As we headed out, my mother and father put their hats back on, pulling them low to obscure the top half of their faces.

"Don't take off your hat this time," Mother scolded, poking Father in the arm.

"Okay, okay, it was clearly a mistake in the shop. I promise I won’t do it again. I don’t want to cause a scene out here," he said, rubbing his arm.

As we strolled down the sidewalk, my mother pointed out a few stalls.

"Let’s go over there, honey. I’m sure Luna would love some of the snacks."

"Oh, can I have some snacks?" I asked, excited.

"You sure can. Let’s get in line," my father said, patting my head, as he looked more excited than me.

When we finally reached the counter, the sweet smell reminded me of the fair—funnel cakes. They were my favorite back then.

The lady at the counter was adorable, with small, dragon-like horns that were pink, matching her skin. Her striking purple hair complemented her eyes, which were the same vivid shade. She didn’t seem to be a dragonkin, though, which made me wonder just how many different races existed in this world. I figured I’d learn more over time.

"What would you like?" she asked, drying her hands with a towel.

"Let me get three of your coated berries and two sweet buns," my mother said, smiling. "I know you just love your sweet rolls," she teased, patting my father's belly.

"What are you trying to say?" he asked, looking down at his stomach. "I’m still fit for my age," striking a pose and flexing.

"That’ll be 10 copper." She handed my mother the snacks, neatly wrapped in what looked like wax paper.

"Watch this," my father whispered to me, pointing at his empty hand. "Nothing in front, nothing in back... voilà!"

A silver coin appeared between his index finger and thumb.

"Keep the change," he said, tossing the coin to the seller.

"Thank you, sir! Thank you!"

"What do you think, little Luna?" he asked, grinning.

"How do you do that, Papa?"

"That’s what you call magic."

"Here you go," my mother said, handing me something that looked like berries on a stick.

"Thank you, Mama." I took a bite. It was crunchy, sweet, savory, and the middle was juicy—absolutely delicious. So delicious, in fact, I made a mental note: buy the whole stall one day.

"How do you like it?" my father asked, devouring something that looked like bread with syrup on it.

"It’s delicious."

They paused for a moment. "Where did you learn such big words, little one?" my father asked, raising an eyebrow.

I tapped my finger on my lip, pretending to think. "I heard it from you. At dinner, you always say the meat is delicious."

I hoped that explanation would get me off the hook.

"Mmm, that meat does indeed taste delicious," my father said, nodding proudly. "We have a genius in the family."

This felt like the perfect time to ask something that had been high on my list.

"Papa, when can I learn magic?"

"Usually, you'd start around five or six, whenever you're able to feel and absorb mana. Since you’ve already accomplished that, I think we can start now," my father said, glancing at my mother for her approval.

"Since we’re here, how about we head to the Mage Tower and test your affinity?"

"What’s that?" I asked, out of curiosity.

"You’ll see when we get there, little Luna," my mother replied with a smile, tucking a stray lock of hair behind my ear.

"Yay! I’m going to learn magic!" I cheered.

We walked a few blocks, taking in the sights on our way to the Wizard Tower. The streets were lined with countless stalls—some selling candy, others offering food that smelled like roasted chicken. I wanted to ask if we could stop and try some, but my excitement about the Mage Tower kept me quiet.

"The more I learn, the more this world starts to resemble those Isekai novels I read," I thought to myself.

Finally, we arrived at the Mage Tower. My father picked me up to give me a better view. The place was enormous, and it truly looked like a tower, stretching impossibly high into the sky.

As we walked through the gates, we were greeted by someone with orange, fluffy cat ears and a matching tail.

"Greetings, and welcome to the Mage Tower! If this is your first time here, allow me to escort you to the information center."

"Thank you, but that won’t be necessary," my father said, opening his jacket to reveal a medallion.

The person’s demeanor shifted instantly. "Of course, sir. Please enjoy your visit."

"Papa, what was that?" I asked, intrigued.

"This medallion shows that I was a student here."

"A student?"

"A student is someone who studies and learns from a teacher," my mother said, playfully poking my cheek.

"So, does that mean I’ll become a student here too?" I asked eagerly.

