One year later
Wolfwood Castle – Andras Wolfwood, age 6
"Which book did you bring for me to read today, Mother?" Andras asked.
"Since you've already learned to read and write completely, I thought you might try reading the Holy Book about our Protecting Goddess," Carla replied.
"What? There are books here about Uriel?"
"Who is Uriel?" Carla looked at him in confusion.
"She is the protector of this world."
"Where did you get such nonsense? In both the Kingdom and the Empire everyone knows that our world is protected by the Goddess Neptune!"
"I understand, Mother," Andras cut the conversation short.
So Uriel is called the Goddess Neptune on this continent… he noted to himself.
After the daily reading lesson, Andras returned to his room and, of course, once again began planning in front of the mirror.
A year had passed, and I had managed to arrange it so that I learned to read and write continuously. From now on I can read freely, wherever I want, whenever I want—no need to hide away in my room. I am six years old, and by now everyone knows that I have learned to read.
It annoys me that in the past year I haven't been allowed outside the castle even once, but at least I've managed to explore every corner of it. They still haven't let me into the dungeon, and there is probably a secret escape passage beneath the castle… but what is delayed is not lost. In time, I'll discover that too.
As for developing my body, over the past year I've begun to train seriously. A hundred push‑ups still aren't possible with a six‑year‑old body, but I can already manage three sets of twenty push‑ups, three sets of twenty sit‑ups, and two sets of fifty squats. My body is developing nicely. It makes a huge difference to start training regularly at such a young age.
In my previous life I only began exercising at twenty‑seven. Until then I was overweight, but with hard training I rebuilt my body in two years. I always hated dieting—I couldn't stand the hunger. I preferred to train harder but eat well. In this world I had to start from zero, but it's much easier to build muscle on a skinny child's body than on an overweight adult's.
And the results are showing: thanks to daily training, my body is already developing well at six years old. I like these abs… I hope the girls will like them too.
So, what comes next? I still have two years before I meet Noelle. On the Sky Island I also studied swordsmanship and magic for two years. I should focus on the same now. Reading is no longer an obstacle—I can begin studying magical books. Eli has already taught me the basics, and my body is in good enough condition to take up swordsmanship again. Very well! I will spend the next two years practicing magic and swordplay.
Over the past year I have come to know everyone in the castle. Thanks to the maids' gossip, I know even more than I should. The Wolfwood House's master mage is Florian, a fire mage. I've heard he is the second‑best fire mage in the kingdom. The royal archmage holds first place, but that doesn't concern me. For my plans, the second‑best is more than enough. My goal is not to join the Hero's Party—I only need to prevent the White Witch from ever being born.
If I want to learn magic, I must ask Master Florian. For swordsmanship, Arpad Wolf, captain of the Wolf Knights, is the best choice. His son, Janos Wolf, currently serves as my father's personal guard, so I must turn to Arpad. Riding is still too early, but I must learn the customs of the knights over the next two years.
Andras set off toward Master Florian's chamber, located in the castle's cellar, opposite the dungeon.
This mage has peculiar taste… his room is down in the dark basement. Of course, I understand: if you want to conduct secret experiments, it's best to stay far from the eyes of the maids—who even know how many times a man farts in a day. Down there is also the dungeon, full of criminals, the condemned, and… experimental subjects. Not my concern. I don't care, as long as he doesn't experiment on me. I know how these things work: if you can save a thousand lives with a cure, what does it matter if you experiment on three others?
He arrived at the mage master's research chamber.
"Good day, Master Florian! I hope I'm not disturbing you?" Andras spoke.
"A good day to you as well, young Wolfwood!" the mage replied, setting aside the parchment in his hand. "What brings you to my humble laboratory?"
"I've decided to begin studying magic," Andras said firmly. "I thought you might help me."
"Ha!" Florian laughed. "Far too early for you! Magic is taught at the Royal Magical Academy starting at twelve years of age. You are only six! Though it is admirable that you can already read and write fluently at such a young age, magic is on a completely different level. If I show you, perhaps you'll understand."
The mage master took out a crystal orb.
"Look, do you see this? If you touch it, it will reveal what element you possess. But at such a young age this is not possible. I myself was ten years old before my element awakened. In order to…"
Florian suddenly fell silent, his eyes widening.
"How is this possible, boy?! You are only six years old, yet your magic has awakened?! And not just one element, but two?! Lightning and water?! The Wolfwoods are water‑elemental… but that's not the point! By the Holy Dragonfang! In the Kingdom, no one currently has two elements! I myself could never awaken a second one, though I tried all my life. Even the Royal Archmage could not! And you… you… This is tremendous news! I must tell the Lord at once!"
The mage master was struck speechless with shock. He rushed out of the chamber straight to Bandorn Wolfwood.
What the hell is going on here? Andras thought. My element is lightning… so why did water appear as well? Eli said my magic was ordinary. She told me not to dream of standing against a demon general as a mage. Then why is the water element here? I don't understand… or wait! The old mage said the Wolfwoods' element is water. Could it be that my new body is water‑elemental, while my soul carried lightning with it? So when my soul merged with this new body, lightning and water combined?
This is excellent news! As a gamer, I know that combining elements allows for far stronger attacks than using just one. Fantastic! I can't wait to try out these combinations!
The Lord's Chamber
"My Lord! My Lord! Tremendous news!" Florian burst in.
"What is all this fuss? It's been a long time since I've seen you so excited, Master Florian," Bandorn replied suspiciously.
"You won't believe it! Your son, your very own son, has done it again! He has awakened his magic! At six years old! And that's still not all… two elements at once: water and lightning!"
"What?! You're joking with me, surely?" Bandorn's eyes widened.
"No, my Lord! By the Goddess, I swear I speak the truth!"
"If this is true," Bandorn erupted, "if my son is truly this gifted as a mage, then with two elements he will undoubtedly be chosen for the Hero's Party! The Hero's Party, yes! Compared to him, where are the other noble brats? Nowhere! They are nowhere! The Princess will be ours, she will belong to the Wolfwood House! And then no one in the Kingdom will dare say that I am merely my father's shadow! No one!"