From head to toe, I was drenched in sweat. Just crossing the bridge had my weak ass gasping for breath. If that wasn’t enough, the evil hag locked the carriage door. I was forced to walk the entire distance while listening to the ‘cheering’ from Dorota.

‘Fuck this world and fuck that bitch!’

Once reaching the gates, I collapsed on the dusty road. Not a single person looking at me would think I was a marquess son.

“Good job young master! You were amazing!”

I could only glare at Dorota as I tried to catch my breath. The guards were doing the second inspection on our carriage. The gates and walls of the city reminded me of a certain anime. Either that or the exhaustion was making things seem bigger than it really was. Finally catching my breath, I stood up to a man approaching me with a spherical stone in his hand.

“Hands on the stone, this is an identity check.”

He said as he shoved the stone at me, it was glossy with a clear shade of silver. I could see my reflection on it. This was a device made from a mana stone. Every single person on this continent starting from a 100 years ago, had their mana signature registered in the royal magic academy. This fist size ball would check if your identity. 

‘The world is advanced in the weirdest of ways… People use swords and shields to fight and there aren’t even proper roads, yet we have a data base of finger prints of every single person on the continent…’

‘Why couldn’t they have made something like the internet… would’ve made my life easier…’

I had already used one before, to enter the local library in Bore Wood village. Since I was going around covertly, I didn’t just flash my noble status to get in, but I suppose the librarian did get a real fright. Slowly placing my hand for 5 minutes on the sphere was enough. Once my hand was lifted, white and purple strings of light floated around in harmony intertwining with each other. A black colored void appeared after them, devouring and completely engulfing the sphere in darkness.

“Wild Thorn…”

The guard seemed scared, yet skeptical. I could understand why, in my dirty linen clothes and hair full of dust. The smell of sweat creating an aura of unpleasant odors around me. I looked like a vagrant beggar.

“Can we go?”

“Ah… Yes! Open the gates!”

The three mercenaries were wide eyed at the revelation. Even the guards had forgotten to pat me down in shock, they even forgot to check the identities of the mercenaries and Dorota. Getting back on the carriage, I could feel that Dorota clearly was keeping her distance.

“Young master you need a bath…”

“And whose fault is that?”

*giggle*” Yours?”

“…”

----

“Lady Marie, the maids and butlers are all at their positions”

“I hope everything is ready? My brother is finally coming home after 10 years. I want everything to be perfect!”

“Of course, my lady.”

Butlers and maids were lined up on two sides of the path leading to a large mansion. They were waiting to meet the lady’s younger brother who was finally coming home after so many years.

Just behind the gates of the estate, a young woman was talking to an old butler. Her hair a long golden blonde. Her curls reaching down to her ample waist. Wearing a tight black dress, that fitted her hourglass figure perfectly. Skin a milky white, accentuating the light brown freckles on her exposed skin and face giving her a cute yet mature look. Her deep purple eyes were dignified and rosy lips had a warm smile.

She was Marie Wild Thorn, the second eldest of the Wild Thorn family. Her brother Richard was arriving today, and she wanted everything to be absolutely perfect. Was she fond of Richard? Not at all. If anything, she loathed him to the bone. Then why go through all the trouble to make such grand arrangements for someone she did not like? It was a show of fake affection. Every single servant that worked in this mansion was a rat, a sniveling disgusting vermin put here to spy on the Wild Thorn family.

Even the gentlemanly old butler in front her was the same.

‘Disgusting worm…’

Her true thoughts hidden behind a warm smile. She knew these vermin would wriggle their way into every single crack in the family they could find. Especially when it came to Richard. For Marie, Richard was a weakness. If she had a choice that weakness would’ve been cut off entirely when a chance revealed itself. But her father, Jan would never allow it.

‘Even if he did allow it, Richard isn't that simple to just rid of as I wished...’

“My lady, a carriage has stopped in front of the estate”

To those words, Marie focused her gaze at the gate. An almost rundown carriage, driven by three people wearing adventurers gear had stopped in front of the gate. The doors opened as a man who looked like a beggar stepped down, with a neatly dressed maid right behind him. Even in his dirty clothes, his posture and gaze were of complete nonchalance standing in front of the grand estate. One might even think he was showing arrogance.

“My lady, should we get rid of this beggar? Does he not know where he stands?”

The words the butler was speaking was completely sensible. But they were drowned inside the turmoil in Marie’s head. She recognized this beggar. The guise of a dignified woman instantly crumbled at that moment as her eyes and mouth were wide open.

“WHAT THE FUCK RICHARD?!”

