Enjoying the moment, Horus let the warm water flow through his fair, beige-colored skin as it soothed his now faint headache.

'Ah... this is life.'

After having his first big meal in a while, Horus was in a tub filled with aromatic florals. It was ready as if it had been prepared before daybreak by the maids.

'Call me old-minded and all, but life is short, as they say. One only needs to survive, relax, and enjoy life - which just happened to be things that money could provide.'

Simulating scenarios in his head, Horus remembered that a long-term war would spark between the Golian Kingdom, the kingdom where the Durkton territory is under, and the Kruman Empire.

It lasted nearly four years and ended without a clear victor.

'Ah, the war. I still have two years - more than enough to prepare.'

The Durkton territory played a critical role in the war. After all, it served as the Golian-Kruman bordering region for ages.

After the war, the current Count, Count Glen Durkton, will catch an incurable disease and has to step out of his position for his first son, Luther - Horus' older brother, a decade in age gap.

Luther was known for his fierce sword art and unique, oppressing golden sword aura. Unlike his younger brother, who had no talent in mana or aura and was not an exceptional swordsman, Luther is the polar opposite of Horus in every aspect.

In the novel, no one dared to question Luther's strength as he lives up to his name as the 'Golden Knight' who values honor and responsibility. It is not unexpected why soon he became one of the Golian Paladins - a troop of the greatest knights the kingdom had produced - along with Axel.

Around this time, Luther should be leading the knighthood of the Durkton territory - namely, the Griffin Brigade - as they symbolize the griffin emblem of the Durkton crest.

Needless to say the reason, the Count favors Luther over Horus in the position as the Durkton heir and why he spoils his second son with all his needs.

Well, for Clay, the new Horus, that's probably the best scenario he could ever wish for; it will help lessen his troubles in the future.

As Horus exited the bathroom by his room wearing an oversized black bathrobe, he noticed Gwen picking up the trays in bed and left the room hurryingly.

The books he requested from the bookkeeper were already on the table.

'That was quick.'

He was impressed by Gwen's work.

Despite Gwen's clumsy gestures, she surely knew how to finish her job well.

As he reached for the doorknob of what appeared to be his wardrobe, a small room filled with furniture holding fancy clothes, jewelry, and footwear was revealed to him.

'Ha...'

He was astounded.

It was probably his first real encounter with the past Horus' spoiledness. Each corner was filled with all kinds of elegant, finely designed outfits as if it were a retail store rather than a wardrobe.

Well, for Clay, at least, he neither had a good sense of fashion nor an interest in it. Perhaps the very reason he chose at random the most comfortable-looking attire among the bunch.

'This one should do.'

The moment he finished strapping a tie brooch around his collar, a series of knocks came from past the door as he finished dressing.

A mild, tired voice of a man soon followed.

"Son, you said you want to talk?"

'...The Count? Haaa..., just how great could this be? It seems like I don't have to go by his office.'

Horus rushed to hide the books under his bed, then took a short peek at the mirror and tidied his attire as it looked messy, sloppily worn.

"Yes, father. Please enter."

Count Glen entered, walking carefully with a concerned look below his ash gray hair.

The Count gives off a demeanor that would make anybody wonder if he was really a Count or just an underpaid sales agent deprived of his 13th-month pay. Only his fancy, luxurious clothing with a griffin-insignia brooch would make one think so.

'He looks tired and restless. Is he diabetic?'

"My Hoky, is everything all right? The butler, Gil, told me you are feeling unwell again. I know you are quite upset since your first-year vacation is about to end. I am thinking of asking the academy head to spare you a week or so, so you can enjoy-"

"F-father, it's fine."

Horus interrupted with an unsure expression, almost with a sigh.

He was calm on the outside, but his mind was baffled as he didn't expect the Count would turn out to be a full-time doting father.

'Okay... let's not make this long.'

Without beating around the bush, he quickly said what was on his mind.

"Father, I don't want to be a swordsman."

The Count perked up, skimming at his son, puzzled perhaps.

