1 CHAPTER 1: Orphanage

The moon shines brightly throughout the night illuminating the darkness. The wind blows gently giving gentle breezes and cold water seep into the bare skin of a young boy taking a bath in a large lake. The reflections of the moon and stars in the water, as well as the beautiful naked boy, can take anyone's breath away.

His long white damp hair sticks to his face and shoulders, and his skin is white and soft. He has a peachy pink cupid's bow lips, and his lashes are long and curly, concealing the spectacular purple protruding eyes that enchant everyone who looks at them.

He's enjoying the cold water and forgetting his bad memories as he prepares to embark on a new adventure as a new version of himself starting tomorrow.

He was an orphan. His parents had abandoned him at the orphanage when he was an infant, perhaps a month old. He has never met his parents, and his life in the orphanage has been a living hell for him. Not only that, but he is unable to eat his portion of food because the older children have bullied the younger kids and stolen their food. The orphanage is old and rundown because it does not receive a lot of donations, and the number of abandoned children is growing.

He had a lot of bruises on his body because he appeared so frail and weak, but he is a good and smart child. He enjoys spending time in their old library, reading the worn-out books on the shelves. He enjoys reading about the histories of gods, heroes, and mythical creatures, and you can see the glint in the youth's eyes as he reads, wishing to become an adult, to travel and experience the world outside of this rundown orphanage, away from his tormentors.

He is already 12 years old, and it is at this age that they can manifest their magic. They will be baptized in the church and take the test to enter the Academy if they are fortunate, especially those who are not noble and have little power.

Tomorrow will be the day that the youth has been looking forward to for a long time, when he will be able to leave the orphanage, take a risk, and plan for his future.

*Sigh*

"This is the last time I'll be able to visit this lake. This is something I'm going to miss."

He is the only one who knows about this place, and he comes here whenever he has a bad day. This place soothes and calms his mind, allowing him to relax. Every time he takes a bath here, all of his wounds and bruises miraculously heal, leaving him without any scars.

He knows it's not a normal lake because he can't find it no matter how many times he comes here every day. He can only find this place once a month, during the full moon, when the moon is at its brightest.

He recalls how he stumbled upon this place by chance when he suddenly woke up at midnight. At the time, he was five years old. As the wind touches his skin, he can hear someone whispering. It's as if a lullaby is hypnotizing him to follow where it wants him to go. He followed it without hesitation because he believes it has no negative or dangerous intentions.

When he arrived at this place, he was only able to describe it in one word: Enchanted. The stars' reflection in the lake, as well as the moon, beams through it that make the water glitter. The glowing trees and fireflies illuminate the place as if it does not exist in this world but only in the boy's imagination. He took a bath because someone told him to, and as he swims in the lake, all those old scars and new wounds heal.

When the boy decided to return in the morning, no matter how many times he tried, he couldn't find this place. But every full moon, he wakes up in the middle of the night and returns here, as if his feet have their own life.

He doesn't want to leave, but he has a strong feeling that he will be able to return to this place. It's as if this place is a part of himself, linked to his soul, and a part of his whole.

He has no idea that this lake can do more than just heal his wounds, it can also increase his mana capacity. Humans do not possess mana in their bodies, and the only way for them to have it is to receive blessings from the gods through baptism.

His body and mana levels are not the same as other children around his age who have received the gods' blessings. But he is unaware of this, and he has no idea that he possesses mana.

He decided to go back to his room because it was getting late and he didn't want to wake up late tomorrow.

***

"Is Sam awake? He needs to get ready because the carriage is on its way."

"No, Sam is still sleeping. I'll wake him up."

I open my eyes as a footstep approaches my room and hear the chatter outside. It's got to be Leah and Carl.

Leah entered the room, knocking on the door before it opened, and saw Sam yawning on his bed.

"Sam, you need to get ready because the carriage has arrived, and I doubt it will wait for you patiently. Carole and Noel have already arrived downstairs and are ready to go." During our conversation, she takes my luggage and gets my best clothes, which are a little small and tattered but still nicer than my other clothes.

"Sam put this on. Faster... Today is the day you'll be able to leave this place. I hope you can get into the Academy so you never have to come back here." There are many instances where some children take their baptismal to receive the gods' blessings, and if the gods do not bless them, they are unable to use magic and are considered mana-less.

They will return to the orphanage and work under the guise of being adopted, and they will be sold into slavery because they are unable to use magic. Those who have received the gods' blessings and are fortunate enough to pass the trial, on the other hand, are eligible to enter the Academy.

"I will give it my all. Don't worry, Leah, you'll be baptized next year. I'm hoping to see you soon. " I told her sincerity since I wanted her to be there as well.

Like Leah, I never considered this orphanage to be our home. Nobody knows that the children who return to this place after the baptism will be sold into slavery. I discovered it by accident when I awoke at night. We have a curfew, so everyone is in their rooms when the clock strikes 10 p.m.

I need to use the restroom at that time, and it's not the first time I've broken this rule. I'm glad I did because if I didn't, I'd never learn the truth about this place. I can tell this place does not feel normal to me from the start. We have a lot of rules, and there are a lot of places or rooms where we are not permitted to go. The children who disobeyed the rules were punished, and we never saw them again. We were told that they were adopted and have their own family, but they can't fool me.

I'm the only one who knows about it because I can't tell this to the other kids. There's a watcher among us, and I'm not sure who they are, but one thing is certain. They keep an eye on us and report us if we violate any rules to the head.

"Don't worry, Sam. I'm sure we'll see each other again soon. I want to live a happy life and have my own family. I'm getting away from here because I have no intention of going back to this orphanage." She says, smiling at me. Leah is one of the most strong women I've ever met. When I was a kid, she would always protect me from the bad guys and end up getting beaten. I used to be short, but I've grown into the proper height for my physique.

I finished putting on my clothes and prepared to go down because I don't have the luxury of wasting time taking a bath or doing other things. I can see the children downstairs waiting for us as I walk down the hallway to the staircase.

When I arrived at the carriage, the head and the workers in this orphanage were waiting for me, and the head's eyes were staring at me. I see a mischievous glint who wishes to possess me. I know I'll be sold off when I return as a failure.

"My child, Samuel. Don't be afraid, I know that the gods love you and I'm sure they will going bestowed you their blessings. I also hope that you can pass and get into the Academy because It's my wish that every child here has a good life. But don't worry, if you ever return, you'll always be welcome here. This is your home, my child, and I adore you so much." The head told me calmly as if she were a loving mother. I'll believe her words if I don't know her true color.

"Thank you, Mother. I swear I will receive the blessing from the gods and enter the academy that will make you proud." In this orphanage, we always refer to the head as "mother," but I despise the term because no mother would ever harm their children. As I finish my words, her demeanor is slightly shaken as I assure her that I have no plans to return here.

When I entered the carriage, I noticed Noel and Carole sitting inside, staring at me. I sit in front of them and maintain my silence because we are not that close. I can tolerate the silence because I'm not a talkative person and I dislike talking too much. The carriage begins to move away from the place that I don't want to remember.