Amon lay in the middle of the private training chamber of his family, staring hard at the cold, stone ceiling. His father was at work, while his mother was busy tending to the garden. Even the annoyance, young Arya, was hauled off as she prepared to enter the Knight's Academy. Although there were maids and butlers around the mansion he called home, none bothered him.
Amon was finally alone, allowing him to reflect on his situation.
It has been ten years since Amon transmigrated into the world of [Bright]. As much as he wished to deny it, Amon had confirmed time and time again that he'd left Earth. Hyades, the world he was in, was undoubtedly the world described in [Bright]. Everything from the architecture, the world map, the characters in the story… They were all part of the novel he loved.
Amon didn't know how it happened. Was there a higher being that transferred his soul over? Did the contents [Bright] belong to an alternate reality, and the author just wrote them down mindlessly? And why was he called here?
All these were questions Amon asked himself countless times during the ten years he'd transmigrated here. However, no matter how much he analysed, he couldn't come up with a sufficient answer.
"Everything seems so surreal… If this is my new reality… Don't I know the future?"
Amon thought back on the contents of the novel. With dozens of volumes completed, the story of [Bright] was at an advanced stage. Even though he didn't reach the end, he knew a good chunk of what would happen in the future.
The story of [Bright] officially begins when the protagonist returns to the Solaris House in the Spring of 788 AD, eight years away. Furthermore, he knew all of the events that were about to happen, and if he wished to, he could resolve them all before the 'story' officially began. And there were plenty of problems.
"Even so… Hah… Of all places, why did God have to transmigrate me to Hyades?"
In essence, [Bright] was a story of a hero rising from the ashes, protecting those he loved from the great dangers that befell the world. Based on the story, Hyades will face several calamities, each more dangerous and destructive than the next.
In fact, the Solaris House would fall in one of the future calamities, with ninety percent of its elite Knights annihilated. Amon hypothesised that before he transmigrated here, his parents and sister were amongst those who perished during that fateful calamity.
The fall of Solaris was a significant arc in [Bright]. It taught the protagonist a valuable lesson, further enhancing his growth and ascension to herodom.
However, Amon wasn't the protagonist.
He was just a mere extra in this tale.
"I won't even have the chance to relax here… What a pain."
Although freed from his role as a human weapon, Amon would still have to walk down the path of a warrior if he wished to survive the calamities and win. But unfortunately, the young boy had a more pressing problem.
"I have to give him an answer next week, huh?"
Amon was lost in thought, his hands behind his head, as he recalled the conversation he had had with his father the previous night.
There was a reason why Amon's father was delaying his enrollment. It wasn't because he loved his son or pampered him. And it wasn't because they didn't have the financial means. The reason for Amon's late enrollment was quite simple…
"My control over mana is weak..."
Perhaps due to his transmigration, Amon could not use mana at a high enough level to be considered a Solaris Knight. Yes, he had the physical attributes, and his swordsmanship remained peerless. Even now, Amon was confident in beating anyone his age.
The problem came after.
Instead of Transcendents who used Aether, there were Magicians and Knights who used mana. Magicians would use mana to create magic spells, while Knights would use mana to strengthen their bodies for battle.
Mana was the lifeblood of the planet.
It was found in the soil, water and air. It was present in every living being, from snails to birds. Every creature utilises mana to a certain extent; even the greatest Knights in the Solaris House's history were masters of mana.
And that was Amon's problem.
Ignoring magic for now, Amon didn't even have the talent to strengthen his body with mana, the most basic of techniques needed to function as a Knight. While he could use mana to a certain extent, it was far too poor. Even his younger sister, Arya, had better mana control than him.
That was the conundrum that Amons faced at the moment.
His father was understanding and wouldn't mind him joining the School of Administration, and in truth, Amon wouldn't mind going down that route, either. In his previous life, Amon was nothing more than a weapon. He lived every day, not knowing if it would be his last. In his current life, Amon wants to learn how to live as a normal human being, untouched by war, and to regain his lost humanity.
Alas, Amon wasn't a fool.
Even if he wished to live in peace, the world of Hyades wouldn't allow him. Even if he didn't want to participate in the story, the calamities of the future would unquestionably drag him into it. At the very least, if Amon wished to survive, he had to become as strong as his past self.
And for that… He needed to attend the Knight's Academy.
With his handicap, it would be a tough challenge, but Amon knew it had to be done. Fortunately, Amon had the cheat code.
"I need to draw out a road map… A planned timeline of what I need to do."
Amon had read all of [Bright]'s existing volumes from cover to cover multiple times. He had even memorised many events, sometimes studying them to understand the protagonist's mindset and what made him a hero. Therefore, he knew of all the events that were going to happen. And more importantly… He knew who the villains were, even the hidden ones.
"Once I become stronger, I can kill the villains before they trigger the calamities."
If Amon played his cards right, there was a chance that he could stop the calamities before they even began. In that way, he could spare himself from a bad ending and save millions of lives.
"And… I would learn what a hero feels like."
Amon's normally stoic lips crept up into a wide grin. One of his objectives for reading [Bright] in the first place was to understand what it meant to be a hero. And what better way to learn than to walk in the protagonist's footsteps?
Feeling his heart pump in excitement, the young boy's face flushed red. Given the circumstances, it was the perfect route for him to choose.
"The Awakening of the Blood Demon, the Curse of the Foolish Lich, and the Fall of the Elune House… All these are the major arcs of the first few books."
Recalling the events that were about to happen, Amon thought of the best way forward.
"The Blood Demon… I don't know where it's sealed, so it will be hard to stop its awakening. The Foolish Lich… Might be harder to kill without regaining my past strength; as for the Elune House… All I have to do is kill the preparator!"
Amon thought of the easiest calamity to resolve. The Fall of the Elune House was caused by someone summoning an Archdemon directly into the heart of the mighty estate. Caught off guard, the great Magicians of the Elune House fell like flies, and they were slaughtered before anyone could rush to their aid.
Ultimately, the protagonist slays the Archdemon by killing the medium, or rather, the person who summoned the calamity.
However, Amon could prevent the calamity entirely by killing the medium before they even got a chance to summon the Archdemon. It was the perfect plan!
"But I'm still too weak…"
Amon sighed as he cursed his powerlessness. Ultimately, individual strength was paramount, just like in his previous world. Let alone a calamity, Amon was too weak even to join the Knight's Academy.
"Let's just take it one step at a time… First, I will need to resolve my mana issues… At the same time, I'll need to avoid any main characters to prevent any story deviation. Only when I've become strong enough will I tackle the calamities…"
There were still eight years before [Bright] began. If he played his cards right, Amon could change the story to his liking and survive the upcoming calamities.
Unfortunately, Amon's plan would be derailed just a few hours later…
"Amon Solaris! Marry me!"
'... How on earth did this happen?'