The morning sun bathed the bustling town in golden light, casting long shadows across the worn cobblestone streets. Wooden buildings lined both sides of the road, their roofs slightly damp from the morning dew. Colorful awnings stretched over shopfronts, merchants calling out to passersby as they dispyed fresh produce, shimmering fabrics, and glistening trinkets. The scent of baked bread and sizzling meats drifted through the air, mixing with the distant sound of hammering from a bcksmith’s forge.

  Academy students strolled in small groups, their pristine navy blue and white uniforms standing out against the earthy tones of the town. Meanwhile Royal Azera Guards patrolled the streets in their usual silver armor and dark blue capes, keeping order amidst potential chaos.

  Beyond the town, rising above the rooftops like a beacon of authority, stood Azera Academy, its towering spires gleaming in the distance. Even farther, the Main Administrative Castle loomed—a grand structure of white stone, its banners proudly bearing the sigil of the ruling house.

  Amidst the lively morning crowd, Celia walked with Grem, holding his small hand firmly in hers. They had seen Alya and Viena off as they had to attend Academy early to prepare for an event. As expected of the Azera Student Council President and Vice President.

  Grem was now dressed in a crisp white shirt, brown overalls, and a matching brown ivy cap. Celia had bought these, alongside other children’s clothes, before he woke up. He scowled slightly as he tried to tug his hand free. "Celia, I can walk by myself, you know."

  Celia only smiled, giving his hand a little squeeze. "I know."

  "Then why are you still holding it?"

  She hummed pyfully, her emerald eyes twinkling. "You might get lost in the crowd~"

  Grem groaned but didn’t fight her anymore, letting her lead him through the streets like a proper, well-behaved child. Not that he had much of a choice.

  Their destination was The Grand Library of Azera, a towering masterpiece of knowledge and architecture. Stepping inside, Grem was immediately struck by the endless rows of tall bookshelves, each packed with leather-bound tomes, reaching up toward the massive vaulted ceiling. Golden chandeliers hung high above, their countless candles flickering softly, casting warm light upon the dark wood floors.

  The library spanned multiple floors, each level connected by regal circur staircases. Along the upper walkways, arched doorways led to specialized facilities and rooms. Despite its vastness, the library was eerily quiet.

  Behind the main desk stood a darkly elegant figure—Lady Helena, the Head Librarian. She wore a flowing bck gown embroidered with silver ornaments. A matching bck hat with a delicate veil framed her pale face, partially obscuring her piercing gray eyes. Her long, raven-bck hair flowed down her back, reflecting the chandelier light ever so slightly.

  The moment Celia and Helena locked eyes, a warm smile crossed the librarian’s lips. "Celia," she said, voice smooth and rich. "It has been far too long."

  Celia returned the smile, her emerald eyes gleaming with familiarity. "It truly has, Lady Helena. You’re as graceful as ever."

  The two women quickly fell into conversation, exchanging pleasantries, discussing old acquaintances, reminiscing about past visits.

  Grem, standing between them, crossed his arms and let out an exasperated sigh. How long were they going to stand here and chat? He tapped his foot, scowling up at Celia, but she didn’t seem to notice—or if she did, she ignored him entirely.

  Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Grem groaned, tugging at Celia’s sleeve. "You do remember why we’re here, right?"

  Celia blinked, gncing down at him, then ughed softly. "Of course, dear."

  Helena’s gaze drifted to him, a subtle smirk forming at the corners of her lips. "And who is this little one?"

  Grem crossed his arms, sighing. “It’s me, Lady Helena. Grem. It’s been a while hasn’t it?”

  Helena was not convinced at first, but taking a look at the little boy’s mannerisms and hair was a telltale sign that he wasn’t lying. “I see. Good to see you too Grem” She then pced her arms behind her back, “So? What happened this time?”

  “Look. Some bratty demon princess named Baelze threw a potion at me. Next thing I know, I’m stuck like this. We’re here to figure out how to fix it.”

  Helena tapped her chin, humming in thought. "Baelze… I recall that name. A troublesome little creature, if memory serves." She then nodded to herself. "Very well. Follow me."

  She turned gracefully, her bck gown sweeping across the floor as she led them toward the grand circur staircase.

