《Summoned in a Noble's Body》 Rebirth? In a large room that looked like it was for some royalty, an old man appeared. he looked at the king-size bed in which a 15-year-old boy was lying. The boy was asleep with a straight face as if nothing in the world mattered. he had fair skin and a pale complexion, and a handsome but dignified face. The man extended his hands and an invisible barrier appeared over the room cutting it off from the external world. right after, the shabby-looking ring on his finger disintegrated. ''tch, there goes my precious artifact, and it was one of a kind too. not even a god will be able to butt in for at least a few hours now.'' The man thought. he looked at the boy one more time with hesitation. a look of contemplation appeared on his wrinkled face before quickly disappearing. it seemed he had made a decision. ''I will first see if you''re worth saving, boy.'' The man said under his breath and extended his ring finger and tapped the boy''s forehead, some sort of energy went into the boy''s brain. The old man closed his eyes and began looking into the boy''s memories. one moment he smiled with satisfaction and another moment he frowned. after some time he removed his finger from the boy''s forehead. ''hmm, not bad. he''s a genius in magic, he has the determination to do what must be done... but.'' the old man sighed. ''he''s too prideful and arrogant... and perhaps this is the reason why he was targeted. alas, how many geniuses are there in this world? but only a few of them can survive, but not all of them are fortunate enough like you to have an ancestor like ''him''. if not for the promise I made with him to protect his descendants once from completely being destroyed then you too would be on the list of geniuses who couldn''t survive.'' ''tho you are arrogant and prideful, at least you have a good heart deep down... and you also have some potential. hmm, I wouldn''t do anything for you if you were one of those pretentious pricks.'' Now then, let me see what''s wrong with your body. The old man thought as he enveloped the boy with his divine sense. "Oh? there is the residue of some poison here... hmm? but it is not harming the body... could it be?'' the old man was inspecting carefully and then he suddenly exclaimed. ''damn! it''s the fu*king ''Soul Slumber Poison''. anyone who has taken this poison will lose their soul energy and eventually, the soul will be consumed itself! how vicious! and not to mention that only divine senses can detect the anomaly. now, how do I cure this? his soul needs a catalyst to regain the lost soul energy but it''s already too late. I don''t have the cure right now, who could have thought that they used such a unique method.... what to do...'' The old man thought for a while and finally came up with a solution. he looked at the boy again and thought. ''If I do this, your life will be changed. not to mention that this kind of thing has never been done before. although I''m also curious how you will handle this. alss, there''s no choice.'' The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. The old man suddenly wore a severe expression and he began the process. ''Good thing I have this item, he took a huge scroll with a hexagram and runic patterns on it and some sacrificial offerings out of his dimensional space'' With a solemn face, he began reciting the incantation. [ I, Sirus Kronius Crontan. Request the lord of Underworld Yama to open up the passageway of death! I sacrifice thee! Soul Summoning! ] The massive quantity of spiritual energy gathered in the room but no one knew about it because of the isolation barrier. The surroundings darkened and an oppressive aura descended. A vortex of energy appeared with a black hole in the middle. -------------------- While the Old man was performing ''Soul Summoning Ritual''. On Earth, in a dark alley of the slums. A 15-year-old boy was lying on the ground while the life in his eyes was waning as the time went by. The boy was called ''Karna'', he had no surname because he did not know what it was. For as long as he knew, he was an orphan. He would try his best to survive in the cruel world but one day a local hooligan broke his hands and legs because he was caught stealing. From then on the boy couldn''t fend for himself. He had no money to get the treatment either. so he starved and starved until the day when he finally collapsed, now on his deathbed. Hopeless thoughts were spinning in his mind. if only I was born into a good family, he thought. if I get another chance to live I will do my very best to live as freely as possible. he thought. and with that, the life In his eyes finally disappeared. And before he knew it, he found himself going on an ethereal way with countless others. there were two ways, one in which people with ugly expressions. it seemed they were going to hell and the other way in which Karna was going. this one must be going toward the heavens, he thought. God knows how much time passed, and Karna finally reached his destination. there, souls had the option either to reincarnate or stay in the heavens for eternity. some chose the first option while others chose the second. But when it was his turn, suddenly the surroundings began shaking. A portal appeared from which Yama himself came out. All souls including Karna instinctively became terrified. Yama looked around for a second and then casually pointed at Karna, a white pillar descended in which Karna got sucked in. he then heard a deep voice. "umm, listen to you. someone prepared a huge offering so I have to send a soul there, so you will be going. As compensation for not having a choice, I will bestow you with a small gift, otherwise, those gods will say I am bullying poor souls. Whahahahaha. now get lost." "Damn it, I wanted to live as freely as possible but I don''t even have a choice even before the new life!" Karna cursed his bad luck. ''But he said he gave me a gift? The gift from the King of the underworld shouldn''t be small right?" And with that, he lost his senses. ------------------------- The vortex got bigger and bigger. The old man frowned a little. the influx of spiritual energy was massive. suddenly the black hole opened up and a wisp-like form came out of it. The old man quickly guided the soul into Rudra''s body. the surrounding became silent as what happened a few moments ago was nothing but an illusion. the old man sighed again. ''I hope you won''t disappoint me, it would be a pity if you stupidly lost your life again after I have done all this.'' thinking this the old man removed a ring from one of his fingers and hide it under the pillow on which Rudra was sleeping. after taking a good look at the boy he finally left. The Young Lord is Showing a Reaction? Late in the morning of the next day. Everything was ordinary, The Zarx manner was bustling with daily activities, Maids were sweeping the corridors, the Gardner was caring for the plants, and The Garrison soldiers were shouting ''Ha'' ''Ha'' in a specific rhythm during their training. The temperature was above average because of the summer even though it was the morning. The chef was preparing for breakfast. The Lord of the manner, ''Ron Von Zarx'' was in his office going through some paperwork. Suddenly he frowned after reading a specific paper. The reason was that one of the Zarx Family''s businesses was raided by an unknown bandit group. he crushed the paper in anger. he yelled. "Anyone there?" A guard came in and bowed respectfully. "Go find Sebastian and The Garrison commander, and have them come here!" The guard left and shortly after Sebastian come in with the garrison commander. Sebastian was as exactly as you would imagine a butler to be. broad visage, and a very elegant demeanor, he was wearing the Butler''s coat over a white shirt, he had a sharp pair of eyes. At first glance, you would think the old man must be of aristocratic standards but the cut marks on his hands told another story entirely. On the other hand, Mark Roxy who is also the Garrison commander of the Zarx Family looked rather simple, He wore armor and had a sword hanging on his waist. He was a Rank 6th Warrior. On the Amaron Continent, Warriors And Mages were divided into 10 ranks. The first 3 being ''beginner'', later four were ''intermediate'', And the last 3 were ''high''. After that, there is the ''Demi-God'' Level which has 3 stages, and finally the Godhood Stage. For a Family to have a Rank 6th Warrior as a Garrison commander was considered pretty good. Of course, every family had its trump cards and Secret forces which were a lot stronger. "My Lord" Both bowed. "Our Business was raided again! this is the third time this has happened! How dare they!" "The investigation is ongoing, My Lord. currently, we have found out that the bandits are not what they appear to be." Sebastian said. Ron raised his eyebrows, he asked, "What do you mean by this?" "My Lord, The bandits have high-quality equipment. otherwise, how can they win against our guards?" Mark said. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. "What do you mean?" "I think that someone is instigating them to attack our businesses." "Did you find out who it is?" Ron asked narrowing his eyes. "Forgive me, we haven''t found it yet. they ran away as soon as the reinforcements were about to come. We have caught some of them but they don''t know anything." "Damn it! what a bother! increase the security for now. We will deal with them later.... by the way, what about the other matter?" "My Lord, We tried many times, but in vain." "It''s been two years now, why did he suddenly go into a coma? an illness? Impossible! my son would never be this weak! This matter is not so simple, but we can''t find anything." "Forgive me, My Lord, I couldn''t protect the Young Lord." Sebastian and Mark said in unison. Seeing his loyal subordinates, Ron''s heart was somewhat softened, He said. "It''s not your fault, he is the only heir to this family! we must wake him up, we must!" At that moment, a scream came from Rudra''s room. "My Lord! My Lord!! The Young Lord is reacting! come fast!" An uproar arose in the mansion. Everyone''s eyes went wide with surprise. They ran towards Rudra''s bedroom. ~~~~~ - A few minutes ago. Rudra''s bedroom was quiet. he was sleeping soundly in his room like always. Suddenly the door opened and a 14-Year-old Maid came in. She had black hair, fair skin, and a petite body, her bosom was small but it certainly had potential. The Young Maid looked at Rudra, complicated emotions flashed in her eyes before quickly disappearing. At first, she did not think highly of him, he was arrogant and rude. he would not talk much with others as if it was beneath him to do that, At least that''s what she had thought. But one day he suddenly collapsed and did not wake up even after two years. As Time passed she realized that even though he was arrogant he was not evil like those ''Young Masters'' of other noble families. She also realized that he was very hardworking, people around him gave him the title ''Genius'' but in reality. He had to work hard for it, and perhaps that''s why he did not like to speak much. Now she only prayed that her Young Lord would wake up as soon as possible. Thinking of this she remembered when Rudra had told everyone in the mansion to call him ''Young Lord'' and not ''Young Master'' because he did not want to be associated with those ''Young Masters'', she chuckled thinking about it. After dozing off a little she began to do what she came for, she first cleaned all the furniture in the room to the point that it began shining, then she began sweeping the floor and after that cleaned it with water. The things in the room did not move much as no one came in. After doing the minor tasks she went out for a while and came back with a clean white towel and a bowl of water. She looked at Rudra and blushed slightly because she was going to clean his body. She always did all these tasks but when it came to cleaning Rudra''s body she would always turn red with shame. Today too was the same. She carefully removed his outer garments and cleaned his body with the towel after dipping it in the water bowl. Some time passed and just when she was about to remove his underwear, she noticed that Rudra''s brows were furrowed and his eyes were moving rapidly; as if he was in a terrible nightmare. The Little maid was startled and didn''t know what to do so she shouted. "My Lord! My Lord!! The Young Lord is reacting! come fast!" Awakening Ron with Sebastian and Mark, The mansion''s main staff, and Rudra''s mother ''Aisha Von Zarx'' quickly came running into Rudra''s room at once. When they came inside what greeted them was the sight of Rudra lying on the bed half naked, his body twitching once in a while, cold sweat on his forehead, and rapid eye movements. And the Maid ''Lara'' who was on the bed with a drenched cloth. Everyone looked at Lara: "...." Lara looked at everyone: "...." Suddenly realizing she was in a somewhat awkward situation she quickly said with a flushed face. "M-My Lord, I was cleaning his body T-That''s when..." Ron interrupted and said. "Alight, I understand. Sebastian, quickly go and get a doctor." Ron said with anxiousness in his eyes. "Yes, My Lord!" Sebastian left and came back to the doctor after thirty minutes. "Doctor, please have a look," Ron said. The Zarx Family doctor sat on the bed and checked Rudra''s nerves, with no change in expression he pointed at Rudra and sent some spiritual force to examine his body in more detail. After a few moments, he spoke. "My Lord, Previously when I checked. Young Lord''s spiritual force was decreasing but now it seems it has recovered greatly. I don''t know by what miracle this occurred. His body is the same as before. The only problem was that his spiritual force was decreasing constantly without any recovery but now that problem has been solved, it seems." Everyone''s jaws dropped in surprise at this news. "I-Is that true? will my son be fine now? Asked Aisha with hazy eyes. Everyone looked at the doctor with great expectation. he nodded with relief, "Hahaha, Good! this is good! Sebastian! Give everyone a bonus in the mansion. have the chief make lavish food... oh. Doctor, when will he wake up?" "He should wake up in a week, But the recovery time can be decreased to 2 days if we use a High-Grade Spirit Potion." Spirit Potions were graded as Low, Medium, and High Grade. A High-Grade spirit potion was very costly and rare and only powerful and wealthy families had them. A High-Grade spirit potion could recover 60% of someone''s spiritual force. Although it could not be used to cure Rudra as his Spiritual Force was constantly decreasing. But the Zarx family had bought some time for him in these past years by using them, and because of it, they had to suffer a major loss. But it was worth it now that the Zarx Family''s only heir was going to recover. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Everyone was delighted, Sebastian quickly went to the Zarx Family''s treasure room and brought a High-Grade spirit potion with him. The potion was fed to Rudra and his complexion turned better instantly. Seeing this, Aisha began sobbing, Ron hugged and comforted her. "Mark! Increase the security around Rudra and the territory just in case..." "Yes, My Lord!" Two days went by in a flash. At 2 PM, Rudra... or rather Karna, finally opened his eyes. His head was spinning with a headache, his whole body felt stiff. He looked around his surroundings after getting used to the unusual sensation. He seemed to be in a Luxurious Bedroom with lavish furniture, A sword was hung on the side wall as decoration. When he looked up he saw a huge shining chandelier. Karna couldn''t believe it in his eyes, he hadn''t seen even 1¨G of these luxuries in his life. He was truly speechless this time. After admiring the surroundings he finally realized a problem. "Hmm? Why am I not a baby?... is this not a reincarnation? what''s going on? And how can I still remember my past life? is this because of the ''Gift''?" Many questions went through his mind, but keeping them aside for now he looked at the mirror. His current face was very handsome and manly, he had red hair just like Ron if his body was muscular and slim at the same time, It was a perfect balance! Suddenly, an excruciating headache struck him like a boulder, and memories from his current body began pouring into his head. To be exact, the memories were always there but his soul had finally grasped them. He involuntarily groaned with pain. Lara who was dozing off at the side of the bed sitting on a stool woke up by the noise. After seeing Rudra awakened, a delighted expression appeared on her face. but after seeing his condition she frantically stood up and yelled. "Sir Sebastian! My Lord! My Lady! The Young Lord woke up!" After yelling loudly she calmed down and rubbed Rudra''s forehead with a worried expression. A few moments later when everyone came, Rudra was already in better condition. he rubbed his forehead and looked at everyone. He first saw his ''Father'', Rudra''s face was very similar to Ron''s, and their temperament was also somewhat similar. Ron was looking at him with joy and worry. Karna was an orphan in his previous life, he did not know who his parents were and after some point, he did not care either, but now suddenly seeing his supposed ''Parents'' he was feeling complicated emotions. Next, his gaze landed on his ''Mother'', she was a beautiful woman with blue eyes and hair. Her mature and motherly temperament could be felt. In short, she could become a top model on earth. seeing her son looking at her with a pained look, she could not control herself anymore and she quickly ran towards him, she hugged him tightly as if she was afraid that he would disappear, she kissed his cheeks and forehead many times. Not expecting this, Karna was startled. he could feel the warmth coming from his ''Mother'', he may not have believed it but he always wanted this motherly warmth in his previous life. He remembered all the hardships he had suffered and looked at his ''Mother'' and ''Father''. Seeing the Worried and satisfied expressions on their faces, his heart melted like butter. At that moment he decided to be selfish and enjoy this warmth while he got the chance, he also swore to someday tell them the truth about himself. Unknowingly, he hugged his mother back and revealed a smile. Everyone was surprised to see Rudra''s smile. Because all knew that he rarely smiled, and this specific smile seemed to be a little....cute? No one knew, but at that moment, the real Rudra who seemed to be in a place filled with white color all around was steadily increasing his spiritual force cringed in embarrassment. Going To The Library Karna fully recovered from the backlash of the ''soul summoning'' after some days of rest. During this time, Aisha would especially make Rudra''s favorite food and personally feed him. But this only increased the guilt in Karna''s heart. One must know that when someone doesn''t get something very easily and then suddenly they receive it out of nowhere then its value would be a hundred times more in the person''s heart. Karna was the same, because he was lonely in his past life he did not want to lose the warmth and love he was receiving, there were many times when he almost revealed that ''Rudra'' was already gone... but he was afraid of rejection. At last, he decided to wait and decide later what to do. When Karna finally gained some strength and began to move around, he first decided to learn more about the new world he was in. Although he had all the memories of Rudra it was also true that Rudra did not bother much about history, he always believed that the future was more important so he had very basic knowledge about the world, Karna did not want to get confused so he decided to have a crash course in history, and while doing that he would naturally learn more about the world. One day he said to Lara, "Uh, Lara... show me to the library." Lara felt strange, Rudra was speaking differently. And most importantly, did he forget where the library was? with a puzzled look, she asked, "Young Lord, do you not know where the library is?" "Huh? uh, my memory is a bit fuzzy." He lied through his teeth. Lara looked at Karna suspiciously, she definitely felt that something was strange but couldn''t put a finger on it, she even forgot that she was staring at him for a while and that Rudra was looking at her dumbly too. Otherwise, she would have gotten even more suspicious. "Come with me, Young Lord," she said. This was the first time when Karna went outside his room after he was ''Summoned'' into this world, that''s because although he was alive but even so he had no strength, not to mention the splitting headaches. Lara and Karna both were walking in the corridors. The mansion was huge, and many maids, servants, and slaves could be seen working here and there. Yes, slaves! Karna was very surprised at first. He did not think slavery was allowed in this world. thinking this, he felt even more of a need to know about this world. After passing many rooms, both arrived near the garden. One had to admit that the Zarx family was really rich. Expensive antiques and portraits were all over the mansion as decoration. The corridor''s floors were occupied with clean and shining carpets, the walls were carved with beautiful patterns and Designs. Karna also noticed that the servants were using some machines for their respective works, he realized from Rudra''s memories that these were the ''Magic Tools''. Magic Tools were made by The Magician apprentices who did not succeed much in the path of magic. but even so, Magic Tools were used by many people so they earned a decent amount of living. The library finally arrived after a lot of walking. The Zarx Mansion was divided into three layers, the first and outer layer which was used as living quarters for servants and slaves, and the middle layer where the mansion''s kitchen, indoor garden, library, and other facilities with guest rooms, halls, banquet room, ballroom were located. This was the biggest part of the mansion. And the third layer was where the Zarx family, Butler Sebastian lived. There was also the Treasury and the Lord''s office In this area, this part of the mansion was restricted and only a few trustworthy servants were allowed for cleaning and other purposes. The library building and the indoor Garden were both side by side in the second layer''s open square. This created a marvelous image of Books and greenery together. