Narrator's POV
"Shit, another day with these capitalist vampires," Thomas grumbled with annoyance as he opened the door to his apartment.
It was late. Thomas had been forced to work overtime at the convenience store where he worked.
Thomas was a young mechanical engineering student. He wasn't exceptional in his studies, but he wasn't bad either.
He also had a normal social life, despite his anger issues inherited from his abusive father.
"It's been a while since I've hung out online. I shouldn't become a zombie who only knows how to study and work," Thomas thought as he made himself comfortable before opening his computer.
"What's this?" he said, frowning.
There were several messages in front of him that were responses from a person with the username "Hera, goddess of women."
She had criticized all his comments under a novel he had read a few months ago.
Thomas was annoyed by the indirect implications of these comments; she was indirectly insinuating that Thomas was misogynistic.
Of course, Thomas knew he suffered from a number of issues related to his complicated childhood, but he didn't see himself as a misogynist despite an absent mother.
"OK, I'll participate in your stupid little game," Thomas mentally concluded after looking at the time. He began to respond to the message trying to keep his calm.
Tomorrow, he had an extremely busy day. He wanted to relax as quickly as possible, so he wanted to get it over with quickly.
[You really think your words refute my arguments?]
[You are the very embodiment of what's wrong with men in general]
"Not only is she attacking me online, but she's also making generalizations??" Thomas said with a wicked smile forming on his lips.
He was angry about wasting his time because of this damn person, so why should he debate honestly?
There was also the fact that he had written these comments under the novel "The Fallen Empress" a long time ago.
He remembered that this work was about a matriarchal world with themes of magus and a Dark fantasy universe and Thomas doesn't really remember his state of mind at the time.
He recalls that he had just said "he would like women to take more initiative in romantic relationships like those shown in this novel."
"I'm going to use this AI to debunk all her arguments."
Thomas quickly found his favorite AI online and started a war with the person with the username Hera.
Currently, he doesn't really care if he's right or wrong or about his state of mind when he wrote his comment.
He just wants to beat this woman online.
[You are the worst man I've ever met, and I have Zeus for a husband]
Thomas felt like he was dealing with a person suffering from "chuunibyou" syndrome.
He continued to exchange arguments and insults with his interlocutor, before finally blocking her.
"Great, now I can start my..." Thomas couldn't finish his words as there was a violent explosion coming from his computer.
Before he could die, Thomas saw a holographic image. There was a message written on it:
[All men are predators worse than bears, I hope you suffer by living the same situation as women]
The firefighters would later discover that it was a short circuit that had been caused by Thomas's juice that had spilled on the central unit of his computer.
...
In the empire of the eclipse (Blight manor)
*sound* Baby cries.
"Congratulations, you are now a mother."
A woman with blue eyes and blonde hair announced the excellent news while handing over the newly born baby.
"Finally, I was able to conceive... The Blight family won't end with me." She held the child in her arms carefully.
She knew she had to be careful because of her strength as a knight. This woman's name was Chloe Blight, a noble of baroness rank who had obtained her status by her power alone and not by inheritance.
"Yes, miss, you had to beg many men to grant you their seed, but..."
The maid didn't continue because of her mistress's displeased look.
(Image)
Although Chloe was a strong woman who had risen to her current status despite her complex origins, her elven blood hadn't made things easy to conceive.
She had to pay many men to buy their seed, and this had huge repercussions on the resources of her territory. She had also had to throw away her pride to hope to obtain a child.
"It was worth it, I was able to get a child and moreover a man." She didn't regret using all her savings to get an heir, and she hadn't had a girl but a man who is better politically.
Chloe couldn't hold back the smile that was slowly forming on her face, which took her maid by surprise since she had never seen her mistress smile like this.
'A child can really change a woman, it's really a shame that I can't obtain the favor of a man.'
For a commoner woman like her, buying a man's seed required too much money and it would cause her financial problems for now.
She would have to wait a few more years before trying to conceive.
"Have you decided on a name?" the doctor who had remained in the background during their entire exchange suddenly asked.
"Yes, he will be named Merlin... Merlin Blight."
After saying these words, the matriarch of the Blight house felt slightly exhausted and her scarlet-colored eyes slowly closed.
She was still embracing her child in her arms.
'It's a good name, it's similar to the founder of the empire and since he's a man, he should have a strong chance of being a future magus.'
The doctor who was observing their exchange between the baroness and her child nodded to no one in particular after her personal reflection.
She envied the baroness a little, but it was temporary. She gave a letter to the maid explaining how to take care of the baby and left.
She was the only doctor in the town of Blackwater, her time was extremely precious.
...
Merlin Blight's POV
It's been 4 years since I reincarnated in this damn reality which should normally be a novel from my past life.
"Young master, it's time for you to wake up."
The woman who entered my room shamelessly is the head maid of this manor, but also my mother's confidante. Her name is Susan.
She is a pure elf unlike me or mother.
(Image)
"I'm coming, you don't need to barge into my room." I couldn't help but frown at her behavior.
"Sorry for entering your room uninvited, but your mother desires your presence quickly." She bowed to apologize, but I can tell she's not sincere.
"Let's go after I'm presentable." At my words, Susan called maids to prepare me to meet the matriarch of the Blight house.
"Please, young master." Two young human girls led me to help me take my bath.
I'm still not really used to my current lifestyle. This world is named Gaia, it's a world of medieval technological level with some modern elements.
In my past life on Earth, this place was a Dark fantasy genre novel, but after an incident, I woke up inside as a baby.
My only memory before my death is a violent debate with a person in the comment section of the novel titled "Fallen Empress."
"I hope the water is to your liking." A young girl with brown hair started washing me slowly and delicately.
I just nodded before continuing to ignore her. There are two things that worry and excite me about this universe.
One is magic and the other is global mores.
This universe is a matriarchal world, women rule but that doesn't mean they are the most powerful or that they have absolute control.
The reason why they are the current rulers of the world is the low number of men due to the miasma caused by the great catastrophe, 800 years ago.
This made men much more compatible and in phase with mana, but it made them extremely infertile to give birth to other men.
After a few centuries, men became extremely powerful but few in number, with an average percentage of 1 man for 1000 women.
"You are now clean, please follow us." A blonde young girl took me by the hand and brought me back to the room to get dressed.
Apart from mores, magic also excites me for several reasons like the increase in life expectancy it entails with practice.
If men hadn't gained a long life expectancy by evolving thanks to mana, then humanity would have been screwed since long time. There's also the strength it provides.
So yes, I want women and to walk the path of magic to become a magus, a user of magical arts.
A path to power that extremely few women can take because of their lack of natural talent, which is why there are few female magus.
"Your mother is behind this door." The maid guided me to my mother's office before stopping and motioning for me to enter.