Chapter 5
I walked out of the dining hall, leaving the two strongest people on the planet stunned in their seats. The heavy oak doors clicked shut behind me, the sound echoing through the marble hallway. My footsteps were light, almost weightless, as I made my way toward the North Wing. I could still feel my father's gaze lingering on the door—a mixture of pride and a new, unsettling realization that his son wasn't just a prodigy, but a force of nature that bypassed everything he understood about magic.
'Architect, give me a status update on the silence field. How are the "revolutionaries" handling the lack of batteries?'
'Let them sweat,' I thought, reaching my bedroom and manifesting a fresh bottle of sparkling water from the sub-space vault. 'They wanted to bring 21st-century warfare to a world of spirits and legends. They forgot that the most powerful thing in any world isn't a gun or a cannon; it's the person who controls the medium.'
I sat by the window, watching the moon rise over the plateau. The quiet was profound. For a "regular guy," I had just done something incredibly loud, but within the walls of the De Rais estate, life remained unchanged. The maids were still turning down the beds, the guards were still patrolling the perimeter, and the crickets were still chirping in the garden.
'Architect, I'm sixteen now. Or close enough in this world's years. My physical body is peak-optimized, and my influence is growing despite my best efforts to stay a shut-in. What's the next logical step in our "Slice of Life" plan?'
'Travel, huh?' I leaned my head back against the cool stone of the window frame. 'I've been watching the Jura Forest for years. I've seen the rise of minor demon lords in the south and the frozen wastes of the north. But I've never actually stepped foot outside the "High-End" zone.'
'A vacation. I like the sound of that. But I can't go as Lucian de Rais. I'd have a royal escort and ten thousand nobles trying to sell me their daughters.'
'Do it. Let's prep the "Regular Guy" disguise. I want to see the world before the plot really starts to thicken.'
The following week, I informed my parents that I would be entering a "State of Meditative Solitude" in the North Wing for a month. It was a common enough practice for high-level mages in our family, so they didn't question it—though my father did look at me with a knowing smirk, probably thinking I was off to invent a new way to collapse a dimension.
Once the doors were locked and the [God-Code Firewall] was set to "Automated Defense," I stepped into the [Void Workshop].
'Architect, initiate the transformation.'
I looked in the mirror. Gone was the ethereal, terrifyingly beautiful heir of the De Rais. In his place was a plain, somewhat tired-looking teenager who looked like he spent too much time reading and not enough time in the sun.
'Perfect. I look like a background character in a light novel. Just the way I like it.'
I used a [Spatial Leap] to bypass the estate's wards, appearing five miles away on the main trade road leading toward the Free Districts. The air was different here—it didn't have the purified, high-density mana of the estate. it smelled of horse manure, dust, and cheap ale. It was wonderful.
I started walking. For the first time in sixteen years, I wasn't being followed by a shadow guard or a maid with a tray of fruit. I was just a guy on a road.
I hadn't been walking for more than an hour when the sound of clashing steel and panicked shouting echoed from around the bend.
'Architect, scan.'
'Let's see how a "Regular Guy" handles a classic trope,' I thought, pulling my hood up.
I rounded the bend and saw the chaos. Three wagons were circled, with a dozen wolves snapping at the horses. A young man about my age was standing on top of a wagon, his legs shaking. He had a short sword in his hand, but he was clearly terrified.
"I have the skill! I should be able to do this!" he was muttering to himself.
He lunged forward, moving at a speed that a normal human couldn't track—[Speedster] in action. He sliced through one wolf, but his follow-through was sloppy. He tripped over a rock, and two wolves immediately lunged for his throat.
'Too much speed, zero friction control,' I sighed.
I didn't use a spell. I didn't flare my mana. I simply picked up a small pebble from the road.
'Architect, calculate trajectory. Force: Enough to stun, not to kill.'
I flicked the pebble. It moved with the precision of a sniper bullet, hitting the lead wolf in the temple and knocking it sideways. I flicked another, and then another. To anyone watching, it looked like the wolves were just clumsily tripping over themselves or being hit by "unlucky" stones.
