The meeting carried on normally—my father speaking with Camux, my mother, grandmother, and Liza chatting among themselves, while I talked with Arisa and Sol. Every now and then, we joined in group conversations, but they were just short exchanges before we returned to our small circle, talking about various topics.

After confirming how their lives had been during this time—making sure they'd been safe and well—I let out a long sigh of relief. They'd been living peacefully all these years. Their biggest concern was me, and thinking about which school to attend in the future. They'd spent time studying noble-related things: history, mathematics, and other subjects.

"You've both reached the Emerald rank, congratulations." We had moved to a cozy little spot with three sofas arranged in a triangle, making it easier for me to see them both.

"Yeah, it's been a few months since I left Amethyst rank. I had to make time to train with a packed schedule—noble life isn't easy." Sol shook her head from side to side, trying to shake those memories away.

"I did it thirty-nine days before Sol, which proves I'm better." Arisa puffed up her chest with pride, then slowly lowered her head. "But Sol's right about everything else. Noble duties are such a hassle. You skipped that part of life, going straight to school in the summer." Arisa looked at me with a guilty expression, as if I'd dodged that responsibility on purpose.

"Not all the obligations—I still have to attend your fourteenth birthday next month." Sol smiled sweetly at me. If she invites me, of course I'll go. I'll probably have several of these noble commitments over the next six months. I'll attend and return as quickly as possible.

Arisa stared at her wide-eyed and replied, "You're coming to mine too. It's forty days before school starts. I want to introduce you to my father and uncle." Arisa looked excited to invite me. Meeting a Count and a Marquis? I don't know if that's a good idea… but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested.

"I'll go to both parties. I promise." I gave them a gentle smile. "My birthday was almost two months ago. It's a bit of a shame." I would've liked to celebrate with my family and friends. In my previous life, I was never a big fan of parties—I only enjoyed them because my uncle always got me cake.

"Don't worry, we can throw you a fifteenth birthday party at school. I want to attend the same school as you, though I haven't talked to my father about it yet." In the end, she seemed uncertain. Her father seemed quite protective. I'd love to go to the same school—it would make making friends so much easier.

Sol looked at me for a moment, and I noticed the unease in her Imra. It took me just a second to realize: Arisa doesn't know my real age. I just turned twelve. Should I tell her? Keep this secret forever? I don't want to hide anything from my friends...

"I also want to go to the same school as you, Maki, though I doubt my dad will let me go as far as you're planning. Cris got into the third-best school on the continent, so I'll probably end up there too. It's a great school, and we get better benefits for being part of the Kar Empire." I was surprised to hear about Cris. I'm happy for him—he deserves recognition. When I see him, I'll have to congratulate him. At the same time, I felt happy and sad for Sol and her dilemma. I understood Camux too—if she'll get better benefits, it's the best choice for her.

Arisa showed some interest in how Cris was doing. Apparently, at some point, she started seeing him like an older cousin, and Cris, after a while, took a liking to her like a younger cousin. That's something I never expected. While they chatted about Cris, his school life, and the Great Kar School, I was thinking whether I should tell Arisa the truth or not.

After thinking it through for a good few seconds, I decided to do it. The downsides weren't an issue—I'd rather not lie to someone so close. She deserved to know the truth about my age. "Arisa, there's something I need to tell you." Sol reacted immediately, staring at me without saying a word. She seemed to accept my decision.

Arisa just looked at me, waiting.

If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it. "I'm not turning fifteen next year—I'll be turning thirteen. I was born in 1610. I pretended to be two years older to join the rookie tournament without drawing too much attention... it didn't quite work." I didn't smile or make any gestures—I just stayed serious, waiting for her reaction.

"You're telling me you're this strong at twelve?" That's classic Arisa—only thinking about strength in important moments. I'm glad she's brushing off the lie and everything else.

"I awakened pretty early and trained constantly with almost no distractions." I raised my arms in surrender. "I've also been really lucky—I've had chances, and I took them." Without those opportunities, I wouldn't be half as strong as I am now.

