It was a good morning. Birds were chirping, the wind gently breezed through the foliage, the sky was clear and blue, and the sun shone brightly. It is indeed a good morning, a good start for a good day. That's what Emilia thought as she found herself staring at the morning sun through her window, stretching her arms and cooing.
Yesterday, to put it simply, wasn't a bad day. Rather, Emilia would call it too good... well, too good actually would be too much. Maybe it was better to call it 'good.' The main reason for that is because she almost entirely spent it tied onto a chair - not literally - reading the many documents and papers given to her by Roswaal. All of them contained important information a King needed to know: economics, politics, diplomacy, all the interesting but all so dry knowledge a good King needs to have. It was troubling... a lot... There was so much information, she had to try her hardest to stay focused to memorize it all.
More than half a day spent in a chair just reading and learning and reading and learning and... And imagining that today she would be going through the same thing again... The 'good' day seems to have degraded to 'average' just thinking of this. 'No, no. I can't think like that,' Emilia thought while shaking her head. This is her way for her to atone her sins. By becoming King she will lead her race. She will prove to the world they are not demons. That they are just like those talking and smiling in cities and villages all around the Kingdom. That they are a good race, they are just misunderstood.
No... Not just her race. She wants to bring equality to everyone. To the whole Kingdom of Lugnica. She has seen while the demi-human population is not treated badly, there is still prejudice. Many laws exist to put them at a disadvantage. And not just for them, but also for those poor people who live in poverty. They are not treated as equal even if they are Human. Thinking of that only made her feel worse. For a moment she was very tempted to stop. Like this isn't worth it, at all. The chance of her succeeding is actually very small, seeing as she really looks like the Witch that nearly brought the world to its knees. But still, she can't... This is her burden... this is her responsibility... for what she has done... And to atone she will become King of Lugnica. Not just for her people, but for everyone else as well.
She was brought out from her stupor when she heard sounds from below. Looking down she noticed someone in the backyard. She blinked when she found out it was the young man who had helped her two days ago. 'Alex is already awake?' The clock had just struck seven solartime, a time not too early, yet still early enough that not everyone would be stirring from their slumber. As Emilia watched from her window, her eyes widened in astonishment at the sight that greeted her. There, amidst the morning haze, stood the enigmatic figure of the blond man, his sinewy arms outstretched as he effortlessly hoisted a colossal tree log into the air.
The tree log was no ordinary one; it stretched well over ten meters in length, a titan of the forest. Its girth was an astounding seven meters wide, and the weight it bore was akin to several tons, the massive rocks carved into its surface adding to its daunting heft. Emilia could hardly believe her eyes, for this feat was nothing short of miraculous.
Suddenly, everything fell into place. She recalled the events from the previous day when he had asked Roosevelt if he could venture beyond the garden to chop down trees. The afternoon had been a symphony of relentless chopping and intricate carving. And now, as she gazed upon the massive log being heaved skyward with apparent ease, the purpose of his labor became evident. He had hewn and crafted this remarkable structure with the very trees he had felled.
Emilia couldn't fathom how a mere human could summon the strength to lift such an enormous weight. Her eyes, honing in on him, detected the initial signs of struggle. She saw how tightly he gritted his teeth during those first few lifts, the effort etched upon his face. However, as he repeated the motion time and time again, his body seemed to adapt, growing accustomed to the monumental task at hand.
The man remained a puzzle, an enigma wrapped in a mystery. Even the way he had already been awake yesterday when she had visited him intrigued her. Was he one who habitually woke early, or was this an exception to the norm?
Emilia's gaze traveled over the man's attire, noting the similarities to the sleepwear he had donned yesterday, except that today, it was a pristine white, accented by a stark black belt cinched securely around his waist. His unwavering focus on the task at hand was unmistakable, the intensity of his effort evident in every strained muscle and bead of sweat that glistened on his brow.
As she watched in awe, it became clear that this man was a conundrum wrapped in a riddle, his capabilities extending far beyond the ordinary. The yard transformed into a stage for a performance of sheer strength and determination, and Emilia could only marvel at the mysterious depths of his abilities.
Shaking her head, 'Perhaps I should greet him. I also still need to talk with the lesser spirits.' She thought. 'But before that, I should fix this,' she thought while looking at her room that was in a mess with books and clothes everywhere, and her table wasn't any different for her room. Blushing at her clumsiness, she started to fix her room as she didn't want Ram and Ram to see her room like this.
