As the imperial rule stated, all noble families were obligated to create at least one library, built underground so that even in a crisis, the knowledge would remain intact.
Kairos continued downward. At the end of the spiraling stairs stood the true entrance to the Nozvan family library. He could already see rows upon rows of books stored beneath the estate.
When he finally arrived, Kairos paused, gazing at the massive archive. It was far bigger than he had anticipated.
"Young Master, do you need anything?"
Kairos turned to the side. A person wearing glasses stood there, carrying a stack of books. He looked like the person in charge of maintaining the library.
Before Kairos could respond, a voice called from the right.
"Young Master, are you feeling well?"
Kairos looked toward the voice, peering through the stacked shelves.
"It’s , young master."
Kairos rembered. It was the sa old magician who ca rushing last night, the one his mother had summoned.
Kairos approached the table. Books were stacked high only the old man’s lower half was visible beneath the desk.
Kairos was impressed. It almost resembled the intense research shut-in mages used to do in his previous life at the Axis Mage Tower.
His eyes landed on the desk, a bunch of papers were scattered around with sigils drawn on them. Those papers belong to him.
The old man followed his gaze and looked down. "Ah yes, Young Master. I was tasked to find out the nature of your sigils."
Kairos pulled out a chair and sat. "Thanks, Elder."
He had to say it. The old man was doing work Kairos should’ve done himself. His respect for this old man rose upon seeing the effort he was putting in.
"No need to thank . Your mother made the request."
"I see... Still, thank you. If you hadn’t accepted, none of this would’ve happened," Kairos replied, glancing at the rows of books.
"Hmph. This old man was bored anyway."
"Any hope?" Kairos asked,
Kaelen sighed. "I’m sorry, Young Master. I still have no idea what the others could be."
Kairos nodded. Even that was fine. If nothing matched, it only ant the sigils were rare or even unique to him.
"Don’t worry, Young Master. There are other places to look beyond this little library."
Kairos agreed. If luck favored him and his mana signature reappeared, he might learn what those sigils truly ant. And also the Owsdin Academy is there, where all sigils are located.
"I’ll begin teaching you starting tomorrow." The old man spoke, stroking his beard.
"Yes, Master Kaelen," Kairos spoke up. It’s a good thing.
"You’re already here... Shall we begin today?" His eyes sparkling.
Kairos didn’t answer imdiately. His original goal was to learn the current year and details of his new family. Maybe so major historical events. But seeing how eager the old man was, he gave in.
"...Sure, Master."
He could always dig into the history later. Magic is also important.
"Let’s start with the basics of how magic works."
"Sure, Teacher."
---
anwhile, on the second floor in the Baroness’s office
"Sigh... Leia, I’m sorry about that brat’s behavior," the Baroness said, rubbing her temple.
Leia shook her head. "It’s okay. He was stronger than ." Her face was calm, making her sure her son hurt her sohow.
"Still, I’ll punish that brat later. You can be assured," the Baroness said, glancing at the old man beside them, who remained silent.
She sighed again. She knew this old man well enough that Kairos’s final remark had made him furious. He hadn’t erupted only out of respect for her father, the forr baron.
A knock ca at the door. "My lady, the carriage is ready."
The Baroness nodded. "Master Ronan, it would be a pleasure if you stayed another day."
The old man looked at her and shook his head. "It’s fine. I have work to attend to. We’ll be departing now."
She turned to Charles. "Where’s Kairos?"
"Young Master is taking lessons with Master Kaelen."
The Baroness frowned. "It would be rude if he didn’t see them off. Go bring—"
"No need," the old man interrupted. "We shouldn’t disturb him."
The Baroness could only sigh. Pushing further would only make the situation worse.
---
Soon, at the gates, the carriage began to move. Inside were Leia and her grandfather, Master Ronan. She sat silently, gazing out the window.
Ronan clenched his teeth, recalling what had happened.
’How dare that brat say such things to my precious granddaughter?’
He made a decision.
"Leia, I’ll break off the engagent. Don’t worry. Who cares about that damn oath!"
Leia snapped her head around. "No! No need for that... He’s good."
"...What?" The old man blinked, thinking he heard sothing wrong. "Didn’t you hate him? And how dare he insult you like that! If you’d used mana, you’d have won easily. Not to ntion our swordsmanship only shines with mana!"
"I’m weak," she muttered. "If I were stronger, I would’ve won."
Her cheeks reddened slightly. The image of his deep, piercing eyes lingered in her mind like polished gems cut from the abyss.
"I don’t hate him... He’s stronger than ."
Ronan was speechless. "What did that brat do to my pure!" Granddaughter!’
---
Back at the Nozvan family estate.
Kairos suddenly shivered.
