Prologue

*Beep *Beep*

I could barely hear the machine monitoring my heart rate, as well as the people around me panicking, frantically trying to keep me awake.

"Adam don't you dare die you motherfucker!" That was probably John, the poor guy always struggled with death and such.

Strength was rapidly leaving my body and I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore...

And then I wasn't alive anymore.

Darkness surrounded me and I couldn't feel my limbs, which strangely enough didn't make me panic or freak out at all.

In fact, despite being surrounded by never-ending darkness, I felt serene, fulfilled, and finally after a lifetime of struggling, at peace.

After a few minutes? hours? I couldn't tell, my brain started going through my memories, some of which I thought I didn't or even couldn't have.

I saw myself getting born, getting bullied, making friends, standing up to my bullies, and graduating from university, all of my life's accomplishments and failures were passing in front of my eyes and I felt truly grateful, even for the failures, because they made me who I am today.

After what seemed like an eternity a small light appeared at the end, it rapidly grew until it completely consumed the void, and with it came the chaotic energy of beings alive.

The void and blinding light came together and colors started forming out of them.

A red carpet, 6 large columns embroidered with jewelry, squeaky clean walls that glittered with the highest quality wood and bricks, and finally a throne that appeared right behind me.

All of this happened in a few seconds and for a while I stood there, stunned and awed.

When I turned around and saw that throne... I was immediately tempted to sit on it.

It was on top of a short staircase made out of pure white marble.

The throne itself had incredibly comfortable-looking pitch-black pillows to sit on, was covered in red, blue, and green jewels, and was made of, or at least it looked like it was made of, solid gold, glowing with an unprecedented glory and power that even my spirit couldn't help but shudder from it.

The unnatural temptation only grew stronger in my brain, but I was still worried, I didn't understand what was happening and what to do.

Eventually, the void around me started to collapse around me, growing smaller and smaller until only the throne room remained, and it too, began to vanish.

I instinctively knew this was my doom.

So I quickly sat on the throne and the void froze.

As I sat on the throne, the void retreated until I only saw the walls collums and the bright blue sky through a circular 15th-century window.

"ALL KNEEL! In front of his majesty Adam Valentia The first!"

As I snapped out of it, I saw hundreds of people, all kneeling while chanting "Long live his majesty! Long may he reign!" with feverish enthusiasm.

'What are you talking about?' I was understandably confused and nervous about this, but I can't just say "Wat?" out loud.

As the person behind me, who was probably a priest of some kind, kept babbling something about how glorious I and my family are, I saw broken memories flash by.

They were blurry, messy, and unorganized, it took active effort to decrypt them and get some information.

I only managed to piece together this:

My name is Adam Valentia the First, I am royalty and the new king of the Azburgian Empire, I am 18 years old.

Currently, I am attending my coronation, the original owner of the body had a heart attack and I replaced him.

Along with this were some basics of courtship, history, politics, and so on, but nothing detailed.

The priest stopped complimenting my family and the empire after a 20-minute-long speech and looked at me expectantly.

'Oh, right now it's my turn to make a short speech...'

'Oh, wait. I need to make A SPEECH?!'

'FU- okay it's fine just say something and it will work out..'

I stood up from the throne and took a step forward where the priest passed me a microphone-like device.

"My name is Adam Valentia the First, and today I have been granted the honor of leading our glorious people into the future, through good and bad, I shall lead you, my people, with the utmost diligence, bravery, and courage into the dark void of space, this world has learned of our greatness and it is time for us to ascend into our rightful place as an INTERTELLAR EMPIRE! I shall lead you into a new golden age. I swear it on my name!"

The last bit of information was that recently, our scientists have discovered FTL drives.

Yes, space is now within our reach, and I will use that as a propaganda machine, as any good politician would.

The speech was broadcasted live all around the globe and even into the space stations in orbit.

And it was a great success, with people having more hope for the future than ever, and more importantly, more faith in the royal family.

As the speech ended everyone stood up and clapped, a booming applause echoed in the giant throne room.

After the ceremony was a ball, during which Adam danced with a few ladies and discussed some matters with noblemen.

Of course, he still kept in the background as much as he could, but he understood that he needs to do his job as the host of the ball, and if he kept himself in some dark corner rumors might begin to circulate which would be more than undesirable.

So Adam talked and danced deep into the night until the last nobles left the palace grounds, he escorted them out, vent to bed, and woke up the next day, still the emperor of the Azburgian Empire.

'So it wasn't a dream...'

And this is how my story began.