The next day, I awoke early, with the pale dawn light filtering through my window and casting a soft glow across my room. Restlessness had kept me from a sound sleep the previous night, as questions danced through my mind.

After having breakfast, I returned to the library to continue my research. This reading spree went on for several more days. I wasn't content with just having Emily read to me during this time. Instead, I attempted to decipher the written language while listening to Emily speak. By the end of the third day, I had completely unraveled the script. After all, I hadn't lived for a millennium in my past life for nothing; deciphering a language posed no significant challenge. By the fourth day, I was reading the books by myself. It seemed to surprise Emily a bit, but she didn't comment on it much.

As I delved into my research, reading through countless books and manuscripts, it became increasingly evident that the art of elemental magic had become obsolete in this era. The absence of references and accounts of its use left me bewildered. I couldn't shake the feeling that something profound had happened to cause the complete disappearance of elemental magic.

Even my parents, who were knowledgeable about various aspects of magic, appeared oblivious to its existence. I couldn't fathom how a form of magic that was once considered mainstream had vanished without a trace.

It wasn't merely a matter of discontinuation; it was as if the very memory of elemental magic had been systematically erased from history. Such a deliberate erasure of knowledge raised questions about the events that transpired during the time it took me to reincarnate. What could have led to such a drastic shift in the magical practices of this world?

The mysteries continued to mount, leaving me both intrigued and concerned.

While the circumstances of my reincarnation remained shrouded in mystery, I simply attributed it to the whims of the gods. And indeed, this world harbors deities. I've even engaged in battles with some of them. Why, you might wonder? For no apparent reason other than sheer boredom and a desire to spar.

As a true dragon, I rank among the mightiest beings in this mortal realm. Although I typically spend my days in indolence, I can't deny my intrinsic draconic nature, which tends to manifest as a love for battle. And so, when I found no equal among the denizens of this realm, I sought out the divine beings who oversee it.

Even though the gods possess the power to erase the very memory of elemental magic from this world, they won't do it. Despite their omnipotence, they remain bound by certain rules, and failing to adhere to them would result in severe consequences. The gods, while unpredictable at times, wouldn't dare disrupt the fundamental balance of the world. Hence, I can eliminate the gods as the likely culprits in the disappearance of elemental magic.

So, the disappearance of elemental magic continued to baffle me. With all these questions still swirling in my mind, I went to sleep, my thoughts filled with this intriguing enigma.

The next day, I woke up early and headed to the dining room for breakfast. To my delight, both of my parents were present, making it a pleasant family meal. Over the past few days, I had observed a peculiar yet endearing tradition in our household. While we often had separate breakfasts and lunches, dinner was a family affair, provided we were all in the mansion.

I've also learned quite a bit about my family in these past few days. I was born into the prestigious Count Aurelius family. My father, Cedric Aurelius, is a man of knowledge and authority, while my mother, Estelle Aurelius, carries an air of grace and warmth. I, Zephyrion Aurelius, am their son. Now, don't ask me how I ended up with the same name as my past self. If I can reincarnate as a human, sharing a name with my previous existence seems like a trivial matter.

I also have a grandfather who's currently absent. He's traveling outside our territory, doing something of which I'm not aware of the details. My grandfather, Wilhelm Aurelius, has already retired, and my father is the current head of the Count Aurelius household.

During these past few days, I've noticed another change: Emily has stopped shadowing me quite as closely. While she still keeps an eye on me, she's not following my every move with the same intensity as before. You might wonder why she was so vigilant in the first place. It's all related to my condition over the past five years. My parents, particularly my mother, remained concerned that I might fall unconscious, and Emily took it upon herself to watch over me. Now, with some days passed since my return to the waking world, my parents have decided to ease up on the monitoring, allowing me a bit more freedom.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

With my newfound freedom, I was eager to test the limits of my abilities. The question of whether I still possessed the ability to wield elemental magic had been gnawing at me for days. So, I decided to venture into the training ground of the mansion, where the wide, open space offered the perfect backdrop for my experiment. The serene stillness of the area added to the tranquility of the scene, making it an ideal setting for my magical exploration.

