In the end, it turned out there were two carriages several meters away from where Adam had been. He shared one with Ravenna while it was driven by Roderic, while the second carriage was for the other guards.As they headed toward the mansion, Adam could see how the dirt roads stretched on, cutting through endless fields of grass meticulously maintained. Adam observed the scenery from the carriage window, noting that there was absolutely nothing beyond the perfectly kept vegetation. No nearby villages, no other structures. Just that solitary road connecting to what Roderic had referred to as "the city."
'What isolation,' he thought, resting his elbow against the wooden frame while his chin lay on his hand. 'Living in the middle of nowhere… what kind of family is this?'
The carriage took a sharp turn, and the mansion appeared before his eyes.Adam straightened immediately, his eyes slightly widened. The structure had several floors, probably four or five, with towers at the ends and enormous windows reflecting the sunlight. The architecture was elegant: thick walls, balconies with wrought-iron railings, and dark slate roofs that contrasted with the light stone walls.
'This is… excessive,' he thought, frowning slightly. It wasn't that opulence bothered him; he had seen enough mansions in his previous life when visiting rivals or allies. But this was… different.
Ravenna, seated across from him, noticed his expression and smiled with a hint of pride. "The Shadowend mansion has stood for over three hundred years, Your Excellency. It's one of the oldest noble constructions in the duchy."
Adam merely nodded, not taking his eyes off it. The carriage began to slow as they approached the main entrance, where a line of servants was already waiting.
When the wheels came to a complete stop, Roderic was the first to step down, followed by his men. Adam waited for Ravenna to open the door and, with an inward sigh, stepped out of the carriage.
The first thing he noticed was the absolute silence.
All the servants, at least twenty of them, bowed in unison in a deep reverence. Adam observed them carefully, his gaze moving along the line. There were humans, yes, but also elves. He even saw several beastwomen.
'Different races working together?' he thought, surprised. In that world, that was usually a sign of a powerful family.
But what truly caught his attention was something else.
None of them looked him in the eyes.Not a single one raised their gaze. They remained bowed, heads lowered, waiting. Adam frowned, slightly uncomfortable with the scene. It wasn't strange for him to receive respect—or fear—but this felt different.
"Your Excellency, please." Ravenna guided him toward the main entrance with a gentle gesture of her hand.
Adam walked between the line of servants. He climbed the marble steps and crossed the double doors that led into a gigantic vestibule. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and the walls were decorated with tapestries and portraits of people he assumed were his ancestors.
'Definitely not poor in this life,' he thought with a hint of irony.
Ravenna led him through several corridors until they reached a spacious room. The doors opened before he could ask anything, and Adam stepped inside to find two figures waiting for him.
His mother was standing near a window, her hands clasped in front of her. She was an elegant-looking woman, with black hair gathered into an elaborate bun and eyes of the same color, filled with barely contained worry. She wore a dress in dark tones with silver details.
His father, on the other hand, remained seated in an armchair, back straight and posture imposing. He had gray hair combed back, a short, well-kept beard, and gray eyes that watched Adam with a stoic expression.
"Adam." His mother's voice was the first to break the silence, and in an instant she was in front of him, holding his face in her hands while examining him from top to bottom. "You went into the forest and didn't come out for hours. I was worried."
Adam blinked, somewhat taken aback by the contact. He couldn't remember the last time someone had touched him like that. "Nothing happened. I'm fine," he replied in a tone meant to sound reassuring, though it came out flatter than he intended.
His mother looked into his eyes for another second before slowly letting go, though the worry didn't leave her expression. She stepped aside, allowing his father to speak.
"Sit," the duke ordered in a firm voice.
Adam obeyed without protest, taking a seat in the armchair across from him. Roderic entered at that moment, bowing to the duke before speaking.
"Your Excellency, I must report what occurred in the forest."
The duke nodded, and Roderic proceeded to recount the dead bandits, some reduced to ashes, others with precise, fatal wounds. He mentioned that Adam had claimed to have dealt with them alone.
Adam's mother looked at him with greater concern, though she maintained her composure, lightly clasping her hands. His father, meanwhile, narrowed his eyes.
"That is impossible." The duke's voice resonated heavily in the air. "It hasn't even been three months since we analyzed your mana core, and it was barely the size of a seed. You don't have the capacity to use fire magic, much less healing magic for a deep wound."
Adam looked at him without blinking, processing the information. 'Ah, right. Magic. I barely have five points in that category,' he thought. In his mind, the image of Nox unleashing that burst of fire appeared clearly.
"I don't believe that story," his father continued, leaning back in the chair as he observed him closely. "Tomorrow we'll conduct another core examination. We'll determine if there was any change."
Adam nodded without protest. "Understood."
The duke seemed satisfied with the response, though his expression remained stern. "You may leave."
Adam stood, making a slight bow before turning toward the door. Ravenna was waiting outside, and together they began walking through the mansion's corridors.
'So those two are my new parents,' Adam thought as he followed Ravenna, who walked confidently ahead of him. The corridors were a labyrinth, with doors on both sides and staircases leading to upper and lower floors.
As they moved forward, Adam noticed a figure at the end of the hallway.
It was a young woman around his age, perhaps a year younger. She wore an elegant dark-blue dress with white lace details, and her white hair fell in soft waves over her shoulders. She was walking in the opposite direction, accompanied by a maid.
Their gazes met for an instant.
Adam glanced at her, noticing something strange in her expression. It wasn't hostility or curiosity. It was something else… as if she were evaluating him.
She averted her eyes a second later and continued on her way without saying a word.
'Who was that?' Adam thought, but he didn't ask. He assumed that if she was important, he would find out eventually.
Ravenna stopped in front of a carved wooden door and opened it carefully. "Your room, Your Excellency."
Adam entered, and the first thing he noticed was the size. The room was enormous: a bed in the center, a desk near the window, shelves filled with books, and several pieces of furniture that seemed more decorative than functional.
'This is bigger than my old room,' he thought, walking toward the window. From there he could see part of the fields surrounding the mansion, stretching as far as the eye could see.
"I'll go prepare your bath, Your Excellency. You need to change your clothes," Ravenna said with a bow before leaving, closing the door behind her.
Adam was left alone, silently observing the room. He approached the desk and ran his fingers over the polished wooden surface. There were a few scattered papers, an inkwell beside a quill.
'What a different life,' he thought, letting himself sink into the chair.
That was when the system screen appeared in front of him.
[Tamer System]
[New mission available]
Maintain a low profile for two days. Do not draw unnecessary attention or reveal your true capabilities.
[Reward: Important memories of the previous body + Information about the novel's timeline]
[Punishment: Attracting the attention of undesirable individuals]
Adam read the message carefully, narrowing his eyes. 'Important memories… and knowing what era I'm in.'That last part interested him especially. If the novel was following its course, then certain key events had already happened or were about to occur. Knowing where he stood in the story could give him an enormous advantage.
'Low profile, huh?' he thought, leaning back in the chair as he stared at the ceiling. 'Two days isn't that long.'
He closed his eyes, feeling the accumulated exhaustion of the day. The fight, the wound, the contract with Nox, the meeting with his parents… it had all been too much in too little time.
'It'll be interesting to see just how "important" those memories are,' he thought, letting a twisted smile form on his lips.
And for the first time since arriving in that world, Adam allowed himself to relax, if only a little.