— The Prince and His System
The door clicked softly behind him as Arcanis stepped into the quiet of his chambers.
No servants.
No voices.
No ceremony.
Just the cool, still air of a room that had watched him grow from a child into someone the world would one day bow to.
He walked to the edge of his bed and sat with measured calm, the soft weight of the day finally settling into his shoulders.
Moonlit curtains drifted gently, swaying with the breath of the sea wind.
He exhaled through his nose.
Stillness.
Then—
His eyes lowered.
And the Ancient Imperial Codex opened.
Not with fanfare.
Not with blinding light.
But with the kind of quiet authority only something older than kingdoms could hold.
Golden pages unfolded in the darkness of his inner vision, runes gliding across invisible parchment as though stirred by a silent breeze.
[ANCIENT IMPERIAL CODEX — OPENING ROOT DIRECTORY]
Information arranged itself like constellations finding their shape.
Status
Elements
Skills
Evolution Paths (Locked)
Bloodline (Hidden)
Arcane Insight (EX)
Affinities
Titles
Inventory (Locked)
Store (Locked until Level 10)
Hidden Pages (3)
Everything was clean.
Elegant.
Alive.
Arcanis tapped Arcane Insight with a thought.
[ARCANE INSIGHT (EX)]
A divine-grade perception skill.
Allows inspection of awakened individuals.
If the target's level > yours, visibility limited to elemental affinity.
Evolves with level and Codex growth.
He absorbed this without surprise.
He moved to the Bloodline tab.
[ERROR: Synchronization insufficient. Data locked.]
He didn't frown. Didn't question.
He simply accepted, storing the information for later.
Evolution Paths were sealed behind intricate, ancient locks.
Titles were unreadable for now.
The Store quietly slept until Level 10.
After reviewing every detail, Arcanis didn't smile or react outwardly.
He simply closed the Codex with the calmness of someone turning the final page of a book he already intended to master.
He opened his eyes.
The room felt subtly different now — as though the Codex's presence lingered, watching, waiting.
He rested his palms on his knees, posture straight, breath steady.
One step done.
Ten thousand more to go.
— A Prince's Resolve
He stood and walked toward the tall glass window, hands clasped loosely behind him.
The kingdom lay spread out below — Vaelhold in its evening rhythm.
Fishermen pulling boats inland.
Merchants closing their stalls.
Children running through alleyways laughing about imaginary battles.
Warm lights flickering through homes.
A peaceful kingdom.
Too peaceful.
Arcanis placed a hand against the cool glass.
Three elements.
Limitless potential.
A system older than the world itself.
None of that mattered yet.
A kingdom dismissed by the continent…
A father underestimated by neighboring rulers…
A small nation surviving on dignity, not power…
He watched the horizon as if memorizing it.
I will change this.
Not loudly.
Not with arrogance.
But with quiet inevitability.
Strength governs this world.
Then I will become stronger than the world.
Ambition did not burn in him — it settled like frost, cold and precise.
Tomorrow, everything begins.
— News Spreads Through Aravell
While the palace prepared for night, the entire kingdom buzzed like a festival.
In taverns:
"The prince awakened THREE elements!"
"Which ones?"
"Water, Ice, and Gravity!"
"What kind of monster awakens Gravity?!"
At the harbor:
"Aravell might rise in our lifetime."
"A prince like that… the world will notice."
In markets:
"Did he smile?"
"No, they say he's calm. Very calm."
"Oho… like His Majesty?"
Children reenacted dramatic awakenings with sticks glowing in imagination.
"I summon the ocean!"
"I freeze you!"
"No! I have Gravity!"
Even elders gathered outside tea stalls, murmuring prayers.
Not a single citizen demanded to know his potential.
They understood instinctively:
If the palace remained silent…
It was for their prince's safety.
Aravell was small.
But its unity was iron.
"Protect the Crown Prince," people said quietly.
And they meant it.
— Night, Family, and Sweets
Night draped the Frostglass Palace in gold.
The warm glow of chandeliers danced across crystal walls as the royal family gathered again at the long dining table.
Only one section was in chaos.
"More cookies!" Aria declared, halfway through conquering her fifth plate.
A servant cleared his throat.
"Your Highness… this is—"
"Fifth!" she corrected proudly.
Arcanis sat beside her as she leaned fully against him, clutching her cookie plate like sacred treasure.
He placed a steady hand behind her so she wouldn't fall.
King Alistair laughed softly.
Queen Elara looked equal parts fond and exasperated.
After a while, conversation softened into warmth — jokes, teasing, and peaceful chatter only families could share.
Then the king's tone shifted.
"Arcanis," he said, "your training begins tomorrow. At dawn."
A single sentence.
Aria froze mid-bite.
Her cookie rolled dramatically onto the table.
"No…" she whispered.
"No… no… no…"
Queen Elara sighed gently.
"Aria. Your brother needs rest."
"And discipline," King Alistair added.
Aria clenched her fists, face scrunched with betrayal.
"But I want to sleep with him tonight!"
A servant nearly dropped a tray.
A knight coughed sharply behind a gloved fist.
Queen Elara pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Aria…"
Before her frustration grew, a calm voice interrupted.
"Aria."
Arcanis turned slightly, meeting her teary eyes.
She froze.
"…Yes?"
He lifted a hand and tapped her forehead lightly.
"I'll sleep with you some other."
Aria stared at him.
Then exploded into happiness.
"OKAY!"
Crisis resolved instantly.
King Alistair chuckled.
Queen Elara let out a breath that suggested she'd fought this war many times before.
Soon the plates were cleared, goodnights exchanged, and Aria hugged Arcanis one last time before scampering away with sticky hands and a heart full of joy.
Arcanis walked back toward his chambers under the soft glow of moonlight.
Tomorrow, his life as a cultivator, warrior, and future monarch truly began.
Quiet steps.
Calm breath.
A world waiting.
He opened his door and entered his room with a final thought:
Now the real journey starts.