A high-level heroic skill specialized in close combat. Even if there is no longer a danger as great as Ipheria was, someone who possesses such a skill stands out like a precious gem in the mud.

Hypothetically, under normal circumstances my parents would use me to establish a relationship with Dukes or even with members of royalty.

With my skill I could end up becoming a powerful general for the kingdom's army. Also, my children would have a better chance of carrying combat skills.

My parents must fantasize about all kinds of scenarios in which they would benefit.

"Madam Osteen, that's too good to be true, even if I possess a heroic skill, there's no way some nobleman will agree to marry off his daughter to a mere commoner who has not yet proved anything”

My words cause the joyous atmosphere to change into deep silence.

The smiles on my parents' faces stiffen.

"I have a long way to go, but Enaria is a good starting point" —I add in a notoriously fake tone of bitterness.

"You shouldn't make such jokes, Reiner, with the backing of your family you can easily get a good fiancee" —answers my mother while laughing nervously.

"Family?" —I turn to the priest. "Father, according to the temple record, do I have a family?"

My mother's nervous laughter is completely extinguished.

"According to the temple record, you are just one more orphan" —answers the priest.

"I have a difficult way ahead" —I exclaim, shrugging my shoulders.

My father's face shows an expression that gives me satisfaction. His face expresses frustration, anger, and tension, but because of the priest's presence, he is holding back.

"Do you want to come with me to the Temple in Enaria? Although the temple is no longer concerned with training those who possess heroic skills, since they are people blessed by the Gods, we still lend them some assistance” —the priest exclaims those words probably understanding the situation.

I figured the priest would try to help me by seeing me in this situation. With me supposedly being chosen by the Gods, there is no way he can just ignore me and leave me to my own devices.

"Nothing would please me more than traveling with the Father and receiving his guidance on the designs of the Gods during the journey”

Looking pleased the priest nods

"Marquis, since the ceremony has concluded and because I cannot spend too much time away from the temple, I am afraid that I should immediately return to Enaria"

My father comes out of his stupor and shows a notoriously fake smile.

"It is a real pity, but it will not be me who prevents you from performing your duties towards the gods"

"If the gods so wish, we will meet again next year, or much sooner than that" —the priest turns to me. "Let's go"

Walking behind the priest, I leave the old warehouse. Not far away I can see a simple white carriage bearing the image of the Temple of the God of Light on the side of its door. A man standing by the carriage nods to the priest as he opens the door of the carriage.

"Reiner" —as the priest boards the carriage, behind me I hear my father's voice.

I turn and look at his somber expression.

"You knew that, right?"

He really is smarter than I thought.

In response to the question, I draw a sinister smile to my lips. I can see how my father's body flinches for a second as his eyes widen.

Ignoring my father's reaction, I turn and board the carriage. Behind me, the man from before closes the door.

"Not every day you can see a nobleman renouncing his status that way"

Once the carriage is in motion, I hear the priest speak those words. The man in his sixties looks at me curiously.

"Do not give up my social status, I was stripped of it, Father"

"Although that is true, with your heroic skill your father would not have hesitated to back down on his decision"

"That things have ended in this way is the will of the Gods, only they know what they have fated for me"

"With all that has happened, it is impossible to deny those words" —the priest smiles.

Without a doubt, this dog of the Gods is satisfied with himself when he thinks he has taken me out of a precarious situation.

As I am concerned, if this dog had not offered to help me, I would have made my way by myself even over the corpses of my parents and everyone present at the ceremony.

In this new life, under the light I will pretend to be a hero, but in the dark I will be a demon king who will do anything to achieve his goals.

The carriage leaves the farm fields behind and takes a long way north.

"The lax lands of the west..." —I murmur to myself with a faint smile.

In my previous life I never set foot outside of the center of the continent, so everything will be new to me.

"What are your plans when you get to Enaria? The help that the temple can provide is limited, at most you will get a plate of hot soup and a sermon”

"My older sister lives in Enaria with her husband, I will go to her"

The priest nods at my response then lecture me on my responsibility as the bearer of the blessing of the gods. I just nod constantly pretending enthusiasm.

By nightfall, the carriage crosses the great gate of a wall and enters a city, Enaria.

"Do you know where you should go?"

"My sister's husband is the second son of Baron Ren'Lai"

"Ren'Lai? A family of great prestige, I will take you there ”—the priest opens the window facing the front and instructs the driver.

The carriage travels over the cobbled streets of Enaria as the oil lanterns are lit.

Soon the quality of the buildings on the sides of the streets changes, leaving behind the dilapidated and damaged facades.

With the sun completely hidden, the carriage stops in front of the gate of a small mansion.

