The laboratory wall clock showed 10:47 PM when Ramdan finally set the last clipboard down on the stainless steel table. The white lights in the Quality Control room still blazed overhead, making his already worn-out face look even worse.

In front of him, stacks of internal audit documents stood like a tower of sins yet to be forgiven.

He stared at them for a long moment.

Then inhaled.

Then let it out, longer.

“If reincarnation is real,” he muttered, “I hope in my next life I’m the owner’s kid… not an audit slave like this.”

No one answered.

Only the hum of the air conditioner, and the familiar scent of the lab—alcohol, chemicals, and employee suffering.

Ramdan, thirty years old, a Quality Control staff member at a well-known food and beverage company, was far too used to all of it.

SOP.

Audits.

Equipment calibration.

Laboratory work.

Complaint investigations.

And a boss who treated the word “urgent” like it was part of his full name.

His life was like instant noodles without seasoning—still functioning, but tasteless.

His career was stuck.

His salary was enough to live, but not enough to feel alive.

A partner?

Don’t even ask.

His mother had long stopped asking when he would get married and had moved on to spiritual resignation.

“As long as you’re healthy, Dan.”

The most painful sentence a mother could say.

Ramdan grabbed his sling bag, turned off his desk lamp, and walked out of the QC room with heavy steps, like a soldier returning from defeat.

In the parking lot, his motorbike waited faithfully. An old Supra that understood him better than any human ever could.

He put on his helmet while unlocking his phone.

A notification from the family WhatsApp group.

Lina, the attention-seeking cousin: assalamualaikum. Uncle, aunties, and my beloved family. Alhamdulillah I’ve given birth. Please pray for me and the baby.

My beloved mom: Masya Allah, it must be so nice to have a grandchild… Ah, when will it be my turn…

Ramdan stared at the screen.

Then slowly locked his phone.

“Critical hit.”

He started the engine and rode into the night.

The streets were quiet. Most shop lights were off. The night breeze brushed against his face, bringing a small sense of relief after a full day drowning in work.

As always, on the way home, his mind wandered somewhere more pleasant.

Not work.

Not life.

But his favorite novel.

The Adventures of Rian in the Land of Nuswantara.

A legendary fantasy story he had read countless times.

A world of magic, warriors, mages, spirits, ancient kingdoms, and destiny-driven adventures.

Sometimes, he thought life would be far more interesting if he had been born there.

Instead of here.

Becoming a legendary warrior sounded a lot cooler than arguing about the moisture content of crackers.

“At least if I die there, it’d be fighting a dragon,” he muttered. “Not because of audit revisions.”

He chuckled to himself.

Then stopped.

Under a large tree by the roadside, someone was lying there.

An old man.

Dressed entirely in white. Thin. Pale. His hands trembled as if drained of life itself.

Ramdan slowed down.

He looked around.

Weird.

People were still passing by. Some on foot, others on motorbikes, even a couple busy arguing while riding together.

No one noticed the old man.

As if he didn’t exist.

Ramdan frowned.

“Seriously? Are they all blind, or am I starting to lose it?”

Just as he was about to ride off, a faint voice called out.

“Help…”

Ramdan turned.

The old man was looking straight at him.

“Please… son…”

The voice was weak.

But clear.

Very clear.

And for some reason, the hairs on Ramdan’s neck stood up.

Not from fear.

More like… something else.

Like being watched by something far greater than just a frail old man.

Still, Ramdan turned off his engine.

“Alright. Even if you’re a ghost, at least you’re polite. You said ‘please.’”

He got off and walked closer.

“Hang in there, Kek. Don’t die yet. Let me check first—this a side quest or a life trap?”

The old man simply stared at him.

A gaze that was hard to explain.

Not the look of someone starving.

Not someone lost.

It felt like… someone waiting.

Waiting for a very long time.

Ramdan scratched his head.

“Hold on, Kek. I’ll get you a drink.”

Not far away, a 24-hour warung Madura was still brightly lit.

That place was practically his second post after the office.

The keeper, Cak Soni, was the most easily startled and panicky man the universe had ever created.

As soon as Ramdan entered, Cak Soni greeted him.