It took her some time, but she was done as she stepped back from the window, intending to go outside and meet her newest friend.
*Some time Later*
I was done with my strength training, and currently, I was swinging the sword with a mantra kept repeating in my mind.
Stronger. Faster. Harder. Sharper.
Those four words kept repeating themselves in my mind as I continued to swing the wooden sword in my hand from left to right. Every six vertical swings, I changed up to horizontal swings. The purpose of that is so my body can grow accustomed to the sensation and have them ingrained in my muscle memory.
In fights you have barely any time to think; it often comes down to fractions of a second. You have to depend on your muscle memory rather than your mind; your brain only sends short impulses which your body has to immediately react to. The result stems from continuous training, so the movements can be deeply ingrained into your subconscious.
I know about that. That is why I am training so hard. I was never before in a real fight - sparring in kendo doesn't count; there are rules in place, and there is never any real danger - to survive against Elsa was pure luck, as well as the borderline cheat that a servant's body represents.
It was mainly because of the heightened strength and perception of this servant's body that allowed me to keep up with the vampire. They are not Heroic spirits for nothing; a normal human can't keep up with that. If it was not for this far superior body, I would have been dead, bleeding out on the floor when she made her first move.
I can't have that. While Elsa Granhiert can not be considered a normal opponent by any reason, being exceptionally more dangerous than any normal human, I have set her as my personal standard of skill for the time being. I need to be able to beat her, consistently. I'm already winning in terms of power, endurance, and speed, but my lack of experience and skill had me barely surviving our fight.
That's why I was not only focused on my sword but the whole body as there is too much inside my body I can't even use it, that's why I even add strength, speed, and endurance training in my daily schedule, and by yesterday's experiments, I knew the only way to bring out the store power of a Five-star top-class servant I have to put myself through hell.
To unlock super strength, super speed, incredible endurance, a rapid healing factor, and an immense pool of mana. Now, I have faced the challenge of mastering these abilities.
So one hour was invested in the speed. I clearly remember what happened just a few hours ago. With each step I took, the ground trembled beneath me. I sprinted, faster than a cheetah, the wind whipping through my hair. My heart raced as I pushed my body to new limits. My training began with honing my super speed, running through forests, my movements a blur. By the time the hour was over, my exhaustion was a badge of honor.
But having a dragon's blood and a literal supply of unlimited stamina though Avalon, my exhaustion only lasted for a second, still, my legs were ready to give up with an extrusion pain I never felt before, but I still got up as I knew full well if I gave up now, it will be giving up on my life; this world wasn't for the weak, and dying while laying doing nothing wasn't my style.
And thankfully with my own healing factor and Avalon's presence, pain didn't last for that long.
Next was Embracing the Endurance.
As I shifted my focus to endurance next, I lifted boulders and logs with ease, my muscles screaming in protest. I engaged in relentless combat with training dummies, which were trees and boulders, feeling the impact of every blow. As the minutes passed, my body adapted, my bones becoming stronger, my skin harder. Bruised and battered, I refused to yield.
Next came my strength as I faced a colossal boulder, my next challenge in an hour of intensive strength training. With a deep breath, I braced myself and launched into action. The initial attempt to move the boulder was a daunting test of strength.
Muscles strained, and my determination surged as I pushed against the immovable rock. The boulder resisted, but I persevered. Minutes passed, and my efforts began to bear fruit. With each push, the boulder yielded slightly.
As the sun dipped lower on the horizon, I summoned my last reserves of energy and managed to move the colossal stone slightly. A sense of triumph surged through me as I stood victorious.
Exhausted but satisfied, I knew this hour of training had not only honed my physical strength but also fortified my indomitable will. It was a small victory, but it signaled my unwavering commitment to becoming a formidable force in this unforgiving world.
That's now going to be my daily schedule as I plan to follow the path of the strongest man hero for fun and hope to achieve even a minuscule amount of what he was able to do. That would be enough for me to survive this world.
'I want to die by my terms, not dictated by fate or circumstance.' When you strike, make sure your attacks are delivered with the intent to kill. Make sure they are fatal for your opponent. Each strike must have the intent to bring them down. Do not hesitate. Aim to kill."
