"Aldes Viranea..."
Aldes put the last piece of bread into his mouth. He chewed slowly while staring blankly out the window. His eyes followed the movements of small birds flying over the palace garden.
*So I am now Aldes. One of the princes in the Kingdom of Elfier. Hmm. Based on his memories, I am last in line for the throne.*
He propped his chin up with his right hand.
*Position one is held by my brother-in-law. He has strong connections with the nobles and palace administrators. Ah, I am too lazy to think about it now.*
Aldes glanced at his own hand. He tried to feel the energy within it.
*And my magic class is Telekinesis. Strange. In a fantasy world there is a class like that. What kind of world is this actually.*
He glanced at the large wall clock ticking softly.
*Oh yeah. I have a training schedule with my instructor in two hours.*
Aldes tried to dig deeper into his memories. He looked for clues about the future. About the war. About the defeat. But nothing.
*Argh. I cannot recall future memories. Damn it. I only remember the moment I was executed.*
Frustration crept up his chest. His breathing began to race.
*This pisses me off.*
Aldes bit his lower lip hard. His hands clenched.
*Bam!*
He slammed the dining table hard. Plates and glasses shook violently.
"THEN WHAT THE HELL WAS I SENT THERE FOR YOU BASTARD!!" he shouted loudly.
His voice echoed throughout the large room.
The next second, the sound of hurried footsteps was heard from outside. The bedroom door slammed open.
Three male servants and one guard entered with panicked faces. Their breath was ragged.
"Aldes?! Master Aldes?! What is wrong?!" shouted one of the servants.
Aldes gasped. He saw those frightened faces. He immediately sat up straight and cleared his throat softly.
"Uh, no. I was just acting angry."
The servants looked at each other. Their brows furrowed in confusion.
"Acting angry?" asked the guard doubtfully.
Aldes nodded quickly. "Yes! Yes! Vocal training."
He waved his hand, signaling them to leave. "I am fine!"
"A-Alright, Master."
They bowed briefly, then backed away slowly out of the room and closed the door again.
Aldes let out a long sigh. He leaned his back against the chair. His hand reached for the coffee cup which was half full, then sipped it.
"Thank goodness."
He placed the cup back on the saucer.
*What should I do now. Become Aldes? And die ridiculously? Uh, no.*
Aldes tapped his index finger on the table. His eyes narrowed, thinking hard.
*I want to make this life a little crazier. Truly crazy. Not like my boring self on Earth.*
A smirk appeared on his face.
*Ah, I know.*
Aldes held up three fingers.
*First, get strong. Second, find a wife. Third, hmm later.*
He nodded in satisfaction. A simple plan for a new life.
Aldes stood up from his chair. He straightened his sleepwear collar for a moment, then walked out of the room to tour the palace.
The aroma of sautéed onions and roasted meat immediately assaulted Aldes' nose as soon as he stepped into the palace kitchen area.
The room was spacious and hot. Steam rose from large pots. Dozens of chefs and assistants bustled about quickly carrying ingredients. The sound of knives clashing against cutting boards sounded rhythmic.
Amidst the busyness, Aldes saw Fiena.
The girl was standing in front of a long table, checking rows of plates containing lunch dishes. She gave instructions to two assistant chefs beside her. Her face was serious, a little sweat trickled down her temple.
An assistant chef saw Aldes at the door. His eyes widened. He elbowed his friend.
One by one, activity in the kitchen stopped. The servants and chefs immediately bowed their heads in fear.
"M-Master Aldes!" said the head chef, a fat old man. His voice trembled.
Aldes smiled broadly. He waved his right hand casually.
"Hello everyone. Morning."
The servants gasped in surprise. They looked at each other in confusion. Their mouths opened slightly.
One same question crossed their minds: *Who is this?*
The Aldes Viranea they knew never greeted subordinates.
Fiena immediately turned around. She wiped her hands on her apron, then walked quickly toward Aldes.
"M-Master Aldes," she greeted nervously. "Is there something you need here, Master?"
"Need?" Aldes repeated the question softly.
He stepped forward, closing the distance between them. Aldes leaned his body in, bringing his face right next to Fiena's ear.
"Watching you cook, Baby."
Fiena's body stiffened. Her face instantly turned bright red up to her ears. She took a step back, trying to look Aldes in the eye even though her eyes darted around nervously.
"I-I see..." she squeaked softly.
The servants around them stared wide-eyed. Several assistant chefs held their breath watching the interaction.
Aldes straightened his body again. He looked around the kitchen casually.
"Well, I just stopped by to see you guys cooking," he said lightly. "Just continue cooking. Continue."
The head chef hurriedly clapped his hands. "Come on back to work! Quick!"
The sound of knives and pots was heard again, although this time the atmosphere felt awkward. Many eyes stole glances at the young prince.
Aldes walked slowly past the preparation tables. He watched a chef cutting carrots. He took a piece of raw carrot and ate it.
Crunchy. Sweet.
He walked again toward the soup pot. He dipped his finger into the thick broth slightly, then licked it. Lacking a bit of salt.
After being satisfied looking around, Aldes returned near the door. He turned to face everyone.
"Keep up the spirit everyone," he said while waving his hand.
Aldes stepped out of the kitchen, leaving a long silence behind him.
He walked down the stone corridor toward the west wing of the palace. His steps were light.
*Alright. Now I have a training schedule. Uh. If I am not mistaken trained by a Guardian right. Yes.*
Aldes clenched his fists, feeling his knuckles.
*I will try to invite her to spar. I want to use my boxing techniques here.*