“Waduh, Bang Ramdan. Overtime again? Just marry the factory already.”

Ramdan grabbed a bottle of isotonic drink from the fridge.

“I’ve considered it. But the factory is too toxic.”

Cak Soni laughed.

“Rare to see you stop by this late.”

Ramdan placed the bottle on the counter.

“There’s an old man collapsed near that tree. Looks dehydrated.”

Cak Soni frowned.

“Hah?! What old man?”

“There. White clothes. By the big tree.”

Cak Soni peeked outside.

A few seconds passed.

Then he looked back at Ramdan.

“Bang…”

“What?”

“Don’t joke around on a Friday night like this.”

Ramdan looked outside too.

The old man was still there.

Clear as day.

He was even staring toward the warung.

“What do you mean? He’s right there.”

Cak Soni’s face turned pale.

“Bang Ramdan… sengko’ sumpa demi diskon Indomie, there’s no one there. Seriously. Completely empty. Just the wind.”

Silence.

Ramdan looked outside.

Then at Cak Soni.

Then outside again.

“Huh.”

“Huh what?!” Cak Soni shot back.

“That old man’s behind you. He’s about to hug you. Hug him, Cak!”

Ramdan tapped his shoulder.

“‘Pelok sennik, sayang… muah muah…’—ehh Bang Ramdan, astaghfirullah!” Cak Soni blurted out, startled and panicking.

Ramdan burst out laughing, apologized, paid for the drink, and patted Cak Soni’s shoulder.

“I’m heading off, Cak. It’s late. Sorry for messing with you.”

“DUH, Gusti… this kid jokes too much. Alright, be careful on the road!”

Ramdan left, still laughing.

But as he got closer to the tree again, his laughter slowly faded.

The atmosphere there felt different.

Quieter.

Colder.

Even the sound of passing vehicles seemed distant.

He handed the bottle to the old man.

“Here, Kek. Drink. It’s on me. But if you turn out to be some tree spirit, at least give me winning lottery numbers.”

The old man accepted it slowly.

His hands were cold.

Very cold.

He opened the bottle, took a small sip, then looked deeply at Ramdan.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

Ramdan raised an eyebrow.

“That line’s usually for debt collectors or exes. Which one are you?”

The old man didn’t laugh.

“You can see me. That’s enough.”

Ramdan’s expression turned serious.

“Wait. What do you mean?”

“Many people pass through here. Not one of them sees me. Only you.”

The night wind brushed softly.

Leaves rustled.

Ramdan swallowed.

“Who… are you, really?”

The old man smiled faintly.

A smile that wasn’t comforting at all.

“Someone who came to take you.”

“Sorry, I’m not ready to die.”

“Not to death.”

The old man stood up.

Moments ago, he looked like he could collapse any second.

Now, he stood tall. His eyes sharp. That frail figure felt like something far more terrifying.

“Or perhaps,” he said softly, “to your true life.”

Ramdan’s heart pounded faster.

Every human instinct screamed:

Run.

Now.

But his feet wouldn’t move.

“Kek… I’m just QC staff. I’m not a chosen one. I can’t even do public speaking without breaking into cold sweat.”

“Exactly.”

The old man raised his hand.

“The world needs you.”

For the first time in his life, something had truly chosen him.

Ramdan felt touched—then quickly pointed at himself.

“The guy who argues about cooking oil content every day?”

“Yes.”

“The thirty-year-old still single?”

“Yes.”

“The one rejected three times in one month?”

The old man exhaled.

“That part is irrelevant.”

“Alright, good.”

The old man stepped closer.

“There is another world waiting for you. A world you know very well.”

Ramdan’s eyes widened.

No.

No way.

“Nuswantara?”

For the first time, the old man smiled widely.

“Finally.”

A chill ran down Ramdan’s spine.

This wasn’t a joke.

This wasn’t a hallucination.

This was real.

Very real.

“Wait—”

Before he could finish, the old man’s wrinkled hand touched his forehead.

A light touch.

But the world shattered instantly.

His vision went dark.

Sound vanished.

His body felt like it was falling into a bottomless abyss.

In that void, only one sound remained.

Ding.

