I wore a robe with armor underneath it.
On my side was a bag that could hold most of my belongings.
Though the magic technology had advanced in many ways.
It was still impossible to truly create a space where they could hold everything.
My family is prosperous. Even without my supervision, it could grow because of Micah's management of finances and my vassals.
The world was vast and it would take about six months to travel from my home to the city of Zamra, the center of the world. The Academy was located in the Country of Betia. Which is eight hundred miles for about six months of travel.
Travel can be done by horse or magical beast.
There are other methods such as traveling using the coastlines.
Or using rivers to quickly take me.
I was not in a hurry. The Academy however knew that it would take time to reach Betia.
I had traveled out of the Archduchy once when I was young. The Jakian Empire had a place for students to be educated. I had earned the right to study in the royal academy.
The Academy that I was going to is not part of the Jakian Empire.
It was a neutral state that had opened its borders to those who are willing to learn.
It had enough confidence because Betia was the home of the Weavers.
Mages are those who use magecraft to create tools.
Sorcerers have a natural affinity for combat.
Wizards long-lived masters who had managed to live past their prime, the Wise Men that offer their wisdom to the nations.
Then some are martial masters. Individuals who have mastered an array of weapons and used the prana to increase their strength through what they call layers of power. There are six layers of power and six circles of prana.
I am ignorant of anything more than that.
From Micah's estimation, I was in a comfortable situation where I could match those who have the sixth layer of power. But my strength was a fluke and my prana had been reduced to the equivalent of a third-layer of power.
The Prana of mine supports my wraith essence.
Without Prana, I would be weakened to the fourth layer of power.
I need to refine my control.
I have no way to increase my strength and thus could only refine my wraith essence.
The sacred sword could 'transform' me but it was met with a price like this.
I was already grateful if I could have a normal form. If I had gutted myself while in peak physical condition then I would have gained better results.
This was the price of a second chance.
I could no longer improve other than developing my wraith powers.
I needed better control of my prana and to do that I need to be studious.
To sit here and do nothing was useless and I do not want to waste this chance.
It had been a month since I had become like this.
There was nothing much to do other than review what I know.
Relearn the basics and get acquainted with my new body.
I found it terrifying how I was able to learn through muscle memory and insights about the people from who these wraiths learned. Their hard work became mine after only a month of learning. I had practice on how to use weapons because of my family's education but seeing how I grasped these insights. It made me believe for a second that I was unmatched.
That was not true.
I simply had the sacred sword.
Without the sacred sword, I wouldn't be able to escape.
I can reduce my weight through hard exercise and training.
It would take years but it was possible.
But I cannot use those years when there is trouble.
I do not have time.
And I was desperate to escape from the flesh that was hindering me.
It was better to have a perpetual flesh that remains in peak condition.
It was the blessing of the sacred sword.
"Milord," Micah handed me a scroll. "This shall be used when you meet such a danger. I…have brought your favorite horse."
Next to Micah was a stallion. It was a strange stallion with red eyes and a brown mane. The red eyes were unique to this breed of horse. It was a horse that had been bred ever since the ancient past. A horse that belonged to the heirs of the Ortiz Family.
"Dust," I placed my hand on the horse's mane. The horse seems to recognize me and allowed me to touch it. It was a proud horse that had been with my family. If I remember, he remained in the stable for ten years and died without roaming the world.
I could never ride him before. He would be crushed even with his bloodline.
"Looks like he's going to be on a journey as well," I said.
Micah handed the reins to me and adjusted the saddlebag. Angie placed my necessities and the rest of my documents that will allow me to pass through checkpoints and borders. The Jakian Empire was constantly worried about their borders and though I would prefer that I don't present myself as a noble.
It was something that Micah went against.
So I compromised and gave myself the title of Irvin so that I could use my crest and freely move within the Empire. I could have left after two weeks but Micah insisted that he would spread the news of a man who was given a title by Micah.
I was someone who has no loyalties and was a free noble. Nonetheless, was still a noble who holds peerage. That was the identity of Kiran Irvin that Micah designated for me.
It was my new name.
"It seems that the young master chooses his path now."
He looked like he was recalling something. He closed his eyes and suddenly went in for a hug.
I stood dumbfounded for a moment before my heart broke.
