Time flew by. Twelve years had passed since the sudden emergence of the mysterious child in the Vance house.
The once quiet and gloomy mansion was now full of life and noise. Heavily armored knights stood guard outside the main gates and the doorways, keeping the estate safe. Inside, servants and maids rushed about their daily tasks.
In the long upstairs hallway, a young maid named Lily was carrying a massive wooden box filled with freshly washed clothes. The box was stacked so high that she could barely see where she was walking.
Just as she crossed the center of the hallway, a small red ball suddenly rolled out from behind a pillar. It stopped right beneath her foot.
Lily stepped on the ball. Her foot slipped forward, and she lost her balance entirely.
"Ahh!"
She fell backward, landing hard on her bottom. The wooden box tipped over, spilling perfectly folded white shirts and pants all over the floor.
"Ouch, that hurts!" Lily groaned, rubbing her back.
"Hehehe..."
A sudden, high-pitched giggle echoed in the hallway.
Behind the stone pillar, a small head peeked out. It was a boy with messy black hair and bright amber eyes.
Note laughed softly. His prank had worked perfectly.
Lily let out a long, exhausted sigh.
"Young Master Note, how many times have I requested that you not disturb me while I am working?"
Note stepped out from behind the pillar, putting his hands behind his back. He opened his eyes wide, trying to look as innocent as possible.
"What happened, Lily? I don't know what you are talking about. Did you drop something?"
"Ughh!..."
Lily sighed again. It was a daily routine at this point. Note had been a mischievous kid since he learned how to walk. He was always thinking up different methods to annoy the staff or play tricks on them. The older maids had gotten used to his behavior. They knew how to spot his traps.
But Lily was a new hire. She was recently assigned as his personal maid, so she got the 'special' treatment from him. Note targeted her without taking a single day off. She was still struggling to get used to his energetic and mischievous personality.
Suddenly, the sound of heels clicking against the floor echoed from the end of the hall.
Clara entered the corridor. She wore a beautiful blue dress, looking every bit the elegant noblewoman. She stopped and looked at the mess. She saw Lily sitting on the floor rubbing her back, and Note standing nearby trying to act innocent.
Clara shook her head. She walked over, offered her hand to Lily, and helped the young maid stand up. Together, they quickly put the scattered clothes back into the wooden box.
Once the mess was cleaned up, Clara turned toward Note. She walked right up to him, reached out, and pinched his cheek firmly.
"Ouch! Mother, it hurts! Please stop!" Note whined, standing on his tiptoes.
"Oh my? Do you feel the pain now?" Clara asked, not letting go.
"Do you not know what you just did? You are being far too mischievous today. Should I just cancel our trip? Maybe you don't need to go to your Awakening Ceremony."
Note's face quickly turned pale. He stopped struggling.
"No! Mom, I won't do it again, I promise!" Note begged. He put his hands together, his eyes watering slightly as he looked up at her.
"Please don't stop me from going to the Awakening Ceremony. I will behave like a good child from now on. I am sorry, mother, please..."
He used his ultimate weapon: his cute, innocent face.
Clara sighed, her grip loosening. She knew she could never refuse him when he made that expression. Her heart was simply too soft for him. Note knew this perfectly well. He used his innocent face as a weapon to manipulate his parents all the time.
'Damn it,' Clara thought to herself.
'I cannot ever say 'no' to him. Am I getting manipulated by my own twelve-year-old son?'
She looked over at Lily. The young maid was covering her mouth, trying hard not to laugh at how quickly Note's attitude had completely changed after a single threat.
Clara finally smiled and let go of Note's cheek.
"Fine. Don't do it again," Clara warned him gently.
"Now go to your room and get dressed. You need to look presentable for the Magic Tower today. Your father is already waiting downstairs, and the carriage will be ready soon. Go fast."
Note's eyes lit up with pure excitement.
"Okay, mother!"
He jumped forward, gave Clara a tight hug around her waist, and then sprinted down the hallway toward his bedroom.
Clara watched him run, then turned back toward the maid.
"Are you alright, Lily? I am sorry for Note's behavior today."
"No, my lady, you don't need to worry about me. I am completely fine," Lily said with a small bow.
"And the young master will probably stop playing these tricks after he awakens his magic today. Maybe he is just bored and anxious. I am sure he will mature."
Clara nodded, though she wasn't entirely sure about that. Note was simply full of energy.
"Go back to your work," Clara instructed. "And call me immediately if Note gives you any more trouble."
"Yes, my lady," Lily said, bowing again before carrying the heavy box away.
***
In the human continent, the magic Awakening Ceremony was a massive event. Every single child, regardless of whether they were a commoner or a noble, had to undergo the Awakening at the exact age of twelve. It was the law of the world.
Thirty minutes later, Note ran out the front doors of the Vance estate. He wore a sharp black suit with silver lining. The suit was made from expensive monster silk, designed to stretch and resist tearing. It fit him perfectly.
Elian was standing next to a large, luxurious carriage pulled by two white horses. When he saw Note run out, a proud smile crossed his face.
"Look at you," Elian said, patting Note on the shoulder.
"You look like a proper mage already."
"Do you think I will get a strong element, father?" Note asked, his eyes wide.
"I am sure you will get something amazing," Elian replied.
"But remember, it is not just about the element you get. It is about how hard you train to use it."
