A week had passed since Damon Jubo began his recovery, and the Jubo estate was slowly getting used to a different version of their young master.
The once-fragile heir was recovering at a surprising rate. His complexion had improved, his movements were steadier, and the constant pain that had plagued him since awakening in this world had gradually diminished.
His mana was still obstructed, and he was nowhere near ready to cast powerful spells. However, with the help of the Basic Mana Stabilization Technique, he had learned to manage the discomfort and avoid making his condition worse.
More importantly, Damon had finally begun to adapt to his new life.
The memories of Cassian, his former identity on Earth, no longer felt like a distant dream. He had accepted that he was Damon Jubo now, the eighteen-year-old heir of an influential ducal house in a world where magic and knights ruled.
He had a new family, a new world, and a system that promised him possibilities he could barely imagine.
There was no point spending every morning mourning the life he had lost.
If fate had given him a second chance, he intended to make the most of it.
And that was precisely why, before sunrise, Damon climbed out of bed, dressed in simple training clothes, and left his room.
The servants he passed along the corridors stared at him in surprise.
"Young Master? You're awake already?"
"Good morning," Damon replied with a relaxed smile.
The servant blinked.
For a moment, he wondered whether he had greeted the wrong person.
Young Master Damon had never been particularly rude, but he had grown increasingly withdrawn over the years. His repeated failures at controlling mana, combined with the mockery he endured from other young nobles, had made him sensitive about his status.
Seeing him smile so casually at a servant was unusual enough.
Seeing him awake before sunrise was even stranger.
"Young Master, do you require anything? I can ask the kitchen to prepare breakfast."
"Not yet. I'm heading to the training grounds."
"The training grounds?"
"Yes. I'd like to join the guards for their morning exercises."
The servant's mouth opened slightly.
Damon simply continued walking.
Behind him, the bewildered servant remained frozen in the corridor.
Within minutes, news began spreading through the estate.
The young master was going to train with the guards.
By the time Damon reached the training grounds, the sky was beginning to brighten.
The Jubo Clan's private training grounds were spacious, with several practice areas, wooden weapons, training dummies, and a section reserved for physical conditioning.
Dozens of guards were already assembled.
Some were running laps around the grounds, while others practised sword forms or trained in pairs. Their movements were disciplined, and the sound of wooden swords striking against one another echoed through the morning air.
Damon stopped at the entrance for a moment.
He watched the guards carefully.
Unlike magical cultivation, knighthood seemed to demand something straightforward: consistent training, a strong body, discipline, and the willingness to endure hardship.
It was exactly what he needed.
His mana was obstructed, and he couldn't afford to depend entirely on magic while searching for a solution.
If he wanted to survive in Omolla, he needed another way to grow stronger.
And what better place to begin than the Jubo Clan's own training grounds?
Damon stepped forward.
Several guards noticed him immediately.
Their movements slowed.
One man lowered his wooden sword, staring at the young nobleman approaching them in plain training clothes.
Another nudged his companion.
"Is that the young master?"
"Of course it is. Who else would it be?"
"Then why is he here?"
"How am I supposed to know?"
Whispers spread through the training grounds.
It wasn't every day that the heir of an ancient ducal house appeared among ordinary soldiers before sunrise.
The young nobles of powerful families usually had private instructors, exclusive training halls, and carefully arranged schedules. They rarely joined the common guards unless there was a specific reason.
And Damon Jubo, of all people, was the last person most of them expected to see here.
For years, he had struggled with his mana and endured the ridicule of people who considered him a disappointment.
Many guards had heard the stories.
Some pitied him.
Others believed he was too fragile to undertake serious physical training.
None of them expected him to show up voluntarily.
A broad-shouldered guard with short brown hair approached him. He appeared to be in his late thirties, with a weathered face and a scar running along his left forearm. Read the latest chapters at NovelPing.
He bowed respectfully.
"Young Master Damon, is there something you need?"
Damon returned the greeting with a small nod.
"Good morning. I came to train."
The guard stared at him.
"Train?"
"Yes. I'd like to join your morning exercises, if that's all right."
The man hesitated.
"Of course, Young Master. However, our training can be demanding. Your health has only recently begun to improve, and we wouldn't want you to injure yourself."
"I understand your concern," Damon replied. "I'm not expecting to match your level today. I just want to start somewhere."
His answer surprised the guard.
There was no arrogance in his voice, no demand for special treatment, and no attempt to remind anyone of his status.
Damon simply wanted to train.
The guard studied him for another moment before nodding.
"Very well, Young Master. My name is Captain Roderick. I oversee the morning training sessions. If you wish to join us, I'll make sure you begin with exercises suited to your current condition."
"Thank you, Captain."
Roderick gestured toward the open training area.
"Then let's begin with warm-ups. We'll see how your body responds before moving on to anything more demanding."
Damon followed him.
As he entered the training area, he could feel the guards watching him from the corners of their eyes.
He ignored them.
He hadn't come here to impress anyone.
He had come because he needed to become stronger.
And for the first time since arriving in this world, he was ready to take responsibility for his own progress.
The previous afternoon, however, the Universal Desire System had presented him with two unexpected quests.
One concerned the path he was about to begin.
The other was considerably more embarrassing.
Damon had a feeling his new life was going to be far more complicated than he had imagined.