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{Ember POV}
I stared at my reflection in the mirror, rubbing my eyes in an attempt to fight off the lingering sleepiness.
In my previous life, I had the habit of sleeping no more than five hours a day, but this new body of mine wasn't yet adapted to that routine. Being a child certainly didn't help either.
Still, I refused to waste more than nine hours on sleep.
After all, if I could make proper use of the time I had, I could gather enough knowledge to properly plan my future.
"~Your Highness~, I am here!" I heard a familiar voice call out.
Turning around, I saw my maid, Remia.
She had short blonde hair, neat and shiny, and a pair of soft brown eyes.
Nothing too remarkable, at least in appearance.
She was the maid specially assigned to attend to me.
One might wonder why my own mother wasn't taking care of me—well, although Father, being the king, has most of the responsibilities, Mother isn't exactly free from duties either.
That's why they appointed a personal maid to assist me.
"Good morning, Remia," I greeted her politely.
She smiled brightly and said, "Now, let's get you ready for the day, Your Highness!"
Without giving me much time to react, she gently took my hand and escorted me toward the bathroom.
There, I began my usual morning routine.
I brushed my teeth—not with toothpaste, of course, since it didn't exist here—but with a Neem stick, which people in this world called Alpeen.
The taste was bitter and slightly unpleasant, but it worked well enough to clean my teeth.
After I finished brushing, Remia guided me to the bathtub.
Without hesitation, she began undressing herself as well.
'This still feels weird,' I thought to myself.
It had already been three years since Remia began taking care of me, which included attending to all my basic needs.
One might assume that, as a grown man mentally, I should have some sense of dignity and feel ashamed of such situations, considering my mental age and previous life experiences.
But they would be fools to think that way. I might possess the mind of an adult, but right now, I am a child—an elf child, no less—and performing all these tasks by myself is difficult.
Elf children are significantly weaker than human children, though once they grow up, their physical abilities far surpass those of the average human.
Because of that, I don't act stubborn or pretend to be overly proud in the name of "being a grown man."
I simply accept my situation and acknowledge that I'm a child who requires special care.
As for Remia getting naked during bath time—well, it's not like I'm Rudy from Mushoku Tensei or something.
My hormones aren't exactly raging right now, so there's no point in thinking about it in any perverted way.
At first, it did feel extremely awkward and embarrassing.
For a week or two, I couldn't even look at her directly while she washed me.
But after some time, I simply adapted to it.
Eventually, it became just another part of my daily routine.
Once we were both done bathing, she carefully helped me dry off, dressed me in clean clothes, and escorted me to the dining room.
Breakfast was a quiet affair.
It was prepared exclusively for me, with only a few maids present to serve the food.
My parents had already eaten earlier since their royal duties required them to start the day early, and my older sister had also left the castle to continue her training.
After finishing my meal, I wiped my mouth with a napkin and stood up, ready to head toward the library.
"Remia, you can leave now," I said, turning toward the blonde maid who stood dutifully behind me.
"Your Highness," she replied softly, bowing slightly, "as your maid, it is my duty to accompany you at all times and attend to your every need."
I sighed quietly, feeling that familiar sense of mild irritation rise in me.
If there was one thing that made me truly uncomfortable, it was having someone constantly watching me like I was some kind of rare animal in a cage—especially when I was trying to study.
Thus, whenever Remia was occupied with some other chores or had to leave for a short while, I often took the opportunity to grab a book and sneak away to another part of the library—or sometimes even to a quiet, unused room—so I could read in peace without feeling someone's constant gaze on me.
"Remia, please," I said, looking up at her with my best pleading expression, hoping she would allow me some freedom this time.
Her brown eyes wavered slightly as she hesitated, but then she shook her head, steeling her resolve.
"No, Your Highness! Last time you said you were only going to take a short walk inside the palace, but instead, you ended up hiding in a corner of the library and stayed there until it was quite late!" she complained, her voice filled with genuine frustration.
Of course, things never went easily with her. I let out a long sigh, realizing that arguing would lead nowhere. "Fine," I said finally, giving up the thought of convincing her, "Remia, I want a book on the geography of the world."
She narrowed her eyes slightly at me, clearly suspicious.
She already knew my tricks too well—ordering her to fetch a book was one of my usual methods to divert her attention and escape her supervision.
"I will follow you," I added quickly, trying to put her at ease before she could protest any further.
Her expression softened a bit at my words, and she reluctantly nodded before walking over to the shelves.
After a few minutes of scanning through the massive collection, she finally handed me a thick book bound in green leather.