My mother and father exchanged glances.

"When we studied here, we were just ordinary citizens, with you being the first princess, it might cause a slight problem. Don’t worry—you’ll have a personal professor to teach you," my father said, though there was a hint of concern in his voice.

As we stepped through the grand entrance of the Mage Tower, the sheer scale of the place overwhelmed me—it was like stepping into another world. Towering walls were lined with endless rows of bookshelves. Some books floated freely, drifting from shelf to shelf as if they had a mind of their own. High above, figures hovered in mid-air, flipping through pages or gliding from one shelf to another.

Behind the main counter was a spiral staircase, winding upward into the ceiling and vanishing into the tower’s upper levels.

I was still absorbing everything when my mother gently tapped my chin. "Close your mouth, sweetie. I don’t want anything flying into it," she said with a soft chuckle.

"I was the same way when I first came here, little Luna," my father added, clearly amused as we made our way toward the counter.

I couldn’t help but be fascinated by everything around me. The workers behind the counters were equally intriguing. One of them, a black-haired person with cat-like ears and a tail, caught my attention. I just wanted to reach out and touch those fluffy ears—just once.

"Welcome to the Mage Tower. How may I assist you?" The person greeted us with a warm smile.

"I’d like to see the headmistress," my father said, his tone steady and commanding.

"I’m sorry, sir," sounding a bit nervous. "The headmistress has informed us that she will be busy today. If you’d like, I can schedule an appointment for you to return at a later time. May I have your name?"

"Rhazthar," my father said simply.

"And your last name, sir?" The attendant asked,

"Skyldris," he replied.

The attendant froze, repeating the name slowly. "Y-you... you're the King!" The words stuttered out as the attendant’s eyes widened in shock.

The surrounding became silent, with everyone focusing on us now,

"If you’re the King, that means... you’re the Queen," the attendant stammered, swallowing hard as he turned to me. "And the little girl... is the First Princess?"

Suddenly, there was a thump.

"Did he really just faint?" I asked, bewildered.

My father leaned over the counter, checking to see if the attendant was okay. My mother elbowed him sharply in the side, clearly frustrated.

"Did you really have to use your real name?" she asked. "I thought we were trying to blend in."

"I thought it would be funny," my father replied, laughing as he rubbed his side. "I didn’t mean to cause a panic."

"Settle down, everyone!" came a firm yet playful voice. "Get back to what you were doing. If you’re a student here, don’t waste time! Keep studying, or I’ll instruct every professor to test you tomorrow."

I didn’t know who she was, but she was absolutely stunning—adorable ears that matched her long pink hair, along with three fluffy pink tails. Square-shaped glasses rested on her petite nose, and her plush red lips framed a face that could likely captivate any man or woman. She wore a well-fitted skirt that accentuated her hips, with a white blouse neatly tucked in but open at the top just enough to draw attention. Her heels made her long legs look even more striking, and a white lab coat completed her elegant look.

She walked over and lightly kicked the poor guy on the floor. "Get up, or do I need to deduct your wages?"

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

He jumped to his feet instantly. "I’m working, Headmistress!"

She turned to my father. "So, how can I help you, my little Rhazy?"

My father removed his hat, beads of sweat forming on his forehead as he quickly glanced at my mother. I followed his gaze, and let me just say, it was a face I never wanted to see again—if looks could burn, this entire tower would be up in flames.

"Ara ara, if it isn't little V as well?" the headmistress cooed.

"You serpent!"

"You vixen!" my mother snapped.

"Hey, hey, we didn’t come here for this," my father said sternly. "We just wanted to meet the headmistress."

As I watched them, the realization hit me—she was an old flame of my father.

"And who might this be?" The headmistress asked, turning to me. "What’s your name, little one?"

"My name is Lunara."

"Such a wonderful name. The First Princess is also named... Wait, this can’t be the First Princess, right?" she said, looking genuinely shocked.

My parents simply nodded.

"Fascinating. So young—four years old, correct?"

"Yes, ma’am!" I said with a big smile.

"That’s impossible... I mean, my name is Azalea, but please call me Headmistress."

