The moment Theon opened the ancient tome, he was greeted by symbols unlike anything he had ever seen.
The pages weren’t filled with ordinary words. Instead, they were covered in intricate runes, strange magic circles, and mysterious writings that seemed to pulse with an ancient aura. Every symbol felt alive, carrying a weight that had endured countless ages.
He narrowed his eyes, trying to make sense of the unfamiliar language.
"What... is this?"
Before he could study it any further....
A translucent blue screen suddenly materialized before his eyes.
WORLD ARCHIVE
Ancient text detected...
Analyzing...
Analysis complete.
Artifact Identified
Name: Tome of Eternal Frost
Author: Unknown
Era: Unknown
Classification: Ancient Ice Magic Grimoire
Theon’s pupils contracted.
"So... this is the World Archive."
The screen disappeared for only a brief moment before another one replaced it.
WORLD ARCHIVE
Ancient Ice Runes detected.
Translating...
Translation complete.
Synchronizing knowledge...
Synchronization successful.
A faint blue glow swept across the open pages.
The strange symbols slowly shifted, twisting and rearranging themselves before his eyes. Within moments, the incomprehensible runes transformed into words he could read effortlessly.
It was as though the book had always been written in a language he understood.
Theon let out a slow breath.
"Incredible..."
Without wasting another second, he continued reading.
Long ago, the magical potential of every race was far greater than it is today.
Because of this, countless civilizations rose to unimaginable heights. Kingdoms flourished, empires stretched across the world, and powerful mages appeared one after another.
Many reached heights that modern magic could only dream of.
Some even stood on the threshold of obtaining the Primordial Attribute.
But great power always came at a price.
As the centuries passed, greed consumed the strongest civilizations.
Kingdoms declared war against kingdoms.
Empires clashed with empires.
Entire races fought for supremacy.
The battles grew so devastating that even the world itself began to fracture beneath the overwhelming power unleashed upon the It.
Mountains vanished overnight.
Oceans boiled.
The skies split apart.
The world stood on the brink of destruction.
To preserve creation itself, Aetherion, the Primordial Creator, intervened.
He sealed away the vast majority of the world’s magical potential.
From that day forward, no race could wield magic as freely as they once had.
Only once every few centuries would an individual blessed with extraordinary talent be born.
Such people would become legends.
Theon remained silent as he absorbed every word.
"So that’s why Divine-level mages are almost nonexistent..."
He slowly turned the page.
A list appeared beneath the title:
Current Magical Achievement Records
Elves — Divine Rank
Angels — Divine Rank
Seraphs — Divine Rank
Humans — Legendary Rank
Beastfolk — Legendary Rank
Dragonkin — Legendary Rank
Vampires — Legendary Rank
Dwarves — Legendary Rank
Demons — Legendary Rank
Theon studied the list carefully.
"So only three races have managed to reach the Divine Rank after Aetherion’s seal..."
His curiosity only deepened As He flipped to the next page.
Instead of more history, an ancient spell greeted him.
Its runes were far more complicated than the previous pages, yet somehow they felt strangely familiar.
At the top of the page was its name.
Ice Barrier
Below it was a single note.
No chant required. Only precise mana control.
Theon’s eyes lit up.
"No chant..."
"So all I need is proper mana control?"
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"I should definitely try this."
Just as he was about to close the book and leave...
Another blue screen appeared.
WORLD ARCHIVE
Warning.
Estimated mana output exceeds safe limits.
Casting this spell inside the Imperial Palace may cause catastrophic damage.
Theon’s smile immediately froze.
He remembered the destruction caused by nothing more than a simple Ice Lance.
"...Right."
He rubbed the back of his neck with an awkward smile.
"I’d rather not explain to Father why half the palace disappeared."
Closing the Tome of Eternal Frost, he tucked it securely beneath his arm.
"Looks like I’ll have to find somewhere else to test it..."
With that, Theon quietly slipped out of the Imperial Archives, already knowing exactly where he intended to go.
The corridors of the Imperial Palace were unusually quiet.
Keeping the Tome of Eternal Frost tucked securely beneath his arm, Theon moved through the halls with practiced caution. Whenever he heard approaching footsteps, he slipped behind marble pillars or turned into another corridor, making sure none of the palace guards or servants noticed where he was headed.
A few minutes later, he stepped beyond the palace gates.
The icy wind greeted him immediately.
Snow drifted gently from the dark sky, blanketing the ground in white as the towering trees of Frostfang Forest stood silently in the distance.
Unlike his previous visit, Theon had no intention of venturing deep into the forest.
He stopped at a wide clearing just outside its entrance.
"This should be far enough," he murmured, glancing around.
There wasn’t a soul in sight. The silence was broken only by the whisper of the cold wind weaving through the trees.
Satisfied, Theon placed the tome on a nearby snow-covered rock and opened it to the page containing the ancient spell.
His eyes carefully traced every rune.
He committed each symbol to memory, making sure he understood every stroke before taking a slow breath.
"...Let’s see what ancient magic can really do."
He closed the book.
Raising his right hand, he slowly gathered mana.
Unlike before, he didn’t force it.
