[Edge of death. Walk the world on thin ice and achieve fortune on the other side.]
[Name: Marcus Sirdi.]
[Age: 24.]
[Level: 1 (Mage)]
[Race: Human.]
[Mana: 28.]
[Achievement Points: None.]
[Arcane Knowledge Available (Lv1). Advance Technological Knowledge Available (Lv1). Body Modification Knowledge Locked. Futuristic technological Knowledge Locked.]
[Mana Crystal detected, absorbable.]
[Redo: 2.]
[Day Left: 6 months (183 days)]
What nonsense is this? A hundred and eighty-three days left?
With a frown on his face, Marcus moved his gaze elsewhere. His eyes took in the fairly familiar, dimly lit room, and his brows knitted some more.
Marcus had just woken up a few seconds ago, and the first thing he saw was a holographic screen.
Reading without comprehending what he was seeing, Marcus began doubting his sanity. He raised a finger to touch the hologram, but was stopped by the sudden influx of memories that surged through his mind.
"Argh!" He held his head in between his arms and curled into a fetal position.
This lasted for almost half an hour before the pain began to subside.
He was Marcus Sirdi, the fourth son of the Sirdi House, a family of nobles. Thirteen years ago, he had suddenly begun to lose his mind, slowly turning into a madman.
By the time he came of age, the King had given him and his siblings lands to lord over, hoping that they would contribute to the Kingdom's prosperity.
The last time that Marcus could recall regaining his sanity was seven years ago.
Should he be angry?
Or happy?
Marcus didn't know; his chest was filled with conflicting emotions, and he didn't know why. At the moment, everything felt calm and peaceful to him.
"The lord viscount might lose his life at any point in time, and none of his siblings care to come and see him in his final days? Even though he had lost his mind, he is still their blood! What a bunch of bastards."
This voice that just spoke was accompanied by two maids.
"Evita, shut your mouth. Even if they're called fallen nobles, commoners like us cannot openly badmouth them. People have lost their heads over mistakes like this." A dark-haired maid scolded as she placed a wooden bucket on a table that was beside a window.
"Leti, I was," Evita was just about to talk back when she caught the seated figure of Marcus staring at her.
With a yelp, she moved a few steps back. "He's awake, the mad lord is awake." She whispered.
Leti turned to face the bed and was greeted with the same sight.
"The mad lord?" Marcus repeated.
He had heard this name several times when he was out of his mind. With his memories of being in that state intact, it wasn't a surprise to hear someone calling him that.
However, it evoked a different feeling in him hearing it now.
Marcus sighed and shook his head.
"The Mad Lord just spoke!" Evita jolted from shock. Everyone knew that he hadn't said anything comprehensible in years.
"It's one thing to say it once, and it's another to repeat it." Marcus frowned at her.
He didn't like the name.
It took a few seconds for Leti and Evita to realize where they were and who they were speaking to.
Almost simultaneously, the two of them bowed and chorused, "We greet the lord viscount."
Marcus stared at the two of them for a few seconds. "Acknowledged—" he was just about to say something else when his stomach growled.
I guess my questions will have to wait for a bit.
"Evita, is it?"
"Yes, lord viscount."
"Can you notify the kitchen and tell them to prepare a meal for me? I seem to be quite hungry."
"Yes, lord viscount. Right away!" Evita quickly scurried out of the room, and Leti followed her.
The two of them were shaken to the core by the sight of Marcus and the demeanor that he displayed.
I myself is still confused as to what's happening. If a madman suddenly regains his sanity, I would be scared and doubt it too… but, have I truly regained my clarity?
He wondered as he stared at the holographic screen before him. Marcus was certain that the maids weren't able to see it. Did that mean that he was seeing things?
Unbeknownst to him, the entire mansion had exploded with the news of his awakening. Some were skeptical, and many were dejected by this news.
Only a few of the subjects in the mansion were happy to hear this news.
Just a short time had passed when Leti barged into the room, only to turn back as quickly as she came in and stop to knock on the door.
"… Come in."
"Lord Viscount, Baron Reginald is here to see you."
"Baron Reginald?" Marcus's brows knitted. That was one of the nobles under the jurisdiction of his land.
He was also one of the nobles who demeaned and cursed Marcus several times when he faced one of his episodes. What does he want to do with me at this time of the night?
