2 Adapting to the new life

POV Julián Kingscrown

After a couple of weeks, I began to adapt and accept this new reality I found myself in.

In this new life in the world of "The Beginning After The End," I wanted to change many things, but that's only possible if I have enough power. My mana core and a few other cards up my sleeve are essential, so at this point, or rather, a few days ago, after recovering from the initial shock of my new life, I began meditating and gathering mana in my solar plexus.

I thought it would be more difficult because what I read and reality could have been different, but strangely, it was the opposite. While it's true that it would take time to form, the speed at which I was progressing was no laughing matter. I think I can break the record Arthur Leywin set in the novel for forming his core in three years. I estimate it will take me a year and a half or two at the most.

I don't know why, but it seems I have a strong affinity with mana or perhaps a talent for manipulating mana. I'm not sure exactly how to explain it, but it's something positive, so I didn't pay too much attention to it. This is because there was nothing I could do to prove it at this time.

Instead, while meditating, because the baby's body didn't allow me to do anything else without getting tired, except eat and excrete its needs, which was very uncomfortable, I knew I had to overcome this small test, or I would be far from being able to achieve my goals if I fall for every little thing.

Whenever possible, I tried to crawl and observe everything in Rinia's house, which led me to three conclusions. The first is that the baby's body is very inconvenient; not being able to control anything at will is something I wouldn't wish anyone else to feel.

Second, it was to see that Rinia was quite benevolent, and she took care of me in the best way, with a smile on her face every time she saw me, and constantly watching me to make sure I didn't get hurt.

And finally, her rituals are strange, and I don't know exactly what they are for or why they are used. Once I saw her reciting something in front of the food she was cooking. I don't know if it has any meaning or if it really is part of some kind of ritual, but it was one of the things I would contemplate in the not-too-distant future because I don't think I can eat something of a rather peculiar or rather murky color, full of prayers for too long, in addition to the strange choreography.

It was something that was never mentioned in the novel or even in its fics. But I was worried about dying from some kind of poisoning or going crazy before the war and ending up doing strange rituals in the middle of the night naked, around some bonfire or cauldron outdoors, shouting incomprehensible words. It was something disturbing just to think about.

Putting that aside, Rinia constantly tried to talk to me and play with me, asking me to call her grandmother, which I took very positively and pleasantly, as I felt a huge gratitude towards the person who was raising me without any discrimination or reservation.

Which was something I valued very much and also planned to repay in the future in any way possible.

As for trying to fulfill her wish by calling her grandmother, there was only one conclusion, and it was disastrous because when I tried, I looked like a strange animal. Every time I tried to speak, only erratic sounds came out, so I gave up a little on that at the moment.

I also strangely realized too late that I could understand the language, which was not normal, and I realized it after several weeks of letting it go unnoticed. Despite the curiosity I felt, I couldn't come to any conclusion as to why I could understand it.

As time went by and while I was forming the mana core, I became closer to now-Grandmother Rinia. During that time, I could see that she was constantly sending letters, but I don't know specifically to whom.

During the time we spent together, I learned to crawl and pronounce some words, although with some difficulty, which was one of the greatest accomplishments of both this life and the previous one. When I finally said "Grandmother" to Elder Rinia, I saw her enormous satisfied smile upon hearing it, which made me very happy because I felt that we shared a special bond as family.

I understood how difficult it was to have a baby's body and was grateful to be able to escape some of its inconveniences. So, I began to explore Grandmother Rinia's house.

During that time, I realized that the letters were addressed to Virion, all inquiring about the investigation of my background, and each one ending in vain. This made me increasingly suspicious of how I came to this world, but not finding answers, I decided to put the issue aside for another time when I could have fewer doubts. Since the only culprit that occurred to me at this moment was Agrona, but from the beginning of the original novel, there was never an existence called Julian Kingscrown anywhere in the novel.

I also learned that Virion would soon be coming, as during my first 8-month stay in this world, he was somewhat occupied, not to say entertained, by the birth of his granddaughter, which helped me locate myself in the timeline of history. Apparently, I have a similar age to Tessia Eralith and am approximately one year older than Arthur Leywin.

This is positive for me because I have more time to prepare and try to reach the white core before the war.

For now, let's continue meditating and trying to go unnoticed as long as possible.

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Virion Eralith's POV

I was drinking tea in one of the private gardens of the castle, thinking about the events of the last year and a half.

It has been very calming for me. The kingdom of Elenoir is in a stable period if we exclude the slavers that appear on our borders and some sectors of the Elshire Forest.