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Karna naturally saw the Greenhouse dome and instantly realized that it must be the garden. he went inside. It was as if he arrived in a completely different world. The first thing he felt was that the temperature was different than the outside, the inside was a bit green because the dome filtered the sun rays, then he saw the various plants and flowers which looked completely different from the earth. This piqued Karna''s interest. At that moment, an old man walked out of a small cabin, the surprise was written all over his face when he saw ''Rudra''. he spoke, "Y-Young Lord!?" Karna knew something was off. After thinking, he realized that the previous owner of the body never came to this place. he said with a smile, "Relax, I came here to blow off some steam after the illness." now the old man should have relaxed, but he became even more terrified instead. Actually, the old man would have been fine but he became terrified because of the smile. The reason was simple, Rudra smiled very rarely, but everyone knew that Rudra would smile when he was very pissed off, this smile was specially reserved for his enemies. Karna did not know why the old man became terrified. he indeed had Rudra''s memories but they were not his, which means he did not live those events. So it was more like a record than a memory, he had to search through the memories to find something. This was also the reason that he did not want to rely on Rudra''s memories. Lara was also surprised by Rudra''s attitude and his smile. Usually, he wouldn''t have bothered to explain or speak at all for that matter, but she knew that he had smiled previously when he first woke up. She concluded that Rudra''s behavior must have changed after the near-death experience, ''Poor Young Lord'' she thought foolishly. "Sir Kruger, Why don''t you show the garden to the Young Lord?" she said, hoping to resolve the situation. Kruger was an Old Man of 60 years old, He was a Spirit Gardner. In this world, there was a profession of ''Spirit Gardner''. Medicinal and precious plants needed precise care and only people with Nature affinity Mana could do this job. Kruger was one of them, he had been working for the Zarx Family since he was 40 years old. Now he just wanted to live the rest of his days in peace. People in this world had 125 years of life expectancy, and only Demi-God or God ranked had more than 300-500 Years of life expectancy respectively, however, it varied from person to person. Maybe because The Old Man was still terrified, but he diligently explained the uses of all plants and answered every question patiently. The Old Man and Lara both were already very surprised seeing ''Rudra'' so curious and attentive but their jaws completely dropped when Karna suddenly said, "Teach me more about these medicinal plants from tomorrow!" Was the sun rising from the east? What''s going on? how come the Young Lord suddenly wants to learn about Plants? They could not think of any explanation. ''The Young Lord must be traumatized by his illness and that''s why he wants to learn about the medicinal plants.'' Lara again made her conclusion. the Human mind worked like this, if there is no logical explanation for something then the brain will surely find one reason or another to justify the action. Both Lara and Kruger looked at Karna with sympathy, ''Poor Young Lord'' They thought. The Amaron Continent Karna went inside the library, as one would expect from an influential noble family, the library had two huge floors full of books. The Library also had an open shade with a table and chair for reading books, and the scenery outside looked good. A middle-aged lady at the counter was currently writing something. She looked up and saw Karna with Lara entering, she was not surprised because Rudra often used to read books on politics and war tactics. She greeted both with a smile. "Welcome. Young Lord, which book would you like to read today?" "Give me all the history books and general knowledge books," Karna said. Now the lady was surprised because Rudra never read any history books. but she did not think much of it and immediately went towards the history section of the bookshelves, she selected a few thick books and gave it to Karna''s hands, she said, "Young Lord, this is the perfect book for someone to know about this Continent''s history and some general knowledge, especially for beginners." She said while pointing at one book The book seemed to at least have 500 pages, it was pretty heavy. The words ''The Amaron Continent'' was written on the front cover and the words ''Written By - Sir Kalas Grerra'' was in a small font at the bottom of the title. Karna asked Lara to bring some snacks with tea as he sat on the chair near the window, he began reading the book. The image of Karna reading a book and the scenery of a small miniature lake outside the window gave a sense of Serenity. In the south, there was the Ascar Empire in which the Zarx family''s dominion was, Ron Zarx was the marquis of the empire and only second to the four Dukes. The reason was simple, The Zarx family had a good foundation. The first Patriarch of the house had helped in the foundation of the empire and had received the Title of Count. Throughout history, Zarx Family Ancestors made valuable contributions to Different battles. The first Patriarch had made a rule that steady progress will always be better than suddenly becoming a thorn in the emperor''s hand. He was very right, the Zarx family made contributions but never undermined the emperor''s authority and that''s why slowly but surely, without much resistance, they rose in the ranks of nobility. Rudra''s father was an exceptional warrior but he wasn''t just a muscle head. He married Aisha who was a genius at doing business and started many Family businesses which made the Family rich in a very short time. And as they say ''money is power''. Just like this, The Zarx Family acquired enough martial power to survive and not become a thorn at the emperor''s side, the Four Dukes Afterall were still more powerful than the Zarx family so The Zarx family could not get any ideas, However, everyone greatly underestimated the power of money in this world and Ron Zarx had made use of this. The Royal Family consisted of the emperor who was called ''Alfred Vreta Ascar'', The three princes and two princesses, The Empress, the Imperial consort, few concubines. The Ascar Empire was in the south of the continent, to its southwest was the Stonebrook mountain range in which many caves and mines existed, with fortune also came danger. The mountain range was shrouded in toxic miasma, in some places it was bearable and in other places it was impossible. The mountains were very hard to wander around because of the miasma and the toxic magical beasts, not to mention the region is desolate and there''s no vegetation. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. The Ascar Empire shared its border with The Nine Nations Alliances which consisted of, The Redkar Kingdom, Azar Kingdom, Sopan Principality, Jaquin Kingdom, Milia Kingdom, Roheilm Kingdom, Mozem Kingdom, Ciara Kingdom, and finally the Mercenary Kingdom. These nations had a trade monopoly and that''s why it was not easy to attack them, they were also proficient in making magic tools. The Sopan Principality and the Mercenary Kingdom had the most territory among all and were the most powerful. Sopan Principality was also famous for its Magic Academy. To the West of the Empire was the Holy Vatican Empire which was ruled by the church. In the Amaron Continent, people talked with their fists and that''s why religion was not as influential as it was on earth. Some people also reached ''Godhood'' so many did not believe in God. But the commoners needed hope from something other than Royalty and Nobility and that''s why The Church was there in many nations and so the Vatican Empire was the third most influential Nation on the continent. They were somehow able to use Holy Magic to cure wounds and minor illnesses. But The Church truly gained an advantage in the power struggle when an Undead disaster struck. They would ''Help'' the affected nations for a high prize of course in the name of righteousness. Until now, no one knows how the first pope managed to find the way to use the ''Holy Magic'' There was also the existence of The ''Infinite Forest'' which seemed to be ''Infinite''. it was located further south of the Ascar Empire and was called ''Empire''s backyard''. Although the ''Backyard'' was very dangerous as waves after waves of demonic beasts would come in the winter. The Empire had measures for it but still many died every year. But the empire also gained many valuable resources from there. Fortune and disaster came hand in hand. There was also the ''Endless sea'' in the east, Many believed that it was truly ''Endless'' and some believed that there is another Continent beyond it. But no one was able to find out anything until now, There also existed the ''Island Chain''. There were a few Small-Big Islands and they looked like some chain hence the name. They truly deserved the name because just like a chain they were very united and until now no one had managed to conquer them. They only interacted for trade with the mainland but no one dared to underestimate them. At the north was ''The Amaron Empire''. Once their ancestors had united the whole continent under their banner but because of internal disputes and rebellions, they could not keep it for long. But even so, The Amaron Empire was the most powerful In the continent to this day, but the Oscar Empire had recently managed to close the gap by a large margin and the struggle for hegemony was going on between these two Nations. And finally, ''The Demi-Race Land'' was in the northeast, It''s home to the non-human races which chose to fall back there many years ago. Humans are not allowed to go there without permission but some members of the Demi-Races come outside for trade. No one is restricted to go outside but not many chose to do so. They perform trade with only some of the Human Nations and are very conservative-minded. They had combined their unique racial traits to build a strong line of defense against the humans and that''s why no one bothered with them. Although they claimed to be isolated and not interfere much with the world they still assisted certain countries during wars in the name of ''Trade''. Karna sighed, the new world he was in seemed much more complicated and there were many things he still did not know. He stretched his hands and looked outside, that''s when he realized that he had been reading for the whole day, it was evening and the Lake''s water was shining orange by the setting sun. Birds were returning to their nests. Although he was new in this strange world he was very optimistic about life. Lara came at that moment. Seeing Karna looking at the setting sun with a melancholic expression her heart fluttered for a moment, but she quickly regained her calm. she said, "Young Lord, you should rest. I did not disturb you because you were so focused," she said. "Yes, let''s go!" The Spatial Ring The next day, Karna woke up. he stretched his hands and yawned. by now he was getting used to the luxury. He was wearing silky night wears, His red hair shined even more red by the coming sunlight from the window. He got off the bed and stood up. Just as he was leaving the room he suddenly saw something shining near the pillow. he moved the pillow away and saw a ring shining slightly because of the sunlight. He picked the ring up and began looking at it carefully. The ring was silver colored and there were some runic inscriptions on it. Karma cried out. "High-Grade Spatial Ring!" Karna had been reading books on different things all day long the past few days, so he quickly knew that this was a Spatial Ring. Karna also learned some things about Magic, Spiritual force, and Warrior''s Aura. He even tried sensing his Spiritual Force in which he succeeded. But this wasn''t a big achievement because almost everyone knew how to sense or interact with spiritual force in The Amaron Continent. It was like breathing to them. This was the difference between new worlds. Karna had first thought that it would be very hard but as he was in a body which was born in this world he could also do it easily. Although Rudra had his own Spiritual Ring given by the Zarx Family it wasn''t a High Grade one, It was just a Low Grade but it was still impressive. One must know that Spiritual Rings were very hard to come by because of their low supply and very high price. And the High-Grade rings were so rare that only a few hundred rings existed in the whole Continent. Karna knew that although The Zarx Family was very rich, even they couldn''t afford this kind of ring and so he was curious. He sent his spiritual force into the ring and immediately felt the existence of a few things. all of them appeared outside. The first thing Karna saw was the High-Grade Mana Affinity Manual. To be a magician, one must have an affinity with mana. Some people have the talent from birth and they just have to use a manual and use the meditation technique to create a connection with nature and begin the journey as a mage. For this task, a Mana affinity is needed. Mage families have their own manuals, some could be found on the black market but they are not recommended because of the side effects and long-term issues, Royal Families had their special Manuals which helped someone to have a better affinity in some specific element. Having a Mid-Rank Manual was a great thing in itself but High-Grade manuals helped to develop superior affinity. These techniques were very valuable and rare. Karna was very shocked seeing the Manual. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. In the past few days, Karna had thought about how to gain power in this world. Rudra was a genius warrior and his body was perfect for it, but this doesn''t mean that Karna can do the same. Karna did not like the warrior path and wanted to find another way. And now it seemed he had received a great opportunity. However, This also created some questions. Who gave him a such great fortune? and why? is there an ulterior motive? Should he use the manual? That''s when his gaze turned towards a letter. It seemed he would get some answers after all, Karna opened the letter and began reading. ''Hey, Brat. whoever you are in that body, I mean.'' Karna''s eyeballs almost popped out of the sockets. He was really surprised this time. How did they know? He thought and continued reading. ''Hehehe, Surprised? well, don''t think much about it.. but I think you will soon get a bigger surprise so wait for it. I was the one who summoned you into this world, as for why? that''s not important. I''m leaving the Manual And the ring to you because I don''t want you to die a stupid death after I put in so much effort, you will know what I mean later, hehehe. Just know that you owe me!" Karna finished reading. He understood that there was a reason why he was ''Summoned'' into this world and that he would know the reason soon. he also realized that whoever gave him the ring isn''t a simple person. Someone who can just gift a High-Grade Spatial ring and Mana Affinity Manual is most likely a heaven-shaking personality. If such a person asked him to remember the favor, that means that he would have to do something for that person in the future. Karna did not dwell on the identity of the person. This was a great opportunity but Karna was hesitant and anxious. He knew that he had to become stronger in this world to survive. Every day wasted will bring him near his death. So thought for a while and decided to trust the person. After all, he knew that if such a powerful person wanted something from him then he wouldn''t be able to stop them. So just why not accept their goodwill? and he did not sense any malice from the words. The person seemed more like a grumbling Grandpa. Karna Finally made up his mind and sent his spiritual force into the manual. With a slight headache, he received the information within the manual. There was a breathing technique to go in the ''Samadhi'' state which is also a complete meditation state. If those mages from the magic academy saw this they would definitely scream at the top of their lungs, ''Samadhi Technique!''. That''s because this technique was extremely good to maintain focus and Accelerate the mind. After that, there was the ''Nature''s Grace'' Mana affinity technique which was used to sense the mana in nature. This technique was excellent because it made it possible to have three times more Mana affinity than a normal mage. Karna sighed, although it seemed that life was going well... no one better than him knew that life will definitely throw a lot of hardships as well. But this was already better than his previous life. Karna smiled with satisfaction and resolve. Absorbing Mana For The First Time A month passed by In this period, Karna only focused on practicing according to the manual. After bathing and breakfast, he would instruct the servants to not disturb him and then he focused on sensing Mana. He got no results for 20 days but on the 21st day, he finally sensed Mana in the surroundings. Karna suddenly sensed warm energy tingling his body on that day, his eyes were closed and yet he could ''see'' the existence of Mana. It was a one-of-a-kind experience. Karna quickly tried to absurd the Mana but he lost the connection with Nature. And a month passed by just like that, Karna was currently in his ''Samadhi'' State of meditation, he was trying to sense Mana around him, but no matter how much he tried he could not absorb it in his body. Karna opened his eyes. He began to think. ''It''s really hard to be self-taught, but I cannot ask my father for a mentor. Rudra was a warrior, suddenly if I tell him that I want to be a mage then he will definitely think of me as a retard. First I must form a Mana core and then I can at least give an excuse that I have some talent in magic. If he thinks that my mana core is formed naturally then he will allow me to learn magic. Afterall, it''s not bad to be a warrior and a mage at the same time.'' ''But before this, I have to solve this problem of Mana absorption. Otherwise, I can''t do anything at all.'' ''There must be something that I don''t know... what could it be? Mana...'' Karna thought for a while and after some time his eyes shone. ''That''s right! this whole process depends on forming a connection with nature. I can sense mana as it is but how can I absorb it without any absolute connection? But how do I form a connection?'' Karna felt as if his brains were about to blow from overload. He was trying his best not to rage quit, only his past regrets gave him enough resolve to continue. But even so, he was getting frustrated. Suddenly his gaze turned toward the Spatial Ring. He thought, ''Wait! Connection... how is it that I can form a connection with the ring and bring out items? Spiritual Force! that''s right! So, this is why every Mage has more Spiritual Force than a warrior!'' Karna felt enlightened. A theory gradually formed in his head. A Mage needs spiritual force to form a connection to nature. Without a ''Will,'' there is no ''Connection'' and Spiritual Force can employ the will to form the connection. Karna quickly closed his eyes and regulated his breathing in a specific manner. He was sitting on a mat. He bent his index finger towards himself and rested his thumb on the index finger''s top while both his arms were placed on his lap. This gesture was similar to the ''Yoga'' Meditation position from the earth. After some time he lost all senses from his surrounding, he could not see, hear, or touch. It felt like he was a soul in the endless void. But as time flew by he gradually sensed warm energy around him. Karna sent a weave of Spiritual force outside with his ''Will'' and probed the surrounding energy. The energy particles twitched as if they were disturbed but then suddenly shot forward and entered his body. He could feel a worm sensation enter and circulate all around his body as if deciding a place to build their home. Finally, the energy particles gathered in his dantian. After absorbing as much Mana as possible Karna opened his eyes, his body was drenched in sweat. After wiping his with a towel he thought, The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ''Finally! it worked! Now I have to create an affinity with the Mana inside me and form a Mana Core after accumulating enough, Once the Mana Core is formed it will automatically create a connection with nature, and then I can absurd Mana much easier.'' Karna felt a surge of happiness from deep inside his heart. He was happy to be alive and well! He was happy to try new things! he was happy to fail and try again! He couldn''t resist and burst out laughing. While he was laughing like a lunatic he heard the sound of knocking. "Young Lord?" "Yes, Come in" Lara came in, She did not hear Karna''s lunatic laughter because of the ''Soundless Magic Formation''. Otherwise, her image of Rudra would have sunk to the bottom. "Forgive me for the disturbance, Lord Ron is looking for you" Lara said. "Huh? okay, let''s go." Karna guessed why he was looking for him. He sighed. Both of them arrived at the Lord''s office. Karna knocked on the door. "Come in." A reply came. Karna pushed the door and went inside, Ron was sitting on the chair while a pile of papers was placed on the glass table In front of him. He had a ''Chromo bird''s feather'' in his hand, its tip was soaked with ink. Chromo was a magical beast in this world that was rather similar to peacocks. "Father, you were looking for me?" Ron pointed at the side of the room, there was a large table placed on which bunch some items were placed. Karna looked confused, "Rudra, you aren''t as sharp as before these days, what''s the matter? are you feeling sick? I heard that you haven''t even done any training in the past month. Karna was speeches, he was so focused on magic that he forgot that he was in someone else''s body and that he must act like Rudra. But he knew he had to answer. he said, "There''s just something on my mind. Don''t worry father, I''m