Wolfra slowly emerged from the golden light, his form transformed into a powerful and majestic figure. His body resembled that of a human but retained wolf-like traits—tall, muscular, and radiating strength. His posture was noble, and his fur glimmered with a silvery sheen. He kneeled before Rai with reverence.
"My lord, it is my greatest honor to serve you," Wolfra said, his voice deep and resonant yet full of humility.
Rai, taken aback by the change in both Wolfra's tone and demeanor, giggled briefly but quickly regained his composure. "Well done, my servant. I knew naming you would be a wise decision."
Wolfra, his eyes wide with admiration, asked, "Master, could it be that you foresaw this transformation?"
Rai, feigning confidence, nodded solemnly. "Yes, my subject. It was all according to my plan."
Wolfra was awestruck. "You are truly remarkable, my lord. I would gladly give my life for you."
Internally, Rai thought, Wow, he's turned into such a noble gentleman. I really lucked out with this ability.
Clearing his thoughts, Rai addressed his servant. "Wolfra, I will return to my home for now. There is information I need to gather about barghasts and werewolves."
Wolfra, concerned, asked, "Master, have I done something wrong? Or am I no longer of use to you?"
"That's not it," Rai assured him. "I need to prepare for what lies ahead. You should stay here, hunt for food, and wait for my return tomorrow."
Wolfra, bowing deeply, replied, "As you command, my lord."
Rai nodded in approval and began his journey home. Meanwhile, Wolfra sat pondering, his thoughts filled with admiration. My master is truly extraordinary. How fortunate I am to serve him.
When Rai arrived home, he was greeted by his mother, Aria, whose beauty and warmth made the house feel like a sanctuary.
"Welcome back, my dear," Aria said with a gentle smile.
"Thank you, Mom," Rai replied, his childlike energy bubbling over. "Where's Dad?"
"He's at work," Aria said, brushing a strand of hair from her face. Rai's father, though a humble knight, was highly respected in their community.
Rai's curiosity got the better of him. "Mom, what is magic?"
Aria chuckled softly. "Magic, my love, is a force that lets people do things that are otherwise impossible. It's a gift that allows us to shape the world around us in wondrous ways."
"I want to learn magic!" Rai exclaimed with enthusiasm.
Aria smiled knowingly. "When you're a little older, we'll start teaching you."
Rai, recognizing that arguing would be futile, decided to learn on his own. Determined, he made his way to the town library. The library was a quiet, towering building filled with countless books—exactly what Rai needed.
Upon entering, Rai approached the librarian, an elderly woman named Lia, who was nearly hidden behind the large desk piled with books.
"Excuse me, ma'am," Rai said, standing on his toes to peer over the counter. "Can I become a member here?"
Startled, Lia looked around to find the source of the small voice. Spotting the boy, she squinted. "What's a little one like you doing here? Shouldn't you be playing with your friends?"
Rai shook his head, determined. "I need to read books. My name is Raioules."
Lia's eyes widened slightly. "Wait, you're Aria's son, aren't you?"
"Yes, ma'am," Rai replied confidently.
Lia chuckled. "Well, your mother already has a membership here, and we don't charge young ones like you to borrow books. Feel free to read whatever you like."
Rai's face lit up with joy. "Thank you, ma'am!"
He wasted no time and began searching for books on monsters and magic. Though he was still young, his mind was set on learning everything he could about this world and its secrets.
Rai eagerly grabbed two books from the library shelves: Magic for Kids and Monster Analogy. The moment he saw the colorful cover of the magic book, his excitement doubled.
"I got it!" he whispered triumphantly to himself, clutching the book like a treasure.
Rushing to a nearby reading corner, Rai opened Magic for Kids. The first page featured an intricate magic circle with strange patterns and simple instructions: Place your hand on the circle and imagine pressing it.
Following the instructions, Rai placed his small hand on the drawing and focused. For a moment, nothing happened. But then, a burst of light erupted from the book, shimmering in seven colors like a rainbow. Rai quickly looked around, relieved to see no one else had noticed.
On the next page was a chart with strange numbers and labels. His magic affinity had been measured as 6 out of infinity.
"What does this mean?" Rai muttered, furrowing his brow.
Unable to decipher it, he hurried to the librarian, Lia, who seemed half-asleep behind her desk. "Excuse me, ma'am. What does 6 out of infinity mean?"
Lia barely opened her eyes. "Ah, well… infinity, because the possible levels of affinity for magic are endless. But most people only have an affinity of 2, 3, or 4. Having 6 is quite rare." She yawned as if it were no big deal.
Rai nodded, trying to contain his excitement. "Oh… thanks," he muttered. As he walked away, he thought to himself, Oh no, I shouldn't have asked her out loud! But wow, I'm lucky!
Eager to test his abilities, Rai left the library and found a quiet place to practice. He opened his magic book again and studied the instructions for casting spells. Holding his hand out, he visualized a flame, and softly muttered the incantation in his mind. A small, flickering fireball appeared in his palm but vanished within seconds.
"Ugh… too weak," Rai groaned, determined to try again. Over and over, he practiced, but the fireball remained unstable. Frustrated, he switched to a water spell. This time, a small droplet of water fell from his hand.
Looking at the faint water droplet, Rai clenched his fists. "I'm not a good mage yet… but I'll train until I can protect my slaves and anyone under my care."
With that resolve, he found a secluded area and began rigorous training. Spell after spell, failure after failure, Rai continued for hours. He cast each spell more than a thousand times until exhaustion took over.
Dragging his tired body back home, Rai stumbled into the bath to clean himself. Feeling refreshed, he approached his father, Ren, who had just returned from work. Ren was a tall, muscular knight with a reputation for his strength and sharp skills.
"Father," Rai said, looking up at him with serious eyes, "I want to learn Kai."
Ren's face lit up with pride at his son's determination. "Of course, Rai. I'll start teaching you tomorrow."
Rai smiled, grateful for his father's support. After a moment, curiosity struck him again. "Father, are werewolves strong?"
Ren nodded thoughtfully. "They are quite strong, but they can't win against a trained knight like me."
"What about barghasts?" Rai asked, his mind flashing back to what Wolfra had said.
Ren's expression grew more serious. "Barghasts are tougher than werewolves. They're larger, more cunning, and have unique abilities. But I've defeated a few in my time."
Hearing this, Rai couldn't help but feel both admiration and determination. He thought, One day, I'll be as strong as my father… no, stronger!
With that thought, Rai headed to bed, his mind brimming with ideas of how to master magic, Kai, and his mysterious new powers. Tomorrow would bring more challenges, but Rai was ready to face them.