New Life

It's the year 503 since the Gillbeard family ruled the empire, and I've been in this strange world for fifteen years. This foreign land into which I was born is both fascinating and terrifying. Mana is being welded in this realm and incorporated into the daily lives of the people through the use of magical stones. Because this area is dense with mana particles, some of them tend to bond together and crystalize, resulting in the formation of magical stones. These stones are extremely valuable due to their scarcity and utility. Some stones have the ability to summon fire or water. The stronger the mana held by the stone, the brighter its glow. There have also been cases where people have been able to transform these mana particles into their own power. However, only capable people are endowed with the ability to wield such vast amounts of mana. This mana can also be absorbed by artifacts blessed by the Goddess Eos, the supreme being worshiped in this world. These items are more rare than magical stones, and they are exclusively acquired by royalty and temples.

In some cases, magical stones become corrupted, resulting in the birth of heinous demons. The greater the black mana, the darker the glow of the magic stone lodged in the demon's flesh.

Some light magic stones can also give birth to divine beasts with immense strength, which can empower a country prevail and destroy an invader. The royal family is believed to have its own celestial beast.

When I began to recall memories from my past life, all of this information became overwhelming. When I was five years old, I would wake up every day with dreams from my past. I'd complain to my mother about it, but she'd dismiss it as something my imaginative mind created. As the years passed, I became increasingly skeptical and perplexed. My young mind couldn't tell whether it was a dream or reality because it felt so real. I didn't remember anything until I was in an accident near the stream. My near-death experience appeared to be the trigger for my past life memories to easily penetrate my mind. I was grateful that there were adults around to help me at the time. My mother was so terrified that she forbade me from going to the stream again. I never mentioned my memories and was extremely thankful for another chance at life. I am thankful for this opportunity and have vowed to put my knowledge to good use in order to live a happy and normal life. It provided me with a broader perspective on how to deal with the world in which I am now living in.

This is the Kingdom of Bizerac, which is regarded as one of the most powerful empires due to its superior military prowess. This place, like other monarchies, follows a hierarchical system, with the royalties at the top of the pyramid and the peasants at the bottom. Because this country prides itself on its military prowess, males are more favored in professions and state affairs.

Since the structures, lifestyle, and systems are so similar to western culture in my past life, it was easier to absorb everything. I was born a commoner in a village in the empire's east, and commoners were not given formal education unless they were supported by a noble or possessed exceptional skills that would benefit an aristocrat's household. However, this is a rare occurrence, as only nobles are admitted to a formal academy, and tuition costs can be quite high. I am fortunate to have knowledge from my previous world and for my mother teaching me everything I need to know.

I am also thankful to finally have a mother who raised and loved me during this lifetime. It's almost as though my wish has come true. We own a little bakery right on the harbor, and the neighborhood where I grew up is usually buzzing with activity. My father is the only one who isn't here this time. My parents moved here after getting married, and my father died while I was still in my mother's womb. He is one of the army's knights who was summoned to fight a horde of demons that had flooded the northern region. Due to the large number of casualties and the death of the previous emperor, this was regarded as an inauspicious event. My father was one of them, and his body was among those that could not be recovered. I can't image how upset my mother was when she learned the news. Raising a child alone has been a challenge for my father in my past life, and now my mother in this life is going through the same thing.

My mother, on the other hand, remained strong, telling me stories about how she met my father and how delighted he was when he found out I was going to be born. I did my hardest to be strong for my mother while remaining non-suspicious, and I used everything I'd learned in my previous life to aid my mother's business.

I stood in front of our two-story house, which accommodates our bakery on the ground floor and personal rooms on the second. The space is quite small because it is among the other commercial buildings that line the harbor's edge. The majority of our customers are foreigners, merchants, knights, and travelers. The eastern trading port is one of the most prosperous areas of the country. It not only houses the empire's battle ships, but it is also a convenient place to trade, and merchants from all over the kingdom come here for business. Our rent is actually quite high due to the location, but the landowner is quite taken with my mother, so we only pay half of the rent.

I sighed contentedly as I heard the waves crashing and people chatting. Since I've been given a second chance at life, I'm going to make the most of it by cherishing those around me and living my life to the fullest.

"Let's do this!" I exclaimed, about to walk into the bakery, when I was suddenly pushed to the ground.

Ack.

What the hell happened? I cast an irksome glance at the attacker and took note of their attire. With her puffed dress and fancy hat, the young lady in the middle appears to be the daughter of an aristocrat. Her pale skin, dewy brown eyes, and straight blonde hair make her look angelic, but her deep scowl marred her pretty face. The others appear to be maids and knights. Instead of apologizing, the lady raised an eyebrow and huffed before entering our bakery.

"You're not going to apologize?" I asked patiently, despite my annoyance.

"Why would I? A mere commoner should not be walking in front of me," she replied proudly as she entered, not even looking at me.

That arrogance caused my brows to twitch. I was about to enter when her knights drew their swords and stopped me. My eyes rounded and I began to complain. Great. Simply fantastic.

"Excuse me, but I live in there, and we own that bakery," I explained.

The knights look skeptical and cast a glance at my appearance. Okay, so I may not appear convincing right now, but that was not my intention.

My long brown hair was tied in a messy bun, and my clothes were soiled and drenched. I'm aware that I'm probably covered in mud and might look like a beggar. I was at the harbor's edge, with my friend Brenda cleaning up some boats for extra money. A lot of preparation is being done due to the upcoming festival.

Every year, a week long thanksgiving festival is held to thank the gods for our bountiful harvests. It is my favorite festival, and our business will flourish as well.

Back at my situation, I tried to hide my irritation by wiping the dried dirt off my skin. I forgot to bring my token for identification every time I had to go out. It looks like a government-issued ID, detailed with the empire's emblem and my full name. It has a golden color, a round shape, and a small cord so that it can be worn as a necklace. It is a unique token made of copper that has been infused with magic and cannot be tampered with. However, because I was not going far today, I decided to leave it at home.

Now I'm stuck and annoyed once again. The small bell inside our bakery chimed when it was opened. The arrogant lady looked happy as she munched on my mother's best selling madeleine. Madeleines are small sponge cakes with a distinctive shell-like shape that resulted from baking in pans with shell-shaped depressions.

She sighed happily and raised a brow once again when she noticed I haven't left.

"Be thankful I'm in a good mood, or I'll have you thrown into the ocean," she threatened, as if I owed her my life. My eyes squinted in response to what she said, and I was about to retort when my mother called my name. I was dragged inside before I had a chance to say anything.

"Annalise, how unladylike."