Glancing down at the glowing blue gemstone resting in his palm, Ethan’s mind raced with calculation. "System, do you have an inventory function?"
"Yes, Host," the cold voice replied instantly.
Right before his eyes, a small, shimmering dimensional rift flickered open within the interface.
"The Host can store or retrieve any inanimate object or item simply by placing it into the inventory space."
Ethan’s eyes narrowed as he held up the Fire Fairy’s sealing stone. "If I put this sealing stone inside your inventory, will I still be able to form a contract with the Fire Fairy five years from now?"
"Yes, Host," the system answered smoothly. "The spiritual energy and sealed mana within the inventory remain linked directly to your soul imprint. Storing it here will completely isolate it from the outside world while ensuring the conditions for the contract remain intact for you alone."
"Splendid. Exactly what I needed—a place to hide this locket where no one, not even Arthur, can ever find it."
With a satisfied smirk, Ethan tossed the sealing stone into the system’s dimensional inventory. The shimmering portal instantly closed, and the interface vanished from his direct sight.
Ethan muttered in his mind, "Can you hide from my direct vision? I don’t want a glowing screen floating in front of my face every single second."
Instantly, the holographic display flickered out of view, lingering quietly at the edge of his consciousness.
Ethan drew a long, steady breath, a dark glint in his eyes. "This world is overflowing with opportunities and fated treasures. And my dear younger brother Arthur... he used to be a walking treasure trove of destiny."
"If I systematically steal every single one of those opportunities before they ever reach him, what will be left of the great hero of the future? Absolutely nothing."
Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from the stairs. Moments later, Arthur ran down into the hallway, looking anxious.
"Big Brother! Did you manage to throw it away?"
Ethan let out a light, easy laugh. "Yes, don’t worry. I threw it far away where it will never bother us again."
Hearing that, Arthur let out a massive sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. Big Brother, we should hurry and leave now. The Awakening Ceremony is about to start soon, and we need to reach the main hall before the gates close."
Ethan nodded with a composed expression, a subtle, mocking smile playing at the corner of his lips. "Lead the way. Oh, by the way... can you sense your mana flow now that the locket is gone?"
A bright, hopeful smile bloomed across Arthur’s face. "Big Brother, you were completely right! That stone truly was cursed. Mother should have taken it off me ages ago. I can actually feel the mana gathering around me again! Thank you so much, Big Brother. You saved my future today."
Waving a hand dismissively, Ethan patted Arthur’s shoulder, his voice dripping with false warmth.
"Think nothing of it, little brother. After all, I’m always going to be here to help you in the future. You don’t ever need to thank me for taking care of you."
The bustling streets of Veridia Town were alive with a vibrant, morning energy. Cobblestone pathways wound past charming, timber-framed houses, lined with lively stalls where merchants and peddlers called out to the passing crowds, selling everything from warm pastries to sparkling magical trinkets.
Families crowded the avenues, creating a heartwarming yet chaotic scene: parents strolled alongside their young children—all of them precisely five years of age—walking together toward the grand town hall for the annual Element Awakening Ceremony.
Along the way, nervous parents offered words of encouragement to their anxious little ones.
"Just focus on guiding the mana deep inside your body, little one," a mother gently advised her son, smoothing down his collar. "Once you step onto the awakening platform, your element will reveal itself naturally. There’s nothing to be afraid of."
Watching the warm, reassuring sights of mothers and fathers guiding their children, Arthur’s steps slowly faltered. A deep, heavy sadness crept into his young eyes as he looked up at Ethan.
"Big Brother..." Arthur’s voice trembled slightly, a wistful note in his tone.
"Dad is always too busy to ever walk us down here like this, isn’t he?"
Ethan glanced down at him, keeping a calm, reassuring smile on his face, though his inner thoughts were far colder.
Arthur bit his lip and looked down. "If Mother were still here... she definitely would have brought me."
A dark, ironic smirk flickered briefly in the back of Ethan’s mind. Yes, she definitely would have brought you. After all, you were her precious favorite.
Pushing down his cynical thoughts, Ethan reached out and gently patted the top of Arthur’s head, offering a warm, older-brotherly grin.
"Hey, don’t forget—I’m your big brother. I might only be older than you by a mere ten minutes, but I’m walking right here beside you, aren’t I?"
Hearing those words, Arthur’s sad expression melted away. A bright, relieved smile broke across his face as he grabbed his brother’s hand.
"Big Brother... thank you for always staying by my side."
Ethan offered a soft, gentle smile back, his eyes masking a storm of dark intent. "Mention not. What are big brothers for?"