"Everything alright, Young Master?"
Kairos glanced around, rubbing his neck. "It’s fine."
"As I was saying... Mana is the natural source of the world. It fuels sigils and gives existence to elents."
Kaelen opened his palm. A gentle blue glow gathered there was Water Essence.
He picked up a piece of paper and passed it through. Nothing happened.
"Now, if I inject my mana ..."
Still nothing seed to change. But when he dipped the paper again, it instantly got soaked.
"As you saw, without mana, even if you have an elent, it’s aningless. Mana is what gives the elent form."
"Did you understand, Young Master?"
Kairos nodded.
"Good. Now what is Aura?"
The old man expected him to be confused, but to his surprise, Kairos began speaking the next mont.
"Aura is a grasped force. Unlike mana, it belongs solely to the individual. While magic uses sigils, aura uses will and body."
Kaelen froze for a mont. Surprised. He knows this much? Let’s test it further.
"What’s its primary use?"
"Aura doesn’t cast spells. It enhances the body. It responds to will and emotion. The world grants it form through oaths taken by knights."
Kaelen was stunned. Not only did the boy understand aura, but he even knew about oaths.
"Correct, Young Master. I’m quite amazed."
Kairos simply nodded. In his previous life, he had reached the 7th star in aura despite never receiving an Oath due to lacking mana.
"That’s good. We’ll start on the Zeroth Circle tomorrow."
"You know how magical circles work, correct?"
Kairos nodded. Of course he knows. He tried his best to awaken his mana in every way possible. Doing hundreds of hours of research.
"Each circle has its own frequency tied to specific sigils. Mages are ranked by the number of circles they can maintain; there are eight in total."
Kaelen smiled and turned. Mana surged behind him; four glowing circles appeared, two on each side of his body. Each had distinct patterns and colors. Their size wasn’t that big, but it was big enough to peek out from his back.
"As you can see, this old man is at the 4th Circle."
Kairos observed them. They were blue, with hints of yellow, aning this old man has water and earth elents.
"My main is water; that’s why my circles are blue. Your circles might be red like your mother’s... or black like your father’s."
Kairos nodded. Completing the Zeroth Circle would reveal what path best suited him.
"Hm... As for Authority... Ah, never mind. Too complex for now. We’ll discuss it later."
Kairos gave no reaction. He already understood what Authority was.
"You’re dismissed."
Kairos bowed and walked to a separate table, pulling several books from the shelves.
Kaelen watched him, smiling softly. Then quietly left the library with so papers in hand.
---
Kairos let out a quiet sigh. "Fate is truly rewarding."
"This is the year 799 Eclipsian, January... The Great Expedition happens in 855 Eclipsian, Decembriya."
"I’ve regressed 56 years before the expedition... 25 years before the force field collapses... 5 years before the war between Velmor and Veldas."
"She should be around my age this ti. ..."
He fell silent, rembering a face as white as snow smiling like a blossom flower. The scene is changing in the next second, her being covered in blood.
Kairos took a deep breath. He had truly returned to the past. He clenched his fist, strengthening his resolve. I have to get stronger as fast as possible.
Just as Kairos was about to head to his room, his eyes drifted back to the book he had just closed. Sothing on the back cover caught his attention.
It was a map of the continent. The major landmarks were all there: the Front Lines, the Abyss, the 7 Crest Alliance... and the empires.
But as he looked closer, his brows slowly furrowed. His heart skipped a beat.
Sothing was wrong.
He counted again, carefully tracing the nas. One... two... three... four... five... six... seven...
Eight.
There were eight empires.
"...What?" he whispered.
That couldn’t be right. In his past life, in the world he rembered, there had only ever been seven empires, not eight!
He hurried back to the shelves, pulling out atlas after atlas, flipping through pages, and checking publication dates. He even called over the librarian.
"Excuse ," he said, voice calm but firm. "How many empires are recognized on the current political map?"
The man adjusted his glasses. "Eight, Young Master. It’s been that way for nearly a century."
Kairos said nothing.
He returned to his table, sitting in silence.
Eight. Not seven. Eight.
No matter how many books he opened, no matter how many tis he cross-referenced, it remained the sa. The na ’Vulcan’ is everywhere, a brand new land that didn’t exist.
He returned to his seat, a cold pressure settling in his chest. Looking at the pile of new information about the cultures, the nas of the kings, and the emperor, everything was laid out before him.
The world had changed. He even questioned at that mont, was he really in the past?
Or was fate mocking him again?
That sa feeling returned, the one that had warned him before every major disaster, saving his life.
He took a deep breath, forcing the panic down.
"...Then I have only one choice."
Get stronger. As fast as possible. Whatever had changed the world, he needed the power to survive it.
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