2026-09-16 20:27:47The journey to the Central Province was long, but Lucian spent most of it curled up in a plush leather seat inside a private carriage, clutching his wooden dragon and taking a quiet nap.
By late afternoon, the carriage pulled up to the Wayward Dragon Inn & Resort, a massive, three-story stone estate nestled at the base of the mountains just miles from the Royal Academy's border. It was the premier resting hub where incoming noble students, prodigies, and wealthy heirs gathered before orientation week.
Inside the grand hall, the air smelled of roasted meats, spiced cider, and expensive perfumes. Dozens of older students mostly fifteen to seventeen years old sat at long oak tables, showing off their spellcraft, discussing high-tier guilds, and boasting about their family lineages.
Lucian walked through the heavy front doors, swinging his arms while Fluffy, his giant S-Rank Shadow Fenrir, shrunk down into a sleek black hound to fit inside the foyer. Barnaby floated invisibly beside Lucian, scanning the room.
Above Lucian's head, the familiar blue window hummed quietly.
[Daily Yield Deposited: 200,000 Gold.]
[Unspent Balance: 200,000 Gold.]
[Time Remaining: 18 Hours 15 Minutes.]
[System Restriction Active: Fair Economic Value Required for All Purchases.]
"Ah, the atmosphere of youthful arrogance," Barnaby chuckled silently in Lucian's mind. "A fine place to relax before school begins, young master."
Lucian walked up to the front desk, resting his chin against the polished marble edge. "Hello! I'd like one quiet room with a soft bed, please."
The innkeeper blinked, looking down at the ten-year-old boy in surprise. "A room? Little lord, the entire upper VIP wing has been reserved by the high-born heirs of the Capital. I only have a small attic room near the kitchens left."
Before Lucian could answer, a clear, haughty voice echoed from the central lounge stairs.
"He shouldn't even be in the attic, Innkeeper," a girl said, stepping down the carpeted stairs.
She was fifteen years old, dressed in high-grade silk robes embroidered with silver culinary runes. Her long blonde hair was perfectly styled, and she looked down at Lucian with an expression of supreme disdain.
It was Lady Serena of the House of Vane, a distant cousin from a high noble branch attending her third year at the Academy. Floating beside her right shoulder was a faint, greenish translucent window that only she and other System users could perceive.
[Host Status: Lady Serena (Age 15).]
[System: Culinary Alchemy System (D-Rank).]
[Specialization: Ingredient Synthesis & Buff-Infused Dishes.]
Serena had spent two years using her D-Rank System to cook rare, mana-enhancing delicacies for senior academy figures, gaining immense influence among the student body. In her eyes, the Academy grounds were meant for true elite talents, not toddlers playing traveler.
"The VIP suite at the top of the inn is reserved for upperclassmen who need to meditate on their mana channels," Serena said coldly, folding her arms. "Children who belong in primary school should not be cluttering the resort. Innkeeper, turn him away."
The innkeeper looked caught in the middle. "Lady Serena, he is a paying guest..."
"I will double the price for the remaining rooms," Serena interrupted, pulling out a pouch of rare mana-gems. "My entourage requires the entire top floor."
Lucian looked up at Serena, tilting his head. "My feet hurt from riding in the carriage. I just want a bed."
"Then go sleep in your carriage, brat," Serena sneered, tapping her green System screen to synthesize a high-tier mana-tart, letting its sweet, mouth-watering aroma fill the lobby. "True luxury and high-tier accommodations are reserved for those with real status and refined taste."
Barnaby's ghostly voice whispered in Lucian's ear. 'D-Rank Culinary System. She uses magically buffed food to bribe senior students but look at her offer, she's trying to buy out the inn's top floor.'
Lucian looked at his floating blue screen. 18 Hours Remaining. 200,000 Gold Balance.
'The box says I have to buy things that are worth real money,' Lucian thought, his child-logic processing the situation. 'If she wants to take all the rooms so I can't sleep... I'll just buy the whole building.'
Lucian tapped his black metallic cube, pulling up the regional property registry for the Central Province.