"Yes, ma’am, Headmistress."

"Isn’t she just adorable?" reaching over to poke my cheek. "I guess you two have done well. So, what can I help you with?"

"When did you become headmistress?" my father asked, a look of confusion on his face.

"Well, if you came to visit more, you’d know the former headmistress is in seclusion. So for now, I am the current headmistress, Your Majesty," she said with a playful bow.

"Well," my father whispered, "could you personally test the little one’s affinity? I don’t want it to be a public affair."

"Of course! Let’s go to my office. Come, come—make sure to stay close," she said, walking around the counter and huddling us together. She gently touched my shoulders. "Hold on to your mother, dear."

"Is this safe?" my mother asked, worry evident in her voice. "She’s only four."

"For her? Yes. I felt her mana, before I even approached. I must say, it’s more than enough to classify her as a Rank 3 mage."

"Alright, here we go."

I closed my eyes.

"Okay, sweetie, you can open them now," my mother said softly, caressing my face.

I opened my eyes, and the sight before me left me in awe. Books drifted through the air, as if they had minds of their own. Quills floated above parchment, dipping themselves into inkwells and scribbling across pages without a single hand to guide them. Candles hovered above, their soft, golden flames illuminating every corner with a steady, flickering light. The entire space seemed to pulse with magic.

"So, what do you think, Princess?" headmistress asked, leaning down to rub my head.

"It’s just as amazing as I imagined," I said, my eyes wide as I tried to take in all my surroundings.

"Back on topic," my mother said, her voice laced with concern. "What do you mean by Rank 3 Mage?

"You know our Fox clan is very sensitive to mana," she explained, excitement in her voice. "Before I even approached, I could feel it. At first, I thought it was coming from one of you two, but this mana signature was entirely different. When I got closer, it matched hers."

"Come, Princess, let's finally see what affinity you have. Do you see these crystals? I want you to touch each one."

"What happens when I touch them?"

"When you push mana into them, they'll react. That shows you have an affinity for that type of magic. For example, red is for fire, blue is for water, and white is for ice. The brighter the glow, the better your chances of using advanced spells. So, do you want to give it a try?"

"Yes, ma’am."

"Oh, stop with the 'yes, ma’am.' I'm not that old. Just say 'yes, Headmistress,' okay?" She rubbed my head again.

"Yes, Headmistress," I replied with a smile, excited to see what magic I could learn.

I picked up the red stone.

"Okay, now focus, Princess, and pour your mana into it."

I concentrated, visualizing mana flowing from my core to the tips of my fingers.

"There you go, the headmistress encouraging me; it's starting to glow," she said, watching the stone light up. "Looks like you have an affinity for fire, just like your mother."

"That's my girl!" my mother cheered me on.

I felt a bit disappointed. I thought the stone would glow brighter, then an idea popped into my head.

"Headmistress, how much mana can I push into the stone?" I asked.

"Usually, when someone gets tested around your age, they push as much as they can. But when you have a natural affinity, like with the red stone, you don't have to push too hard to make it glow. It just comes naturally, you didn't push to hard right?"

"No, ma’am, it wasn’t hard at all. But what if I can control my mana output?"

"Well, if you can, go ahead and try. But if a stone doesn’t glow, don’t push too hard. It just means you don’t have a natural affinity for that element. You can still learn magic in that field, but not at an advanced level. Understand?"

"Yes, ma’am."

I picked up the fire crystal again and visualized my mana flowing into it. This time, I imagined something like a valve controlling the flow. Then I decided to open it all the way.

The red stone began to glow—then burst into flames.

Everyone was stunned at first. My mother snapped out of it and tried to pull the crystal from my hand.

"It’s fine, Mama; it doesn’t burn," I said, staring at the flames dancing over my hand.

"Headmistress... Headmistress!!"

"Oh, I’m so sorry, Princess. I was just surprised—this has never happened before!"

I glanced over at my father. He stood there, frozen.

"PAPA!"

"Yes, dear, um... that was wonderful," he said, his voice cracking slightly.

I couldn’t help but giggle.

"Alright, let’s continue."