A blue light appeared before him.

Like a system window in a game.

Transparent.

Glowing.

And completely absurd.

[Welcome to the World of Nuswantara.]

Ramdan wanted to scream.

But he had no mouth.

[Your old reality has been reset. A new reality has begun.]

[Prepare yourself, Ramdan.]

[Because your destiny… has just begun.]

Darkness again.

Then—

light.

Blinding.

Slowly, Ramdan opened his eyes.

The sky.

Orange.

Truly orange.

He froze.

Then a woman’s voice sounded very close.

Soft.

Warm.

Filled with relief.

“Thank goodness… my child has finally opened his eyes.”

Ramdan tried to sit.

He couldn’t.

He tried to speak.

Only a small, strange sound came out.

And when he realized he was being held in the arms of a beautiful woman who felt incredibly familiar—

his blood seemed to stop.

No.

No way.

Sinta Kusuma Dewi.

A character from the novel.

A legendary mage.

The wife of Ranjana Segara.

The mother of the main character.

Which meant—

slowly, Ramdan looked at his own hands.

Small.

Very small.

A baby.

He was… a baby.

And if he was right—

“Oh Gusti…” he screamed inside his mind.

“Don’t tell me I’m the main character!”

Orange sky.

That was the first thing that made Ramdan realize his life was truly over.

Not temporarily over.

Not over in some dramatic romance kind of way.

But over—spiritually, emotionally, and administratively.

The sky above him burned a vivid orange, like a sunset that had forgotten how to turn into night. Thin clouds drifted lazily, while the air carried the scent of sandalwood, wildflowers, and something unfamiliar yet strangely real—mana.

Ramdan blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Still orange.

He went still.

Then slowly took a deep breath.

Then an even deeper one.

“Ya Gusti…”

Panic.

Confusion.

Fear.

And beneath it all—

hope.

His heart pounded.

No way.

But if this was real…

if this really was that world…

then there was only one possibility.

Nuswantara.

His favorite novel.

A world of magic, warriors, mages, spirits, ancient kingdoms, and all the chaos he’d only ever read about while lying down after overtime shifts.

His eyes widened.

“Don’t tell me…”

his inner voice trembled,

“I’m the main character?”

Rian.

The name surfaced instantly.

A legendary warrior.

A true MC.

A man whose life was packed with destiny, adventure, and beautiful women who somehow always appeared exactly when the plot needed them.

Ramdan nearly cried.

The fastest promotion in human history.

From QC staff to fantasy protagonist.

Before he could enjoy that happiness, a sound he absolutely hated rang inside his head.

Ding.

A translucent blue window appeared before him.

[Good morning, Ramdan. We hope your first day as a baby is enjoyable.]

His smile died.

Instantly.

“Ramdan?”

Two seconds of silence.

Then—

“Damn system.”

[Thank you for the warm welcome.]

“Answer fast. Who am I right now?”

[You are Ramdan.]

“That’s not what I mean. Whose body am I in?”

The system paused.

As if deliberately enjoying his suffering.

Then the answer came like a slap from HR.

[You are still Ramdan. Original soul. Original identity. Your fate… more or less still miserable.]

Silence.

Empty.

Still.

All his hopes collapsed like an audit report accidentally sent to the board of directors.

“So…”

his inner voice cracked,

“I’m not Rian?”

[Congratulations. You are finally using your brain correctly.]

Ramdan wanted to pass out again.

“So I got transported to another world, stayed myself, and I’m not even the main character?”

[Correct.]

“Then why was I born into the main character’s family?”

[Because this world has undergone a reality reset.]

Ramdan frowned.

“Explain.”

[The path of destiny has changed.]

[The main character still exists.]

[But the center of the story is no longer the same.]

His heart beat faster.

“So…”

[You are an anomaly.]

[The world chose you.]

Ramdan stared at the orange sky for a long time.

For the first time in his life—

something had truly chosen him.

Not a company.

Not HR.

Not an ex.

But fate itself.

And strangely…

it felt terrifying.

He swallowed.

“Can I get a refund?”

[No.]

“Can I resign?”

[Even less possible.]

“Can I pretend to die?”

