Knock, knock, knock.
Someone knocked at the office door.
"Who is it?" asked the man seated inside, in a calm but authoritative voice. He had a commanding build, with hair that was half gray, half brown, showing that he was at the crossroads between youth and old age.
"It's Christina, sir."
"Come in."
The man didn’t even lift his eyes from his phone as he asked, "What’s going on?"
"Sir, I just wanted to inform you that Mr. Hamilton has announced that he is on his way to see you regarding the project. However, this overlaps with your meeting with the executives scheduled in an hour."
"It’s nothing. Tell Chris to represent me in the meeting and have him send me a report afterward. This project is much more important than a weekly meeting."
"Very well, Mr. Xavier. Allow me to take my leave."
"Go ahead."
Who is Xavier Lancaster?
Xavier Lancaster is the CEO of the biggest car brand, BHX, the CEO of the second largest phone brand, X-Phone, and the founder of the largest clothing brand, Line. And the list goes on.
In other words, he is the richest man of the 21st century... or even of all time.
Two weeks ago, he reached a fortune so absurd that it seemed unreal. He went from being a billionaire to a billiardaire – an achievement that even financial experts considered impossible for a single individual.
"Hahaha, I really need to stop introducing myself when no one's here... They might think I’m crazy."
Alright, let’s start another chapter?
It’s widely known: to succeed in life, you must read books and cultivate yourself. Since I was young, I’ve always loved reading, it was a pleasure.
But recently, I discovered that today’s youth, who aren’t too fond of classic novels, are passionate about another kind of literature: webnovels.
So, I decided to give it a try. And that’s when I came across a true masterpiece: Empire Wars.
A novel about empire management and finance, but set in a world inspired by medieval Europe.
Knock, knock, knock.
There was another knock at the door.
"What now?! Let me finish my personal monologue on this masterpiece!" Xavier shouted. After all, he was hierarchically above everyone here, so he could afford it.
A male voice, coming from behind the door, answered hesitantly:
"Oh... Mr. Lancaster, sorry to bother you."
Recognizing the voice, Xavier immediately sat up.
"Oh, Mr. Hamilton! It wasn’t directed at you, come in."
A man in a black suit entered. His demeanor and face betrayed his age: he was in the same age range as Xavier.
The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
"Take a seat on the couch, make yourself at home."
"Thank you."
Xavier moved to the second couch, facing the one where Hamilton had just sat.
After a few seconds of silence, Hamilton spoke first:
"What’s this masterpiece you were mentioning just now?"
"Hmm… You know those novels that young people read these days? Webnovels?"
Hamilton raised an eyebrow.
"Of course. With my kids constantly slouched on the couch saying they’re ‘reading,’ how could I not know… In fact, I’ll admit, some of them are pretty interesting."
Xavier gave an amused smile.
"Don’t tell me you read them too? Have you become a webnovel fan?"
Hamilton sighed.
"Unfortunately, yes. The virus has infected the entire family."
"Hahahaha!"
Despite the importance of the meeting, the atmosphere had become strangely relaxed.
"And you, what kind of webnovels do you read?" asked Hamilton, curious.
"What do you think?"
Hamilton thought for a second.
"Hmm... Finance?"
Xavier burst out laughing.
"Haha, you’re a genius, I swear!"
"Well, it’s pretty obvious with you… But what’s the title? I read a lot when I have free time."
"Empire Wars."
"Oh, something about medieval empires?"
"Exactly. With supernatural elements that young people love: dragons, magic, etc."
"And what’s it about?"
Xavier thought for a moment before answering:
"To put it simply, on their continent, there are 13 empires. They’re ranked according to their power, and every 100 years, a great war breaks out. But it’s not just a conquest war: the most powerful empires gradually absorb the weaker ones until only three empires remain."
Hamilton seemed intrigued.
"Hmm... That sounds interesting and brutal. Let me see."
Xavier handed him his phone.
Five minutes passed. Hamilton was so immersed in the reading that he didn’t even realize how much time had passed.
Finally, he put the phone back on the table and crossed his arms.
Xavier, with a satisfied smile, asked:
"So? How do you find it?"
