At the dinner table, I was having my breakfast while August stood beside me with a gentle smile on his face.
I wasn't certain as to why he roamed around me.
'Is he my personal butler?' I questioned myself.
'No, he can't be, I heard some servants called him— Head Butler.'
Then why is he sticking close to me?
I have no answer to that. Instead, It made me think of a lot of questions.
Is he suspicious of me?
Does he know that I am not Lykus?
Or is it that he desires something from me? Something... related to his objective?
I munched on my breakfast as I kept overthinking his objective.
'Wait a second. Why am I overthinking?' I asked myself, the question was quite legitimate as I observed my behaviour that was contrary to my personality. After all, I was neither the one who panics over trivial things nor the one who overthinks himself.
Then, why am I overthinking...?
Even though, my overthinking might be justifiable, given the situation.
After all, August is an S-rank assassin, and I know for a fact that he doesn't possess any goodwill toward me, so it makes sense to panic.
However, as a mentalist, I have learned to be calm and collected in any situation to successfully achieve the desired performance. I need to be unhindered, even if it's a life or death performance.
No exception.
I need to make every move ahead of time to successfully land the desired trick.
As I thought more and more about it, I realised that something was not right!
No, it can't be...!
A sudden thought invaded my mind, the more I analysed its possibility, the more I hoped for it to be just a mere imagination.
Unable to keep my surging emotions, I asked a bit nervously.
'System, Is my current state of mind somehow related to former Lykus? ...Did I somehow acquire a trait from Lykus when I reincarnated in his body?'
I asked that because from the moment I was reincarnated in Lykus's body, I was able to understand this world's language even though I never learned it. I was able to read and write just fine, without any complications.
That infers me to believe that I have inherited an aspect of Lykus through his body!
[Affirmative. The host acquired an aspect of the Former Lykus when he reincarnated in his body. However, the host can't yet check, what traits you have acquired as the system has yet to fully activate.]
[Time left: 50:27:39]
'Fuck. It really is like that. Why the fuck am I getting so unlucky?' I cursed inwardly.
'Lykus Ulfred. THAT DAMN PRICK!! He really was useless. Even after he is gone, he is still nothing more than a pain in the ass.'
"Fucking bastard. He truly deserved to die." I muttered in low voice.
After venting myself, I took some deep breaths to calm my nerves. However, I was unable to do so...
"Master Lykus, is there a problem? Is the food not to your liking?"
August asked as he couldn't comprehend the sudden outburst.
Seems like he heard my muttering and even if he didn't, as a master of disguise, he probably sensed my chaotic feelings.
"No. It's fine, I just don't have that much of an appetite."
I replied to August in a steady tone with a lot of difficulties.
Even after I said that I didn't have much appetite, I continued to gobble up the delicacies. I wasn't even aware that I was doing that. It seems like unconsciously, my mind was trying to fulfil the needs, desired by my body.
After I was done.
I stood from my seat and started to walk out of the room.
"Master Lykus, where are we headed to?"
'We?' I questioned inwardly.
Seems like this old man isn't planning to leave me alone.
"You don't need to follow me, I am just going to the Training Ground."
For the first few seconds, the old man didn't seem to process what I said.
And as he came to realise the words I uttered, his body stiffened.
Not gonna lie, it sure was satisfying to watch, when his usual smile crumbled into pieces.
"Training ground? Is something the matter?" He asked as he regained his composure just after a few seconds.
"Nothing in particular. I just wish to lose some weight." I provided him with a vague answer.
"...Is that so."
After saying that, he didn't bother me again and I walked out of the room and started to walk towards the Training Ground.
Why didn't I hide the fact that I was going to the Training Ground?
There was no need to.
After all, as a villain and the heir of such a huge clan, I can't hide my activities from the eyes of such vultures.
And even if he felt that it was odd and grew suspicious of me.
Then what?
Nothing.
It's not like he can do anything about it.
At least, not at the moment.
Being low-key is neither my style nor the situation allows me to do it.
I have a limited time and I need to gain enough strength and influence to ensure my survival.
'No matter the cost, I will live.'
However, strength is not what I am striving for.
What I want are pawns.
...People I can make use of.
But not just any pawns. I want intelligent and powerful pawns, who can act and fulfil my orders without a hitch.
Because what is about to occur in the next 10 years is not something I can overcome with strength alone.
Even though I am not aware of what's about to transpire at the end of the novel. But whatever it may be, is disastrous enough to kill a few named characters who were no less than S-rank.
Thinking of all this stuff, I arrived at the entrance of the Training Ground.
What appeared before me was a gigantic gate, embedded with Red-coloured crystals.
These crystals were called mana crystals. They are a type of fuel that enable the gate to automatically open itself without the need for physical touch.
They can be of different colours;
—Violet, Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, and Black.
Each colour depicts a certain level of mana and has a different level of purity.
The amount of mana and the purity of crystals increases, as we move left to right, from Violet to Black, and are ranked higher in the Crystal Ranking.
Since Red-coloured crystals are ranked higher in the ranking, the purity and the mana content of this crystals are abysmal to that of Violet-coloured crystals.
Every modern technology in this world requires mana crystals for it to function. The more massive the tech is, the higher the supply needed for it to function.
And since that's the case they are pretty costly, a single Violet-coloured crystal costs a copper.
Sounds cheap, right?
Wrong. Every crystal ranked higher on the list cost ten times the previous one.
For example, if a single Violet-coloured crystal costs a Copper coin, then a single Indigo-coloured crystal costs 10 Copper coins and a single Blue-coloured crystal costs 100 Copper coins which is equivalent to a Silver coin. So on and so forth.
And in that sense, a single Red-coloured crystal costs an astonishing price of 10 Gold coins.
If you can't estimate how much that is? Then let me tell you....
You can buy a freaking mansion with that much money!
"Fuuuh.."
Leaving all this matter aside, I moved towards the gate.
After I walked through the grand entrance I felt a strange sensation as if something passed through my body.
It was a completely different feeling.
A sensation I never felt.
—Identity confirmed. Lykus Ulfred, the second son of Austin Ulfred. Welcome, to the Training Ground.
At first, I was a bit alarmed at the sudden sound, but after a few seconds, I came to realise that it was the A.l installed at the entrance.
And the strange sensation that I felt was nothing more than a body scan to confirm my identity.
Since I was done with that I continued to walk in without any hindrance.