Chapter 2
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Sadly, there was no birthday party. Nobody even seemed to remember the day he was born on. After one year of him being in this world, he became progressively more invisible to the people working in the mansion. The most they did was feed him.

Having already finished reading all the books in the mansion, all he could do was now try to understand mana on his own. He had realised that mana was incredible and that he would for sure need to master it to accomplish his objective.

Going through a lengthy trial and error process, he started to formulate countless theories about how mana worked. He was convinced that all the books he read had merely scratched the surface.

Vince was able to figure out that mana was an abnormal kind of energy. Unlike every other type of energy, this one did not respect entropy. In simple terms, as long as there was enough time, any amount of mana could be accumulated in a single place. That means that one’s cultivation was theoretically infinite. There wasn’t a real ending to cultivation. The only thing he couldn’t figure out was where all this mana originated form. But at the moment he wasn’t able to investigate further as his understanding of it was still pretty shallow.

Through this lengthy process, he gradually grew accustomed to this energy, that apparently was the origin of the universe itself, at least according to the books he read. He first became able to move the mana around him, and he gradually became able to also change its concentration. That meant he could create areas with denser and areas with thinner mana densities.

Once he was comfortable enough with it, he started testing its uses, especially on humans. For example, at this very moment, he was in a corridor, hidden behind a statue. A few men were walking in this corridor.

Taking a quick peek from behind the statue, he asserted the situation.

‘Three men. I feel like their strength ranks around the average among the men working in this mansion.’

Once he was completely hidden once again, he started to prepare his experiment.

‘Let’s see if I can trick their senses. If I alter the mana in a specific way, I should make them have the illusion of a strong presence being just outside the house.’

After making some quick calculations in his mind, he started manipulating the mana around those three men who were quietly chatting.
Using another technique he came up with, he could sense the three men perfectly, and observe their expressions without showing himself.

The first one to sense something showed a shocked expression for a quick second, and proceeded to ask the other two fellows if they also sensed something.

At first, those two made fun of him, however, shortly after, they also sensed a fearsome aura that seemed to come from just outside the borders of the mansion.

The three hurriedly looked at each other, and, after everyone nodded convincedly, they rushed at the window to see what was happening. But they didn’t see anything.

Having already achieved his objective, Vince started to fake the aura moving gradually further away, before making it disappear entirely. After having done so, he began to listen to the conversation the three were having.

“What a fearsome aura. I thought we were getting attacked for a second. Luckily it seemed to be only a passing expert.”
Said the man on the right.

“I was already ready to rush to the lord’s chamber to warn him.”
Replied the man on the left.

“That expert must have been at the peak of the Enhancement realm. If he were to fight, I don’t think anybody in this mansion beside the Lord and his close aides would have been able to contend with him.”
The man who first sensed the enemy pointed out.

After a few seconds, Vince stopped paying attention to them but still made out their last words before they rushed who knows where.

“We should still go and compile a report, though. We must formalise that that aura wasn’t an enemy, or else somebody might start to panic.”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

After the three left, Vince came out from behind the statue. After all this time he was finally able to somewhat walk on his two legs, even though he sometimes fell here and there. While making his way towards his room, he analysed what had just happened.

‘Seems like the library is really lacking when it comes to cultivation information. They just mentioned the Enhancement Realm, but I never heard of it. Well, the experiment was a success anyways. As I thought, cultivators leak such big amounts of mana only when they are in a battle stance. They tend to keep mana leakage to the bare minimum the rest of the time.’

‘Fortunately, the three men didn’t rush too far, had they moved a few meters more, they would have completely been out of reach for my manipulation abilities. I have to get my hands on a cultivation law quickly, or else, when the time comes, I will be too far behind compared to my opponents.’

But, while he was walking towards his room, he overheard a few words that got him really interested. They came from behind a door, that wasn’t completely closed and left room for someone to take a peek in.

