‘I don’t want to die...I want to live...I need to live...I must live’ Strana said these words over and over and over in his head as he was about to die at the hands of the ‘mad king’.

 

Although Strana wanted to live badly he could feel his councisness start to fade away,he could feel himself slipping deeper and deeper into darkness. 

 

But then suddenly a voice rang throughout his mind. ‘New aura acquired second chance [will allow the user to revive once]’. These were the last words he heard before he finally lost consciousness.

 

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

Strana opened his heavy dark brown eyes and what he saw was a perfectly clear blue sky,one which he had not seen in many years.

 

Since being with the ‘mad king’ he had not been allowed outside the palace much since the king believed that Strana might be “corrupted by outside forces”. Additionally for some reason the capital was always cloudy.

 

“Ughhhh my head” Strana held his head as he started to get a massive headache,all the memories of the previous 2 days came flowing back to him.

 

“W-wait I thought I died” Strana held his head in disbelief ‘how could he be alive’ Strana thought this to himself when he suddenly remembered something.

 

“Wait...could it be because of that voice I heard before I died?..” Strana held his chin as he was thinking if that could be the reason why he was alive.

 

‘Status’ a box containing certain information appeared in his mind.

 

Age: 35

Skills: Lib Tongue A+ (This passive skill affects the user and influences them in situations), Everyday magic C+, Swordsmanship C+, Financial skills A-, Administrative skills C+

Aura: Second Chance [This aura allows the user to revive once]

Affinity: None

 

Strana stared at his status for a few seconds before recollecting himself,’Wow my desperation saved me who would have thought…’ 

 

‘Huh my swordsmanship also went up was it because of the battle I had with the ‘mad king’’ Strana thought this as he finally started to survey his surroundings.

 

Strana saw that he was in the middle of a lake and that there were a lot of lush green bushes with berries on them around the lake. After seeing this Strana also saw that there was a small village not so far away from the lake.

 

He could see some figures in the village,Strana thought that these figures may be the figures of people.

 

‘Wait why am I even on a raft in the first place’ Strana scratched his head as he started to think of the possibilities.

 

‘Wait...was I made an example out of…’ Strana started to panic a little bit at the thought of being made an example out of by the mad king. ‘I’m lucky they didn’t burn the boat’ He thought this while trying to calm himself down.

 

I’m guessing that Palton thinks I'm dead now...I hope this is a good thing’ Strana had a stern look as he thought this. 

 

“Well I better gather some food and water otherwise I'm going to perish before I can do anything meaningful” Strana thought while contemplating why the ‘mad king’ hadn't burned his corpse.

 

Strana suddenly  dived off the rickety raft and into the glistening blue water that was previously beneath him.

 

Strana was a skilled swimmer since he had to swim for hours at a time while he was young.

 

‘Even after all these years, swimming is still fun to me’ Strana was skillfully swimming to the shoreline of the river at a rather high speed for a human while thinking this.

 

When Strana arrived at the shoreline of the river his clothes were soaking wet and water started to fall out of his drenched clothes as he got out of the lake.

 

‘Guess I'm going to have to walk around drenched for a while...just great this is what i’ve always wanted yupp’ While Strana thought this he quickly started to look around for berries to collect.

 

‘Guess this is how I'm going to be spending the day just wonderful’

 

……………………………………………………………………………………………

 

24 hours earlier in the most northeast town in Radana a 12 year old boy was practicing his swordsmanship in the night when suddenly a pigeon landed on the opposite training dummy to the one he was hitting.

 

“Huh? What is a messenger pigeon doing here” The boy whispered this to himself while putting down his rusty iron sword in a hurry and dashed towards the pigeon.

 

This boy was Erwin Radana the bastard son of Palton Radana,This boy had short red hair and two light blue eyes that glistened like the ocean. He was rather short for his age only standing at 4’10 while weighing only 80 pounds. He had a beautiful face with a rather feminine looking body. 

