After that first night of producing something from a dream, Victor—who had started calling himself Ren—began creating even more things.
He tried to take control of his dreams, aiming to produce all the things he had always longed for back on Earth.
At first, it was simple: cookies, candy, chocolate-covered treats—things he could quickly eat and make disappear before anyone noticed.
He didn't want his parents to find out what he was doing. Not after the way his father had reacted the night the popsicle appeared. That look of suspicion still haunted him.
Even when he was careful, his father still seemed to notice. It was as if he could sense whenever Ren activated his ability—always arriving too quickly, already aware something had happened. So, Ren began taking it seriously. He limited himself to small, subtle objects and focused on improving whatever magic this world had given him.
There was, however, one major drawback: it made him twice as tired. He slept more, and during the day, he had far less energy than normal. His body appeared weak—sluggish even—and it was beginning to worry his mother.
Ironically, that concern led to what felt like a hidden blessing.
He was given a strange elixir—a bright, slightly glowing liquid that restored his energy almost instantly. It gave him something akin to a sugar rush… and yes, it was addictive.
After drinking it, his powers surged. If before he could produce a simple lollipop, now he could make it perfect: one with sour powder, a gooey filling, and even a bubblegum center.
Eventually, he began to worry about developing diabetes from all the sugar. It was time for a new strategy.
And so, he asked himself: what would be better than candy?
The answer was obvious.
The elixir.
What if he could create that? What if he could replicate the liquid that gave him strength—and maybe even unlock more of his power?
He didn't know if it was possible. He didn't even know what the elixir was made of. But the distinct taste, the surge of energy it brought… he had to try. He had to replicate it, no matter the cost.
And to store it, he couldn't rely on the original vial. He needed something else—something discreet, something that would pair with the liquid seamlessly.
That's where his month of dream-training with candy-making finally came in handy.
To begin using his new power, he first had to manifest himself within the dream. For this, he used the body he had before—his old body from Earth. Of course, that was the only way. The body of a baby wouldn't cut it for the level of finesse he needed.
Using his former body as an avatar, he activated his strange powers. The first thing he had to do was bypass whatever force was trying to block him. It had happened by accident the first time, but eventually, he figured it out—if he created his old body and used that to perform the dream-construction, it became much easier.
It was like cheating the system or whatever was sealing him. It didn't seem to recognize his avatar as the real Ren. So it didn't react.
He had created a perfect loophole.
His white world began to take shape after he entered his dream. He focused on the memory of the elixir—its scent, its color, its texture, its thickness—everything. He visualized it in painstaking detail, recalling the way the liquid shimmered in the light, the way it tasted on his tongue.
He didn't know why it was getting easier to create such things in this strange world, but he began to wonder—was this a talent he never would've discovered back on Earth? Maybe he was meant to be a scientist, and he'd just never had the chance. It was an amusing thought… but one for later.
He focused.
Everything began to form in his hand—the same vial, the same glowing liquid. Everything looked perfect.
Then he took it a step further.
He imagined the liquid inside a pill. Something small and easy to consume. A simple flu capsule from Earth served as his base. He filled the clear shell with the strange bluish-white liquid.
It was complete.
The first elixir pill.
He wanted to test it right away, but he knew that using his avatar body wouldn't work. It wasn't real. To see the results, he'd have to return to the waking world—the real world—where he was still a baby.
And so he did.
When he opened his eyes, he immediately inspected the pill inside his little but adorable hand. The small bead glistened with a faint shimmer of power. He didn't know if it was truly the same as the elixir, but it looked right.
He hesitated.
If he didn't act soon, his father would likely come to check on him. And it was already late—he'd be grouchy.
Ren had eaten countless conjured candies before and none had made him seriously ill. His baby body couldn't handle that much sugar, but this… this was different.
He was confident this wouldn't hurt him too much.
Extending his tiny hand—now more obedient than before—he stuffed the pill carefully into his mouth. He didn't dare swallow it whole; he feared choking. His body was still difficult to control, and lying down didn't help.
So he bit into it.
He chewed slowly, cautiously. It was hard at first. He only had one tooth so far, and crushing anything with it was a challenge—but also strangely satisfying.
Who knew growing teeth would be such a hassle?
Ren swallowed the liquid and waited.
He quickly closed his eyes and steadied his breathing to appear asleep—his father, Duke Tristen, would be arriving any second now.
Just as the door creaked open, he felt it—that surge of power.
Energy rushed through his limbs, and for a moment, it was almost unbearable. His body wanted to move, to stand, even run. Maintaining the sleeping pose took everything he had.
There was something… different about the pill he'd made. It didn't just mimic the elixir—it surpassed it. It was more pure. More potent. The sweetness had an almost electric sharpness to it. And whatever it was doing to him, it was working.
The Duke stepped in briefly, eyes scanning the room and landing on his "sleeping" son. Satisfied, he quietly stepped back out.
In the hallway, Granny Martha stirred from her nearby room, glanced toward the nursery, then sighed. She was used to the Duke's late-night inspections and thought little of it, returning to bed without a word.
The moment the coast was clear, Ren's body jerked slightly. The energy inside him shifted, and he convulsed a few before it settled. Whatever excess magic or power had been surging through him seemed to find a place—somewhere—and vanished.
But the aftereffects remained.
He felt stronger. Not just less tired—healthier, more alive than he had in months.
Creating the elixir had been taxing… but drinking it restored the energy spent, and then some. It was as if the world had paid him back with interest.
Here in this strange new life, he could only think of it as mana. There was no better word for it there was no other explanation and as a baby he was not going to get any from those around him.
He was completely isolated from spellbooks, teachers, or even magical tools, this method might be the only way he could grow in power—secretly, steadily, and alone.