perfectly fine." Karna stopped, suddenly he thought of something and quickly said. ".... it''s just" "hmm?" "I want to go outside a bit, I have been at home for a long while now." Ron thought for a moment and raised his head. a strange, cunning look appeared in his eyes for a moment before disappearing. A smile that looked like a retired old man''s emerged on Ron''s face. If Rudra saw this he would have yelled ''This old man is up to no good!'' "Oh? That''s good! always being cooped up at home isn''t good... hehe, In two months there will be a ''celebration'' at Marquis Miller''s mansion, you can come along." "Fine!" Karna said joyfully. ''hehe, it''s good that he''s dull right now... otherwise, it would have been impossible to do this considering his personality. You''re trapped, brat! Whahaha. I''m only doing this for your own good.'' Ron thought sneakily. Karna felt shivers down his spine for some reason, but he ignored them. Ron changed the topic as if he was afraid that Karna would suddenly refuse to go with him to the ''Celebration''. "You see that? Word has gone out that you woke up. Many acquaintances and Nobles have sent you gifts. One even came from the imperial family." Ron said pointing at the large table. Karna nodded, he stored all those items In his spatial ring, the one given by The Zarx Family of course. Suddenly Ron''s face became serious. he said In a stern tone. "Rudra, how did you fall unconscious on that day? did someone poison you? I was waiting for you to completely recover before asking." Karna had somewhat expected this question. He was not scheming by nature but he was not an idiot. From the gossip of servants and giving some thought, he had figured out that the previous owner of the body died in some strange circumstance. Naturally, he had thought of an answer beforehand. "Father, I don''t remember much. I was hunting Magical Beasts when I suddenly felt dizzy and passed out. After that, I directly woke up a month ago. Ron fell into contemplation, a few moments later he sighed, "Forget it, be careful from now on. And...." Ron stopped abruptly and clapped. Suddenly a man with a black robe and mask appeared. "His name is Alpha, he''s a 5th-rank warrior and has some 3-4 ranked warriors under him. From now on he will protect you from the shadows. And you are not allowed to say no. Understand?" "Yes, Father," Karna said as if he was unwilling but had no choice. Ron nodded in satisfaction, "You can go now" he said. Karna couldn''t be more happier. He had to act on Rudra''s persona otherwise Ron would get suspicious. In truth, he knew that Rudra at least was a Genius warrior. Karna would die instantly if he faced any danger. Although he wanted to rely on himself as much as possible he still needed more time. Karna left with a smile on his face. Forming a Mana Core Karna diligently began to form his Mana Core, he didn''t have anything to do in the first place so he focused on training day and night. The High-Grade Mana Affinity Manual was very remarkable. Karna was absorbing Mana like picking up stones from the road. His speed was 5 times of a normal person. On the 16th day when Karna was in meditation, suddenly he absorbed a large amount of Mana. All the Mana went through his body and gradually mixed in the Circular Mass of energy in his dantian. This cycle continued for a while and then Karna finally began to consolidate the Core. Karna carefully guided all the mana and began compressing as much as possible. He groaned in pain but persisted with determination. It felt as if he was being crushed by a mountain. With Karna''s efforts, the Mana began shrinking into a small orb. Sweat poured out of Karna''s body like a waterfall, blue veins could be seen on his hands, and his eyes were read. Suddenly, BOOM! A massive shockwave was released from Karna''s body, the mansion''s windows cracked, and the ground trembled. Ron was meeting with some merchants along with Sebastian when suddenly the ground began trembling and shortly after a massive shockwave went through the mansion. Ron''s expression sank. he said, "Sebastian! did you notice? the origin point was Rudra''s room! You go and check on Aisha and then come to Rudra''s room. Go!" Sebastian quickly left. "Mr. Derrick. Something has happened. I apologize for the inconvenience. Please wait In the guest room until we figure out what''s the matter." Ron said politely. "Don''t worry, umm... I''m rather curious.. can I go with you? if something is wrong then perhaps my guards can lend some help?" "This...Haa, Fine. But please be careful." Soon after, Ron along with the merchant, Aisha with Sebastian, and the Guards arrived at Rudra''s room. The whole mansion went on alert. Rudra looked exhausted as if he ran the whole world without stopping once. His clothes were drenched with sweat, his red hair was messy. He totally looked like a beggar. Ron and Aisha hurriedly came to check, "Rudra!...Rudra! Wake up." Ron slapped Rudra trying to wake him up. He sent his Spiritual force to examine his body and his expression changed. "This... How is this possible? A MANA CORE!? How did he form a Mana Core all of a sudden?" Ron said with wide eyes. Everyone was surprised. Mages were few on the continent. Although they were a bit stronger than warriors but they were very few. And that''s why mages were highly respected in any kingdom. Warriors did not like them because of this, they felt unfair. And mages looked down on warriors because of their superiority completely forgetting their few numbers. And now an anomaly had appeared, Rudra who was already a genius in the sword now also had magic. That means he had the option to become a ''Mana Warriors This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Warriors who could use Mana to strengthen their sword strikes were called ''Mana Warriors''. They had a great advantage over normal warriors because of their strong strikes. But at the same time, their weakness was that they had low stamina because of having to use Mana And Sword Skills at the same time. Most importantly, Their mental strength would not last long because of so much consumption. Although it seems simple but there are many calculations involved when using Mana with the Sword, any wrong move would get one killed. Almost everyone thought that Rudra had great potential but no one knew at that time that Rudra would become a one-of-a-kind Monster who would somehow bypass all natural rules. "My Lord, This is good news for us! We must invite the best mentor for the Young Lord for him to learn magic!" Sebastian said with a smile. "It seems that The Zarx''s are hidden dragons and crouching Tigers! Haha, Lord Zarx... I agree to your proposal! consider it as a investment in the Young Lord." Mr. Derrick said rubbing his hands. "Good!... But I have a little request... please do not reveal to anyone that Rudra has a Mana Core." "As you wish." Mr.Derrick said with a smile. "Yes, we will see to that later. Lara... is it? Take care of him for now, he seems to have passed out because of exhaustion. We should speak somewhere else." Ron And Sebastian went back to the office, Mr. Derrick went back to the hotel with his bodyguards. Aisha was worried but reluctantly went back to her chambers. "Sebastian, What do you think?" "I don''t know how this happened. It''s very strange. but it''s good for us anyways. However...." Sebastian Hesitated "What is it?" "The rule by the first Patriarch... People have begun noticing our strength. Naturally, The emperor must know as well. And if The Young Lord is too outstanding then...." "Bullshit! why must we hide our strength? Honestly, the first patriarch was too paranoid. And it''s only one youngster. How much can a threat can one young boy be? you''re thinking too much." "Lord, You know as well that we have flourished only because of this stance. And there are many examples in history of Families Being wiped out because they shone too brightly. Unless we have enough power to rebe-" "Stop! Walls have ears. Some things should not be said." Ron Said narrowing his eyes. "Forgive me" Sebastian bowed. "Forget it, I know what you mean. You should not speak carelessly. By the way, I was doubtful about the upcoming ''celebration'' because of Rudra''s illness. Afterall, rumors spread that he became useless after the illness. Hehe, this should be fun." "The rumors were spread by the Son of Duke Carlstaine," Sebastian said. "Oh? You did not disappoint me. Forget it, Young generation should solve their own issues. We can only watch the show. However...." A murderous look flashed by Ron''s eyes. ".... If they go too far then I will not watch by" In the evening Karna woke up. He could feel his Mana core and Mana inside his body. He tried moving the Mana around but it merely twitched. Karna also felt that his vitality had increased. He felt fresh and closer to nature. he was excited about the future. Suddenly Lara knocked on the door and came in. "Lord Ron wants to speak to you." "Yes, let''s go." Karna stood before Ron after a few moments. "So? how did it happen?" "I don''t know, Maybe it formed naturally." "You rascal, You think I don''t know you''re hiding something from me?" Karna''s eyes widened, his soul almost left out of his body. He did not speak. "Fine Fine! I won''t force you to tell me, but don''t ignore your swordsmanship. I will invite a mentor for you." Karna''s heart was filled with guilt but he also felt touched because of his father''s consideration. He nodded. Magic Tutor - Makrov Ludwig Two days later Karna was in his room training with Mana. For some reason, Ron had forbidden everyone to spread the news that Karna formed his Mana Core. Karna read some books about ''Mage Knights'' and he understood that he would get a great advantage if he used Mana with Sword. But he just did not like Swordsmanship. As usual, Karna was sitting crossed-legged with his eyes closed. that''s when the sound of Knocking came. Karna opened his eyes, he knew that it was Lara because no one beside her came into his room. He had a very good impression of Lara. She had a lovable and cute personality, she was beautiful and she took care of him. She had all the curves in the right places. Karna was a male after all, And he had decided to live this new life to its fullest. That''s why he had no norms for having relationships, but he wanted to focus on increasing his strength first. With these silly thoughts, he replied in a daze, "Ya, come in" Lara pushed the door and came inside. she wore the Maid''s uniform as always. Her hair was done in a twin ponytail today which gave her the look of a Little sister you couldn''t help but want to protect. Seeing this Karna smiled, Suddenly seeing Karna smiling at her, Lara blushed. keeping her head down she said, "Young Lord, Master has brought back Mr. Ludwig. He is waiting for you in the training room." "Mr. Ludwig?" Karna spurted out without thinking. "Huh? You don''t remember? Mage Makrov Ludwig is Zarx Family''s Mage. I have heard that he is a 5th mid-ranked Mage. I don''t know anything more." "Ah, I remember now. Thank you, Lara!" Karna said with a charming smile. Although Karna had to ''Play the Part'', he showed himself freely in front of Lara. He did not want to become someone else. Lara was clever and dumb at the same time, she had suspected something but she also made delusional answers in her mind to that suspicion herself. She was a very unique person. A few moments later Karna and Lara arrived outside the training room. Lara left, and Karna knocked on the door. "Come in, Young Lord! You do not need to be courteous." Karna pushed the door and went inside. The room was quite large, some training dummies were placed in a line, and various weapons were hung on the weapon stand. Sword, Bow, Spear, Axe, A huge hammer, Long sword, dagger, knives, throwing knives, Javelins, you name it! The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. In the middle of the room stood a middle-aged man with black hair and a beard in a Mage''s robe. He looked mysterious. The man was on the skinny side, he had a dagger hung on his waist, He had a tired pair of eyes... yes, there were black circles below his eyes. This is Makrov Ludwig. He was a Magic Academy Graduate. After spending some time in magic research he ran out of money and participated in a war as a freelance mage to earn a high nobility title and get more money. That''s where he met Ron. He was the son of a baron who died of an unknown illness, his mother loved his father too much and could not bare the shock and also died. Makrov despised high nobles because they looked down on lower nobility and gave him a lot of trouble seeing that he was alone, Markov survived in the world because he was a Genius in magic, he believed that he could have saved his father if he knew more about magic, he believed that magic was the answer to everything and that''s why he only focused on research. Even though he was young, Ron had saved Makrov''s life on the battlefield 30 years ago. The Zarx Family was still very rich back then and Ron had offered Makrov an enormous amount of funding for his research on the condition that he serves the Zarx Family. Although Makrov despised high nobility he did not see any arrogance or contempt in how Ron treated people around him, plus he needed money for his research. so he left the fiefdom for good and accepted Ron''s offer. As time passed by he accepted the Zarx Family as his own. Markov had a good impression of Rudra, He would sometimes see Rudra train on his own day and night. Because he was also called ''genius'' he knew the loneliness a ''genius'' has to suffer. After receiving the news that Rudra had formed his Mana Core he was very happy and elated. He was, even more, happier when Ron asked him to teach Rudra. Karna bowed toward Markov knowing he would be his teacher. Seeing ''Rudra'' act in humility Markov nodded in satisfaction. he said, "First of all, Congratulations on forming your Mana Core!" "Thank you" "Before we start, I want to ask you. What do you think magic is?" Karna gave it a thought, and a few moments later he spoke, "I think Magic is one of Nature''s Fundamental Forces." Markov looked at Karna with surprise, he had seen people answer as ''Magic is a mysterious force'' Bla Bla Bla.... But this was new to him. "You are right. Magic is this world''s one Fundamental Rule. I believe that you can do anything with magic, Go beyond this world, and change the rules of this world, But the important thing is that magic can be used to improve life on a fundamental level. Magic Is not a tool for slaughter, if you ever forget this and use magic in the wrong way... then I will personally end you!" Markov said with a stern face. It looked like he would really kill Karna if he misused magic." Karna nodded with a serious face and said, "I understand Teacher, I will only use magic to live life to my fullest! But I will also use it if someone wants to disturb my life or my loved one''s life." "Naturally, An axe can be used for smashing someone''s head or for farming. it depends on the person. But you must have a bottom line no matter what." Markov said softening his face a little. "Yes" Seeing Karna not showing any sign of dissatisfaction on his face, Makrov approved of him even more. A Difficult Dilemma After some pleasantries, Karna and Makrov finally got to Business. they both sat on the mat cross-legged across each other. Makrov said, "Young Lord. as you know, Mages are divided into 10 Ranks and after that, Demi-God and The Godhood just like warriors. There might be only 10 ranks but there is an immense difference in strength between every rank which can only be crossed under special circumstances. There are three sub ranks In every rank, which are lower, mid, and high. to understand this better you can think that every rank has 100 levels. 1-30 is lower, 31-65 is mid, and 66-100 is high." "I am a 5th Mid ranked Mage, this means that I need to cross 34 levels to reach 5th high rank. Now this may look easy but I will need perhaps a decade to achieve this, and that too when I have enough resources and funding even though I''m a genius." "The strength between people of the same rank depends on their various skills and spells. and this is why usually the nobles and those who have influential backgrounds reign supreme in this world. Every Noble family has its own set of skills or spells which are unique to others. There are also some skills or spells which are common and used by lots of people. Do you have any questions?" "Yes Teacher, is there no way for commoners to defeat nobles?" Karna asked, Markov did not expect such a question but he replied anyways, "That''s the case usually, but do not underestimate them. Mages who do not have superior spells or skills have founded the ''Magic Union'' which has a great deal of influence in the world. They research New Skills and Spells and by a merit system, any mage can have access to them. This has created a balance in power." Makrov said with a serious expression. seeing no change in Karna''s face he continued, "There are also geniuses like me who create their own path with hard work and talent, there are those who have a greater Mana Affinity by birth, and there are those who create their own spells as well. Although, this applies to all, nobility and non-nobility. But because nobles have it easy they grow smug and only a few of them create their unique path." "This is why you should remember not to underestimate anyone. Otherwise, you will die an early death." Makrov said with a stern tone. Karna also became serious. he nodded and said, "I understand, Teacher. There are many talented people In this world. But not many make it in the end. I will always be cautious." Seeing Karna''s wisdom, Makrov nodded in satisfaction. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. "Alright, let''s talk about the ''Class'' between Mages. Just like Warriors can be Knights, paladins, Lancers, and swordsmen, there are different ''classes'' in mages as well. There are ''Magic archers'', ''Mage Knights'', ''Dark Mages'', ''Spirit Mages'', Etc." "There are also various professions like ''Alchemists'' And ''Runemasters''. They need knowledge of Mana and Magic to some degree. Do not forget that even the Zarx family cannot afford to offend some of them. They are extremely valuable in any place, So do not look down on them. Even though they are not experts in fighting they have their own ways to protect themselves. They can also change tides of Wars, Do you understand?" Karna nodded. "Fine, This much knowledge is enough for the beginning. You will naturally know more with time. Now, let''s talk about the path you should take. You have an option to become a full fledge mage who can use various Attack, Defense, or support spells, or you have the option to become a ''Mage Knight''." "Before you choose, You should know that it is not easy to be a Warrior and a Mage at the same time. It will take too much time and effort. And even after that, there is a chance that you will waste your talent and time by going after two things at once. Even if you manage to learn Magic, you cannot use spells in battle with sword arts. That''s because it takes a lot of focus and calculations to cast a spell. Now, The choice is yours. I will give you until tomorrow to think about it. This choice will affect your future and your future is tied to a lot of people. So think it through" Karna didn''t know what to do. He did not like using the Sword, he was interested in magic because this was something completely new and mysterious to him. Realizing he was in a daze Karna said hurriedly, "Teacher, I will think carefully and give you the answer tomorrow. Thank you for teaching me!" "Hahaha, I had heard you were arrogant. It seems rumors cannot be trusted. Good! I will wait for your answer!" Makrov smiled, then stood up and left. Karna however, stayed behind. He wanted to be a mage but did not know how to explain it to his father. Rudra was a good warrior and it would be weird if Karna suddenly said he wants to give up on the sword completely. But he could not do both either. Karna had absolutely no talent in swords. It could be said that he would most likely die if not for magic. It''s not like he didn''t try, He tried training with the sword according to Rudra''s memory but no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn''t do it. He did not know at that moment that he would soon find a solution to his problem and that solution would shake the entire world one day. But that''s a story for the future. After staying for a few moments, Karna finally went back to his room. - In Ron''s office "So, Makrov. How did it go?" "Haha, The Young Lord is wise, I''m sure that one day he will shock the entire world! He is humble and accepted my advice without any arrogance. I''m sure he will not make many mistakes in his journey... but." Makrov suddenly furrowed his brows. "What is it?" "How do I say this... it''s rather strange. He is a little too interested in Magic. as far as I know, he did not show much interest in magic before. Considering that he is a good warrior, it''s strange why he would want anything to do with magic. He seemed very curious about magic." Ron narrowed his eyes, lines appeared on his forehead, "He has somewhat changed after he woke up, he is also hiding something. I am his father. does he think I''m an idiot? I think he must have his reasons. Sebastian, keep an eye on him a bit. But don''t pry into his secrets." "Yes, Lord." Ron would never have thought that his son is actually someone else in his body. The Attributes Karna went in front of Makrov the next day, He had a resolute expression on his face. Makrov looked at him for a while then asked, "Have you decided?", "Yes, please teach me magic spells. I want to become a mage as well." A complicated expression flashed on Makrov''s face. He asked, "Are you sure? Only a few ones-in-a-million genii can accomplish this. I can give you more time to think, It''s not easy to use ''Aura'' And ''Mana'' at the same time." "No, teacher. I''m sure about this. I know that you must think that I''m being overconfident and arrogant, But I still want to learn magic." Makrov looked at Karna deeply, He sighed, "Alright, if that''s your wish then I won''t stop you. But I will be very disappointed if you give up because of failure." Makrov said sternly. "I understand Teacher, I will never fail!" "Fine!" Makrov