With the sound of the window opening, morning sunlight entered the room, falling directly on the sleeping boy's face. He frowned a little bit but then heard a sweet voice that brought a smile to his face.

"Good morning, Adam."

He opened his eyes and saw a woman sitting at his bedside with a smile on her face, looking at him with eyes full of love. She had light blonde hair and looked like she was in her late twenties or early thirties.

"Good morning, Mom." He replied and sat up in his bed, facing his mother with his eyes closed, as if waiting for something.

"Breakfast is ready. How long are you going to sleep? Don't you think you're getting lazier these days?" she teased, feigning anger. But looking at her little boy sitting there, her pretense didn't last long. She kissed him on his forehead and slowly stood up, heading out of the room. "Now don't waste time, come downstairs. Your father is crying for breakfast in the kitchen."

That morning kiss from his mother had been his wake-up call for the past 11 years since he was born into this world. He had found it childish as he grew older, but he never denied it. In fact, he always waited for it. In his previous life, his relationship with his parents wasn't good. He argued with them over every little thing, knowing deep down he was wrong, but he still couldn't contain his anger. The fights, the regret—they weighed on him. So now, in this life, he wanted to make up for it.

Adam was very surprised when he woke up one day to find himself in the body of a newborn baby. At first, fear gripped him, causing some early difficulties for his parents. But over time, he accepted his new reality and vowed to live a proper, happy life this time. A second chance from fate or God, perhaps.

The world he found himself in was geographically the same. He was still living in London, but it was the 1980s, a time much earlier than his previous life. At first, he assumed everything else was the same too. That is, until he discovered magic existed here. People could use magic, though it was usually simple things like lighting sparks or creating small amounts of water or ice. Still, it was magic.

Adam couldn't help but wonder if he'd somehow entered a magical novel. But that fantasy faded fast—he couldn't use magic at all. This realization left him in a long depression, until one day his father noticed his sadness and explained that most people couldn't use magic until after 20, and some never could, just like himself. That brought Adam some peace, though he never stopped trying to learn or awaken magic.

On his 11th birthday, something incredible happened. Adam started seeing words in front of his eyes. He kept it a secret, examining it on his own, and soon realized it was a system, like the ones from those fantasy novels. It showed his name, gender, magic status, a shop, and even a map leading to strange spaces filled with monsters like goblins, slimes, and orcs. He could gain rewards by defeating them, though many spaces were locked due to his low level. Still, only he had access to this strange system.

Adam got up from bed and walked to the window, feeling the warm sunlight and cool morning breeze on his face. He looked ahead, but his mind was on the status screen only he could see.

Name: Adam 

Gender: Male 

Race: Human 

Age: 11 

Magic Status: Inactive 

Level: 3 

Special Points: 3700 

Gold: 0 

Items: Old Spear 

Shop: Locked (can only buy Old Spear, Rusty Sword, Iron Knife) 

Gold Shop: Locked 

Tasks: None 

Map (Nearby Secret Space): None

Looking at his underwhelming status, Adam sighed and closed the screen. Ten months had passed since he first got this system, and yet, not much had changed. He still couldn't unlock the shop or use magic. The one secret space he could access was filled with weak monsters like slimes and goblins. He earned special points, but all he could buy were basic, almost useless weapons. Gold remained at zero, no matter how many monsters he killed. He even tried using his mother's gold jewelry, but to no avail. And without tasks, his system seemed more of a frustrating tease than a gift.

Still, Adam was no ordinary boy. In this world, where most kids were just starting to explore and understand themselves, Adam already had the advantage of a past life's worth of knowledge. He studied harder than anyone else, reading books far beyond his age level, and consistently scored full marks in school. Not only that, but he excelled in sports, making him an athletic and well-rounded student. Despite these achievements, however, his system remained stubbornly locked, and magic still eluded him.

His understanding of the world had also extended beyond his schoolwork. With a bit of cleverness, Adam had put his past knowledge of finance to good use. In his previous life, he'd learned the basics of investing and stock markets. While it was an unusual thing for an 11-year-old, Adam had carefully observed his parents' financial habits and found an opportunity. With his father's approval, they had invested a small amount of money into a low-risk, long-term mutual fund. Adam used his prior knowledge to help guide their choices, ensuring the investment did well over time.

One day, as they were enjoying breakfast, George casually mentioned how well their little investment was doing.

"Looks like the small bit we invested in has been paying off," George said with a smile, looking over the recent statement from their financial advisor. "It's not a lot, but we've made enough to enjoy a little extra this month. Maybe we could use some of that to go on a short trip or buy something fun."

Olivia smiled at the news, but there was still a hint of concern in her eyes. "It's not a lot, but I'm glad it's been going well. Perhaps we can afford to treat ourselves a little."

Adam, though, noticed the way his parents had handled the money, quietly pleased with the result. He hadn't caused any noticeable changes in their lives, but his subtle influence had helped them find a small, comfortable cushion.

In fact, Adam had continued to use his past knowledge little by little, helping his family make small but meaningful decisions. He was careful not to reveal too much and ensured nothing stood out as suspicious.

After washing up and changing, Adam headed to the kitchen, where his parents, George and Olivia, were chatting and laughing over breakfast. His father, George Taylor, was a hard worker, trying his best to provide for their small family. Though they had inherited a nice house from Adam's grandfather, they weren't wealthy, but they lived happily. His mother, Olivia, had chosen to stay at home to take care of him instead of pursuing work, a decision Adam deeply respected.

"Good morning, Dad," Adam greeted as he sat beside his mother.

"Good morning, Adam." George replied, though his attention was glued to the newspaper, a frown on his face. "Another man went missing this week. What's wrong with the police? Why aren't they doing something about these disappearances?"

Olivia and Adam exchanged glances but stayed silent. George's complaints about the missing persons had become a regular occurrence during breakfast. People disappearing was, unfortunately, considered a common occurrence in this world. It was accepted, almost expected.

But Adam knew better. These disappearances were linked to secret spaces—strange places that seemed to appear and disappear at random. Every time a new one showed up on his system map, people from the surrounding area would go missing shortly after. Adam wasn't sure if the people of this world were simply unaware of the connection or if the government was covering it up, but he knew better than to reveal his suspicions.

"So, Adam, where do you want to go for vacation? We can go wherever you want," Olivia asked as she served him breakfast, sneaking a playful pinch at George as she passed.

"Yes, son, where do you want to go?" George added, snapping out of his newspaper-induced grumpiness.

Adam never asked for much. He understood his family's situation well. Despite living in a large house, they weren't rich. His father worked hard, and Adam didn't want to add to their burden. As always, he made his usual request.

"I don't want to go anywhere. I'm happy at home. Maybe we could go to a movie?"

Olivia smiled gently as she served him, but there was a hint of sadness in her eyes. "Dear, I know you understand so much for your age. You're only 11, yet you're already so mature. Your father and I are so proud of you, but it also makes us a little sad. You don't have to always think about our family's situation. We want you to enjoy yourself too."

George nodded in agreement. "Adam, you don't have to worry about money. We've been saving for your future, and we want you to enjoy life. You don't always have to put us first. Just tell us what you want to do."

Adam had always tried to ease the burden on his parents, thinking that by asking for less, he was helping. But now, he realized that in his effort to be considerate, he might have brought some sadness to their hearts. Before he could respond, a knocking sound came from the window.