Nathan – POV

  It took them a while to recover from their shock. Mother was the first to find her voice.

  “Nathan… you have two classes?” she asked, her tone wavering between disbelief and awe.

  “Err… yes, Mother,” I admitted.

  “And new ones, at that?”

  “The system said it is so,” I replied, trying to sound calm though my heart was still racing.

  “This is… not ordinary,” she murmured, more to herself than to me.

  “I guess so,” I said, unsure what else to add.

  I was still trying to read the storm of thoughts behind her eyes when Serena suddenly burst into tears.

  “That’s so unfair! He gets two classes when I only have one!” she wailed, stamping her foot.

  Her cries jolted Dianne out of her stupor. “Sweetie, that’s fine. You also have two affinities.”

  “Yeah, you can control fire and wind,” Shive added, patting my sister’s shoulder.

  Serena sniffled, then straightened up with a pout. “You’re right. I am talented.”

  Oh my god. She’s actually competing with me.

  Mother’s expression softened as she turned back to me. “Nathan, I don’t know exactly what a warlock is, but I am grateful the gods have blessed you with two classes. I’ve heard legends of such individuals, but to see it with my own eyes...much less in my own son...it is… overwhelming.”

  “Mama,” I said firmly, “I promise I’ll use everything I have for our family. You won’t have to toil for food anymore. I’ll make sure of it.”

  Her eyes glistened as she pulled me into a hug and kissed my cheek. “Let me be the one to tell your father. I’ll break the news gently.”

  I nodded. That was for the best. I didn’t want to watch Father go through the same emotional rollercoaster.

  That night, as promised, mother told him. His face cycled through shock, fear, and finally pride. In the end, it went better than I expected.

  He even promised to find me books on shadow magic and other forbidden spells. Talk about enabling. I could only laugh.

  They really are good parents, supportive to the point of criminal. Just like my parents back on Earth. Sigh.

  The days that followed settled into a new rhythm.

  I began teaching Serena deeper aspects of chemistry and combustion. Progress was slow, but real. She’d already managed to raise her Intelligence by ten points. How the system measured such things, I had no idea, but I counted it as a win.

  Mother, meanwhile, grew fascinated with my explanations of human anatomy, especially cell growth. It made sense; she was a healer. Before, she had simply chanted spells without thought. Now she had a clearer picture of how the body repaired itself. The system rewarded her curiosity with +2 Intelligence.

  As for me, my shadow magic continued to evolve. Shadow Tendrils remained at Rank 10, but Shive had begun teaching me how to manifest shadow weapons. She made it look effortless. When I asked her to explain, her answer only confused me further.

  “I just will them into existence,” she said with a shrug.

  Yet when I touched her blades, they felt as solid as steel; cold, sharp, and utterly real, though black as night. Was it imagination? Willpower? What were the mechanics behind it?

  My Shadowmeld also advanced to Rank 2. I could now slip into one shadow and emerge from another a few meters away. The distance wasn’t impressive yet, but it was progress. And progress meant potential.

  So, I kept training.

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  Because if the gods had truly given me two classes, then I had no excuse not to master them.

  I had forgotten, again, to contact Leshner and the others. Typical of me. With everything going on, it kept slipping my mind. But this time, I forced myself to sit down, close my eyes, and reach out telepathically.

  “Leshner, Krizek, Xander… you guys there?” I asked, projecting my thoughts outward.

  “Yes, Master,” they replied in perfect unison, their voices echoing in my head like a chorus.

  “Were you able to acquire the brooch?”

  “Yes, Master,” they said again, the same eerie synchronization making the hairs on my neck rise.

  I frowned. “Leshner, I saw on my system that you killed five thieves.”

  “Yes, Master,” Leshner answered smoothly. “Each of them carried a brooch. We slew them and took the items. We also acquired additional gold from their corpses. If you require more, we can return to that group and harvest further resources.”

  Harvest. Gods, the way he said it.

  “Err… perhaps later,” I said quickly. “For now, I need you three to return. I have another mission for you.”