I picked up the blue stone, visualizing the same technique. Water began to flow from my hand.

Next, I picked up the white stone, and snow flurries started to appear.

This continued with each crystal.

"Princess, King, Queen, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but your daughter have the credentials to become a Arch mage," she said, leaning back in her chair and rubbing her hands together. "So interesting," she added, a wicked grin spreading across her face.

"You’re not going to experiment on my daughter," my mother said in a cold tone.

"No, I wouldn’t do such a thing... maybe."

"So, what’s next?" my father asked.

"Well, I would suggest she start learning now. With her ability to control the flow of mana, there’s no reason to wait until she’s five. Also, with her amount of mana, I rank her as a three-star Magician earlier, but with such mana control, she’s a five-star now."

"Papa, what does she mean by five stars?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"When someone starts learning magic, they naturally begin with one star, which means they are a beginner just learning how to absorb mana. At two stars, they rank based on their affinity—one affinity equals two stars, two affinities equal three stars, and four or more affinities equal four stars. The last two ranks are for proficiency in mana control, with the final rank representing advanced magic."

"So, how many stars do you have, Papa?"

"I'm glad you asked," he said, puffing out his chest and opening his jacket to reveal his five-star rank.

"So that means you have two affinities, Papa?"

"That's right—earth and fire," he said with a proud grin, his head held high.

"What about you, Mama?"

"I’m a four-star," she replied. "My affinity is fire"

I hugged them both tightly.

"I didn’t know Mama and Papa were so strong."

"That’s right. So, when you get older and some boy tries to talk to you, I can burn him alive."

"Rhazthar!!" my mother shouted, slapping the back of my father's head. "Don’t say things like that."

"As much as I’d enjoy watching you two bicker, I have things to do," the headmistress interrupted. "Here’s my offer: how about I teach the princess personally?"

"Would you like that, little one?" the headmistress asked.

"I don’t know," I said, looking down and tapping my fingers together.

"No arguing with Mama."

They exchanged a look.

"Okay, okay, no arguing," headmistress relented.

"Fine, I’ll put up with it, as long as she’s teaching you," Mother said reluctantly.

"Wonderful," the headmistress said with a smile. "I’ll be moving in tomorrow morning."

"Moving in? I didn’t agree to this," my Mother said with daggers in her eyes.

"If I move in, I can monitor her progress closely, and what if she decides to self-study?" the headmistress explained.

"Fine... fine. We’ll prepare a room for you—in the dungeon," Mother muttered, her annoyance clear.

"Mama, that’s mean!" I folded my arms, looking at her.

"Alright, alright. We’ll put you in the same hall as Luna. There should be a room available," Mother finally conceded.

"Anything you want to say, my dear husband?" she asked, frowning at father.

"Whatever Luna needs, I shall provide," he said with a wink.

I looked at them and laughed.

They glanced at me and started chuckle too.

Father reached into his jacket and pressed a brooch with a symbol different from the maids’.

"We’re at the Mage Tower," he said.

"On my way, Your Majesty..."

"Well, it's time to go," Father said as he picked me up.

"Wait, wait. Is it okay if we try one more stone?" the headmistress asked.

"Sure," my father nodded. "Is that okay, Luna?"

I simply nodded, curious about what color the stone would be.

"Great!" With a wave of her hand, a box floated down.

She opened it to reveal its contents. "This is a Void stone. We stopped using it because nobody ever made it react.

"So, nobody can use void magic?" I asked.

"It’s not that nobody can use Void Magic," she explained. "As I mentioned earlier, even without an affinity, you can still learn basic spells. For example, how we teleported here, but I can only use it for short distances, and it consumes about 25% of my mana. I can’t perform any other Void magic beyond that.

I nodded. "Yes, Headmistress. Let me give it a try."

I opened my hand, and she placed the crystal in my palm. My father and mother exchanged concerned glances.

I focused and poured mana into the stone, but at first, there was no reaction.

"It’s okay, Princess. If nothing happens, don’t worry. As I mentioned, nobody has been able to make it react to their mana," the headmistress reassured me.

Determined, I poured more mana into it. Just as I was about to give up, the stone began to glow.