said and brought up a book, a manual, and a spherical transparent orb. "First of all, this is a low-grade Mana Affinity Manual for you, although it''s a low grade but it''s still better than any other low-grade manual," Makrov said pointing at the manual. "This is the ''Guide for apprentice Mages'' Book. There are a few important things in there, and also some apprentice-level spells. The first thing you will learn is to freely move and interact with Mana as much as possible. This depends on how much affinity you have with Mana. The more you have, the faster you can cast spells. When you have mastered a few of the spells which align with your elements, then you will officially be considered as a Mage apprentice. Any questions?" "How do become a Rank 1 Mage?" "You brat, First become an Apprentice then think about the future," Makrov said pretending to be angry. Startled, Karna said, "Ah, so- sorry. Teacher." "Alright. Now let''s see what your attributes are. But before that, let me tell you what Attributes mean." Karna nodded, "There are 8 Attributes in Magic. Which are Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, Wood, Holy, Dark, and Special. As you might have guessed, your Attributes decide which Magic Spells you can cast the best. There are specific spells for each attribute and it''s almost impossible to learn spells of the attribute you do not have." Karna nodded and asked in curiosity, "Teacher, I can understand the other attributes. But what about the Holy, Dark, and Special attributes?" If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "Holy Attribute was discovered by the first pope of the Holy Vatican Empire. It is also referred to as the ''Light attribute'' by those who are against the Vatican. The Holy Attribute is useful for Healing Magic, Support Magic, and Defensive Magic. It is also extremely lethal against the ''Dark'' Attribute." "Doesn''t look like a big deal to me" Karna muttered in a low voice unknowingly. But how could a Rank 5 Mage not hear it? "Hehe, Ignorance! You had promised me not to underestimate anyone. Let me tell you. 500 years ago when The 7th High-ranked Dark Mage ''Meki'' Unleashed a calamity of undead disaster, it was the Vatican''s Paladins and Templar Mages who Stole the show. The undead weave was so frightening that it almost brought the whole world to its knees. Only the Vatican had the most effective measures against them." Karna was surprised, although he read in the history book about this incident he did not know that it was this frightening. Seeing Karna''s shocked face, Makrov said in a serious tone, "Take this as my first lesson to you, The fanatics of The Vatican Empire are more dangerous than they seem to be. They will act righteous and kind in front of you and then immediately become toxic vipers behind your back. Between various conflicts around the continent, they extend ''help'' to nations in the name of ''World peace'' And ask for ''Benefits'' as ''Compensation''." Makrov stopped for a while. He continued while seizing up Karna''s reactions, "Tell me, what would happen if your forces suddenly become fearless and gained extra stamina all of a sudden? or what will happen if your soldiers heal and regenerate for a short period in a battle?" Karna understood immediately. Such effects can easily change tides of wars depending on how they are used. "I was truly ignorant! The ''Holy'' Attribute and by extension, ''The Holy Vatican Empire'' is not to be underestimated." Karna said in understanding. "Good! Now let''s talk about the ''Dark'' Attribute. The ''Dark'' Attribute can allow one to invoke curses, create diseases, and reanimate corpses. It also has it''s Dark Spells'' Which are extremely vicious. Always remember this, the Slightest hesitation will get you killed while battling a Dark Mage. Always consider every Dark Mage as a Lunatic who might go against all logic. So keep your logic aside when dealing with them. Although not all Dark Mages are bad... being cautious is always better than being dead. Hahaha..." Realizing his joke wasn''t funny, Makrov stopped abruptly. "Ahem, There are more things about Dark Mages that you should know but this much is enough for now. Let''s talk about the ''Special'' Attribute." Makrov said with a somewhat regrettable face. "The ''Special'' Attribute is truly mysterious, it can be related to your bloodline, or it could be a Gift by birth. But one thing is sure, every mage hopes to have The Special Attribute if possible." Makrov said with regret, it seemed he too wished for a special Attribute. "Why is that?" Karna asked curiously. "It''s because the ''Special'' Attribute can give you miraculous powers or skills. For example, ''Time'' or ''Space'' and who knows many more. Who do you think creates Teleportation Gates And Spatial Rings? it''s all the doing of a ''Space'' Attribute holder." Makarov said hopelessly "Oh! I can imagine how valuable the Special attribute must be! But, how can it be used in battle?" "You! battle junky! I told you that magic isn''t just for battle, didn''t I?" Makarov said angrily. "Forgive me, Teacher. I was just curious." Karna said embarrassingly. "Sigh, Fine! Spatial Power users can use the ''Blink'' Spell to teleport in a short distance and strike the enemy, it''s also useful for escaping. And as for ''Time'', there''s not much data, this power is very very rare." "However, There are other various powers In the ''Special'' Attribute which are not as rare as ''Time'', But they are also somewhat rare and most of the mages with the special attribute like to use it as a trump card. Special attributes can also grant you Rare skills." "I understand, I hope I have the special attribute too, hehe." "Hmph! in your dreams, Special attribute isn''t piled up here and there like cabbages!" Makrov said smugly. The teacher and Student looked at each other for a moment and burst out laughing. Makrovs Shock After laughing for a bit, both calmed down. Makrov said while pointing at the transparent orb, "Now it''s time to check your attributes. Do you see this orb? you just have to keep your hand on it for a moment and then colored particles will appear inside it by which you can recognize your attributes." Makrov said. Karna nodded and placed his right hand on the orb. Suddenly he felt a sharp pain and something being sucked out of his body. he frowned, "Relax, The orb is absorbing your Mana. once it''s done, it will analyze its strictures and figure out the attributes of your Mana, once that''s done then it will create colored particles by which we can identify the attributes. This Orb is an invention of a Demi-God magician." Makrov said reassuring Karna. Karna regained his focus, and some of his Mana was absorbed for two minutes before it stopped. Karna removed his palm from the Orb and looked at it with anticipation. A few moments passed and the particles gradually began appearing, "Oh? Boy, you see? It''s white colored. This means that you have the most affinity with the ''Wind'' Attribute." Just as Makrov finished saying this, Red Particles emerged which were not any less than the white ones Inside the Orb. Makrov was a bit surprised but not much, although many mages had multiple attributes ''Rudra'' was also a Rank 2 High-Grade Warrior which was already considered to be a genius at his age. So he was more surprised at the fact that Karna even had good luck in magic. Just as it looked like the process was over, Mist appeared in the Orb with a very minuscule amount of brown particles. Makrov stood up in shock, his eyes wide. He looked at the Orb with such focus that it seemed the Orb would break with just the intensity. Finally, he drew a breath of cold air and looked at Karna as if looking at a monster. Karna was unsettled by his gaze, he said with hesitation, "Teacher? What''s the matter?" Makrov sighed as his shoulders slumped down hopelessly. he said, "Who could have thought, the heavens truly have dog eyes to have given all the luck to just one person? As if you being an excellent warrior wasn''t enough." Karna looked down embarrassed, he thought, ''What Warrior? I don''t know shit about swordsmanship.'' Makrov did not notice Karna''s embarrassment and continued, "First of all, judging by the number of particles in there... you have a very high affinity with The ''Wind'' And ''Fire'' Attribute." Suddenly Makrov''s lips curled upwards as he said, This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. "This must be related to your secret right?" Karna''s heart nearly jumped out of his chest when he heard that, and cold sweat appeared on his forehead. Patting his head, Makrov said, "Hehe, brat. Don''t worry, we won''t interfere in your matters. But be careful." Karna nodded slightly, feeling relieved. "But the craziest thing is that you actually have a ''Special'' attribute! And by the density of the mist, I can say that it isn''t any simple power at all!" Karna was naturally surprised as well, but then a glint flashed through his eyes.... ''could it be?'' he thought. "But how do I know which Special Ability I have?" Karna asked, dying to know the answer. "We don''t know, the ability will automatically manifest itself when you need it the most. But I advise you not to tell anyone about the special attribute." "Yes! I understand." "Alright. Now I will teach you how to handle your Mana... First, you have to imagine the mana in a materialistic form. You can imagine it as an energy or whatever you may like. Imagine it flowing through your body." Karna did as instructed, He imagine Mana as a river of energy flowing through his body. And as if replying to his summons, the dormant Mana began to move around his Mana Core in an unorganized fashion. Karna''s face glowed In delight and he lost concentration. The Mana slumbered again. Makrov said with surprise evident in his tone, "You! so fast. I just sensed Mana Fluctuations from you. You managed the grasp the concept so fast! Good!" Makrov''s face showed a hint of admiration. As he was also a mage so he knew the difficulty of this process. Although it was not at the point of impossible, but it at least takes some days for a normal mage. Karna smiled with satisfaction being proud of his achievement. "Alright, don''t be complacent now. Continue practicing this, once you can move Mana in your body without any effort or focus, then try moving it outside the body. Remember, there''s no need for you to release Mana from your fingers or hands... A Good mage can release Mana from their entire body." Makrov stopped, giving some time to Karna to ponder. "Most of the Warriors need weapons to fight. Mages can fight barehanded by simply manipulating Mana and casting spells. But you need to keep a distance from your enemy. Otherwise, there''s a possibility that you will lose focus when the enemy is upon you. But this shouldn''t be a problem for you as you are a Warrior as well." Makrov said with Jealousy written all over his face. Seeing this, Karna yelled in his heart ''What are you jealous of? I am not a warrior damnit!'' "Read the book I gave you and practice handling the Mana for a few days. I will teach you to cast the Apprentice-level spells after that." "Yea!" Karna shouted enthusiastically, completely forgetting that he was supposed to act like Rudra. Karna began practicing after Makrov left. He could now move the Mana in his body somewhat better. His Improvement was truly astonishing but this was to be expected after having a High-Grade Mana Affinity Manual. After practicing the meditation technique from the Manual, Karna had already a high affinity with Mana and he just needed a direction in to put the effort in. After getting tips from Makrov his growth skyrocketed. When Karna finished the training, it was already evening. He went to the balcony to get some fresh air. The birds were chirping, and the sky looked beautiful in the sheet of saffron. The sun was red as if hiding shyly behind the clouds. Weaves of reddish-orange clouds decorated the sky creating an artistic atmosphere. Seeing nature''s beauty, Kana smiled as he thought of different possibilities of life. Author''s Note - Devesh here, If you read until now, then just leave a comment below the chapter and write a review if you like the novel. Your comments and support gives me the motivation to continue writing despite my lack of experience. Thanks to all my readers. Travelling to Blue Isle City On a clear day when the wind was flowing mildly, the sky was blue, two prestigious carriages were traveling northeast of the territory of the Zarx Family. Three warriors and a mage each we''re riding with the two carriages on both sides. Five warriors rode in front and the back creating a protective formation. The warriors and the mages rode on war horses which were fast, somewhat intelligent, and strong. They had great stamina and could run for 3 days without any nourishment. The Warriors were 3rd Mid-Ranked. They wore the typical Ascar empire''s armor, they had swords hung on their waists and shields on their backs. This created an oppressive atmosphere around the caravan. But the thing that announced the identity of this caravan was the insignia of the Zarx Family, A red lotus on a sword. As for the mages, they wore their magician robes which were also their pride. They were all at least 3rd Ranked mages. One of them was ''Oliver'' who seemed to be the leader of the mages present. He was a 30-Year-old man who always had a solemn expression on his face no matter what. Wherever the caravan traveled, the pedestrians would begin to murmur. The news would spread to the nearby taverns and drunkards would gossip. The caravan''s destination was Marquis Miller''s ''Blue Isle City'' which was on the coast of the sea and was a great harbor. But they had to go through some County and Baronies first to reach there. - In a tavern somewhere, "Ya hear? I heard the ''Zarx'' are going somewhere. Hehe, I even got a glimpse of the Young Master of The Zarx family." drunkard1 said with a flushed face while weaving around the liquor jug. "Who? That Ru-Rura guy?" drunkard2 said with a shocked expression. "Idiot! It''s Rudra, R.U.D.R.A! Whahaha." drunkard3 butted in. Drunkard2 got angry, he rolled up his sleeves ready to fight. That''s when the tavern owner yelled in a practiced manner as if he had done this a hundred times, "No fighting here! Otherwise, get the hell out!" Drunkard2 calmed down, although he was a bit angry but who can afford to give up on liquor just for some bickering? "I heard they are also going to Marquis Miller''s City. There''s some kind of gathering of nobles or something." A man who was sitting at the table beside his lonesome said while scratching his head like a monkey. "Damned nobles! they only know how to party and dance in there... what do they call it..? boll? Ah! Ballroom! yeah!" drunkard1 said dumbly. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Everyone looked at each other and burst out into laughter. Meanwhile, A red-haired boy was sitting in one of the white carriages that were adorned with golden lines towards the edges intertwined together, which created an intricate design. Although the carriage was specious and seemingly heavy, the two black, robust, tall, and sturdy horses did not seem to be exhausted at all. The reason was the Magic Runes which were located on the carriage on all sides. This boy was Karna in the body of Rudra Zarx. Karna now could easily move the Mana in his body. he did not even need any focus to do so. but he had yet to figure out the way to move Mana outside of his body. Five days ago the caravan had left the Zarx Territory. This was the first time when Karna left the comfort of the mansion and went outside. But this time he was going to a social gathering of nobles. Fortunately, he did not need to worry about how to communicate during the function because Rudra was socially terrible anyways. He barely went to any social events. He thought they were a waste of time. But he still thought that he needed to know more about the noble society and such. Karna knocked on the carriage and shortly after Lara entered, "Young Lord, is there anything you need?" Lara asked. "Yes, well. Tell me more about some noble etiquette and social circle. I don''t wish to make a fool out of myself there." Lara wasn''t much surprised, it was commonly known in the Zarx mansion that Rudra was not really the person who cared about noble etiquette. He was more like a hooligan sometime, but a Noble and Handsome hooligan that is. Lara began explaining to Karna about different noble families, "Young Lord, there are 4 Dukes, 20 Marquis, 50 Earls. There are many Count, Viscount, and barons but they are not worthy of your attention. You can just know about them briefly from some books. First of all, The Duke of Danbo - Rega Carlstine of the East, The Duke of Frostov - Cian Frost of the North, The Duke of Tiara - Noah Tiara of the West, And The Duke of Rainer - Arden Rainer of the South. Then there''s marquis Miller who has hosted the gathering for some kind announcement" Lara lowered her head seemingly afraid to have spoken something that should not be spoken. She continued, ".....He is The Lord of The Blue Isle City. Then Marquis...." After long two hours, Lara finally stopped. Karna felt like his head was spinning with all the information. He drank some water and sighed full of relief. "Alright, teach me how to behave until we reach there. is that fine?" Karna said. "As you wish...." Lara said as her voice got lower at the end. "What is it?" "You should learn how to dance," Lara said. "Huh? why?" Karna spurted out. "It will not look good on the house Zarx if you do not dance with anyone in the ballroom. And naturally, you will have to learn properly in order to not make fool of yourself." Lara said with guilty conscience. "Hm, Fine then." Karna did not want to disappoint The Zarx name so he readily agreed. And so, Lara began teaching Karna some social etiquette and dance inside the carriage. Even while traveling, Karna did not miss his training. Karna understood that Magic Spells had their circuit which mages have to understand to cast a spell, there are complex calculations of Mana quantity and whatnot, and everything needs to be perfect for a successful casting. In two more days, Karna finally managed to get inspiration for bringing the mana out of the body by asking for pointers from Mage Oliver. Now he just had to learn the circuits of the Apprentice-level spells and try casting those spells. Then he will truly be called an Apprentice Mage. From Beautys arms to the scene of Gore in a blink of an eye The caravan was traveling without any problems, they passed by hills, plains, and small towns. If this was an ordinary caravan, then they would have suffered some hardship because of bandits. But only an idiot would think of robbing such a prominent noble family. and not to mention the elite warriors and mages who were protecting the caravan. The journey was long but compared to some of the other places it was hardly much. It was going to take one month to reach Blue Isle City, 15 days had passed since the caravan left the Zarx territory. The caravan was traveling toward Bronzwood County. Although 15 days wasn''t a huge amount of time but everyone was somewhat bored traveling all day. Ron was a Noble through and through. during the war, he would not even care about eating dirt to survive but he wasn''t fine with staying in those ''Lowly'' Inns while just simply traveling. He was a noble and he had accepted this in his heart. His thinking was that although nobles should not forget their duty to protect the citizens, they should also not forget the prestige they hold. And so he had decided that everyone would stay in Bronzwood county Lord''s manner for some days and refresh themselves a bit. This was the first time Karna was traveling in a carriage. Even though it was very comfortable, he felt rather odd just sitting in the carriage all day. He wanted to ride outside but Ron had become very protective since Rudra suddenly fell into a coma, so he had no choice but to continue training magic and taking dance, and etiquette classes from Lara. The caravan was just one day away from bronzwood county, They would reach to their destination after crossing the Kimra Valley. Both carriages were traveling through the commonly used path through the Kimra Valley. Karna was currently in the carriage with Lara. He was just done with his etiquette class and now it was time for dance practice. Karna and Lara both were standing inside the spacious carriage. Karna held Lara''s petite waist as he drew her closer. Her feminine scent tingled in his nose. He looked into her eyes awkwardly, and Lara blushed. The song began playing in the background from a magic device. Lara composed herself. Just as the beat began playing, Lara held Karna''s right hand into hers and began guiding him with the rhythm of the song. they swayed left and right with the song. Both stepped sideways at the same time while Karna raised his right hand upwards and drew her closer, just as it looked like they would bump into each other, he nimbly dodged and broadened the distance. Lara was pushed back as she swirled backward elegantly. Now there was at least 6 steps distance between them. their hands joined together like an unbreakable bridge. Just as the hand was about to slide off Karna again gently pulled Lara closer. Both of them forgot that this was supposed to be ''Educational'' and began enjoying each other''s warmth. Both of them wore smiles of bliss and happiness. both completely forgot their surroundings as they intertwined and swirled together. Suddenly the carriage stopped and their balance broke as they stumbled. Karna fell to the ground with a ''thud'' as he closed his eyes. He soon felt something bump into him. Instinctively he moved his arms forward and felt something very smooth to the touch. He unconsciously squeezed and open his eyes. All this occurred in less than two seconds. He saw Lara on top of him with an embarrassed expression. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Maids or lower class in general were taught like this from their childhood. Now in this situation, Lara should have slapped Karna angrily but in reality, she could only be embarrassed. As a Noble, Karna could do anything to her as long as it was not completely inhumane. She was just a Maid after all, and Karna was a Noble. Just as Karna was about to apologize, someone opened the carriage door from outside. It was one of Karna''s attendants. He was 20 years old and his name was Raka. The first thing he saw after opening the door was Karna in such a scandalous position but without flinching, he completely ignored it as if nothing happened. It was obvious that he was a clever attendant. Karna cursed thousands of times in his mind as he awkwardly got up. Lara had already gotten off him when she saw the opened door. While trying not to die from embarrassment Karna gathered all his courage and looked at Raka. presenting himself as calm as possible, he asked, "What is it?" "Lord, there''s a bit of trouble!" Seeing Raka''s expression Karna understood that something serious had happened. He calmed himself down and got off the carriage. Both the carriage were stopped. Everyone was silent. Warriors had unsheathed their swords and mages were gathering Mana around them, ready to cast spells at a moment''s notice. Warriors had surrounded the carriages leaving no hole in between, behind the warriors, All mages had gathered facing all directions. Suddenly the sound of heavy footsteps echoed from the distance. Oliver shouted, "Everyone, Prepare! a pack of thirty Wind wolves is heading this way! Protect the Lord and the Young Lord!" The footsteps grew louder, and Karna''s heart thumped hard with nervousness. This was the first time he would see a Magical Beast. A few moments later, the thirty wolves came in sight. they were truly fast as if the wind had blessed them. They were leaping large strides and covering long distances in seconds. As they got closer, their speed slowed. Karna finally got a look when they got in sight. All of them were huge, they had soft brown fur. Sharp claws and fangs, long sturdy tails. Saliva was drooling from their mouths as if they would pounce on the tasty-looking humans right away. They slowly moved forward in a cautious manner gauging the enemy''s strength. Some of them moved to the sides sneakily trying to surround the caravan. Seeing this Ron yelled, "Hmph! Don''t let them surround us, what are you waiting for? kill them all!" As if the wolves understood that things were about to go down, they made their move. All of them pounced on the warriors in front. Some warriors were still in the back looking out for any potential ambush. Two earth attribute mages created sharp spikes on the location on which the wolves were going to land. Just as it looked like the wolves would have no choice but to land on the sharp spikes, suddenly whistling sounds came as a gust of wind appeared under the wolves which moved them out of the spike''s trajectory. With no surprise on their faces, the mages instead smiled viciously. When Karna looked, Two of the warriors had already anticipated the wolf''s movements as they were already prepared with their glowing swords which oozed with ''Aura''. When the wolves landed far away from the Earth Spikes, the warriors slashed their swords at the wolf''s necks. One of the wolve''s neck was severed completely as blood rushed out like a waterfall from the wound, the other wolf, however, had again dodged using a ''gust of wind'' But even before it had the chance, suddenly a large, red hot fireball struck the wolf''s face. The wolf hauled in immense pain as it slashed around its paw blindly. The fireball had scorched the wolf''s entire face which made it blind. It looked like some demonic creature from hell with its charred, dark, bloody, face with some cooked flesh dangling out of its body. The wolf''s face was impossible to identify at this point. The smell of burned flesh mixed with blood and agonized, ear-screeching hauls reached Karna''s nose and ears. Seeing the bloody and horrifying scene, Karna wanted to puke but he held himself back and acted as calmly as possible. But his trembling hands betrayed his demeanor. fortunately, no one was at liberty to pay attention. Rude Awakening On the other side, Five vicious wolves approached the five warriors, they pounced on the warriors with speed similar to an arrow while cutting the air. The warriors raised their swords which glowed with their Aura. The wolves closed the distance In a blink of an eye slashing their claws at the warriors with great force. The warriors parried the strikes with their swords and dodged backward. Although the warriors could use their sword arts to finish off the wolves quicker but they were taught to be efficient while dealing with the enemy and save as much energy as possible to deal with any unseen circumstance. The wolves could not break the extremely durable swords and were pushed backward by the warrior''s Aura which invaded the wolf''s body through the sword. before they could stabilize, the ground beneath their feet became a quagmire as a mage behind the warriors smirked cruelly. The wolf''s feet began sinking in. Not wasting this opportunity, five of the warriors slashed their swords at the wolves from a distance. Miraculously, The Aura manifested in a flying blade that flew just as fast as the wolves were running previously and swiftly slaughtered all of them without any resistance. Ron and Karna both were watching the ongoing battles. Ron was a powerful warrior and he could easily kill all of the wolves by himself without any bother. But he would not interfere with such a minor threat and flaunt his strength like an idiot. As time passed, the painful cries of the wolves began decreasing, and the pungent smell of blood spread into the surroundings. The warriors fought the wolves at a close range and the mages created obstructions with minor spells creating opportunities for the warriors to successfully strike the wolves. The sound of metal echoed throughout the battlefield as the wolves claws met with the warrior''s swords, several sharp spikes could be seen here and there with the sign of struggle all over the place. while the warriors were outnumbered, they were trained in handling multiple enemies at once. otherwise, Ron would not have chosen them as bodyguards. Oliver was casting spells to obstruct the wolf''s speed and movements non-stop so that the warriors could deal with as few wolves as possible. Oliver casually created earth walls, constructing the wolf''s movements. As if that wasn''t enough, he also created deep pits all over the place. With tactics like these, he bought some time for the warriors to finish off their opponents and turn to the next. During this skirmish, the warriors did not even use their sword arts and the mages did not use their offensive spells, saving as much energy as possible. It had already been 30 minutes since the battle began and 20 of the wolves were already massacred. Seeing this, the remaining wolves became terrified and tried to back off. But how could Ron just let them go just like that? He yelled, "Don''t let them escape, they will cause trouble for others. Although we can handle them easily, not everyone is strong enough to deal with such a large pack of wolves! Kill them all!" The warriors began closing in the distance while surrounding the wolves. Karna had been watching the entire battle from outside of the carriage. The battlefield was filled with bloody spots, wolf corpses were piled lifelessly, decapitated limbs could be seen everywhere and the blood flowed like a river from the corpses. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Karna finally couldn''t hold it any longer as he puked his guts out. Seeing this, Lara came out of the carriage and patted Karna''s back with worry, "What''s wrong? are you not feeling well?" Lara said with a worried expression on her face as she gently patted Karna''s back. Lara did not think that Karna was not used to such gore. ''Rudra'' literally used to go hunting for Magical Beasts so she thought that Karna was not feeling well. Karna was currently busy puking and getting to terms with the cruel reality of this world. He had lived in hardship as an orphan but he had never seen such a gruesome scene in his life. Although he had anticipated some difficulty to come his way eventually but he was still somewhat complacent. He realized that he had been living in a luxury way too much. He had forgotten that he can''t use a sword and it will take some time for him to know enough magic to protect himself at least. He does not have the same mentality as this world''s folk and that''s why he must put in even more effort. Suddenly, Karna heard the sound of air piercing as he felt the danger to his life. Although Karna did not have such ability but he was still in a body of a warrior who had combat experience. When he looked around him, he saw a Wind Blade coming towards him with incredible speed. before he could think of anything, Lara bravely stood in front of him intending to take the strike in his place. Her body seems to be trembling from fear. But when she saw Karna''s life in danger she stood in front of him as if that was the most natural thing to do. At the moment it was as if time had stopped for him. Many thoughts came into Karna''s mind. ''Is she going to die to save me?'' Karna lamented hopelessly. ''Am I really worthy of such loyalty? I should have worked harder! DAMNIT!'' Just as the wind blade was about to hit Lara, Karna felt his eyes burn with pain. He was in a state of ''thought acceleration'' so even though several seconds had passed in his view, outside it was just some milliseconds. [ "Creating the spell circuit - Action affirmative" ] Karna heard this mechanical voice in his head. He was smart enough to understand that this must be related to his ''Special Attribute''. Almost instinctively, he began releasing his Mana in the surroundings to cast a spell. [ "Success! Detected Assistance required for casting the spell" ] [ "Guiding the Mana to move freely outside the body..... Success!" ] As this voice rang in his head, Karna felt his Mana draw out of his body at an alarming rate. His Spiritual force was also reduced by a large margin. Although the mysterious ability had helped him create the spell circuit in his mind and manipulate the Mana, he still had to implement the actual process by himself. Taking advantage of the ''Thought Acceleration'' he quickly made a connection with nature using his Mana Core as a catalyst, he then used the already established spell circuit and commanded the spell to be cast. The ''Thought Acceleration'' ended as Karna felt his surroundings in normal perception. He also saw the ''Wind blade'' coming toward Lara and her trembling body. He felt a sweet feeling rise deep in his heart. But this was not the time to ponder such matters. Ignoring his exhausted body, Karna finally managed to cast the Apprentice-level Fire Attribute spell - Fireball. All this happened in a matter of a few seconds. From realizing the Wind Blade coming toward Lara to conjuring the Spell; only a few seconds had passed. From other''s viewpoints, it seemed that Karna was a bit dazed then clarity and resolve gradually appeared in his eyes. The fireball flew toward the approaching Wind Blade. The Small, weak Fireball only managed to delay the powerful Wind Blade which was conjured by a mutated Magical Beast Which had revealed itself a few hundred meters of distance away. Ron had already noticed the oddity a long time ago and managed to reach Karna in the nick of time because of the Zarx Family''s ''Shiva''s dance of fury'' Movement Technique. This mishap had occurred because the Mutated Wolf had an excellent concealment technique with the ''Wind Blade'' Magic Skill. And because everyone was busy with the wolves, no one had noticed the danger. Fortunately, Karna managed to delay the Wind Blade for two seconds and Ron easily blocked the attack. Karna fell unconscious after casting the spell forcefully using his mysterious skill. His Spiritual force had weakened seemingly getting used in order to use the mysterious skill. But before closing his eyes, he saw Lara safe and sound and Ron fuming with Rage going after the Mutated Wolf. All the warriors had dealt with the wolves by now and quickly gathered around Karna''s carriage on full alert looking out for another sneak attack. Hope For The Future The sky was beginning to illuminate in a shade of reddish-orange with the rising sun. The birds were awake and lively. As is urging all living beings to wake up with the light of dawn, they sang melodiously in their sweet voice. A cold breeze blew between some intervals creating a fresh atmosphere. On a road between trees that were so brown that they could be mistaken for bronze, two carriages were heading toward the city of Broncos. The carriages were luxurious and had an insignia of a red lotus on a sword which identified them as the Zarx Family of The Ascar Empire. The carriages were surrounded by experts who were in a state of vigilance. In one of the carriages, there was a red-haired boy who was currently sleeping soundly. The carriage was so specious that one could easily sleep comfortably in it. The boy was Rudra Von Zarx who had fallen unconscious because of forcefully casting a spell for which he was not ready. It had been one day since the incident happened. After Karna fell unconscious, Ron slaughtered the mutated wolf who had sneakily ambushed Karna. Everyone was dumbfounded after seeing that ''Rudra'' had used a magic spell to deal with the ambush. Ron told everyone to shut their mouths about Rudra having a Mana core. Although they were extremely surprised to see Rudra being able to cast an apprentice-level spell In such a short time after he began learning magic, they were dumbfounded because Rudra had not used his sword, Instead, he fell unconscious. This somewhat gave credibility to the rumors that Rudra had become useless as a warrior after he recovered from the illness. Even Ron had become suspicious now. This incident left a bad taste in Ron''s mouth, so he decided to leave for bronzwood county as soon as possible to relieve some stress before continuing the journey to Blue Isle City. Ron was also worried about Rudra who would be the main attraction after reaching The Blue Isle City. And thus, After making haste, they had reached bronzwood county''s borders. It would take a few more hours to reach the capital city of the county - Broncos City. Ron would not stay in just any noble''s place. Although he was not as worse as the other nobles, he too had the High Noble''s pride in him. And why shouldn''t he? The Zarx Family was only second to the dukes, it was rich and although the Zarx family had been trying to conceal its martial prowess, The upper echelons knew that the Zarx Family was not just as simple as being rich. Ron chose bronzwood county because it was famous in the noble circle. The ''Bronzwood'' County had gotten its name because of the existence of the peculiar trees which grew there. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. These trees were as brown as bronze hence the ''Bronzwood''. The trees were somehow immune to fire for a certain degree, making their wood a great choice for creating houses or luxurious furniture. These woods created amazing luster after its processing and that''s why the Lord of the county - Bryan Walker had a certain status in the empire. Even the Imperial family had dealings with him. In the carriage, Karna finally opened his eyes. He woke up and remembered the events which happened before. He remembered the threat of death, he remembered Lara who bravely stood before him, he remembered the miraculous ability which saved Lara''s life from peril. He remembered how weak he really is. His Spiritual force which was used for the activation of his ability had already fully recovered. Coming to his senses, Karna looked around and saw the sleeping Lara beside the bed. She was asleep leaning on the bed while sitting on the chair. ''She must have felt asleep while looking after me'' he thought. Although Karna had his new family now in his heart, he knew that Ron and Aisha were just assuming him to be their son. Would they accept him if he told them the truth? He had no confidence in that. But Lara was different. She was the only person who was close to him after he came into this world. And her actions the previous day had truly won his heart. Karna gently grabbed her by the waist and placed her on the bed. He covered her body with the blanket and sat down to meditate. When Karna entered the ''Samadhi'' State, he saw that his Mana Core had undergone some changes. Although the Mana core''s size was the same, he felt that he could store more Mana in his body from now on. Every Mage needed to store Mana inside their bodies to sever its connection with nature and command it for their own usage. Although the ambush was very dangerous, it allowed Karna to awaken his ''Special Attribute'' in the desperate situation. It was just as Makrov had said, The special attribute will be awakened when it is needed the most. Thinking of this, Karna tried to access the mysterious ability again but in vain. Sighing in his heart he decided to be optimistic and hope for the best. Karna suddenly remembered again that he had conjured an Apprentice Level spell - Fireball. He became excited as he thought of the miraculous nature of magic. At that time he was in a rushed state so he was not able to experience the joy of casting the first-ever spell. He became excited as he effortlessly guided the Mana out of his body. He was stuck at this step before but now he could do it easily. Karna created the Spell circuit as he grew even more enthusiastic. but the circuit broke even before the spell could take form. He understood that it was not as easy as it seemed to create the spell circuit. He had done it before with the assistance of the ability. Karna was not discouraged by this. Instead, a smile appeared on his face as he thought. ''So what? I will practice until I can do it as efficiently as breathing!'' Small successes indeed create hope for the future. Karna thought as he began creating the spell circuit again and again. The Prestige of the Nobles The sun shone brightly over the head. Sounds of people''s noises could be heard all around the town. The shopkeepers were haggling with the customers about the prizes, two young boys were having a duel full of heroic spirit while the pedestrians cheered with passion. A little kid was begging his mother to buy him candy as his gaze was constantly going towards the multiple colored candies on the side of the road at a small stall. His mother couldn''t help it as she bought an orange colored candy for the boy, the boy became ecstatic as he hopped around in happiness not noticing the concern in his mother''s eyes. The mother sneakily counted the minuscule amount of bronze coins in her pouch and sighed with hopelessness. But then a motherly smile appeared on her face as she saw her son brimming with joy and happiness. She clenched her fists as calluses could be seen on her hands. Some unknown resolve flashed in her eyes. On the other hand, An Lady with a noble temperament, beautiful looks, and smooth skin, two muscular guards following her got off the carriage and went to the jewelry store. The merchant smiled merrily seeing her come as he gestured to go inside. The lady looked over many jewelry, pendants, and ornaments and after a long time pondering, asked the price of a particular pendant that shone the brightest among all others. The blood-red ruby embedded inside it gave it an image of prestige and class. The merchant''s expression grew complicated as he told her the price. After knowing the enormous price, the lady was gobsmacked. She cursed her husband under the breath for not providing her with more money. After a while of pouting, she chose another, less expensive pendant. Dissatisfaction was apparent on her face. At that moment, another lady came in who wore an even more lavish dress and a beautiful hat. Not paying any heed to anyone else, she pointed at the ruby pendant arrogantly. The merchant smiled and rubbed his hands together as he showed her the pendant. Without wasting any time, the lady bought it without a hitch and left, not giving a second glance to the lady who wanted to have that pendant first. The Lady''s expression grew unsightly as she harrumphed and left. The two guards behind her who were watching the whole charade smiled with relief and patted themselves for not marrying. This was the town of Brooklyn which was not far from the capital of Bronzwood county. The County was prosperous. This was also another day in Brooklyn town. But suddenly, the noise of people changed into low pitched murmurs. The lady who wore an unsightly expression also noticed the oddity, the two guards behind her became alert sensing the odd environment and an oppressive aura. The lady changed her expression as she increased the pace and went outside the jewelry shop. Upon arriving, she noticed the two carriages moving at a medium pace surrounded by two dozen experts. The lady narrowed her eyes resisting the sunlight. As the carriages got nearer, she finally saw the Marquis Zarx Family''s insignia on the luxurious carriages. