The sun was high in the sky, and the air buzzed with life. The entire Julius estate was alive with movement and sound. Everywhere, servants and staff bustled about, their conversations revolving around a single event: the awakening ceremony of the Julius family.
It was the day every young member of the family who had reached the age of fourteen would take part in the ceremony, activating their summoner system and linking to the summoning plane.
This was the moment when each would call forth their first summon, a rite of passage that defined their potential and status within the family.
This was no ordinary family event. The Julius family was one of the oldest and most powerful in the Vermilion Empire, a ducal family whose influence had spanned generations.
Known as a dynasty of summoning prodigies, the family's young ones were celebrated for their abilities, talents that consistently surpassed any others in the empire.
Each year, the main family and several branches would see their youths awaken, the results of which would determine their place in the hierarchy.
Among the youths awaiting their turn was a young man named Leon Julius.
He sat alone in his small, cramped room, staring into a broken, scratched mirror. His reflection was pale and tired, dark circles under his eyes betraying sleepless nights. His black hair stuck up at odd angles, unkempt and messy.
The small, musty space smelled of rotting wood and mold, the walls damp with the residue of years of neglect. The room was so tight that even the smallest movement felt constraining, claustrophobic.
All he had were the basics: a small bed shoved into a corner, a tiny wardrobe for his few belongings, a rickety wooden table with a chair, and a small oil lamp that barely lit the space.
In the corner of it all sat the mirror he had salvaged.
For a Julius, this was shameful. A member of one of the most influential families in the empire, and yet he lived as though he were nothing more than a commoner.
Leon pressed his hands to his face and muttered, "I can't believe it's been two weeks."
Two weeks. That was how long he had occupied this body.
He wasn't the real Leon Julius, not truly. This body had belonged to someone else in this world, someone he had now become. Two weeks ago, he had been Raymond James, a young millionaire in a world entirely unlike this one.
Raymond's life had been gilded with opportunity and privilege. His keen mind and strategic instincts had allowed him to amass wealth through investments and stocks, making him a figure of admiration in the business world.
He had even graced the pages of Forbes magazine for his accomplishments, living a life of abundance: sports cars, luxury, and endless possibilities.
That life ended in a single moment.
A minor accident, or perhaps fate, had intervened. Raymond had been rushing down the road, unable to stop to help an elderly woman struggling with her scattered goods, a wooden cart broken at her side.
He remembered her smile as he glimpsed it through his side mirror, a smile that lingered far longer than it should have. Moments later, a collision claimed his life, and the last image he retained was her grin.
When he awoke, he was no longer Raymond James. He was now Leon Julius. He carried all of Raymond's memories and feelings, regrets included, but he also inherited Leon's life—his struggles, his poverty, and the weight of being a Julius by name, but a pauper by circumstance.
Though the Julius name carried immense prestige, Leon's life was far from privileged. His father had once been a main branch member, a position of high honor, but his actions had led to his expulsion to an outer branch. Worse, Leon's mother had been a lowly courtesan, a woman from the brothels, and she had died giving birth to him.
He had never seen her. His father, consumed with reclaiming status within the family, had little time for his son, leaving Leon to be raised by the estate's maids. When he turned ten, even that care ended, and he was left to fend for himself.
Leon had learned to survive on scraps and small wages, helping around the estate wherever he could.
The weight of neglect and hardship had molded him into a resilient, but weary, young man. And then, his life as Leon Julius had ended, at least, temporarily, allowing Raymond's consciousness to inhabit the body.
"You've been through a lot, dude," Leon muttered to his reflection.
He exhaled and straightened. "I wish I could go back to my world, honestly. But I can't. So this… this is it. I'll make the best of it. I'll live as the best version of you that's possible."
He rose from the chair, the resolve in his voice ringing with determination.
"I'll make us rich. Powerful. Starting with this awakening ceremony, I'll make sure I get something that earns me recognition within the main family," he said.
Before stepping to the door, he glanced around the cramped room one last time. Today was pivotal,success meant a chance at a better life. Failure meant exile, being cast aside forever. There were no middle grounds, no safety nets.
He opened the door, and the sunlight rushed in, blinding him. He squinted, shielding his eyes with one hand as he stepped into the open.
The east wing of the estate, where he lived, was a cluster of modest buildings where those of lesser means resided.
The children of other outer branch members ran and played nearby, all tied to the Julius family, all waiting for the day they would awaken and claim their potential.
Leon kept his head down, walking with purposeful steps. He acknowledged none of them; after all, all they shared was a name. Connection, history, or loyalty meant nothing. Each had to fight for their own path.
[2026 WSA Entry, support if you enjoy]