Chapter 2 The Shape of Small Changes
Weeks passed quietly in the Verhen household.
If anyone had asked Orpal Verhen what the greatest difference between his old world and this one was, he wouldn't have said magic.
He would have said rhythm.
Life here had a rhythm carved by sunrise and sunset. By planting seasons and harvest cycles. By hunger, rain, and the strength of one's back. And in that rhythm, Orpal had found his place.
Morning Discipline, Dawn light filtered through the thin curtains as Orpal opened his eyes.
The six-year-old body with a twenty-year-old mind in it. Months of adjustment.
There was no more confusion and no more panic. Just his routine life.
A translucent panel flickered into view.
[Daily Tasks Generated]
Chop firewood (0/1 bundle)
Fetch water (0/2 buckets)
Assist in field labor (0/1 hour)
Physical Training (0/1 session)
Optional Quest:
Catch small prey in forest (0/1)
Reward: Minor EXP + Random Stat Fragment
Orpal sat up slowly, stretching his small arms over his head.
A balanced system. Just work equals to reward. He liked that. It felt honest.
Before stepping out of bed, Orpal summoned his status screen.
[Status]
Name: Orpal Verhen
Level: 3
Strength: 8
Agility: 7
Vitality: 9
Intelligence: 10
Mana Sense: 6
(Stats slightly above average for a rural six-year-old.)
The numbers weren't explosive. They weren't shocking. But they were the result of his hard work.
Vitality had grown the most thanks to consistent chores and training. Strength was catching up. Agility improved naturally through movement and hunting.
Intelligence remained high from his adult mind.
But mana Sense was… slow. It was as expected. He didn't have Lith's monstrous magical talent.
And that was fine. Orpal dismissed the screen and got to work.
At the field, After completing the morning chores and a light but consistent training session—slow squats, controlled breathing, short sprints around the house—Orpal headed toward the fields where his father worked.
The sun had just begun its climb.
His father stood bent over the soil, hands rough and movements mechanical from years of repetition.
"Good Morning Father" Orpal said.
His father glanced at him briefly, surprised.
"You're done with your chores?"
"Yes."
A pause. "Good your mother need the help even though she never acknowledges it ." His father said with a smile. It wasn't praise. Not exactly but he knew.
Months ago, Orpal had made a quiet decision:
He would not become a burden. He would not be the resentful child canon Orpal had been.
So he worked. He helped turn soil. Carried tools. Cleared stones from planting rows.
His small body strained, but his improved Vitality allowed him to endure longer than expected.
After nearly an hour—
[Assist in Field Labor — Completed]
Reward: Strength Fragment (Small)
A warmth seeped into his muscles.
He adjusted his grip on the hoe, testing the subtle increase.
It was a small but real increase in his stats.
His father noticed his steadiness.
"You've been stronger lately," his father muttered.
Orpal simply shrugged. "I'm just trying harder."
His father gave a small nod. And that was enough.
The Forest Edge, After field work and a short rest, Orpal slipped toward the edge of the nearby forest.
The optional quest still lingered in his vision.
Catch small prey.
He wasn't reckless. He never ventured deep into the forest, he knew his strength and weakness.
Just near the outer brush where rabbits and small birds lingered.
He had fashioned simple traps over the past weeks—nothing advanced, just basic snares learned from memory and adjusted through trial and error.
The system didn't hand him hunting skills.
He had to think and Adapt. he had failed from time to time. He also improved his skills too.
Today, one snare had triggered. A small rabbit struggled weakly within the loop. Orpal approached carefully.
A swift motion he killed the rabbit with the knife he took from the kitchen.
It was over. He exhaled. This world required pragmatism.
[Optional Quest Completed]
Reward: Agility Fragment (Small)]
He crouched there for a moment, studying his hands.
There was no trembling. He wasn't proud of killing. But he wasn't disturbed either.
It was for his and his families survival. That was all that matter.
By midday, Orpal returned home with the rabbit.
Elina looked up from the cooking area, surprise flashing across her tired but kind eyes. "You caught that?"
"Yes."
Her lips curved gently. "You're growing reliable, Orpal."
That single sentence warmed him more than the fire ever could.
He helped skin and prepare the meat under her guidance. Watched how she used small spells—controlled bursts of heat and wind—to maintain the fire and manage smoke.
Lith lay in his crib nearby, watching. He's always watching.
When Elina flicked her fingers and whispered the ignite spell, a tiny flame bloomed to life.
Lith's eyes widened, Focused and Intense.
Orpal caught it immediately.
Even at a few weeks old… that gaze was too aware.
When Elina stepped away briefly, Orpal crouched near the crib.
Lith's eyes tracked him instantly. "Curious, huh?"
Orpal extended a finger and softly whispered, "Ignite."
A tiny spark flickered above his fingertip.
It was a weak and controlled flame. Barely more than a candle flame.
His Mana Sense wasn't high, but with practice he could perform simple spells.
Lith's tiny hand twitched.
His eyes shone. It was filled with fascination not fear.
Orpal felt a strange mixture of amusement and awe.
"You like that?" Lith gurgled softly.
Orpal extinguished the flame and switched to a minor wind spell, creating a gentle swirl of air that brushed against Lith's cheek.
The baby Lith first blinked and then smiled.
Orpal froze. It was a small and subtle feeling but it was there.
And something in his chest tightened unexpectedly.
'So this is how it feels…' he thought to himself.
There was no rivalry nor any jealousy, just two brothers bonding with each other.
He let the wind fade.
"Don't get too excited. You'll outdo me soon enough."
Trista toddled into the kitchen shortly after, hair messy, eyes bright.
She clung briefly to Elina's skirt before wandering toward her brothers.
Orpal scooped her up effortlessly—months ago this would have been tiring.
Now it was manageable.
"How's our little storm?"
She giggled, grabbing his collar.
He spun her lightly, careful not to overdo it. She squealed with delight.
The kitchen felt fuller, Warmer and felt more alive.
When his father returned from the fields, he paused slightly at the sight:
Orpal and Rena was cutting vegetables. While Trion was attempting small wind spells. Trista was laughing. Lith quiet but observant. Elina smiling faintly. The atmosphere was… different. It was less strained, more balanced.
Dinner was simple but satisfying—rabbit stew, vegetables, fresh bread.
Orpal made sure everyone was served before taking his own portion.
That night, after everyone settled, Orpal lay in bed staring at the ceiling again.
He summoned his status.
[Status Update]
Level: 4
Strength: 9
Agility: 8
Vitality: 10
Intelligence: 10
Mana Sense: 6
It was a small increase. It was earned by hard work. He flexed his fingers. His body was still that of a child, he is still fragile. But it was no longer weak.
And more importantly—
The household felt stable.
Trion trusted him. Rena respected him. Trista adored him. Elina relied on him. His father acknowledged him and Lith… Lith watched him.
Orpal closed his eyes slowly.
He didn't know how much of canon would change.
He didn't know how powerful Lith would become in this timeline.
He didn't know whether helping him now would create bigger ripples later.
But one thing was certain:
This version of Orpal Verhen would not become a shadow filled with resentment.
He would grow stronger. He would protect this home and his family. Even if he had to carve that strength piece by piece.
Outside, the night settled quietly over the Verhen house.
Inside, five siblings slept under one roof.