It took me quite a while to convince her. Initially, I wanted to go alone, to limit the number of witnesses, but she insisted—with that sweet yet firm tone unique to my aunt—that I take others with me. She said it wasn't a whim of a proud boy, but a matter of responsibility. I eventually gave in.
In Daemon's private training hall, I waited for the delivery of the potions I'd ordered. It was a large circular room, its walls inlaid with protective runes, illuminated by mana crystals suspended from the ceiling. The black granite floor was partially covered with worn training mats. Everything seemed untouched for years. There wasn't a single scratch on the training dummies. Daemon had never used this place. He hadn't needed to.
I stood in the center, bare-chested, assessing my own body. Too thin. My arms lacked bulk, and my breath grew labored quickly. I'd regained a body too weak to survive what lay ahead.
I grabbed a training sword, a simple, well-balanced piece of wood. After barely a few seconds of wielding it, my arm went numb.
"My endurance is shit," I muttered, setting it down with a grimace.
No point in burdening myself with a heavy sword. I'd opt for a dagger. Light, discreet. But its range was too short. Too risky if a monster charged me. I then eyed the bow rack. My gaze darkened slightly.
"The bow will do," I said softly. "I used to hunt with my father in my past life... even after his death, I continued kyudo."
I picked up a longbow, drew it gently, feeling the tension in the string, and nocked an arrow. A target stood twenty meters away. I took a deep breath.
*Fwosh*
The arrow grazed the edge of the target.
"I missed by a hair... but it'll be enough," I concluded.
Meanwhile, I'd ordered high-quality healing potions, as well as elixirs of strength, endurance, and speed. And most importantly… poison.
A corrosive poison. Another paralyzing one. The most insidious of all was the one that affected the sense of touch every twenty minutes. This poison wasn't meant for monsters. It was for me.
"It'd be shit if I lost my sight mid-fight instead of touch..." I muttered, testing another arrow.
But losing a sense for a few minutes would still be better than enduring the pain of a torn-off arm or a shattered jaw. I'd at least have twenty minutes to escape before the agony drove me mad. I was lucky to have thought of this poison... The protagonist used to use it when he did BDSM with his harem.
...
The next day, everything was ready. I'd strapped a sword to my belt, just for show. After all, I was supposed to be a swordsman. Two daggers hidden under my cloak, a longbow on my back. A hybrid outfit, to sow doubt.
As I descended the main hall's stairs, a knight approached in surprise at my gear.
"You practice archery too, young master?" she asked, intrigued.
I shot her a sideways smile.
"What do you think? I can do it all," I replied confidently.
For this expedition, I was accompanied by my assigned bodyguard, Erwan—young, powerful, discreet, and loyal—as well as another knight and the same woman, carefully selected by my grandmother.
I mounted my horse with a fluid motion. Daemon knew how to ride. His body remembered, and so did I.
I gave a brief nod to my aunt, who watched me from the threshold. My gaze was drawn to the top of the castle. My father stood behind the large bay window of his office, his cold eyes fixed on me.
"Don't kill my knights unnecessarily," he said sharply, before disappearing into the shadows.
I merely gave a brief nod.
"Well, I'm off, Archduchess," I said, spurring my mount slightly.
The road was silent at first. We left the floral gardens and magical fountains of the estate to cross the noble quarters, where mana-powered carriages hummed lazily on the cobblestone roads. But soon, the landscape changed.
The streets grew narrower, dusty. We entered the commoner's district. The houses were dilapidated, their roofs made of tin or planks, and the passersby's eyes were dull, hollowed by exhaustion. The contrast was stark.
Men and women in rags dragged themselves toward factories, fields, or forges. Their hands were covered in calluses and burns. Some children begged in corners, their faces hollow and bodies emaciated from hunger.
I looked away.
"It's sad..." I murmured. "This world is full of atrocities... but before dreaming of changing it, I must first survive."
---
We then took the road north. The trees grew denser, the birds rarer. A virgin forest welcomed us, still untouched by technological pollution. The leaves rustled in the breeze, and roots emerged from the ground.
Every thirty minutes, I stopped to mark the crossed area on a map. The mana-enhanced horses galloped relentlessly. Even after five hours, they pawed the ground impatiently.
Finally, after an additional thirty minutes, we reached our destination.
A black cave, gaping like the maw of a sleeping monster. Moss covered the walls, and a strange mist seeped out, like a breath.
I dismounted.
"You stay here," I ordered, tying the reins.
"Young master, it's dangerous!" the knight exclaimed, dismounting as well.
"We were ordered to accompany you!" Hughes added, frowning.
"It's an S-rank dungeon! Even with your talent—"
"SILENCE! DO YOU DARE DISOBEY ME?!" I growled, my gaze cold.
"But..." Erwan began, hesitating.
"There are no buts, Erwan." I locked eyes with him. "Do you think you're stronger than me?"
"No, young master…" he replied, lowering his head.
"I'm neither mad nor a fool. You'd only get in my way, anyway."
Without waiting for their response, I approached the cave's maw and entered, the shadows swallowing me slowly.
Hughes swallowed, his gaze fixed on the dark entrance.
"Do you think the young master can kill A-rank monsters at his age… without being awakened?" he asked softly.
"The Imperial Prince couldn't," the knight shrugged. "But we're talking about the young master… Nothing has ever made sense with him."
"Maybe he's mastered more of his family's art and wants to test his strength?"
Erwan shook his head, a bitter smile on his lips.
"Mastering the Indivar art before sixteen was already a feat… and now… This world isn't ready yet," he said, arms crossed, staring at the cave where I'd disappeared.