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. As a lady of the high society, she naturally knew the significance of that insignia. She looked at the two approaching carriages and then looked at the nearby parked shabby looking carriage from which she had come. The lady sighed as she thought to herself that even the idea of comparison is ridiculous. The lady got startled out of her daze by the sound of the cavalry. The tapping of horses increased with time as the pedestrians began gossiping. Some stupid once even fainted thinking that the town had gotten under attack. The Zarx Family carriages slowed down and halted. In the distance, the cavalry approached it creating dust clouds behind. The cavalry finally arrived after some minutes. The hundred or so horses stopped, and one horse came forward. The handsome man jumped down from the horse and bowed toward the carriage in front. All of the men were burly and emitted a fierce aura, they wore armor with the insignia of three brown leaves. "Marquis Zarx, I am the personal Knight of Lord Walker and my name is Florance Clark, My lord received the news that you were coming so he sent me to escort you to the mansion. Please accept our company." Florence said courteously. Ron saw that the cavalry consisted of over a hundred 2nd ranked warriors. Ron did not think that Count Walker would have any malicious thoughts and mere Rank 2nd hundred warriors were no match for Ron and the elite experts. "I appreciate the gesture. Sir Knight, please do escort us safely." Ron said as he returned to the carriage. The people were seeing all this. Not everyone knew the various Noble Families Insignia so they were dumbfounded seeing their Lord''s knight acting so humbly towards someone. "Hoo! Oh My God! Look at those prideful knights bowing like that! Unbelievable!" A skinny-looking man said with a shocked expression. "Shh! Careful now. Do you want to lose your head?" A man near him whispered in a low voice. "Look! That''s the Zarx Family Insignia, right?" Another man yelled in excitement while pointing at the insignia on the carriage. "Wow! I have never seen carriages so luxurious! They sure are rich!" A goofy-looking teenage boy said while mesmerized, saliva drooling from his mouth. "Hahaha, toad want to have the swan... Hahaha." Suddenly another teenager smacked the boy''s head and said disdainfully. "You!...." The boy angrily ran after the teenager who had smacked him. The caravan began moving with the cavalry, as the murmurs and gossip faded away. Karna had seen the stunned expressions on the people''s faces. He asked Lara who was sitting beside him in the carriage. "Lara, Why are these people so stunned? they look at us as if we''re not of this world. I understand that our status is greater than theirs but isn''t their reaction a bit too much?" Karna asked putting his hand under his chin as he leaned towards the carriage window. "My Lord, The nobles really are from a different world than the commoners. Even a Lord like Count Walker will have to be courteous toward you. They''re just the commoners. That''s just how it is." Karna pondered on the matter as he thought that he got lucky to have been inside Noble''s body. He became terrified as he thought that what if he had been transmigrated Into a poor ophan''s body? Karna shuddered at the thought. Seeing his bizarre expression, Lara asked worriedly, "Is there a problem, My Lord?" Seeing her cute face, Karna stretched out his hand toward her face. Just as he was about to touch, his hand stopped. He drew back the hand and turned towards the window and said, "I Just think I''m very lucky." Lara blushed, her heart was pounding very hard when Karna stretched his hand and was about to caress her face. Her heart calmed down when Karna drew his hand back but at the same time, she also felt an inexplicable disappointment. Arrival at the Count Walkers Castle The darkness of night was about to envelop the sky. It was twilight. The tapping of horses echoed out in the surroundings as the 100-man cavalry accompanied two carriages. The city of Berteira which was the capital of Bronzwood county was in sight. The city was fortified with tall walls on which the guards were standing solemnly. The guards wore lightweight armor with the insignia of the Walker Family. The door to the city was bold and huge. When the carriages reached the City, the door was already opened. A middle-aged man was standing at the entrance near the entry guard post. few of the city folk watched curiously as the carriages stopped in front of the wall, the 100-man cavalry was behind the carriages. To the people, this scene looked as if someone important was being welcomed. Few of them began making conclusions about the guests. The man who seemed to be a butler judging from his appearance came forward and bowed politely. He said in a respectful tone, "Lord Marquis, I am the Butler of the Walker Family. I humbly welcome you on behalf of My Lord. Please come...." The butler made a gesture to proceed inside. Both carriages, one In front and one in the back began moving as the coachman pulled the horse''s reign and jerked, the horses neighed. The City looked quite bright despite the twilight. The shopkeepers on the sides of the road and the merchants with their carts were done doing Business and were returning to their residences. The Mercenaries and the other men gathered in different taverns as they shared their daily experiences in a drunken stupor. They laughed at someone''s silliness and became silent when a mercenary shared his brother in arms passing during the job. A musician was playing a tune while singing which was perfect to listen to in twilight. The town was lively. In the residential district, bungalows, small houses, and even mansions were standing tall in different layers of the area according to class. Although this was somewhat comical, but Karna hadn''t yet seen the Zarx Territory''s Capital City, Neale. Karna always trained all day ever since he came to this world. Although he wanted to see it, he needed some days to get used to the world around him. After that, he found the Manual and kinda forgot to see the world. So this was the first time he was seeing a city as magnificent as this. The cheerful atmosphere of the city made him very pleased. He was curious to meet a Lord who created such a city. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. After some time, the carriages reached the Lord''s castle. The castle was guarded by elite guards who were 3rd Ranked Warriors. There were even a few Rank 4 Warriors as well. The castle walls looked sturdy, and the banners of House Walker shone slightly by the light of torches. The Carriages stopped, and the cavalry dispersed and went to its station. Ron and Karna with Lara got off the carriage. Karna looked around curiously as he observed the medieval kind of environment around him. His gaze turned toward the Castle''s entrance where stood a man who was neither too thin nor too chubby. His eyes were sharp and deep. One could judge that this man was extremely witty by his shrewd eyes. The Man had black hair and he wore the general noble attire. Karna''s gaze turned to his side as he saw a youth of 17 years old who could not hide the pride and arrogance in his eyes even if he tried. The boy wore an even more luxurious outfit than his father showing that he was very much loved and doted upon. The boy''s looks were similar to his father''s but his demeanor was unlike his father''s. The boy had good physic, he had a sword hung on his waist proving that he seemed to be a warrior. As Karna was scrutinizing the two of them, they too were observing Karna. Karna wore even more luxurious attire than the Walker boy. His clothes were silky and gave off an otherworldly luster, that with his blood-red hair and masculine body gave off a Godly Charm. Count Waller nodded, seemingly satisfied with Karna''s appearance. The Walker Boy, however, shot a disdainful glance after seeing that Karna had no sword on him. In this world, unless you were a mage or an ordinary person, everyone kept a sword with them. Seeing that Karna did not have a sword on him made the boy think that the rumors were indeed true. The Walker Family''s Butler came forward and bowed. Bryan Walker said, "Lord Zarx, We are honored to have you with us today. You have had a long journey, please rest and refresh yourselves for a while and we will meet in the Banquet later at night." Bryan said with an amiable smile as he guided everyone inside. The Zarx Family convoy got an entire floor for themselves. Ron went inside the designated room while Karna also went into his designated room. All the Zarx family experts had gotten their rooms near Ron and Karna''s bedroom. This was a show of etiquette to tell the guest that the host had no intention to separate them from their bodyguards. The room Karna had gotten was not much different from his bedroom in the Zarx Mansion. It was spacious with a large bed, a few paintings, silky carpets on the floor, and a balcony. It was very luxurious. Karna washed his face with cold water and lay down on the bed. This journey was significant for him because of his realizations and new experiences. Now that he got time and comfort to think about it, he remembered the bloody scene on the battlefield, he remembered his growing feelings toward Lara. Karna didn''t particularly have any romantic feelings for Lara. He just felt like himself around her. He did not pretend to be Rudra when he was with her. While thinking of different matters, the exhaustion accumulated throughout the journey got to him as he drifted into sleep. Our Little Secret Karna woke up from the noise of door knocking. He slowly opened his eyes lazily, his eyes opened wide fully when he again heard the sound of door knocking, and it was even louder this time. The room was very dark, but the combination of a bit of moonlight mixed in with the dimmed glow of the magic lamps gave off a mystic feeling to the vicinity. Stars were blinking in the night sky, and a slight tail of smoke could be seen far away in the distance from the direction of the woods, probably because of the bonfire made by someone. The City of Berteira was shining in the darkness as the magic lamps were lit on the streets. The light coming from the torches on the walls of the houses mixed with the luster of the full moon and the numerous magic lamps around the city gave an impression of a ''Heavenly City'' of some sort. Karna saw a glimpse of this scene while getting off the bed. Chilly air was blowing which made the balcony''s and window''s white contain flutter. The sound of fluttering created another lair of otherworldly effect. ''Knock Knock'' "Yes, I''m coming!" Karna exclaimed in annoyance. The sound of Knocking stopped abruptly as a gasp sounded from the outside. Karna opened the door and he saw Lara in her usual maid outfit, she looked a bit flustered. Karna''s expression changed as he saw her. he said in a gentle tone, "Oh... it''s you, Lara! What is the matter?" "Uh? hu... Y-Yes, My Lord." Lara stuttered as she averted her gaze, It looked as if she wanted to say something but was hesitating whether to say it not not. Karna did not notice. Lara continued, "Did you forget? you have to attend the banquet in one hour... What''s this? you haven''t bathed yet? you''re not ready at all!" "Oh? sorry, I kinda forgot and fell asleep." Karna said as he hopelessly scratched his head ignoring his noble identity. "My Lord! Don''t break the noble etiquette!" Lara scolded. "I have a small request of you, Lara." Karna''s expression grew complicated as he said in a somewhat pleading tone. Seeing such a sudden change, Lara was startled. "Wh-What is it?" Lara said hesitantly. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. "When we are alone, do not mind if I break etiquette or speak strangely." Lara was surprised to hear such a request. Usually, nobles asked for different types of ''requests'' from girls. Although Lara for some reason did not think that Karna would ask for anything like that but even so she was astonished anyways. Lara being Lara, she began making delusional explanations for Karna''s odd request in her mind. At last, she came to an conclusion that ''Rudra'' was pressured by his Noble identity and wanted to act casually out of the restraints of etiquette. "hmm, Yes!" Lara said timidly. Karna smiled as he suddenly had a mischievous idea after Lara''s cute appearance. He suddenly leaned closer to Lara as he bent slightly and whispered In her ear, "It''s our little secret then." Lara froze on the spot, she felt the ticklish sensation of air going through her ear. She turned red, but she also felt joy in her heart. "Alright then, I will get ready," Karna said as he went inside leaving behind the frozen Lara by herself. Lara came to her senses and said hurriedly, "I will leave your today''s clothing for the banquet in the room." Karna simply weaved his hand indicating that he understood as he walked towards the bathhouse in his room. Lara looked at Karna''s broad back thinking that he looked quite reliable. She again opened her mouth to say something but closed it right after. After realizing that Karna had vanished from her sight she got out of daze and left to get Karna''s clothes. When Karna returned after bathing, he saw the clothes on the bed which was folded neatly. There was a long coat closed up to the neck which reached to the knees, the coat was purple with a hint of light blue in it, the coat had linings of golden strands intertwined together creating beautiful patterns and intricate designs with few pearls of various colors here and there. The pant was not too tight but not too loose either. Compared to the coat, the pant was less fancy. It was white but with a shade of golden hue. When Karna wore the outfit, he looked like an imperial prince with his sharp looks, Red hair, and extremely luxurious outfit. At that moment, Lara came to check up on Karna. She nearly skipped a beat seeing his dashing and devilish look. But this was just for a moment as she quickly regained her calm. "Please sit, Lord. I will make up your hair." Karna nodded and sat down. Lara then began combing his hair, she applied a bit of ointment to make the hair shine with a luster like silk. She then moved his long hair back into a ponytail. Lara also gave Karna the waist belt on which one can hang his sword. Usually, Karna did not care for it but he had to now because it was a social etiquette and many important people of Bronzwood county will be there. He did not want to embarrass the Zarx name and it wasn''t a big deal anyway. Just like that, Karna was ready for the banquet. Karna suddenly noticed a strange look in Lara''s eyes. "You look troubled, is there anything wrong? do I not look well?" Karna asked as he was puzzled. "Huh? Nothing... there''s nothing." Lara said in a rush. "Are you sure?" Karna raised his brows as he asked again suspiciously. "Yes," Lara said. "Fine then, let''s go!" Karna said as he left for the banquet, Lara followed behind. The banquet The banquet hall was over a basketball court long. The hall was decorated with colorful curtains made of silky fabric, antiques that seemed to be expensive as the servants were extra careful around them, paintings, and vases of strange shapes and designs. Tables made out of brown wood were placed in an orderly manner with the red table clothes over them. Various Magical Beast meat with salad and sweets were on the tables on silver plates. The musicians were playing a mild tune with their strings and other instruments. Karna met up with Ron while heading toward the banquet hall and both of them together arrived. The Guard who was standing beside the door announced the arrival of Ron and Karna as he saw them heading his way. "Lord Marquis Zarx and Young Master Rudra Zarx are entering." The guard announced with a straight face. The clammer inside the banquet hall ceased as everyone waited in anticipation of the arrival of the Zarxs''. The lighting in the hallway was dim so no one could see the father and son''s faces. Gradually, the both of them reached the hall and they stepped in. The bright light shone on both of their faces as everyone saw the Noble and Dignified visage of Ron and the Handsome and devilish visage of Rudra. As Ron was somewhat famous in the empire due to his exploits during the war and his strength, many people knew how he looked and his characteristics were famous in the empire. However, not many people had seen Rudra as he only went to the Imperial Capital In the Academy when he was little. After that, he mostly trained his skills In the Zarx Territory and then the incident happened. So when Karna appeared in the princely attire, that with his warrior-built body left a deep impression on everyone. The banquet hall was filled with rich families of Bronzwood county, Count Walker''s trusted subordinates, military leaders, merchants, and all their families. When few of the ladies saw Karna''s looks they began gossiping. "Oh My, Cornelia. Do you see him? if you can even become his concubine then we can keep our heads high in society." A charming lady said to her daughter. "Heh, Your daughter? what a joke!" Another lady said under her breath mockingly. The lady glared at the woman who had said the provoking remark, her lips curled upwards as she replied, "Hmph, could it be that you want to..... Oh my, forgive me! I almost forgot that you don''t have any children." The woman trembled with rage, it seemed that was her weak spot. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Karna of course had no idea that two women had fought over him. He was just watching everything in bewilderment trying to stay as calm as possible. Karna realized that he was not ready to become the center of attention like this. He began searching for Lara but then he realized that a mere Maid had no right to attend the banquet with her Lord. Karna cursed his bad luck. Somehow he managed to keep himself together as he began hiding from eye contact, his shoulders became stiff giving off an unapproachable aura. This behavior, however, was exactly by Rudra''s characters. Everyone misunderstood Karna to be a lone wolf high above others not even bothering to glance at anyone. This temperament was very much likable to females as countless young girls'' heart''s skipped beats. Suddenly the murmurs subsided as the sound of footsteps sounded coming from the stage. Everyone looked toward the front. Karna sighed with relief, Bryan Walker had arrived with his family, there was his wife who had a sweet smile on her face, despite being the mother of two her skin seemed to be glossy and smooth without any wrinkles whatsoever. Her every move was elegant and filled with grace. She wore a white dress which was embodied with jewels and pearls. Then there was Count Walker''s daughter who was similar to her mother. she was tall and fair with a plump figure, although just like her mother; her looks weren''t ''heavenly'' so to speak but her temperament and aura gave off a special charm. And finally, there was Count Walker''s son, he looked the same as before. sharp gaze like a dagger, black attire, and long hair. He had a sword hung on his waist which was fancier than the previous one. The boy shot a glance toward Rudra and after seeing the sword on his waist he averted his gaze pretending not to have looked in the first place. Count Walker stood on the stage and addressed the entire hall, "Welcome everyone. Today we are having Marquis Zarx as a guest in our County. In his honor, I have arranged this banquet. So do not hold back and enjoy yourself to the fullest!" Cheers and claps erupted as Count Bryan finished his little speech. Everyone combined their chatter. The ladies gossiped about various things happening in the empire. Some began having their fill and some hesitated to come toward the Zarxs''. The ones who were hesitant backed off as they saw Count Bryan walking over to Ron and Rudra with his family. Count Bryan and his family got to where Ron and Rudra were. Count Bryan began introducing them with enthusiasm, "Marquis Zarx, This is my wife - Eliana Walker," Bryan said with a proud expression on his face as he introduced Eliana. He seemed to be very happy to have a wife way out of his league. Eliana curtsied with grace and elegance, with an eloquent speech she said, "I have heard much about your exploits in the war, Lord Zarx. Now I see myself that the rumors were indeed very undermined." Eliana said in awe. "Hahaha. You jest, lady Eliana. The soldiers are the real heroes who shed blood for the good of the empire!" Ron said his honest thoughts. Eliana nodded, "It''s indeed an undeniable fact, but the tales of your bravery are also facts.. isn''t that so?" Bryan said with a hint of admiration in his tone. Ron said nothing and just smiled. Bryan understood that Ron did not want to continue on this topic so he tactfully changed the topic, "These are my children, Mia and Joseph." Mia curtsied similarly to her mother. it seemed that she had received proper training in the ways of noblewomen. Mia too said some flattering things about Ron and turned her attention toward Karna. "I have heard that Young Lord Rudra is quite adequate in swordsmanship," Mia said shyly as she twiddled with her fingers. "Oh? It''s no big deal." Karna said in a bold manner trying to put up Rudra''s persona. Mia smiled in a charming manner that was powerful enough to seduce any man. And sure enough, Karna was inwardly startled. he quickly averted his gaze as he wished for the banquet to end as soon as possible. The Furious Joseph The Banquet continued. Everyone was doing their own thing, some were discussing matters of the empire while some were gossiping about the latest news. Karna was awkward as this was his first banquet and he did not know what to talk about so he just decided to eat. Ron and Bryan were discussing the geopolitical situation of the continent and the new laws endorsed by the emperor. Ron remembered that he required some good-quality wood between the conversation, "Lord Bryan, I need 10 tons of brown wood. What''s going to be the prize?" "That''s quite a large amount, If you don''t mind... what are you going to do with it?" Bryan asked curiously. "Not at all, I''m going to begin a Large scale construction project in the territory. That''s why I need so much wood." Ron answered without any change in his expression. "I see, since your lordship is buying it in a bulk I will give you a 10% Discount. Originally it would have been 500,000 gold Hons, with the discount it will be 450,000 gold Hons." Ron understood that Bryan wanted to show his goodwill and maintain good relations. Although 500,000 gold Hons'' was a huge amount it was nothing to Ron. This world had a currency called Hons, Naturally, Hons was the currency of the Ascar Empire and every nation had its own currency. There were Terl Hons, Silver Hons, And Gold Hons. There was one of the metals in this world. It was similar to copper but had more electric conductivity. Obviously tho, no one knew about Electricity but they sure knew about lightning. 