[Feel free to try.]

“Damn demon system.”

In reality, baby Ramdan’s face kept shifting like someone possessed.

A beautiful woman holding him looked confused.

“Oh dear, what’s wrong with my child? Why does his face look like he just saw a siluman?”

Sinta Kusuma Dewi.

A legendary mage.

And now…

his mother.

Ramdan wanted to explain everything.

About being isekai’d.

About the system.

About interdimensional suffering.

What came out was—

“Uwegh…”

Sinta smiled, amused.

“So cute.”

No, Mom.

This is a tragedy.

The door opened.

A tall man entered with calm steps. Broad shoulders, sharp eyes, and an aura that made the room feel smaller.

Ranjana Segara.

A legendary warrior.

Now his father.

The man stared at Ramdan for a moment.

Then said flatly,

“He looks like you.”

Sinta snorted.

“Clearly not. He looks more like you.”

“That suspicious look is yours.”

“No. That’s the look of someone evaluating the quality of his life. That’s you.”

Ramdan felt offended.

“Damn it, am I that ugly in your eyes that you refuse to admit I look like your own child?!”

What came out was—

“Uweghh?!”

Ranjana stepped closer and lifted Ramdan with one hand like he was inspecting a chicken product.

Ramdan panicked.

“Sir, I’m human! Not an incoming material sample!”

All that came out—

“Bweh!”

Ranjana nodded seriously.

“Good lungs.”

“He’s my child, of course his lungs are good!” Sinta snapped.

“Good. That means no defects.”

Ramdan felt even more offended.

Sinta immediately took him back.

“Don’t talk like that about your own child.”

Ranjana gave a faint smile.

For a man like him, that was equivalent to an emotional hug.

Ramdan sighed inwardly.

Alright.

One thing was clear.

This was real.

And if this really was Nuswantara, then one thing mattered more than anything else—

information.

As a true QC staff member, living without data was a sin.

“System.”

Ding.

[Yes, oh human full of complaints.]

“Any special abilities?”

[Good. You finally asked something useful.]

A new window appeared.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

Class : Mage

Subclass : Quality Controller

Starting Skill : Audit Eyes (Passive)

━━━━━━━━━━━━

Ramdan stared at it.

“Seriously? Even in another world I’m still QC?”

[Even fate requires auditing.]

“…I hate how that makes sense.”

At that moment, the door opened again.

A young girl entered, carrying a small basin of warm water and a clean cloth.

And for a second, the world seemed to pause.

Light brown-blonde hair.

Round glasses.

A gentle face.

A soft aura.

And a smile dangerously lethal for a thirty-year-old single man.

Melati.

The household maid.

And a minor character from the novel who used to make Ramdan pause his reading just to admire her description.

Now she was real.

And far more beautiful than his imagination.

“Good morning, Young Master,” she said with a smile.

Ramdan forgot how to breathe.

With effort, he activated Audit Eyes.

Ding.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

Target : Melati

Status : Emotionally unstable

Note : Recently cried

━━━━━━━━━━━━

Ramdan froze.

He stared at her longer.

And now he noticed.

Her smile was too neat.

Her eyes slightly swollen.

And there was a thin layer of sadness carefully hidden.

Not a big wound.

A small one.

But one buried for far too long.

That hurt more.

Not long after, two servants outside whispered.

Not loud.

But clear enough.

“Now that Madam Sinta has her own child…”

“Yeah… maybe Melati will be moved.”

“Or sold again. Poor thing.”

The room suddenly felt cold.

Melati’s hands stopped.

Just for a moment.

But enough.

Ah.

So that was it.

Ramdan felt something tighten in his chest.

So this was her fear.

Not monsters.

Not war.

But something simple—

no longer being needed.

Melati was adopted.

A servant taken in out of pity.

And now, with the birth of a real child…

she feared she no longer had a place.

Damn.

This hurt more than dragons.

Ramdan wanted to speak.

To say something.

To explain that this house felt warm, that they weren’t like that.

But all that came out—

“Uwegh…”

Melati gave a small smile.

“Yes, Young Master…”

her voice soft,

“I hope so too.”

Sinta, who had been silent, finally spoke.

