I let the wooden sword drop to my side, my chest heaving as sweat dripped from my chin onto the stone floor. My arm throbbed from the sheer exhaustion of swinging a piece of wood.

  Before falling ill, I was able to swing this thing just fine, but now it took so much effort that my entire body was sore.

  Swinging a sword carelessly with the same motion over and over was useless, variation and technique were the most important as to not damage your tendons and ligaments in the future.

  I wiped my face with a towel and sat on the bench.

  It had been three days since the spar. My arm had fully recovered with no after affect, which was to be expected from healing magic.

  As for Altuna Arianiti.

  The more I replayed the fight, the more I realized just how wide the gap between us was. She hadn’t used her Esenca to reinforce her body, if she had, a single flick of her finger would have shattered my ribs.

  And most importantly, she hadn’t used a Sendet.

  In Shenvora, a Sendet was a manifestation of one's soul, a weapon or guardian that grew with the user. At her level, and with her family’s backing, she definitely had one. If she had summoned it, the fight wouldn’t even be fair.

  She held back and matched my level to show face to our family, which I didn’t hate. She was quite smart at least.

  "Young Master?"

  Fabian stood at the entrance of the training grounds, holding a fresh change of clothes. He looked nervous, which was his default state these days.

  "I'm done, Fabian."

  I stood up, my legs still slightly weak.

  "Prepare me a carriage, one without the family insignia."

  "A... common carriage? Young Master, if the Count finds out you're leaving the estate without an escort—"

  "You alone are more than enough, and you know that. Plus, I want to spend my allowance, now that I have it."

  He shut his mouth after that remark. I knew he was reporting everything to father to begin with, so it didn’t matter.

  The recovery of my health meant the unfreezing of my assets. As a son of a Margrave, even a bastard one, my allowance was substantial. Enough to feed a common family for a decade at least.

  "We're going shopping."

  The capital city of the Topia territory was named Orakim, a city of stone and iron, built for war but thriving in peace. The streets were packed with merchants, mercenaries, and commoners.

  I rarely visited this place in the game, since the Topia territory was located in the furthest reaches of the north, but as a resident of this world, it was like my backyard.

  Those memories really were playing a trick on me, but one thing was certain.

  I was Ledion Topia with the memories of a previous life, rather than a transmigrator.

  I pulled the hood of my cloak lower. Fabian did the same, though he looked like he was expecting trouble at any moment.

  "Young Master, where exactly are we going?"

  "To find a botanist."

  There was no need for us to hide like this, but I didn’t want other nobles to spy on my whereabouts so openly. The thing I was going to request wasn’t a simple potion after all.

  The recipe I had in mind was from the mid-game content of Shenvora. It was a hidden recipe, one usually found in a dungeon, but I had memorized it.

  [Vigor of the Earth].

  It was an elixir designed to completely overhaul a character's constitution. In the game, it was used to remove debuffs like [Curse of Frailty] or [Body Rot]. For me, it was the easiest way to get rid of [Innate Weakness].

  But the brewing process was a nightmare, requiring specific tools and still having an insanely high failure rate. Thankfully there was a competent enough botanist here.

  We navigated through the market district until we found the shop I was looking for. It was small and tucked away in a corner that made it hard to find if you weren’t specifically looking for it.

  The door made a weird sound as we entered, probably to alert the shop owner. The scent inside was intense, with hundreds of herbs stacked up on the shelves. I had a strong sense of smell, so it made me feel a bit nauseous.

  There was no one inside, probably inside the storage room. It didn’t take long for an old man with thick glasses to make his way out of a small trapdoor on the floor, his face betraying his anger.

  "We're closed for lunch."

  I glanced at the door, and sure enough, the sign read closed. Still, money talks.

  "I have a commission."

  I placed a heavy pouch of gold on the counter.

  The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  The old man’s eyes flickered to the pouch, then to me.

  "I'm listening."

  I pulled out a piece of parchment where I had written down the list of ingredients and the process.

  "I need you to brew this. I will provide the funds for everything in case of failures."

  The botanist took the paper, adjusting his glasses. He read it again and again and I could see his eyebrows shoot up.

  "Sun-dried Wyvern Root... Powdered Iron-Leaf... and Core of a Fire Salamander? Boy, this is potent stuff. If you mix this wrong, it’s not medicine, it’s poison."

  "Can you do it or not?"

  He looked at me with worry in his eyes, but the gold before him had already made the decision for him.

  "It’ll take three days… the refining process is a bit dangerous."

  "Make it two and I’ll pay double."

  He grunted but didn’t refuse.

  "Come back in two days."

  I couldn't train physically while my body was resting for the elixir, so I spent the time in the city, dragging Fabian along.

  We found ourselves in a high-end establishment that was half-library, half-restaurant. It was a place where the elite of the younger generation of this region gathered to pretend they were intellectuals.

  I used to frequent this place when I wanted to vent out, of course not in a good way. Thankfully I was still young and my image wouldn’t be tarnished by the actions of a childish outburst.

  The noble children here were those of Count families or lower, since our family managed this border region.

  I sat in a corner booth, sipping tea while Fabian stood guard behind me.

  “You really should enjoy some tea as well, Fabian.”

  “That wouldn’t be proper, Young Master.”

  “At least seat…”

  “My answer is the same, Young Master.”

  “Fine… Do whatever you want.”

  The place was crowded, more than usual at least. I could feel many gazes on me, at least more than usual.

  "Young Master Ledion, it is an honor to see you well."

  A boy about my age approached. He wore a silk doublet that was slightly too flashy, the crest of a Baron pinned to his chest. House Vrapi, a vassal family that managed the grain silos.