  “We will reach you in about a week, Master,” Leshner replied. “We are already traveling in your direction.”

  “Where exactly are you?”

  “Outside the city of Koph, capital of the Slalenese Theocracy,” he explained. “We apologize for the delay, but the city is crawling with priests, holy knights, and paladins. Had we not been careful, they would have detected us the moment we entered. However, with these brooches, we are safe from discovery.”

  “That’s good. I’ll wait for you here. Be careful.”

  “Of course, Master,” they intoned together.

  I exhaled. A city full of holy knights and priests? Yeah, that’s one place I’m not eager to visit.

  True to their word, the three demons arrived a week later while we were in the woods, practicing as usual. They approached quietly, their steps measured, their appearances… shockingly human.

  “Master, we have arrived,” Krizek said, bowing low. The others followed suit.

  I studied them carefully. My jaw nearly dropped.

  Xander looked like a knight straight out of a storybook; full plate armor gleaming, sword and shield strapped to his back. Leshner wore dark leather armor, a wicked-looking spear in hand, his presence radiating menace. Krizek, in matching leather, carried twin daggers that glinted with a promise of blood.

  They looked… badass.

  “Wow,” I said, unable to hide my grin. “You guys look deadly.”

  “Thank you, Master. We live to serve,” Leshner replied with a bow.

  “Here are the brooches,” Krizek said, handing me a pouch. Inside, five beautiful brooches shimmered faintly with enchantment.

  I plucked one out, then handed the pouch back. “Keep the rest and use them. Make sure they’re hidden.”

  They nodded, fastening the brooches discreetly beneath their armor. I gave one to Shive, who tucked it beneath her maid’s uniform with a small, satisfied smile.

  “Now for your next mission,” I said, straightening. “I want you three to work as adventurers. My mother will instruct you on the details. I don’t care how you do it—the key is to acquire the necessary licenses. Understood?”

  “Yes, Master,” they chorused.

  I turned them over to Mother, who immediately began explaining the ins and outs of adventuring: guild protocols, quests, the importance of blending in. Watching her instruct three demons like they were unruly apprentices was surreal.

  But the implications hit me harder. With them working as adventurers, I would be leveling up without even being physically present. I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it. This was the ultimate cheat.

  I wondered how the system would interpret my little loophole. Would it punish me? Adjust the rules? Or would it simply allow me to exploit it? Either way, I had already decided...I would push as far as I could. And if the system pushed back, I’d adapt.

  After the demons left for town, I sat with Mother by the fire. The woods were quiet, the flames crackling softly. I glanced at her and asked, “Do you miss adventuring?”

  She grew thoughtful, her gaze distant. For a long moment, she said nothing. Then she sighed.

  “Yes, I do,” she admitted. “But I have you children now. It would be irresponsible to put our lives in danger just because I miss my old life. You must understand, Nathan...adventuring is hard and dangerous. Lucrative, yes, but always dangerous. You never know when trouble will strike. Whether in dungeons, escorting caravans, or on missions, danger is constant. An adventurer lives with death at their shoulder.”

  Her words carried weight. I thought back to all the manga and novels I’d read in my past life. They always romanticized adventuring; glory, treasure, camaraderie. But beneath the glamour, there was always danger. Death lurking in the shadows.

  Would I become an adventurer someday? Perhaps. Perhaps not. It would depend on which path brought the most benefit to me and my family. Right now, I was still three years old, nearly four. My future was wide open, but I couldn’t afford recklessness.

  I had to prepare for every eventuality.

  That night, as I lay awake, I thought about the demons. About the brooches. About the system itself.

  I was cheating, yes. But wasn’t that the point? To use every advantage, every loophole, every scrap of knowledge I had from Earth to carve out a future here?

  The system might not like it. The gods might not like it. But I wasn’t here to play fair.

  I was here to win.

  And with Leshner, Krizek, and Xander working in the shadows, my family by my side, and my own powers growing day by day, I was determined to do just that.