[3rd POV]
Aeon walked out of the library and waved goodbye to the guards before heading toward his chambers.
It was already night, and tomorrow was a very important day.
After reaching his room, he spotted Terra standing outside the door with a service cart carrying his dinner.
"Hey, Terra," Aeon said as he slowly opened the door to his room.
Click.
"Good evening, Young Master. Did you have a good time in the library?" Terra asked as she pushed the service cart inside.
Aeon removed his outer clothing, leaving only his T-shirt and pants.
"Yes. I had a good time."
He then sat down on a chair and began eating his dinner while chatting with Terra about various topics.
After a while, he finished his meal, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and slowly drank the glass of water beside him.
Terra carefully arranged the dishes and wheeled the cart toward the exit.
Once she was outside, she turned back and gave a respectful bow.
"Have a good night’s sleep, Young Master. I will be back tomorrow."
She then slowly closed the door.
Aeon nodded, stood up, and walked toward the bathroom. He took off his clothes, enjoyed a quick five-minute shower, dried himself, and put on his pajamas.
Then he climbed into bed, lay down, and closed his eyes.
Suddenly, he opened them again.
"Oh, I almost forgot my sign-in chance."
He sat upright as he remembered the system.
"System, how many sign-in chances do I have?"
[DING]
[You have not used your daily sign-in chances for 4 years and 32 days.]
[You have not used your monthly sign-in chances for 4 years and 1 month.]
[The accumulated daily and monthly sign-in chances have been converted into:]
[8x Annual Sign-In Chances]
[2x Monthly Sign-In Chances]
[2x Daily Sign-In Chances]
[You currently possess a total of 8x Annual Sign-In Chances, 2x Monthly Sign-In Chances, and 2x Daily Sign-In Chances.]
"Good. Stacking the daily and monthly sign-ins was a smart decision."
Aeon let out a sigh of relief and leaned against his pillows.
He still remembered the countless useless items he had obtained from daily sign-ins during his first year. The experience had nearly caused him emotional damage.
His gaze shifted to the two monthly sign-in chances.
After a moment of consideration, he decided to use them.
"System, use the two monthly sign-in chances."
Monthly sign-ins possessed a much higher probability of rewarding rare and valuable items.
[DING]
[Using 2x Monthly Sign-In Chances.]
[Drawing...]
[DING]
[You have obtained: Aegis of the Transcendent Mind] [Transcendent]
[You have obtained: Magical Sword] [Uncommon]
Aeon carefully read the rewards.
He was disappointed by the second item. He already possessed plenty of magical swords in his inventory.
The first reward, however, immediately captured his interest.
A Transcendent-ranked reward.
It had been a long time since he had obtained one.
"System, show me the description."
[Aegis of the Transcendent Mind]
[Rank: Transcendent]
[Description: A protective relic forged from pure spiritual energy and cosmic alloy. It does not merely protect the physical body; it shields the user’s mind, soul, and destiny from all forms of harm.
When active, it processes incoming threats at the speed of thought, automatically creating invisible, reality-bending barriers capable of deflecting or erasing attacks before they can reach the user.]
[Passive Effect: Absolute Mental Sanctuary]
[Grants absolute immunity to mental manipulation, illusions, mind-reading, and soul-binding curses.]
[Active Effect: Transcendent Barrier]
[Once per day, deploys a geometric dome of crystal-clear force capable of withstanding a direct blow from a Mythic-tier entity.]
"Wow. That’s some good stuff."
A smile appeared on Aeon’s face.
"I guess today is my lucky day."
After years of disappointing rewards, finally obtaining a Transcendent item felt incredibly satisfying.
He opened his inventory and summoned the item.
A moment later, a necklace materialized in midair before gently landing in his palm.
The necklace was a delicate piece of feminine jewelry featuring an ultra-thin chain forged from Astral Silver.
Suspended at its center was a teardrop-shaped gemstone filled with swirling violet and cosmic-pink nebulae. Within the gemstone rested an intricate golden eye insignia that pulsed softly with a rose-gold starlight aura.
Aeon stared at it in astonishment.
His eyes remained glued to the necklace.
"Good. Very good."
A grin spread across his face.
"Not only is it powerful, but it’s also beautiful."
His gaze lingered on the jewel for several more seconds.
"I know exactly what to do with you."
With a thought, he returned the necklace to his inventory.
The item disappeared instantly.
Aeon then glanced at the clock.
It was already midnight.
"Time to sleep. Tomorrow is a big day."
He settled back into bed and closed his eyes.
Within minutes, he was fast asleep.
...
The next morning, Aeon woke up to a knock on the door.
As usual, Terra’s voice came from the other side.
Aeon got out of bed and continued his daily routine.
First came his exercises.
Afterward, the maids prepared his bath and helped him dress in fine clothing befitting the heir of the Astaraeas family.
Once everything was finished, he stood before the mirror and admired himself once again.
Satisfied with his appearance, he headed to the dining hall.
There, he enjoyed breakfast with his family while chatting and laughing together.