Left. Right. Up. Down. Left. Right. Up. Down. Left. Right. Up. Down.
I feel my breath growing ragged slightly, but I do not care. I keep pushing and pushing despite my lungs growing protest. I kept striking since the moment I started without resting even once, but it doesn't matter. No rest until my body remembers how to fight properly.
"If your attacks are not strong enough, then use your whole body. Control your weight. As long as you keep your balance secured, all of your attacks have the potential to be lethal. If your defense is not strong enough, then use the ground. Earth is immovable. As long your stance is firm, your defense will be like a fortress."
I also need to work on my footwork, how to fight while moving as well. There are still many things I need to work on. And my time is already limited since I have to maintain a 'good' relationship with the others as well. And this after I wake up before 99% of this world's population.
"Alex?"
I paused mid-swing when a familiar voice reached my ear, taking a few steadying breaths. I turned to see Emilia not far from me. She was still in her nightgown, with both her hands clasped behind her back, smiling in my direction. She looks amazing in that. Subaru was right; whoever did her and maids outfits definitely a cultural person. In this world, it's not fan service anymore; there are people who designed this and some who stitched it.
"Emilia," I called back, giving her a nod and a small smile. "Morning."
"Morning," she greeted me back in a refreshing manner. "How's your sleep?"
"Like always," I shrugged. "How about you? You looked very tired yesterday at dinner." We barely talked to each other at dinner, as a matter of fact. Emilia looked so tired I did not want to wear her out even more.
"Yeah, you can say so," she said with a small strained chuckle. "I have a lot of reading material to go through yesterday, since I have been out of touch with the world for so long."
Ah, yes. I can understand that, seeing she was frozen for a hundred years... she really seems like Captain America, eh? A man out of his time, no now it would be a woman after all she is over 120.
"You'll have to push through that if you want to become King," I answered. "You will be updated every day about any major events in your country. You will have to handle Economic decisions, the security around each city and village, deal with diplomats of other kingdoms, and meet with the Lords you choose to govern over your territory. Those are but a very small example of what you will do when you become King."
Emilia took a moment to process what I said before nodding with an understanding look. "I see, I did read some of that yesterday," she said with a hum.
"It doesn't end there. Right now, Lugnica can be considered one of the weakest kingdoms. Not in terms of military strength, but rather its goods, the economy, and such things. Since the kingdom shut its borders due to the late King, there has been just about no trade with any of the neighboring countries.
"Normally this would still be fine, however this kingdom right now is not on the right path. You saw the amount of people living in slums a few days ago, right? There were many, and it was located around our Capital City, the place where the kingdom is supposed to be at its strongest.
"If you look on any map, compared to the other three kingdoms, Lugnica has the most fertile land. It's supposed to be the richest and would be easily able to sustain itself if it had to. And yet, there are so many people that reside in slums around the Capital. If the capital itself is that bad, then what about the other cities? Obviously, they will be worse. And that is proof enough that the council who is currently ruling this kingdom is starting to lose their control, sending the kingdom into disarray and giving way to corruption."
Judging from available world maps from Re:Zero, Kiraragi is the only country that can rival Lugnica. As shown in the 'What if' scenario, Kiraragi does not seem to have any of these problems. It is the kingdom that Lugnica is supposed to be. If you just look at how advanced its military is, Lugnica should be way more prosperous than Kiraragi. And yet... This kingdom looks so poor...
Emilia was silent for a good few seconds, taking in what I said, with a complicated look on her face. "You're right..." She murmured in agreement. "If you put it that way, right now Lugnica is actually not heading down the bright path." She looked at me with a mixture of awe and surprise. "Wow, Alex. You're really good at politics."
"It's called common sense," I said flatly. I feel a sense of Déjà-vu for some reason after saying that. "Even normal people can come to that conclusion after seeing this kingdom's condition. Don't you forget I am from a Noble family, so in more than one way, I was trained for this," I said as I have plans to live out my fake life and accept it as a part of me.
"... I think your sense of 'common' is slightly distorted, Alex. But it makes sense since you also come from a noble family," She commented in an unsure manner.
"... I feel like you are the last person I want to hear that from," I responded back in an even duller tone. Seriously, I really feel like that. I'm not the one who just recently joined the world of the living again after being frozen for a century.