"Here, Your Highness," she said.
I took it from her with eager hands, my eyes immediately lighting up with excitement.
For the past several months, I had been dedicating myself to learning the Elvish and Koine languages.
Only a few weeks ago had I begun exploring the books within the royal library, but now it was time to move on to something more complex—geography and topography.
I gently flipped open the cover of the book, letting the familiar scent of parchment hit my nose, and started turning the pages in search of the world map.
It didn't take long before I found it.
The map depicted an enormous continent surrounded by several scattered islands—the largest one located far to the east, labeled as Far East.
I leaned closer, carefully tracing the shapes with my finger, feeling a strange thrill run through me.
'It's so exciting,' I thought, my eyes gleaming with curiosity.
Unlike what the main anime had shown, this world extended far beyond the city of Orario.
There existed vast lands, unknown territories, and civilizations that the anime never even mentioned.
While the Dungeon beneath Orario was indeed dangerous, there were other places in this world that were said to be even more perilous—regions so treacherous that even experienced adventurers wouldn't dare approach them, leaving aside the deep floors of the Dungeon.
There were unexplored lands, militaristic nations, hidden civilizations, and countless mysteries waiting to be discovered.
The sheer vastness of the world thrilled me.
Compared to all this, Orario suddenly seemed like a small and rather dull city.
'Seriously,' I thought in my mind, 'I'm going to explore all these places someday.'
With that thought filling my mind, I turned back to the first page and began reading the opening chapter.
As expected, it started by introducing the various races of the world.
The book Remia had given me was clearly one of the most detailed and well-written ones in the entire library—of course, that was to be expected, since she would never hand me anything less than the best.
The first section, naturally, was dedicated to the Elves.
I wasn't even surprised.
In fact, I doubted that the Elves would allow any book in their library that didn't list their own race first.
According to the text, Elves were highly intelligent beings who possessed exceptional magical aptitude and typically resided within vast forests.
Their defining traits included long, pointed ears, remarkable longevity, and, of course, their almost unnaturally beautiful faces—the usual descriptions that appeared in every account of Elves.
As I carefully scanned through the lines, I tried to see if there was any information that I hadn't come across before.
"Hmm," I murmured, "there is something new here."
Apparently, Elves were categorized into two primary types—White Elves and Dark Elves.
Each group also had a High Elf variant.
High Elves were essentially the royal or noble class among Elves, and they were regarded with immense respect and reverence.
The book explained that while White Elves were relatively abundant, the population of Dark Elves was extremely small.
According to ancient records, most of their kind had been wiped out long ago, primarily due to massive monster attacks that occurred in the distant past.
Interestingly, Dark Elves possessed different kinds of magical abilities compared to White Elves; their spells and magical properties operated on distinct principles, giving them unique powers that other Elves couldn't replicate.
The next section discussed the Amazoness—a race composed entirely of warrior women.
The Amazoness were said to possess incredible physical strength, greater than most other races, with the exception of a few Demi-Human races such as the Boaz and the Weretigers.
However, their magical aptitude was notably lacking compared to others.
Another fascinating detail was that the Amazoness race had no males at all.
In order to reproduce, they were compelled to mate with members of other races, and, according to the text, they were capable of reproducing successfully with almost any race without issue.
I could feel Remia's eyes on me, practically glaring at the book the moment I started reading the section about the Amazoness race.
She didn't say a word, but the look on her face said it all.
Not that I cared in the slightest—I wasn't reading this out of any indecent curiosity, but purely out of a thirst for knowledge.
So, ignoring her silent protests, I continued reading.
Flipping through the next few pages, I found detailed descriptions of many other races.
There was an astonishing variety of them, far more than I had expected.
Soon, I reached the section that listed the numerous Demi-Human races that existed in the world of Danmachi.
The list was long, and as I skimmed through it, one particular name caught my attention and made me stop.
Bulls.
The name alone was enough to make me pause for a second.
According to the text, Bulls were a humanoid race possessing distinct cow-like features such as small horns and bovine ears.
The description also mentioned that female members of this race were particularly endowed in certain physical areas—something that, apparently, made them quite recognizable among other races.
They were often nicknamed "Cows" for obvious reasons.
I shook my head slightly and continued turning the pages, pretending not to notice Remia's faintly disapproving stare towards the book as if she was cursing the Author for being a pervert.
As I read further, I found more and more races being listed—Cat People with their feline agility, the fox-like Renard known for their cunning, Chienthropes who had canine traits, and the Hume Bunny race with their characteristic rabbit ears.