But the most important thing and what has made me very happy during this period is the arrival of my little granddaughter Tessia, a prospect of great beauty in the future. If I say so myself, any ruffian who takes her will suffer my wrath if they hurt her.

At the moment I was thinking about that, I received a message from my astute friend Cynthia Goodsky via a communication scroll that we shared, which I proceed to open after lifting it onto the table. "Virion, how are you? I was looking for the origin of that baby you mentioned to me that appeared in the Elshire Forest, but I couldn't get any information about it. There isn't even a rumor of anyone passing through that area or if anyone was lost, not even a family with similar traits to those you described to me. When I tried to search for it initially by the Kingscrown surname, I couldn't find it anywhere. Are you sure that was his name?"

While reflecting on what she was telling me and how peculiar the case of this baby found in the Elshire Forest was, I replied, "I don't have any more information than that. In fact, I haven't seen the brat myself. The provided information came from an old friend. Due to the fact that I've also been very busy with the birth of my granddaughter, keeping all kinds of things that arise with the birth of a new leader for Elenoir under control, I haven't been able to go see him. But I hope to do so soon and tell you if I have anything more about him. I ask you please to try to continue looking for some information about his origin in the least scandalous way possible because I don't want to attract unnecessary attention since it's something that only you, I, and my old friend in Elenoir know."

After a few seconds of waiting, I received a response from Cynthia. "I'll try, Virion, but it's not an easy task, and I don't have many hands left to move. After you visit him, contact me again. I hope to be able to talk to you soon. See you later."

After ending the message and leaving the scroll on the table, I couldn't help but think about the waves that this brat was causing, so I decided to go to Rinia's location in a few days and meet him in person.

Initially, I wanted to talk to my old friend, and secondly, I wanted to determine with her what to do with the child, since if it is not treated properly, it could cause problems or annoyances among other elves who might see him by chance near Rinia's location. All this due to the delicate and hostile relationship with humans provoked by the previous war with the Kingdom of Sapin.

With these thoughts, I drank my tea and continued to do all the work I had set out to finish that day.

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Julian Kingscrown's POV

According to what Grandmother Rinia said, today is supposed to be the day that Elder Virion comes.

During these weeks since Grandmother Rinia told me that Virion was coming soon, I've been wandering around her house trying to locate any books that might be inside since I wanted to confirm what I already knew and learn what I didn't.

But unfortunately, the ones I found weren't many and were impossible to read. I don't know how it's possible to speak or understand the language but not be able to read it. What the hell is going on with the skills that people from other worlds receive when they reincarnate? Mine are incomplete, or the person who sent me here is deliberately messing with me.

After seeing that I couldn't read them, I had to swallow the pride that I thought I had lost every time I was changed out of my diapers and ask Grandmother Rinia to teach me the language from scratch. She looked at me somewhat strangely when I said, "Grandma, teach me," while pointing to the book.

This culminated with her bringing me to her lap and starting to read books while I tried to ask some questions. She only gave me a vague answer and said that I had to grow up more to understand it better and finally move on to easier books for my age.

That frustrated my plans for accelerated growth, but I wasn't going to give up so easily. Still, I was pouting due to my bad mood until Grandmother Rinia told me that she would ask Virion for some books to teach me better, which brought a smile back to my face.

One thing I didn't realize in these eight months of life in Grandmother Rinia's house is that I don't know what I look like. That, combined with the fact that I couldn't move as freely as I can now, didn't allow me to keep it as my top priority until I could move on my own, and that's what elevated knowing how I looked as a priority. Grandmother Rinia never said anything about my appearance.

I didn't expect to be as handsome as Arthur, but please, oh unknown entity again, it's me trying to talk to you, and this time, I'm not calling you to curse you, but you, who brought me to this world and have never granted me anything other than screwing me over all the time, please give me a decent face. Please; I repeated this mantra in my mind while holding my hands together as if praying.

This action earned me a look of doubt and not knowing what I was doing from Grandmother Rinia, but I didn't care. After all, my future love life depends on this. Who wouldn't want to be dating one of the main female characters that appeared in the story?

With that determination, I was searching for a mirror or element that reflected my appearance while reciting my mantra, and finally, I found a sheet of material where I could see myself.

I approached it more and more nervously with my head down until I felt that I was close enough to the sheet. When I lifted my head, I saw myself with silver hair that resembled the full moon and that could catch anyone's attention no matter where I was. Clear skin, not too milky, but immaculate, and finally, deep yellow eyes that overflowed with intense brilliance full of intelligence; capable of attracting the gazes of others with just the mystical glow generated by all the features of my face in complete synchrony.