"You there! Yes, you! Guide me to the library!" said Aeron. Normally he would use a more politer tone but he was a prince and this was just a servant... If he used polite tongue then that would be awkward. From his chats with Xander over two days he had learned new things. For one Victor family was a new family that had risen to prominence in the empire. Xander was the sworn brother of emperor and had once saved his life from an assassination.

He was considered a genius and had the title of Commander-in-Chief. Which meant he could order any military force in the empire. He had the authority to do so. Just from this one could tell how much emperor trusted Xander.

Xander was untouchable by nobles, nothing could stop him. He could even kick a minister out and no one would utter a word. That was the extent of personal, as well as political, power he wielded. To be fair, he never truly used it fully. His son had married a princess and his grandchildren were royalty. This family had now gained much prestige in the empire. Except for Aeron who was known as a disgrace...

Also he learned what a scum this person whose body he had claimed. So it was true that he who slaughters a pig shall be reborn as a pig! He killed too much despicable scum and ended up reincarnating as one! He always wondered why maids never answered his calls and avoided him.

Even though he was in this position he was not one bit concerned. After all he was not that kid. Now he understood why servants feared him and maids avoided even his eyes. He thought it was because he was too imposing that servants felt fear. As for why maids avoided any contact with him he had thought that he was too handsome...

Well to be fair he really was handsome. But his reputation was below the mere level of infamy! He was stuck with the body of this person... He first worried about friends of this guy or maybe this guy had a lover. But screw having a lover or a friend, it was a miracle this family still loved this Aeron. Respect... He was filled with endless respect. Clearly these people were tougher than stone, more patient than water! This kind of family was too much for this bastard!

In a way this also relaxed him too. Too much human contact drained his energy, so to speak. In the past he had went on an entire year not talking to anyone. Here he did not have that option. He simply had so much free time with nothing to do, if being bored to death was possible he already would have died. He was already bored of being bored.

So he had spent his time talking with his new grandfather, for whom he had found respect. He was simply a genius and was very experienced in life. More like he talked to him because he felt more comfortable around his own age group he guessed.

Though he was similar in age he found his world view inferior to his. He could only touch the bitter roots of wisdom and not the fruit. Clearly this man struggled through negatives of life to find his own positives and succeeded. If he was not a general he could have become a great philosopher or an artist.

He also wrote poems that expressed sacrifice, brotherhood, heroism of iron man forged by battles. Poems was filled with the fiery atmosphere of battlefield, he found his blood was boiling and his heart ablaze, reaching to his throat the urge to shout a war cry and let that fearsome fire upon the world. He could barely restrain himself. Each time he spoke with Xander he found that his respect just grew more and more.

"M-Master we are at the library. May you have a fine day." said the servant and ran away after he dismissed him telling him he had work of importance. All of them acted as if he was a predator out for their blood. There were many stories of him beating servants for looking at him wrong way. Also molesting his personal maids - mostly - and other maids.

Hell, he had a maid but she never appeared near him. Clearly this shoved the level of trust here. As a human being he was at rock bottom. Rather than a human as a living being maybe? If they called him a bug, he suspected bugs would feel offense When he heard these from Xander he felt thoroughly ashamed to be this person. After he one night's sleep shame wore off though, for better or for worse he had thick skin.

First day he woke up he felt surprised. He had seen trees and grass so he thought that he was in a lush land. The manor was the top of a mountain and there was a really long way down. Who knew this Ebonguard was carved out of a black mountain surrounded by deserts and cracked, barren lands? The very reason that there was trees and and grass here was that this was a manor. Most people down would probably not see grass if they do not leave these lands.

Well it was rather warm but not really blazing. He suspected this to be because of a formation that keeps the heat outside. Well concept was simple so anyone could do it so long as they had mana.

He also had learned a shocking truth! He did not have any affinity with elements thus could not use spells, but had a rather high talent with martial arts. Well, it could be worse. He might not have possessed talent at all. But he would only be a common warrior and not a cultivator like a mage.

Warriors were weak. Warriors would gather mana in their lower dantian for a stronger body. Mages would gather their own in their upper dantian. Warriors and mages were practically same, warriors were just a bit more sturdy in body. But who did not have an affinity with elements could not really have high quality mana. Mages had higher quality in mana and also spells that could not be performed by warriors.

