I carefully snug and tightened my laces as my messy hair crimped over my face.

I brushed it out of the way as I looked to my side.

Audra impatiently strode back and forth whilst constantly checking her appearance in a small portable mirror.

The Count was humbly preparing and re-evaluating important documents whilst his Bodyguard stood by his side firmly.

The name of the Count's Only Bodyguard was Ken. Brother of Fenn and Son of Gorant.

I hadn't spoken to him a lot however I was swiftly made aware of his personality and habits.

He was a constrained man who rarely spoke unless questioned and he was quite the emotionless boulder.

The only time he would show a scarce smile was when talking about his brother Fenn.

The only time he would show an infuriated gaze of hatred was when briefly talking about his father, Gorant.

He had olive skin and his muscles were jealously invigorating.

His hair was white and cut short, not to the level of a buzz cut but to the level where it rarely hung down.

He wielded a Katana that was of black and golden attire.

He strictly wore adventurous clothing and rarely left the Mansion.

Although he was quite silent and timid, there was a reason a man such as the Count only had one bodyguard.

I cannot be certain or fully confident in my claim however, there have been times when he has looked around rooms with squinted eyes around the areas where I had secretly gathered World-Energy.

He left frustrated upon finding nothing and these scenes often gave me cautious sweats.

It seemed like certain people had higher talents compared to others when it came to this strange form of energy.

But I highly doubted that he'd be able to use it efficiently even if I taught him how right now.

One of the conditions to be able to effectively use this energy was to train from a young age after all.

I had a lot of spare time with my new job which gave me a lot of time to think and solve queries.

The first time I used world energy, I was unsure till now due to the intense emotions and the adrenaline in the situation but it felt like my innards were ripped apart.

In fact, I could barely use two sources and that was without controlling them.

Now. Although I don't keep count I estimate at least above 20 sources can be controlled and used before my injuries get to a concerning condition.

Learning World-Energy at Ken's age would most likely be a restraint on his progress and potential.

Plus, I wasn't particularly eager to just give my trump card away on a whim.

Sharing powers left an unpleasant sensation on my tongue.

I also developed a somewhat intense inferiority complex after meeting Chlora.

Although I knew she was an all-element genius and had been taught by an 'experienced' teacher throughout her childhood it was still devastating to lose to someone despite having reincarnated and grasped a strange source of energy.

Had I taught World-Energy to Chlora when we were around 4 then she would most likely be even more overwhelmingly powerful.

Now, that I thought of it. I hadn't reincarnated. I had transmigrated. That was why I was born into an Orphans body that was already around a year old.

Not that it really matters.

I shook off my thoughts as I saw the Count hold his documents to the light.

He nodded his head confidently as he docked them into a small briefcase which he handed to a nearby servant.

I had been bored, I had finished my own preparations a while back so out of pure emotion, I asked as my mouth quivered.

"So are we good to go?"

My eyes darted across the room before they met Audra's.

She closed her portable mirror for a brief moment and looked at me in confusion.

"Did Dad not tell you?"

Her voice sounded pitying and sorrowful.

"Your Polish-Up is long overdue."

"Eh."

Before I knew it two surprisingly muscular maids had grabbed me by the gaps between my arms and locked me in a chair.

I couldn't move a single muscle and I could only watch as demonic eyes hold all sorts of accursed contractions.

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"Don't worry. It'll all be over soon."

The sound of drills, saws and explosions rang out for hours as the sky become darker and sullen.

My screams had faded into nothingness by the time the chair's entrapments had released themselves.

The Maids who had done the devil's deeds chatted rumours among themselves as they walked off.

As their figures retreated and left I fell on the floor.

My wasted figure looks surprisingly refined as I looked at my slumped self in the mirror.

My hair had been cut and trimmed so that I could look like a city boy and my face had been washed and lotioned.

My clothes had been exchanged for a grey-tailored suit. It was tightened around the shoulder area but pleasantly comfy inside.

There was,god-bless, no tie or bonnet so I merely looked like a slightly scruffy young man.

The flawlessly buttoned white shirt that tugged at my neck was relieved from its duty as I desperately undid the highest buttons.

As I walked around, wandering just when we would be free, the Butler pointed at the door for me.

I nodded and gave him my thanks as I slowly strolled out to the biggest carriage, taking in the view of the estate with me.

The finely cut green grass was a pleasant sight and the light wind made me feel refreshed and soothed.

The many paths all intertwined and drew their own images.

I had already passed through most of the path when a good-postured figure came into my sight.

His belly shoved itself above and under his tight belt and his black suit shined despite the avoidance of sunlight.

A man with a tophat holding the reins gave me an approving nod as his eyes pointed towards the carriage door.

I gave him a raised hand of recognition as I entered the carriage.

Ken, The Count and Audra all scanned my appearance with content eyes.

I sat next to Audra.

The space was nice and allowed comfort for 4 people.

The walls were of a polished oak and we sat on royal-red cushions.

As the horses neighed finally dulled and the repetitive sounds of clips and clops began to resound through the wind, we were off to the Dukedom.