"Well, age doesn't matter—it's just a number. And it's only a year and a half difference." Arisa shrugged it off even more. Her smile was so bright it made me smile without thinking. Sol looked both happy and a little annoyed—she must've had a whirlwind of emotions inside.

The conversation went on for a few hours. We caught up on the small details from all these years. They mostly asked me about my life in that dungeon. After talking nonstop for so long, we still hadn't finished—we were just moving inside the house because of the cold. All of us could endure it thanks to our magical defenses and Imra, but it just felt better to be in a warm living room with the right temperature.

Once in the new setting, I realized the seating arrangement had changed without me noticing. Arisa and Sol were speaking with my grandmother on one side, my mother and Liza on another, and I was with both heads of family, listening to their school stories and how they ventured into dungeons.

They usually formed groups of five, assigning roles. My father was always the tank, and Baron Camux was the main melee damage dealer—he also supported the tank when overwhelmed. He fought with his fists like Cris and had the same fire affinity.

Their stories were fun. I learned a lot about how their friendship grew through trust and overcoming challenges. Their travels and battles were just as entertaining. I gained insight into team dynamics and how people usually specialize in certain roles when facing monsters or dungeons.

Almost no one shares my philosophy of being good at almost everything. Most people focus on one or two things and put minimal effort into others. Not everyone has the time or talent to develop everything.

The most important thing is: the largest portion of people are in the Emerald rank. Very few unlock a pseudo law or dedicate themselves to becoming strong. Most prefer a peaceful life—getting a job and being strong enough to deal with everyday threats.

Out of around 200 million people, only about 0.00005% are Diamond rank, Obsidian, or above. It seems tiny, but that's over 10,000 people—a terrifying number if they ever united. Their destructive power would be unstoppable.

About 2 million people are in the Ruby rank—that's 1% of the population. Nearly 28 million are in Sapphire, making up 14% across the three kingdoms and one empire.

Emerald is where most people settle. According to experts, almost 70% of the population are in this rank. The remaining 15% is divided between Amethyst-rank individuals and those who haven't unlocked their mana yet due to age.

The topics kept coming as time flew by—fun times always pass quickly. It was already dinner, and we were served the same meal from lunch. No one complained—it was delicious, and this batch had just been freshly prepared.

"What are you doing tomorrow, Maki?" Arisa asked, and I looked at my grandmother beside me. She immediately understood the meaning of my glance—she needed to let me know if we'd train or not.

"He'll be training with me at hour six. Do you want to come?" She wasn't just inviting Arisa—she was speaking to Sol too, who had been waiting expectantly for my reply. My grandmother could read the mood and the room perfectly—she'd never make such a silly mistake.

Both agreed to come watch me train. Judging by my grandmother's smile, they weren't just going to watch—she was probably going to make them train with me. It'll be fun to practice with people my age again after so many years.

Then my grandmother looked at the clock on her wrist, reminding me of something. I channeled mana and Imra into the storage bracelet and pulled out Arisa's watch. "Thanks for lending it to me—it's time for it to return to its owner." Arisa looked at me, then at the watch, and kept alternating between the two.

"I don't need it. You can keep it—as a memento of the dungeon. And whenever you look at it, you'll think of me." Arisa clasped her hands together, smiling from ear to ear. Sol, sitting beside her, looked a bit irritated but covered it with a polite smile.

"It's time to sleep, kids. Tomorrow we're not only training—there are plans for the afternoon." This week is going to be as relaxing as possible. We have no difficult tasks ahead—just enjoying life and relaxing in such a peaceful environment.

Everyone agreed. We all headed to our designated rooms, and the first day came to an end. It had been a beautiful, peaceful day. I'd been nervous for nothing. None of them had changed—they were just as kind as ever.

"I'm grateful to have friends like these." With that thought, I went straight to bed and quickly fell into the hands of the god of dreams. "Tomorrow will be another good day."

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