They were called mages because most of them preferred to use spells. There were also cultivators who chose to practice martial arts. But martial arts were seen as weak and such a thing would be considered a waste. Aeron whose wish was power enough to protect his own interests, naturally wanted to draw circles in the ground because he did not have an affinity.

He just said hello to librarian and when librarian offered to guide him, he refused. He simply entered the library collecting books. His knowledge of the world was lacking. He should remedy that as soon as possible. He gathered books and maps and spread on the table.

Aeron looked at the map. There was an empire which covered half of the deserts and so,e lush lands, Empire of Sun. Home of High humans. High humans were called high because of their body which was taller and more powerful than most of mankind. They were known for their use of heavy armor and weapons and deploying of their armored beast cavalries.

Their empire worshiped the god-emperor Sol. Who ascended to divinity but chose keep his eye on his descendants. Sol was someone who descended from a dragon. Most of the beings known as dragons here were mere dragon-blooded beasts. True Dragons were divine beasts. There was no true dragon born in this world. Because true dragons were higher beings.

Each every one of high humans possessed some dragon blood and it was supposed that because of this they were superior to any race in physical battle and possessed higher quality of mana. An adult high human who had not trained at all could lift 50kg with one hand. This was also the reason why they had used heavier metals other people just could not use.

Sun Empire's banner was a dragon whose eye was sun. They referred to sun as dragon's eye and referred to moon as dragon's bride. Dragons were holy in Sun Empire and dragon blooded beasts were respected and would be tolerated so long as they did no damage to their people. Most dragon blooded beasts knew this and did not touch any high human. Perhaps this was because of their common ancestry, it was mere courtesy to treat one's kin with respect. In other lands however they would usually be hunted because they had dragon blood, which made them more valuable than any other beasts of same power.

There were many options on high humans. Most people feared them and called them savages. yet these savages had a flourishing culture and a rich empire which conquered the western duchies and because of their lasting war with demihuman tribes had stopped from invading to Holy Union which was the church that had brought all humans together.

Holy Union did not care about wars between kingdoms, but if they were invaded by an outside force everyone was honor-bound to send their armies to their aid. No matter how superior in quality invading force was, it could not mach the army of humans which reached millions.

Sun Empire had once invaded them but was forced to stop and retreat because of sudden battle erupting in south. Tribes of demihumans had attacked the Empire. They could march to gates of Ebonguard, but Ebonguard proved to be unassailable. They had no choice but to bitterly retreat.

They were unprepared for such an event because tribes of demihumans were tribes of barbarians. It was just that a king had gathered them all together under one banner, They were referred to as the horde and were feared by humans who always suffered their assaults. Sun Empire and the Horde had sent their armies to southern borders in the Aryas. There both armies stared at one another and some small skirmishes occurred,

While in the east these three forces battled each other, on the westernmost side of the continent lived elves and other magic races. No one would go through their borders. Those lands were very mysterious and magic races were secretive people. Those who step foot in their lands would never return. No one would even want to go there either, there were numerous magic beasts who lived there,

Magic beasts lived everywhere in the world. In this world word "animal" did not exist. There was no normal animals, every animal was a magical beast. They mostly inhabited the seas because there was no one there. This was one of the reasons no one would dare to take to set sail with ships. Trade was only done from the land routes. Which was why bandits were all over the world,

There were also celestial races like angels and demons. who battled in the frozen north. They hated each other to their core. Angels and demons for all intents and purposes preyed on other, lesser races and were ironically were pretty much same as the other party they hated.

His grandfather was commander-in-chief of Sun Empire. From this one could conclude his family was one of the top existences in this world for Sun Empire valued strength and talent. They clearly were elites. If elites of this world was "True master" class he would have no problem surpassing them!

But the fact that he could not use magic at all was a disappointment. Mages in this world was exalted existences. They often ignored wars and affairs of "mortal world" as they called it. Each of mage academies could decimate an army. But a kingdom would not be bullied either. So there was a balance between both.

A mage could decimate an army of common warriors and could take on cultivator warriors of same power and could easily win. Before a mage warriors were nothing. Aeron decided he needed to find a way to get an affinity to an element and he searched for books that contained such information. 

