The person who had become the object of numerous rumors and speculations was, at the moment, seated inside a rather unimpressive study. Several books were haphazardly strewn across the wooden table and stone floor. Even if one looked carefully, they would not be able to form any sort of conjecture about what the person was searching for.

From history books to fairytales, from sword fighting techniques to magical arts, from tax records to travel guides, there was not a single common theme among the books the boy had gone through. He slouched further down the leather chair, his eyes focused.

There was a knocking at the door.

“Supper has been prepared, Lord Calun.” A voice stated politely. “The Viscountess is eager to see you.”

The boy, Calun, flipped another page before answering back.

“Thank you. Please inform my mother that I will be down shortly.”

There was a sound of affirmation across the door before the attendant left, footsteps slowly fading away in the distance.

Calun slowly stretched and stood up, eyes not leaving the page for a second. It was a lengthy book consisting of several hundreds of pages titled Priscal’s Theory on Magical Equipment and Miscellaneous Enchanted Objects. If possible, Calun would rather read through the entirety of it without regard for food or sleep, but he wasn't rude enough to ignore the relatives of his new body.

Yes, after being crushed under a hundred tons of metal and stone after the Fall, Epsilon had found himself in an unscathed body in a foreign world. It was inconceivable.

As a product of synthetic blood and flesh from the Golden Age, he had no faith in superstition or the supernatural, and was in disbelief upon finding himself alive. His mind became even more confused upon learning of the existence of magical phenomena in this new world. 

This world was not the same. That he was certain of, validated by the unfamiliar set of stars that dotted the night sky.

Calun Ermius. This body’s name too, he was certain of. It was one of the vague memories that Epsilon received from the previous owner.

After finishing the page, the boy sighed and placed the book facedown on the table, adjusted his clothes, and headed towards the dining hall. As he walked through the cold corridors, he ran through the information of this world once again.

The region he found himself in was known as the continent of Emulea. It was unknown how many other continents lay across the ocean, or where they were. In this world, the oceans were vast and dangerous, ships that traversed into deep waters rarely came back.

The body he had awoken in was the youngest son of the Ermius family, a house that held the rank of Viscount. It was a mere Viscount’s title amongst the hundreds of noble families that resided in the realm of the Royal Empire. Even then, among the countless Viscount titles, theirs was a pitiful one, only having been ennobled a single generation ago.

The domain of the Royal Empire that ruled over them was vast, encompassing over a third of the continent, and was the strongest single power in Emulea. At least, in the past - every country, no matter how great or powerful, would eventually decline.

He himself had firsthand experience.

And though the Royal Empire had yet to fall, it had already begun showing hints of fracturing, exacerbated by tense whispers of the Emperor’s declining health. As long as his Highness was seated at his throne, the various noble factions would restrain their ambitions and maintain civility. But once he was gone, the Empire would undoubtedly enter a tumultuous era.

Calun took a breath and stepped into the dining hall. A brick fireplace was afire, mitigating some of the winter cold.

“Good evening Mother, Venice.” He greeted ‘his’ mother and older sister respectfully. The Viscountess smiled cordially while his sister nodded politely.

Soon after, his father and elder brother, Klaes, arrived together. Calun greeted them in the same manner.

His father was seated at the head of the table. His mother and sister were seated on the right. He and his brother were seated on the left. After they were all seated, the servants brought several dishes for each person and placed them on the table.

The entire procession was quick and quiet and with all properness.

Calun glanced at the smoked pork chops and baked potatoes and felt his appetite coming on. Although there was little threat of starvation during the apocalypse, every single one of his meals consisted of tasteless packets of nutrient paste.

After a quick toast, the family of five began to eat. Though Calun longed to inhale the meal and hurry back to the study, he forced himself to act properly. At the very least, he thought to himself, he didn’t have to make too much small talk.

His father and brother were discussing swordplay while his mother and sister were conversing about recent trends in the capital. The rich smell of meat filled the air while firewood crackled in the back. It was a stark contrast to the commoners gnawing on tree bark and grass roots outside to stave off their hunger. Instability, resentment, famine. Calun couldn’t help but feel it was similar to the last few weeks before the Fall.