There were also Pallum, Raccoon people, Sheep folk, Werewolves, and several others I had never even heard of before.
'Damn,' I muttered quietly to myself, 'this world is way more diverse than what the anime ever showed.'
It was truly fascinating.
Thankfully, I already had some prior knowledge beyond the main series; otherwise, I might have been completely overwhelmed by this sheer amount of information.
The next section delved into the topic of Half-breeds.
These were new races formed from the union of two different species, most commonly between humans and another race.
Among them, Half-Elves, Half-Pallum, and Half-Dwarves were said to be the most common.
The book described how such individuals often inherited traits from both parents but were rarely accepted fully by either race, which made their lives complicated in most societies.
Then came the section about Humans.
They were generally considered the weakest race in terms of physical and magical ability.
However, they were also the most numerous due to their incredibly fast breeding rate and adaptability.
Following them were the Pallum—a small-statured race even weaker than humans, whose advantage of enhanced night vision didn't really help them much, given their other shortcomings.
Finally, the Dwarves were mentioned.
The book described them as one of the physically strongest races, well-known for their exceptional craftsmanship and endurance.
However, they were also infamous for their excessive love of alcohol and their long-standing grudge against Elves.
Apparently, the two races had a rivalry that stretched back centuries, often flaring up over differences in ideals and pride.
Once the race descriptions ended, the next part of the book focused on the geography of the world.
At first glance, I noticed something curious—Orario, despite being often called the "center of the world," wasn't actually positioned at the continent's center on the map.
Yet, according to divine records, the Gods themselves had declared it as the symbolic center of the world.
I found that rather ironic.
The book then listed various kingdoms, empires, and states scattered across the vast continent, along with several island nations.
The most famous of these was, of course, the Far East, notable for its massive size and unique culture.
Another notable country was Altena, known across the lands for its mastery over magic.
The text mentioned that Altena's population included a disproportionately high number of strong adventurers, many of whom reached Levels 3 and 4—which, by their local standards, were considered quite high.
Then there was the swordsmithing city of Solingen, a place famous for producing some of the highest-quality weapons and armor in the entire world.
The majority of its population consisted of Dwarves, which made perfect sense considering their reputation for craftsmanship.
The description even mentioned that some of the finest weapons wielded by renowned adventurers were forged in Solingen.
I found myself completely absorbed as I continued reading through each section, eager to soak in as much information as I could.
By the time afternoon arrived, Remia came back with my lunch.
Instead of insisting I return to the dining hall, she brought the meal directly to me in the library—a gesture that I truly appreciated.
"Thank you, Remia," I said sincerely, offering her a rare genuine smile.
She seemed momentarily surprised but returned the smile before placing the tray beside me.
After eating, I resumed reading, occasionally pausing to stretch my legs or rest my eyes.
I also took a few breaks to relieve myself or simply let my mind recover from all the information I was absorbing.
As much as I enjoyed studying, I wasn't a God—I still had to eat, drink, and, well, handle other bodily needs like any normal being.
Time passed quickly, and before I realized it, the sky had already darkened.
When dinner time arrived, Remia escorted me to the dining room as usual.
The long table was set beautifully, but I immediately noticed something off—my father wasn't there.
"Ember!" My sister's voice rang out cheerfully before I could even ask where Father was.
She appeared suddenly and grabbed me from Remia's hands, smiling brightly.
"I heard you've been reading books the entire day again!" she said, puffing her cheeks slightly in mock annoyance.
"Although you might be smart, you're still a child! You need to go outside once in a while, you know!"
"I see," I replied calmly, looking up at her with a small nod.
"Then I'll take a break from reading tomorrow, Sister."
Her eyes widened for a moment before her entire face lit up with joy.
"Ember! You're such an obedient little brother!" she exclaimed with glee, hugging me tightly and rubbing her cheek against mine.
"You're everything I could ever ask for in a sibling!" she added, ruffling my hair playfully.
My mother, who had been watching the scene with a warm smile, chuckled softly and said, "Indeed, Ember has been holed up in his study far too much lately. He might be exceptionally intelligent, but he's still just three years old. Riveria, it's your duty to take your little brother outside tomorrow and make sure he enjoys himself."
"Gladly!" Riveria replied with a cheerful grin before taking her seat beside Mother.
I climbed onto my own chair, adjusting myself comfortably, and looked toward Mother.
"Mother, where is Father?" I asked curiously, even though deep down, I already had a general idea of the answer.
Given his position as King, it was only natural that he would be busy with state affairs or urgent political matters.
Mother let out a small sigh, setting down her fork for a moment before answering, "Something unexpected came up, so your father had to leave to take care of it."