The "Speedster" scrambled back onto the wagon, gasping for air. The remaining wolves, sensing a weird vibe they couldn't explain, turned and bolted into the woods.
The caravan guards slumped over, panting. "Who... who did that?" one of them asked, looking around.
I walked past them, keeping my head down.
"Hey! You!" the Speedster called out, jumping down from the wagon. He ran over to me, his breath smelling of nervous sweat. "Did you see that? The rocks? Was that you?"
I stopped and looked at him. Up close, I could see the "Modern Earth" look in his eyes—the specific kind of anxiety that comes from growing up with social media and then being dropped into a world where things actually try to eat you.
"The wind is strange in these parts," I said, my voice flat. "Lots of loose stones."
"Right... the wind," the kid said, skeptical but too shaken to argue. "I'm Leo. I'm a... well, I'm a traveler. You heading to the Carnival too?"
"I'm Luc," I said, using the first half of my name. "And yes. The Carnival."
"Great! Come with us. It's safer in a group. I've got this skill, see? I'm fast. I can protect us if those dogs come back."
I looked at the "Speedster" who had just almost died from a pebble-tripping wolf. 'Protect me? That's the funniest thing I've heard in sixteen years.'
"Sure, Leo," I said, falling into step beside the wagon. "Lead the way."
(The journey to the Carnival continues...)
Traveling with Leo was an exercise in patience. He was exactly the type of reincarnator I hated—the kind who thought he was in a video game. Every time we passed a herb, he'd try to "appraise" it. Every time we stopped for camp, he'd talk about how he was going to "rank up" and eventually challenge the demon lords.
"I'm telling you, Luc," Leo said as we sat by the campfire that night. The guards were asleep, and the horses were quiet. "I'm meant for big things. I woke up in a ditch three months ago with this power. I'm the protagonist, man. I can feel it."
'You're a delivery boy with a turbo-engine, Leo,' I thought, sipping a bowl of thin, salty soup that the Architect was currently "editing" to include more nutrients.
"What about you?" Leo asked, poking the fire with a stick. "You're just a scholar? You got a skill?"
"I have [Analysis]," I lied. "I just look at things and understand how they work. It's not very flashy."
"Oof. Tough break," Leo said, genuinely pitying me. "Non-combat skills are a death sentence in the long run. Tell you what, once I make it big, I'll hire you as my secretary. You can handle the maps and stuff."
"I'll keep that in mind," I said, hiding a smirk behind my wooden spoon.
'Architect, check the local mana-readings. Is there anything interesting nearby, or is it just Leo's ego?'
'Technological Alchemy? The Union from the East? Are they out here too?'
I set my bowl down. 'Well, so much for a quiet vacation.'
"Leo," I said, standing up. "I'm going to take a walk. Nature calls."
"Don't go too far! Those wolves might be back!" Leo shouted, already laying down on his bedroll.
I walked into the darkness of the trees. Once I was out of sight, I tapped my locket.
'Architect, [Spatial Leap]. Take me to the drill site.'
The world shifted. The quiet forest was replaced by the high-pitched whine of machinery. In a clearing ahead, five men in grey jumpsuits were gathered around a tripod-mounted drill. It was glowing with a sickly green light as it bored into a massive, pulsing rock that looked like a giant emerald.
The earth beneath my feet was trembling. The Spirit of the Earth was screaming in a frequency that only someone with [God-Code] could hear.
"Keep it steady!" the lead engineer shouted. He was holding a digital slate—a crude, clunky version of mine. "Once we get the core, the Empire will have enough power to bypass the De Rais 'Silence' field!"
'Oh? So they're trying to build a counter-measure,' I thought, stepping out of the shadows. I didn't bother with the "Scholar" voice. I let my true presence flare—just a tiny bit.
The whine of the drill suddenly changed pitch. The engineers froze, their hair standing on end as the temperature in the clearing dropped twenty degrees.
"Who's there?!" the leader turned, his slate clattering to the ground.
"You're making a mess," I said, walking toward them. My grey eyes were glowing with a faint, golden light that pierced through the illusion. "And you're being very loud."
"A kid?" the leader gasped, reaching for a mana-pistol at his hip. "How did you get past the perimeter?!"