"Please approve my transfer paper. I am thinking of attending the alchemy class instead."

'Would this suffice?'

Horus was unsure whether his words would reach the Count correctly.

"Ah, Ahem... I u-understand. Did people at the academy harm you?"

'Ha... Did his father even know what wicked things Horus had done at the academy?'

"N-no, they did not."

Horus slightly tensed with his eyes closed.

"Father, is that possible?"

"O-of course, son. I'll send a letter right away."

After the Count's stuttered reply, silence soon filled the room.

Horus was deep in his thoughts in the meanwhile, thinking of things he might also need from the Count now that they were together.

'Ah, then money it is. I'm a spoilt brat, after all.'

"Father, I also need my allowance now. I might need to buy something."

"Okay. I'll double your allowance this week. The butler will get you the check."

Count Glen stood with relief shown on his face as he walked toward Horus, sitting comfortably on the edge of his bed.

Now in front of his son, he smiles and gives Horus a gentle shoulder pat of reassurance.

Horus let off a slight cough to relieve his tensed shoulders.

He, in turn, tried to pull off an earnest smile, but he wasn't sure if that would count as one as he was aware that this brat's face wasn't for sincerity.

"Ah... Hoky, please take care, and don't forget to take your pills."

'Pills? Is Horus currently sick?'

"Yeah. Thanks."

The Count withdrew his hand off him, afterward walking towards the door and took a final glimpse of his son, letting his tired, concerned expression remain.

The door slowly creaked to silence, leaving Horus alone and satisfied, smiling as he flopped on the bed and thinking how it turned out well. He now had taken out one concern on his to-do list.

In the hallway, two maids bowed as the Count passed across them, who was humming in a whisper the phrase "he called me father" in a soft, melodic hymn.

"L-Linda...? Am I dreaming? T-the Count-"

"Shhhh-"

The two maids scuttled hastily into the kitchen and started gossiping with the other staff upon locking its door. One of them soon exclaims in shock.

"Great heavens, you old hags wouldn't believe what I just saw!"

"You foul goon, Linda, addressing us with such words. What happened, anyway?"

The kitchen chef, who finished taking out a tray from the brick oven, grunted in dismay. Beside him is Gwen arranging the platters in a rolling tray in silence.

"My, my, what's the commotion-"

The head maid, holding a parchment fan as she strode, soon arrived and spoke, only to get interrupted by the two flustered maids.

"Madame Merida, you had to hear this!"

"Hmmm...? Oh, Miss Linda and Emilia, what is it?"

"We two saw the Count exit the young master Hok's quarters smiling; he was humming with so much joy! I couldn't believe it myself!"

Merida, the head maid, soon turned to Gwen, who was quieter than usual.

"Miss Gwen, how is the young master this morning?"

All turned to Gwen, waiting for a reply, but she did not speak until after a few minutes of forced convincing.

"H-he s-seemed to be in a nice mood."

"At early morning...? Really?"

All flashed their eyes unconvinced until Merida broke the seamless mutterings while focusing on Gwen.

"He did not... pour wine to you this morning...?"

Clueless of the mutterings of the maids, Horus was seated comfortably on his bed, studying the Balt symbols, the character system extensively used in this world.

He had been examining, dissecting every detail of the book for hours.

Some books seem to be for toddlers learning the basics, and some are scholarly books with in-depth components about the Kruman, the most prominent language used in the continent.

"Ha... I'm beat."

"Young master, lunch is prepared for you."

A gentle knock comes from the door, shortly followed by a woman's high-pitched voice full of vitality.

Horus placed the thick book on the table beside his bed.

"Enter."

Merida smiled brightly and lowered her head as she entered. She wore the same usual maid outfit as Gwen's, but it was long as if it looked more like a gown.

'She must be the head maid.'

While pushing a large, rolling tray with cloches on each layer, it is noticeable that her walking stance is clean, full of confidence, but still respectful.

That made Clay wonder if she would make a good fashion model in his world.