He closed books and sighed. First method was consuming mana of those who had affinity, such as magic beast remains, cores but that was way too expensive and way too rare. Also mana was another problem.  To fully infuse it to your body you had to "digest" it which could take quite some time. It was like lottery, but with a lesser chance of winning and these affinities would not be strong either.

Second method was extreme exposure. Extreme exposure to that element would slowly make you get an affinity to the element. But it truly was EXTREME. For example to gain dark element they would need to remain without light for their entire lives and maybe even that would not be enough. But that was darkness, imagine being exposed to fire instead. Second method was clearly a torture with no guaranteed results.

Third method was to transform to creatures permanently. According to creature one could gain affinities. Such an example would be liches gaining darkness affinity. But to be a lich one needed almost one thousand years of preparation. Also most of these creatures were hunted because of their value. You needed to work hard and would earn only death. All in all none of them was affordable to him.

Then he spent rest of the day reading various books. Value of gold for example. Thousand bronze coins made one silver, thousand silver coins made one gold coin. But of course there was difference from money to money. Money from Empire of Sun was more valuable than money from other kingdoms. Imperial road was the longest road. It was also called "road of blood and gold". Because someone, somewhere would always be killed everyday. Be it bandit, merchant or guard...

*****

"Master, master! Master, you will not believe this!" said a young man. He had black hair and brown skin. His hazel eyes that glittered with light. He was tall, like the rest of the people who inhabited this city.

"What has happened. Did something happened to Aeron?" asked Erwin looking at his trusted subordinate. His name was Jace. He had seen him in his academy days and found his talent was rather good. So he had recruited him as his subordinate. To this day he did not marry, which was because of a broken heart. He still could not get over it. He was a man who was very loyal and unwavering in his convictions. Perhaps this was also why he just could not forget his dead fiancee. He felt rather sorry for his subordinate whom he saw as a friend, but what could he do?

"Master, young master Aeron bumped into Commander-in-Chief yesterday night." said Jace. If Erwin heard this some days ago he would just send some workers to repair whatever was broken. Xander and Aeron was like gunpowder and fire. Whenever they bumped into each other some fight would happen, Aeron would run away and Xander would thrash something. Xander would be in a foul mood and Aeron would not show at home for days.

"Don't tell me some fight happened?" asked Erwin. Hie made an expression of curiosity. He wondered how did the conversation between them go. He himself felt too awkward to speak him. So he believed he had to take some time first before seeing Aeron again.

"No, not a fight! I would not think I would ever say this in my life but they both chatted agreeably while drinking wine and enjoying the night view! This morning young master even went to library!" said Jace smiling. If this was a few days when someone would tell him these Erwin would reply with:"Are you joking?"

"If this was mere three days ago, I would not believe it even if I had testimony of thousand witnesses! I must simply see this with my own eyes!" said Erwin hurrying along to library. He simply moved eagerly and was walking quite fast. It did not take long for him to reach to library.

"Master, young master is here. He is too absorbed in the books however, he did not even hear me calling for him. It seems young master has an innate gift for studying. He simply reads so fast that he finishes one book after another  He already read many books by now." said librarian, respectfully bowed and praised Aeron.

"No need! I heard that this rascal had went to library, so I simply had to see it with my own eyes. No need to disturb him if he is so absorbed, being absorbed in search of knowledge is good! Do not let anyone disturb him either. But send me books he read when he is done." said Erwin with joy. He felt a weight on his shoulders and heart go away. He felt as light as birds right now. His worries lifted he went home almost skipping. Jace seeing Erwin this way could only restrain his laughter.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

*****

"I am sorry your highness, but I really cannot! Master left me very specific orders to not let anyone disturb him." said librarian explaining his case to Valeria who came with a herbal medicine.

"Do not worry! You think your master says the last word in this house? Indeed he says the last word and that is 'Okay honey.' Now you can go home." said Valeria. Librarian just bowed and quickly disappeared. Valeria entered the library and slowly ascended the stairs to Aeron's table.

Seeing he was working so hard she was filled with a warm emotion. She put the medicine bowl there and said in a soft voice to not startle him, while patting his shoulder gently:"Aeron, you can always finish reading these books later. Drink your medicine and go to bed."

