Seraphina stood towering over Aelorin, her piercing green eyes locked on his guilty form. He had been careless, caught red-handed in the library, disobeying direct orders. He knew this was bad—*really* bad. The punishment could range from being grounded to his room for days, to even worse: being banned from leaving the house. That would cut him off from everything he loved—exploring creatures from the outside world, watching his mother, siblings, and the maids practice magic. For a curious young elf like him, that would be pure torture.
His mind raced. He needed a plan, and he needed it fast.
"Mummy…" Aelorin's voice trembled as he forced tears to well in his eyes. He pulled his most pitiful expression—one he had mastered after years of knowing exactly how to push his mother's buttons. "I-I heard a voice… I got scared..."
There. He delivered the bait perfectly, and now all he needed was for her to take it.
Seraphina's stern expression softened, her hand loosening its grip on his small wrist. She crouched down, brushing a stray lock of red hair from his face with surprising gentleness.
"The Goddess of the Moon speaks to us in mysterious ways, especially during her festival. You shouldn't be afraid, Aelorin. When she reaches out, you must embrace her with love. That way, she will grant your wishes."
Aelorin mentally sighed in relief. *She bought it.* If it had been his father, Ruham, instead of Seraphina, things would have been different. His father wasn't as easily manipulated. All Ruham seemed to care about was making his mother scream at night—something Aelorin couldn't understand—and giving him the weirdest dreams.
To really sell his innocence, Aelorin flung himself into his mother's arms, burying his face in the soft embrace of her chest. They were like pillows, comforting and warm.
"Thank you, Mummy. I was really scared."
Seraphina, feeling like the guilty party now, sighed and stood up, holding him in her arms. "Maybe that's enough playing for today. I'll take you to your room," she said with a smile. She was about to leave the library when something caught her eye. She glanced down at the old, dusty book Aelorin clutched in his small hands.
Her smile faltered.
"What are you doing with *that* book?"
Aelorin's heart skipped a beat. Her tone had changed, and he knew that tone all too well. She recognized the book. *Wait, this book was covered in dust when I found it... How does she recognize it from a single glance?* His mind raced again.
"It was the only book I could pick up a few words from, so I held onto it," he lied, trying to sound innocent.
Seraphina's face darkened, her smile now completely gone. She stared at the book in his hands for a long moment before speaking again, her voice colder. "That book... no one can read it. It's ancient, and the letters inside change every second. I only recognize it because it's the one book in this entire library that not even I can read."
Aelorin's curiosity was instantly piqued. *A book that no one can read?* He looked down at the cover again. It had seemed perfectly readable to him when he first opened it.
As they walked back to his room, Aelorin asked more about the strange book. His mother explained that no one, not even the most powerful scholars or mages, had ever been able to decipher its contents. The letters, she said, shifted constantly, making it impossible to make sense of. But to Aelorin, none of that had been true. The words had been as clear as day.
His thoughts raced as he replayed his mother's words. *Could this book be special?* He would have to find out on his own.
When they finally reached his room, Seraphina gently laid him on his bed, kissing him on the cheek before leaving. As soon as her footsteps faded down the hall, Aelorin sprang into action. He activated his insight skill, scanning the entire room and even a few feet beyond it to make sure no one was nearby. His skill had grown stronger recently, allowing him to detect anyone who might be lurking around. It was a handy ability, especially in case someone ever tried to assassinate him—a realistic concern considering how many enemies he'd made in his past life.
Once he confirmed he was alone, he sat up and grabbed the book. His heart raced with excitement. He flipped to the first page again. *Nothing had changed.* The words were still as readable as before. But when he turned to the next page, everything fell apart. The letters transformed into incomprehensible gibberish.
"What the heck?" Aelorin whispered. He flipped back to the title page, but even that had changed. The title he had just read minutes ago was now something entirely different, written in symbols he couldn't understand.
*What's going on?*
He frowned, sitting up straighter and placing the book on his lap. That's when the notification appeared before his eyes.
**{Would you like to bind your cells to this book?}**
Aelorin's eyes widened. *Bind my cells?* What did that even mean?
He hesitated, his curiosity warring with caution. Binding to a book sounded... permanent.
**{Binding: When you combine with a material, you gain all its benefits and weaknesses. You may only bind once in your lifetime.}**
Aelorin rolled his eyes. "Yeah, thanks for the clarification, but that still doesn't tell me why I should care."
The notification blinked again, the green text pulsing before his eyes.
**{Benefits of binding: You will gain the Job Class of Beast Tamer. You will be able to dominate and command all lifeforms. You will gain two evolution points. This Job Class is suitable for you. If rejected, you will no longer be able to bind with such material again.}**
Aelorin groaned. "Beast Tamer? Seriously? Why would I want that? I'm an elf! I already have powerful magic. Learning about beasts is enough—I don't need to *tame* them."
He tossed the book onto his bed and stood up. "No thank you, I've made my deci—"
**{Who said I was asking?}**
Aelorin froze. *Wait, what?*
He stared at the screen, his heart pounding in his chest.
"You can't force me!"
**{You selfish candidate. This is the best option for both of us. If you die, I disappear too.}**
"Stick to the script, you stupid system! I want overwhelming power, not some beast-taming nonsense! I don't need to attract animals—I need to attract *girls*! It's my life, not yours!"
**{So you refuse the Job Class?}**
"Of course I do!"
He swiped at the notification, selecting "Yes" to confirm his refusal.
**{Yes. You have successfully accepted the Job Class: Beast Tamer.}**
Aelorin's eyes widened in disbelief. "Wait—what? No, no, no! I didn't accept it!"
He glared at the floating text. "You tricked me, you bastard!"
The system didn't respond.
Aelorin fell back onto his bed, staring at the ceiling. "Great... Just great."