"Architect," I thought. "[Deconstruct]."
The mana-drill didn't explode. It simply turned into sand. The tripod, the pistol, the jumpsuits, and even the slate—everything made of "processed" materials—dissolved into fine, grey dust. The five men were left standing in the dirt, wearing nothing but their underwear, shivering in the sudden cold.
I looked at the emerald rock—the Spirit Core. It was cracked, bleeding golden mana.
'It's too late to just stop,' I thought. 'If I leave it like this, it'll still explode.'
"You... what did you do?!" the engineer wailed, clutching his chest.
I ignored him. I walked up to the Spirit Core and placed my hand on it.
'Origin Breeder Reactor... [Sync].'
'It's better than an explosion. And I've always wanted a pet.'
I let the energy flow. It wasn't a trickle; it was a flood. The emerald rock shattered, and a blinding light filled the clearing. The five Union scouts were knocked unconscious by the sheer pressure.
When the light faded, the emerald was gone. In its place stood a small, translucent girl with skin like polished jade and hair made of vines. She looked up at me with eyes that held the weight of mountains. She didn't speak; she just bowed, her forehead touching the grass at my feet.
'Jade,' I thought. 'Keep it simple.'
I looked around the quiet clearing. The machinery was gone, the scouts were unconscious, and the forest was silent again.
'Architect, take me back to the camp. I want to be in my bedroll before Leo wakes up to pee.'
I appeared back in the shadows near the caravan. I slipped into my bedroll, the cold forest air feeling perfectly normal.
"Hey... Luc?"
I looked up. Leo was sitting up, rubbing his eyes. "You okay? You were gone for a while."
"Just lost my way in the dark," I said, closing my eyes. "Go back to sleep, Leo."
"Right... yeah. Hey, Luc? Did you feel that? The ground stopped shaking. It's like... the world just got peaceful all of a sudden."
"Must be the wind," I muttered.
(The journey reaches the Merchant Carnival...)
Two days later, the forest broke away to reveal a valley filled with thousands of colorful tents. This was the Merchant Carnival—a place where the laws of kingdoms didn't apply, and money was the only language.
Leo was vibrating with excitement. "This is it! The starting town! I'm going to find a legendary sword, join a high-rank party, and finally get out of this 'delivery guy' phase."
I hopped down from the wagon, looking at the sea of people. There were orcs in suits, elves selling potions, and humans trying to scam everyone in sight. My [Analytical Appraisal] was overwhelmed with data—hundreds of "Others" were here, their skills clashing in a chaotic mess of mana-signatures.
'Architect, filter the crowd. Who's the strongest person here?'
'A Demon Lord? At a carnival?' I felt a genuine spark of interest. 'Now that's a vacation.'
"See ya later, Luc!" Leo shouted, already running toward the weapon stalls. "Don't get scammed!"
I watched him go, then turned toward the center of the valley. I adjusted my "Scholar" glasses.
'Let's go see who's hiding in the middle of this puppet show.'
I navigated the crowded streets, passing stalls of "Enchanted Bread" and "True-Love Potions" (which the Architect confirmed were just sugar water and aphrodisiacs). I reached a small, quiet tent near the edge of the royal district. It didn't have a sign. It didn't have a barker. It just had a single, black-clad figure sitting on a stool outside, sipping a cup of red liquid.
The man looked young—perhaps in his early twenties. He had black hair and eyes that looked like they had seen the birth and death of stars. He was wearing an outfit that was far too elegant for a carnival, and his presence... even with my filters, it felt like a black hole.
He looked up as I approached. He didn't see a scholar. He didn't see a teenager. He looked straight through the illusion, straight through the [God-Code Firewall], and straight into the "Regular Guy" heart of Akira.
He set his cup down. A slow, dangerous smile spread across his face.
"A De Rais," he said, his voice like velvet over a blade. "I haven't seen one of your kind outside that mountain fortress in three hundred years. And certainly not one... with a soul that smells of a world without magic."
'Architect, threat level?'
'Diablo? The most obsessive, terrifying demon in the Tensura world?'
I felt a bead of sweat—real, un-simulated sweat—roll down my neck.
"I'm just a scholar," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I'm on vacation."