Her voice was calm.

Which made it more terrifying.

“You two.”

The servants outside froze.

“Come in.”

They entered, pale-faced.

Sinta looked at them without smiling.

“From today on, if you still think of Melati as something that can be moved around at will, then you are the ones who will leave this house.”

Silence.

No one dared reply.

The two servants bowed, apologized, and left.

Only Sinta, Ranjana, Melati, and the most emotional baby in the world remained.

Melati lowered her head.

Her hands trembled slightly.

“I-if Madam wants to move me… I’m fine. I understand. Now that Young Master is born…”

Sinta cut her off.

“Look at me.”

Melati slowly raised her face.

Her eyes were already red.

Sinta stepped closer.

Her hand gently stroked the girl’s head, like a mother comforting her child.

“Do you really think I only cared for you because I didn’t have a child back then?”

The words hit the room.

Melati bit her lip.

Tears fell.

“I… I’m just afraid… now that Young Master is here, I won’t have a place anymore…”

Sinta pulled her into an embrace.

Firm.

Certain.

A mother’s embrace.

“Foolish girl.”

Sinta’s voice trembled.

“I never bought a servant.”

She held her tighter.

“I accepted a family.”

Melati broke down.

Not a quiet cry.

But the cry of someone who had held it in for far too long.

“I don’t remember my family… I don’t remember where I came from… I’m just afraid of losing the only home I have…”

Sinta closed her eyes.

Then whispered softly,

“Then stop looking elsewhere.”

“Because your home is here.”

Ramdan fell silent.

For the first time since arriving in this world—

he truly felt something.

Warm.

Heavy.

And strangely… a little suffocating.

Because in his old world,

he wasn’t even sure his home ever felt like this.

Then Ranjana’s deep voice spoke.

He had been standing there the whole time.

His face still cold.

As always.

But his words hit the hardest.

“If I wanted to sell you, you wouldn’t have grown this much.”

Everyone turned.

Ranjana stepped forward.

His gaze steady.

“But I didn’t.”

“Because this house does not buy family.”

He stopped in front of Melati.

“This house accepts it.”

Silence.

And for the first time—

Melati cried like a child.

Not a servant.

Not a slave.

Not an outsider.

But a child who had finally been welcomed home.

She clung to Sinta, sobbing.

And even Ranjana, who usually felt like a living wall, slowly placed his hand on her head.

Awkward.

Stiff.

But sincere.

Ramdan felt something strange in his chest.

Ah.

So this was it.

This is what people call family.

Not about blood.

Not about names.

But a place where someone chooses you…

and keeps choosing you.

Ding.

Audit Eyes activated on its own.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

Target : Melati

Status : Stable

Ancient Mana : Detected

Warning : Resonance increasing

━━━━━━━━━━━━

Ramdan stared at it.

Then at Melati, still crying in Sinta’s arms.

The room suddenly felt warmer.

Too warm.

The glass on the table trembled.

The water in the basin rippled on its own.

The air grew heavy.

Melati slowly pulled away.

Her breathing uneven.

“I-I…”

Her hands began to glow faintly.

Ramdan’s eyes widened.

“Oh no.”

The system chimed.

Ding.

[Hidden mana awakening detected.]

[Brace yourself.]

Ramdan panicked.

“No no no—”

He looked at his parents.

Then screamed in his best baby language.

“UWEEEGHHH!! WATCH OUT!!”

Sometimes, life doesn’t change because of a great war.

Not because of an ancient prophecy.

Not even because a dragon descends from the sky with an epic soundtrack.

Sometimes…

life changes because a girl cries in the living room.

And to Ramdan, that was far more terrifying.

He was still in full “most emotional baby in Nuswantara” mode when the translucent blue screen appeared again before him.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

Target : Melati

Status : Emotionally Stabilized

Hidden Resonance : Increasing

Ancient Blood : Dormant

Warning : Unlocking Ancient Healer Mage

Mana Explosion Imminent

3…

2…

━━━━━━━━━━━━

Ramdan froze.

His eyes widened.

He looked at the screen.

Then at Melati.

Then back at the screen.

Then panicked like an auditor finding a rat in the production room.

