"To think a ten-year-old could defeat multiple [Elite] Rank knights..."
"Seems unbelievable."
The knights whispered among themselves, voices hushed as if speaking louder would somehow summon the boy's attention.
In the center of the training ground stood Noel, small compared to the adults surrounding him, but his presence was anything but negligible. His chest rose and fell steadily, his expression calm. Around him, three fully armored knights lay on the ground, struggling to push themselves up or groaning in frustration.
Noel exhaled and lowered his wooden practice sword before smoothly sheathing it into the leather scabbard tied to his waist. He didn't look proud or smug—just thoughtful, as though the spar had been more of an exercise than a battle.
A maid stepped forward, holding out a neatly folded towel with both hands. Noel nodded slightly and accepted it.
"Thank you," he said quietly, wiping the sweat from his forehead and neck. The towel was warm from the sun, but it felt good to dry off after that much movement.
As he turned slightly to the side, watching the sky beyond the estate walls, a thought echoed in his mind.
'Ten years...'
A soft breeze passed through the training yard, rustling the grass and the flaps of his shirt. The sunlight wasn't too harsh today, which made the air feel fresh. The voices around him faded as he took a moment to be alone with his thoughts.
'It's strange. When I first came here, I still felt like Noah. But now...'
He looked down at his hands—smaller than he remembered from his past life, but calloused, used to training. The hands of a boy, not a grown man.
'Now, I feel like Noel. A ten-year-old with memories of a past life. I don't feel thirty anymore. That old me feels distant—like a story I once read or a dream I woke up from years ago.'
He slung the towel over his shoulder and walked toward the estate with steady steps.
'I've also gotten a lot stronger.'
He muttered under his breath, "System."
༺═──────────────────═༻
— Personal Info —
Name: Noel Morris
Level: 26
Skill Points: 0
Class: None
Title: Player
———
— Attributes —
Strength: 28
Agility: 29
Intelligence: 29
Durability: 26
Mana: 30
———
— Skills —
A Player's Privilege (SSS-Rank) — Partially Unlocked
[Sub-skill — On Cooldown]
Palette of Echoes (SS-Rank) — Locked
Retroscripted Fate (SS-Rank) — Locked
Mana Veins (S-Rank)— [Lv. 4]
Nocturne Mind (A-Rank)—[Lv. 1]
Flash Step (C-Rank)— [Lv. 5]
Heal (D-Rank)—[Lv. 5]
Aerogenesis (D-Rank) —[Lv. 6]
Fireball (D-Rank)—[Lv. 7]
———
[Items]
-----
[Quests ]
༺═──────────────────═༻
'I can feel myself getting close to the next threshold. The boosts from [A Player's Privilege] are no joke. My growth is unreal compared to an average person.'
He made his way towards the estate
As he pushed open the estate's doors and stepped inside, cool air replaced the warmth of the training yard. The polished floors and high windows gave the hallways a soft, noble glow.
He walked past the main corridor toward the dining hall, but stopped when he noticed two figures in white robes exiting his father's study.
Their footsteps were quiet, and their presence almost too calm. The robes were bright white—clean, ceremonial—with a crest on the chest that looked like an intricate flower made from intersecting stars.
'A church?'
He watched them closely, narrowing his eyes. It wasn't one he recognized, and Noel had spent a fair amount of time reading up on the major religions of the empire. Their aura didn't feel threatening… but it didn't feel right either.
His steps slowed as they passed. The two priests—or missionaries, perhaps—inclined their heads politely. Noel mirrored the gesture slightly, but didn't take his eyes off them.
There was something about that symbol… not a match, but it resembled something he couldn't place.
'Where have I seen it before?'
The robe fluttered gently as one of the men turned the corner. The other one, slightly taller, moved past Noel—but just then, their shoulders brushed. Noel lost his footing and stumbled back, landing on one knee.
"Oh! I'm terribly sorry, young master," the man said immediately. He looked genuinely concerned as he reached out a hand to help.
"No, I wasn't watching where I was going either," Noel replied, brushing his tunic with one hand and reaching out with the other.
But the moment their palms met—
[Nocturne Mind is resisting the effects of Demonic Corruption]
The system window hovered silently in front of him, glowing faintly in red and gold.
Noel's eyes widened.
'What—?!'