He allowed it to flow naturally through his body, following the pattern described within the tome.
The air around him gradually turned colder.
Tiny ice crystals began dancing in the wind.
A pale-blue magic circle spread beneath his feet, its intricate runes glowing with an ancient light.
The surrounding mana answered the call.
Theon’s eyes sharpened.
"Ice Barrier."
The moment the words left his lips... The earth trembled.
A deep rumble echoed through the clearing as cracks raced across the frozen ground. Theon instinctively took a step back.
"...What?"
Without warning...
BOOM!.
A colossal wall of ice erupted from the earth.
It shot upward with overwhelming force, climbing higher and higher until it towered over the surrounding forest like an unbreakable fortress.
The frozen wall stretched across the landscape for hundreds of meters, its crystal-blue surface reflecting the moonlight like polished glass.
The air itself seemed to freeze.
For one brief moment...
Everything became silent.
Then chaos erupted.
Birds burst from the trees in frightened flocks.
Snow cascaded from the branches as countless beasts fled deeper into the forest.
Theon’s mouth slowly fell open.
He stared at the enormous wall in complete disbelief.
"...Oops."
That single word had barely left his mouth when a distant sound echoed from the direction of the palace.
DONG!
DONG!
DONG!
Alarm bells.
Theon’s heart skipped a beat.
"...You’ve got to be kidding me."
The bells continued ringing across the capital. There was no mistaking what they meant. The Imperial Knights had been alerted.
A nervous laugh escaped him.
"That’s my cue to get the hell out of here."
Without another thought, he grabbed the Tome of Eternal Frost, tucked it beneath his arm, and broke into a sprint.
Snow crunched beneath his boots as he raced toward the palace, taking the narrow paths he had memorized to avoid being seen.
By the time the first squad of Imperial Knights reached the clearing...
The culprit was already gone.
Only the gigantic wall of ice remained, standing silently beneath the winter sky.
Captain Voss stepped forward, his sharp eyes studying the impossible structure.
His gloved hand brushed against the frozen surface.
The ice was flawless.
Not a single crack.
Not a single imperfection.
His expression slowly turned grave.
"...Whoever cast this..."
He paused, looking up at the towering wall that dwarfed the surrounding trees.
"...is no ordinary mage."
The other knights exchanged uneasy glances.
Even among the empire’s greatest ice mages...
No one should have been capable of creating something on this scale.
News of the mysterious wall of ice spread through the Imperial Palace with astonishing speed.
Servants whispered among themselves as they hurried through the corridors. Court mages gathered in small groups, discussing who could have cast such overwhelming magic. Even the Imperial Knights wore unusually serious expressions as they relayed their reports.
When the news reached the Emperor, he fell silent. A single thought crossed his mind.
"...Theon?"
He immediately frowned and shook his head.
"No..."
"It couldn’t possibly be him."
The prince was gifted, but creating a wall of ice that stretched across the edge of Frostfang Forest was beyond reason. At least... that’s what everyone believed.
Meanwhile...
The true culprit quietly slipped through one of the palace’s side entrances.
Theon moved carefully through the corridors, keeping his footsteps light. Whenever a servant or knight appeared ahead, he calmly changed direction, taking another hallway until the path was clear.
After several minutes, he finally reached his chamber.
Click.
The door closed softly behind him.
Only then did he release the breath he had been holding.
"Phew..."
Leaning against the door, he pressed a hand to his forehead.
"I really overdid it this time..."
He walked over to his bed and sat down, placing the Tome of Eternal Frost beside him.
Before he could gather his thoughts, the same translucent blue screen appeared before his eyes.
WORLD ARCHIVE
Advisory: Ancient magic should not be used near populated areas.
Reason: High probability of causing large-scale destruction.
Probability of exposing hidden abilities: 97.4%
Theon stared at the warning for a long moment before rubbing his temples.
"...Noted." A helpless smile crept onto his face.
"I definitely won’t be trying ancient spells anywhere near the palace again." His gaze shifted toward the tome resting beside him.
"This thing is far more dangerous than I thought."
After making sure no one was outside his room, Theon knelt beside his bed and carefully lifted one of the loose floorboards. A small hidden compartment lay beneath it.
It wasn’t large, but it was more than enough to conceal the ancient grimoire.
He gently placed the Tome of Eternal Frost inside before lowering the floorboard back into place.
Using the sleeve of his robe, he brushed away the loose dust until the floor looked untouched.
Satisfied, he nodded.
"Now no one will find it."
He lay back on his bed and folded his hands behind his head, staring quietly at the ceiling.
"So..."
"This world really is full of unimaginable things."
The thought alone made his heart race.
The more he learned, the more mysterious this world became.
Ancient civilizations.
Primordial Attributes.
The World Archive.
And now... magic capable of reshaping the landscape.
A smile slowly appeared on his face.
"This is going to be interesting."
Knock.
Knock.
A gentle knock interrupted his thoughts.
"Your Highness?"
A royal maid stepped into the room after receiving permission, bowing respectfully.
"It is time for your magic lesson."
Theon’s smile faded.
He let out a quiet sigh as he climbed off the bed.