 

As the body approached the pigeon swiftly the pigeon turned its back towards Erwin this was to make it easier for Erwin to grab the letter.

 

‘Huh this pigeon...it looks familiar but i've never seen it before’ he shrugged his shoulders as he grabbed the letter from the pigeons back.

 

“Wait, this  seal... it's the seal of the royal family. Is this a letter from that despicable father of mine?…” he looked down at the seal with resentment and hatred.

 

Erwin’s father threw him out of the capital himself when he was only 6 years old,all his father had given him was a bag of gold coins and a guide to help him navigate the land.

 

Erwin reluctantly removed the royal seal and started to read the letter in its entirety,he was in shock at what he was reading.

 

Hon Strana, his father’s most trusted advisor, wanted to meet him and he wanted to discuss the possibility of dethroning the king and making Erwin the reigning king.

 

‘N-no this can’t be...why would Uncle Strana dare try and help me,me the bastard son who was kicked out of the royal capital and left to fend for myself’ Erwin was feeling a lot of emotions anger,resentment,and happiness that the person he regarded as an Uncle still cared for him.

 

The way Erwin knew that this was a genuine letter was because the royal seal could not be replicated; it had a certain type of magic that no one could replicate since it was unique to the royal family.

 

The boy petted the pigeon on its feathers and the pigeon responded with a ‘coo’. He then smiled at the pigeon and the pigeon flew away into the thick darkness of the night.

 

Erwin started to suddenly reminisce about the past as the pigeon flew away. 

 

……………………………………………………………………………………………....

 

The royal palace or as others call it the ‘palace of fire’,this palace had been the place where Erwin had resided for 6 years of his life. However on his sixth birthday that all changed.

 

It was a typical morning for the boy he was in the bath when suddenly Strana came in and asked the boy to come with him.

 

“Boy follow me your father wants to meet you” Strana said this with a hint of pity in his voice. 

 

“Why are you calling me that Uncle?” Strana had been somewhat of an uncle figure towards Erwin so he had grown accustomed to calling Strana his uncle.

 

The two figures marched through the ‘palace of fire’ until they finally got to the throne room.

 

When they opened the door what meeted them was the familiar site of Palton on his throne with his hand against his chin.

 

The pair suddenly stopped walking and Strana pushed Erwin closer to the throne. Erwin looked up at his father who had a look of disdain in his eyes.

 

He almost always had this look when he looked at his own son. ‘Finally I can get this stain on the Radana bloodline away from my palace’ Palton thought this while glaring at his own son,

 

“Son look at me now!” the ‘mad king’ shouted this at the top of his lungs,his word echoed all throughout the throne room.

 

As soon as the king shouted this Erwin looked at him straight away,Erwin had the look of fear in his eyes as stared at his father.

 

“I would prefer to make this an announcement to everybody to humiliate you but Strana convinced me otherwise so i’ll say it just to you two” 

 

“You are no longer my son Erwin. I am disowning you and I never want to see you in the royal capital ever again...do you understand me!?” Palton shouted this out passionately and clearly.

 

“W-what...what do you mean i-i'm disowned?” the disowned boy meekly said this towards the giant that was Palton.

 

“What I mean is that you are no longer welcome here in the royal capital at all! you are never to set foot inside it again under no circumstances,do you understand that boy?” 

 

Erwin stood there for a few seconds before small weeps could be heard from the young boy “Uwah” these small weeps continued for a while.

Palton looked at the boy with even more disdain in his eyes. ‘How could a former member of the royal family cry from just that...pathetic’

 

Strana looked towards the now disowned boy with pity and sadness in his eyes,”Your majesty would you like me to escort this boy away from the royal capital?”

 

“No I will take him out of this place myself,Advisor prepare a horse and carriage right this instant!” Palton made sure his voice was heard.

 

“Yes your highness” Strana quickly exited the throne room all that could be heard was the occasional tapping of the foot from Palton.