  "I heard the rumors of your recovery were true. My father will be pleased."

  He smiled, but his eyes betrayed his true emotions.

  "Thank you. Convey my regards to Baron Vrapi."

  I dismissed him with a nod. He hesitated, clearly wanting to say more but my cold gaze made him retreat.

  I looked around the room.

  Barons, Knights, wealthy merchants. They were the future leaders of this territory, the people who would serve under my family.

  Honestly, I didn’t mind making a few acquaintances and recruiting subordinates, but I couldn’t trust their characters without seeing their potential.

  You could view anyone's status if your level was high enough or if you had the right skill. The easiest way was the [Observation] skill, but to unlock that I needed to awaken my [Mind's Eye].

  And to do that... Let’s not even think about it for now.

  It was frustrating.

  I didn't recognize any of them. In the grand scheme of Shenvora, these people were background noise. Probably cannon fodder that died in the first act of the war against the Holy Flame empire.

  "Young Master? You seem displeased."

  "I’m fine."

  No… my evaluation was too harsh. It seemed like there were a few figures that mattered enough for me to remember from the game.

  "Excuse me, Young Master Ledion..."

  The voice was quiet, lacking confidence, yet somehow sounded resolute?

  Standing a few feet away was a boy who looked slightly older than me, bowing with proper noble etiquette. Clothes that could be considered cheap by nobility standards, but well maintained and ironed.

  His green hair was styled meticulously, while his eyes resembled that of a fox. And oddly enough, he was even wearing a perfume that smelled like a mix of roses and chestnuts.

  Behind him stood a taller boy, he had messy brown hair and a short-sword strapped to his waist. His hands were covered in bandages, but his clothes were well kept and pristine despite their seemingly simple design.

  "I am Elian, of House Muzaka. And this is my attendant, Ghent."

  The Muzaka? If I recalled correctly, it was a minor barony on the southern edge of our territory. They weren’t really known for anything, just a countryside noble.

  "Speak."

  Elian bowed lower, shoulders drooping yet keeping his back straight.

  "I did not wish to disturb your peace, Young Master. I simply wanted to offer my congratulations on your recovery. The Topia family has protected the North for generations. Seeing you healthy brings us peace of mind."

  If I didn’t know who he was, I might have thought he was lying to me right now, but he wasn’t that type of person. In fact, he looked nervous, as though my word meant everything to him right now.

  "Fabian."

  "Yes, Young Master?"

  "Pour them a cup."

  Elian’s eyes widened and he quickly waved his hands trying to stop me.

  "Oh, no, Young Master, we couldn't possibly…"

  "I insist, Sit."

  I gestured to the empty seats opposite me. Hesitantly, Elian sat down, while Ghent remained standing behind him, mirroring Fabian’s position.

  "Tell me, Elian. What brings a southern baron’s son to the capital?"

  "I... I am studying at the archives here."

  Elian stammered, taking the cup Fabian offered with trembling hands.

  "The library in our estate is limited. I wish to learn more about logistics and resource management before I attend the academy next year."

  "Logistics?"

  "Yes. A knight swings the sword, but the supply line wins the war. Or so my father says."

  Would you look at this guy?

  “What Academy do you want to attend?”

  “The Valdros Regional Academy, Young Master. It is the most sensible choice for someone of my station. The tuition is manageable, and their logistics department is decent.”

  “Sensible…”

  I tapped my finger against the table, contemplating as to how to proceed here. I wanted to help them out a bit here, but his choices indeed made the most sense.

  And attending the World Academy with their current strength was impossible.

  In the game, Elian Muzaka wasn't known as a low ranking noble who struggled like this. He was known as the 'Golden Abacus,' a neutral merchant in the underworld who could procure anything for the right price.

  He was a genius with numbers, but also had a heart of gold.

  And the boy behind him, Ghent. He would grow up to be a wandering Swordmaster, a man who could be recruited into the [Hero] party, going by the title ‘Weeping Sword’.

  Of course, that was only if they survived.

  To survive what was coming, one needed to be an Awakener. Currently, neither of them had touched the Akashic Records. In the original timeline, they wouldn't for another five years.

  But I didn't have five years to wait.

  In this world, awakening was treated as a natural occurrence, something that happened when it happened, usually after years of training or a single defining moment of crisis.

  Most people just waited for it. Since they could use Esenca and Sendets even without Awakening, it was just something they would eventually achieve.

  However, the ones who actually understood the system didn't need to wait.

  There were methods that could awaken one faster. Awakening wasn’t simple access to the Akashic Records, but rather an understanding of ones true self.

  It was only after awakening that one could reach their true potential.

  The [Limit Breaker].

  "Elian."

  “Y-yes?”

  “Would you be interested in becoming my subordinate?”

  “H-huh?”

  Fabian choked, almost dropping the kettle as he was refilling my cup.

  “Young Master!”

  Elian stared at me like I had just announced the sky was green. His mouth opened, then closed, then opened again.

  “M-my subordinate…? As in… under you?”

  “That is typically what it means.”

  Ghent looked between us, brows furrowed, clearly trying to understand how a casual cup of tea had turned into this.

  Fabian lowered his voice.

  “Young Master, are you sure about this?”

  “Of course.”

  Fabian knew me well enough after being my attendant for so many years, once I made up my mind, nothing could stop me.

  “…If this is not a jest.”

  Elian stared directly at me, his eyes gradually turning red from holding back tears, his gaze resolute and all of his anxiety from before simply vanishing.

  He got up from his seat and bowed.

  “Then I would be honored.”