[Target Identified: Wayward Dragon Inn & Regional Resort Chain.]
[Fair Market Valuation: 200,000 Gold (Includes Main Estate, Hot Springs, and 5 Regional Outposts).]
[Execute Direct System Purchase?]
"Buy the whole inn!" Lucian said out loud, slamming his small palm onto the screen.
[Purchase Confirmed: 200,000 Gold Spent.]
[Acquired: 100% Ownership of Wayward Dragon Inn & Resort Chain.]
[Daily Yield Balance: 0 / 200,000 Gold.]
BOOM!
A subtle golden wave of magic rippled outward through the floorboards. The magical crests on the walls flickered, and the official property deed mounted behind the reception desk glowed bright gold, burning away the old owner's mark and replacing it with the golden emblem of the Vance Guild.
The innkeeper's ledger snapped shut with a loud THUD. A glowing red notification popped up directly in front of the innkeeper's face:
[NOTICE: Property Acquisition Complete. Owner: Lucian Vance.]
The innkeeper froze, his eyes bulging as he looked from the glowing ledger down to the ten-year-old child standing in front of his desk. "Y-You... you just purchased the entire resort chain?!"
Gasping sounds filled the lobby as older students dropped their silver goblets, staring in utter disbelief.
Serena's green Culinary System screen flickered wildly, flashing a critical error:
[ALERT: Venue Ownership Changed. Host's Privilege Status Revoked by Property Owner.]
Serena's face turned completely white. "What?! What did you just do?!"
Lucian turned to the stunned innkeeper, tapping the desk lightly with his wooden toy dragon. "I'm the landlord now, right?"
"Y-Yes, Young Master Vance!" the innkeeper bowed so low his nose almost touched the counter. "The entire resort is yours!"
"Okay," Lucian said, pointing his small finger up at Lady Serena on the stairs. "Give her the small room in the attic near the kitchen and tell the cooks to bring all those sweet tarts up to the top VIP suite for me and Fluffy."
Serena stood frozen on the stairs, her jaw open in pure shock, her face burning bright red as every student in the lobby stared at her.
Fluffy let out a low, satisfied woof, trotting up the grand staircase toward the VIP suite on as Lucian happily followed behind, swinging his small travel bag.
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Snack Break & The Genius
The floating velvet armchair glided smoothly out of the forest, bringing Lucian to a quiet, shady grassy hill near the center of the maze. While hundreds of older candidates were off in the distance shouting and fighting mechanical beasts, this little corner was completely peaceful.Lucian hopped down from his hovering chair, sitting cross-legged on a blanket near a clear stream to take a rest. Fluffy flopped down beside him, letting out a heavy dog-sigh.Above Lucian's head, his blue status screen hovered quietly.[Daily Yield Unspent Balance: 150,000 Gold.][Time Remaining: 15 Hours 20 Minutes.][System Restriction Active: Fair Economic Value Required for All Purchases.]Lucian reached into his coat and pulled out a box of fruit pastries, but before he could take a bite, a soft, polite voice spoke from behind a nearby oak tree."Um... excuse me, is that a real Shadow Fenrir?"Lucian turned around, standing near the tree was an eleven-year-old girl with big blue eyes and dark braided
The Wilderness Maze
The second trial took place in a massive, enclosed forest known as the Verdant Trial Maze. High stone walls surrounded the trees, and glowing barrier runes floated in the sky above. Over a thousand candidates stood at the entrance gates, listening to the instructors explain the rules.Proctor Vance stood on a raised wooden platform, holding a glowing brass megaphone."The rules of Trial Two are simple!" Proctor Vance shouted. "You have six hours to navigate the maze and reach the exit on the other side. Scattered inside are mechanical beasts holding silver mana-tokens. You must collect at least three tokens to pass. Additionally, you will find System Supply Shrines along the path to purchase basic maps and stamina potions."The crowd of candidates began murmuring nervously, six hours in a dense, monster-filled forest was a long time.Lucian stood near the front gate, adjusting his small travel coat. Fluffy trotted beside him, sniffing the cool forest air.Above Lucian's head, his blue