Micah was a second father to me.
I saw him hung alongside Angie and I could nothing about it.
But this time he was breathing. It made me think of what I was leaving him.
"Do not worry, Milord. I shall care for the Archduchy as you have. I believe that the late Archduke and Archduchess and your siblings are proud that you manage to stand up once again. I am proud of you, Milord. My young master."
I did not deserve Micah.
He was someone who had been loyal that I thought of him as no one.
I went down on one knee and quickly pressed my forehead on the back of his hand. "Micah, I have been rude to you. You have done everything in my stead and now I am letting you handle the burden of rule. I know that nothing will change even then but from the bottom of my heart. I thank you for not giving up on me. Believing that this one can still rise to be better."
I was trash. I do not believe that there is no immediate forgiveness for my sins.
To believe in someone like me was something that I selfishly cherish. That's why with a heavy heart I gave Micah my thanks and beg forgiveness for the troubles that I caused him.
"There is no need to forgiveness, young master. You merely tripped, wounded yourself, and now after suffering that hellish ritual, have come to your senses and better yourself. If you allow me, no, allow me to say this. Young Master, you have been left behind by your peers."
I swallowed. There was a stern expression in his eyes.
It was the look that Micah would only give when it was truly important.
"There are many of your peers who have become lords and figures. Even the Archduchess, though her reputation had been sullied, because of you. She is still an important figure in this generation. Truthfully, you are beneath her in everything, and you have no merit to speak other than the head of the Ortiz Family."
His words were truthful. He did not sugarcoat his words and told me his thoughts without hiding. I accepted his truth with silence and contemplation.
"I won't back down," I told him. I wasn't doing this to placate my ego. I wasn't doing this because I wanted to be better than everyone and make them swallow their own words. That I was better at them. I understand that my methods are nothing more than reliance on the sacred sword. I was stubborn enough that only in death that I was cured of my stupidity.
Only because I have the wraith telling me that I can be given a chance.
Only because I know what will happen if I don't do this.
I was motivated by fear.
I was afraid of being placed to rot and spend years inside that dingy cell.
Where I would then end up having a guillotine dropped on my neck six times.
I would be lying if I said that doing all of this had changed me.
I was at my limit already. I was anxious and afraid.
I feel like vomiting even though I was giving a brace face to Micah.
Without the sacred sword of Ortiz and the wraith's essence.
I was nothing.
I would remain nothing.
All that I have is because of the wraith.
Hadeon Ortiz was rotten to the core. He had ruined himself because of a tragedy. He could not move from his troubled past and instead let himself become a villain as everyone told him he was.
A monster who uses his family for his selfish purposes.
The fool who sullied a good woman like Carwyn through the use of his authority as the Archduke of a powerful Empire. His reputation was even lower than a beggar, but there was fear among it as well.
His lust, despite his size, was inhumane.
I was told that. Some didn't even bother to hide.
Only when I was trapped in that cell that I know what they thought of me.
What they think of me and how it was so strange that there are people who would even side with filth like me.
It was true that after Micah's death they didn't hesitate to behead me.
They would have made my daughter the heiress while the Archduchess would have ruled.
In the future that desire of hers was unquenchable. Because the world ten years from now was not kind to anyone. It was a world where everyone had to work hard on defending it. It was a world where old monsters would try too hard to move their pieces.
Hadeon Ortiz will be secluded from the world.
It means that he might have as well declared his intention to die.
He had supported his daughter and gave her funds.
By the time everyone would know that they would send letters to ask for her daughter's hand which he would let Micah reject.
She was going to be free. And I would never pester her about her marriage prospects.
That's why I won't back down.
I was leaving the trouble to Micah and Angie because I trust them.
Even if it was a great lie.
Even if their attitude would change now that they got what they wanted.
It didn't matter.
Hadeon wants to change.
I want to change.
It might be running away from my sins.
I might be using the wraith's essence as an excuse to become Kiran Irvin.
"If the young master is this resolute, then I can only wish you good winds."
I mounted my horse, Dust. I stared at the mansion and Angie who was standing beside Micah. I didn't have much to say to them so I urged my horse forward without hesitation.
There were no knights around so I was able to get out of the mansion without attracting attention.
My soul stirred for a moment and before long I knew that it would be a long ride.