I sat alone in the center of the royal library, surrounded by towers of knowledge that felt like they were judging me.
Books were everywhere. They were piled beside me, stacked behind me, and spread out in a messy semi-circle in front of me.
I felt tiny—not just because I was three, but because the sheer scale of what I didn't know was overwhelming.
(Inner thought)
Am I even going to find a magic book in this haystack? Or is it all just boring history and tax records?
I looked up at the shelves. They stretched toward the ceiling, far beyond the reach of my short, chubby arms. I crossed my arms over my chest and pouted. "I'm too small for this…"
Just as I was about to give up and go find Mari for a snack, I noticed a leather-bound book lying on a low rolling cart nearby. It looked ancient, its spine cracked and dusty.
"...This one looks okay," I muttered.
I hauled it onto my lap and forced it open. For a second, I froze. My eyes scanned the diagrams of glowing circles and flowing energy lines. My heart skipped a beat.
"Finally… I found it!"
I scrambled into a cross-legged position and began to read, my eyes devouring every word. The book was a goldmine. It talked about Mana—the life force that flowed through the world—and the different ways it could be bent to a caster's will.
I started reading out loud, my high-pitched voice echoing in the quiet room. "Common magic… spells for everyday life.
Body enhancement… speed, strength, durability. Basic elements… fire, wind, water…"
I paused, chewing on my lip. (Inner thought) So this is the baseline. The stuff the 'average' person can do.
Useful, but not enough to be the strongest.
I flipped the page, my fingers trembling with excitement.
"Personal Affinity… most mages have one element they are born to master. Fire… wind… lightning…"
I touched the page lightly. My mind drifted. What will mine be? Then, I flipped again, and the text became smaller, more complex.
"Rare Magic… Time. Gravity. Dreams."
I blinked, my jaw dropping. "...Okay, that sounds completely broken.
If I can get my hands on that, no one can stop me."
But after hours of reading, the complexity started to give me a headache. I dropped the book onto the rug with a heavy thud.
"Ahhh… too much! My brain is melting!" I groaned, flopping back onto the floor and staring at the ceiling. Reading was still as boring as it had been in my past life. "But…"
I lifted my small hand, watching the light from the stained glass play across my palm. "I'll learn it.
No matter how long it takes. No matter how boring it is. I won't be the weak princess anymore."
(Three Weeks Later)
I sat in the same spot, my eyes closed, my breathing rhythmic.
(Inner thought) Mana. The book says it's inside the body, like a second heartbeat. Feel it. Find it.
I focused until my forehead ached. Nothing.
I tried again, imagining a pool of light in my chest. Nothing.
One more time, pushing my will into my veins. Still nothing.
I snapped my eyes open, annoyed. "This is useless! Maybe this body is just a dud!"
(Two Months Later)
I refused to quit. Day after day, I sat in the silence of the library or the palace gardens.
This time, something was different. As I breathed out, I felt a flicker.
It was faint—like the warmth of a candle flame or a stray spark of static electricity.
It was light, barely there, but it was real.
My eyes fluttered open. "...I felt it."
I quickly shut them again, terrified the feeling would vanish if I got too excited. (Inner thought) Don't lose it. Keep it steady.
Slowly, painfully, I tried to nudge that warmth down my arm. It slipped away like water through my fingers and disappeared. I sat there for a long time, eventually letting out a long, shaky sigh.
"At least I found it," I whispered, a small, triumphant smile tugging at my lips.
(The Forest – Months of Practice Passed)
I wasn't supposed to be outside the palace walls. The knights would have a heart attack if they knew the five-year-old princess had slipped through the garden gate.
(Inner thought) I can't just read forever. Theory is fine, but I need to see what I can actually do when it counts.
The forest was beautiful, but the further I walked, the quieter it became. The birds stopped singing. The wind died down. My body instinctively went rigid.
(Inner thought) ...What was that?
I turned slowly and saw it. Crouched near a mossy rock was a monster—a small, wolf-like creature with jagged stone scales along its back.
It wasn't huge, but to a 4-year-old, it looked like a nightmare.
My heart hammered against my ribs. Thump-thump. Thump-thump.
The monster's yellow eyes locked onto mine. It growled, a low, guttural sound that made my skin crawl. It lunged.
"—!"
Panic surged, but my body moved on its own. I didn't think;
I just reacted. I flooded my legs with every drop of mana I could muster. The world seemed to slow down as I jumped back, the creature's claws missing my chest by an inch.
"I almost—" I didn't have time to finish the thought. It was coming again.
I raised my hand, desperation fueling my magic. (Inner thought) Just do something! Anything.
I pushed a burst of mana outward, imagining a gale. A weak, disorganized blast of wind shot from my palm, striking the monster mid-air.
It wasn't enough to kill it, but it knocked the creature off balance.
I was gasping for air, my hands shaking uncontrollably. "I can do this… I have to do this."
(Inner thought) If I run now, I'm still just that scared three-year-old. I'm not Nikita. I'm not the strongest. Stand.Your. Ground.
The monster snarled and charged a third time. This time, I didn't panic. I focused. I felt the mana, molded it into a sharp, narrow edge, and threw it forward.
A blade of wind, invisible but deadly, sliced through the air. It struck the creature's neck. It staggered, let out a final whimper, and collapsed into the dirt.
Silence returned to the forest. I stood there, frozen, staring at the fallen beast. "...I did it?"
My breathing was jagged. My legs felt like jelly. But then, as the adrenaline began to fade, I felt a strange sensation. My mana pool felt… wider. Stronger. Like a muscle that had just been pushed to its limit and grown back tougher.
"Tch…" I wiped a bead of sweat from my forehead and smirked. "That wasn't so bad."
(Inner thought) That was a lie. I almost died. But god, it felt good.
(Present – Age 5)
I was back in my usual spot in the library, but the room didn't feel "sad" anymore. It felt like my workshop. I was five now, and the difference in my mana control was night and day.
I tapped my pen against my notebook, reviewing my progress. Mana control: Excellent. Elemental output: Improving. Experience: ...Need more monsters.
Suddenly, the heavy library doors creaked open.
"Princess Auri? Are you in here?" It was my nanny, Elara. She looked slightly out of breath. "An invitation has arrived for you today."
I turned, setting my notebook aside. "An invitation? From who?"
"It is from the Duke's mansion," she said, stepping closer. "It is an invitation to his son's tenth birthday celebration."
I paused. A Duke's son? Why now? "I'll go. But… his birthday happens every year. Why am I being invited specifically for this one?"
Nanny lowered her gaze, looking a bit troubled. "Because after this celebration, the Duke is sending his son abroad to study."
I frowned. That made no sense. "Abroad? But the Valtheris Empire is known for having the best education in the world.
Why would he send his heir away?"
"I'm sorry, Princess. I do not know the Duke's reasons."
I waved my hand dismissively. It didn't matter. Whether it was a political move or something else, it was a chance to see the world outside the palace—and maybe, just maybe, find a clue about Neri.
"It's fine," I said, a small, confident smile appearing on my face.
"Tell them I accept. I'll go."
(Inner thought) Let's see what the rest of this world looks like.