  Grem barely made it halfway up before realizing that his child-sized legs weren’t built for this. Every step felt twice as steep, and by the time they reached the nding of the second floor, he was already winded.

  Celia, of course, noticed immediately. Without a word, she scooped him up effortlessly, cradling him in her arms.

  “C-Celia—!” Grem’s protest was cut short as she adjusted him like he weighed nothing.

  “You’re tired, aren’t you?” she said sweetly, carrying him as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “No sense in pushing yourself.”

  He wanted to argue, but at this point, it really wasn’t worth it. He grumbled and let her do as she pleased, arms crossed.

  Meanwhile, Helena climbed up a sliding dder, her bck veil swaying slightly as she scanned the uppermost shelf. After a moment, she reached out, plucked a dusty, thick book, and slid back down with practiced ease.

  She set the book down on a nearby table and carefully flipped through the pages, her gloved fingers ghosting over faded text. The scent of old parchment filled the air as she scanned each page. Finally, her eyes gleamed with recognition. “Ah. Here we are.” She turned the book toward them. "The potion Baelze used on you is known as the Elixir of Regressia—an alchemical concoction designed to permanently regress one’s physical age."

  Grem’s eyes widened, "Permanently?!"

  Helena gave him a knowing look. "With standard means, yes. However…" she turned the page, her finger gliding down the text, "...there is a way to counteract it."

  "So there is a cure?"

  She nodded. "It’s called the Elixir of Ascensia—an age-progression potion. In theory, it should restore you to your proper age."

  "Great. Let’s make it, then!"

  Helena gave him a ft look. "...That won’t be so simple." Hearing those words made Grem take some damage. Helena closed the book and folded her hands neatly. "The ingredients required for the Elixir of Ascensia are extremely rare and scattered across the world. Even with a skilled team gathering them, it would take…" She paused, calcuting. "Approximately five months to procure everything and properly brew it."

  Grem blinked. "Five months?" Then, as reality sank in, he dropped to his knees, hands clenched into tiny fists. "Five months…" he repeated, staring at the floor in despair.

  Celia gasped and knelt beside him, pcing her hands on his tiny shoulders. "Grem, are you okay?" Her emerald eyes shimmered with worry.

  He groaned, tipping his head back. "Celia…Do you know what that means?"

  "That you'll be adorable for five months?" Celia tilted her head.

  “Ugh…Nevermind.” Grem let out a strangled noise of frustration.

  Helena, meanwhile, simply smirked. She adjusted her gloves and said smoothly, “It won’t be as bad as you think, Grem.” she said, tapping the book lightly. “Consider this—no responsibilities, no stress, and all the adults will handle everything for you. You could simply py all day if you wanted.”

  Grem scoffed. “Yeah, no thanks. I have too many responsibilities for that.” He crossed his little arms and pouted.

  Celia’s face lit up at the sight. “Aww, Grem.” Before he could react, she reached over and ruffled his soft brown hair, her fingers gently tousling it.

  “Celia! Quit it!” Grem tried to swat her hand away, but in his tiny form, his protests only made her giggle.

  “You’re so cute when you pout,” she teased. She smiled warmly. “Don’t worry, dear. Alya, Viena, and I will take care of you. We’ll handle some of your work as well~”

  Grem slumped his shoulders. He knew there was no fighting it. No amount of arguing or tantrums would change the fact that he was stuck like this. “…Fine,” he muttered. “But if you start treating me like some kind of doll—”

  Celia pced a finger on his lips, shushing him pyfully. “Shh. Just accept it, dear.”

  Grem sighed. For him, this was going to be a long five months.

  ***

  Lady Helena slowly started making her way to the Potion Crafting area of the library, about to task her apprentices to travel and fetch the ingredients. While walking, she was still analyzing the page for the Potion of Regressia. After all, a good alchemist must be able to understand the recipe and procedures completely—mistakes were unacceptable.

  However, as she read, one small line of text made her eyes go wide. “Oh my…” she muttered under her breath. She looked behind her to see if Celia and Grem were still at the library, but they had left a while ago. She re-read the line again, to make sure it wasn’t a mistake. With a sigh, she pced a bookmark on the page and closed the book.

  “I need not worry.” she whispered. “I’m sure Celia will be able to handle that…”