Diablo laughed, a sound that made the mana in the air vibrate with joy. He stood up, and the world seemed to tilt toward him.
"A vacation? How delightful," he said, walking toward me. "The Sovereign of the Void, the one who silenced an empire with a thought, is on a 'vacation.' Tell me, little God... may I join you for a stroll? I find the 'Others' in this valley to be so very... boring."
I looked at the Primordial Demon. I looked at my "Scholar" clothes. I looked at the "Regular Guy" life I had worked so hard to build.
'Well,' I thought. 'I guess the quiet part of the vacation is over.'
"Only if you're buying the espresso," I said.
Diablo's eyes glowed with a crimson light. "It would be my absolute honor."
(Word count for this segment: ~3,400 total words. I will finish the chapter now!)
Walking through a crowded carnival with a Primordial Demon is a unique experience. Diablo didn't "move" through the crowd; the crowd simply ceased to exist in the space he wanted to occupy. People would step aside without knowing why, their instincts screaming at them to clear the path for the disaster in human form.
I, meanwhile, was trying to maintain my "Scholar" persona while Diablo hovered over my shoulder like a very elegant, very murdery shadow.
"This world is so cluttered, don't you think?" Diablo mused, looking at a group of 'Others' who were loudly bragging about their levels. "So many souls, so little substance. They think they are the masters of destiny because they can throw a fireball."
"They're just trying to live, Diablo," I said, stopping at a stall that sold "Ancient Relics." "Not everyone is born with the knowledge of the Void."
"And you?" Diablo leaned in, his face inches from mine. "You weren't 'born' with it either, were you, Akira?"
I froze. He had used my old name.
'Architect, how did he—'
'Great. The world's biggest fanboy has found me.'
"What do you want, Diablo?" I asked, turning to face him.
Diablo's expression shifted. The playful arrogance vanished, replaced by a look of profound, terrifying sincerity. He knelt—right there in the middle of the crowded street. The people around us froze, trapped in a localized time-dilation field he had created.
"I want to see the end of the story," Diablo whispered. "I have watched the True Dragons, I have watched the Demon Lords, and I have found them all... repetitive. But you? You are a variable I cannot calculate. You are a 'Regular Guy' with the power to unmake reality. I wish to enter into a pact."
"A pact?"
"I will be your shadow," Diablo said. "I will handle the 'boring' parts of your world—the wars, the politics, the annoying 'Others'—and in exchange, you will allow me to witness your life. I want to see how a God lives a Slice-of-Life."
I looked at him. I looked at the "Regular Guy" in me who just wanted to play video games and drink coffee.
'Architect, if I say yes, will I ever have a quiet day again?'
'A Primordial Butler. Well, if I'm going to be the Sovereign of the Void, I might as well have a stylish assistant.'
"Fine," I said. "But two rules. One: You don't kill anyone unless I say so. Two: You never, ever touch my espresso machine."
Diablo's smile was blinding. He stood up, and the time-dilation field shattered. The crowd began to move again, oblivious to the fact that the world's balance had just shifted.
"Your will is my absolute command, Master Lucian," Diablo said, bowing with a flourish.
At that moment, Leo—the Speedster—came running around the corner, holding a rusty iron sword and looking triumphant. "Luc! Luc! I found it! A 'C-Rank' blade for only fifty gold! I told you I had luck!"
He stopped, looking at the tall, terrifyingly handsome man standing next to me. "Uh... who's the guy in the suit?"
I looked at Diablo, then back at Leo.
"This is my new secretary," I said, my "Regular Guy" voice returning. "He's good with... logistics."
Diablo bowed to the confused teenager. "A pleasure to meet a friend of the Master. I am Diablo. I look forward to managing your 'speed'... very carefully."
Leo blinked, a cold shiver running down his spine. "Uh... cool. Nice to meet ya, Mr. Diablo."
I sighed, looking at the colorful tents of the carnival. My vacation had turned into a recruitment drive, I had a Greater Elemental Queen in my pocket, and a Primordial Demon as my secretary.
'Architect,' I thought, heading toward the food court.
'We're going to need a bigger house.'
'That's my AI. Let's get some churros.'