Immediately a man who serves as a guard runs and approaches the window.

"How can I help you, Father?" —the man approaches the window over the door and asks that question. He has seen the temple shield on the side of the carriage.

"I have only helped this young man get home" —answers the priest.

The guard looks at me in confusion.

"My name is Reiner, my sister Elysa Ren'Lai must wait for me"

"Oh, the son of Marquis Osteen! I have already been informed of your arrival”

I turn to the priest, and he smiles.

"I hope to see what the Gods have fated for you"

"I trust it will be something worth your help"

After saying goodbye to the priest, I get out of the carriage and the guard leads me through a simple garden towards the door of the small mansion.

When the guard knocks twice on the door, it opens and a middle-aged woman emerges wearing the typical outfit of a maid.

"The son of Marquis Osteen has arrived"

Hearing that, the woman gives me a quick look.

"Please, Mrs. Elysa awaited your arrival" —the woman invites me in and then takes another look at me. "What about your luggage, Sir?"

"Could it be that my father will send it later" —I shrug.

I really don't mind not having belongings, I'm used to it. All I need to get started is a temporary shelter and... a sword.

The woman leads me down a long corridor to an elegant double door. She knocks twice on the door and after hearing a "come in" coming from the other side, she turns the knob and enters.

"Mr. Osteen has arrived" —expresses the woman as soon as she enters.

I walk in behind the woman and observe a man in his twenties sitting on a luxurious sofa. Beside him, a beautiful woman of similar age immediately stands up and runs towards me, she gives me a big hug.

"Welcome, Rein!" —the woman exclaims in a sweet tone of voice.

“Your father had said that you would arrive on the same day of the ceremony, but I did not think that it would really happen like that. It's good to see you again, Reiner” —the man stands up and exclaims that with a happy smile.

“It's good to see you too, brother Klaus” —even with my sister hugging me, I return the greeting to the man.

My sister finally releases her hug on me, but she holds me by the shoulders as she watches me from head to toe.

"Rein, why do you still dress like this?"

"Father had the priest remove my name from the family record"

Hearing my answer, my sister's beautiful blue eyes widen. I can see Klein letting out a long breath as she shakes her head.

"I can't believe he really did after so many times I asked him to reconsider" —my sister is angry and disappointed.

"Your father is too stubborn, there was no way he would change his mind"

Klein stands behind my sister's back and places one of his hands on her shoulders.

"It's okay sister, when I left, his expression was unmatched" —I exclaimed with a smile, and both Klein and my sister are confused.

"What did you do?"

"Info" —to Klein's question, I reply by invoking my info parchment.

They are surprised that I can invoke my info parchment just a few hours after the ceremony. It usually takes days to accomplish this on your own after knowing you have a skill.

I take the parchment and slide it towards them.

"This is…"

Both lose their breath completely when they see the contents of the translucent parchment.

After being invited to take a seat by Klein, I narrated what happened during the ceremony, and I omit my thoughts.

As Klein laughed continuously, my sister's mood went from anger to disbelief.

Although my sister did not forgive my parents for deleting me from the family record, she did not seem thrilled about the way I handled the situation. Still, she didn't blame me for anything and just made me promise not to be reckless because of my heroic skill.

A few minutes later, the maid interrupted our chat to call us for dinner.

Klein's father, his older brother and his family are out of Enaria, so only the three of us share the table.

By the end of dinner, my sister led me to what would be my room and asked me to rest. No doubt she thought everything that happened must have exhausted me greatly.

About my lack of clothes, my sister gave me several sets that once belonged to Klein.

"Where to start?" —unable to fall asleep, I murmur lying on the bed.

I need to forge a name as a hero, while in the shadows I need to forge the intrigues necessary to achieve my goals and get rid of obstacles.

I stand up and walk to the full-length mirror in one corner of the room. I watch my reflection as I mentally use Loki.

The image on the mirror changes and I gain the appearance that I had in my previous life.

A young man of nineteen, with black hair and brown eyes. An illusion of what I once was, 'Nocht the Black Flash'.

The image changes again.

The reflection in the mirror now corresponds to that of humanity's most fearsome enemy, the Demon King Ipheria.

With my current strength, the illusions I create are lax. If I tried to touch some solid object, the illusion would break.

At the moment the best thing I can do is change other illusions, as with the info parchment.

The image on the mirror changes again, and now it shows a skeleton being provided with horns and whose eyes are two purple flames on two black cavities, an Elder Lich Demon, Ikar the Necromancer, another of Ipheria's generals and of whom I own his skill, Anubis.

"I'll well use this, I will create reliable companions who will never betray me"

It is a long way, but everything has a beginning.