Chapter 6:The Ring

After a long night of battle of magic and wits, Klein finally retreated to his chambers. The weight of leadership, war, and the strange fate that had befallen him still sat heavily on his shoulders. His body ached—not from wounds, but from exhaustion, from the sheer tension of the last several hours.

As he stepped into his private bath chamber, the steam from the heated water curled in the air like mist rolling over the sea. The servants had prepared everything meticulously, as expected. The large, polished stone tub—carved from fine granite and set deep into the floor—was already filled with steaming water, infused with herbs and fragrant oils. The faint scent of lavender and sandalwood hung in the air, mixing with the lingering traces of smoke still clinging to his skin.

Klein unfastened the clasps of his tunic, shedding the last remnants of battle-worn garments.

He sighed as he stepped into the warm water, the heat seeping into his tired muscles like a slow, welcoming embrace.

For a long moment, he simply leaned back, resting his head against the smooth edge of the tub, letting the water wash away the grime of war. He could feel the tension unraveling from his shoulders, the heat working its way into his sore limbs. The sensation was almost too luxurious. Even in modern times with Klein's status, he rarely relaxed himself with such luxury.

Then, his thoughts turned bitter.

"Unbelievable," he muttered, rubbing his temples. "It hasn't even been a full day since I got here, and I've already fought off a pirate invasion, lost a fortune in damages, found out some noble is scheming against me, and—oh, right—I'm now the lord of an entire damn territory. Fantastic."

He let out a long sigh and slid further into the water, letting only his head rest above the surface. The warm bath did wonders for his aching body, but it couldn't do much for the sheer absurdity of his situation.

It wasn't just about suddenly waking up in a new world. If that were the only problem, he could've taken his time to adjust. But no, he had been thrown straight into a storm—both literally and figuratively. A nobleman's life was already complicated enough without pirate raids and political schemes unfolding in rapid succession.

At least, he thought, there was one saving grace: when he arrived in this body, he had inherited all of the original Klein's memories. Everything from his relationships to his responsibilities had been imprinted in his mind, allowing him to react quickly without hesitation. If he had woken up completely clueless, without those memories, he would've been exposed as an imposter within minutes.

He swiped a handful of water over his face. "At least I didn't embarrass myself in front of Cedric and Claude. They would've noticed something was off if I hesitated even for a second."

It was a strange experience, really. His thoughts and personality were still his own, but the moment he needed information—how to act, how to speak, even details about people he had never met before—the knowledge came naturally, like an instinct. His brain worked seamlessly with his memories, and as a result, no one had noticed anything unusual about him.

That didn't mean it was easy, though.

Klein exhaled sharply. "One thing at a time. Pirates first, noble conspiracies second, magic third. And somewhere in between, maybe a good night's sleep?"

The water sloshed as he finally sat up straight again. He wouldn't get any real answers just by complaining. He needed to keep moving forward, one problem at a time. And right now, he had another mystery to solve.

After drying himself off, Klein dressed in his nightwear: a fine robe of dark blue velvet, embroidered with silver thread. The fabric was lighter than his usual noble attire, designed for comfort rather than formality, yet it still bore the unmistakable touch of wealth and status.

Once dressed, he made his way to his bedchamber. The grand four-poster bed, adorned with thick furs and silk sheets, awaited him, and for the first time that night, he was alone. No retainers, no urgent matters to attend to. Just him, the quiet of his chamber… and the ring.

The artifact rested on his finger, an unassuming band of deep, stormy silver, etched with ancient runes he still couldn't decipher. It was the one thing that tied him to this world, the reason he was here at all. And yet, for all his knowledge and all his power, he still had no idea how it worked.

Sitting up in bed, he turned his hand, letting the candlelight glint off the metal. "Alright," he muttered to himself. "Let's see what makes you tick."

His first attempt was simple: he tried to remove it. No luck. The ring refused to budge, as if it were fused to his flesh.

Next, he pricked his finger and let a drop of blood fall onto the metal. Nothing.

He frowned. "Isn't that how these things usually work?"

He tried speaking aloud. "Activate!" No reaction. "Open Sesame!" Still nothing.

Klein's lips twitched. "Stormbreaker! Gate of Chaos! Shadow Sovereign's Command!"

Silence.

His face darkened in mild embarrassment. "Damn it, why does this always work in stories?"

For nearly an hour, he experimented. He held it under candlelight, tried different gestures, even considered smashing it against a wall just to see if it would react. But it was only when frustration took hold that a reckless idea struck him.

Magic.

He hadn't used much magic yet.

"That's right!I hope this works." Klein muttered as he closed his eyes ad felt the magic flow through his veins.

With a deep breath, Klein channeled a thread of mana into the ring.

The reaction was instant.

A violent surge of energy erupted from the ring, sending a shockwave through the room. Klein barely had time to register the blinding light before he was nearly thrown from his bed.

The air crackled with raw, unstable power. The runes on the ring blazed with a furious glow, shifting and rearranging as if coming to life. A deafening hum filled the chamber, and Klein felt something—no, someone—whispering in the depths of his mind.

And then—

Darkness.