"Interesting. punishments seem just, but I personally would not use these punishments. There are better ways to punish people. After all people are a resource like money should not be wasted so much," said Aeron nodding to himself. It was already night and he was reading in the light of that wooden hand that held an orb. He simply decided to call it "light". He was absorbed in his reading and did not hear Valeria at all.

"AERON!You can finish reading those books later! You need to rest! Drink these medicines I had the doctors make for you and go to your bed! NOW!" said Valeria seeing he did not even hear her. Erwin did not care too much, saying she was too worried. This made Valeria think fatherhood must be a different feeling...

"Mother! I am fine. I feel fine." said Aeron who initially jumped from fright. He had not noticed Valeria entering. She had startled him his heart was beating so fast right now. He took deep breaths to calm himself.

"I do not care young man! You are to go to your bed and that is FINAL!" said Valeria, adamant. Aeron sighed. He could handle not sleeping for days. This was a unique ability gained by gaming countless nights. He could handle going one night without sleep.

"At least not medicine, please! What is even in that unholy mix?!" said Aeron. That medicine was disgusting. Okay medicine could be bitter, but this one just made him want to empty his stomach's contents. What did the doctor put inside it? Given what he knew of medicines made in medieval ages, he was probably better off not knowing. It could be anything from a dried up things of animals to powdered bugs.

"No! You just got better your condition can easily get worse. It is just medicine. I had it even tested for poison! Now take your medicine young man and go to your bed, or I will make you drink it and drag you kicking and screaming to your bed!" said Valeria frowning her arms crossed.

She kept sending a death glare to Aeron until he gave up. He just drank the medicine complaining about the disgusting taste and had gone to his bed also complaining all the way. When he was forced to do something Aeron would complain about it while doing it.

*****

"Hell yes, level up!" screamed Aeron with joy. He was level 70 now. Suddenly he went blind and he felt ticklish pain in all of his body. He instinctively rolled to side and tried to run but he felt something like a hook entering his body. So it was an assassin! He smiled when hook and pull was activated. He countered it by using the momentum to deal a very powerful kick. He felt a ticklish pain in his shoulder and he felt what he had hit was sent flying like someone hit by a truck. His eyes finally began to see. He looked at his status and saw that half his health was gone. This assassin was good. But he should not have picked a fight with him. He smiled and rushed to him.

*WHAT THE-" screamed Aeron as he felt the force on his stomach that felt like something fell on it and he fell off the bed. He had a coughing fit in middle of it. What the fuck is happening? He had a dumb expression on his face. He looked back and saw a little girl pointing at him and giggling. Then he heard Valeria's voice telling:"Zara what are you doing to your brother! Quickly apologize!"

Zara pulled her eyelid down and stuck her tongue out. When she saw Valeria coming to discipline her she did not wait a moment and jumped off the bed, quickly running away. Valeria went after her and caught the little girl lightly swatting her arms and capturing her. She then told her to apologize.

"Sorry bro." said the girl giggling away in Valeria's embrace without one bit of sincerity in her apology. Veins in Aeron's forehead were bulging with anger, but he could not do anything to little girl. After all, she was just a child. Aeron smiled, he had a great idea!

Aeron slowly moved near Zara moving his fingers like he was tickling someone. Zara who understood her fate and tried to escape, but Aeron captured her and put her in his bed. He tickled her until he considered it punishment enough. Then Zara took a deep breath and quickly ran away with sounds of bell jiggling.

Valeria looking at this scene smiled. Aeron and Zara was like they always were. Then she called out:"Sinah come introduce yourself!"

Then came a black haired girl with brown eyes, about twelve year old. She then hid behind Valeria's back cautiously  Aeron looked her with then looked back to Valeria with one eyebrow raised. Valeria sighed and said:"She is a little shy."

"Mother can I ask something. Is Sinah really my personal maid? I never saw her for days. Also are rumors about me true?" said Aeron. Valeria looked extremely uncomfortable but seeing Aeron's expression looking down guilty. She could not help but answer:" Yes, Aeron she is your personal maid, but she is new and not used to maid duties. So she had not come to meet you and servants came in her place. Also yes Aeron the rumors are true but exaggerated. Do not worry you did not do something really bad. You did nothing wrong." and tried to comfort him by hugging him. Valeria thought he must have felt bad about it.

