Nathan – POV

  Puberty. Here we go again.

  It’s strange facing this stage of life for a second time. In my previous life on Earth, puberty was a chaotic cocktail of hormones, awkwardness, and questionable decisions. But now? Now I have the advantage of experience. A mature mind in a young body. A veteran soul piloting a preteen chassis. I told myself I would handle it with dignity this time. No embarrassing incidents. No hormone?driven stupidity. My adult mind would triumph over biology.

  Or so, I believed.

  That confidence evaporated the moment I woke up and saw Shive and Christine sleeping peacefully nearby, their soft breathing filling the quiet room. My brain short?circuited. My heart thumped. My body betrayed me instantly.

  So much for maturity.

  Still, I was grateful, deeply grateful, that my body hadn’t suddenly adjusted to match the raw stats of my level. That would have been horrifying. Imagine going to sleep as a child and waking up as an Primarch?tier demigod. No thank you. I liked my bones where they were.

  Based on my interviews with Serena, Christine, and several older children who had awakened their classes early through my help, the physical transformation tied to leveling wasn’t instantaneous. It was gradual, subtle at first, then accelerating as one approached adolescence. But one thing was universal: by age fifteen, the body completed its metamorphosis into adulthood. Those who leveled quickly experienced more dramatic changes, but even slow?levelers eventually caught up.

  I documented everything meticulously. The researcher in me demanded it. If I was going to live in a world governed by mana, classes, and system mechanics, then I would damn well understand it. My notes would serve as a foundation for future research... and perhaps, one day, for my descendants. If God deemed me worthy enough to have any.

  The thought made me pause. Descendants. A family. A legacy. It was a strange thing to consider at my current age, but the idea lingered.

  Aside from the physical changes, I was eagerly anticipating level 60. According to the rules of this world, I should have received a class evolution at level 50. I didn’t. That stung. But I held onto hope that my evolution would unlock at level 60... the level cap of my favorite PC game back on Earth. If my hunch is correct and I got a class evolution at a level 60, maybe the universe had a sense of humor. Or someone is changing the rules for me...

  To prepare, I had begun writing a tome documenting my journey, my discoveries, and my theories. I titled it Warlock for Dummies. A bit of self?mockery never hurt anyone. I wrote it in Latin, a language I learned thanks to the internal search engine in my head. It amused me to learn a dead language in a world full of magic. I should have taken Latin back on Earth instead of relying solely on English, Russian, and Mandarin; languages I learned for infiltration missions. Funny how irrelevant those skills felt now.

  I chose Latin for my memoir because few people on Earth knew it. If another reincarnate ever found my writings, they’d have a hard time deciphering them. And if it happened to me, it could happen to anyone. I was now fully convinced that I wasn’t the only Earthling reincarnated into Hovdenia.

  That conviction solidified a year ago when a passing merchant arrived at the fort with a peculiar item: a katana blade. Specifically, a nodachi—an exceptionally long, two?handed Japanese sword. According to the merchant, it once belonged to a founder of a kingdom now absorbed into the Gharish Empire, whose name has been lost to time. I bet the dude who owned this nodachi was a Japanese office salary man. I laugh at its absurdity.

  The event supposedly occurred hundreds of years ago. Long by Earth standards, but perfectly reasonable in a world where mana?rich beings lived centuries.

  The moment I saw that blade, my heart stopped. A nodachi. A Japanese sword. Here.

  It was proof, undeniable proof, that someone from Earth had been here before me.

  I bought the sword immediately. It was well?crafted, balanced, and deadly. Unfortunately, it was also taller than me. I couldn’t wield it yet, but one day I would. One day soon.

  I made a mental note to investigate the northern lands someday. If a Japanese sword existed here, maybe miso or katsudon existed too. The thought made me laugh. My life was starting to resemble a stereotypical isekai story.

  Shaking off the thought, I headed to the bathroom. Hot water cascaded over me, steam filling the room. I was proud of the plumbing system I had introduced; running water, heated baths, proper toilets. The people loved it. Lyle even suggested marketing the system to other territories, but I asked him to wait. I wanted our future seat of power; wherever in Shaxaian lands it would be; to be the birthplace of our innovations.

  After dressing, I made my way to the main hall for breakfast. As soon as I entered, I was greeted by a chorus of voices.

  “Happy birthday, Lord Nathan!”

  Maids, guards, families... everyone smiled warmly. It felt… nice. Strange, but nice.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  Father approached first. “Happy birthday, my son. How do you feel?”

  “I’m fine, Father. I feel… the same as before.”

  “You won’t see any changes yet,” Jack said, clapping my shoulder. “But once you raise your level, you’ll notice your body shift.”

  “Jack is right, little brother,” Serena added. “I can’t wait to show you the dungeons.”

  Christine bowed slightly. “I look forward to assisting you in the dungeons, Lord Nathan.”

