I've Changed The World.

[Nefta Village - Uzziel Household]

"Excuse me, Miss, is this the household of Uzziel?"

Erica opened the front door to see a man in his sixties, with a young boy hiding behind him. Feeling a little unnerved, she stepped outside to speak with him.

"Yes, it is. And may I ask who you are?" Erica smiled politely, trying not to show any vulnerability.

The old man, dressed in fine clothing befitting nobility, smiled and bowed respectfully.

Erica was confused and curious about this gesture.

"I am Corsan Nivel, caretaker of the boy behind me."

The boy emerged from behind Corsan, and Erica saw he was about the same age as Julian. A sudden thought crossed her mind.

Did Julian do something he wasn't supposed to do yesterday?

Could he have harmed this boy?

Erica's mind raced, imagining what could have happened, but it didn't make sense. The Elder watching over Julian had assured her he hadn't gone far.

"His name is Ezekiel. He told me he met your son yesterday in the forest, and they played and got along."

"Oh! Did he now?" Erica's heart eased at those words. Julian hadn't done anything wrong after all!

Haah... What a relief. She should never have doubted her son.

"Indeed, Ezekiel even considers him a friend."

"Friend?" Erica covered her mouth.

Tears welled up in her eyes, a sensation she hadn't felt since Julian's birth.

To think he had made a friend on his first day of going out...

It seems I was to worried after all.

A single tear rolled down her cheek, but she quickly wiped it away.

"It's so nice to hear Julian is making friends his age! But I wish I could stay longer..." Erica scratched the back of her head and bowed apologetically.

"I have to get back to work soon and finish cooking for Julian. But if you'd like, I'd be happy to cook for the two of you as well!"

Ezekiel tugged on Corsan's shirt, and Corsan smiled, waving his hand in a kind gesture.

"It's fine, Ms. Uzziel. Ezekiel and I have already eaten. But it would be nice to step inside your home for a moment if you don't mind."

Erica, her heart still warmed by the news of Julian's newfound friendship, nodded eagerly.

"Of course! Please, come in."

***

[Julian's POV]

[Uzziel Home - The Kitchen]

How could this have happened?

Why the hell is the Prince of a Kingdom sitting at my table?!

I thought meeting Ezekiel was just a random encounter, but now he's right here, in my house.

And something tells me this isn't going to be a casual chat.

The air felt thick, like before a thunderstorm, and my stomach's doing flip-flops.

I mean, I know Ezekiel's a good guy.

He's basically the poster boy for morality in that novel I read.

He's all about stopping bullies and fighting those Demonic-worshiping cults.

But still, he's royalty, and I'm...well, just Julian.

I took a deep breath in, trying to calm my nerves. 

Well, I guess it's time to put on my best five-year-old manners.

"Okay, Julian, I've prepared your lunch if you decide to go out," my mom said, bustling around the kitchen.

"Now, I'll be on my way. Be good to Mr. Nivel and Ezekiel, okay?"

She gave me a quick kiss on the forehead, grabbed her bag, and rushed out the door, her brown coat swirling around her in the wind.

Now it's just me, Ezekiel, and his old caretaker, Mr. Nivel. 

Three guys sitting around a table, one of them a prince, and the other the headmaster servant of the Ventus Royal family...

"Wow, this is weird," I thought as I stared at the blond-haired boy sitting across from me at our small kitchen table.

Just yesterday, we were fighting a Low-Grade Boss Monster together in the woods.

Now, he's at my house having tea and pastries with me like it's no big deal.

"So, Julian," Ezekiel said, taking a sip from his teacup.

"Tell me about yourself. What do you like to do for fun?"

I blinked, caught off guard by his question.

What did five-year-olds usually do for fun?

Play with toys?

Chase squirrels? 

I couldn't exactly tell him about my boring life with the System or my obsession with figuring out my magical abilities.

"I like to read," I replied, deciding to stick to the truth. "And explore."

"Explore?" Ezekiel's eyebrows rose in interest. "The woods, perhaps?"

