trial world. One temporary reincarnation. Now the real test begins—defy fate or kneel forever when I return. But this place… it looks way too familiar.
He turned in a slow circle, taking in the details. The castle architecture, the style of the distant village roofs, even the way the flowers bloomed in perfect clusters—it all tugged at half-remembered memories from his previous life on Earth. Something about glass slippers. Midnight curfews. Evil stepmothers. His eyes widened slightly as the realization started to sink in.
Wait a second… this looks exactly like the setting of Cinderella. The kingdom, the forest, the castle ready for a grand ball. No way. The Tower's trial worlds are supposed to be secret, mysterious dimensions. But this is straight out of the old Disney cartoon I used to watch as a kid on rainy weekends. The colors, the vibe, the whole fairy-tale aesthetic. Is this real? Or am I hallucinating from portal lag?
Before he could process further, a group of villagers walked past on the path, chatting animatedly. They wore simple medieval-style clothing—dresses with aprons, tunics with belts—and carried baskets of goods toward the village. One woman laughed about the upcoming royal ball. "The prince is finally choosing a bride! The whole kingdom is invited. Even the servants get to attend if they have proper attire."
Elodas's stomach did a small flip. Confirmed. Cinderella's kingdom. The ball, the glass slipper, the whole story. The Tower really pulled fairy tales and animated classics for its trials. No one in the main world has any idea about these IPs—no movies, no comics, no pop culture bleed. But I remember them. Every song, every plot twist. This changes everything.
He kept his expression neutral, the same calm half-smile he always wore when the world tried to throw curveballs. No one could know he recognized the world. No one could suspect his past-life knowledge or the two cheats that were supposed to be awakening any second now. Play it cool. I'm just a random village boy who got dropped here by the Tower. Act normal. Observe. And if those talents finally kick in… keep it completely hidden. Heaven-Defying Comprehension and Instant Full Mastery stay secret forever.
He started walking toward the village along the path, hands in his pockets, pretending to be a lost traveler. The iron pendant bounced lightly with each step, a grounding reminder of home. As he approached the outskirts, he spotted a small training yard behind a modest house where a local guard was practicing sword swings against a wooden post. The man was average—nothing special—but the way he moved, the arc of the blade, the footwork… it was simple, yet something inside Elodas shifted the moment he focused on it.
A sudden rush hit him like a lightning bolt to the brain. Knowledge flooded in, crystal clear and perfect. Sword forms, balance, angles of attack, breathing techniques—all of it clicked into place as if he had trained for decades. The talent had awakened.
Heaven-Defying Comprehension… it finally triggered, Elodas thought, keeping his face perfectly blank even as his heart raced. I watched one basic sword swing and comprehended the entire Royal Charming Swordsmanship style. Not just the basics—the refined, elegant, powerful version that fits the name perfectly. And then… Instant Full Mastery. It's not just understanding. It feels like I've already transcended the realm. My body knows it. My muscles remember moves I've never practiced. This is insane. But no one can know. I stay the clumsy-looking village boy who got lucky.
He continued walking as if nothing had happened, but inside the power hummed quietly, ready to be used at a moment's notice. The sword at his side—if he had one—would feel like an extension of his arm now. He didn't, yet, but the knowledge was there, waiting.
Further along the path, he overheard more villagers talking about the evil stepmother and her two daughters preparing for the ball. The original plot was already unfolding somewhere in this world. The poor girl with the kind heart was probably scrubbing floors right now, dreaming of escape.
Defy fate, Elodas reminded himself. That's the clear condition. Change the scripted story enough that the original ending doesn't happen the way it's supposed to. In Cinderella, the prince marries the kind girl after the glass slipper fits. If I can twist it—make the ball a comedy, prevent the marriage, or help in a way that breaks the predetermined path—I clear the floor and return stronger. And with these cheats… I can do it without anyone suspecting how.
He reached the village square, where preparations for the ball were in full swing. Banners were being hung, musicians tuning instruments, and servants rushing with trays of food. A group of young women giggled near a fountain, practicing curtsies and dreaming aloud about dancing with the prince.
One of them spotted Elodas and tilted her head. "Who's that? He looks… different. Handsome, with that golden hair. Almost like a prince himself."
Her friend laughed. "Don't be silly. He's probably just a traveler. But the name… if he's from around here, they might call him Charming. Wouldn't that be funny?"
Elodas kept walking, internally groaning. Here we go. The surname strikes again, even in a fairy-tale world. I can already see the misunderstandings piling up. Stepsisters chasing me thinking I'm the real prince. The actual prince getting jealous. Heroines blushing for no reason. This is going to be comedic chaos on top of the power fantasy. But I stay deadpan. No revealing anything.
As he passed a small market stall selling simple cloaks and gloves, he paused to watch a street performer juggling knives. The man tossed them high, catching them with flair. Another small trigger. Elodas's mind absorbed the motion, the balance, the precision. In an instant, he comprehended advanced knife-throwing and acrobatic movement techniques, then instantly mastered them to a transcendent level. His body felt lighter, more coordinated, as if he had trained in secret for years.
Again. Just from watching once. These cheats are broken, he thought, fighting the urge to grin. But hidden. Always hidden. I'm still the poor kid from Lowspire who 'practiced in secret' or 'got lucky.' No one learns the truth.
The sun climbed higher. The ball preparations grew louder. In the distance, he caught a glimpse of a grand carriage heading toward the castle—probably the stepmother and her daughters heading for last-minute fittings. The original Cinderella story was moving forward, and he was now part of it, dropped in as a random variable.
Elodas adjusted the iron pendant and straightened his shoulders. First portal. First trial world. Cinderella's kingdom. Cheats awakened. Now the real fun begins—rewriting fate while everyone thinks I'm just a lucky peasant with a funny name. Let the comedy, the power, and the secret mastery start.
He stepped forward into the village, ready for whatever ridiculous misunderstandings and fate-defying moments waited ahead. The Tower had thrown him into a fairy tale.
And Elodas Charming was about to make it his own.