It's been three years since my new life began, and I'm now a three-year-old child living the life I could have only dreamed of. I have a loving mother, a doting father, and an older brother, Dean, who is five years older than me. My family is truly remarkable—my father, Duke Mont, is an SSS-rank swordsman, a figure of awe and strength in the Varnis Empire. Dean, following in his footsteps, is already showing signs of walking the same path.
When I was one year old, I discovered something extraordinary—the status window. It remains a constant source of wonder and intrigue. But what surprised me the most wasn't just the window itself; it was what it revealed. My connection to playing cards turned out to be more than just a memory from my past life. According to the status window, every time I kill a monster, I unlock a new card. There are 52 cards in total to unlock—an entire deck waiting to be completed.
But here's the catch—I'm only three years old! How could I possibly dream of fighting monsters, let alone killing them? And this world doesn't make it easy. The monsters here range from the weakest, F-rank, to the most terrifying, SSS-rank, creatures that even seasoned warriors fear.
For now, I'm content to bide my time and prepare for the challenges ahead. My journey is just beginning, and with my family's strength behind me, perhaps one day, I'll have what it takes to unlock every card in my deck
How could I possibly defeat a monster? I paced nervously around my room, trying to figure out a plan. If I wanted to unlock a new card, I had to do something—but what? What could a three-year-old like me possibly do?
As I sat on the edge of my bed, drowning in the storm of my thoughts, the door to my room flew open with a loud crash. Startled, I looked up, only to find my older brother, Dean, standing in the doorway with his signature grin and that unshakable air of confidence he always carried. He looked just like our father—blue hair that shimmered in the sunlight streaming through the windows, and striking red eyes that could pierce through steel. His resemblance to our dad was uncanny, though his over-the-top demeanor was anything but.
I glared at him, crossing my tiny arms. "Big brother don't just barge into my room! Have some dignity!"
Dean's face fell into an exaggerated pout. "Why is my younger sister lecturing me? You sound like you're older than me!" he whined before tilting his head curiously. "So, tell me, Aria, what's on your mind?"
I froze. "H-how could you tell?" I stammered, caught off guard.
Dean grinned and ruffled my hair. "Of course I could tell. You're my little sister, after all! Now spill."
I hesitated but then mustered my courage, looking up at him with the cutest, most pleading puppy eyes I could manage. "Big brother, I want to hunt an nasty ,scary monster. I know it's dangerous, but… pretty please?"
Dean raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by my audacious request. It took me over an hour of relentless begging, pleading, and throwing out every puppy-eyed expression I could think of before he finally caved in.
"Fine," he sighed, shaking his head with a resigned smile. "But don't blame me if Mom and Dad scold you later!"
Victory! I could hardly contain my excitement. My journey was finally about to begin.
The next day, Dean sneakily escorted me out of our mansion and into the forest, his demeanour as playful as ever. "Remember, Aria," he said, his tone serious for once. "Stay close to me, alright?"
I nodded earnestly. "Alright, big brother."
As we ventured deeper into the forest, my status window unexpectedly appeared in front of me. A new quest was displayed:
Quest: Watch Dean hunt a slime. Reward: Unlocking a card. Failure: Death.
My heart nearly stopped. Death?! The status window had never issued such a dire warning before. It seemed inevitable now—we were going to encounter a slime. I gulped nervously but stayed close to Dean, who walked with confidence through the forest.
Sure enough, we came across a goblin. With a single, precise slash of his sword, Dean dispatched the creature with ease. He turned to me, flashing a triumphant smile. "There! Are you happy now that you've seen a monster? Shall we head back home?"
I nodded quickly. "Of course. Thank you, big brother."
Dean raised an eyebrow, his curiosity clearly piqued. "Why did you want to see a monster anyway?"
I hesitated for a moment before replying in my most childish voice, "Because, big brother, I read about them in a book and really wanted to see one in real life. I don't regret it!"
Dean burst into laughter, ruffling my hair. "Alright, alright. My little sister is turning out to be quite the adventurous one. How interesting."
We made our way back to the mansion, sneaking inside as quietly as we had left. Once in my room, Dean gave me a quick pat on the head before heading off.
The moment he left, my status window appeared again, glowing brightly.
CONGRATULATIONS, ARIA. You have successfully completed your quest. Reward: Unlocking a card.
Excitement bubbled within me as I clicked on the display. I had unlocked the Four of Clubs. I eagerly read the card's description: This card can summon a fireball.
"Awesome!" I squealed, unable to contain my glee. My first card—and it was already this powerful. The possibilities of this new life just kept getting better and better.