Solomon was stopped by the guards at the city gate.
He couldn’t understand why, but the looks in their eyes told him this was basic human knowledge.
Sadly for him, he currently didn’t possess such astounding knowledge.
He stepped aside and watched as others entered.
Each person presented the guards with a pass before being granted entry.
Solomon patted himself down but still couldn’t find any sort of pass on him.
“Huh…
how did the original owner get outside without one?”
He didn’t know what to do.
The mission had no time limit, yet Solomon was itching to try magic.
He wondered how much aptitude his current body possessed.
But first…
He had to overcome the first hurdle.
The city gates.
“Are you Mr.
Ashbourne?”
Solomon slowly turned toward the voice.
Not because he recognized the name as his own, but because, for a brief moment, he wondered whether another member of the Ashbourne family had also been outside the gates.
When his eyes landed on the speaker, who was male, he instinctively began examining him from head to toe.
The merchant looked to be in his mid-thirties.
He had short chestnut-brown hair, warm brown eyes, and a lightly tanned complexion.
A neatly trimmed beard softened the appearance of his square face.
He wore a plain linen shirt beneath a brown vest, sturdy trousers, and worn leather boots, giving him the appearance of a man who spent more time upon the road than at home.
“Better play my cards right.
How do nobles act again?”
“It is I,” he declared with an air of confidence.
“I knew it!” The merchant smiled.
“Is something the matter?”
“Why would you assume such?” Solomon continued to maintain his haughty tone.
The merchant shrank back slightly.
“Forgive this servant for overstepping.
I was merely curious why you didn’t use your ring to enter.”
“A ring?”
Solomon lowered his gaze toward his hand and noticed a ring resting upon one of his fingers.
The crest of a tiger had been engraved into its surface.
It sat securely around his index finger.
“That wasn’t there before.”
Somewhere in the heavens…
A goddess smiled.
Solomon couldn’t help feeling relieved that the original owner of the body hadn’t been some nameless nobody like in the novels where protagonists had to build everything from scratch.
“I’ll be fine,” he replied dismissively.
“Forgive this servant once more, but he would like to offer you a ride through the capital.”
“I’ll allow it.”
The merchant beamed before quickly returning to his caravan.
Solomon followed behind at a much calmer pace, inwardly relieved that everything had somehow worked out.
He climbed aboard the caravan, and when it stopped before the guards, he simply flashed the ring.
The guards’ expressions stiffened instantly, their hands snapping to crisp salutes as they stepped aside, allowing the carriage to pass.
“Don’t tell me I’m a top-tier noble…”
The thought alone made him shudder.
He didn’t want to be sheltered.
He wanted the freedom to explore his new life without unnecessary restrictions.
Solomon looked over the caravan, though calling it a caravan in the conventional sense didn’t quite feel right.There was a faint vibration beneath the floor as the mana crystals propelled it forward.
It had everything one would expect, yet it lacked the single most essential thing.
A horse.
Somehow, it moved on its own.
Solomon leaned slightly over the side where he sat and looked down.
Several crystals had been attached to the wheels.
Since this world revolved around magic, he assumed the mana crystals existed to reduce friction.
Beside the merchant rested a lever, which he used to steer the caravan.
It reminded Solomon of a gamer controlling a joystick.
He had to admit that although this world felt like Earth, it was a far better and upgraded version.
He would have praised his friend even more had he known this was the picture they had been painting with their imagination.
The memory weighed on him once again.
He quietly watched the rolling hills and endless grasslands drift by.
The road was wide enough for three carriages to travel side by side.
Solomon welcomed the cool country breeze as it gradually carried away the lingering homesick emotions.
Far ahead floated a lantern suspended high in the sky.
Its current glow was yellow, yet by the time the caravan reached it, the light had already shifted to a brilliant red.
Nearby, floating mana crystals released gentle streams of water that soaked the hardened soil, preventing it from shriveling beneath the afternoon sun.
Wind spirits zipped past them at incredible speed, kicking dust into the air.
As it settled, it lightly coated both the merchant and Solomon, leaving a thin layer across their clothes.
Solomon found himself fascinated by everything around him.
Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, he turned toward the merchant.
“Does everyone know magic?”
The merchant laughed.
It was a warm, pleasant sound that one couldn’t help but grow fond of.
“Does everyone know how to write?”
Solomon remained silent.
The merchant cleared his throat before beginning his explanation.
“Not everyone is born with the aptitude or skill to become great.