“Marie, Let’s leave the pleasantries and get me a bath ready”

Completely ignoring her shocked look and outburst, Richard spoke before nonchalantly making his way inside. Leaving the entourage of people shocked and speechless.

----

Marie was now seated at the terrace waiting for Richard. Trying to calm herself from the scene she saw just a few hours ago. Her appearance guised once again as a dignified lady of high society, while her mind was running.

‘This disgrace of a shit stain… completely ruined my plans…’

‘The entire city is going to hear about this… rumors are going to be flying everywhere…’

‘Did he gamble his entire fortune away?!’

‘Was he robbed…? No… that’s impossible his mana is only second to fathers, no way he would get robbed… no matter how drunk he was… … probably…’ 

She could feel a headache come on the more she kept thinking.

Richard walked in while Marie’s mind was spinning. She was so deep in thought she didn’t notice him even after he had sat down in the chair in front of her. She was finally woken from her trance to the sound of Richard tapping his fingers on the small round table.

“So, you wanted to talk?”

‘Me talk? Why don’t you explain yourself first?!’

Looking at Richard, you couldn’t see a single glimpse of the beggar that was just outside. In a black suit with a white shirt. A bright red bowtie and bowler hat made him give off a dignified aura. His bright yellow eyes seemed to be looking down at her arrogantly.

If looks could kill, Richard would’ve been dead a thousand times over.

‘Want me to poke those eyes out?!’

Calming herself down, she asked with a small forced smile.

“Richard… Mind explaining the state you were in when you arrived today?”

“No”

‘What the fuck did you say you little shit?’

“Now Richard, we’re family… and I can help you… only if you explain what hap-”

“If that’s all, I’m leaving. I would like to go out and see the city instead of being cooped up here”

With that said Richard simply stood up and left. Leaving Marie, with her lips twitching.

Marie who was now alone slowly moved to take a cup of tea to calm herself down. With shaky hands and a tight grip on the handle she tried to take a sip. Before the cup could reach her lips, it cracked from her grip on the handle spilling its contents and staining her dress.

“SON OF A BITCH!”

Something snapped at that moment, she gripped the table and threw it down the terrace. A fuming beast was left where once a beautiful maiden was.

She knew Richard’s personality yet she still tried to have a civilized conversation with that buffoon. Richard was spoilt rotten by their father. For two reasons. He was the only son of his first wife Carol and his mana was the closest among all his children to his own. If she raised her hand against Richard, it would be the same as raising her hand against her father.

'Even without father... as much of an arrogant person he was… he had the strength to back it up…'

“AGh!”

“AAH! JAMES!!”

It seemed the table had hit someone below. Feeling a headache coming, Marie could only force herself to go downstairs to sort the issue out.

----

“Young master, was that really alright? The young miss seemed upset…”

The reason for my actions were simple. I got my way (sort of) by being stubborn and steadfast with my father and explaining nothing. So, it should work if I did the same with my sister, at least that was what I thought. I imagine that was how Richard was normally, considering his own father didn’t find anything wrong with my actions. And I couldn’t be bothered to explain things in a coherent way.

‘Long story short, I’m just lazy’

“Its fine. When’s Bartha coming? I want to go out to see the city”

“Oh! Do you miss Bartha that much young master? I’m sure she’ll be happy to hear that!”

‘My meat shield in case I get in trouble… Can’t leave home without it…’

“Yes... Of course... I miss her...”

“Well… I feel like Bartha is going to be waiting for us near the gate”

“Onwards to the gates than!”

With a smiling Dorota in tow, I made my way to the gate. I couldn’t help admire the estate; the colors of Wild Thorn were prominent in every inch of the place. With black rose bushes near the entrance and surrounding the entire estate which was a pearl white. Purple banners with the insignia hanging from the stairs and roof of the mansion. It seemed more like a palace than just a noble’s estate.

Well, I was a country bumpkin anyways. My views wouldn’t be considered refined in the slightest. Even now I was going out sightseeing only because I saw elves and dwarves walking in the streets. The same person who would’ve stayed inside unless forced to leave, was willingly going outside. I was curious, to the point that my danger senses were being completely ignored. Bore Wood only had humans, and my only knowledge about the other races were from books.

‘It would be ‘curiosity killed the cat’ if I died because of this.’

‘Would I die and come back again? Otherwise, the saying wouldn’t be complete…’

Maybe the trip helped me come to terms with somethings. I was oddly cheerful in this new environment. Even Dorota couldn’t get me pissed now.

‘Maybe… Possibly… Probably… … This wretch will surprise me with something annoying definitely…’

But this didn’t mean I wasn’t being less careful. Just maybe I wanted to indulge myself for once instead of just worrying in my head while reading books and getting scared.

‘What could possibly go wrong?’