Sinah is my personal maid. They said that this kid had molested his own maids. This means... He was THAT kind of person?!OH MY GOD! Aeron's eyes opened in horror and disgust. He looked to his body with disgust and shame. Aeron thought himself as a thick skinned person, but original Aeron must have been so thick skinned that his own skin was like paper.

"S-Sinah did I touch you?" asked Aeron to ask it to victim. Sinah looked down blushing, and murmured while touching her index fingers together, hiding behind Valeria:"Yes master. You touched me."

Valeria looked at Aeron in confusion. She saw Aeron smiling really wide, then laughing with tears. Aeron had cried a few times in his entire life. He was so ashamed to have to be this person. Valeria felt something was wrong and held tighter when he tried to squirm from her embrace. To think I, the top expert would be stuck in a body like this! Screw it! I refuse!

"AHAHAHAHAH!*breathing very deeply while squirming with all his power* Do not hold me mother! I simply must die! THIS SHAME CAN ONLY BE WASHED AWAY WITH BLOOD!!" screamed with madness. Valeria understood what Aeron had meant now! She immediately said:"Wait Aeron, wait! She thought you asked her literally, you never did anything bad to Sinah!"

"Really?" Aerin looked at Valeria and Sinah with a questioning gaze. Sinah hurriedly said:"Yes master you did not touch me in a bad way at all! You just petted my head one day when it was morning!"

"Thank God"  aid Aeron and relaxed with a big sigh. Valeria did not let him go still. Valeria screamed:"Have you gone mad? How dare you try to kill yourself!" and looked at him with a mostly angry gaze.

"Since you were a child I never could have the heart to lift my hand to hit you, but I simply must harden my heart today! I will give you a beating until you come around!" said Valeria and approached him with a smile, but her eyes were not smiling...

*****

"HAHAHAHAH! Sinah thought Aeron asked you literally and Aeron thought he had molested her, so out of embarrassment  he tried to commit suicide?! I cannot stop!!" said Xander laughing until tears came out of his eyes. Valeria looked at him with a very pissed off expression and shot a death glare his way, then said:"Father-in-law! Aeron was trying to commit suicide and you are finding it funny?!"

"All is well if it ends well! You have to admit though it was actually pretty funny!" said Xander still smiling under the death glare. Then she moved in an instant and attacked Xander with a knife hand, but Xander just redirected it and grabbing her arm and subdued her by putting his hand on her shoulder while holding her wrist and forcing her down. He said:"You want to hit this old man? You are hundred years too early daughter-in-law!" and laughed.

"Grandpa is so cool!" said Zara, pleased about her mother getting one upped by her grandfather. Xander made a proud expression, while Valeria was pouting with her arms crossed. Aeron thought Valeria had a surprisingly childish and then looked at Zara making a thumb up to her grandfather and Xander giving her a victory sign then thought that they were no better. Then rubbed his aching butt. It was very embarrassing to be spanked in his age... I think I have a black eye. To think I who once shook the world, would be spanked like a child! Too embarrassing!

Erwin walked on in this scene and saw Valeria sitting on ground, pouting with her arms crossed, Xandre grinning while making a victory sign to Zara, Zara thumbing up to Xander, a black eyed Aeron rubbing his butt. Aeron then just sighed while shaking his head and began to gobble up Xander's cake taking advantage of confusion and was smiling a bit more with every bite.

"Okay, what the hell happened?" asked Erwin with confusion. Xander said:"Nothing much! Just daughter-in-law got agitated and tried to hit this old man. Then I showed her she was hundred years too early." with a big grin.

"You were laughing at Aeron trying to commit suicide! What kind of grandfather are you?" said Valeria still shooting a death glare. Xander said with a dismissive gesture:" Come on all is well that ends well. Besides, he could not commit suicide with you there no?" and just extended his hand to Valeria.

"Father. You have to be a lot more sensitive! How can you laugh at this?!" said Erwin while sighing to himself. Xander was a man who considered past in the past. He would often say:"All is well that ends well." and consider everything water under bridge, no matter how serious, once it ends well. He would think others did think like him as well.