Currently, the mansion was in an uproar. The hurried footsteps of guards echoed through the hallways. It wasn't long before some of the guards rushed to the training ground, their weapons drawn, and their faces filled with determination. As they entered the open space, their eyes widened in surprise at the sight before them: a sizable hole had been torn through the wall surrounding the training ground, and the only person present at the location was the young lord of the mansion.

The guards didn't waste any time. They swiftly fanned out across the training ground, their expressions tense and alert, searching for potential intruders or adversaries who might be lurking nearby.

What happened, you might ask? Let's rewind the time by a few minutes.

As I reached the training ground and noticed its emptiness, an irresistible urge overcame me to test my magical abilities.

Taking a deep breath, I focused on channeling my mana, sensing the energy coursing through my being. With a concentrated effort, I visualized fire in my mind's eye. In response to my mental image, an exhilarating sensation filled my palm, and there it was – a fiery orb, flickering and dancing at my fingertips.

Excitement overwhelmed me as I realized I could still use elemental magic, and in my enthusiasm, I miscalculated my control. I added too much power into the fireball and only realized my mistake after launching it.

Before I could react and attempt to regain control, the fireball collided with the wall, creating a fiery explosion that blew a gaping hole in the previously pristine wall. Fortunately, on the other side of the wall, there appeared to be nothing of consequence.

Debris flew in all directions, the deafening explosion resonated throughout the vicinity, and the entire mansion quivered from the impact.

Back to the current situation, I couldn't continue watching the guards scurry about, so I turned towards them. Offering a sheepish smile, I scratched my cheek awkwardly and said, "Sorry, guys. I, uh, blew up the wall."

Emily also came rushing towards the training ground after hearing the explosion. She knew I had gone there, which likely made her the most worried. Her expression of relief was evident once she confirmed that I was safe.

It took some time for the guards to recover from their initial surprise, and peace was gradually restored to the mansion.

After things had calmed down, Emily took me to the study room, where my mother was waiting for me with a stern look on her face. Once I got closer, she looked at me with a concerned gaze and asked, "What happened?"

"Well, Mom," I began hesitantly, "I, um, blasted a hole in the wall while I was testing out some magic."

Hearing my unexpected answer, my mother's eyes widened with surprise, and she questioned back, "Magic? But how do you know how to use magic?"

Since no one knows about elemental magic in this era, it would be troublesome to reveal that I can use this unknown form of magic. So, I quickly came up with a lie and answered, "You know, I've been reading some books in the library. I found a chant for spirit magic, so I thought I'd give it a try."

My mother looked a bit taken aback hearing my answer. "So, you just recited the chant and were able to use magic?"

"Yes," I replied back, without showing a hint of nervousness. I knew my made-up lie was a bit sloppy, but I still stuck to it.

Once she got a clear picture of what had happened, she started scolding me about my reckless behavior. She emphasized how dangerous it was, how I could have hurt myself, and so on.

I know she is saying all this because she is concerned about my safety. So, I refrained from saying anything and silently stood there, taking in her scolding.

But who, in their wildest dreams, would have ever imagined that a mighty dragon like me... would one day find themselves bowing before a human woman... while she scolded me.

Suddenly, my mother started crying while she was still scolding me. I immediately panicked and apologized, saying, "Sorry, Mom, I won't do it again."

She pulled me into a hug, tears still streaming down her face. Seeing my typically composed mother cry like that stirred an unfamiliar feeling within me. It was something entirely new, and I struggled to put a name to it. But at that moment, I realized that I never wanted to see my mother cry again, and I knew that I would do everything in my power to ensure that her eyes wouldn't be stained with tears anymore.

After a while, she finally let go of me, and as I turned to leave the room, she spoke up.

"Emily, please continue to follow him and monitor him closely."

Hearing her words, Emily, who had been standing by silently, nodded in agreement.

I couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt for Emily and attempted to convince my mother otherwise. However, to my surprise, both Emily and my mother disagreed unanimously. It was evident that they were both genuinely concerned about my well-being.

With that, the brief episode came to an end, and I made my way back to my room.