100 Terl Hons made for one Silver Hon. 200 Silver Hons made for one Gold Hon. In this world, having a Gold Hon was like a divine blessing for the commoners. That''s because you only needed a few silver Hons or a few hundred Terl Hons. Ron and Bryan shortly concluded their deal after some more talks. Suddenly, Bryan''s gaze turned towards Karna who was currently having a meal on his lonesome. A look of contemplation appeared on his face before quickly disappearing. Ron obviously noticed, "What is it?" Ron asked curiously. "Oh, Forgive me. I just think that you are quite lucky to have a son like him. I too have heard that he is a genius." Bryan said a strange look flashing in his eyes. "Haha, Not at all. Your son looks quite fierce as well. He seems to be quite the youngster." This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Bryan smiled, it could be seen that he doted on his children very much. Especially his son. Bryan turned toward Ron as he pointed at Mia. "Lord Ron, My daughter seems to be fond of your son. As far as I know... Rudra''s coming-of-age ceremony will be next year and he will have to perform the ''Rite of Valor''. After that, according to tradition, he will have to take a wife." Ron understood what Bryan wanted to say. He sighed hopelessly. "Forgive me, Lord Bryan. This brat is very stubborn and always refuses to marry. I have tried to persuade him many times. but...." Bryan thought that Ron was just making excuses to delay the matter. He did not insist anymore. "I see. These things cannot be decided on the spur of the moment. But I hope you keep my daughter in mind when Rudra agrees." "Surely" Ron replied awkwardly as he thought of the upcoming event in the Blue Isle City." While Ron And Bryan were speaking, on the other hand. Joseph was observing Rudra who was currently having a meal like a hooligan. Although Rudra was taking mannerism lessons from Lara, that''s not something anyone can learn in a month or two. Not to mention that Rudra''s Inner Orphan would awaken when he saw any delicious food. ''That''s him?'' Joseph thought as he knitted his brows. ''This is Rudra Von Zarx who was at the top of the Imperial Academy among all? how could this be? He''s nothing but a pretty face!'' Joseph thought as he looked at Rudra who had some food crumbs left near his mouth. To say the least, Joseph was very disappointed seeing Rudra. Joseph was 17 years old and yet he was a 1st High Ranked warrior. But Rudra was rumored to be a 2nd Low Ranked Warrior even before he fell into a coma which was three years ago. Every Noble family urged their youths to take inspiration from a genius like Rudra, Joseph was no different. As a result, he had always anticipated meeting the person he had heard so much about and he had great expectations. But all his hopes seemed to have evaporated in nothingness as he saw ''Rudra'' he seemed nothing like a warrior. Warriors carried themselves in a specific manner while doing anything at all times. They left no holes in their posture, they were always ready to unsheath their swords at a moment''s notice. ''Rudra'' though, had no such qualities as Joseph observed him. Rudra didn''t even seem to notice Joseph''s gaze on him as he devoured the food on the table. Joseph felt betrayed. ''Did I chase after this person all this time?'' he felt like a fool. With disappointment, he felt great fury. All his life he had to train himself to inherit his father''s position when the time comes and he did a lot of hard work for it. But seeing someone like Rudra who was famous in the empire for nothing made his blood boil. He decided to expose Rudra. Joseph walked toward Rudra as he had a contemptuous look on his face. No one noticed as he was heading toward Rudra and even if they did, they would not care much. Joseph reached where Rudra was. He was munching down the food without any care In the world. He didn''t even notice that someone was there. Joseph was even more furious. Joseph harrumphed as he drew his sword. The sound of a sword being drawn was loud enough to reach everyone''s ears as they all looked in Joseph''s direction in surprise and alarm. Ron and Bryan also looked in their direction. Ron frowned, and Bryan was shocked. Eliana who was speaking with her friends looked at Joseph with concern. Mia looked in amusement. Karna was not dense enough to not notice a sword being drawn near him. He first wiped the food scraps off his mouth as he realized that it would be quite embarrassing if everyone saw how his face looked right now. At this point, everyone had looked over in his direction and they only saw Joseph who was near Rudra with his sword unsheathed and Rudra who was leisurely wiping his mouth despite the sword pointed at him. Everyone misunderstood that Rudra was rather calm and even had the leisure to wipe his face as they looked at him with admiration. This made Joseph even more furious. An Unforseen Event Joseph stared at Karna with determination. By now, everyone had stopped whatever they were doing and looked over in Joseph''s direction. "Joseph! What are you doing!?" Bryan said angrily. Joseph slowly removed his hand glove, A look of ''oh, so that''s it'' appeared on the face of Ron and Bryan. "Joseph, this is not the time and place." Bryan said as his anger subsided a little. Joseph completely ignored Bryan as he threw the hand glove in the air. The sound of ''Shiing'' echoed out in the banquet hall as the glove fell on the ground in two pieces. Few of the noble women gasped, surprised by the speed with which the sword torned the glove in two in a blink of an eye. At this point, everyone in the hall understood what was going on. They watched with excitement and anticipation as the events were playing out. "I, Joseph of House Walker, Challenge Rudra of House Zarx to a duel!" Joseph said his intention out loud. Karna had seen from Rudra''s memories that many hot-blooded youths challenged warriors for dual just like this. Many did not believe that Rudra was worth much as they constantly challenged him to duel and that''s why Karna knew that he was in a precarious situation. Rudra would have accepted the duel right away and shown the challenger their place in a dashing manner but this was Karna in Rudra''s body. Although, after doing a lot of practice Karna was now able to cast the Fireball spell but Ron had told him to not reveal yet that he could use magic. And a mere fireball spell would not be enough to defeat a High 1st Ranked warrior anyways. Karna knew that he had to do something to salvage the situation as soon as possible as he saw the anticipation in everyone''s eyes. Although Duels were common among warriors but they did not like to make a show out of it. The stories In the fairy tales where two knights fought in a duel as a large crowd watched and cheered them were considered to be ludicrous by the Nobility. Warriors and Knights were proud of their strength, they had their own pride and they did not like when the crowd cheered as they fought each other. They did not work hard to entertain anyone nor they were slaves in the coliseum fighting for their freedom. So when the people thought that they could have a rare chance to see a dual, they were excited. Karna realized that he would have to fight at this rate, and he would surely lose if he did that. Joseph had said the family names while issuing the dual making it hard for Karna to refuse. Karna looked at Joseph in annoyance. he said, "I will get nothing by dueling you. I am a 2Nd Ranked warrior while you are just a 1st Ranked. What''s even the point?" Karna said trying to dodge the issue. "Hmph! I don''t believe you! Prove it if you have the balls!" Joseph thought that his assumption was right as Karna tried to avoid the dual, and he became even more confident. This was somewhat true as well. although rumors were that Rudra had stepped into the 2nd rank three years ago, but no one had confirmed it with their own eyes. The people grew even more curious as they would be the first ones to confirm Rudra''s strength. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Karna truly had a headache. He looked at Ron''s face from the corner of his eye. Ron wore a puzzled expression thinking as to why Karna would even argue about this and not show Joseph his place. Time was running out and Karna had no choice but to leave everything to fate. He sighed and nodded. Joseph smirked thinking that he would expose the ''Fake Genius''. Karna''s hand went toward the hilt of his sword. He decided to expose that he could use magic and try his best. Karna held the hilt of his sword and just as he was about to draw the sword, a muffled scream sounded from outside the hall. "HELP!" Karna was shocked as he recognized the voice of Lara. He shot a glance toward Ron and ran in the direction of the voice instantly. He was truly concerned, he did not even realize that he had nearly dodged a bullet. Joseph and others also followed behind Karna. Not far from the banquet hall, at the quarters of the servants where Lara and other Zarx Family servants were staying, Lara''s room''s door was nearly closed as a bit of light escaped from the short gap. Karna pushed the door and he froze at the spot. Lara was lying on the bed and a drunk man who seemed to be the Walker Family''s servant judging by his clothes, with a luscious smile was on top of her. The man was large in comparison to Lara and was trying to restrain her with one hand as his other hand was reaching toward Lara''s body. Lara was struggling with all her might as a few bite marks could be seen on the man''s hand which was blocking Lara''s mouth and preventing her from screaming. At this point, everyone had reached and seen the nasty scene. Everyone showed disgusted faces. Karna felt his blood boiling as he trembled with rage. This was the first time he had been truly angry after coming to this world. Karna remembered Lara''s kindness as his anger shot a hundred folds. Suddenly a strange thing happened as Karna suddenly felt dizzy, his eyes closed on their own as he lost his senses completely. Lara was still struggling, she did not even realize the arrival of so many people as she was panicking in fear at the moment. The drunk man was so wasted that he had no thoughts besides ravaging her. Bryan was embarrassed as this had happened in his castle. Almost all guards were having their little party as the banquet was going on. The servant quarters weren''t guarded much anyways so no one had noticed. No one would have heard Lara''s scream if the music and clamor in the banquet hall had not stopped because of Joseph. Naturally, the guards had noticed the commotion as they too arrived. Before they could take action and stop the drunk piece of sh*t, everyone noticed that Karna''s demeanor had suddenly changed into a bloodthirsty asura. Incredible bloodlust could be felt in the surroundings as Rudra opened his eyes. Rudra''s eyes looked prideful and arrogant with a hint of anger. His posture changed into someone who had quite a bit of battle experience as no weak points could be exploited on his body. Joseph was shocked to see such an abrupt change. ''WTF!? how is this possible? this is the same person that was in the banquet hall a moment ago?" Joseph thought in astonishment. Every warrior recognized the bloodlust and the ferocious Warrior aura coming from Rudra''s body as they understood that the rumors were indeed true. Rudra''s figure suddenly flickered as he appeared behind the drunk man instantly. He grabbed the neck of the man who was thinking of who knows what in his vile head with one hand. Joseph and Bryan shouted in unison "Shiva''s Dance of Fury!" Rudra threw the man at the side toward the wall as if he was merely shrugging off the dust, the wall cracked as the man crashed into it. The man coughed up blood and died instantly as the back side of his head was banged and his spine cracked due to the immense force. Lara finally realized that she was saved as she moved to the corner of the bed and curled up in trauma like a kitten. Without saying anything, Rudra calmly walked towards her as he pulled her into his embrace. Lara felt the warmth coming from Rudra''s body and melted like butter. She wrapped her arms around him and sobbed uncontrollably. Ron who had been watching the whole event smiled like the blooming of thousands of flowers. All his doubts and suspicions were cleared as he saw the warrior Aura and the use of the Zarx Family''s movement technique. ''Shiva''s Dance Of Fury'' from Rudra. Mia was watching Rudra''s figure in a daze, and Bryan was truly surprised by the Zarx Family''s movement technique. He felt that only if he had such high-quality techniques. Joseph had a complicated expression as he thought of the duel. He felt like a fool. All in all, this banquet meant something to a lot of people. Especially for Karna, Rudra, Lara, and Perhaps even Mia and Joseph. "I apologize that you had to see such an ugly event here," Bryan said apologetically as he bowed sincerely in embarrassment. "No harm done, these things happen. The criminal has already been punished." Ron said indifferently but with a hint of pride. Everyone sighed as they dispersed. The banquet was over. Rudra stayed in Lara''s room to comfort her. I Will Protect You! Karna opened his eyes slowly as he woke up in a daze. His eyelids were heavy and he felt weak and drowsy. sharp sun rays coming from the cracked wall penetrated his eyes as he squinted in pain. Karna blocked the rays with his hands and recovered his stunned eyesight shortly, he jerked his head left and right to clear the drowsiness. Karna felt very uncomfortable as he was unfamiliar with his own body. Although the body wasn''t his in the first place. Karna found himself in a shabby-looking room, likely the servant''s quarters. The room had a single bed with simple bed sheets, a full-body mirror, a table, and a wooden compartment to store some things. He was on Lara''s bed when he saw Lara beside him sleeping peacefully. Even while sleeping, she seemed to be in a guarded posture as she was hugging her own body, seemingly protecting the vital parts. She looked like a scared kitten with her unmatured and petite body. The rough marks of tears could be seen on her cheeks. Karna moved his neck sideways with a puzzled expression as complicated thoughts swirled around in his mind. Karna saw the broken wall and a few blood stains which were almost unnoticeable. Suddenly as if the gears clicking in place, He remembered the events of last night. He remembered that he had seen Lara being assaulted as nothing but rage had filled his mind. Not having experienced anything similar before he had been baffled and was frozen in place. This was understandable as Karna held not even the slightest affection toward anyone in his last life as he was an orphan and the slums of the modern world were a cruel place with all sorts of nasty people lingering around. He then remembered that he had suddenly felt dizzy as his eyes had closed on their own and he completely lost all his senses. After that, he found himself in a place that was full of white. No matter where he looked, the place looked to be endless and white. When he looked at his arms, he was shocked to see that he had no physical body but a corporeal transparent soul form that looked like it would scatter into dust just by a breeze. Seeing this, Karna was very shocked and almost went insane as he first thought that he was dead and the second thought he had was that he would have to be in that place for eternity. But then he realized that he had already experienced death before and this was not it. Karna then forced himself to calm down as he roamed the place but found nothing but white. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Just as he was about to give up, he suddenly felt a strange sensation as he could ''feel'' what was happening outside of that place. Even though everything was white In the place he was in, he could directly feel what was happening inside his soul. Karna then saw everything that happened after he had fainted. He saw as his body somehow moved on its own and showed the warrior Aura in front of everyone and killed the trash who was assaulting Lara. Karna felt ashamed of himself as he was frozen in place by the sudden event and before he could recover, he was trapped in the strange place. Karna did not know how his body might have moved on its own without his control and even used the Zarx Family''s Movement Technique with ease. After that, he saw Lara in his embrace as everyone left and the banquet was over. Lara cried a lot at night and fell asleep out of exhaustion after going through such a traumatic experience. After that, he did not remember anything. Karna tried thinking hard about the strange place he was in, but suddenly he felt a stroke of headache as he groaned out loud in pain. The sound woke up Lara. She got up In a daze. Her eyes were rough and dry after crying so much. Lara also remembered the last night''s incident after waking up as she shuddered in panic. But after seeing Karna beside her groaning in pain as he was pressing his head made Lara calmed down as she remembered how he had lifted the piece of trash with one hand and saved her. The next moment she realized that Karna was in pain as she quickly got up from the bed and went in front of him. She pressed Karna''s forehead cutely trying to relieve his pain. "My Lord, are you fine?" Lara asked while knitting her brows in worry. Karna felt heartfelt gratitude as he saw Lara who was worried for him despite the traumatizing event she had experienced just the last night. Karna suddenly remembered that last night Lara was acting strange before the banquet. His expression turned severe as he grabbed Lara''s hand. "Tell me the truth, last night why didn''t you tell me before the banquet if anything was wrong?" Karna scolded. "Tha- That, My lord...." Lara stuttered as she looked down dejectedly. "Say! What''s the matter? Do you not trust me at all?" Karna said raising his voice. "N-no! That''s not it. He was just acting indecently back then. I didn''t think that h-he would... a-and I''m just a maid, how could I have troubled you for my matter?" Lara said, her voice nearly inaudible when she said the last part. Her eyes became teary as if she would begin sobbing at any moment. Karna''s expression became softer. He gently held Lara''s hand as he forced her to look at him. "Listen to me! You are very important to me! Do not hesitate to ask for anything from now on. Do you understand?" Karna said in a firm tone as he looked into her eyes. Lara was confused as she did not know how could she have been of any importance to someone like Rudra. Although she was confused, she saw that Karna was saying all of it sincerely and not kidding from the way he looked at her. She nodded in a flustered manner. Karna let go of her hand and he turned around. He said in a lower voice with a resolute face, "I will protect you..." realizing the mistake he hurriedly added, "....And the Zarx Family and its people." After saying that, he left. Lara looked at him going from behind in a stupefied manner. Sophia Miller The air was humid as sweat tickled off the people''s faces. The city was crowded as always, being the trade hub that it was. People with various color tones and clothing wandered the city in large crowds, some were finding opportunities in this city where a large sum of money would change hands daily, and some were hoping to purchase a few unique goods as souvenirs to bring back home, while some were just experiencing the wonders of the bustling city. The warm wind blew with the odor of dust, a stinky and fishy smell. The merchant caravans and lone travelers traveled across the land from who knows where to enjoy the summer in the Coastal City of Blue Isle. But this time it was somewhat different as there was a long queue of luxurious carriages with various insignia on them waiting outside the city gates with the company of guards and soldiers with them. The city folk and the pedestrians watched curiously as the guards inspected the papers one by one and gave entry to the long line of carriages. Some of the carriages were adorned with golden designs and oil paint which gave the carriage a glossy and branded feeling. While other carriages looked comparatively ordinary, The material from which the carriages were made differed a lot. This made a clear distinction between the class of the Noble Families. Everyone in the city knew that there would be a large gathering of nobles in two days and something important would be announced by Marquis Miller during the event. Nobles from all around the Empire had come on the invitation of Lord Miller. Blue Isle City was an important Trade hub because it was located on the shore of the Endless sea and was used for Trade with the ''Island Chain'' In the endless seas. The city was located beside the duchy of Danbo. The Blue Isle City had a trade route connecting the city with Southern territories and the capital but because of the harsh geography and the existence of magical Beast and bandit groups, the Blue Isle city had no safe trade route towards the north of the empire where the Zarx Territory was located. The Duke of Danbo had a slight conflict with Marquis Miller as of late because of the Infamous Young Master of the Carlstine Family. The very pampered brat of the Dukedom had fallen in love with Marquis Miller''s daughter, Sophia Miller during the imperial academy. Sophia was known to be a very beautiful young lady who was also a talented Mage. Naturally, Thinking that he would get whatever he wanted, Duke Carlstine''s son - Liam, proposed to Sophia. Sophia knew what kind of reputation Liam had and naturally did not want to marry him. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Sophia always knew that she would have to marry someone sooner or later. That''s just how it worked in the nobility. There was no such thing as a ''love marriage'' in nobility. Children of nobility were brainwashed to sacrifice anything for their families. Sophia however, was not just any ordinary girl who would have to do all that is asked of her unconditionally. Sophia was a talented Rank 2 Mage at the age of 16 which was not less than Rudra''s talent in the sword which made her an asset for the Miller House and the Empire as a whole. Strength was everything in this world and Sophia''s talent had earned her the right to control her fate to at least some degree and so she had decided to marry someone who would be suitable for her and bring benefits to her house at the same time. Liam was obviously not such a person. Although the marriage would bring the Miller House great benefits, but Sophia did not like a person like Liam who was just a scumbag who liked to oppress others and thought himself to be the greatest in the world. Sophia knew that such a person would get himself killed sooner and later and that would not be good for her future if she married him. Sophia''s Father, Marquis Miller was a wise and shrewd man who loved his daughter very much. He understood Sophia''s reasoning and he also did not want to ruin her life for little benefit. therefore, he declined the marriage. Liam was infuriated by the blatant rejection and somehow convinced his father that the marriage would benefit the Dukedom greatly, Which was not false at all. Creating Familial relations with the House Miller would benefit the Duchy of Danbo as Duke Carlstaine would hold an even more firm position in the East. Having a massive trade hub as an ally would be beneficial during wars. Not to mention that the House of Carlstine would get a genius mage who would have great achievements in the future. This was a win-win deal for the Duke and he took an interest in this matter. He sent a very attractive marriage offer to Marquis Miller but was rejected repeatedly as the Marquis was an unyielding person who did not change his decisions on a whim. The Duke was enraged as he began obstructing Blue Isle City''s trade route to the north. He increased the toll taxes on the merchants coming from Blue Isle City and began pressurizing Marquis Miller through his connections. Marquis Miller began taking losses as he understood the fact that he had a major weakness and that was the Important Trade route to the north which was his livelihood. Duke of Danbo thought that Marquis Miller would eventually agree to the marriage as it wasn''t a bad offer from the mentality of a noble and it wasn''t worth it to make an enemy out of a Duke just for one''s daughter''s happiness. This was currently the status quo of this situation. The Duke of Danbo wanted to prove that his authority in the east could not be matched and Marquis Miller was furious about the attack on his livelihood and the fact that the Duke of Danbo could exploit his weakness anytime he wished. Marquis Miller was reluctant to be pushed around. And then suddenly, Marquis Miller invited The Duke and a lot of nobles for an apparent announcement. People began to guess wildly the reason for the gathering. The story that Liam had asked Sophia''s hand in marriage and the rejection that followed, and the declining relations between the two Houses had already spread in the population. some people thought that Marquis Miller could not handle the pressure and would announce the marriage, and some thought that the marquis will declare war on the Duke. But no one knew the actual reason why Marquis Miller had organized the gathering. Trouble At The City Gate At the entry post of the Blue Isle city, An beautifully adorned carriage that was being pulled by two Magical Beasts arrived escorted by 80 horsemen, another similarly prestigious carriage, and a few other warriors who seemed to be the high-ranked bodyguards. The Magical Beasts had a build similar to a lion but they were broad and had sharp and very long fangs that even extended outside of their mouths. The beast''s faces looked ferocious with long whiskers dangling from their mouth toward the chin beside the fangs. The creatures had brownish-red and dense fur which covered their entire bodies. The beasts had sturdy and strong legs with metallic-looking claws, even some muscles were visible which made it obvious that the beasts could pull the carriage effortlessly and for extensive periods without any bother. They also had small, pointy, and angular horns on their heads. The city guards who were at the entry post gasped in astonishment seeing the convoy. Some passersby even passed out in fear. "Holy shit! What kind of magical beast is that?" A soldier said opening his mouth in an ''O'' shape while his eyes were opened wide as he stared at the beasts. "It''s a Magical Beast captured from the infinite Forest. I have seen its picture in a book when I was in the academy. It''s called Lamnsheff, I have heard it has the strength equal to a Rank 3 warrior." A superior ranked officer who wore a dark blue cloak with the standard armor said while stroking his chin. "Rank 3rd!" The soldiers cried out in surprise. Some looked at the magical beasts with envy. The soldiers at the entry post were either normal humans or Ranked 1 warriors. Although this world had fantastical powers like Magic And Aura, normal humans were just as important. A warrior or a mage wouldn''t be able to survive an ambush from hundreds and thousands of people with weaponry like crossbows and cannons no matter how strong they are unless they are Gods or Demi-Gods. The armies in this world consisted of normal humans who were trained thoroughly and had excellent magical equipment and were Ranked 1-3 Elite warriors or mages. It was very hard to become a warrior or mage in the first place, and even after becoming one it was hard to increase the rank without any resources and that''s why not many warriors or mages hoped to go beyond the 4th rank. Seeing that a magical beast had as much power as a 3rd Ranked warrior made the soldiers envious as they were still either ranked 1st or rank 3rd themselves. "Hey! Look at that!" A soldier who had long black hair, a thin figure, and tanned skin suddenly exclaimed as if he found something stunning. "What is it?" The officer asked as he looked in the direction the soldier was pointing at. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. The officer was taken aback for a second after seeing this but regained his calm soon after. A few soldiers didn''t know what was the fuss, and one of them asked. "What is it, Breck? "The insignia on the carriage seems to be of House Carlstine," Breck answered knitting his brows in dissatisfaction. "Enough! The Lord has instructed us to welcome the Duke respectfully. Behave yourselves and don''t cause trouble." The officer with the blue cape said with a frown. It seemed as if he was somewhat unwilling as well. The story of Marquis Miller and The Duke''s conflict had spread far wide so it was natural for Marquis Miller''s soldiers to feel unhappy. Duke Carlstine''s carriage ignored the queue as if it was the most natural thing to do and yet no one raised any objections. The soldiers and officials of the Miller Family came forward to welcome the Duke. A young man got off his horse elegantly and walked over to the Entry Post. His Black, frizzy hair almost fully covered his chiseled, charming face. Darting blue eyes set concealed within their sockets. A longsword was behind his back in a pitch-black sheath. The man had an aura of superiority and haughtiness around him as he walked toward the guard post in a prideful and domineering manner stretching his shoulders wide and striding with wide steps. He extended his hand which was rigid and full of small-large scars, a documentation scroll appeared on his hand from the spatial ring which was on his ring finger. The soldiers and even the superior officer looked at the ring in awe. The man saw their reaction and a slight smile appeared on his face, he simply could not hide his pride in himself. Just as the officer was about to take the scroll, suddenly someone shouted, "Wait!" Everyone looked in the direction of the voice thinking who had the gall to have enough courage to stop the Duke himself. The haughty man frowned and looked in the direction of the voice. The voice had come from the long queue of carriages. Second in line, there was a carriage with the insignia of a shield and dragon-like creatures around it. The man then saw a blond young man with a muscular build, tall height, and green and big eyes looking at him with a frown on his face. Upon seeing this insignia, the man''s fierce gaze turned softer. "I am Knight Brycen Eustice of the House Carlstine. Name yourself!" "I am Wayne Burgasse of the house Shaw." The blond man said while glaring at Brycen. "Well? What is it?" Brycen said in a domineering manner. "Does Lord Duke not even have the decency to get in the queue?" Wayne said mockingly as a wide grin appeared on his face. "Hmph! My Lord is an esteemed guest of Marquis Miller and therefore does not need such trivialities." Brycen said puffing his chest out. A domineering aura gushed out of his body giving everyone in the surroundings shivers in their spine. "Heh, what a joke!" Wayne said in a condescending tone as he too manifested his aura relieving the suffocating pressure. The officers and soldiers of the Miller Family had cold sweat on their faces. ''What the fuck? Why must you nobles start a fight on the gate? What a headache!" The officer with a blue cape thought rubbing his forehead as he frowned in worry. Both Wayne and Brycen had their hands on their sword hilt, ready to draw their swords at any moment. Their masters ignored this little fiasco completely and watched the drama unfold in silence. Just as the atmosphere was getting even more intense by the combined killing intent of the house''s soldiers and knights, The sound of horses echoed in the distance as two carriages being escorted by high-ranked warriors and mages appeared to be heading towards the Blue Isle City''s entry gate. Father And Son Talk In The Carraige The Zarx Family''s caravan left for Blue Isle City after the banquet was over in Count Walker''s castle. Ten days had passed since then and the caravan finally arrived near Blue Isle City. Karna was practicing magic as always, In 10 days, he had made some progress and now he could cast the fireball spell without any problems. His relationship with Lara had improved significantly and they could even be called friends now as Lara had opened up to him after the incident happened in bronzwood County. The city wall was finally visible in the distance, Karna stretched his hands and put aside the book which he was holding. He breathed the sir which was warm, humid, and salty. The salt of the endless sea could be felt from the air and its scent. The Blue Isle City was well fortified with high walls and sturdy gates. The walls looked old and yet stood strong for hundreds of years. carvings of magical arrays and runes could be seen on the ancient walls giving the City an artistic and surreal look. The sound of seabirds echoed out as a few of them flew across the vast sky. suddenly the carriage stopped, Ron knocked on the carriage door and came inside a few moments later. "Good afternoon father." Karna bowed and said. Ron nodded and sat across Karna''s seat. The carriage began moving again. "Have you been practicing well?" Ron began the conversation awkwardly, "Yes, Father" Karna replied as he created the spell circuit in a faction of a second in his mind using spiritual energy and extended his hand. A fireball appeared over his hand and disintegrated after two seconds. Ron''s eyes lit up with delight as he raised his chin proudly as if he was the one who cast the spell. "Very Good! Our Zarx Family will surely be even more prosperous in your hands!" Ron said as he patted Karna''s back with a smile. Karna also smiled but frowned inwardly thinking that he is not qualified enough to manage the family. "It''s good that you are doing well in magic. But do not neglect your swordsmanship or you will get rusty." Ron said as he grabbed Karna by his shoulders. "Although magic is a miraculous thing, but you will have even more advantages if you do not fear close combat," Ron said in a firm tone. "Yes, I understand," Karna said as he began having a headache. Karna did not know what to do about this problem. ''If this continues, sooner or later I will be exposed.'' Karna thought this often. Ron averted his gaze from Karna toward the window. He said in a melancholic manner while looking at the city walls. "Rudra, do you see those walls? they were built hundreds of years ago during the foundation of the Ascar Empire. The first emperor united the land and build the Blue Isle City here and gave its Lordship to House Rehberg." Ron stopped and looked at Karna with a resolute gaze, he continued. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. "But today, there is someone else ruling this city. Noble families rise and fall on the whims of Kings And Emperors. We have managed to lay low for a few centuries but how long must we hide? How long can we hide? the time is about to come when we must show the world the true strength of our family. Do you understand?" Ron said. Karna became silent as he thought about the significance of what Ron had said. Although he was from the modern world, he understood the risks and dynamics of this world which was driven by power and status. "Father, why are you telling me this?" Karna asked as he was truly curious as to why Ron would bring this topic up. Ron looked at Karna with a strange gaze. He smirked and said smilingly, "You will know soon" Karna nodded, "Marquis Miller has a navy of considerable size. He is just like us. Everyone underestimates him because he hasn''t taken part in any major event yet." Ron said as he narrowed his eyes. Karna was somewhat surprised and nodded absentmindedly. "Rudra! Always remember that an enemy who is good at hiding their strength is the most dangerous one." Ron looked deep into Karna''s eyes trying to convey the importance of what he had said. Karna also wore a serious expression and nodded in agreement. He suddenly remembered something. Karna looked back into Ron''s eyes and said, "Father, you are right. Someone tried to harm me and yet we don''t know who did it. They might try again." Karna said in one breath in a firm tone, even some anger flashed in his expression. One must admit that he had become very good at acting in a short amount of time. Karna said it as if he didn''t care that someone could attempt his life anytime, but this was something that crept into his heart like a thorn. He did not know if someone would try to kill him, he was yet not ready to defend himself. Ron''s expression changed as he frowned, it seemed that Karna had unintentionally touched on a sour spot. "Do not worry, Whoever tried to harm you did so knowing that the Zarx Family could become a threat to them. They could not get to me easily so they targeted you knowing that you are the only heir and future to our legacy. They should also know of our hidden strengths. Therefore, they will not take the risk to strike again. But you should still be careful!" Karna was relieved knowing that he would be safe at least for now. This way he would have enough time to increase his strength to some degree. Ron again looked outside the carriage toward the approaching city wall. The grass and trees swayed with the breeze as the carriage''s curtains fluttered. "Most importantly, what I can tell you right now is that the Miller Family will be our ally from now on. We have come here on a very important matter for our fief. Observe the city and how it works while you will be here. Act accordingly to your status and always know that you are a Zarx! Pride courses through our veins and we will not be afraid to show our strength when needed!" Karna got goosebumps as he thought deeply, He realized that Ron had hinted something just now and it must be related to the gathering of nobles announced by Marquis Miller. Karna realized that he must change himself and begin to act like a highborn. He stared at his hands on which few blueish veins could be seen. ''Pride huh? I have no pride, I am just someone who died in another world from hunger and somehow got here. I am weak as an ant right now nor I am a true noble like Rudra was...." Karna contemplated in his head silently as he immersed himself in his thoughts. ''I would have been nothing if I was born normally in this world. But this is what it is, I don''t want to lose it! I want to enjoy this life to its fullest, I want to have a beautiful wife and many children someday. That''s right! it doesn''t matter who I am, I just have to do what needs to be done to fulfill all my wishes.'' When Karna lifted his head, his eyes had clarity in them, his face looked resolute as his red hair shined due to the sunlight. His face glowed in dim red due to the light reflected from his hair. Ron was nowhere to be found in the carriage as he had tactfully left long ago seeing that Karna was in deep thought. Karna looked outside the window feeling the wind on his face, his perspective toward life had changed greatly as he had more clarity about who he was and what he wanted to do all along. He chuckled happily. Karna however, did not notice the Violet glimmer in both of his eyes flickering slowly. Rons Intentions Brycen and Wayne with everyone else looked at the carriage that had arrived at the city gates in unison, The carriage was in a class of its own. It looked similar to other luxurious carriages but the luster of the material and elegance of the design was completely different in quality. Even the Duke''s carriage was overshadowed in its prestige. But what attracted the attention of these experts were the guards around the two carriages. All nobles had come with hundreds of soldiers to escort them but the Zarx Family''s carriage was only escorted by a few guards who were not even 50 in total. This surprised many nobles at present as they could not comprehend if someone was so confident in their ability or just ignorant of the dangers during the journey. But people did not dare to make assumptions as there were truly some formidable people in the vast world. They looked at the Family Insignia which was engraved on the carriages and the armor of the warriors. Brycen and Wayne also looked at the carriage and saw the insignia of House Zax. They released their hand from the sword hilt. The curtains of the carriage behind Wayne moved sideways as the figure of a man appeared. The man looked toward Ron''s carriage and placed his left hand near the right shoulder on the collarbone above the chest and bowed slightly in greetings. The man was bald, he had a wide, squaric face, a high nose with a roundish jaw, and brownish skin. Not many people were surprised to see that the person in the carriage greeted Ron as everyone had seen the Zarx Family Insignia but some were doubtful as the person did not greet the Duke first. The curtains of Ron''s carriage also moved as Ron also greeted the man in the same way. "Earl Shaw, It''s good to see you after so many years," Ron said as his brows raised upwards slightly which looked as if his eyes were smiling. "Indeed! Hahaha. Truly a pleasure to see you here." Earl Shaw Laughed openly and loudly not hiding his straightforward personality. "Will you not greet me as well? Marquis Zarx." The sentence rang in everyone''s ears which sounded commanding. The voice was smooth but sharp like a dagger. Karna was also watching everything from his carriage. This was the first time he saw an actual Duke, and Duke Carlstine at that who seemed to conflict with Marquis Miller. The Duke looked younger than his age, he had a triangular face with blond hair, a small nose, a pointy chin, and somewhat big, green eyes which looked confident and noble with a hint of disdain for everything. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. "How can I not? I have heard the recent deeds of Lord Duke and greatly admire you for your ''Strength'' and ''Foresight'', truly heroic!" Ron said sarcastically as he performed the greetings. Duke Carlstine, Earl Shaw, and even Brycen and Wayne were surprised to see Ron''s aggressive stance toward the Duke. The Zarx Family Guards'' stoic expressions did not change as if nothing major was going on. The Barons and Viscounts'' who were present in the queue began whispering with their respective confidants trying to know if the Zarx Family had any enmity with the Duke. Rega Carlstine himself was surprised as he frowned a bit and quickly wore an indifferent expression. Brycen who was standing near the Duke''s carriage glared at Ron with hostility. Wayne wore a puzzled expression not able to comprehend why the Marquis would suddenly go haywire. The guards at the entry post who were relieved on Ron''s arrival again clenched their foreheads praying for the situation to not get worse. The officer with the blue cape made a hand signal and shortly after a shadowy figure flew at high speed in the direction of the Lord''s castle. ''Hmph! So what if you are rich? How dare you speak to me in such a way in front of all the people!'' Rega''s blood boiled in anger as he was both furious and confused about Ron''s behavior. "Hahaha. You jest, Marquis Zarx... you are the true hero." Rega Carlstine smiled merrily not showing the slightest bit of anger on his face. "Of course, I was only kidding." Ron also smiled, one could think that these two were friends from childhood from their expressions. The guards on the entry post broke into a cold sweat. ''Oh, dear ser. First, you call him a hero although in sarcasm... and then you say that you were only kidding. Why are you making life hard on us?'' The guards thought not sure whether to laugh or cry. Some people broke into suppressed chuckles as a few gasped in astonishment, and some simply watched in amusement. Karna was the most surprised among everyone as he had never seen Ron act this way. He watched with eyes wide and jaw dropped. He also felt his blood boil in excitement and anticipation as he also wondered why would Ron ruthlessly humiliate the Duke in public like this. The Duke''s expression changed but he spoke nothing, he was truly puzzled now. ''What in the seven hells is going on? The Ron Zarx I know is not someone who would make an enemy out of someone for no reason. Have I offended him in some way recently?'' Rega thought in puzzlement. Rega''s gaze suddenly wandered toward the other carriage which was beside his. He suddenly jolted as he realized something. ''Could it be because of that?'' Rega remembered hearing something from his butler about his Son spreading rumors of Rudra. ''But that much shouldn''t be enough for such offense. Who do you think I am!?'' Rega raged In his heart but did not speak not wanting to bicker outside the city. Rega Carlstine just harrumphed in displeasure and closed the curtains of his carriage. Everyone was stunned as they could not understand what just happened just now and why. The whispers of this little fiasco would certainly reach many ears by the end of the day. Earl Shaw gave Ron a deep look of suspicion and retreated to his carriage silently. Brycen had completely forgotten Wayne and Earl Shawn and was glaring toward Ron''s carriage with obvious bloodlust and anger. Oliver shot him a glance from the horseback and showed his killing intent as well. Brycen averted his gaze from Ron''s carriage and retreated to his Lord''s side unwillingly.