"Oh my God...they're dead?"
I saw Althea still speechless, in disbelief, watching the three armored men die, her face convulsing in shock.
Well, I didn't expect my angry shout to kill them instantly.
But I no longer felt the same surge of power I had before, probably because I hadn't mastered it.
Whatever ability it was, but I knew it was beyond my comprehension in my previous life in the modern era.
I walked slowly, looking at my emaciated body, as if malnourished, then suddenly swayed.
Luckily, Althea quickly caught me, preventing me from falling.
"Baron Lucian, be careful...! You haven't walked like this in ten years. Your body must still be very sore," Althea said with a concerned expression.
"Ten years? Does that mean I've been lying in that smelly bed for ten years? Oh my…"
"Y-yes, Baron Lucian… I'm actually surprised to see you awake so energetically, but even if you're excited, your body still needs time to adjust. For now, let me help you hold Baron…"
"Okay, Althea. Who wouldn't want to hold hands with a woman as beautiful as you, right?"
"Oh, Baron… stop joking around. We're ten years apart…I'm older than you…"
"Ten years? Wait, how old am I?"
"Eighteen, Baron. I understand you don't seem to remember much, but that's okay, I'm sure your memory will recover on its own."
At 18, my body should be much stronger, given my youth.
Unfortunately, my body still feels frail and needs to be supported.
However, gradually, I can feel the energy that was once small, now slowly flaring up within me.
Like a small flame that gradually grew, illuminating all my memories as Baron Lucien.
Memories of the Storm family, of Althea's warmth and loyalty, and finally, everything changed when the Storm family mysteriously died.
Baron Lucien fell seriously ill at the age of eight, and many of his soldiers and servants began to abandon him, leaving only Althea.
"Althea... why did you still here?" I asked curiously.
"What do you mean, Baron?" Althea asked politely.
"I mean... why did you stay here to take care of me for the past ten years? Haven't I been worthless since I fell ill?"
"Oh... it was because I owed you a favor, Baron. Your parents, Count and Countess Storm, helped me when I was abandoned. I simply wanted to spend the rest of my life repaying that favor, Baron."
Ah, my heart was touched and trembled at that sincere answer.
It's rare to find a woman as sincere as her.
I swore I would never give her to any man.
He's mine!
"Thank you, Althea. Hearing your answer makes my life's excitement rise a thousandfold," I praised.
"Ahahaha... Baron Lucien is so funny..." Althea replied, smiling amusedly.
"Just call me Lucien, Althea. It seems friendlier."
"Ah... sorry, I can't, Baron Lucien. It would be rude of me to call you that."
"It's okay. I won't make a big deal out of it."
I looked around, a room with stone walls and floors, like I was in a fortress.
And when I looked into Baron Lucien's memories, he did indeed live in a fortress that served as a defense to protect the Storm family's land.
But from his last memory, since the Storm family died and Baron Lucien became seriously ill, this land seemed worthless.
"Our farmland... is it dead?" I asked, provoking.
"Y-yes, Baron Lucien. I'm sorry. I couldn't keep it. It all started with a prolonged drought. The grass that feeds the livestock died. We couldn't even grow wheat due to lack of water. All that's left are our food reserves in the barn, and even those are only enough for a few more days."
Althea watched from the hallway window, the farmland littered with dead livestock, some even reduced to skeletons, and swarming with flies.
I may not have been a farmer in my past life, but it didn't seem logical that a prolonged, severe drought would kill this farm.
"Those armored men…where are they from?" I asked sharply as I slowly walked down the hallway toward the lobby with Althea.
"They…are from another noble family, Baron Lucien. They've learned of your worsening condition and want to seize the last of the Storm family's land," Althea replied, her body trembling.
"I-if only I could strengthen my protective magic, maybe Baron Lucian wouldn't have—"
"Enough, Althea. Don't blame yourself. You've protected me very well," I interrupted before Althea could blame herself too much.
"Y-yes… I'm sorry… Baron Lucien."
I took a long exhale, catching my breath again because I had just unlocked Baron Lucien's hidden memories.
Memories of the secret book in the basement of this fortress.
"Can you take me to the basement of this fortress, Althea?" I asked.
"T-the basement, Baron Lucien? I-Isn't that room forbidden by the Storm family?" Althea replied hesitantly.
"Don't worry. I'm part of the Storm family too. We'll go there now!"
*
After walking through the lobby and opening a secret floor that led to the stairs to the basement, Althea and I finally arrived in a room that resembled a bedroom. There was a bed, a wooden table, a bottle of red liquid, and a bookshelf.
Strangely, there was only one book on the bookshelf; the others had disappeared somewhere.
I picked it up, and a familiar feeling filled my mind as I slowly read it.
It turned out to be a book that resembled a legacy from my parents!
A strange book that had led me to this strange world!
But this time, I could read some of his writings:
"Becoming a Wizard isn't an easy choice for everyone. Fire burns your hands, Water blocks your breath. Wind knocks you down. The ground buries you. And lastly…shadow haunts you. Control your heart, step forward without hesitation, weave together all that is connected, and you will attain your glory."
It took me a few minutes to understand the long sentence, whether it was a mere metaphor or something else.
"I don't think that sentence ever appeared in any magic book, Baron Lucien," Althea said, equally confused.
"Yes… I'm confused too, but…"
"…but what, Baron?"
"…I feel something growing inside me. Like a calling."
"It could be the calling of a magic element, Baron!"
"The calling of a magic element?"
"Yes! A wizard will feel a vibration within their body when a magic element resonates with them."
"Oh…"
I felt my body grow warm, as if there was an extraordinary fluctuation.
I tried to concentrate, trying to dig into that passionate feeling, and I could feel a calling directed towards Althea.
If I focused more closely, the calling was directed towards Althea's crotch, and honestly, it surprised me because I could see with my magic eye that there was indeed something inside. "B-Baron Lucien...is something wrong?" Althea asked nervously.
I'm not answering her yet.
My curiosity led me to read the next few pages of the book.
There was a sentence that caught my attention:
"Shadow Masters reside within these strong and chosen women; bind them with your oath, and you shall master them..."
Ah, now I understand.
The hidden magical element was the Shadow element.
And that Shadow element was in... Althea's crotch?
No...it wasn't as simple as a crotch problem.
I understood the meaning of this book.
I closed the book and tucked it away in my coat for later.
Althea, who was behind me, was still curious, waiting for my response since I hadn't reacted.
"Baron Lucien...um...if you feel uncomfortable in this room, we can—"
"Althea," I grabbed her shoulders, making her freeze, staring at me so close.
"Y-yes, Baron Lucien...?"
"I love you, Althea. Be mine forever."