“Wow, congratulations Melati—”

his brain caught up with the next line.

“WAIT. EXPLOSION?!”

He immediately flailed wildly in Sinta’s arms.

“Dad! Mom! Melati, watch out! Our house is about to become an instant renovation project!”

What came out, of course, was—

“UWEEEGHHHHH!!”

And right then—

BOOOOM.

A burst of green-gold light exploded from Melati’s body.

Not ordinary light.

It was like a miniature sun being born in the middle of the living room.

The floor trembled.

Walls creaked.

Windows rattled violently.

A flower rack toppled over with a tragic crash.

Even the aura of the house itself seemed to shift.

The air thickened with mana so dense that Ramdan felt like he was being crushed under a thesis, loan payments, and a family WhatsApp group all at once.

Melati screamed.

Her body lifted a few inches off the ground.

Her hair whipped wildly.

Her eyes shut tight.

And the light kept growing.

“It hurts—!”

Sinta moved instantly.

No panic.

No hesitation.

Only the calm of someone who had faced chaos far too often.

“I’ll handle Melati. Ranjana—now!”

Ranjana, who had been silent, stepped forward.

His gaze changed.

No longer a cold father.

But a living monster whose name made kingdoms think twice before going to war.

He brushed the black agate stone on his wrist.

The air around him shifted.

Wind began to swirl.

Dust lifted from the floor.

And in a low voice that felt more like an oath than speech, he said—

“I do not bow to storms—”

“for storms walk with me.”

“Aji Pusaka…”

“Kujang Bayu Kembar.”

DUUM.

Silver-white light spiraled wildly.

Two slender kujang blades emerged from the vortex of wind.

Sharp.

Cold.

Humming softly.

As if even the air feared touching them.

They hovered for a moment, then crossed behind Ranjana’s back like a pair of living wind fangs.

Ramdan’s eyes bulged.

“Damn. Weapon summoning. Now that’s a dad—not one who only summons problems.”

The system appeared.

[Please respect your new father.]

“Quiet.”

On the other side, Sinta closed her eyes.

The air around her shifted.

A gold-layered grimoire slowly floated beside her.

Its pages turned on their own.

Ancient glowing script filled the air like stars writing destiny.

She drew a long breath.

Then, in a calm yet commanding voice—

“Mantera—”

“O guardian of space, divider of sky and earth…”

“Extend your boundary. Protect this house.”

“Barrier Magna: Earth Cage.”

DUUMM.

A vast, ocean-blue transparent barrier enveloped the entire house.

The yard.

The roof.

Even the surrounding air.

A massive dome formed.

The mana explosion that had been about to spread was instantly contained.

But the pressure remained brutal.

Cracks spread across the floor.

Walls trembled.

The roof groaned like it was considering retirement.

And Ramdan—

was being carried by Ranjana like a sack of premium rice.

“Sir?!”

What came out:

“BWEH?!”

Ranjana glanced at him briefly.

“Hold on to your life, son.”

“We’re about to fly.”

“THAT LINE IS NOT REASSURING—”

What came out:

“BWEHHH!!”

Ranjana channeled mana into his legs.

The wind spiraled.

The kujang on his back vibrated.

He lowered his stance.

Then—

“Technique: Saipi Angin.”

BOOOOSH.

Ramdan officially became the first baby in history to be elegantly thrown by his own father.

His body shot forward, carried by a swirl of wind toward the backyard, a much safer area.

Not a rough throw.

More like…

delivered by a tornado with attitude.

He landed perfectly on a pile of laundry.

Still.

Silent.

Then he stared at the sky.

“I was just born and I’ve already been hit with a parental throwing technique.”

The system responded instantly.

[Achievement unlocked: Child Launched by Father.]

“I hate this app.”

From afar, he could see the house glowing like a spiritual festival.

Neighbors began stepping outside.

Some carried torches.

Some carried excessive curiosity.

And some aunties were already in full gossip mode.

“Who awakened mana?”

“At Lord Ranjana’s house!”

“Must be huge!”

“Of course. That family is monstrous.”

Ramdan gave a small nod.

Fair enough.

In Nuswantara, mana awakening wasn’t unusual.