Clara soon joined them, and the family climbed into the carriage. The driver snapped the reins, and the horses began pulling them through the wealthy upper district of Vane, heading toward the center of the city.
Note sat by the window, pressing his face against the glass. He loved watching the city. Today, Vane was busier than usual. The streets were packed with people. Commoner families were walking in massive groups, leading their children toward the same destination. Food stalls sold snacks on the sidewalks, and the city guards were working hard to keep the traffic moving.
But Note's eyes were not focused on the people. He was looking up at the sky.
In the dead center of the city stood the Magic Tower.
It was a terrifyingly huge structure made of smooth, pitch-black stone. It was so wide that it took up several city blocks, and it was so tall that the top of the tower completely pierced through the white clouds. It cast a massive shadow over the buildings below it.
"It is so big," Note muttered, his breath fogging up the glass.
Elian looked out the window as well.
"It is. There are only four Magic Towers in the entire human continent. No one built them. They just suddenly emerged from the ground thousands of years ago, long before the 'Era of Forgotten'."
"Are they Dungeons?" Note asked, turning to his father.
"No," Elian explained.
"Dungeons spit out 'Archons' and 'monsters'. The Magic Towers have never released any monsters into our cities. They are completely unknown. The tower has exactly one hundred floors. But in all of human history, the strongest mages have only managed to explore up to the fiftieth floor."
Note's eyes widened.
"Why? Are the monsters inside too strong?"
"Yes, but it is not just monsters," Elian said.
"The Tower have a 'Bizarre' Phenomenon. The upper floors have severe restrictions. The tower tests a person's soul, their magic capacity, and their willpower. Only a select few even have the qualifications to climb past the lower levels. There are many rumors about the top floor."
"What kind of rumors?" Note asked, leaning forward.
"Some people say the top of the tower holds the secrets of the universe," Elian whispered, leaning in closer to add dramatic effect.
"Some say it holds the truth about the 'Era of Forgotten'. It might explain how the first Archons emerged in our world, what their true goals were, and if someone sent them here on purpose."
Note swallowed hard. The thought of climbing that dark tower sent a shiver down his spine. But right now, he only cared about the first floor.
The carriage finally came to a stop.
"We are here," Clara said, opening the door.
Note stepped out of the carriage. The entrance to the Magic Tower was a massive archway that glowed with a faint blue light. There were no wooden doors, just a shimmering curtain of magical energy.
Guards stood on either side, checking the identification of the nobles and commoners before letting them pass through. Because Elian was an extremely wealthy and powerful merchant, the guards simply bowed and let them walk right in.
Note took a deep breath and stepped through the blue light.
His vision flashed white for a second. When he opened his eyes, he gasped.
'Spatial magic...' Note thought, looking around in awe.
From the outside, the base of the tower was large, but it was still just the size of a few city blocks. But the inside of the first floor was entirely different. It was an incredibly vast space, as large as a grand arena. The ceiling was hundreds of feet high, glowing with artificial sunlight.
Thousands of people were already inside. The area was split into different sections. Commoner families stood in the outer rings, while noble families and royal officials stood closer to the center.
In the very center of the grand arena stood the Awakening Stone.
It was a massive crystal, as large as a two-story building. Right now, it was completely colorless, looking like a giant block of clear glass. It hovered a few feet off the ground, humming with a low, vibrating energy.
Standing right next to the giant crystal was an old man wearing a white robe holding a wooden staff.
"That is a Saint-rank Mage," Elian whispered to Note, pointing at the old man.
"He is one of the strongest people in the city. He oversees the ceremony to ensure the stone's magic remains stable."
Note nodded, his hands sweating. He had waited for this moment for years. He always wanted to feel magic. He wanted to cast spells and fight like the 'heroes' in the books his mother read to him.
The crowd slowly grew quiet as the Mage raised his wooden staff. His voice echoed across the massive stadium, amplified by wind magic.
"Welcome, children of Astrix!" the old man shouted.
"Today, you will touch the stone. The nature's mana will respond to your soul and awaken your core. The crystal will change color to show you your elemental affinity. We will begin with the nobles."
A man holding a long scroll began calling out names.
"Arthur Pendelton!"
A young boy with blonde hair stepped out from the noble crowd. He looked nervous as he walked up to the massive crystal. The Mage nodded at him.
"Place both hands flat against the stone," the old man instructed.
Arthur reached out and pressed his hands against the cold, clear crystal. For a second, nothing happened. Then, a bright blue light started to glow from the center of the stone. The light spread quickly, turning the entire two-story crystal into a blinding shade of sapphire.
The crowd clapped loudly.
"Water Element!" the old man announced. "A very strong affinity. Well done."
Arthur smiled proudly and ran back to his cheering parents.
Note watched closely. His heart was beating so fast it felt like it was going to break out of his chest. He watched five more kids go up. One got a red light for Fire. Another got a green light for Wind. Two kids only got a faint white light, meaning they had no special element and could only use basic, non-elemental mana.
Note clenched his fists. He felt a strange heat spreading through his body, starting from the silver locket hidden under his shirt.
"Note Vance!" the announcer called out loudly.
Note flinched. It was his turn.
"Go on," Clara whispered, pushing him gently on the back.
"You will do great."
Note took a deep breath, stepped away from his parents, and began walking toward the massive Awak