Her tone was calm but slightly weary, clearly hinting at how often such occurrences happened.
I nodded in quiet understanding and picked up my own utensils, but before I could even bring food to my mouth, my sister leaned forward with a mischievous grin.
"C'mon, Ember, open your mouth!" she said in a playful tone, holding a small piece of food near my lips with her fork.
"Sister! I can eat by myself!" I protested immediately, frowning a little at her overbearing attitude.
Riveria giggled, her green eyes gleaming with amusement.
"Nope! As a qualified big sister, it's my duty to personally feed my cute little brother!" she declared with exaggerated pride.
And that was that.
No amount of arguing helped.
In the end, I was once again forced to let her feed me like a toddler.
She was far too clingy for her own good, and although part of me found it a little endearing, the other part—the adult part of me that still existed deep inside—couldn't help but feel uncomfortable at the whole situation.
Still, as I watched her smiling face full of genuine affection, I couldn't help but wonder silently to myself: Will she eventually grow into her anime self?
If she did, it wouldn't really surprise me.
Right now, Riveria was sixteen years old, still young by Elven standards.
In the original story, she didn't leave the forest until she was around seventy or so.
Considering that our father often restricted her from leaving the Elven territories despite her constant protests, it wasn't hard to imagine how she might eventually develop that calm, reserved, and somewhat distant personality I knew from the series.
I sighed inwardly.
Time changes everyone, doesn't it?
I know she will mature someday, and perhaps when that time comes, I'll look back and think how nice it would be if she had stayed just like she is right now—clingy, energetic, and full of childish enthusiasm.
She's adorable, really.
My sister is genuinely cute, and even if it embarrasses me, I can't deny that her affection warms my heart.
So, I gave up resisting and simply smiled, allowing her to feed me spoonful after spoonful.
Her expression lit up with joy every time I obediently opened my mouth.
It was ridiculous, but seeing her so happy made it hard to stay annoyed.
After a while, Mother, who had been watching us with an amused smile, finally spoke.
"Riveria, how about you give Ember to me now? I need to show some love to my son as well," she said softly, extending her arms.
Riveria immediately pouted like a spoiled child, but when Mother's gentle smile widened just a bit, she gave in with a sigh.
"Fine! But before that—Muah! Muah! Muah!" she exclaimed, planting three quick kisses on my cheeks.
"Ugh!" I grunted in surprise, caught completely off guard by the sudden assault.
The warm feeling of her lips left my face tingling, and before I could stop myself, a mischievous thought crossed my mind.
'I can't let her have the last move.'
So, summoning all the courage my small body could muster, I leaned forward and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek in return.
"Eh?!" Riveria froze in utter shock, her eyes wide open.
Mother and Remia both blinked in surprise too, clearly not expecting that.
I couldn't help but grin triumphantly.
"That's what you get!" I said proudly.
Riveria gasped dramatically, then broke into a delighted squeal.
"Ember!! That's so cute!!" she cried, hugging me tightly and rubbing her cheek against mine again in pure excitement.
(A/N: Plan failed successfully)
"Alright, alright, that's enough, Riveria," Mother said gently, chuckling as she reached out to take me.
After some reluctance and another exaggerated pout, my sister finally handed me over to her.
I looked up at Mother, and feeling playful again, leaned in to give her a small kiss on the cheek as well.
It wouldn't be fair if Riveria got all the affection, after all.
Mother's expression softened instantly.
She smiled warmly, the kind of smile that could melt away any fatigue, and then began to feed me herself.
She took her time, patiently giving me small bites until I was full.
When I finished, she gave me a few gentle kisses on my cheeks too before finally handing me back to Remia.
After dinner, Remia helped me wash my hands and face, and then escorted me back to my room.
She tidied up the bed before tucking me in, her usual calm demeanor returning as she wished me goodnight.
As I lay there in the quiet of my room, I thought about my family—my overly affectionate sister, my kind mother, and my busy father who rarely had time for us but still cared deeply.
A small smile crept onto my face.
Time always moves forward, and moments like these don't last forever.
That's exactly why they're precious.
One should always cherish their loved ones, no matter how annoying or overbearing they might seem at times.
They might drive me crazy now and then, but in the end, they're my family—the people who love me more than anyone else.
(A/N: Yeah until puberty hits you again... LMAO, we all know how it ended)
With that comforting thought in mind, I let out a soft sigh and slowly closed my eyes.
Sleep came to me easily that night, warm and peaceful.
And just like that, another day came to an end.
To be continued…