"Good night, young lord," Maid said, her voice soft. "Call me if you need anything." A sweet smile gracing her lips
"Sure," I replied with a smile, trying to keep my voice casual.
Taking a closer look at her, a feeling of shame settled over me. Emma, was it? She was one of the maids who had bathed me in the morning. She had bright orange hair and warm brown eyes, and she looked to be in her late teens. Quite cute, I admitted.
Emma bowed, quietly exited the room, and softly closed the door behind her. I let out a long sigh, walked over to the bed, and threw myself onto it, sinking into the soft feather mattress.
I closed my eyes, the events of the day swirling through my mind. At the greenhouse, Granny taught me about flowers and herbs. She took great care in explaining their properties, their uses, and how to identify them. It was fascinating. I learned that she was an alchemist, yes, an actual alchemist, a potion maker. The thought of creating magical concoctions filled me with a sense of wonder.
After that, my grandfather returned from his rounds, and all of us had breakfast together, their conversation a lively mix of local gossip, political intrigue, and plans for the upcoming harvest festival.
After breakfast, Granny ended up needing to help Grandpa, and my mother, after a brief but enthusiastic farewell, had "run off on some urgent business."
I was told by Granny to not push myself too much and to take rest today. "We will continue our study sessions from tomorrow," she had said. For some reason, I had no memory of these "study sessions." It seemed Sieg wasn't much of a scholar in this life.
With nothing to do, as my grandparents were busy with state affairs and my mother had vanished, I decided to explore. I spent the rest of the morning wandering around the mansion, talking to the servants and soldiers I encountered. They were all surprisingly friendly and eager to answer my questions, though their answers were often vague and filled with hints of hushed reverence for my family.
From what I learned so far, this world's system was quite simple – one filled with magic and sword, where power and wealth dictated one's position in society.
Luckily, Silas, was free enough to spend some time with me. He told me about the history of the barony.
The Fors barony came into existence at my great-grandfather's time. He was a renowned warrior, a mage who had single-handedly turned the tide of a brutal war against the Orcish hordes that had ravaged the northern territories. For his valor and courage, he was awarded a noble title and a vast tract of land, establishing the Fors barony.
My grandfather inherited the barony from his father at quite a young age due to his father's untimely death from illness. Despite his youth, my grandfather was able to raise the barony into a developed land with the help of my grandmother.
My grandmother was not a resident of this barony; she was a commoner from a neighboring land, a renowned magician and alchemist from a secluded village. Apparently, during a joint mission to exterminate a horde of magic beasts that had been terrorizing the surrounding villages – yes, looks like monsters with magical capabilities exist in this world – my grandfather and grandmother met and fell in love. Well, that's what Grandpa told Silas, at least.
I wanted to ask Silas more, delve deeper into the history of this strange new world. But I decided against it. Asking too many questions, especially about the past, might arouse suspicion.
After talking with Silas, I spent the rest of the day exploring the house. As I had suspected, there wasn't a single mirror anywhere. It was as if mirrors were considered taboo here. While wandering through the endless corridors, I stumbled upon a library. Curiosity piqued, I randomly pulled a book from the bookshelf. The language was unlike anything I had ever seen, filled with strange symbols and unfamiliar characters. Yet, somehow, I could understand it, a faint echo of forgotten knowledge stirring within me, perhaps a remnant of Sieg's memories.
I spent the rest of the afternoon lost in the world of books. I learned that our barony was part of the Basiledra Empire, a vast and powerful civilization that spanned the continent of Aethelgia, a land also known as the "Great Continent of Magic." It is said to be the oldest empire in the history of this world, dating back to the very dawn of the current era. Currently, the year was 1239 AE. Meaning this empire has existed for more than 1200 years, which was a feat in itself, a testament to the enduring strength and resilience of its people.. AE stood for After the Convergence. There was nothing about this Convergence. The term "Convergence" itself held a mysterious allure, And then, there was Aethelhum, the cosmic tree, also known as Yggdrasil. Legends spoke of it as the heart of the world, a towering behemoth that pierced the very heavens, its roots delving deep into the earth. It is a symbol of life, death, and rebirth, a representation of the interconnectedness of all things in the world. It is a source of wisdom and knowledge, a place of sacred power and mystery, a testament to the enduring power of nature and the cyclical nature of existence.
The rest of my day ended up being spent studying in the library, until it was time for dinner. My mother finally returned, looking slightly disheveled but undeniably amused. Granny pulled her ear with a surprising amount of force, and for the first time, I didn't feel a pang of sympathy for her. I realized, with a chilling clarity, that my grandmother was the true authority in this household.
I push myself up, the rough-spun linen sheets rustling beneath me. My gaze drifted towards the window, where the two moons hung serenely in the sparkling sky.
Being in this body, everything in this world felt familiar and foreign at the same time. It was like a half-remembered dream, a constant sense of deja vu intertwined with a profound sense of displacement.
Two conclusions had solidified in my mind regarding this… reincarnation, I suppose you could call it. The first, and perhaps the more comforting, was that I had died in my previous world and was reincarnated as Siegfried Fors, a clean slate with no memories of my past life. However, the moment my mother, Valka, had struck me, a floodgate of memories from my old life had burst open, confirming this theory.
The second conclusion was far less comforting. When Valka, my mother, had struck me, the original Siegfried, the child whose body I now inhabited, had… well, he hadn't survived the blow. And in that moment, as I experienced the pain, my soul, for lack of a better word, had been thrust into this lifeless vessel. It meant that Valka, in her own way, had inadvertently ended the life of her own child. The thought chilled me to the bone. I quickly pushed it aside. That was a dark path to go down.
But perhaps there was a silver lining to this strange turn of fate.
This new life… could it be a second chance?
A chance to break free from the expectations and limitations that once bound me? My life had always been scripted, living up to my parents' dreams, excelling because I had to, walking paths carved by others, not by choice. Even the "organization" had held my strings, turning me into a tool for their ends. A cog in someone else's grand machine. A pawn that forgot what it meant to move by his own will.
But this world… maybe this was my chance to shatter those chains. To live for myself. To carve my own path. To forge a destiny untainted by others' control. To stand as the one in command, kneeling to no one.
Could I finally achieve my own salvation?
A faint grin tugged at my lips. Perhaps I could learn a thing or two from my mother, she certainly knew how to live life on her own terms.
I chuckled quietly. "Still… let's not get on Granny's bad side." The moons hung above, pale and serene, their light spilling through the window.
"New day, new fray," I murmured, sinking into the sheets.
Two silent moons watched over me as I drifted into sleep, witnesses to a borrowed life, and a destiny waiting to awaken.