Something fluffy smacked my face.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
I groaned and buried my face into the pillow.
Then the fluffy thing slapped me again.
Harder.
"Wake up, brat."
My eyes snapped open.
Golden eyes stared straight into my soul.
Kaelith.
Still in his Luminox form, sitting on my chest like a tiny tyrant.
"Do you mind?" I croaked. "Some people enjoy sleep."
"It's five in the morning."
"That is illegal."
"Magic training waits for no one."
I stared at him.
Then dramatically flopped back into bed and pulled the blanket over my head.
"I'll learn magic later."
Two seconds of silence passed.
Then a tiny paw smacked my cheek again.
"Get up before I change my mind about teaching you."
…That did it.
I slowly sat up and rubbed my eyes.
"You're a menace."
"You're welcome."
I stretched, hair a complete disaster.
"Fine. What's lesson number one, oh wise fluffy overlord?"
Kaelith's tail flicked smugly.
"Mana."
He suddenly pulled out a glowing crystal orb from thin air.
I blinked.
"Did that just come from nowhere?"
"Spatial storage."
"Of course it did. Why am I even surprised anymore?"
He held the orb between his paws.
"Mana is the energy that fuels magic. Without it, you're just waving your hands like an idiot."
"That sounds like something I would absolutely do."
"Which is why we're testing you."
He pushed the orb toward me.
"Hand."
I placed my palm on the crystal.
For a moment nothing happened.
Then—
FLASH
Blue light exploded through the orb.
Symbols flickered across its surface.
Numbers.
Runes.
Energy swirling like liquid starlight.
My sleepiness instantly vanished.
"Wait—what does it say?!"
Kaelith snatched the orb away and stuffed it back into his storage.
"Hey!"
"You have mana."
"That's not enough information."
"It's average."
"That is extremely disappointing."
He rolled his eyes.
"Stop being dramatic."
"I refuse."
Kaelith jumped down from the bed and continued speaking like an annoyed professor.
"Your family — the Ravenshades — are known as knight guardians of the empire."
I blinked.
That was news to me.
"They rely on physical enhancement, not spells. Their mana is used to strengthen their bodies."
"Ah. So they're magical gym bros."
"…Sure."
"But female heirs?" he continued.
"Usually have almost no mana."
My eyes widened.
"Then why do I have it?"
Kaelith looked straight at me.
"Because you're not originally from this world."
Silence filled the room.
I tilted my head.
"Yeah, I figured you knew."
Now he looked surprised.
"You're not shocked?"
"You literally hinted at it every time we met."
He sighed.
"Fair."
I leaned forward eagerly.
"So why do I have mana?"
Kaelith leaned against my desk.
"Your world still has mana."
I blinked.
"Earth has magic?!"
"Unused magic."
He folded his arms.
"Your civilization replaced magic with science. Technology became more useful, so magic faded into the background."
"Oh."
That actually made weird sense.
"So my body stored unused mana?"
"Exactly."
He pointed at me.
"Which means you have potential."
I gasped dramatically.
"I knew I was special."
"You're also annoying."
"That too."
He suddenly flicked my forehead.
"Ow!"
"Focus."
Then he snapped his fingers.
"Lesson two."
I straightened.
"Mana control."
Finally.
Actual magic.
"Hold out your hands," he ordered.
I did.
"Now close your eyes."
I obeyed.
"Imagine energy gathering inside your body… flowing through your arms… collecting in your palms."
I focused.
At first nothing happened.
Then—
Warmth.
Like tiny sparks moving through my veins.
"Open your eyes," Kaelith said.
I did.
Blue light glowed faintly between my hands.
"WOAH!"
"Don't lose focus," he snapped.
The light flickered.
"Sorry!"
I concentrated harder.
Sweat formed on my forehead.
The energy grew brighter.
"How long do I hold this?" I asked.
"Five minutes."
"FIVE—?!"
"Four minutes left."
I groaned.
This was harder than every anime made it look.
My arms trembled.
Mana pulsed violently.
But somehow—
I held it.
Finally the light vanished and I collapsed onto the ground.
"I think my soul left my body."
Kaelith clapped slowly.
"Congratulations."
"That sounded sarcastic."
"It was."
He stood up.
"You'll practice until you can maintain it for one hour."
I stared at him in horror.
"You're a monster."
"I prefer 'excellent teacher.'"
Training continued until sunset.
By the time we finished, my legs felt like jelly.
Kaelith teleported us straight back to my room.
Bless teleportation magic.
Soon Selene and the maids arrived.
Dinner followed.
While eating, Mother suddenly spoke.
"Evelyn, we received a letter from the Empress."
Oh no.
I froze mid-bite.
"It seems Princess Iris wishes to invite you for a playdate."
Theo looked amused.
"Playdate?"
Mother nodded.
"Apparently she wants to see the Emberfox cub again."
Ah.
Right.
That fluffy little fox-like magical beast from the palace gardens.
"The visit is the day after tomorrow."
Theo grinned.
"I'll come too."
"Good," Father said.
I sighed.
Royal playdates.
What could possibly go wrong?
Later that night—
Back in my room—
Kaelith lay curled beside my pillow in Luminox form.
Selene brushed my hair while Annie stared at him.
"Miss Evelyn," Annie asked excitedly, "have you named him yet?"
Oh.
Right.
They didn't know he was actually a shape-shifting magical menace who forced me to wake up at five in the morning.
I panicked.
"Uh… yes."
Kaelith opened one suspicious golden eye.
"His name is…"
I blurted the first thing that came to mind.
"Lumi."
Kaelith's eye twitched.
Annie clapped happily.
"That's such a cute name!"
Then she proudly revealed a blue collar with a small sapphire charm.
"We made this for him!"
Kaelith immediately tried to escape.
He failed.
The collar clicked around his neck.
His snowy white fur made the sapphire sparkle beautifully.
He slowly turned his head toward me.
Golden eyes full of silent threats.
I smiled sweetly.
"Looks great on you, Lumi."
If looks could kill—
I would have died instantly.
But honestly?
Seeing a powerful Luminox spirit forced to wear a sparkly collar was absolutely worth it.