After reading a couple of books, Aenari gained a decent amount of information about the northern continent where he currently resided.

Let’s go in order.

The first thing he learned was that this was a dark fantasy world divided into several kingdoms.

The kingdom itself consisted of five large continents, each with a population ranging from 60 to 220 million, and some even reaching 240–880 million.

As for me, I came from a distant northern continent, where winter last for six months, and the other seasons only for two months each.

The strongest, of course, was the central continent, dominated by three hegemons located in a triangle formation.

A grim world, huh? — Aenari muttered.

Although murder and theft were commonplace here, they still evoked fear. Ordinary mortals without any special skills suffered the most. Living every day as if it were your last seemed like the perfect description of their lives. And this was only worsened by the unexpected monster raids. Yet, this was just one of ten reasons.

What about magic and martial arts? It’s strange, but I didn’t find any books on these topics in my father’s library. Does this mean access to magic isn’t universal?

Calling for Alicia — the maid who took care of him — Aenari prepared to find some answers. She was dressed in a maid’s uniform, which suited her well. She seemed to be around 15 years old, clearly inexperienced, just like Aenari himself. He had to admit, she had an appealing appearance, with her green eyes that somehow reminded him of elves.

— Young master, you called for me? Her voice interrupted his train of thought. Accepting his position as her master, he asked, “Why aren’t there any records or books about magic?”

— Young master, the thing is, we are not qualified to access such information. They can only be found in the main library of the Remire family, and only a select few are allowed in. That’s the problem. However, you don’t need to worry. Upon enrolling in the language school of the Remire family, you’ll not only gain access to books about magic but might also learn some skills. Unfortunately, that’s all I know. I’m sorry, young master.

— Mm. Nodding, Aenari dismissed Alicia.

Magic undoubtedly plays a significant role in combat. It would be beneficial to learn some skills for the near future.

Evening came unnoticed by everyone. The mansion filled with a delicious aroma. Aenari noticed it but paid little attention, lost in thought about his future plans. After a while, there was a knock and Alicia’s voice announcing that dinner was ready.

— Young master, may I come in?

— Come in.

As he rose from his bed, Alicia began dressing him, insisting that it wasn’t proper otherwise. Though he didn’t feel cold, he decided not to argue.

Together, they descended the stairs to the main hall, where Akano sat at the table, and Tina, along with the maids, served a soup spiced with rare birds. Though the servants could cook, Tina loved cooking herself — it was almost a hobby for her.

When everyone sat at the table, a prayer began. Aenari simply repeated after them. Once finished, they began their meal, this time as a family.

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A childhood dream of a family dinner suddenly became a reality. Tears streamed down my cheeks. My parents noticed and rushed to me in concern, but calming down, I smiled: "It’s okay, Mom, Dad."

— Little Ao, what’s wrong? Are you okay? Did you burn yourself? Tina quickly ran to hug me. Even though she realized the reason was different, she still showed her care, and no matter what, they would always be there for me. Akano reaffirmed that he would always protect us, no matter the cost.

After calming down, everyone began chatting cheerfully, as if everything that had happened was just a bad dream from which you wake up.

Even so, it’s wonderful to have people close to you.

***

Three days passed.

I decided to step outside and explore. My emotions felt much more vivid compared to my previous life. Could this be the influence of this foreign body? There was no one who could answer my question.

Sigh! It’s a bit discouraging, but not a critical problem.

Stepping into the courtyard of my estate, I noticed a group of children about 140 yards away, playing tag. As for the courtyard itself, it was surprisingly harmonious. Tall trees and flowerbeds were arranged in a specific pattern with benches placed under the shade. A miniature fountain stood proudly, featuring a statue of a warrior pointing a spear toward the heavens. The view was truly serene; even Aenari couldn’t help but praise it.

To my surprise, this realm has four moons and one sun. Each year, one of the moons changes in sequence, casting the night in various hues. The first moon resembled the one from my previous world, while the second was a soft green, and the third and fourth shone in delicate shades of violet and pale red.

Our family resides within fortified walls. The population under our family’s rule is about 7,000-8,000 people, which is quite small compared to other families where the norm starts from 15,000 and above.

The main structure on our territory is a majestic Japanese-style pagoda. Its elegant architecture, with each level shrinking by a quarter as it rises, inspires awe. Standing ten stories tall, it serves as both the symbol and pride of our family. The land within the walls is more expansive than it seems, with the Remire family school located at its center.

This school teaches only the basics, laying the foundation for the future. However, there’s no absolute guarantee of success. Not everyone is accepted into the school; common reasons for rejection include a lack of talent, incompatibility with any elemental affinity, or insufficient financial resources.

Our family’s territory stretches from the northern edge down south. Why so? It’s simple — this direction leads to small villages, estates, villas, and the like. Meanwhile, the rear of our land is surrounded by forest, where annual attacks by beasts and monsters are not uncommon. Naturally, the land granted to our family used to be under the protection of the Frost Kingdom — or rather, it used to be.

Every three months, the nearest city demanded taxes from us. The sum was significant, becoming an increasingly heavy burden with time. Eventually, the family opted to renounce the kingdom’s jurisdiction, becoming independent yet vulnerable to monster attacks.

There’s nothing to be done about it. This decision has both advantages and drawbacks.

Among the advantages is the freedom to manage our resources and make political decisions independently. This offers greater opportunities but also significantly increases the complexity of governance.

The drawbacks include external threats. Aggressors may view independent territories as easy prey. Then there are bandits and marauding groups to consider.

Bandits and marauders differ slightly, though they share some similarities.

Bandits are usually organized gangs with specific objectives, such as raiding caravans or hunting for valuable goods.

Marauders, on the other hand, are groups that act opportunistically in the chaos following events like a wyvern attack on a village or a fortress siege.

As for reputation and its influence, the kingdom may perceive such independence as treason or defiance, possibly issuing a royal decree for liquidation or simply choosing to ignore the matter.

Every outcome carries its own risks, Aenari sighed gloomily.

It’s no wonder we’re surrounded by these walls. Still, more information needs to be gathered. There’s no such thing as an impenetrable defense, and relying on hope alone is the worst strategy. It’s better to prepare for the worst or have contingency plans in place.

Shaking off these thoughts, I began approaching the children. There were six of them — three boys and three girls. Noticing me, they stopped playing and stared in surprise.