  Mother swooped in, wrapping me in a hug. “Now, now, girls. No need to rush my baby boy.”

  “Mother, please,” I groaned. “I’m not a baby anymore.”

  “You will always be my baby boy,” she said sweetly.

  Laughter erupted around the table. I sighed. Resistance was futile. Mother would spoil me until the end of time.

  Outwardly, I remained calm. Inwardly, I was vibrating with excitement. Today marked the beginning of my ascension. Soon, I would shed this mortal, childlike shell and step into my true potential.

  I suppressed an evil laugh. Barely.

  Onoya Von Mishel – POV

  Three years. Three long years without a whisper. Not a sign. Not a shadow. Had I misinterpreted my vision? No. Impossible. It had been too vivid, too precise. I knew what I saw.

  I hurled the scroll across my chamber. It contained the latest reports from our spies in the western continent, reports that told me nothing. My sister’s decision to withdraw our operatives still infuriated me.

  I summoned my assistant. “Send word. I demand an audience with the queen.”

  I waited for the official summons, but impatience gnawed at me. I abandoned protocol and descended from my tower, heading straight for the throne room.

  My sister, Queen Amiya, was presiding over court. Rather than interrupt, I stood silently and listened.

  “Your Majesty,” Count Kandern declared, “the Gneab pigs are increasing their influence. We must counter them. The laws I propose will prohibit them from establishing churches in our kingdom.”

  Duke Maulburg scoffed. “Have you lost your mind? That is a declaration of war on the Gneab Theocracy.”

  “What if it is?” Countess Bernau interjected. “You all know what they’re doing to Froi.”

  “Enlighten us, for the sake of those still ignorant among us” Amiya said, her voice calm but commanding.

  “The Gneab Theocracy is strangling Froi through trade embargoes,” Bernau explained. “They demand that the Sisterhood of Gneab be expanded to include the daughters of Froi... noble daughters included.”

  Gasps rippled through the hall.

  A clueless noble muttered, “That’s not such a big deal.”

  Countess Bernau’s expression hardened. “My lord, the primary duty of the Sisterhood is to perform sexual services for the priests.”

  Shock spread like wildfire.

  “They have twisted the teachings of the goddess,” Duke Aitern growled.

  Disgust churned in my stomach. Prostitution disguised as divine service. A mockery of faith.

  “Despicable as they are,” Duke Maulburg said, “we cannot afford two enemies. The Rilzesez Triumvirate watches us closely. If we provoke the Theocracy, they will strike the moment war breaks out.”

  This was taking too long.

  “What of our neighbor to the east, the Holy State of Shabiln?” I asked. “We can ask them to increase their presence here to counter Gneab.”

  All eyes turned to me. The nobles bowed.

  “Welcome, sister,” Amiya said.

  I stepped forward. “The solution is simple. Encourage the followers of Shabiln to grow within Grastiria. We do not openly choose sides, but we quietly support the Holy State.”

  The nobles murmured approval. Fools. My sister was surrounded by fools.

  “As always, my sister is wise,” Amiya declared. “That is enough for today. Leave us.”

  Once the hall emptied, I faced her.

  “Why did you withdraw your spies?” I demanded.

  “Sister,” she sighed, “it has been nearly three years with no sign of a dark entity rising in the west. Even the Shaxaian lands are quiet. Maintaining operatives is costly.”

  “This is no joke,” I snapped. “The danger—”

  “—is not yet here,” she interrupted. “At least our western operatives uncovered the Theocracy’s meddling in Froi. That threat is real and immediate.”

  “But why pull them out of the other lands?”

  “Not all of them,” she said. “Only those outside the Theocracy. This silent war will drain our coffers. If it escalates into open conflict, the cost will be catastrophic.”

  “Then at least keep some in Shaxaia,” I insisted. “I have reflected on my vision. I am convinced the entity will rise there.”

  Amiya studied me for a long moment. Finally, she nodded.

  “Very well. I will grant you authority over the operatives in Shaxaian lands. But I must focus on the Theocracy.”

  “Why concern yourself with those pigs?” I asked.

  “Because if they succeed in Froi, they will turn their eyes to us next,” she said. “These missionaries they send are merely the beginning. They will prey on the lust of weak nobles, then tighten their grip with demands and embargoes. And before we know it, we end up like Froi”

  “It’s their fault. Shaxaian nobles and their superiority complex.” I added.

  “Who can blame them for their arrogance? They were the pinnacle of a civilization that everyone looked up at. If I were the grand duke, I would have probably scoffed at offers of alliances and help years ago”, Amiya said.

  “No, you wouldn’t sister.” I said.

  “Why are you so sure?”

  “Because I will be with you.” I declared.

  Amiya shooked her head and said, “Enough of fallen empires, do you agree to my proposal?”

  I exhaled slowly. “Yes. Let me handle the search for the man in my vision. You lead the struggle against the Theocracy.”