"It is all a misunderstanding. Come on! You both will get wrinkles! It is all water under the bridge!" said Xander while sitting back on his chair. But when he looked for his cake. But it was gone. Xander said:"Who took my cake?!" while looking at Aeron who was eating Xander's cake right now. Needless to say, obviously thief was Aeron.

"Why are you looking at me grandfather? This is my cake. I do not know about your cake at all." said Aeron with a dismissive gesture and an innocent expression, blatantly lying. Xander grew red and shouted indignantly:" What about the cake you are eating right now?!"

"Oh, this cake? When I saw rich breakfast I thought 'Oh how I would like some cake' and it suddenly appeared in front of my eyes!" said Aeron with exaggerated gestures, still lying obviously without even blinking. Aeron had sweet tooth and after seeing a cake he could not stop his hands from taking it. When Xander asked him he wanted to apologize but only lies would come out of his mouth. This was a bad habit he had picked up when he was young since he often stole his younger siblings sweets as well.

"Why you little brat?! Who do you think you are fooling with such an obvious lie!" said Xander who simply felt like fainting after listening to Aeron.

"What lie? When have I ever lied? Lying is one of the things I dislike most. I am telling you one and only truth." said Aeron still lying shamelessly. Erwin would feel that he was telling the truth if he did not see him take the cake. Xander would let it all go if he just admitted it, but this brat was still lying without even blinking.

"As if a cake could appear out of nowhere! Brat you think I am so easy to fool? You think I have all these grey hair for nothing? You think I have gone senile?!" Xander said indignantly.

"Fine, fine take it." said Aeron and returned it, or tried to. His hand was shaking back and forth and he was looking at the cake like bidding goodbye to his lover. Xander sighed as he looked at Aeron who wanted to return the cake. It seemed like he was meaning to give it back, but could not bring himself to. Aeron's expression was the definition of "puppy eyes".

"Fine, keep it. You make me look like I am bullying you. Go ahead and eat it." said Xander sighing while massaging his temples. Aerons smiled from ear to ear. He began to hum and with every bite he looked more happier.

"I want one too! Give me one too!" said Zara pouting and pulling on her mother's arm showing he the cake, jealous of Aeron. Valeria sighed and said:"Aeron give your sister some cake, I will have chef make more for you afterwards."

Aeron did not hesitate a second and gave it to her. He would get a whole cake for a piece! Then he sighed. He liked sweets so much that it was better for him to live in an environment without them or do a lot of exercise after eating them,

Erwin looked at Aeron and smiled. It seems he had picked up a strange habit. Yesterday when Aeron was sleeping he had examined each and every book he wanted to read with Valeria and Xander.

There was Map of Aetun. Travelogue of Kare, Imperial Laws, History of Aetun, History of Sun Empire, Records of Herbs and Plants, Records of Beasts, Myths of Aetun, The Forbidden Lands, Classics of Empire, Of Demons and Their Ilk, Of Angels and The Kindred, Guide of Wisdom, The Art of War to tell the least. He had finished those books scholars could not finish in years, in a mere day to boot! From the notes he had taken it was clear he had understood everything! This learning pace was beyond genius. He clearly had a bright future! He could even become prime minister! Clearly Aeron had very high talent and was capable of this but because he escaped from books this talent was not revealed.

"Pumpkin, are you considering your future? You read so much books, poetry and look at arts. Perhaps you would like to be a scholar?" said Valeria to Aeron. Sinah and a few maids could barely suppress their laughter and hid their faces to hide their smile  Aeron wanted to just dig a hole and bury himself...

"Wait! What scholar?! He should enter government. He has understanding of law, philosophy, economy and can even improve upon that knowledge. So long as he enters government he might become prime minister before long!" said Erwin to Valeria.

"Oi! He is going to join military and become a general like his grandfather! Look he even read art of war, thoroughly investigated the map, and even read so many strategies. He does other stuff for fun! He is going to be a general of course!" said Xander completely sure of himself.

Aeron looked at the three bickering between each other and just gave up. Aeron said:"Do I have a say in this?"

"OF COURSE NOT!" they all said in unison.

_______________________________________

Happy New Year!