It’s a Beginner Quest
After returning to his room, Christopher sat back on his bed, only to realize something important.
He couldn't fall asleep anymore.
The thrill of gaining another A-Rank spell had completely burned away any lingering drowsiness. Even the heaviness in his eyelids was gone. Only the deep, lingering ache in his muscles reminded him of the day's strain.
"Well, damn…" Christopher muttered, exhaling a long sigh as his eyes roamed the room.
He tried to think of ways to stall for time—maybe reorganize his desk, maybe skim through his notes—but no matter how hard he tried, nothing came to mind. The silence pressed in.
"Hey… whatever you are," he said aloud, his voice breaking the stillness.
[Call me System]
"System? Like… a machine?"
[Yes]
Christopher tilted his head at the blunt reply, then shrugged. The name was straightforward enough.
"How can I increase my storage limit?"
[Quests or over time when spells are used more]
"Quests?"
[Want one?]
"Of course. It'll help me kill time."
[Quest: Flowery Adventures]
[Objective: Grab ten different kinds of flowers in the academy's courtyard]
[Reward: +1 Storage and +1 Arcane Points]
"Arcane points?"
[The system shop will open up as soon as you finish your first quest]
"That makes sense."
Rising from the bed, Christopher changed into clothes fit for the cool night—a simple winter jacket over a loose shirt, paired with puffy insulated pants. The warm layers would keep the chill from biting into him.
But just as his hand touched the doorknob, something clicked in his mind.
"What kind of dumb quest is that!?"
[It's a beginner quest]
"It's not even related to magic!"
[It's a beginner quest]
"Don't you have anything else?"
[It's a beginner quest]
After the third repetition, Christopher realized there was no winning against the system's stubborn personality.
"Fine, have it your way."
He stepped out, the sound of his boots echoing lightly in the empty hallway, and made his way toward the academy's courtyard.
It didn't take long—just a few turns down the dim corridors and a short flight of stairs before the cool night air brushed against his skin.
The courtyard greeted him with an open sky dusted with stars. The grass below shimmered faintly in shades of green and blue, catching the silver light of the moon. The stillness felt… peaceful.
"This actually feels kind of good… a chance to rest," he murmured.
The place was deserted except for him. From where he stood, he could see rows of dorm windows in the distance—some curtained off, some open, others glowing faintly with warm lamplight. A few silhouettes moved inside, while faint chatter drifted on the breeze.
But Christopher quickly reminded himself that he had work to do.
"This shouldn't be that hard." He cracked his knuckles. He'd already studied various herbs and flowers for potion brewing—he knew what to look for.
[Seriously?]
"Oh…? Didn't think I was so prepared, did you, System?"
[...]
Christopher smirked, oddly satisfied that he might have managed to irritate the System—if it even had something like skin to get under.
PLUCK. PLUCK.
It didn't take long for him to find two flowers of different species.
"Easy rewards and a relaxing task? I gotta hand it to you, System, I really needed this."
PLUCK.
PLUCK.
As he moved about, a few students peered from their dorm windows. Some looked confused, others laughed outright. Most assumed the manaless twerp had finally lost it, wandering around plucking flowers in the middle of the night.
But the truth was quite the opposite.
"That's nine. One more to go."
The final flower was neatly tucked beside a marble pillar, its pale petals trembling faintly in the night breeze.
Christopher stepped forward—
[Devour]
The moment his fingers closed around the stem, the Feyleaf didn't just vanish.
Its petals dissolved into tiny shards of pale-blue light, drifting upward like fireflies before spiraling into his palm. A cool, minty scent burst in the air, sharp and clean, cutting through the chill of the courtyard.
A faint hum vibrated through his bones, like distant chimes underwater, and a warm current rushed along his veins before pooling deep in his chest.
[Quest Complete]
[Rewards Obtained]
[Storage 4/4]
1. Wind Severance
2. Water Beam
3. Water Lance
4. Mana
The sudden absorption froze him mid-motion. He stared at his now empty hand for five full seconds, his mind blank.
"What?"
He shook his head sharply, as if trying to dislodge the disbelief.
"D-did I just absorb that Feyleaf?"
Feyleaf—a simple flower that bloomed in mana-rich soil, thriving in places saturated with magical energy. Its petals often carried traces of latent mana.
[Yes, Devour also works on objects]
With that confirmation, Christopher abruptly dropped to the ground, curling in on himself as if the sheer realization had physically hit him.
Then, without hesitation—
"What a discovery!"
His voice brimmed with unrestrained glee.