 

“Boy why are you crying? You're a member of the royal family you should be able to handle being disowned” The red haired beast that was Palton looked down towards the boy with eyes of disdain and anger.

 

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

 

“Well that was over six years ago now but one day I will have my revenge on that thing” The now 12 year old Erwin said this with a determined look in his eyes. 

 

‘Guess I better check my status,status’ As Erwin said this a blue screen displaying his stats appeared in front of him. 

 

Erwin had the status check implanted into his wrist when he was only 5 years old this was because the ‘mad king’ had demanded that he have it implanted into him even if it hurt him internally.

 

Age: 12

Skills: Swordsmanship B-,Daggermanship C-,Fire magic D-,Body split (This skill allows the user to split themselves into two bodies the second body has ¾ of the originals strength)

Aura: Wrath (when fighting the user has a chance to absorb part of the opponents mana)

Affinity: Fire 

Mana: 10,000

 

Erwin started intently at the status in his mind then a smirk appeared then quickly disappeared as he heard the footsteps of someone approach.

 

“S-sir Erwin are you going to come inside for dinner” A familiar voice called for the boy.

 

The owner of this voice was the servant that had been sent along with Erwin when he had been forced out of the royal capital by his father.

 

“Yes Mae i’ll be coming for dinner now,lay out the table as well while your at it” Erwin said this in an annoyed tone ‘Shouldn’t that girl know by now that i’ll be having dinner with her’ 

 

Mae was a rather youthful girl only being 23 years old,She had long blackhair and two dark beautiful emerald green eyes,she had a cute face.She had a rather average height standing at around 5’5 inches and was a healthy girl weighing 120 pounds.

 

Erwin walked towards the door of the medium sized cottage where Mae was nervously holding the door open waiting for the young master of the cottage to enter.

 

Although he was now a bastard Mae still treated him as if he was a member of the royal family this may be because she had been chosen as the guide for Erwin.

 

Erwin could smell the aroma of the dinner all the way from the door a small smile could be seen on his face as he smelt the aroma of the dinner.

“Mae what have you cooked today?” Erwin asked this rather inquisitively and looked up at the person who had guided him when he was younger.

 

“T-today I have cooked a beef stew for us young lord” Mae was a rather shy girl who did not interact with many people this was due to her being taught that she should be quiet from a young age.

 

“Hmmm good job Mae!” Erwin said this to the cute girl in a positive manner.

 

After finishing their small conversation the pair both walked to the dining table and Erwin sat down while Mae served the dinner to Erwin and then to herself.

 

‘Mmmm wow this is really delicious,I hope she makes it again’. Erwin was thinking this while consuming the beef stew that the cute girl had prepared for them both.

 

After finishing the dinner Erwin headed to his room and began to think about the contents of the letter.

 

‘The letter said to meet Uncle by the small village of Aldone,Getting to Aldone will take me about 2 weeks to get there on carriage luckily I have just enough money left over to get a decent horse and carriage’ Erwin was thinking this while sitting in the wooden chair in his room.

 

‘I’ll just head to sleep now and figure out a plan in the morning’ The red headed boy tuicked his chair under his desk and then fell onto his fluffy bed,soon after falling onto it he fell into a deep slumber.

 

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

 

The next day Erwin awoke to someone barging the door open. Erwin quickly got up from his bed and saw that it was only Mae however Mae had a look of worry on her face.

 

“Young master there's a serious problem” The girl said this in a sad and worried tone this caused Erwin to pay close attention to Mae.

 

“What's wrong Mae did something happen?” Erwin said this in a inquisitive yet serious tone.

 

“Y-yes something did happen there are rumours that Strana has died!” The girl said this in a serious tone towards Erwin.

 

Mae knew about the special relationship between Erwin and Hon Strana; this was due to Erwin talking about Strana a lot during the last 6 years they have been together.

 

“...” Erwin laid there in silence just staring at Mae as she said those last words towards Erwin.

 

……………………………………………………………………………………………

 

Notes: That took quite a while once again but i'm proud of this chapter.