Zanac POV
I feel slightly stronger today. I managed five more pushups than yesterday and with less effort, too.
It could be because of the template, or maybe one of my new classes finally unlocked. I'm not sure yet. My gut says it's the latter, but I'll need more time to confirm.
Digging through the original Zanac's memories, I can tell he definitely had the Prince class. It's pretty useless in combat, but it does come with passive skills proper etiquette, composure, political presence. Every royal child is good at greeting nobles and acting refined, but not every noble kid is born knowing it.
This is exactly why things are tricky for me. I have no idea how far Zanac had progressed.
In this world, the lack of a status screen is torture. You can't check your levels or stats. You just grind, train, survive… and one day you notice you're stronger. Then you assume a class leveled up or a new one appeared.
Passive skills come quietly you don't realise you got them until you suddenly start doing something better than before.
And while in YGGDRASIL skills are given after getting a class, in this world it's too follow but not always, like you may learn a skill of some class and chance is there you unlock the class.
If I'm not wrong, there's a chance I leveled up one of Zanac's basic warrior-type classes. He wasn't a professional fighter you can tell that by his past body but as a prince, he had basic training. Enough to unlock a starter class, at least.
Unfortunately, In this world warrior-type classes can't learn magic unlike how it's possible in Yggdrasil. Total incompatibility. I could try martial arts, but what I really want is the versatility of a magic caster.
Both paths have their pros and cons.
Sure, magic is powerful but learning spells is ridiculously difficult. Some mages take years to learn one spell. That's why most high-level casters still have very few spells; they just mastered the ones they know.
And honestly, even if I do manage to unlock a magic caster class, becoming a good mage in this kingdom will still be a pain.
Why? Because this entire kingdom is stuck in the mindset that heavy cavalry defines military strength. Knights on horseback that is their idea of true power.
So magic? Magic is seen as something "lesser." Something impractical. Something nobles don't bother investing in.
In fact, when I think about it, it's not surprising at all. This stupid mindset is exactly why the Re-Estize Kingdom remains one of the weakest human nation in the entire region. While the Empire and the Theocracy push their military and magical research forward, this kingdom is still living in the past swinging swords on horseback and pretending that's enough.
No wonder they get crushed every time.
Sigh. Now that I think about it, I'm facing more dangers than just dealing with Bone Daddy.
Even if Ainz never lifts a bony finger against me, I still have to worry about the Empire and the other human nations trying to annex this place. I may ignore my new status, but others definitely won't.
And someone like Jircniv, the Bloody Emperor himself, a man who wiped out an entire generation of corrupt nobles inside his own Empire will absolutely not ignore a weak second prince from the neighbouring kingdom he just conquered.
Knock. Knock.
"Prince Zanac, Princess Renner has come to meet you and requests an audience," the guard called from outside.
Renner?
Why is she here?
Did she find something? No, I haven't done anything suspicious. I've barely even breathed wrong these past few days.
Arghhh…
"Let her in," I said finally. Refusing to meet her would only look more suspicious.
Better to face the monster while she still wears the mask of an angel.
I stood up and moved toward the balcony, choosing one of the chairs and sitting down as calmly as I could. The other chair remained empty, waiting for its inevitable occupant.
"Second Brother."
At the soft greeting, I turned my head. What stepped into view matched the memories in my mind perfectly, a young girl with long golden hair, a pristine white dress, and a delicate golden necklace resting on her collarbone. Her face was gentle, innocent… almost saint-like.
Renner. The ever-smiling devil.
"Renner," I acknowledged, nodding slightly. "Come, take a seat."
Then I shifted my gaze to the maid standing behind her.
"We will be alone. Don't let anyone disturb our talk."
The maid bowed and quietly stepped back outside.
Once we were alone and my new sister settled into the chair opposite me, I took the initiative. "So, what do you want to talk about?"
She didn't answer immediately. Instead, she simply stared at me for a few seconds long, careful, analysing seconds that made my skin itch. But I kept my face perfectly neutral. No reaction, no slip.
Finally, she spoke.
"Since I haven't seen you these past few days, and heard that you've been staying inside your room all day… alone… I thought you might be ill." Her expression softened, almost worryingly gentle. "So I decided to pay you a visit. And it seems I wasn't completely wrong. Brother, you look… stressed."
Of course I am. And one of the reasons is you, but I kept that part firmly inside my head. Out loud, I chose my words carefully.
"Well… yes. The Empire will attack again soon like every year. The Kingdom will suffer losses, like always. That alone is enough to worry anyone."
It wasn't even a lie.
The Re-Estize Kingdom and the Baharuth Empire had been stuck in this yearly ritual for ages. A pointless one-sided war where only the Kingdom bled, while the Empire held back most of its actual strength. A huge joke, really one everyone pretended was normal.
And even though the Empire didn't conquer the Kingdom in the original timeline even after Ainz appeared that only mattered if this wasn't an AU. What if this was one of those versions where Ainz arrived alone, or a century earlier?
After all who knows tomorrow a rebellion started and I became a slave or cut down.
Just thinking about those possibilities sent a cold shiver down my spine.
People would call it paranoia. But once you realise fiction is real when you wake up inside it and when you know alternate versions might exist? Worrying isn't paranoia. It's basic survival instinct.
"So that's what you were worried about…" she said quietly, her voice softening as if she truly understood the weight of the matter. "It's understandable. So many lives are lost every year."
She might be acting as Renner was always acting but she did understand the seriousness of the situation. After all, she was genuinely smart.
"But brother, you can't do anything about it," she said bluntly, her calm blue eyes studying me without a hint of emotion.
"I know," I replied matter-of-factly, "but that doesn't stop me from worrying."
I exhaled slowly. "Let's stop talking about me. Tell me about yourself instead."
"Well, I went to tour the city…" she began, listing her usual routine etiquette lessons, history lectures, the usual princess duties.
And then she casually dropped a bomb.
"So you took him?" I asked, thinking I misheard her.
"Yes," she answered without hesitation. "I felt pity for him, so I brought him to the palace. He's staying with the servants for now, but I'm planning to introduce him to the guards so he can train with them."
She said it so naturally… but I could only stare, my mind racing.
She already met Climb. Already brought him here. Already planning his future.
Is this good? Is this bad? Is she already starting her yandere path?
Arggggggg can't I stay peacefully for a single day.
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Low tier Worlds for traveling