What am I doing here?
Where did it all go wrong?
Ash sat stiffly, his mind in turmoil, as the car sped down the road toward the academy.
To his left, Melissia Ravencroft sat fuming, She was fiddling angrily with her phone. Her occasional glares felt like daggers stabbing his composure.
At the wheel, Lady Nyra drove in silence, her calm yet intimidating aura filling the car.
"Fuck…" he muttered under his breath.
Melissia's ears perked up at his faint curse, but she didn't say anything. Yet.
Finally, he tried to reason again. "I'm saying it again, Lady Nyra. Even though I have to go to the academy, I need to make a quick stop at Iron hold City first.
There's something urgent I have to take care of," Ash said, carefully keeping his tone respectful, though his nerves were frayed.
Before Nyra could respond, Melissia beat her to it.
"You're going nowhere! You will have to bear the consequence for making me angry... You'll be my servant until the academy starts, you will do everything I tell you to, Otherwise I will tell My Father you harrased me!" she said smugly.
Ash's eyebrow twitched. He clenched his fists to stop himself from snapping.
This bratty kid... I swear...if Weren't for her father....huff...calm down...Ash...Calm down
He forced a tight smile and replied as calmly as he could, "Miss Melissia, I admit I was disrespectful earlier. How about I compensate you after we arrive at the academy?"
Melissia narrowed her eyes, suspicion radiating from her gaze. "You're so weak. There's no way someone like you will even get into the academy. Don't try to fool me!"
'Fuck. That's why I hate geniuses—they're too full of themselves.'
"Brat—I mean, Miss Melissia, I can tell you with a Guaranteed source that I will pass the entrance exam of the academy," said Ash, forcing a smile.
Melissia eyed him suspiciously and asked, "What's that trusted source?"
Even Nyra tilted her head slightly, curious.
Ash flashed a little grin and said, "Trust me bro!"
"Pfft."
Nyra chuckled, and Melissia stared at him, dumbfounded.
"You're going nowhere," Melissia declared firmly.
'Fuck, I shouldn't have mentioned the academy. Now how the hell am I supposed to get my second rune before the entrance test?'
Ash's mind reeled as he thought about how he'd gotten into this mess.
---
A Few Hours Earlier
Ash knew he had messed up big time, so instead of turning back or facing them, he simply continued walking forward.
Because if someone disrespects another out of ignorance, it's still forgivable—especially if that someone is a kid. Ash was still in a child's body, and children aren't expected to know everything. Mistakes like that could be brushed aside.
But if they realized that he had disrespected a Ravencroft while knowing who they were, then that would be a different matter altogether. That could spark a storm he didn't want to deal with. So he chose the safer route—for now. He kept walking, pretending he didn't know anything, feigning ignorance like it was the truth.
Still, even as he moved forward, there was a heavy weight pressing against his chest.
He was disappointed in himself. Deeply.
He should have recognized her earlier.
In the novel, the Flame Empress was famous—not just for her explosive temper or overwhelming mastery over fire magic, but also for her strong, unshakable sense of justice that burned hotter than any flame.
And yet, right now… she was just a young girl. A twelve-year-old child, still soft around the edges, still growing into her strength and her destiny.
'I won't die… she's got that justice streak and all that heroic crap… but still—damn.'
But then, as if the universe wasn't done with him yet, he went and messed up again.
"Melissia Ravencroft…" he whispered without thinking, the name slipping from his lips before his mind could catch it.
Just like that, another mistake was born.
Nyra, with her wide perception, caught his murmur. Her sharp eyes narrowed with suspicion, the edge in her voice becoming unmistakably protective.
"What did you just say?" she asked, her tone sharper now, laced with warning.
Ash stopped mid-step. His body froze—and that was a mistake. He shouldn't have stopped.
"...Nothing," he muttered, cursing himself inwardly as he turned back to speak.
He tried his best to control his facial expression, forcing himself not to show any emotion that might give him away.
Melissia sniffled softly, her tears slowly fading as she peeked up at him. Her wide, red eyes shimmered with confusion, mixed with a hint of lingering anger.
"You're still standing there? What, do you feel bad now?" she asked, her voice wobbling like someone trying to stay angry but not entirely sure why.
What standing? I just paused for a second, brat… he thought bitterly.
Shaking his head, he tried to move away again, but Nyra's voice cut through the air, halting him once more.
"What's your name?" she asked, her tone sharp and demanding, as if she would not let the matter go without answers.
Nyra stepped forward, her presence changing. It became heavier, more commanding, as if she had suddenly decided she would not be ignored.
"Ash Burn," he replied, his tone respectful but carefully measured, maintaining the calmness that kept his emotions buried and in control.
Her eyes didn't move, locked onto his face. "You recognize her, don't you, Ash?" she said, her voice low, like a whisper that carried the weight of a blade. "That look in your eyes… You know exactly who she is."
Ash felt his chest tighten, a pressure building from within. But he didn't flinch. He kept his expression still, calm, showing none of the storm swirling inside him.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, keeping his voice even.
Nyra's gaze narrowed, sharper than before, like she could see through him completely.
"There's no point in lying. Your heartbeat gave it away. It spiked just now. You can't fool someone like me."
His fists clenched before he could stop himself. The pressure was rising fast, and there was no point in trying to keep up the act anymore.
