Hello! If you're reading this then congrats on making it through the first act! In all honesty, when I had this story as only an idea in my head I, for some stupid reason, thought I could get through the first act in 20 chapters, but obviously that wasn't and isn't the case. Looking back, I definitely could have cut a lot of things and trimmed down the word length massively but this is a webnovel after all. I've rewritten some of the earlier chapters already but I'll probably go back now and then to rewrite some more. It shouldn't impact anyone who's already keeping up with the story.

Anyway, I wanted to address some common questions and criticisms I've seen, though most of the people who left these comments aren't reading anymore. This is just so that you can see my thought process and the characters' thought processes.

First Question/Criticism - (Note: These aren't quotes of questions but the gist of it) "Why does Kieran act like a child? Instead of the grown ass 32/36 year old man he is."

Well, first of all, it's stated in chapter 3, I believe, that he wanted to relax in this life and that he was also partially acting. Also, I've always disliked the trope in reincarnation stories where the reborn person tries really really hard in their new life. There's nothing wrong with that but it just never made that much sense to me. Why does no one seem to want to enjoy their life? Do they have fun just training all the time?

I was writing this story thinking about how the average person would probably act if given a new body. Kieran is basking in the freedoms of being a child again and I think that's what most of us would do if we were in his position.

Now going back to the first paragraph, I've always questioned why the reborn person almost ALWAYS acts like an adult, and then contradicts that multiple times by doing childish things when they've been adult-like the entire time. First of all, for reincarnation to be a thing, we are assuming that the soul exists or that memories are linked to the soul in the case of these stories, right? Then what's the point of the brain? To only keep the body functioning? Kieran might have been reborn with his memories of his past life all intact, but he still has the brain of a 12 and 16 year old in the process of maturing.

Maybe you think that's an excuse for how he was written but I always had that thought in the back of my mind when writing the story. His memories from his past life definitely dominate and his 12/16 year old brain doesn't force him to do anything he wouldn't do, but it certainly does edge him toward things a 32/36 year old wouldn't. Just like how an amnesiac doesn't act like a child although they've lost their memories.

Of course, I have all the knowledge from being the author so I often make mistakes that don't quite get across what I want since how I view the story will always be different from that of a reader.

And one last thing, what's wrong with him lashing out or trying to enjoy his new life? I'm genuinely curious if anyone reading this has disliked those parts. You aren't wrong if you disliked them, but I'd like to know why. If it was answered in one of the paragraphs I've already written, then let me know. If it hasn't been answered, I'd also like to know.

And continuing on with my final statement, an issue I have with some other reincarnation stories where there's no imminent danger or a goal the protagonist has to work toward to save people, is that they're all so stiff. Their choices and their actions feel very on rails and like none of what they do affects the story being told and everyone around them is just there to make them seem cooler. I enjoy these types of stories but I like seeing a character struggle too, not just fail, but struggle.

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Second Question/Criticism - "Why make this a reincarnation story instead of a story of inheriting another person's past memories."

Why? Well that's because it would feel less personal. Also, if I did that then I might as well just make it a regular fantasy story (which has also been a question "I don't see the point of the reincarnation. Why not just make this a fantasy story?).

To answer these questions would be sort of ruining the story or spoiling it in a way. Let me ask you, what is the point of a typical reincarnation story? Also, what makes you think this should be a different kind of story? What's wrong with this one being a reincarnation story?

If anyone wants to answer that in the comments, please do. However, I have my own thoughts on the matter that I can share. So if you haven't written a comment or are coming back, I think the point of a typical reincarnation story is about the ability to restart and become a better person. There are some reincarnation stories that are just focused on fun or pure escapism, but I think most are focused on the journey of the main character.

So, I think Kieran fits that 'regret' aspect of reincarnation. If I were to change the story so it wasn't a reincarnation story, he'd just be a lazy prince, and that'd be it. I think it might add some kick to the start of the series and it would 100% circumvent people complaining about him not acting like an adult all the time, but it wouldn't be the same.

The reason why it's reincarnation instead of a regular story with a lazy prince is that it adds a layer of complexity to the story. Why does Kieran not have a goal when he was a loser in his last life? Why does he laze around instead of making something of himself with all the experiences he's had? Is it because his family is hindering him? Then what about Alexandra and Teal who are there to help him every step of the way?

Aren't those a bit more compelling? Aren't they a bit more thought provoking? Of course, it's 100% possible that he was just lazy and that's why he's where he is now, and he deserved every little piece of ridicule thrown at him by his family. But the question was "Why make this a reincarnation story?" and the answer I can give you is that the story is centered around him being a reincarnated person. I could have changed that and shifted the course of the story, but that's not what I want to write. It'd just be boring.

I encourage you all who have made it this far or who are reading this before finishing Act 1, for whatever reason, to think about what really mattered in Act 1 and what was I focusing the story on. The only outlier to the main focus might have been The Loftus Manor short arc but for everything else, what was important? Was the tournament really important? Did the tournament have a lasting impact? What about Tidal Fortress? What were the conflicts there and what came out of it? Why would a single fortress matter to the story? Did it matter? What ended up mattering during Tidal Fortress and the tournament? How did they end?

And just in case you're still wondering about what I'm trying to get at, remember that this is a 3rd person limited perspective focused on Kieran. He tells the story, or the majority of it. What mattered to him? Did he care about a tournament he was forced to join? Did he care about a fortress he was told to take over? What happened during those arcs that mattered to him.

So to answer the question the best way I can without spoiling or ruining anything, this story is about Kieran.

Third Question/Criticism - "The Protagonist has no goal."

This one is pretty valid and regardless of what I say, I think anyone can still take issue with this throughout Act 1. It's true, he has no goal. That's why there's a specific chapter titled "Goal". I will admit that it does kinda leave the story feeling a bit aimless and makes Kieran lack agency, but that's kind of the point. I won't say the writing is good because I got my point across, but that's the point nonetheless. Kieran has no goal. The story is mainly told from his perspective. Thus, the story feels goalless.

What's the point of writing a story where the protagonist has no goal, you might ask? Well, if you finished Act 1, you definitely know what his goal's going to be or where the story is headed. In essence, most of Act 1 was build up.

As for future plans, since it's nanowrimo, I'll be coming back sooner than I hoped. Keep an eye on those titles ;)

Now that Act 1 is done, the real story can begin.

Thanks for reading!

PS: If you have any questions about something during Act 1, leave it below, I'll answer it if I can. Also, feel free to suggest things for the future, improvements, stuff you wanna see, things to expand on, etc. Since I'm the author, I sometimes just don't get things across in the writing or I make things vaguer than they should be.