"Magnificent, this is unbelievable," the headmistress said, removing her glasses.

The crystal glowed brighter and brighter, lifting from my hand. A tiny dot appeared, beginning to spin. It expanded, causing the room to slightly shake.

"That’s enough, Princess. I think it’s time to stop," the headmistress said, her voice tinged with panic.

"That’s right, I think that will be enough, little one," my father said, his voice slightly raised.

I quickly withdrew my mana, and the swirling vortex vanished.

"Did I just create a black hole?" I muttered to myself.

I looked around, and everyone was speechless.

"I’m starting to get used to doing this, and that’s not good," I thought.

"Princess, is it alright if I speak with your mother and father for a minute?"

I simply nodded.

"Great. See my desk? There are a few things you can play with over there."

I began to feel a little worried, wondering why she wanted to speak with them. I walked over behind her desk and noticed an open book. Curious, I flipped through the pages and stopped at one that depicted a clock. It was something about time manipulation.

"That sounds cool," I murmured.

Danger: Using this magic without proper knowledge or control can disrupt the flow of time, potentially causing a rift that could destroy the world.

"Well, that escalated quickly. Let’s not mess with that," I decided.

King, Queen, and Headmistress Pov

Azalea waved her hand, creating a sound barrier around the three of them.

"Okay, I’m only going to ask once. If you say no, I won’t push any further," Azalea said, her tone unusually serious.

"Is she possibly blessed by the goddess? I’ve studied dragonkin history many times, and while many have been born with extraordinary powers, this is beyond anything we’ve seen. I know it sounds crazy, but heroes were summoned and gifted powers by the goddess, which granted them abilities we don't have records of. With that being said, I believe anything is possible."

Velrianna took a deep breath, her face tense, recalling that moment she saw her daughter absorbing mana how it was pure. "I don’t know, but what I do know is that she is my daughter, and if you think she’s going to become some disaster like those heroes, you are wrong!" Her voice cracked with emotion as tears welled in her eyes. "We are her family! And I’LL BE DAMNED IF ANYBODY TAKES HER FROM ME!" she shouted, her emotions overflowing.

"That’s not what I meant, V. I’m sorry," Azalea said softly, walking over to Velrianna. "I wouldn’t dare put her in a situation where she could get hurt. You know that." She gently cupped Velrianna's face, wiping away the tears. "Look, V, I know we’ve had our differences, and it’s been hard to trust me. But there’s one thing I’ve never stopped doing: loving you." She paused, searching Velrianna’s eyes. "We swore to be sisters from the moment we met, remember? And if you’re okay with it, we can be sisters now. She’s not only your daughter; she’s mine too." She hugged her tightly. "Look at me, V. I vow to protect her with everything I have. I’ll teach her to protect herself, and I’ll make sure she becomes the strongest Mage in the world. I promise."

Velrianna hesitated for a moment before melting into the hug, her tears flowing freely now. Azalea held her close, comforting her.

Suddenly, there was a slow clap.

"Clap, clap, clap. It’s about time you two made up," Rhazthar teasing.

"SHUT UP!" Velrianna and Azalea snapped in unison before breaking into laughter.

Azalea wiped the last of Velrianna’s tears away. "Alright, I’ll be there first thing in the morning."

Velrianna smiled, her earlier tension fading. "We’ll be waiting for you."

Rhazthar, standing nearby, waved his hand to remove the sound barrier. "Come on, little Luna, we’re leaving."

"Yes, Papa," I replied, hopping over to him.

"I’ll be here in the morning to start your training, okay, Little Princess?" Azalea said with a wink.

"Yes, Headmistress," I answered politely.

"Blah, don’t call me that!" Azalea grimaced. "Call me Aunty Azalea, okay?"

"Yes, Aunty Azalea."

As we walked away, Azalea returned to her desk, noticing something odd. The pages in one of her books had been flipped, which detailed a unknown advance magic—time manipulation.

"Ara ara," Azalea muttered, a hint of worry crossing her face. "I wonder if she can understand this."

She frowned, shaking her head. "No way.... right?" Doubt lingered in her mind as she closed the book.