Milo awoke to the soft glow of his mother's salamander.
The tiny fire creature was curled up on the windowsill, its muted light illuminating the room in the pre-dawn gloom.
Today was the day.
His eighteenth birthday. The day he would finally co of age and face the challenges of the System Book.
He rose silently, careful not to wake his younger siblings, Asha and Nilo, who slept soundly at the other end of the small room.
His mother, Lyra, would already be awake, preparing breakfast with their ager resources.
As he dressed, Milo couldn't help but reflect on how much had changed in recent weeks. The new regi had ushered in a wave of changes he was still struggling to comprehend.
He stepped out of the bedroom and found his mother in the kitchen, busy preparing a modest al.
"Good morning, my future summoner," Lyra greeted him with a warm smile.
Milo couldn't help but grin. Ever since his mother had received her salamander, her mood had improved considerably.
"Morning, Mom. Or should I say 'Von Mother'?" he teased, recalling the brief period when his mother had insisted on the title.
Lyra let out a hearty laugh.
"Oh, hush. You know that was just a passing fancy. Though I must admit, Von Lyra does have a nice ring to it."
They sat at the table, and Milo noticed the food seed a bit more plentiful than usual. "Celebrating sothing?" he asked, already knowing the answer.
"Of course," Lyra replied, her eyes shining with pride. "It's not every day my eldest son becos a man and prepares to get his own book."
As they ate, Milo couldn't help but think about how much their economic situation had changed.
His family was small compared to others; his father had only managed to have three children before passing away. In a… sadly ironic way, this had been an advantage when it ca to depending on just one level 1 adult.
Before, his mother's daily 10 mana points and the additional support point for his father's death had barely been enough to keep them afloat. But now, with the 4 support points that Von Elio had started distributing (1 for each person below level 2 after the father's death), things were a little easier.
"Nervous about the challenge?" Lyra asked, interrupting his thoughts.
Milo nodded. "A bit. But excited too. When I accompanied Jase, I got a glimpse of the new training system and the equipnt they lent him."
Jase was his best friend, who had entered mandatory military service last week. What he had heard about the "temporary equipnt" and intensive training still echoed in Milo's mind.
"It's incredible, isn't it?" Lyra said, shaking her head in wonder. "I never thought I'd hear of such things. Top-level equipnt loaned out just to pass level 1... They say they're crazy to risk 500,000 points on a soldier who only produces 10."
"I know," Milo responded enthusiastically. "I'll see if they're still doing that. Surely after the first failure, they'll cancel the support..."
Lyra's expression darkened. "I hope not. You know I couldn't bear to lose you like we lost your father."
Milo felt a pang of sorrow at the thought of his father. He had died over a decade ago, defending the wall.
"Things are different now, Mom," he said softly. "The new leader, Von Elio, seems to genuinely care about common people."
Lyra nodded slowly. "It's true. These changes... I never thought I'd see anything like this in my lifeti. More support for families, invocations for everyone... In my day, that would have been unthinkable.
It's as if they really want to ensure everyone succeeds."
Milo thought about his extended family, those who had been separated from them when the previous regi decided their clan was too large. "Have you been able to see Aunt Mara lately?"
Lyra lowered her voice, despite being alone. The habit of years of secrecy was hard to break. "Yes, we t a few days ago. Though she didn't have a salamander, I wonder why... She says things are changing in her section too."
"Do you think we'll ever be able to et openly with them?" Milo asked, hope creeping into his voice.
"Who knows," Lyra replied with a hopeful smile. "With all these changes, maybe it's possible. Your aunt ntioned that the new regi is reviewing family separation policies."
Milo fell silent for a mont, pondering. "It's strange to think they separated us from the section just because the family was too big. Why do you think they did it?"
Lyra sighed. "I suppose the previous regi feared that large families would accumulate too much power. But now, with invocations distributed to everyone... I guess that fear no longer makes sense. Everyone has too much power now."
Milo nodded, understanding dawning on his face.
"Still," Lyra said, worry evident in her voice, "be careful, son. And rember to visit us every year during your week off. Just because you have to serve in the army for 10 years doesn't an you can forget about us for that ti... It would be perfect if it wasn't so long."
Milo felt a twinge of anxiety at the thought. Ten years was a long ti, but it was also an opportunity to secure a better future for his family.
"It would be. But think of the benefits. With the extra mana I'll earn, we can live better."
Lyra smiled sadly. "Your father used to say the sa thing. Always thinking of the family."
♢♢♢♢
The rest of breakfast passed in comfortable silence. When they finished, Lyra took Milo's hands in hers.
"I'm proud of you, my son," she said, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Whatever happens today, rember that I love you and believe in you."
Milo felt a lump in his throat. "Thanks, Mom. I promise I'll do everything I can to make you even prouder."
As he prepared to leave and face his challenge, Milo couldn't help but feel a mix of excitent and nervousness. The world he knew was changing rapidly, and today he would take his first step as an adult in this new world.
He looked at the salamander, now resting comfortably on his mother's shoulder, and smiled. Soon, very soon, he too would have his own invocation. Perhaps soon he could help make his family's life even better too.
With a final hug for his mother and a gentle caress for his still-sleeping siblings, Milo left the small house. The sun was just beginning to peek over the city walls, promising a new day full of possibilities.
As he walked towards the city center, where he would face his challenge, Milo couldn't help but feel he was on the brink of sothing big. Not just for him, but for the entire city. The future, for the first ti in a long ti, seed bright and full of hope.
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