Inside the room, there were two men in luxurious clothes, discussing some matters. There was no one else inside this room. What was more impressive was that the room was pretty small, and wasn’t a place where somebody would expect the people of such status to be discussing in.

One was his father that had brown hair and green eyes, similar to his own. The other was a tall and blond man who Vince couldn’t recognise.

“So, as per tradition, your Dawmond family has to send one of the children to serve my family. Last year the family head got another daughter, and I want someone to serve as her aid. Which son are you going to send?”
Said the blond man.

“I have yet to choose whom to send. Please be patient, and I still have 3 years to decide anyways.”
His father replied.

“I was here to remind you so that when I come to ask once again in 2 years, you’re going to have to be prepared. And it’s not only about that.”

Then, they suddenly heard a soft sound coming from just behind the door, which started to slowly open. A kid fell face-first onto the ground before beginning to cry.

‘Fuck, of all times, I had to trip over while I was eavesdropping. You stupid door that dares to open while I’m leaning on it with my ear, I’ll get back at you later. Now I’ve got to put on the innocent child act.’

But before his father could say anything, the blond man cut in.

“How about sending this one? I couldn’t sense him until the last second.”

“Are you sure about this one? You won’t come back and ask for another one if he is a waste, right?”

“My instinct has never betrayed me. I feel like this little fellow is pretty talented. You have my word.”

His father then hurriedly took out a few papers, which he compiled as fast as he could with a happy expression on his face.

‘Oh my god! This guy is just using this opportunity to get rid of the illegitimate child! What an old fox. Even if I were really talented, he would still probably do the same to appease his other consorts. I’m nothing else other than a magnet for trouble from his standpoint.’

Only one minute later, the Dawmond Lord put all the papers he had just compiled on a small desk and hurried the bland man to sign everything.

‘That old fox must be celebrating over the fact that he solved this matter by sending his child with the worst status of all of them! All while being able to say that he was thinking of his other women being jealous of an illegitimate child.’

One must know that Vince was from a small noble family. And, in this world, any noble family would have dozens of direct descendants. To grant a prosperous future to his family, any family lord would make as many descendants as possible, and then push all of them in a ruthless competition to choose the next generation’s leading figures.

But, oftentimes, those competitions would have a clear winner even before they started. That is because the children born from mothers of higher status would have a strong supporter and they would, in most cases, be more talented because the talents were strongly related to both parents’ talents. Children born from women with higher cultivations would also have incomparably healthier bodies, and present a stronger affinity with mana.

Because of all of these factors, it was apparent that his father would be happy to send him to serve another family over any other of his sons. He was getting a free connection with a big noble house by sending away a waste! Which family head wouldn’t make the same decision?

‘I had read that it was a custom for higher status houses to seek for the future aides within subordinate houses, but who would have expected that I would be one of those! Now all my plans have gone to waste! Curse my damn curiosity! If I had just ignored what was going on and been a normal child, someone else would probably have chosen! Being an illegitimate son was so useful since I didn’t have anybody watching over me all the time. And now, all of that freedom is gone!’

Vince kept on faking his cry while he cursed in his head. He really didn’t want to be the one sent to serve another family. He had planned to leave the family as soon as he came of age and travel towards more central parts of the continent, but now he couldn’t anymore.

Seeing the child cry, the blond man beamed him one last smile before starting to sign all the papers Vince’s father had put in front of him. He looked pretty convinced over his choice.

‘That blond man sure is something though. He’s looking down on my family to such an extent that just because I could erase my presence, he readily assumed he wouldn’t be able to find someone better than me in this whole family. Without considering that it could have just been a case that he didn’t notice me.’

Vince could only wait there like a good child while seeing his future being given out for free to some stranger. Even though he was cursing so much, he didn’t really blame his father. He understood well the reason behind his decision. He was merely frustrated for his own mistake, and, deep inside, he knew it as well.

After he was done signing all the papers, the blond shot one last curious glance towards the child that had by now stopped crying, before leaving the mansion with a smile plastered on his face. He clearly thought he had just made a killing.

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