In total, there was the driver by the front. The Count, Ken, Audra and me in the compartment and finally 2 servants at the back helm of the carriage. Totalling 7 people.

The Count disliked hassles and wanted to make his meeting with the Duke short and snappy.

I hadn't grasped the entire meeting but it was some sort of political clash.

As long as it didn't involve my circumstances or sudden appearance then I could relax.

Fortunately, it just seemed to be some sort of dispute between here, The Kingdom of Gale and a place North of here, named the Kingdom of Crows.

From what I had gathered, A kingdom was the name for a country here and the Kingdom of Crows specialized in black magic, witchcraft and necromancy. Meanwhile, we focused primarily on magic, swordsmanship and beast-taming.

The Kingdom of Gale was like an all-rounder, good at everything but dominant at nothing. That's why the Black-Magic departments here were decades if not centuries behind the level of the Kingdom of crows.

As the carriage continued travelling and trembling upon the beige-yellow tracks, the signs of wheaty fields and well-fed people relaxed me.

The Count and Ken were discussing various bouts of politics, tactics and accounting and I could hear the servants in the back as mice in the wall.

I peacefully wandered along my line of thoughts before my shoulder was shaken slightly by an impatient Young Lady.

I met her tense peach eyes as her frustrated expression become all the more defined and irked.

"Hey."

Her voice was frustrated and slightly disappointed.

"How did you get so strong?"

She asked as if it was a secret formula or as if the secret was in my back pocket.

As I pondered on her question she shook my shoulders and whined.

My lip shivered slightly as I spoke.

"I just trained. I trained a lot. And I had a knowledgeable teacher too, I guess. That's it really."

My voice was calm and hurried.

Audra was far from content with my answer as she pleaded more furiously.

"Why did you train though? What was driving you? Tell me."

Her crossed arms tightened around her chest as she seemed to be getting less and less restrained.

She was in the perfect position to release an annoyed hmph.

"Because that was all there was to do. All there was to feel. If I didn't train, I was just sitting in a field. Numb. If I did train, at least my emotions would take over my mind. Loosen my strains. That, and I was quite scared of a certain man I suppose. Though that aspect was mostly lost over the years."

I now noticed everyone in the cart was looking at me.

"Oh. It looks as though I've said too much."

I spoke modestly before the audacious Audra burst in.

"No. Tell me how you trained. I want to become that strong too."

I had a mindful expression as my inner self cursed this little child.

Why can't she just give it up?

Swiftly, the Count and Ken relit their conversations sodden flames.

"Well actually, I do have a trick I can teach you right now..."

But it depends if she's prepared or suited for it.

Her furious gaze turned complacent.

She instantly became like a badger with her eagerness.

"What? Tell me. Now."

She was almost tearing the pillow beneath her as her entire body shifted into my view.

I pointed behind her, to the gaps in the carriage door.

"You see that?"

She nodded her head as her eyes pierced through the narrow gaps with unprecedented concentration.

"Keep looking at the furthest thing you can see and then the closest thing you can see."

She didn't nod her head afraid to disrupt her streak as her eyes bounced forwards and backwards.

As she did this obscure action, I crept my hand into her pocket as tracelessly as I could.

"You can stop now."

My voice was tinged with happiness and pleasure.

She looked at me once more, this time ecstatic.

"What did I learn?"

I kept a heavy silence upon her questioning.

I pulled out her portable mirror whilst checking myself out.

"Lesson 1."

Her face gradually soured as she realized what I was holding and how I was using it.

"Don't trust anyone."

She reached for it causing me to lift it up.

We went through an odd exchange of her lunging and me lifting. Her swiping and me dodging in correlation.

Her actions were clumsy and predictable.

I felt an odd smile grow on my face as my victory continued.

We continued this sequence before an odd clash sent the mirror flying into the air. It spun so fast that any visible reflection was swiftly forgotten due to its intense rotations.

We both reached for it desperately however a veiny light-skinned hand soon took it from our grasp.

We both retracted slightly upon meeting eyes with Ken.

Ken looked at the Count for orders.

The count merely humbly sighed.

"Kids will be kids, Ken."

Ken silently pocketed the mirror.

Audra's pulsing fury seethed the atmosphere of the cabin throughout the next few hours of the journey.

I merely had a good silent sleep.

Ken played with his new mirror oddly as he flipped it to see if it had any other uses in front of Audra's pleading figure.

The fields soon turned to muddy droughted lands.

The passing people become distant and scarce.

The sky browned as the horses became gradually slower.

And the only sound that remained was the wind's silent howls occasionally intruded by a drawn-out breath or a coarse snore.

I found myself the only one awake other than the carriage master in that brief moment.

It had become quite peaceful, soothing and calming.

It felt calm.

Calm to an extent I had never felt.

It was calm to the level where I almost felt uncomfortable.

If I had to describe this level of calm it would probably be, dangerously calm.

Ah. I've jinxed us, haven't I?

And as I cursed at myself incoherently, the dreadful sound of sharp metal objects pierced and slithered through the wind.

Ken's right eye opened as his heavy breaths halted.

His eye become an engrossing white as it bulged and veined with red.

His voice was dark, deep and deathly.

"Assasins."