Alton woke early the next morning, his body already accustomed to rising before dawn from years of office life. A quiet excitement hummed in his chest. He dressed quickly and headed downstairs.
The inn was nearly empty. Rose and her mother were busy cleaning tables and washing dishes. He approached the counter.
"Sorry to bother you," he said, "but could I get something to eat?"
The chief's wife smiled warmly. "Of course. Take any table you like. I'll bring something out shortly."
Alton sat down with The Art of Magic already open in his hands. By the time the food arrived—hot porridge, fresh bread, and slices of roasted meat—Rose was the one carrying the tray.
"Here you go. Enjoy," she said, setting the plate down. Her eyes flicked to the book. "What are you reading?"
Alton hesitated for a second. "Just… a book about magic."
"Magic, huh?" She tilted her head curiously.
"Yeah. I'm trying to learn as much as I can." He took a bite, then asked, "Do you learn magic through levels? Or does it just… appear when you get stronger?"
Rose looked genuinely confused. "Levels? I've never heard anyone talk about magic like that. You don't just suddenly know new spells."
Alton froze. "You don't have a… blue table? Or window that appears in front of you?"
She laughed softly. "A blue table? Are you still half-asleep? What are you talking about?"
"Never mind," he muttered, glancing down at his book. "I must have read too much last night."
"Don't get too lost in your fantasies," Rose teased with a playful smile before returning to her chores.
Alton sat there, stunned. So only I have this System? The realization kept circling in his mind as he finished his meal. He couldn't come up with any explanation, so he eventually pushed the thought aside. There were more important things to focus on right now.
After eating, he returned to his room, put on his thick bear-fur coat, and stepped outside. The streets were quiet. He wandered for a while until he found an empty snowfield just beyond the edge of the village—perfect for training.
No one around. Good.
He opened the book and focused on a specific passage: With enough control, you can shape elemental magic into physical forms.
Concentrating hard, he formed a small orb of ice above his palm. It felt solid. With a sharp motion, he launched it at the ground. The ice bullet shot forward with surprising speed and force, shattering on impact and leaving a small crater in the snow.
"Not bad…" he whispered.
Encouraged, he tried the next concept: combining elements. He had gained basic lightning magic after defeating the giant skeleton. He created another ice orb, this time infusing it with crackling lightning. When it struck the ground, sparks danced across the snow. The next orb carried fire. On impact, it melted the surrounding ice in a burst of steam, just as he had imagined.
The System didn't appear. Maybe it only reacted to combat and major events. Either way, the book was proving far more valuable than he had expected.
By the time he returned to the village, people recognized him immediately. Some stared openly, others nodded politely, and a few tried to strike up conversations. Alton remained courteous but kept the talks short, slipping away as quickly as he could.
Back at the inn, Rose noticed him and waved cheerfully. He waved back and headed straight to his room. He lay down on the bed, staring at the wooden ceiling, mind racing with new possibilities.
He still planned to leave the village soon… but first, he wanted to get stronger.