In a temple a priest, child and a man with greying hair stood before a crystal ball. ‘’Come young master, place your hand on the crystal ball, it will measure the magic power derived from your soul’’ said an old man in a butler outfit to a well-dressed 5-year old child. In response to this tentatively put his hand on the smooth crystal sphere. After placing his hand on the ball, a small spark sputtered into existence in the middle of the orb before flaring out not half a second later. As this happened the boy felt weak and drowsy, causing him collapsed, head hitting the floor as darkness claimed his vision.

‘’Aargh, my head’’ I moaned as I awoke to a headache. Wait, where was I, I was sure that I was out having a party for the end of school year. I should be at home, not this Victorian era bedroom, and why was everything so small. ‘’Young master, your finally awake’’ said a butler looking guy standing beside the bed, startling me. I stared at him, he looked familiar, I wondered why before a wave of pain assaulted my head, making me clutch it in pain. I moaned, the pain felt like someone was forcibly trying to rip my head in half. As the pain continued flashes of memories came to my head, some showing knights training while others showed glittering towers of glass and steel. As quickly as it came the pain ended leaving me disorientated and confused and the butler whom I knew as Otto worried. ‘’Young master are you alright, shall I call a healer’’ he asked. Turning to him I responded in my childish voice ‘’no Otto, I’m fine now I would just like to rest for a bit more’’. Seeing that I appeared to be fine he gave a curt nod and started to leave the room, ‘’very well young master, If you need anything just ring the bell, I will be waiting outside if you need me, breakfast will be ready in an hour‘’ he said on his way out.

Now I was alone I attempted to organise my thoughts. I seemed to have both memories of my past life and of this life. In my past life I was a 19-year-old graduate from the USA, after secretly indulging in alcohol I had been walking across a street trying to get back to my home apartment. Something slamming into me was my last memory, I probably walked onto the road in the way of a car or something. From what I remember from this world’s memories this world was vastly different from earth. This world doesn’t have an official name and the technological level is like medieval Europe. Instead of technology people here have access to magic, which is tested at a temple once a child turns 5. Not everyone has magic though and most of the time it is weak, yesterday when I went to the temple to take the magic measuring test the orb measured my mana levels and it appeared to be practically non-existent, but as all things need mana the little mana the orb absorbed to measure my magic power was enough to make me collapse and hit my head. The people that inhabit this world compromise of various races with different magic aptitudes, these races include humans, dwarves, elves, beast-kin and orcs with other monsters roaming the lands as well.  

Now about myself. I’m Nereus Fintan, the son of baron Claudius Fintan, in the kingdom of Rupis, headed by the king Judas and located in the Enreas continent. The Rupis kingdom is currently located in the east and is sandwiched between the Holy Lunda Empire and Tusca empire as well as its vassals. The Rupis kingdom has managed to keep its independence by using adaptive diplomacy and the Nebul river that flows from the Agean sea and flows to surrounds the nation’s borders. The capital is located in the centre of the country while my father’s barony in in-between the capital and the part where the river splits into two streams. The barony is small and consists of a town and three villages in a temperate climate surrounded by farmlands and evergreen forests.

The Rupis kingdom is made up of mostly humans like most known countries in the continent. Despite the country being made up of humans the Nebul river and Elva strait provides the country with many slaves. The non-humans are called demi-humans after being declared as inferior by the Rudia theocracy and its religion, the Celestine faith, which is worshipped by all human countries and worships the sole goddess Celestine. The beast-kin practice a form of totemism, the elves worship the spirits as a form of animism while the dwarves practice a Norse like religion.

A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. ‘’Young master, breakfast is ready’’ said the voice of the butler coming from behind the door. ‘’come in Otto’’ I said. The door opened and Otto carried the tray of food to me, placing it on my lap he kept a respectful distance and silence while I ate my meal of cut fruits and porridge. After finishing my breakfast, I looked to the butler and said ‘’hey Otto can I ask you something’’. ‘’Why yes young master you may ask me anything’’ Otto replied while giving a small bow. ‘’What was the result of my magic examination’’ I innocently asked. The butler showed a conflicted look on his face before saying ‘’I’m sorry to inform you young master but the measuring crystal showed that you have no magic capability’’. ‘’I see’’, I replied before I pressed an important question ‘’have you ever heard of a black powder that burns really fast’’. The butler looked perplexed by my question, ‘’did you mean charcoal or coal dust young master‘’ he answered. Seeing as how my question was suspicious I replied ‘’yes, do they burn better when they are dust, I was wondering and wanted to know’’. ‘’That is an unusual question and I do not know young master, should I test it’’ Otto asked. ‘’No, I was just wondering’’ I replied.

‘’By the way how did father react to the results of the magic test’’ I asked, both to change the subject and to satisfy my curiosity. ‘’young master, while most peasants do not posses an affinity for magic nobility often have magic talents as a sign of their superiority, due to you not having any magic compatibility your father is not pleased and would likely disinherit you if not for you being the sole successor of the house’’. Yeah, looking through my memories it appears that my father was a stoic man that focused on running the territory, the type that believed in aristocratic supremacy and drilled it into others. I had heard rumours that he had been less strict and uptight in the pass before my mother died giving birth to me. Perhaps because of that he rarely visits me and entrusts the servants and maids to look after me. Oh well, no use dwelling on things, information is key, and I need to know more about this world. Looking towards Otto with pleading eyes I asked ‘’ Otto when can I start learning to read’’. Surprised at the sudden change of topic Otto responded ‘’well I will have to talk to the lord young master to hire a tutor, shall I go ask him now’’. Giving my best smile I replied ‘’yes please, I want to learn right away’’. The old butler gave a short bow before taking the tray and declaring ‘’very well young master, I shall talk to the lord when he is free’’.

‘’Young master sure is mature and curious for his age, it seems that he’s trying to be a better noble to make up for his lack of magic talent’’ the butler mused as he exited young master’s chambers and walked away.