Every chosen human could receive mana from Sang Hyang Tunggal—the supreme source of life and energy.

That mana shaped their path.

There were two main paths.

Mage.

Users of magic.

And pendekar.

Warriors who strengthened their bodies with mana.

Mages used Mantera.

Pendekar used Aji Pusaka.

Two different paths.

One shared source.

But…

what was happening to Melati was clearly not normal.

The system appeared again.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

Additional Information:

Ancient human bloodlines possess significantly greater mana resonance than modern humans.

Probability of large-scale explosion: High

Potential Class: Ancient Healer Mage

Note:

If not stabilized, explosion radius may reach 1 km.

Enjoy your family drama.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

Ramdan stared at the screen.

Then sighed.

“So she’s not just a side character…”

[Congratulations. You’re starting to understand the plot.]

“Quiet. I’ve got goosebumps.”

From inside the barrier, Sinta’s voice rang out.

“Breathe, Melati!”

“Focus on me!”

“You are not alone!”

Melati cried.

Not from sadness.

But because her body felt like it was burning from the inside.

Wild mana surged through her veins.

Awakening something that had long been asleep.

Something even she didn’t understand.

“I’m scared…”

her voice trembled.

“I… I’m scared…”

Sinta embraced her, even as mana raged through her body.

“It’s okay.”

“I’m here.”

“Look at me.”

“You won’t lose your home.”

Those words—

were stronger than any spell.

Melati opened her eyes.

Tears fell.

And for the first time…

she stopped resisting.

She accepted it.

The mana.

The fate.

Herself.

The green-gold light changed.

No longer wild.

No longer destructive.

Now it felt softer.

Warmer.

Alive.

An ancient grimoire slowly appeared beside Melati.

Different from Sinta’s.

Older.

Quieter.

More sacred.

Its cover was ivory white with golden leaf engravings.

At that moment, everyone knew.

A Mage had been born.

Not just any mage.

But an Ancient Healer Mage.

A rare kind.

One most people only heard about in legends.

The barrier slowly faded.

The wind calmed.

The house still stood.

Though emotionally… slightly tilted.

Ranjana walked back in, carrying the most complaint-filled baby in the kingdom.

Ramdan immediately looked at Melati.

She sat weakly on the floor.

Her face wet with tears.

But something had changed.

Her aura.

Her gaze.

And a new calmness.

She looked like someone who had just been found… by herself.

Sinta smiled and gently wiped her face.

“Welcome.”

“My little mage.”

Melati cried again.

But this time, not out of fear.

She hugged Sinta tightly.

“Thank you… Mother…”

Sinta froze.

Then hugged her back even tighter.

And for the first time—

she was truly called mother.

Even Ranjana, whose expression was usually like a stone monument, turned his head slightly as if pretending to look at the sky.

Ramdan watched him.

“Too proud to cry, huh? Classic four-door refrigerator.”

[Respect your father or face penalties.]

“Yeah, yeah. Just observing.”

Ramdan looked at them all.

Sinta.

Ranjana.

Melati.

The nearly wrecked house.

And that strange warmth that felt both foreign and familiar.

Then quietly, he thought—

“Damn…”

“This is warm.”

And that was more dangerous than any mana explosion.

Because it made him start to feel like he truly belonged.

But just as things began to settle—

Audit Eyes activated on its own.

Ding.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

Target : Melati

Class Confirmed : Ancient Healer Mage

Mana Signature : Unregistered

Ancient Bloodline : Active

Hidden Seal : Partial Release

Warning:

Certain parties will begin searching for this target.

Threat Level : Rising

━━━━━━━━━━━━

Ramdan’s smile slowly faded.

He looked at the screen.

Then at Melati.

Then at the orange sky, which suddenly felt heavier.

Ah.

Of course.

Fate never gives gifts without a bill.

And it seemed—

the bill had just been delivered.

On the Dewantara Continent, high above mountains never recorded on any kingdom’s map…

a pair of eyes slowly opened.

White.

Golden.

And filled with a faint, sinister smile.

“Found…”

the voice whispered.

“The blood of Atlanta…”

“has finally awakened.”