The Resonance Pillar
The Grand Testing Hall was a cavernous amphitheater of grey marble, its stepped seating packed with nervous candidates. At the center of the arena stood five colossal obsidian monoliths, the ancient Resonance Pillars each wrapped in glowing silver runes designed to measure a candidate's raw mana capacity.Proctor Vance, a stern senior instructor with a scar across his brow, adjusted his pince-nez and barked across the arena. "Next group! Step up to your assigned pillar and channel your maximum spell output into the stone!"Lucian stood in Line 3, clutching his wooden dragon in his pocket. Beside him, Fluffy sat obediently, his dark wolf-tail sweeping the floor.Above Lucian's head, the floating blue window hummed softly.[Daily Yield Deposited: 350,000 Gold.][Unspent Balance: 350,000 Gold.][Time Remaining: 18 Hours 05 Minutes.][System Restriction Active: Fair Economic Value Required for All Purchases.]"Remember, young master," Barnaby whispered, floating near his ear. "Your S-Rank
The Sovereign’s Orientation
Lucian sat up in his massive velvet bed at the top of the Wayward Dragon Resort, rubbing his eyes while yawning softly. Fluffy was already wide awake, resting his chin on the edge of the mattress.The familiar blue system screen popped open above Lucian's pillow, but the numbers inside made his jaw drop.[Daily Yield Deposited: 350,000 Gold.][Unspent Balance: 350,000 Gold.][Time Remaining: 23 Hours 50 Minutes.][System Restriction Active: Fair Economic Value Required for All Purchases.]"Barnaby!" Lucian squeaked, pulling the blanket over his nose. "Why is the box so big today?! Yesterday it was two hundred thousand! Did I do something wrong?"Barnaby floated down from the ceiling, chuckling warmly as he adjusted his ghostly spectacles."Not at all, young master," Barnaby explained, floating over to a translucent ledger. "You see, the System is not a bottomless well of magic, it is an engine. Yesterday, you bought the entire Wayward Dragon resort chain, the capital's transport netwo
The Wayward Dragon Inn
The journey to the Central Province was long, but Lucian spent most of it curled up in a plush leather seat inside a private carriage, clutching his wooden dragon and taking a quiet nap.By late afternoon, the carriage pulled up to the Wayward Dragon Inn & Resort, a massive, three-story stone estate nestled at the base of the mountains just miles from the Royal Academy's border. It was the premier resting hub where incoming noble students, prodigies, and wealthy heirs gathered before orientation week.Inside the grand hall, the air smelled of roasted meats, spiced cider, and expensive perfumes. Dozens of older students mostly fifteen to seventeen years old sat at long oak tables, showing off their spellcraft, discussing high-tier guilds, and boasting about their family lineages.Lucian walked through the heavy front doors, swinging his arms while Fluffy, his giant S-Rank Shadow Fenrir, shrunk down into a sleek black hound to fit inside the foyer. Barnaby floated invisibly beside Lucia
The King’s Invitation
The morning sun filtered through the high stained-glass windows of the Vance Guild Manor, casting quiet golden light across the dining hall, Fluffy, the massive S-Rank Shadow Fenrir, lay sprawled near the fireplace like a giant velvet rug, letting out low, rhythmic snores that vibrated the floorboards.Lucian sat at the head of the long table, swinging his legs back and forth while dipping a buttered roll into hot soup.Above his head, the blue system screen hummed quietly, showing a relaxed 24-hour countdown.[Daily Yield Deposited: 200,000 Gold.][Unspent Balance: 200,000 Gold.][Time Remaining: 15 Hours 42 Minutes.][System Rule: Fair Economic Value Required for All Purchases.]"It's nice having time to eat," Lucian murmured, taking a happy bite. "No rushing, no tummy aches.""Do not get too comfortable, young master," Barnaby said, floating through a decorative armor stand to check the window. "A full day is plenty of time, but the Fair Value Rule means you cannot simply dump two
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