On a quiet night, inside her bedroom, Sophia was sleeping on her study table.
Exhausted from getting lost in thought earlier, she had dozed off without realizing it.
But it wasn't long before something roused her.
[Synchronization Successful]
A sound echoed in her head—like a notification.
"Huh? What?"
Blinking awake, Sophia found herself staring at a floating window.
From Cal's expnation earlier, she knew this window was a result of accommodating Seraphix's ability.
As she examined the window, a realization struck her.
"This is different."
The window was now bck, adorned with intricate patterns that pulsed with a mysterious glow.
Her gaze drifted to the text dispyed on it.
"Synchronization... Wait, I can read this?"
The first time Sophia had seen this window, most of the text had been incomprehensible—except for people's names. But now, she could read everything perfectly.
Before she could process this change, the window shifted, repcing itself with a new message.
[Welcome, Master]
Sophia stared at the words with confusion.
"Master? Sir Seraphix? Did he do something to this window?"
Instinctively, she turned to gnce at her bed, where Seraphix y sprawled out, completely occupying the space, leaving no room for her.
Then, a thought crossed her mind.
"Wait... is this a birthday present from Sir Seraphix?"
A smile appears on her face.
"He doesn't hate me after all... Ah, wait! I'm the master—why am I even worrying about my tamed beast hating me?!" Sophia shook her head.
Her attention returned to the floating window, now more detailed than before. As she observed it, she noticed something peculiar—it resembled the night sky, shimmering with stars and moons.
"It's... beautiful."
Strangely, though the window appeared solid, she could still see what y behind it, as if it existed both in front of her and beyond her field of vision at the same time.
Then, as her eyes nded on the reflection in the window, she noticed something unsettling.
"Eh? Where are my pupils?"
Her once-dark purple irises had turned completely bck—pupil-less, with tiny specks of light shimmering like a night sky.
Panic surged through her, and she rushed toward the full-length mirror in her room.
"What's happening to my eyes?!"
Just as suddenly as they had changed, her eyes reverted to normal—dark purple, with defined pupils once again.
"Ah... they're back"
Sophia stared at her reflection, baffled.
She took a step back, observing herself more closely.
"I... look different."
Her features had become more refined, her skin held a faint glow even in the dim lighting, and her body proportion seemed enhanced, making her appear more striking than before.
As she continued inspecting herself, a new window materialized before her.
***
Sophia Kovalevska (Sophia Grace)
Level: 1Tamed Beast (1) Mana Capacity: 10Essence: 15,137Occupation: The only daughter of the Kovalevska Household (Maurya Empire)
Title: None
Strength: 1 Intelligence: 1 Agility: 1 Dexterity: 1 Vitality: 1
Essence Shop (*)Essence Bag (0/231)Essence Records (0)
Quest (0)Messages (0)Friend List (16)
Train (6)
Skills: None
Settings
***
Sophia's eyes widened as she processed the information.
"Wow... so many things."
Although she could read the text, some concepts still felt unfamiliar—like Settings, Quests, Skills, and others.
Curious, she checked the Essence Shop, eager to see what could be purchased.
A new window appeared, listing various sections: Items, Skills, Upgrades, and more.
Like a child discovering a treasure trove, Sophia eagerly browsed through the list of avaible purchases.
Then, something caught her attention.
***
High-tier Skill:
Mana Essence: 12,149 Essence
***
"Mana..."
The word echoed in her mind.
It was a term deeply significant to her. Her father, Naphael, was a Grand Magus—the pinnacle of mana users, feared across the world. The fact that she, his daughter, couldn't even manifest a trace of mana was more than just disgraceful—it was unbearable.
Her heartbeat quickened as she checked on the skill for more details.
***
Mana Essence
Type: ManiputionCss: High-tierAttribute: CosmosEffect: Allows the user to manipute the essence of mana.
***
Even though she could read the description, she didn't fully grasp its meaning. But something within her stirred.
Something inside her screamed—this is it. This is what I’ve been searching for.
Restless, she checked how to purchase it.
"12,149 Essence... is that the price?"
She navigated to her main window, checking her total Essence.
"I... I have enough!"
Her hand trembled with excitement. Without hesitation, she navigated back to the Essence Shop and selected Mana Essence for purchase.
A new window appears.
[Do you want to purchase Mana Essence?]
Sophia swallowed hard. Her body tensed with nervous anticipation.
[Yes].
Instantly, a discomfort spread through her body—an unnatural, invasive sensation, as though something foreign was growing inside her.
Sophia colpsed to her knees in front of the mirror.
Yet, despite the discomfort, she felt no fear.
She had endured far worse pain in the past, especially during her self-experimentation.
Instead, a surge of excitement washed over her.
Anticipation.
The promise of talent.
Sophia's body gave out, and she colpsed onto the floor. Though her mind was strong, her body struggled to endure the change.
She gasped for breath, her limbs unresponsive.
"Ugh... it's... hard to move."
With great effort, she managed to roll on her back, staring at the ceiling.
The discomfort intensified, creeping into every fiber of her body and mind. Sweat poured from her skin as her breath grew ragged. Slowly, she began losing sensation in her limbs.
Her eyelids drooped shut.
Her breathing slowed.
Her heartbeat faded.
And then—nothing.
No sound. No sensation. No movement.
Only darkness.
Yet, in this void, her mind remained crystal clear.
There was nothing to fear—only boundless exhiration.
In the void, she imagined herself wielding mana. She envisioned creating spells—showing them to her father.
In that vision, she saw her father smiling warmly at her.
A quiet night fell over the Kovalevska Mansion. And on the floor, she y motionless—her lips curved into a radiant smile.
OnlyCat