"Here we go again..." The maid led him through the palace until they arrived at one of the Imperial Training Halls.
The spacious chamber was lined with polished stone pillars, while countless magical formations were engraved into the floor and walls.
Waiting in the center stood an elderly man wearing elegant blue robes embroidered with shimmering silver runes.
His mere presence commanded respect.
Every mage in the hall instinctively stood a little straighter.
He was the Grand Court Magus, one of the strongest mages in the Glaciara Empire.
The old man smiled kindly as Theon approached.
"Good afternoon, Your Highness."
Theon returned a polite bow.
"Good afternoon."
The Grand Court Magus clasped his hands behind his back.
"Today, we’ll begin with something simple."
"I’d like you to create an Ice Lance."
His tone remained calm, but inwardly, he watched the young prince carefully.
The report of the frozen palace courtyard had already reached him. He wanted to see whether the rumors held any truth. The presence of the other instructors made him suspect the prince might choose to hide his true strength.
Theon looked at his open palm.
World Archive...
Help me suppress my mana. The familiar blue screen appeared.
WORLD ARCHIVE
Mana Output Restriction Activated.
Current Output: 0.4%
Theon took a slow breath.
A small stream of mana gathered in his hand.
"Ice Lance."
A perfectly formed ice lance appeared above his palm.
It was modest in size, beautifully shaped, and remarkably stable.
The Grand Court Magus nodded with visible satisfaction.
"Excellent."
"You possess remarkable mana control for someone your age."
Just as I thought, the old man mused. He’s deliberately holding back. Around them, the other instructors also nodded approvingly, though disappointment lingered in their eyes.
None of them had witnessed the overwhelming power described in the reports. Meanwhile, Theon quietly breathed a sigh of relief.Good... At least I didn’t destroy another wall.
Big Brother would never let me hear the end of it... The lesson continued for some time.
The Grand Court Magus patiently explained the fundamentals of mana control, the structure of magic circles, and the proper flow of magical energy during spell formation. Although Theon had already gained knowledge from the Tome of Eternal Frost, But he listened attentively. There was still much he could learn from the empire’s finest mage.
"Magic is not simply about possessing vast amounts of mana," the old man said as he slowly paced across the training hall. "Without control, even the greatest reserve of mana becomes a burden. A skilled mage knows exactly how much power to use."
Theon nodded. "I understand." The Grand Court Magus smiled, clearly pleased. Throughout the lesson, he asked several questions regarding mana manipulation and spell construction.
Theon answered each one without hesitation. His responses were clear, precise, and surprisingly mature for a child his age. The instructors exchanged approving glances.
"His Highness learns incredibly fast."
"His understanding surpasses his age."
"At this rate, he’ll become an exceptional mage."
The Grand Court Magus folded his hands behind his back, satisfaction evident on his face.
"Very good, Your Highness." "That will be enough for today."
Theon gave a respectful bow. "Thank you for today’s lesson." "You may return to your chamber."
Without another word, he turned and left the training hall.
The palace corridors were calm once more. Servants hurried about their duties while knights stood guard at every intersection. Theon walked at an unhurried pace, enjoying the quiet.
As he passed one of the smaller courtyards, something caught his attention. A tiny figure stood alone in the center of the practice grounds. It was the Eighth Princess.
Lyra.
She wore a thick white cloak to shield herself from the cold, yet tiny wisps of white breath still escaped her lips whenever she exhaled. She held both hands in front of her, her small face filled with determination.
"Fireball..."
A tiny flame flickered above her palm.
For a brief second, it danced in the air... Then vanished.
Lyra frowned.
"...Again."
She took another deep breath and gathered her mana once more.
"Fireball."
Another spark appeared. It survived only a heartbeat before fading into nothing. She lowered her hands and stared at them.
"...Why?" There was no anger in her voice. Only quiet frustration. After a brief pause, she tried again.
"Fireball."
The result was exactly the same. Again. And again.
No matter how many times she cast the spell, the flame refused to remain.Watching from the corridor, Theon couldn’t help but admire her determination.
"She’s really working hard..." Most children would have given up after so many failures. Lyra didn’t.
She simply dusted the snow from her boots, steadied her breathing, and prepared to cast once more.
Just as she gathered her mana...
The translucent blue screen abruptly appeared again before Theon’s eyes He hadn’t called for it.
WORLD ARCHIVE
Unknown anomaly detected.
Scanning target...
Analysis in progress...
Theon’s footsteps came to an immediate stop.
"...What?" His gaze instinctively returned to Lyra.
She remained completely unaware, still focused on her spell.
The blue screen flickered once. Then new words slowly appeared.
Hidden Attribute Identified.
Target possesses a sealed flame unlike any recorded in history.
Theon’s eyes widened as His heart raced. "...A sealed flame?" He looked back at his little sister, who was still struggling to maintain even the smallest fireball. She looked so ordinary. So harmless. Yet the World Archive had identified something inside her that had never been recorded in history. A chill ran down Theon’s spine.
For the first time, he realized there was far more to Lyra than anyone in the Imperial Palace could possibly imagine. And whatever power slept within her... It had been hidden from the entire world for a long time.