Noa stood on a hill, staring at his mansion burn.
The screams echoed in the distance, the fire scorched his skin, and the hot wind blew through his hair.
Flames spread rapidly, intending to consume the entire world.
Noa didn't move.
He didn't blink.
Didn't flinch.
The smoke stung his eyes, but he kept them open.
It was his failure, his pain.
'What's happening?' he thought, forcing his legs to move.
But not a single muscle obeyed his command, leaving him frozen in place.
'I just dozed off. How come the mansion is burning? Where are Mom and Dad?' he thought, his emotions intensified.
Just then, through the broken walls, Noa saw something.
Only after the fire swallowed the rubble did he notice people emerging—the maid clutching his mother, while his father trying to shield them both.
Noa wanted to warn them.
But the flames reached them first, burning them with something hotter than hellfire. Their mixed screams came after.
"No!" Noa's voice echoed after them.
He was too late.
Too weak.
He just stood there, unmoving, fists clenched, as everything he found dear in this new world turned to ashes.
Only now could his legs move.
They trembled along with his hands as he reached out, but his touch passed through the fire.
And then…
A delicate hand shook his shoulders.
"Master, wake up."
The voice came as well, jolting Noa awake. The fire was no more. So was the ash.
Sunlight massaged his face, and the delicious scent of breakfast tickled his nose.
"Master, did you stay up late? It's my first time seeing you miss your morning routine," Thalia spoke again, shaking his shoulders.
'It wasn't a dream,' Noa thought about the vision he had.
'It's like a prophecy—connecting to the first one I had.'
He realized that something eerie and terrifying would happen to this mansion, and he had to prevent that somehow.
However, the circumstances and the date were beyond his current knowledge.
Hence, he glanced at his maid.
"Thalia," he muttered, trying to hide his previous emotions. "You brought breakfast for me?"
Still, his voice shook.
The vision he saw, the heat and emotions he experienced, felt all too real.
It had only been one day since he arrived in this world. So for him to grieve over these deaths was unusual.
Meanwhile, Thalia nodded her head, eyeing Noa with interest.
There was something definitely wrong with her master, yet she couldn't explain it.
"Are you okay, Young Master? You missed your morning jog," she said, her voice filled with concern. "How can I assist you? Should I ask for the doctor?"
Hearing her questions, Noa chuckled.
Every worry he had vanished instantly, leaving him with a concern for acting out of his character.
"Don't worry. I will dress up and meet you at the courtyard," he said, narrowing his eyes.
"Meet me? Why?" Thalia asked, confused.
"Starting today, you are going to run with me. I'm not the only one who needs to work out," Noa teased, pointing at her cute belly.
"Master!" Thalia called out, her eyes watering. "You meanie!"
Seeing her adorable reaction, Noa wanted to bully her more.
But he laughed and told her to do as she was told.
Thalia stomped her foot on the floor but obeyed his command, leaving him alone in his room. No matter how kind her master was, she couldn't go against his words.
Noa sighed and thought about the vision.
He ate as well, trying to erase the images that decided to haunt his mind.
"I will change that future," he said to himself and took the shortest path to the courtyard.
It was his first time leaving the building and embracing the outside world, free from the chains that once locked his wrists or free from the fire that once burned the mansion.
The afternoon air was cool against his skin.
Without a word, he started jogging.
He moved at a steady pace until he saw Thalia waiting for him.
"Master," she muttered.
"Come with me," Noa said after passing her. "It will also help you clear your head."
"Okay," the maid said awkwardly, following him behind.
They jogged in silence, their soft footsteps matching each other. They rounded a corner when Noa spoke, voice warmer than usual.
"Can you show me your contracted beast?"
"Huh?!" Thalia exclaimed. She wasn't expecting such a request from her master. "You want to see my bonded beast?" she asked.
But before Noa explained his curiosity, a thin ripple spread through the air.
Without a flash of color, a beast appeared beside her. Four-legged, white like snow, fluffy like a rabbit with misty fur, and deep blue eyes that observed Noa intensely.
Thalia patted the creature. "Her name is Luna. But I believe you have seen her before."
"Father told me that the ceremony will be held in a week. I guess I became more curious about them." Noa cooked the explanation, crouching beside the beast.
'It's like a rabbit but bigger, with tougher paws,' he mused.
"What tiers are you both at?" he questioned Thalia. "And what is her elemental affinity?"
"She is tier 2. Albinoxes have ice affinity, but they are fairly easy to cultivate," she answered, her eyes glowing with passion.
This simple topic was something she had great interest in, especially if it was about Luna.
As for Noa, he knew that reading books would help him learn more about the magic and how this world operated. But speaking with someone who possessed greater knowledge than he did was just as worthwhile.
"What about the ritual of her breakthrough? Ice isn't exactly the most common affinity. Wasn't it hard to find appropriate materials?" Noa continued his questions.
There were more than twenty recorded affinities in the world.
The most common ones were fire, air, water, and earth.
But more uncommon and unusual affinities also existed, affecting the world and its environment.
They produced different mana veins that had special effects, along with different, less common ways to find elemental resources.
The book Noa read only mentioned a couple of them, meaning gathering resources for the breakthrough wasn't a simple process.
Especially for the unique elements like ice.
"Mana crystals with ice affinity aren't that rare. As for the herbs and moonlight-infused water needed for the ritual, my family assisted me with those," Thalia explained, eager to aid Noa further.