I woke up with a jolt as a shrill scream practically exploded next to my ear.
"What happened?!" I shouted, my heart racing as I bolted upright.
Only to find Sasha standing next to my bed, struggling very hard not to laugh. Her hands were covering her mouth, but the corners of her eyes betrayed her.
"My lady, it's almost lunch time. I believe it's time you woke up," she said sweetly, though her voice was still laced with suppressed amusement.
Lunch time?
Wait—lunch time?!
My eyes widened in disbelief. I had fallen asleep last night knowing full well that something had unlocked inside the system! I had intended to stay up and check it... but apparently, exhaustion had other plans for me.
My hand flew to my forehead in dismay as I slowly sat up, already bracing myself for the worst. I looked down in horror, expecting to find myself still tangled in that absurdly enormous birthday gown.
But to my relief—I was wearing fresh, soft sleepwear.
"Sasha… did you change my clothes last night?" I asked cautiously, raising an eyebrow.
She just gave me a nonchalant nod, like it was no big deal.
Well, to her, it wasn't. Sasha had been with Isla since she was little and had helped her change clothes more times than I could count. It was part of her daily routine. Still, it used to make me a little uncomfortable—especially when I first came here. But now? Now I was pretty okay with it.
Sasha was a total sweetheart. A honey. My personal guardian angel with perfect taste in fashion and a disturbingly good aim with hairpins.
As I stretched and got up, I suddenly remembered what had me so excited last night—the new unlocked feature in the pendant system!
I turned to Sasha with urgency. "Sasha! Don't come into my room until lunch is served, okay? I'm going to take a looooong shower. Like, a spa-level shower. Alone."
"Spa? My lady? " She said looking at me confused.
"That's not important Sasha, important is that I would like some privacy till lunch. " I said
She blinked at my dramatic tone but smiled warmly. "Understood, my lady. I'll have the kitchen prepare something special today—your favorite dishes. It is your birthday, after all."
That made me pause.
"Ugh, stop it. Don't make me emotional," I muttered as I playfully shooed her out. "I already know you're the best, don't rub it in."
I think I heard her giggle as the door clicked shut behind her.
Smiling, I made my way to the bathroom. After soaking in warm, lavender-scented water and scrubbing off the last bits of exhaustion, I wrapped myself in a fluffy robe, changed into light lounge clothes, and sat down on the bed, heart pounding with excitement.
Time to see what had changed.
"Into the system," I said aloud, the words now familiar and comforting.
The world around me flickered like a shimmer on the surface of a lake. In a breath, I was pulled inward—into the glowing, magical realm that was my system. Cool light surrounded me like mist, and everything looked hyperreal, like stepping into a dream where I was the center of everything.
"Now, what do we have here? Let's see... details about the newly unlocked feature," I murmured to myself, eyes scanning the air where I knew the holographic interface would soon appear.
Right on cue, a gentle, feminine voice filled the space—a soft, melodic tone I'd grown used to. My ever-patient assistant. She handled all the system's functions and guided me through them.
Though, of course, there was another voice.
A sassier, moodier one. That one only spoke when it felt like it—twice, so far—and never once answered any of my questions. It always came and went like a dramatic wind. Completely useless. And extremely annoying.
But this time, it was the sweet assistant who spoke.
{Details of the newly unlocked feature:
You have unlocked your inherent magical tendency upon reaching the age of eighteen.}
Magic.
The moment I heard that word, every nerve in my body lit up. Magic? My magic? My ears metaphorically perked up as I leaned forward eagerly.
"Tell me more," I whispered to the air, heart thudding with anticipation.
{You have gained the Nature Bending Tendency.
By combining your will and inner energy, you can now connect with the natural world and shape it to your benefit. This ability allows you to interact with the essence of nature without barriers, at will, whenever and wherever you choose.}
The calm, melodic voice echoed gently in the glowing air, each word sinking into me like ripples over still water.
My eyes widened. Nature bending? I gaped, my mouth slightly open. That—was—awesome.
"Are you serious right now? That sounds insanely powerful!" I murmured in awe, hardly believing it.
But the voice wasn't done.
{The Nature Bending Tendency goes far beyond what its name suggests.
To truly know it, control it, enrich it, and ultimately enhance it… that will take time. With time will come understanding, growth, and mastery.
And all the questions you already have—and the ones you're yet to ask—will be answered. Eventually.}
The gentle voice faded into silence, leaving the space around me still and quiet, as if the system itself was giving me a moment to absorb it all.
And just when I thought the moment was over—
A familiar, dramatically different voice echoed sharply across the space. One that made me roll my eyes before even hearing the full sentence.
"Ohhh, finally decided to show up and learn about your newly unlocked tendencies, did you?" it said, arrogance dripping from every word.
I crossed my arms and sighed. Here we go.
It was that voice. The sassy one. The overly confident, annoyingly charismatic one that popped up only when it felt like causing chaos. I didn't like it—but it clearly didn't care.
"Now," it continued, "One more thing you need to know—along with these impressive magical abilities, you've also acquired something even more valuable than nature bending…"
I blinked. More valuable?
"…My assistance." the voice declared proudly, as if I should be honored.
Of course.
"You're welcome," it added smugly, as if I had said thank you. I hadn't.
"From this point on, whenever you need to learn something, locate someone or something, or figure out how to do whatever dramatic thing your heart desires, you can simply say: I want to do (this)—and I will give you the guidance you seek."
It paused. And then, in a tone soaked in superiority, it added, "However, I will only assist when I feel like it, not just because you ask. I'll show up when it's urgent—or, you know, when it amuses me."
I narrowed my eyes. "You're unbelievable."
"I know," it replied.