After discovering the ancient texts in the hidden chamber, I returned to my room.
—The next morning.
I pushed myself up from my canopy bed as the morning sun streamed through the window, illuminating the room.
Well, today was the day I had to begin taking action.
The strongest power was already in my hands. The only problem was that I hadn't mastered it yet. To survive in this world, that was a wall I absolutely had to overcome.
It wasn't a bad feeling—
Deep in my chest, something was burning hot.
I was a gamer at heart, after all. These kinds of challenges always fired me up. I’d never minded the slow, steady grind of progressing through a game.
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
"Excuse me, young master."
A reserved voice heralded the entry of two maids.
One was a young woman, and the other was older. The moment they saw my face, both of them stiffened visibly.
...Ah, right.
The original Albert had been a tyrant to the servants.
Fragmented memories resurfaced in my mind.
Shouting at them over trivial matters, throwing things whenever something didn't go his way...
Of course they looked like that.
If they messed up even a little, they would incur his wrath.
In the depths of my chest, even as I felt sympathy for them—
Something writhed.
...What was this?
It was a bizarre sensation.
As I watched the maids' frightened expressions, a dark, oily feeling welled up from deep within me.
The joy of dominating others.
The sick pleasure of binding them with fear.
These were clearly not my own emotions. They were dark impulses nurtured by the original Albert’s body and spirit.
...Good grief, so his influence still lingered.
If I let my guard down and opened my mouth, I would surely revert to the "absolute ruler" the original Albert had been.
I wanted to say it. I desperately wanted to see their lips tremble in distress.
I used every ounce of my will to crush those repulsive emotions.
"Good morning!"
I greeted them with a bright smile and a cheerful voice.
The maids’ eyes widened in shock. Usually, Albert would have a sullen expression and refuse to even make eye contact.
"G-good morning, young master..." the younger maid replied timidly.
"We have come to assist you with your change of clothes."
"I see. Thank you for your help."
Responding with a smile, I climbed out of bed.
It seemed the great noble Albert was accustomed to having maids dress him every morning.
Honestly, as a former commoner, I wanted to handle my own clothes, but this was their job. The least I could do was make sure they could work in a good mood.
"Y-yes..."
The words of gratitude seemed to hit them like a physical blow. The maids began their work, their expressions suggesting they wondered if I had hit my head during the night.
That said, things wouldn't change overnight.
I could feel the hands of the maid dressing me trembling slightly. Her face was taut with tension—the look of someone who believed the slightest mistake would be fatal.
I see. The original Albert really was that much of a monster.
Deep in my chest, that dark thing stirred again.
Ah, I wanted to start screaming at them right now. There’s a wrinkle in my sleeve! Your vulgar nails scratched me! Anything would do—if I just made up some random excuse and showered them with abuse, wouldn't I get to see even more terrified faces?
The thought flashed through my mind.
I reflexively clenched my teeth.
...Dammit.
Albert, you really were a piece of shit to the core. If I let my guard down for a second, these twisted thoughts started bubbling up.
I won't be consumed by this—
I disciplined myself firmly.
Once they finished dressing me, the young maid stepped back and waited for my evaluation. "How is it, young master?"
Of course, there were no problems.
"Thank you."
"...Eh?"
"I said thank you. You were very efficient; I appreciate the help."
Well, I understood the confusion. Even a brief scan of my memories showed that Albert had never once thanked a maid.
"Such wonderful words—it is an honor!"
The young maid bowed her head, looking deeply moved.
...Well then, step one was turning this into a decent workplace for her. I’d start making small reforms.
The original Albert had died because his arrogance made him a fool. Reforming my daily life like this would surely help in avoiding my death flags.
After finishing my breakfast and morning routine, I met with my tutor, Claude, in the manor's study.
Claude was a former mage over sixty years old. Now retired, he spent his days teaching magic to the children of nobility.
"Good morning, Albert-sama. It is a pleasure to see you in good health again today."
"Good morning, Claude. I look forward to our lesson today."
I looked Claude in the eye and greeted him with a smile.
That alone made his eyes tremble with astonishment.
...Well, just like with the maids, Albert had always been arrogant toward Claude. To be honest, I wanted to be even more polite, but I figured it might be inappropriate for a noble to be too humble to a family employee, so I held back.
Claude recovered quickly, though his reaction remained guarded.
"Well then, shall we begin today's lesson?" he said, his expression hardening.
Claude began explaining magic theory in a long-winded, simplistic manner. After listening for about ten minutes, I spoke up.
"Could you stop for a moment?"
"...What is it?"
Please, stop tensing up every time I open my mouth...
"Could you raise the level of the lecture?"
While I didn't fully understand magic theory yet, the content he was presenting felt incredibly basic.
Though bewildered, Claude chose his words carefully. "...I believe the current level is optimal, however?"
"I want you to be straight with me. How is my current magic proficiency?"
Once again, Claude’s expression clouded over. He took a long time to think before answering.
"You have grown to a level that presents no particular problems. There is nothing to worry about."
I basically had the gist of it now.
He was likely lowering the level of the lecture to something "even Albert could understand" because he didn't want to incur the wrath of a student who couldn't follow along.
But that was a problem.
The peak I was aiming for was far higher. Considering Albert’s bloodline, "no particular problems" at this stage meant I was falling behind.
"I’d prefer a more advanced curriculum."
Claude looked completely troubled. He seemed to agonize over his professional ethics for a while before shaking his head.
"There is no need to rush. The current pace is quite sufficient."
There was a strong will in his voice—a resolve to protect this boundary at all costs.
...Does he really fear my temper that much?
Since he had no way of knowing my soul had changed, even if he played along with a spoiled brat's sudden burst of motivation, he had no guarantee it would last. He probably expected me to snap and scream "I don't get this shit!" the moment things got difficult.
"I understand. Please proceed as you see fit, Claude."
When I conceded, a look of profound relief washed over his face.
It was disappointing, but it couldn't be helped.
However, I didn't intend to let it end there. To master Ancient Magic, I would likely need a massive foundation of knowledge. For that, Claude's genuine cooperation was essential.
—In that case, I had to show him.
I’d have to earn his trust through my daily actions.
Albert has changed; he can be trusted—
I had to make him believe that.
Fortunately, I intended to reform my attitude toward everyone in the manor. From here on, I was going to flip the reputation of Albert von Kronstadt 180 degrees.
◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
It was a story from a long time ago.
When he first met the young Albert, Claude had felt a shock as if he had been struck by lightning.
—This child is truly beloved by magic! He is a prodigy!