The sun had barely cleared the horizon when the Aetherwyn estate received its first unexpected visitor in over a decade.
A single, unmarked carriage rolled up the moss-lined path to the estate, its blackwood frame plain yet unmistakably expensive. The coachman wore a neutral cloak, and the emblem etched faintly into the door—a golden crown eclipsed by a silver star—was the seal of the royal capital's internal magic regulation bureau.
The visitor who emerged was not dressed like a knight or noble. In fact, he looked rather tired—glasses sliding down his nose, a stack of scrolls under one arm, and a perpetually confused look on his face. His name was Elias Vern, Royal Mana Inspector, Third Class. And he had been given the worst assignment in the department's history:
"Observe and report on the rumored 'awakening' of Aaron Aetherwyn. Discreetly. Avoid conflict."
As the carriage rolled away behind him, Elias adjusted his spectacles and sighed. Please let this just be a bored noble kid throwing fireworks.
He knocked on the towering mahogany doors.
No answer.
He knocked again, more firmly.
Footsteps approached, and the door creaked open… revealing Aaron himself, wearing a slightly oversized training robe, hair a mess, and one of his boots untied.
Aaron blinked. "Are you… the milk delivery guy?"
Elias froze. "Excuse me?"
"I didn't order anything," Aaron continued, yawning. "Unless you're with that new herbal tea vendor. In that case, I'm only buying if it improves joint flexibility and reduces muscle twitching during mana overflows."
The inspector tried to recover. "I-I'm not selling anything, sir. I'm with the Royal Mana Regulation Office. I'm here for… an observational assessment. Standard noble procedure."
Aaron squinted. "So… definitely a salesman."
He started closing the door.
"No—wait! I'm here to assess your magical health! It's a safety check—on behalf of the Crown!"
That stopped Aaron.
He opened the door again, curiosity piqued. "Oh. You mean like… checking if I've overloaded my mana veins or something?"
"Yes!" Elias jumped at the opportunity. "Exactly! Overloading, destabilization, improper attunement… we just want to ensure nothing unusual is happening."
Aaron chuckled and stepped aside. "Alright, come in. But I should warn you—I'm pretty average. Don't expect anything fancy."
Elias followed him in, pulling out a glowing wand of assessment. "I'm sure."
He's glowing, Elias realized, staring at Aaron's back. He's literally glowing. And he thinks he's average?
---
The courtyard looked like a magical battlefield in disguise—trees with singed tips, boulders split down the middle, and the faint scent of ozone in the air.
Aaron led Elias to a stone bench. "I usually train here in the mornings. I'm still experimenting, though. Can't get any of the advanced spells to work."
"What kind of spells are you attempting?" Elias asked, pulling out a crystal recorder.
"Basic stuff," Aaron said casually. "Yesterday, I tried a 'blink' spell for short-distance movement. Overshot a bit. Still figuring out the aim."
Elias remembered the field report: "Subject was observed reappearing atop trees in a pillar of celestial light."
Aaron continued, "Oh, and I tried making a mana rope. You know, to pull myself up cliffs. Accidentally vaporized the cliff."
Elias's pen snapped in half.
Aaron noticed and offered him a new one. "You okay?"
"Fine. Just… could you maybe show me one of those 'basic tricks'?"
Aaron looked hesitant. "You sure? I'm not very good."
Dear gods, Elias thought, what does he think "very good" even looks like?
Aaron stood and raised his hand. "Alright. Let's try a simple aura flare. I think it's a beginner technique for aura control."
He snapped his fingers.
A burst of starlight surged from his body. The sky rippled. Mana pressure dropped across the estate. Birds fainted mid-flight. Somewhere in the north, a priest woke up screaming.
Elias dropped to one knee, barely able to breathe. The arcane pressure felt like standing before a divine tribunal.
Aaron frowned. "Hmm. That felt… weak. Maybe my focus is off?"
Elias gasped, "W-Weak?!"
"Yeah," Aaron sighed. "You should've seen it two days ago. I tried a full-body circulation and caused a windstorm. Thought I was catching a cold."
Elias was pale.
Aaron leaned closer. "Anyway, if you're from the mana health office, maybe you can tell me why I'm plateauing. I keep training, but everything I do still feels… average."
"P-Plateauing," Elias echoed, his soul halfway out of his body.
Aaron scratched his head. "Am I just not cut out for this? I mean, my father says I'm improving, but maybe he's just being nice."
Elias slowly stood. "I… I think I have everything I need."
"You sure?" Aaron asked, walking him to the gate. "I can show you this one spell where I make a tiny mana ball float, but it keeps accidentally causing atmospheric interference. Weird, right?"
"NO—thank you! Really. You're doing… fine."
Aaron waved as the inspector rushed to his carriage like the ground might eat him.
---
Later that day...
Duke Lucien Aetherwyn sat in his study when a servant brought in a sealed scroll marked "Urgent: Royal Priority." He opened it.
Subject: Aaron Aetherwyn
Status: Extremely unstable divine-class mana wielder
Recommendation: Never provoke, never approach unprepared.
The subject is unaware of his true level. Maintain his ignorance at all costs.
Possibility: Avatar-class reincarnation. Proceed with divine caution.
— Inspector Elias Vern (Returned via instant teleportation with emergency funds.)
Lucien pinched the bridge of his nose. "Another one."
---
Meanwhile, Aaron sat under a tree, sipping tea, and writing in his bark journal.
Training Log, Day 18:
– Aura control still clumsy. Might be early signs of magical imbalance.
– Visiting magic inspector said I was "doing fine" (probably being polite).
– Focus: Remain humble. Must work harder to reach average mage level.
---
Far across the ocean, in the court of the Seraphic Skyborne Empire, a phoenix messenger burst into the royal hall.
The empress read the encoded parchment with narrowed eyes.
"The Aetherwyn line has awakened.
A divine spark has returned to the mortal plane.
The boy does not know.
The humans do."
Her wings unfurled slowly.
"Summon the high council," she said. "We must prepare. Before the professor learns he is a god."
---
End of Chapter 12