The dim light casts a sterile pale color on the office. The incessant humming of computers and the rhythmic clanking of mechanical keys filled the air. Sam Wyndham, a young man of twenty-five, sat hunched over his desk. His eyes were fixed on the glowing monitor, while tirelessly navigating the endless sea of financial data.Beside him, Rick, a coworker who had also experienced the agony of overtime, sighed in frustration. "Why does the company keep taking extra work like this?" Rick grumbled, his eyes glancing at the spreadsheet and his cluttered desk."Yeah, it's not worth it and we're not even fairly compensated," Sam said. Sam's tired face and stiff shoulders were clear evidence of the company's unending demands.They both sighed together. The same fatigue bound them in silent companionship. Sam took a moment to sip his hot coffee. "It's bitter," he muttered, "like my life." "Damned overtime," Rick said.Sam's eyes were already glued to the numbers again. "We'd better keep worki

[There are four types of magic user in this world.]“Wait. Hold it. I'm hungry,” Sam said, rubbing his belly. “Is there any critter here I can hunt or any fruit or mushroom that is safe to eat?”[There are no small monsters on this side of the forest and the big monster meat is usually poisonous for humans.][But there is a lot of edible fruit nearby]“Which one?”[You can try the jillberry. It has a shape like an apple in your world but bigger and has purple coloration. It grows on the black vine in your sight.]Even though he can see through the screen, it hinders his vision. Sam got irritated. “Well, can you remove this screen from my face first? It's hard to look for berries.”[Understood][The screen is now hidden. You can hide the screen by command ‘hide’ and unhide it by command ‘show screen’.]Sam walked toward the black vine dangling in the tree and saw a big purple apple-like fruit. The tree where the vine coiled is quite tall and it has spikes in its trunk. There was no way

“So, that is why it is quite different from what I know,” Sam said, noticing the black horn on its face and a pair of draconic wings on its back.Sam, armed with the knowledge bestowed by the system, faced the manticore with a mix of curiosity and caution. “Hide,” Sam said, closing the screen to see the manticore in front of him clearly. The creature bore an unsettling aura. The feline human-face exuded a demonic malevolence that disgusted Sam.As Sam prepared to engage, the air crackled with tension. The manticore's eyes glowed bright red, fixated on its newfound prey.Suddenly, the calm air was shattered by a guttural roar that echoed through the forest, sending birds scattering from their perches. The creature lunged forward, using its black wings to pounce on Sam from afar.Sam, agile and alert, evaded the initial assault with a nimble sidestep with the power of wind magic. Sam opened his palm toward the flank of the manticore. He was about to launch a wind push, but his mind seeme

"I can sense you have an affinity for wind and fire," the demon in the warlock's body said. "I also have a fire affinity. With my power within you, your fire magic would increase significantly."Curious, Sam queried the system in his thoughts, asking how the demon knew about his affinity.[Spirits are known to have a great magical sense. It is possible that the demon might have the Arcane Insight ability.]Increased fire magic was certainly appealing, but the mention of arcane insight intrigued Sam the most. However, he wasn't about to concede easily. "That's all?" Sam said, provoking a reaction."I also have an affinity for earth and dark," the demon added.Earth and dark would be a great addition, Sam thought. Why didn't he mention that earlier?[Sorcerers are not known to have another affinity besides the one(s) they are born with.]So, even if I had him, I wouldn't be able to use it?[You won't be able to use it instinctively like you use wind and fire magic. But, you can utilize i

Frustration surged within Sam, and he pounded on the pillory. "Why am I sentenced to death?" he demanded, his voice echoing through the dimly lit dungeon. The princess returned with an air of authority. "You stand accused of several crimes," she declared, her tone unwavering. "First, you wielded fire magic in Rivenburg without the proper permit or citizenship. Second, you performed dangerous magic in a crowded place, endangering the lives of my citizens. And third, you showed a blatant lack of cooperation during the interrogation. The most egregious crime, however, was your indecent act toward me, a member of the royal family." Sam's eyes widened in disbelief. "What? Indecent act? When did I—" "You whistled at me and addressed me in a manner unbecoming of a commoner," Lyra interrupted, her gaze cold. "That's a crime?" Sam protested. "In the eyes of the law, it is," the princess retorted, dismissing his argument. “But –” “Gag him!” Lyra ordered. A guard quickly tied a wooden sta