After finishing his meal, Aldrich looked at his son and spoke.
"We will be departing for the Empire at noon. Clear your schedule and focus on the journey."
He paused before continuing.
"You are also expected to present a gift to the First Princess. Later, I will take you to the treasury so you can choose something appropriate."
Aeon shook his head.
"Don’t worry, Father. I already have the best gift imaginable. There’s no need to visit the treasury."
A playful grin appeared on his face.
"Although I certainly wouldn’t refuse the opportunity to take something from it again."
His father fell silent for a moment.
His expression became serious.
"You already have a gift?"
He frowned slightly.
"Son, this is an important matter. I don’t want you giving the princess some worthless item."
Elisabeth also sighed.
"Your father is right, son. If you give the princess something unworthy, neither His Majesty nor Her Majesty will be pleased. And the other nobles certainly won’t miss the chance to mock our family."
She smiled gently.
"Go with your father later and choose something suitable."
Aeon looked at both of them with a calm and confident expression.
"Trust me, Mom. Trust me, Dad. I really do have something that will shock everyone."
His parents noticed the confidence in his eyes.
They exchanged a glance before looking back at him.
Aldrich spoke first.
"Really? What is it?"
Aeon’s smile widened.
"Hehe. It’s a secret."
His expression turned playful.
"But please trust me. I would never bring shame to our family."
His parents exchanged another look.
Then Elisabeth reached out and gently rubbed his head.
Her voice was filled with trust.
"If that’s the case, then we trust you, son."
She gave him a warm motherly smile.
"Thank you, Mom. Thank you, Dad."
Aeon smiled happily.
Inside, however, he had a different thought.
’Huh. I could have taken an item from the treasury and then given the princess that gift instead. But why bother? Everything in the treasury will be mine eventually anyway.’
He sighed in relief.
Aldrich looked as though he wanted to object, but the mother-and-son duo had already reached an agreement.
In the end, he simply surrendered.
"Sigh... very well. I’ll allow you to give the princess your own gift."
He stood from his chair.
"Since that’s settled, prepare for departure. We will leave for the family’s private airport at noon."
With that, Aldrich headed toward the exit of the dining hall.
Elisabeth also stood up, kissed Aeon on the cheek, and followed her husband.
Aeon waved goodbye before making his way back toward his chambers.
...
Two hours before departure, Aeon sat at his desk reading a book when he heard a familiar knock on the door.
Knock. Knock.
He stopped reading and looked toward the entrance.
"Come in," he said as he closed the book.
He already knew who it was. After all, he had grown accustomed to the way she always knocked.
Click.
Terra entered the room and bowed respectfully.
"Hello, Young Master. It is time."
Aeon already knew what she meant and simply nodded.
Soon, several maids entered the room.
They helped him bathe, carefully arranged his shoulder-length hair, and dressed him in a beautiful black tuxedo tailored specifically for him.
Once everything was finished, he followed Terra toward the estate’s main entrance.
Waiting there was his father, who was also dressed in a black tuxedo.
The formal attire only seemed to enhance his already impressive appearance.
Aeon walked toward him and casually greeted him.
"Hey, Dad. Are you planning to charm another woman today? Mom might kill you, you know."
Terra nearly laughed but managed to maintain her composure.
"Damn brat. Don’t let your mother hear you saying that."
Aldrich grabbed Aeon’s ear and lightly pulled it.
"Ow, ow! Sorry, sorry! I won’t say it again!"
Aeon winced dramatically as though he were suffering immense pain.
Click-clack.
The attention of both father and son was drawn to the sound of approaching heels.
They turned toward the source.
Elisabeth was walking toward them wearing a deep sapphire-blue gown woven from magical silk.
Her beauty was soft yet radiant, naturally drawing attention wherever she went.
Her eyes were bright and warm, while a gentle smile rested on her lips.
She moved with effortless grace, making everyone around her seem dull by comparison.
Aeon glanced at his father and grinned.
"She’s way out of your league. I still wonder how you convinced her to marry you."
His mother laughed at his words.
The sound was sweet and warm.
She then looked toward Aldrich and playfully asked,
"Yes, dear. How exactly did you manage that?"
Aldrich lifted his chin proudly.
"Of course, it’s because I’m handsome, powerful, and talented."
He crossed his arms confidently.
"Your mother fell in love with me at first sight."
Elisabeth rolled her eyes.
Her expression turned playful.
"Wasn’t it the other way around? You were the one who proposed to me. Remember?"
Aldrich cleared his throat.
A faint blush appeared on his cheeks as he glanced toward Aeon.
"Ahem."
Trying to regain his dignity, he straightened his posture.
"Let’s focus on the journey."
Mother and son exchanged a look before breaking into light laughter.
Soon, they headed toward the estate’s exit.
The massive gates slowly opened before them.
’Here we go.’
Aeon’s eyes brightened with anticipation.
For the first time since his reincarnation, he was finally leaving the Northern States.
And he could not wait to see the world beyond them.