A New Journey

As they were strangers to him, they should have meant nothing. Or at least, that's what he told himself.

His mother's warmth should have felt foreign, her embrace a lie. Yet, this body—this life—ached for it. A contradiction he could not explain. He shouldn't feel this way. So why did he?

"Vael, come," the Viscount said, his voice gruff yet oddly tender. "You must be exhausted. You've been through so much."

Vael nodded mutely, allowing himself to be led inside the manor. But he could feel the weight of their eyes—watching, analyzing, judging. His family may have embraced him without question, but the others... they did not share the same sentiment.

Servants moved cautiously, their expressions carefully schooled into neutrality, yet he caught the whispers—the stolen glances filled with doubt, wariness, and, in some, outright disdain. He was not just the long-lost heir; he was the disgrace that had dragged House Seraphis into ruin.

The Seraphis estate mirrored its family—a noble house on the verge of collapse. Grand chandeliers hung overhead, dulled by dust. Portraits of forgotten ancestors lined the walls, their once-proud expressions now carrying a silent question: Are you worthy?

"I know you must be hungry," the Viscountess said, her voice soft but edged with uncertainty. "We'll have a meal prepared at once. You need your strength."

He nodded absently. Strength. Yes, he needed that—but not in the way they assumed. He was exhausted, not from travel or hardship, but from the weight of maintaining this mask. Of playing the role of Vael Seraphis.

Stopping before a grand portrait, he studied the face of a man with sharp features and piercing eyes. The plaque read: Viscount Seraphis, Founder of the House.

Vael looked at the painting. He saw not a noble patriarch, but a legacy in decline.

This is what I've inherited, he thought bitterly. A ruined house. A name that no longer holds weight.

"Vael, what are you thinking?" His mother's voice was gentle, probing.

He turned, forcing a smile. "Nothing, Mother. Just... thinking about the past few days."

The Viscountess seemed satisfied with his answer, but her eyes betrayed her worry. She was watching him carefully.

"I'm just glad you're back," she whispered, as if afraid the moment might shatter.

"Yes, I'm home, Mother," he said softly.

But even as the words left his lips, he knew they were a lie.

—

Dinner was an awkward affair.

Seated with his family, he could feel their love, their relief. The original Vael had never cared for them, yet they still welcomed him with open arms. How blind had he been? How much of a fool?

As he recalled the memories, bitterness filled him.

The past Vael had been a selfish, arrogant coward—so consumed by his own self-loathing that he had turned his back on those who loved him. He despised his family not because they had wronged him, but because he could not face them, because he could not stand himself. He tried run away, abandoning his responsibilities, leaving the estate to rot.

What a pathetic fool.

And now, Elias—no, Vael—was left to clean up the mess.

The warmth of the meal, the quiet laughter, the way his mother's eyes softened when she looked at him—it was all so foreign, so unlike anything he had ever known. In his past life, he had eaten alone or with friends. Never with family. The unfamiliarity of it made him uncomfortable... yet there was something about it that stirred within him.

He wasn't sure if he loved them. Not yet. But he wanted to see them smile like this always.

And so, he made his decision.

He would restore House Seraphis. Make it wealthier, stronger than ever before. He would use his knowledge, his skills, his power to reshape his fate.

Even if he did not yet feel like their son, but small part of him believed that one day, he might.

—

Once inside his room, he exhaled deeply. Finally, he was alone.

The manor was a monument to past grandeur, now a shell of what it once was. And the fault lay with the previous Vael. His greed, his mismanagement, his selfishness. He had squandered his family's fortune, driven away the loyal, and left behind only vultures.

And now, it was his problem to fix.

Standing before the mirror, he studied his reflection. The face staring back wasn't his, yet it belonged to him now.

Vael Seraphis. The son of a fallen noble house. A liar. A coward. A deceiver.

And now... him.

His fingers twitched. "Status window."

The translucent screen flickered into view:

────────────────────────────────────

[ STATUS WINDOW ]

────────────────────────────────────

◈ Name: Vael Seraphis [Elias Varn]

◈ Race: Human

◈ Age: 17

◈ Title: Eldest Son of the Fallen Noble Viscount Seraphis Family

◈ Soul Crest: 〚ERROR—MULTIPLE DETECTED〛

◈ Primary Skill: 〚Skill Creation〛

◈ Secondary Skill: 〚Gravity Manipulation〛

◈ Mana Pool: ???

◈ Physical Strength: [D+]

◈ Magic Affinity: [A+]

◈ Intelligence: [S+]

◈ Status: 〚UNIDENTIFIED ENTITY〛

[ERROR]

The original owner of this body is deceased. Due to an otherworldly soul transmigrating into this vessel, a new unique skill—[Gravity Manipulation]—has been acquired.