Everything boils down to their level of mana control.
As you know, children begin awakening their talent at the age of six.
Every parent scrambles to get their child into the academy, where they can learn proper mana circulation.
Professional mages are simply people with a high affinity for magic who have also spent years training under their belt.”
“I see.”
“That’s interesting.”
“Didn’t you already know this?”
“I just love listening to stories about magic.”
“Understood.”
Before long, they came to a stop.
According to the merchant, they had reached the halfway point of their journey.
“Halfway already?”
Solomon couldn’t help feeling surprised.
He had traveled all the way from the place where he had awakened until now without even realizing how much distance he had covered.
Adventurers passed by as usual.
Just like before, their roles remained reversed.
Everyone settled down while the women chatted among themselves and the men hurried about, tasting the food to make sure the seasoning was enough to satisfy their lavish bosses’ tastes.
The aroma of roasted meat and baked bread, drifted through the camp.
Then, suddenly, a woman stood up and cast an earth spell that repaired a hole in the road which had been there for quite some time.
The caravan lurched slightly before continuing on its way.
A healer immediately walked over to examine her, even though the latter clearly knew she was perfectly fine.
Solomon realized that magic offered various professions to pursue.
He made a mental note to carefully decide which magical path he would dedicate himself to.
After the lunch prepared by the men, the women stood, used magic to clean themselves, and began making their way toward the city once more.
Solomon and the merchant set off as well.
Curiosity soon got the better of him.
He found himself completely entranced by the glowing mana crystal that had been placed beside him during lunch.
“Want to try it?”
Solomon nodded enthusiastically, and the crystal was gently placed into his hands.
He spent a few moments admiring it.
The mana crystal rested quietly in his palm, It felt surprisingly warm, as though it recognized the mana flowing into it.
It was no larger than a clenched fist, yet it seemed to hold an entire world within it.
Its clear surface shimmered with threads of blue light drifting lazily through its core like tiny rivers of living energy.
Every faint pulse made the crystal glow a little brighter before settling once more, as though it possessed a heartbeat of its own.
To anyone else, it was simply a valuable stone.
To someone who loved magic, it was a masterpiece—a fragment of the world’s very essence, beautiful enough to admire for hours and powerful enough to make countless possibilities feel within reach.
Solomon channeled mana into it.
The crystal blazed brilliantly.
The light far exceeded his expectations, forcing him to shut his eyes.
Five seconds later, the radiance gradually faded.
The merchant blinked.
“…Young Master…” He gulped.
“You’ve got impressive control.”
Solomon looked confused.
He scratched his head before handing the crystal back to the merchant.
He had only just arrived in this world, and he was already standing out.
That was incredibly dangerous.
By sunset, the capital finally came into view.
It wasn’t merely beautiful.
It was alive.
Towering buildings stretched endlessly toward the heavens, surrounded by massive walls protected by a shimmering mana barrier that rippled like the surface of clear water.
Airships drifted overhead, docking at platforms suspended high above the city, while glowing magic elevators carried people between the tallest towers.
Below, the streets bustled with life.
Merchants filled the marketplaces, illusionists entertained passing crowds with dazzling displays of magic, and children laughed as they chased tiny light spirits through the open plazas.
Crystal lamps flickered to life one after another as evening settled, casting a warm golden glow across the city.
Everywhere Solomon looked made him realize one thing.
Magic wasn’t something extraordinary.
It was simply a part of everyday life.
They continued riding deeper into the capital until they arrived before an enormous estate.
The merchant brought the caravan to a stop and informed Solomon that they had reached their destination.
Solomon thanked the merchant, whom he had learned during the latter part of their journey was named Mark.
Standing before the estate gates, he examined the place the original owner of the body had once called home.
It was elegant, yet it carried an ancient feeling that made one believe a million secrets were hidden within its walls.
Thick ivy climbed across portions of the stonework, giving the estate an air of quiet mystery.
The leaves rustled across the courtyard and the distant splash of a fountain could be faintly heard.
Before he could continue observing it…
Everything froze.
A butler stared at him.
He stared back.
The butler blinked.
Solomon did the same.
Then the butler’s eyes widened.
“…Young Master.”
“…Yes?”
“You’ve finally returned.”
Solomon briefly glanced toward the pale brown roof before looking back at the gathered servants.
“I guess…”
A small smile found its way onto his face.
“…I’m home.”
With those words, Solomon pulled the gates open and stepped inside.