"Young master, eastern Chirean cuisine this time. I, Merida, have personally supervised the chefs to assure everything is in place on the dishes."

Her tone is charismatic, head lowered to indicate respectfulness, with an assuring smile on her cosmetic-packed face.

She placed the bed tray on the bed and arranged the cloches on top of it.

'Ha... A three-meal course at lunch? How does this brat not even get fat?'

"Well... thanks."

"My utmost pleasure."

After glancing at his young master strapping a bib on his neck, Merida bowed and left quietly.

She had an obedient smile, but she was sharp - she already knew what was going on right after she entered the room: the amethyst brooch strapped on his young master's collar. It was a gift to him by Luther's mother - Horus' stepmother - Countess Rolina.

'The young master never wore anything that came from Countess Rolina.'

Finishing his meal with a satisfied expression on his face, he yawned.

He's still full from the steak he had in breakfast but finished eating all of it since wasting food is not in Clay's vocabulary.

After a short rest from the heavy meal, he stood up and strolled by the hallway to familiarize himself with the Durkton estate.

His walking posture is slightly off, but he does it slowly, striding while thinking he needs to get accustomed to his new body as soon as possible.

In the hallway, hands in his pocket, Horus finds the marble floors matched nicely with the black carpet in the middle of the hallway.

Few furniture or porcelain vases with well-maintained indoor plants occupied the remaining space.

The decorations on the walls were too minimal than Horus had expected - no doubt why they were only lavish paintings, perhaps to make them the spotlight in the hallway.

'Is the Count fond of paintings?'

Another hall, possibly the main hall of the Durkton estate, appeared at the end of the hallway. It was perpendicular to the hallway Horus was walking in and where they hung the array of portraits of the previous Counts.

As he arrived, he could see one with the image of the current Durkton Count, Count Glen, on the bottom-left side of the wall.

Maids and the staff in the wide hallway would quietly bow as they passed through him - their aloof young master whose been the center of their gossip in the past few hours.

Horus had no destination in mind, just glancing at each corner of the place without much of an expression.

When he reached the spacious, seemingly looking dinner hall, he found Gil, the butler, sitting there while organizing papers in his hand.

"Y-young master, g-good afternoon."

He stood straight quickly and bowed, almost shakily, as he was shocked by this sudden encounter.

"Money."

Horus uttered what came to his mind now that he had met the butler.

Gil, on the other hand, blanked.

"My allowance. I need it soon, please."

"A-ah, of course. I'll get it right away."

Clumsily arranging the papers in Gil's hand, he rushed and exited the hallway, leaving Horus alone, who leaned on the long, lavish hardwood dinner table, arms crossed.

'I still have about a week before I have to go back to the academy.'

Horus was thinking deeply about his next move: getting in touch with the main character.

'I need to find Axel's whereabouts.'

In the book, Axel's life in the academy was rough.

Constantly bullied by Horus and the other arrogant nobilities in the academy, it was needless to explain why.

'Social status is a big deal in this world. Ah, not to forget, it's part of Axel's progression.'

Axel's family was commoner, and he lived with his father in a small, humble household on Count Flint's territory, owning a small pig farm.

During the day, Axel would work double-time alongside his father due to the high tax rates in the county. At twilight would be training quietly with his sword, casually slicing boulders in half, maybe.

Axel was born with an unrivaled affinity to aura - making him stand out from other academy aura-users and Luther himself. He's a young man of potential - just main character attributes, anyway - and it was his talent and perseverance that he attained a scholarship in the academy.

'I have to check on him as soon as possible. But I don't have anyone here to send there. I can't just send a maid to check on him.'

Clay knew very well that Horus had already started harassing and tormenting Axel as they were about to take their second year.

He couldn't also deny that he was afraid of meeting that guy.

'I only need to get into that guy's good terms; no need to get acquainted with him.'

The best timing to do that is to reach him by the north, in Count Flint's territory, he assured himself, eyes closed as he sighed deeply. Then standing straight, he decided to spend his afternoon strolling around the residence.

'Looks like I have to head there myself soon.'