Morning light streamed through the curtains, filling the room with a soft glow. Valerius winced as his muscles ached, a lingering reminder of last night's training.
He took a deep breath, shaking off the last bits of sleep.
"Seraphina."
The door opened almost immediately.
Seraphina stepped inside, her pale skin glowing softly in the light. Her silver braids cascaded over her shoulders, and her wide blue eyes looked at him with a quiet intensity.
She moved gracefully, her presence calm and composed.
"Good morning, Young Master. Do you need anything?"
"Good morning, Seraphina. Bring me some breakfast and something to drink."
For a moment, she hesitated. Something about him had changed. His voice was no longer weak but steady and strong.
"Yes, Young Master. Right away."
She bowed and left the room.
Once she was gone, Valerius rolled his shoulders. His body was stiff, but the pain was bearable.
After breakfast, I should train to loosen up. I must also clear all twelve of my meridians before going to Luxombra Royal Academy. If I succeed, I might even reach the Mana Core Stage.
His thoughts turned to the world's cultivation ranks:
Mana Core… Mana Disciple… Arcane Shaper… Elemental Warden… Elemental Sovereign… Elemental Ascendant… Beyond that, the memories are unclear. There may be even greater stages.
He tapped his fingers lightly on the wooden bed frame.
I need more knowledge of this world. The memories I inherited are useful but incomplete. I should explore the city, find books, and learn everything I can.
The door opened again. Seraphina returned with a tray of food.
"Young Master, I've brought your breakfast."
"Thank you, Seraphina. Just leave it there."
She placed the tray beside him and quietly left.
Valerius picked up the warm cup of tea, sipping slowly as he focused on the challenges ahead.
This is just the beginning.
After finishing his meal, he called Seraphina back to take away the tray, asking her not to disturb him unless necessary.
Once alone, he sat cross-legged and began his cultivation. Using the Lotus of the Eternal Peak technique, he focused on the Waterfall Regeneration chapter. After years of training, he had reached Adept Mastery, so full recovery would take about thirty minutes.
Sweat gathered on his forehead as his body slowly healed. When the time was up, he stood, feeling refreshed.
"A bath first. Then, I will explore the city for information. Later, I will continue clearing my meridians."
I hope there is a place where I can find information about this world, about the cultivation system, the history... Once I have that, I need to focus on clearing all my meridians before the academy starts. After bathing and changing into fresh clothes, he stepped out of his room.
As Valerius walked down the corridor, Seraphina was already waiting.
"Young Master, are you going somewhere?" she asked, noticing his change in attitude.
"I am going for a walk. Come with me. I will need you to guide me."
Seraphina smiled. "Of course, Young Master."
As they walked through the palace grounds, Valerius felt the eyes of the servants on him.
"It is that useless prince… I thought he was already dead…"
He ignored the whispers. Their opinions did not matter.
Soon, they reached the palace gates and stepped into the city.
"Seraphina," he said, "do you know any bookstores or libraries?"
She thought for a moment, her face lighting up. "Yes! The Falcon's Ascent Pavilion has books, scrolls, and many other things."
"Good. Take me there."
After a short walk, they arrived at a large, elegant building. Just as they were about to enter, a voice called out from behind them.
"Well, well… is not that the useless Fifth Prince? What is he doing outside the palace?"
Valerius did not react and continued walking toward the entrance.
But then, someone stepped in front of him, blocking his path.
"Didn't you hear me?"
A red-haired teen smirked at him, flanked by two others.
"What do you want?" Valerius asked, his voice calm but cold.
The red-haired boy sneered. "What is a useless prince like you doing outside? Looking for a new way to kill yourself?"
His two lackeys snickered.
Valerius did not flinch. "None of your business."
With that, he smoothly stepped around them and walked into the pavilion, Seraphina following closely behind.
The three teens glared at him, annoyance flashing in their eyes. Not willing to let it go, they followed him inside.
The moment they entered, the smell of incense and polished wood filled the air. The pavilion was grand, with shelves of books, weapons, pills, and armor lining the walls.
Valerius walked up to the front desk, where a polite-looking lady greeted him.
"Welcome, Young Master. How may I help you?"
"I am looking to buy some books. Do you have any in stock?"
Before the lady could answer, the red-haired teen scoffed loudly from behind.
"Ha! This guy wants to buy books. Did you hear that?"
His lackeys laughed.
Just as the situation was about to get tense, a deep voice interrupted them.
"If you're not here to buy anything, then leave."
A guard had stepped up behind the teens, his voice firm.
The trio hesitated, muttered some half-hearted apologies, then turned to leave. But before going, the redhead shot Valerius a venomous look.
'I'll deal with you later.'
Valerius ignored him and turned his attention to the lady at the desk.
She smiled kindly. "Yes, we have books upstairs. What kind of books are you looking for?"
"History books."
"Ah, you will find them in the first section upstairs. Let me show you."
She led Valerius and Seraphina up the stairs.
As they walked, Seraphina spoke quietly. "Those boys were rude to you, Young Master."
Valerius glanced at her. "Do you know who they are?"
"Yes, Young Master. You rarely leave the palace, so you might not recognize them. The red-haired one is Bram Ravenflame, the son of Duke Ravenflame. The other two are Alaric and Ronan Ashrend, sons of Count Ashrend. You will see them again at Luxombra Royal Academy."
Valerius nodded, remembering their names.
'I'll remember them.'
By then, they had reached the second floor.
The second floor was lined with rows of bookshelves.
They moved toward the first row, where the history books were kept.
"All the history books are in this section. You can choose to read or buy any. We allow customers up to two hours of reading time here."
"I will just read for now. I am not planning to buy anything," Valerius replied.
He began browsing through the shelves, picking up books titled History of Arcanis, General Cultivation, and Azure Dragon Continent.
Then, he sat down at a table and started reading…