"Tell him—" Marcus had just started when he felt his body freeze. Not only his body, but even the flames on the torches at the corner of the room, dancing under the soft wind, stopped moving.
[Edge Of Death: Threat identified. Baron Reginald, the last son of a wealthy Count and avid supporter of the seventh Prince's faction. He has been working very hard over the years to veto your control over Agard, and the only thing stopping him from completely taking over is the breath you inhale. Baron Reginald has committed many atrocities in your land, and he continues to do so. He hates you to the core and currently doesn't have any positive regard towards you. Given the chance, he won't hesitate to kill you.]
[You have five options.
*Agree to meet with Baron Reginald.
*Refuse to meet the Baron and send him out of your mansion.
*Have your guards seize him and execute him for his crimes.
*Beg the Baron to spare your life and promise to hand over Agard to him.
*Pretend to have lost your mind once again.
You have 2 minutes to decide. 1:57]
Upon reading everything before him, Marcus felt chills run down his spine. It was almost as though he could sense that something unfortunate was about to happen.
What is all of this!?
Marcus tried to move; however, his body refused to obey. Only his eyes were able to move, albeit minutely.
Will I be able to move if I pick an option? It took him a few seconds to calm down.
If the Baron hates me, then why should I agree to meet him? Meeting him is out of the question.
It will even be better to kill him; however, that's something that I can't do without sufficient evidence of his crimes.
Marcus couldn't help but imagine what the Count would unleash upon him if he dared to execute his son outright.
I won't be begging that fat bastard for anything! I'll refuse to meet him!
The moment Marcus chose this option, time resumed, as though it never stopped.
And at the same time, Marcus heard the words come out of his mouth.
"—to leave the mansion and I will not be seeing him."
Leti nodded her head and ran out of the room to go and relay the viscount's words.
"What was that? What is happening to me? Is this some type of side effect from losing my mind for so long?" Marcus muttered, not caring for what his answer would evoke from Baron Reginald.
"Stop!"
A heart-wrenching scream echoed down the hall before reaching Marcus's ears. Followed by the sound of vases crashing onto the floor.
His ears perked up, and he instinctively sat up. Marcus raised the blanket off his body and attempted to climb down the bed, only to fall to the ground.
My legs won't move!
In the course of getting his legs to move, Marcus's eyes blacked out for a few seconds, and by the time his sight returned, there were already four armed men with bloodied swords in his room.
"Tsk, tsk tsk. Viscount Marcus," The voice was amused.
"I cut my journey short and decided to come see you at this awful hour of the night, and you send a measly maid to send me away." A deep voice reached his ears, and its owner soon entered his sight.
A chubby, but tall, middle-aged man, dressed in a neat suit, is adjusting a ring heavy with gems.
"Baron Reginald! Did you—did you, murder my subjects!?" Marcus spoke out in anger, straining his throat.
"Me? No, I dare not, lord viscount." Reginald blinked and chuckled.
"You did, in your fit of madness. You awakened and took the lives of your subject, ending your life while at it. Hahaha!"
The moment these words were said, Marcus watched as one of the armed men stepped forward. The man caught one of his hands and forced a bloodied blade onto his palm before stepping over his body.
Before Marcus could react, his neck and the hand holding the blade were only inches apart.
Every part of this scenario, Marcus seemed to experience it in slow motion.
From the futile struggle he was having against the hand that was forcing the blade towards his neck, to the point of contact with the tip of the blade.
Then its insertion into his skin, then his flesh, into his throat, and through his neck. The deeper the blade went, the more excruciating the pain he experienced was.
"I thought you had some spunk to you. Turns out I was worried for nothing." Baron Reginald added, however, Marcus couldn't seem to see him anymore.
His life was already flashing in his gaze, filled with memories of the past.
The last thing he heard was the squishing sound that his neck made as blood splashed beneath him.
Darkness…
That was all that he saw. As though he was waking up from a bad dream, Marcus opened his eyes once again. This time, his heart was in chaos.
His body jolted as his hands rushed to grab his neck as though he was trying to stop the bleeding. He even felt like he was choking.
Only for him to realize that there was no blood in his hands.
Was all of that just a bad dream? So lucid…
Sweat rolled down his back as his hands shook in fear until it was interrupted.
Knock, knock.
Marcus felt his nerves calming down.
"… Come in."
Leti entered the room. "Lord Viscount, Baron Reginald is here to see you."
[Redo: 1.]