Nyra's perception was too sharp, too observant. Continuing to deny it would only make things worse.
"Yes," he admitted softly, the words leaving his lips with a strange calm. "I just remembered who she is."
Nyra's brows furrowed slightly, as if she wanted to ask more, but before she could continue, Melissia spoke up again, her tone still carrying a childish pout.
"Then why were you so mean to me if you know who I am?"
Ash looked at her, wondering if she even understood what she was asking.
Because I didn't recognize you at first, he wanted to say, and by the time I did, I'd already messed up.
But saying that out loud wouldn't help.
"I had just woken up from an unconscious state," he said finally, trying to sound as casual as possible. "My vision was blurry, and I couldn't really see your face. As for your bratty—I mean, I've heard you have a sweet and kind personality, so I was confused."
Melissia frowned, her small face scrunching up as she tried to figure out if that was an insult or a compliment. "Still, you should apologize. You disrespected me."
Nyra let out a sigh, rubbing her temple slowly, as if trying to push away the headache that was starting to form. "Miss, we are—"
"I'm sorry," Ash interrupted her, his tone flat but sincere enough to make Melissia go quiet.
He didn't care how it sounded. If a simple apology could get this stubborn brat to calm down, he was willing to say it a hundred more times without hesitation.
Melissia's expression softened at his words, though the pout still clung to her lips like she didn't want to give up the fight completely.
"Good," she said, nodding with the satisfaction of someone who believed they had just won an important battle.
But her next words made Ash feel like the floor had dropped out beneath him.
"You should be punished for making me cry. How about becoming my servant until I reach the academy?"
Ash didn't even need to think about it. His reply came instantly.
"No."
His voice was flat, emotionless, and firm.
Melissia's eyes widened at how quickly he refused. Without missing a beat, she turned toward Nyra with a pleading look in her eyes.
Those big puppy-like eyes, full of silent cries for help, made Nyra sigh again. She turned to Ash, her voice now more curious than confrontational.
"You are around the age of twelve to thirteen, aren't you? Are you planning to attend the academy?"
Ash knew lying would be useless in front of her. So, he replied honestly.
"Yes, I plan to go to the academy. But before that, I need to stop by Iron Hold City."
Nyra nodded thoughtfully, her expression turning serious again. "Alright then. You are coming with us. Once we reach the academy, you can go wherever you want."
Ash opened his mouth to argue, to explain that he had important things to do, but before he could speak—
A voice echoed inside his mind.
[Just follow along. Her personality may be a little twisted, but she is a good child. If you simply go along with what she says, things might end sooner than expected. If not... it will become much more difficult for you.]
Hearing that, Ash went silent, his shoulders sinking slightly as he let out a slow breath.
Damn my luck…
***
Back in the Car
Ash replayed the earlier events in his head, suppressing the urge to groan.
Now, he was stuck in the car, Melissia smirking smugly beside him, while Lady Nyra, seated in the front, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the aftermath of his antics.
He sighed deeply.
'I'm stuck here now. There's nothing I can do.'
At least they'd had enough decency to allow him a bath before leaving the city.
Thinking about the bath, he glanced down at his body, instinctively inspecting himself.
'Not a huge change, but still... I've gained some muscle. My skin feels smoother, and I'm taller than before.'
A small smile tugged at his lips. Overall, he couldn't complain about the changes his awakening had brought.
Closing his eyes, he turned his focus inward, trying to sense his core.
And there it was—two cores, glowing brightly, one in his upper and one in his lower dantian.
But the moment his senses locked onto them, his eyes snapped open in shock.
'What the...?'
He quickly closed his eyes again to confirm what he'd seen.
Two pure white cores radiated an ethereal glow, their brilliance unmatched by anything he'd ever seen before.
'This can't be right. Pure white cores? Already?'
His breathing hitched slightly as realization set in. He instinctively touched his chest, as if trying to physically feel what he was sensing.
Ash's previous core had been riddled with impurities—black streaks that clouded mana flow, hindering efficiency.
Like most people, he'd expected that purification would happen gradually as he ranked up, the impurities being cleansed little by little over time.
Pure white cores, however, They were the hallmark of Mythical-ranked individuals— their mana flow as smooth and unrestrained as the winds of nature itself.
And yet, here he was, freshly awakened, with not one but two pure white cores.
He took a deep breath, trying to steady the storm of thoughts rushing through his mind.
'The Rune of Stability… It must have done this.'
His lips curled into a slightly shaky smile.
'When the protagonist got the rune in the novel, he was already awakened. That's why this effect wasn't recorded in its description.'
He let out a nervous chuckle, the weight of this realization finally sinking in.
'This is insane. I'm nowhere near Mythical rank. Hell, I've only just started. No wonder my body feels so different…'
But something else caught his attention. He leaned in deeper, mentally focusing on the cores again.
Delicate golden lines ran across the surface of the cores, faint but intricate, like veins of molten gold weaving through white marble.
'What… is this?'
The golden lines pulsed faintly with a rhythm he couldn't quite understand. Despite his confusion, he decided to leave the mystery for later.
'I'll figure it out once I get to the academy library. For now, let's focus on the basics.'
Leaving the golden runic lines alone, he exhaled deeply and eagerly opened his status window.
'Status.'