It's been a week since I was reincarnated, and if I'm honest, I've done nothing but enjoy being lazy. All this time I've been lying around, without many worries, just adjusting to my new body and this strange world. But as the days go by, I'm starting to notice something that really bothers me.
In this country, all nobles, regardless of gender, must enlist in the Celestial Academy «Arsein» upon turning 18. It's a tradition imposed by the empress, a royal order that forces young people to train in some form of self-defense. No matter what you want in life, if you're a noble, this is something you must do, period. But of course, looking at this frail body I now inhabit, I wonder how the hell I've lived until now. My health is so weak, my muscles so skinny... even the simple act of moving already feels burdensome.
Still, I know I can't help it. Well, maybe I could, but my mother "Beatrix" would be criticized. I don't want to fight with a sword or become a hero anymore, I just want to be able to rest. I'll have to find some way to deal with that.
Then there's the other custom that's giving me headaches: "the role reversals." I already knew from my memories, that this world was ruled by women, but what really surprises me is how the men here act so… effeminate. It's not just the fact that they dress in colorful clothes or wear delicate ornaments; it's the attitude, the posture, the body language. They're soft, gentle, almost like a flower.
"Ugh!"
Just thinking about it gives me the creeps. Three days ago, one of the maids turned out to be a man, but his effeminate attitude disconcerted me so much that I tried not to give it too much importance, thinking that maybe it was just an isolated case. However, I recently discovered that it's not like that. All men in this world share that same attitude, that gentleness, that way so... Now I can't help but wonder if I, before this reincarnation, was like that too.
When I look at myself in the mirror, with these slender hands and long fingers, with this soft and delicate skin, I can't help but think that I, must be the same. I too was one of those men with a soft voice and fluid movements. That strange, almost disturbing thought made me lose all interest and remain without doing anything.
"Seriously, who is so twisted as to send me to this place?" Not long ago I found out that in two months I must attend the Celestial Academy. I tried to negotiate, to find another way out, but the truth is that you can't defy a royal order. Well, that and the dark intentions of "my mother." That woman thinks I don't realize her plans, but I'm not that stupid. The only reason "a man" would attend the martial arts academy in a world where women have the power is… marriage. She's planning to marry me off.
And that makes me feel weird, extremely weird. I swore I would never do it, especially after the disaster I experienced in my past life. I never wanted to be tied to someone like that again, but here I am, stuck in this situation. I don't like it, I don't like it at all.
The worst of it all is that I can't just refuse. This body still retains feelings for its mother, and without realizing it, I start to react like he would. My posture stiffens, my gestures soften, and as soon as she speaks, I find myself involuntarily acting like an obedient son.
"Haah…" a long sigh escapes my mouth.
Another topic I can't let go of: A while ago, when I learned about the history of this world, something about it seemed familiar to me, as if I had seen it somewhere else, but the memory remains elusive.
"Maybe later I'll remember..." I muttered to myself.
For now, the only thing that matters is training this skinny body of mine.
***
So I started with the basics: endurance. I decided that I could at least strengthen my legs, because if my body has no strength, it's no use trying to handle a sword. I ran every day, without exception, for three weeks. At first it was brutal. The fatigue hit me hard, my legs gave out as my lungs struggled for air. There were days when I felt like I was going to faint, but I persisted and refused to give up.
At first, Beatriz didn't give it much importance, thinking it was just a whim of her son. After all, as a man, I had lived my life without great effort, and she didn't understand the reason behind my sacrifice. But as the days went by and she saw the bad state I was in, she began to intervene.
—"You're a mess, son! If you keep this up, you're going to get sick," she said one day, as she watched me fall exhausted onto the stone floor, drenched in sweat.
I stopped for a moment, sat down to catch my breath, and looked at her with a sigh. On her face, there was a mixture of concern and disapproval.
—"I don't care. I need to do it. I don't want to feel helpless again." I said, remembering my past life
Beatriz frowned, maybe she thought about how her son (me) almost lost his chastity, and she felt a little guilty, but she still didn't forget to say a few last words:
"It's not proper for a man to do things that a woman should do."
That phrase chilled my blood, it really gave me chills. Sometimes, I felt as if my body reacted automatically, trying to please her, but despite everything, I managed to overcome it. Beatriz didn't bother me anymore either...
***
At the beginning of the sixth week I wanted to train my swordsmanship, but I remembered that this world also has its laws and unlike where I come from it has something called "Qi" (energy of heaven and earth) that although it is essentially similar to mana, I discovered the training methods are completely different, you could say that my form is more primitive, at the beginning I tried to implement my techniques, but they ended up being restricted, so I decided to investigate the functioning of this system.
First I went to the mansion's library, to read ancient texts and talk to the few who knew about the subject. The most interesting of my conversations was with Beatriz.
—"Qi is not something you can control as a man," he told me one day, while we were in his office full of books and documents. "Here, Qi is closely related to the gender of your birth, I believe you already know the story but the method left by the Valkyries was studied by thousands of scholars and they all came to the same answer"
– But it's not like I can't learn, right? Uncle Ming is able to use Qi, right?
—You're right, he can do it —answered Beatriz with a serious tone, but also with a hint of admiration in her voice.
– Then what is the difference between him and me? Asked confused
Beatriz was silent for a moment, as if carefully weighing her words. Then, with a slight smile, she added:
— He lost his manhood. (He cut off his penis)
A chill ran down my spine upon hearing those words.
—I can't do that! —I protested, unable to prevent panic from appearing in my voice.
Beatriz stared at me, with a piercing gaze.
–Any man who wants to be a martial artist should do so if he wants to reach a higher level," he said, without hesitation. His words were blunt, but there was something in his tone that indicated it was not an option, but a necessity.
– Well... in your case it is a little different," he added shortly after.
My thoughts crowded my mind. Losing my manhood in order to access something greater? Was that the key to moving forward in this strange world? I couldn't help but feel torn between the need for power and the fear of losing something essential about myself.
"What do you mean by 'in your case'?" I asked, searching for some clarity.
Beatriz was silent for a moment, as if weighing her words. Finally, with a deeper look, she answered:
"To be exact, I wanted to tell you a little earlier, but... (sighed) ... well, that's already happened, the reason why that maid tried to overstep you is because of your lineage. We are descendants of the Valkyrie Vesta, the strongest of all.
"I still don't understand it," I said, frowning. All of this was too much to process at once.
"Well, listen carefully," he replied, taking a more serious tone. He came a little closer and stared at me. "You know that the three great realms of cultivation of a martial artist are: Warrior, Master, and Grandmaster. You should also know that each great realm is divided into three small realms: Beginner, Intermediate, and Pinnacle."
"Yes, I already know that," I nodded, although I still didn't quite understand how all of this fit with what he had told me.
"As I was saying, there are nine levels in total that must be overcome, but not everyone can reach a higher realm. That is determined by their lineage. If you are a man, the most you can aspire to is being a Pinnacle Warrior, that is to say: you cannot go beyond level three." On the other hand, if you are a woman, in theory there is no limit to growth, so if that is the case, why can't some women reach the grandmaster realm? The answer is simple, their bloodline.
I remained silent, trying to digest everything he was saying.
– Listen carefully to what I am going to tell you. This is a secret that only a few know, but there are two ways to obtain a purer bloodline. —he continued, looking around as if checking that no one was listening to us—. The first is with a treasure from heaven and earth, but as its name indicates, it is practically impossible to obtain. So here is the second.
He stared at me, and for a moment the guilt in his eyes was visible, I felt that the whole conversation was taking a dark turn.
—The second way is... to sleep with a descendant of one of the Valkyries.
to be continued...