Without even realizing it, they had started speaking informally. That’s the webnovel spirit.
Hamilton nodded.
"Hmm... It’s incredibly immersive. How does the author manage to do this? It’s almost supernatural… But something’s intriguing me."
"Oh really? What is it?"
"The 13th kingdom."
Xavier raised an eyebrow.
"But that’s the first to get annexed at the start of the war. Hahaha!"
"Yes, but... From what I read, there are only three swordmasters in the entire continent, and one of them comes from the 13th kingdom. So why were they annexed so easily?"
Xavier shrugged.
"As I said, it’s not just military power that counts. There’s also the economy, politics, resource management... And guess what?"
"What?"
"The emperor of this 13th kingdom is only 15 years old. Worse, he’s in the body of an 8-year-old. Hahaha! The cherry on top: he’s completely incompetent, and all his ministers are corrupt. How could such an empire survive? Hahaha!"
Hamilton, deep in thought, then asked a strange question:
"What if it were you? If you were the emperor of the 13th empire, do you think you could raise it to first place? Better yet... could you become the richest man in that world?"
Xavier’s eyes widened.
Then, his signature tic appeared: that confident, dominating smile.
He gave a thumbs down and said with certainty:
"Doesn’t matter the world... I’ll always be the richest."
Hamilton couldn’t help but laugh.
"Hahahaha! As expected of the richest man in the world!"
"Hahaha, that’s right. Now... let’s talk business."
Suddenly, the atmosphere changed.
---------
11:00 PM
"Ah… What a tiring day. I was planning to read the latest chapter of Empire Wars, but this conversation took longer than expected…"
Xavier found himself in a luxurious room worthy of a king, within his five-star hotel. Exhausted, he collapsed onto his spacious bed.
Let’s sleep… Tomorrow is a new day to make money.
---
**???
Hah… Hah…**
Xavier slowly opened his eyes. The sun was shining through the curtains, bathing the room in soft morning light. But something was off.
Why could he hear a child’s yawn in his room?
He furrowed his brow and, in a deep and commanding voice, asked:
"Who’s there?"
Well… it should have been a deep and commanding voice.
What came out of his mouth was a squeaky, childish voice.
Xavier widened his eyes and instinctively brought his hand to his mouth. That voice...
He looked down at his hands… and panic instantly overwhelmed him.
Why are they so small?
His gaze swept across the room. Gone was the ultra-modern hotel room, equipped with the latest technology. Now, he found himself in an equally luxurious space, but with a decidedly medieval style.
Sweat beads rolled down his temple.
This is a dream... right?
Yet, his instincts screamed that it wasn’t. His eyes fell on a mirror a few meters away. He needed to see... he needed to check.
Trying to get off the bed, he lost his balance and crashed hard to the floor. A sharp pain shot through his small body.
No… it wasn’t a dream.
Struggling, he crawled toward the mirror, and what he saw took his breath away.
A child.
An eight-year-old boy, with noble yet youthful features, stared back at him with wide eyes.
A nervous smile twisted his lips.
"What the fuck is this–"
An excruciating pain suddenly pierced his skull. As if an invisible hand was pressing him against reality, a flood of memories rushed violently into his mind.
He gasped, dropped to his knees, struggling against the wave that was engulfing him.
---
5 minutes later
Lying on the floor, Xavier caught his breath, staring at the ceiling.
A bitter smile curled on his face.
I’ve become the son of a bitch I used to mock…
Before he could fully collect himself, a sound interrupted him.
Knock knock knock.
"Your Majesty, the Emperor?"
A feminine voice came from the other side of the door.
Xavier closed his eyes for a moment. Thanks to the memories he had just acquired, he knew exactly what was going on.
"Speak from where you are." he commanded in a calm voice.
A silence, then:
"Huh…? A-As you command! Marquis Clerc and your Fiancee have arrived."
And what do I care?
Xavier took a deep breath. He didn’t have all the answers yet, but he wasn’t an
idiot. For now, he had to play along and analyze the situation before taking any action.
"I’ll be there in ten minutes."
"As you command, Your Majesty the Emperor."
A grin spread across his lips.
Barely arrived here… and I’m already going to get dumped.