He lowered his eyes and ate quietly, occasionally giving a perfunctory answer to the questions thrown his way.

For the entirety of his life, he had only consumed mass-manufactured meals, nutrients measured and portions weighed. It wasn't until after he transmigrated did he learn that meals were something that could be enjoyed.

A servant tapped his shoulder. Calun looked up and realized that he had missed a question from the Viscountess. Raising his head, he found that the hall had grown quiet. The servant quietly repeated the question into his ear.

The Viscountess, whilst reminiscing about them as children, had inquired about the soup kitchen he had organized at the local orphanage. He nodded and answered affirmatively. Their gazes were indifferent, except for his sister, who seemed slightly interested.

The previous owner had no supporters, a problem resulting from his state of illness. Few people knew his name, and even fewer knew his face. In some ways, it was a blessing. Calun Ermius's name was like an empty slate, neither famous nor infamous. Charity was the quickest path to raising one's image, and the support of the masses was never something to be underestimated.

So, in response to the Viscountess' questioning gaze, he stated, “The children there looked skinny, so I helped a little. Is there something wrong?”

The Viscountess let out a small ‘ah’ and returned to conversing with Venice.

His father's face grew haughty before turning back towards Klaes.

Although the Viscount was still the head of the house, Calun’s father was someone who often delegated the work managing the territory to others. Rather than administering the city properly, the current Viscount instead often went hunting or horse riding. Calun's brother, Klaes, was similarly minded, spending most of his time accompanying their father or practicing swordplay.

To put it kindly, they were unambitious. To put it bluntly, they were shortsighted.

At the very least, he would not have to worry about his identity being found out by them. Even the Viscountess hadn’t detected any change when Epsilon had transmigrated, let alone the rest of the family. It could be said to be proof of Calun’s lack of intimacy with the other members of the household.

Calun glanced outside.

The city itself was rather pitiful.

Unlike the majority of noble houses that had obtained their status from their achievements during periods of conflict, the Ermius family had used coin and wealth to obtain theirs. North of the city lay the dozens of silver mines that were once responsible for the city’s growth, now barren and empty.

Although the previous Viscount attempted to grow the territory through trade and industry before the mines grew dry, he ultimately passed away, leaving his work to his son, who was far less qualified. Still, the savings he left behind were more than enough for the family to live comfortably for several decades if handled properly. Because of this, the current Viscount was able to live without trouble even if the economic situation was dire. Outside, however, the situation of the commoners preluded the grim years that would follow.

Calun glanced at the man who spent the entirety of his life enjoying sports and wine and felt not a shred of affection from himself or Calun’s memories. He looked down on this kind of indulgent person who would rather reminisce about the past while drinking instead of planning for the future. Such a person was not qualified to be a ruler.

As a small city without any valuable resources other than its population, Larmes would encounter great difficulty when the Empire collapsed. Calun's eyes passed over the rows of aged buildings, dark and run down. Perhaps in the near future, many of those residents would end up as conscripts. Their fates would not be a kind one.

Having finished the meal, Calun stood up. He smiled gracefully at the Ermius family.

“Father, mother. Klaes, Venice. I shall be taking my leave first. I wish you a fine evening.”

He left with a nod and headed towards the study.

Against all the laws of science, he was no longer in that world of ash and smoke, where bodies piled up like mountains and blood flowed like rivers. By a most extraordinary gift, he received this unexplained opportunity.

He would not waste this second chance.

Calun Epsilon Ermius clasped the pendant that was the exact same in both of their worlds and strode forwards with firm steps.

-

In the dining hall, Venice Ermius was listening to the Viscountess chattering about a new type of dress made of soft, light threads imported from the far south. Her lips were curved in a smile, but her eyes were indifferent.

She glanced strangely at her younger brother’s receding profile then turned towards Klaes and the Viscount. The two of them were currently discussing whether or not to go out on a hunting trip. 

Her face grew cold, an unwavering determination rising within her eyes, unnoticed by anybody else. She shut her eyes and when she opened them a second later, her expression was once again gentle and proper.