"What do you mean by that?" Emilia shot me an annoyed glare... make it a pout and cute glare. Seriously, her face can't intimidate me at all. If I did not have a little sister who is even cuter and a girlfriend. I probably would swoon over that face. Probably.
I give her a smile that is filled with amusement. "You will figure it out in the future."
"That doesn't make me feel any better." And she pouted more! Seriously girl, stop using that expression, it's illegal! "It's not fair, you're talking about me and I don't even get what you're saying."
In response to that, I raised my hand to pinch her cheeks.
"The World is not fair, learn that from now on." I commented while smiling. Wow! Her skin is so smooth and soft, it's nothing like I ever touched.
'Is it due to magic? Who knows?'
"Alexalex!" She squeaked as she held the hand glued to her cheek. "It huwt! Lwet mwe gwo!" Chuckling, I did as she asked, prompting the half-elf to rub her stinging cheek while glaring. "Alex, you're a nincompoop."
"I didn't know that word was still used in this day and age," I blandly responded.
"And here I was, bringing you some water." She huffed as she showed her other hand holding a bottle of water. "I guess I shouldn't give it to you." She pouted.
"Well, I'm actually not feeling thirsty, so it's fine for me I guess," I shrugged in an uncaring manner. Her cheeks bulged to the point they became slightly red, and I let out a laugh. "I'm just kidding, Emilia, hand me the water please."
Emilia continued glaring at me for a few seconds before reluctantly giving me the bottle. "You really pinch hard," She grumbled as she rubbed her still sore cheek.
"I'm sorry for that," I chuckled. "It's just, you're pretty fun to tease."
"You're mean, you know that?"
I only shook my head while opening the bottle to take a drink. I'm really not that thirsty, but having a drink after all the exercise can't do any harm, I suppose.
PFFT!
A sudden strong poke in between my ribs had me spit out most everything again anyway. I sputtered and coughed when the rest went down the wrong pipe. The responsible party had the gall to giggle at me when I glared at her.
"Take that," She claimed in a childish way while poking her tongue out.
"How... mature of you," I said in the most dull voice I could muster. "Truly, you are an example to every aspiring King out there."
Emilia's laughing stopped, she gave me a strange look before shuddering. "I don't know why, but the way you speak made me shudder and feel depressed."
"Good then," I grunted as I resumed my drink; however, this time I made sure to keep an eye on her invading little hands.
Emilia let out a small giggle and shook her head. "Hmmm, you must have woken up pretty early to already be sweating that much," she commented, looking at me. "How long have you been training?"
"... I don't know, what time is this? I started at around 3:05 solartime."
"3:05?" Emilia seems surprised at my answer. "You've been training for almost six hours?!"
I was already awake at three, so after brushing my teeth, I went out. It seems my body is extraordinarily healthy if it can handle such a workout after only three hours of sleep. Then again, the Servant aspects and Avalon probably also have a hand in that.
"Almost six hours?" I asked while blinking. "It's already eight in the morning?"
"No, but close to. I just finished talking with the lesser spirits before I decided to greet you."
Wow... truthfully I didn't know what to say about that... I was swinging my sword without stopping for almost three hours. True right now I feel a little tired, not physically but mentally, as I was doing excursion training for so long, however, it is still not too much.
I could still go on for some more hours before I collapsed, I guess... Still... that is not the problem... what I mean is... How did I get so... focused that I lost all sense of time? It doesn't make any sense. This has already happened three times now. Twice yesterday and now... this is no longer a coincidence. I close my eyes, trying to seek the answer by recalling my training and...
...
...
...
No good... I can't remember them... no, it's not like I can't remember what happened. I do know that I went through training, however, that was all I could recall. I can remember the movements and stances that I went through, but I can't remember anything else... Almost like all of them... are memories of long-past events... It's strange... really strange... I don't know how to put it in words since I can't describe it but... It wasn't a pleasant sensation... however since it's so... indescribable I found it to be... disturbing, in a way.
"Alex?" Emilia's voice once again broke me out of my stupor. "Are you okay?" She asked in a low voice.
She was concerned, a hint of worry clear in her eyes. I did my best to seem neutral. I stared at her for a moment, unsure how to respond to her question. I, myself, don't know if I am okay or not after all... Still, it's better to not make her worry.
"I'm fine, just lost in thought," I said with a smile.
