It's been nearly 7 years since I’ve arrived in this strange new world. My mother and father seem to be quite the busy people, so I’ve only been able to see them during birthdays and other special occasions. It's pretty funny really, to think that placing importance on one’s day of birth is a practice that could span not only across nations but across worlds.

That being said, it's not like they left me to fend for myself. I was assigned lots of caretakers when I was a baby and by the time I turned 3, I was assigned tutors to teach me the ways of the world and given access to whatever books in the estate’s library I wished to read.

Thanks to all that I’ve learned quite a few things in the process. Firstly the territory I’m currently in, the Ronwen Dukedom, is one of the strongest forces of the central continent and covers the whole of the continent's northern sector. The continent’s politics works almost exactly like the noble hierarchies of old. With independent lords having their own respective lands that they rule, while ultimately answering to the Reinhardt royal family.

The royal family’s influence covers the whole central continent, with their power being relatively unchallenged barring a few minor rebel groups. Aside from the central continent, there's the southern territories ruled by the Demi-human Alliance, the eastern territories ruled by the Roswell Magic Republic, and the western territories ruled by the Red Dragon Clan.

All of which apparently oppose each other and keep each other in check due to a variation in cultures and beliefs. This variation also brings about distinct fighting styles in each continent.n

If given the chance, I do hope to visit them all and see what this world has to offer. Of course, that's only if and when I achieve my goals.

But honestly, just by reading these books and lectures I still can’t believe it, I know it's rich coming from someone that literally jumped across worlds but demi-humans? Dragons? It's just hard to wrap your head around, and surprisingly enough, it isn’t the most interesting part of this world.

It's the substance called mana that permeates every inch of this world and revolutionizes the people’s very way of life, from simple cooking to warfare

“Young master, that's enough reading, you have a big day tomorrow, remember?"

With a reprimanding tone, the old lady grabbed the book on noble customs that I was reading. I mean I couldn’t blame her. Though there were no clocks in this world, it would be easy to estimate that it's already near midnight and engraving bad sleeping habits into the young master could end with her losing her head.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“Eh? just a bit more Lucia, please?”

Still it's important that I soak up everything I can as quickly as possible. I can’t just assume everything will go smoothly or that things will always be as they are.

I learned that the hard way back then….mom and dad just disappeared so fast.

“No can do young master, please go to sleep for both our sakes!”

“Fine….”

"Young master, you're really quite the unique child. In my 40 years of service to this territory its only with you that I've seen a 6 year old so infatuated with books, no matter the subject. Come to think of it, I don't think I've seen you do anything else aside from reading in the moments you aren't sleeping or eating"

"Its just your imagination Lucia, now give me some peace and quiet so I can sleep"

I had to relent. This old woman here has been the closest thing to family I’ve had since arriving here. It's clear that she’s been with me more out of a sense of duty to the dukedom than any actual care, but still I owe it to her for all of those diapers she’s changed…among many other things. Plus she’s right, it's unclear if it’ll affect tomorrow’s result but she’s right, it is best to be well rested.

The ways the warriors of this world make use of mana to fight can generally be divided into 4 general branches:

Mana intake - the ability to take mana into yourself and apply it to strengthen your body among other things. Its aptitude is decided by how quickly you can do it

Mana storage -the ability to store mana inside yourself for long amounts of time. Its aptitude is decided my how much mana you can store

Mana manipulation and release - the ability to release collected mana stored inside you or manipulate existing mana from the environment. Its aptitude is determined by the spend of manipulation and release as well as the amount of environmental mana you can control. I find it weird that these two categories are grouped together, but I hear that they make use of the same bodily faculties, so good performance in one usually ends up in the same for the other.

Mana processing - the ability to mold mana into more complex forms. Its aptitude is decided by how far away from its original state you can manipulate mana into.

Aptitude is divided into no capability, below average, average, above average, unique, and generally and for warriors, it's believed that what decides your highest potential is your highest ranking aptitude, regardless of what the aptitudes of the other 3 branches are as though the disciplines can overlap, major prowess in one area usually trumps whatever combined achievements in other areas. If you get one unique aptitude and you'll have the potential to be a nation level disaster, while receive nothing but below average aptitudes and your maximum potential will supposedly never go too far beyond ten or so well trained warriors regardless of how hard you train.

Tomorrow is my 7th birthday and as per what seems like tradition in this Dukedom, my parents will be hiring an expert to assess my mana aptitude.

Of course, being born with even average capability in even just 1 of the four branches is already an extreme blessing in itself for the common folk. Its a blessing given only to one in every one hundred people and would probably allow you to live life in relative comfort.

I've been born as the son to Duke Ronwen though, one of the strongest of the central continent, so I'm not stupid enough to think the same logic applies to me.