I hesitated, not wanting to give too much away. "Sometimes," I said cautiously.

"I see," Ezekiel nodded, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

"I enjoy exploring as well and fighting."

I shrugged, unsure how to respond. 

This whole situation felt surreal.

Why was the prince of a kingdom suddenly interested in hanging out with me, a random village kid? 

Was he just being nice, or was there something more to it?

I stole a glance at his caretaker, Mr. Nivel. 

He sat quietly in the corner, sipping his tea and observing us with a knowing smile. 

I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this visit than met the eye.

But for now, I decided to play along. 

If Ezekiel wanted to be friends, who was I to refuse?

Besides, maybe I could learn a thing or two from him about magic and the mechanics of this world.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Mr. Nivel set down his teacup and looked at me with a thoughtful expression.

"Julian," he began, his voice gentle, "do you train often?"

The question caught me off guard.

My mind flashed back to countless nights spent punching the air and flailing my arms, trying to summon that elusive feeling of mana flowing through me.

My efforts had been fruitless up until yesterday, but I wasn't one to give up easily.

"Sometimes," I replied, trying to sound nonchalant.

"I don't get much time, though. The elders are always watching me."

Mr. Nivel chuckled. "Ah, yes, the elders. They can be a bit... overprotective, can't they?"

I nodded, relieved that he understood.

"Well, then," Mr. Nivel continued, leaning forward in his chair, "do you know what a spar is?"

Of course, I knew. 

In my past life, I had devoured countless fantasy novels filled with training montages and epic battles.

But I also knew that Ezekiel, with his princely training and wind magic, was leagues ahead of me.

"No," I lied, feigning ignorance. "What's a spar?"

Mr. Nivel explained the concept of a friendly duel, a way for warriors to test their skills and improve their techniques.

He then dropped a bombshell: "If you can beat Ezekiel in a spar, I'll grant you any wish you desire."

My eyes widened.

Any wish? 

That was tempting, to say the least.

But I glanced at Ezekiel, who was watching me with an unreadable expression.

"Is that okay with you?" I asked him.

Ezekiel simply grinned, his eyes sparkling with a challenge.

"Well... Julian. I'm not afraid of a little friendly competition."

At that moment, the familiar blue screen of the System materialized before my eyes.

[New Mission Available!]

____________

Mission: Beat Ezekiel In a Spar!

Difficulty: B

Reward: 1000 SP

____________

Another mission? I thought, feeling the excitement flooding through me.

This was an opportunity to earn a ton of SP, but could I actually beat Ezekiel?

He was a future ruler of the Ventus Kingdom.

And not to mention the fact that... 

[Target has been fully analyzed.]

__________

Target: Ezekiel Aslan Ryan Ventus

Innate Gifts: Eyes Of Chronos, Mana Insight, ???

Official Title: The Royal Prince Of The Ventus Kingdom, Eurus's Contractor

>Magical Affinity: Wind

Attributes: > Strength: C-, > Attack Power: B, > Speed: C-, >Stamina: C, Sharpness: B+, Potency: A, Technique: C+, Presence: E

Skills: Gale Blast (LV.2), Wind Cutter (LV.3), Spell Arts Of Magica: ?? - ??

Traits: Genius Mage (Advanced), Strong Moral Compass (Low-Grade), Precocious Intellect (Advanced), Clumsy (Negative), 

Goals And Aspirations:

[Goal 1: Surpass his older brother Dialone]

[Goal 2: Graduate from Aethel Academy]

[Goal 3: Succeed and become the King Of The Ventus Kingdom]

__________

Wait... no?

Is this guy serious?

Did he contract with the Great Spirit Eurus this early?

That can't be possible, right?

If Ezekiel gains Eurus's powers now, what does that mean for the other spirit users?

"It's decided then." Nivel rose from his seat.

"Let's go, Julian." Ezekiel gestured for me to follow him.

I hadn't realized how much things had actually changed.

I didn't expect it to be this drastic.

Now that I think about it, my existence could potentially affect the true ending of this story.

Holy shit... I might have messed up this world.