chapter 2: the awakening

Chapter Two:

The Awakening

I looked into the cracked mirror before me, examining my reflection with eyes filled with confusion. My shiny black hair sharply contrasted with my pale skin, and my dark eyes stared back at me with a strange expression. My face... was unnaturally beautiful, with delicate features more than it should be. As for my body, it was tall and slim, dressed in faded gray servant clothes that barely provided any warmth in this freezing cold.

Even inside the room, the air was icy, and every breath I exhaled turned into a white mist in front of me.

There was no doubt about it—I'd been reincarnated into the body of the servant "Lin."

I took a deep breath, trying to absorb the catastrophe that had befallen me. I was now only thirteen years old, and this wretched thing that pulled me here didn't stop at that, but also implanted a system inside me... A system that threatened to destroy me if I failed to fulfill its tasks.

"Damn..." I muttered as I stared around, trying to figure out where I was.

The room was small and cold, barely big enough for two people. The stone walls, covered with a thin layer of frost, enhanced the feeling of cold, and the small window in the corner allowed a cold draft to seep in. There were two wooden beds with thin blankets, and an old, weathered wardrobe. Even the mirror was partially frozen, as if the cold itself was trying to erase my reflection.

I approached the window and glanced outside.

What I saw confirmed my suspicions.

A vast training ground, covered with a thin layer of ice, where knights were training seriously. Their shining white armor was adorned with the symbol of a frozen lotus flower, and the cold breath from their movements rose into the air with every motion.

The sky was gray, and the sun barely emitted any warmth in this frozen climate.

"Damn..." I muttered under my breath, my hand clutching the cold edge of the window.

I was in the Frost family's territory.

The family of ice mages, masters of ice and water, known for their cruelty and boundless ambition.

And that meant one thing: I was in deep trouble.

But as if that weren't enough, a cold voice suddenly boomed inside my head:

[System: Failed to transfer the host into a female body. The soul has been bound to the servant Lin's body due to the original host's resistance.]

I froze in place. Wait... What?

You tried to make me a girl?

I burst out laughing sarcastically.

"So, your original plan was to reincarnate me into a girl's body? Damn you all!"

But the system didn't give me any time to vent my anger as it coldly continued:

[System: The host's soul is currently bound to the system. If the host fails to perform their tasks, self-destruct mode will be activated.]

...

...

I gasped instinctively, then screamed in anger: "Self-destruction? What kind of madness is this?!"

This was worse than just an accidental reincarnation!

I took a deep breath, trying to hold onto any shred of hope amidst this mess. There had to be something positive here... Right?

Yes, right!

At least I hadn't reincarnated as an ordinary person. This body... belongs to an ancient lineage called The Noctarin Clan.

And that meant one thing: I still had a chance to survive… and maybe even turn the tables on this entire world.

The world I live in now...

As far as I remember, this story is divided into five worlds. The first is the world of magic and mana, where noble families, demons, dragons, and ancient clans reside... And where I currently find myself.

Then comes the world of murim, dominated by martial arts and powerful factions.

The world of hunters, teeming with hunting guilds that deal with monsters in dungeons.

The world of asteroids, home to legendary entities unlike anything else.

And finally, the world of immortals, reigning over all with their unfathomable powers. But this world is sealed with five powerful seals and won't be fully unlocked until 15 years.

The first seal will break in five years, leading to the merging of the magical world with murim, and the hunters' world with the asteroid world.

My current goal is to survive… and find a way to escape!

Now that I understood the depth of the mess I was in, my priorities were clear.

I must find a way to awaken my bloodline before my true identity is revealed… or before someone in the Frost family decides to kill me just for fun.

But to do that, I need information.

And the only place I can find that information is...

The Frost family library.

But the problem?

I can't just walk in there like this.

I was still thinking of a plan to enter the library when the door to the room suddenly opened.

Camellia appeared, looking at me with concern.

— "Lin! Is something wrong? I heard a scream!"

I quickly turned, trying to pretend everything was fine.

Camellia...

She was the girl who grew up with "Lin," the servant who took care of him since he was a baby. In other words, she was the closest person to him in this place.

And that meant she could notice any change in my behavior.

Damn... I can't let her suspect me now.

I forced myself to stay calm, then put my hand to my head and said in a tired voice:

— "I'm fine... It's just a slight headache."

She looked at me suspiciously, but didn't say more. Instead, she asked:

— "Well, have you finished cleaning Lady Frosita's room?"

I paused for a moment.

... Where is that room, exactly?

Seeing my confusion, Camellia furrowed her brow and said seriously:

— "Why are you acting strange?"

Damn... I can't be exposed this quickly!

I have to be careful...

I swallowed my tension, then nodded slowly and said in a calm voice:

— "Of course... I'll finish it now."

I headed there with the broom and began cleaning, while my mind worked at full speed thinking of a clever plan.

I need to find a way into the library...

I must leave this family before they start suspecting anything.

---

The Frost Family – Ice Mages

The Frost family is one of the oldest noble families in the world of magic, renowned for their extraordinary ability to control ice and water. The family was founded by a great matriarch named "Evelyn Frost," an exceptional ice mage who awakened the deep, hidden ice powers within the heart of the earth. Under her leadership, the family became a symbol of strength and high status in the magical world, ruling over the icy lands where they built castles made of ice and water, shining as if carved from the heart of frozen mountains.

Evelyn was not only a masterful ice mage, but also a shrewd politician and unmatched warrior. Her ability to strategize with cold, calm precision made her a central figure, establishing the family culture based on strength and absolute power. However, what makes the Frost family even more unique is the dominance of its women, who inherited from Evelyn both an extraordinary beauty and an unyielding icy power that cannot be ignored.

Every woman in this family possesses an extraordinary, captivating beauty unmatched in the magical world, but their beauty isn't only skin deep; they carry within them a cold cruelty, a capacity for ruthless decision-making without hesitation. Even in the most difficult situations, their hearts remain cold, unaffected by emotions, just as their hands control the ice that bends nature to their will.

Today, under the leadership of Evelyn's descendants, the ice mages of the Frost family still carry her motto: "Strength in the heart, coldness in the mind." But as women's control over the family's affairs has increased, this motto has become more accurate. Women in the Frost family are not only tasked with managing affairs but rule with an iron fist, controlling power and strength, always striving for more dominance without mercy or hesitation.

But behind the walls of these icy castles, where lethal cold and harsh beauty prevail, there is an internal struggle for power. Every member of the family, whether male or female, seeks to be the strongest, but the women remain at the heart of this struggle, as the true power that drives things. This fierce competition makes survival in this family extremely difficult, where weakness or retreat is not permitted.