She did not look convinced but her expression mellowed. "Lost in thought? What were you thinking about?'
"... The future."
Not technically a lie, I do think of the future, if only in a small part. Never once did I stop thinking about it since I set foot into this world. Besides, what if I lie a little? Puck is sleeping right now, I can use this to my advantage to score some more points with Emilia.
"Future...?" Emilia repeated with a more confused face.
"Yes. Remember when I said I wish to start over? That's what I intend to do. It's clear that I can't just keep staying here while doing nothing, right?" I rhetorically, she nodded. "I was thinking, perhaps I should get a job. I can't just stay unemployed."
"You're right." She nodded in agreement. "Then, why not ask Roswaal to-"
"No." I denied dully. "Right now, I'm a guest here, a freeloader. I live and eat for free. If I work under him, then all of that will be gone, which means it will degrade my standing in the manor." Like hell I'm going to cut vegetables, clean bathrooms, sweep the manor - especially at this size - and other menial work. I did not waste my time in high school to spend my life doing manual labor in a medieval world! With so much knowledge of various things and types, it will be kind of a waste of my knowledge. After all, I am from a modern world. I know everything from science to agriculture to medicine to the human body to craftsmanship to construction, not to mention weapons. Even if it's not even on an expert level. I am sure I still know more than this world's people.
"... The way you put it sounds very selfish."
"It's called common sense, why force change when things are already fine?"
Emilia's face was thoughtful for a moment before she sighed. "I can't argue with that, but do you have to put it like that? It feels so... bad."
"I won't delude myself." I sniffed in slight disdain while patting my wooden sword on my shoulder. "It may sound bad, but it is the truth. People just never see it that way. They even sometimes try to fool themselves when they see the truth. They call it bad, refuse to realize that such things happen every day, even though they see it all the time. They prefer to delude themselves to keep their happy lives intact."
"... You are a very negative person, Alex." Emilia let out another sigh. "It's not good for your mental health so keep thinking that way."
"It's called being realistic," I replied while waving my hand in a flippant manner. "Anyway, do you have something to do today? Or are you going to study like yesterday?"
"The latter." Emilia said with a slightly strained voice. "Why?"
"Just asking." I shrugged. "Good luck and don't give up, I'm sure you will become a great King with such diligence."
"Thank you." Emilia replied, smiling to me in her usual kind manner. "Then what about you? Are you going to keep training?"
"Yes." I answered. "I need to become stronger."
"Stronger? For what? Are you trying to become a Knight, Alex? I think you are already strong enough to be one."
That was true; I'm sure that I could become a Royal Guard like Julius despite my barely existing experience. My physical capabilities were simply too high to get placed in a lesser position.
"I will give a lesson, listen carefully Emilia." I started as I turned to fully face her. "There is no need for a reason to gather power. More power means more success. However, both while gathering so and while exercising said power, don't ever forget your reasons why you started in the first place."
"And never, ever stray from your reason no matter what happens or how dire the situation is. Because I know that even one tiny slip, will bring your downfall and turn you into everything that you opposed in the first place."
"And also remember that you are not alone. Do not depend only on yourself, seek for others, help them and have them help you back so you all can stay on your path, no matter what."
In my opinion there is nothing wrong with having too much power. There is a saying that "Power corrupts all, and absolute power corrupts absolutely," and there's truth in it. However, it only corrupts if someone is stupid enough to try to handle everything alone. No one should have too much power alone. Share it with others, depend on them and shoulder it together so you don't stray from your path. If you can do that, I don't think there will be absolute power that will corrupt you.
As I finished my speech, I found Emilia in contemplation. Her eyes showed her focus, that she was carefully thinking about what I just said. After a moment she turned to me and gave me an astonished look.
"You really are good at things like this." She muttered. "You were a noble, so I shouldn't be surprised to at least learn about them but..." She gave me a curious look. "Are you perhaps related to royalty, Alex?"
... No, I'm pretty sure I am not related to any royalty. However, right now I have the blood of Pendragon... I guess you can say I am. As a matter of fact, I have the body of the King himself.
Outside meanwhile I only gave her a small smile. "Maybe, it's just common sense, for me, Emilia."
This seems to be becoming an inside joke. Or maybe a catchphrase.
Emilia dully stared at me. "Your opinion about 'common sense' is really distorted, Alex."