────────────────────────────────────

he first clicked the the creation skill and another translucent screen popped up

────────────────────────────────────

[ SKILL DETAILS – 〚Creation〛 ]

────────────────────────────────────

◈ Rank: C+ | Type: Unique Skill

◈ Description: Allows the user to create physical objects from raw mana, shaped by conceptualization, intent, and available resources, following fundamental laws of matter.

────────────────────────────────────

◈ How It Works:

Manifestation: Requires a clear mental image of the object (tools, weapons, materials, or machines).

Limits: Complexity depends on Intelligence (S+), Mana Pool (???), and clarity of conceptualization.

Attributes: Objects have physical properties but lack magic unless enchanted separately.

◈ Creation Process:

Visualize: Picture every detail (size, shape, material).

Infuse Mana: Stronger visualization reduces mana cost.

Shaping: Form the object using elemental energies.

Solidification: Object becomes permanent unless deactivated.

◈ Usage:

Simple Objects: Instant creation, moderate mana cost.

Complex Objects: Higher mana, extended focus.

Materials Creation: Can form raw materials (wood, iron, stone) within physical laws.

◈ Limitations & Risks:

Cannot create life, organic matter, or magical entities without advanced skills.

Requires knowledge of existing materials; unknown creations may be unstable.

Large objects drain mana significantly and take time to form.

────────────────────────────────────

[ ERROR: Higher-tier objects may need external catalysts for stability. ]

────────────────────────────────────

A slow smirk formed on his lips. so are you saying i can create anything as long i have understanding and a large mana pool. is it? 

he then clicked the gravity manipulation skill and another translucent screen popped up

────────────────────────────────────

[ SKILL DETAILS – 〚Gravity Manipulation〛 ] 

────────────────────────────────────

◈ Rank: S+[locked] F+[based on the understand of gravitation force you can unlock it to max]

◈ Type: Forbidden Skill (Modern World Technology-based)

◈ Description:

A gravity manipulation skill drawn from the modern world's understanding of gravitational forces and mass attraction, enabling the user to bend, amplify, and manipulate gravity as a force of nature. This unique skill, foreign to this world, allows the user to generate gravitational anomalies, affecting the environment and living beings on an unprecedented scale.

The user manipulates gravitational fields precisely based on Newtonian physics and Einstein's general relativity, allowing them to control gravity with scientific accuracy.

Gravitational Manipulation: The user can amplify gravity in a specific area, creating immense pressure and force, or reduce it to generate zero gravity zones. This allows for total control over weight, inertia, and acceleration.

The user can apply directional gravity (force pulling in specific directions) to disorient or overpower enemies and break physical laws within the targeted area.

With control over mass and distance, the user can make any object with mass succumb to the pull of gravity, regardless of its size or distance.

This skill also allows the user to fracture space-time with extreme gravitational forces, potentially breaking objects or causing spatial anomalies.

────────────────────────────────────

[ ERROR: This skill transcends the natural laws of this world. User must use caution when manipulating gravitational forces beyond their comprehension. Excessive use may collapse the user's reality. ]

────────────────────────────────────

He couldn't believe it—an S+ level skill. But it was locked, and the description stated that the deeper his understanding of gravity and gravitational force, the more ranks he could unlock until reaching the maximum.

He already possessed complete knowledge of gravitational force and everything related to it, allowing him to unlock the skill's rank to S+ immediately.

Without hesitation, he clicked the rank, and it was fully unlocked.

[Gravity Manipulation unlocked to max]

"What... what... so am I overpowered from the start, like those isekai protagonists?" he mutters, a smirk tugging at his lips as the absurdity of the situation hits him.

For a moment, he feels it—the urge, that ridiculous, cliché moment where he should lower his head, place a hand over his face, and let out that slow, ominous chuckle. The kind that echoes with menace. The kind the overpowered protagonists always do when they realize their strength.

"Mwahaha, I am gonna be unstoppable!"

Mwahaha...

He stops midway, sighs, and mutters, "Wait... this is way too cringe."

His fingers twitch. He takes a breath.

...Then, he scoffs. "Tch." He clicks his tongue, shaking his head. "Yeah, that really won't suit me."

Then he grins.

Not the exaggerated, theatrical grin of a villain, but something darker, sharper—one that could freeze the blood in your veins. A grin that promises something no one wants to see.

He exhales slowly, and a laugh slips from him—low, guttural, and dripping with malice. It doesn't explode. It doesn't need to. It slides into the air, filling every inch of the room with a quiet, suffocating certainty.

"Ah... haha... heh."

He wasn't just Vael Seraphis. He realized he was something beyond the limits of this reality.

And he intended to make full use of it.

But first, he had to play his role.

Tomorrow, he would meet his family properly. Assess the landscape. Learn the new rules of the game.

Elias Varn was dead.

Vael Seraphis had been born anew.

And this was only the beginning.