Transmigration

Faerûn, 3859:

In an obscure coastal region in the north of Faerûn, there were seven fishing villages.

At first, to resist the Orc bandits who raided them every year, the fishermen decided to form an alliance and help one another. To mark the alliance's founding, Giles's shaman-king, Great Nether, even created a new calendar. Thus the seven villages, bound by their oaths, established a new nation. This confederation was named Seventon.

The Founding Era began!

At that moment, immense joy filled Seventon. People celebrated their first steps toward civilization and praised the wisdom of their king.

Before long, King Great Nether changed the country's name to "Netheril," meaning "the land of Nether." After that, Nether grew increasingly extravagant and corrupt, imposing heavy taxes on the people. The alliance members feared that Netheril would soon collapse. Resentment spread throughout Nether, calls for rebellion grew louder, and the people became deeply worried about their nation's future.

Faerûn, 3827.

At last, a poisoned dagger brought Great Nether's rule to an end...

512 years later, Faerûn, 3315:

Count Gordon Ioulaum's castle stood in a vast forest south of Seventon's royal city. He was merely a minor country noble from the surrounding area.

There were hundreds of nobles like him, each ruling over a small village near Seventon.

Viscount Gordon had a youngest son named Ioulaum Borne. In private, many people called him "the idiot"!

Not long after word reached Viscount Gordon, more than a dozen people were hanged from the castle's outer wall. No one on his lands dared speak of it again, but the humiliating nickname had already spread. The nobles in every village for miles around knew it.

Borne had been born with unusually slow reflexes. Even if he hurt himself falling, it took half a day for him to react. More than a dozen physicians and Clerics had examined him, but none could do anything about this strange affliction!

Given the tangled relationships between nobles, it was hardly unusual for babies with strange ailments to be born in Faerûn each year.

The divine magic of temple Clerics could treat wounds from blades, while some apothecaries could handle ailments like colds and fevers. For stranger illnesses, people could only hope the gods would show mercy!

Not long after little Borne was born, his mother passed away.

Even so, little Borne struggled on and lived to the age of three. Fortunately, his "condition" gradually eased as he grew older. Those who had once laughed at him were astonished, and little Borne's reputation as a child blessed by the gods spread far and wide...

Viscount Gordon wasn't particularly devout. Although he was a knight, he placed more faith in Mystra, the Goddess of Magic—faith, not worship; that would be explained later.

He had been granted his title for military service, but the greater reason was that he had a good father.

Count Ioulaum, a High Arcanist!

A spacious, brightly lit room in the castle.

Aside from the bed and table, the room was lined with soft cushions to keep little Borne from hurting himself when his slow reactions caused him to fall.

Three years had passed, and little Borne could now walk on his own. He rarely fell and could communicate normally. Viscount Gordon was moved to tears!

His physical reactions were still a little slow, though. For instance, if he saw something falling, an ordinary person could dodge before it hit, but he couldn't get out of the way in time.

Viscount Gordon had noticed that little Borne liked watching the rain. He often fell asleep while leaning against the window to watch it, so his father moved his bed beside the window.

Birdsong drifted in from the morning outside.

Little Borne opened his eyes, stretched for a while, and slowly got to his feet.

The two maids had been waiting nearby since early morning. With practiced ease, they helped little Borne get dressed.

Borne was a transmigrator, an adult soul living inside a child's small body!

After struggling through the initial "mystery of the womb," Borne gradually realized that his soul was different from those of the people in this world.

Memories from his past life began to awaken!

Those memories were vague, appearing in scattered fragments from time to time. He didn't even know what he had been called in his previous life. All he knew was that it had been a colorful, dazzling world. Devices made of steel could travel through the sky and beneath the sea. A palm-sized box could connect people across distances of thousands of miles, and its screen could show the person on the other end.

Little Borne had been able to form memories ever since birth. During his first week in this world, he had been adrift in a haze, bewildered by everything around him, when he felt the world's intense malice!

His soul was like a tiny boat caught in a storm, battered by raging winds and waves. The ordeal lasted an entire week!

Everything around him seemed to move in fast-forward. Even though he was right there in the middle of it, it felt as if he existed in another dimension.

Fortunately, as his soul and body gradually merged, Borne slowly adapted to the rhythm of this new world.

Then he discovered that, as he grew older, he could gradually recall more of his past-life memories. More importantly, his mental strength was also increasing with age, and his memory was improving.

By the time he was a little over a year old, Borne could express his thoughts clearly, even more fluently than other children his age.

He knew his improving mental strength was sharpening his memory. In his past life, he had studied a language called "English" for seven years, yet still stuttered whenever he spoke it.

With spring in full bloom, a maid opened the window, and a wave of floral fragrance drifted in. The garden lay below. This had once been Borne's mother's room; later, Borne had moved in.

Viscount Gordon had felt a very special affection for Borne's mother. After she died, he never found Borne a stepmother. That was extremely rare among nobles, whose private lives were notoriously messy.

It was perfectly normal for a viscount to have a dozen lovers or even illegitimate children, but Viscount Gordon showed no interest in the other noblewomen.

Borne made his way to the castle's study. Books of all sizes filled row upon row of shelves, neatly arranged and spotless, a sign that someone cleaned the room regularly.

Viscount Gordon and Sir John, the captain of the knights, sat beside a round table. Fine porcelain cups stood in front of them.

Borne glanced at them. It was the barley tea unique to the Ioulaum family. Most Mages abstained from alcohol, and Count Ioulaum, the High Arcanist, even forbade his family members from drinking.

The tradition of drinking barley tea had been passed down ever since. The specially made tea had become a hallmark of the Ioulaum family, and was famous even in Seventon.

"Father, Uncle John," Borne greeted them with a bow. He was a delicate-looking little boy. Having suffered through "illness" from a young age had made him more "mature and sensible."

It also made those who cared about him all the more protective.

Uncle John was officially a retainer of the Ioulaum family, but in practice, he was as close to Viscount Gordon as a brother. Compared with Viscount Gordon, who was practically useless, the captain of the knights seemed much more like a noble—and a high-ranking knight, at that!

The position of retainer was passed down from generation to generation. In the time of Borne's grandfather, Count Ioulaum's wife—Gordon's mother—had been Captain John's aunt.

His great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather had followed the same tradition: each generation of the main family had a retainer who swore loyalty and protected them!

Captain John's wife had also given birth to a baby girl a few days ago. If nothing unexpected happened, she would grow up to be Borne's protector.

"Sit down," Viscount Gordon said, pointing to a chair with a backrest.

Borne nodded and sat down, quietly waiting for his father's instructions.

"Borne, I've thought carefully about the request you made last time, and I've decided to grant it!" Viscount Gordon looked at Borne, a hint of worry still in his eyes. "You've been frail since birth. A little exercise would be good for you, but given your circumstances, you'll study reading and writing with Scholar Rodney in the morning, then learn combat techniques from your Uncle John in the afternoon."

"All right, Father!" Borne was overjoyed by the sudden good news.

Although he was ecstatic, he kept his face perfectly still. He had only hoped that exercise would help his body and mind work together better. He hadn't expected to get an early start on learning about this world, too.

He had been in this world for three years. Aside from everyday gossip among the servants and local tidbits, Borne knew almost nothing about it!

Fear came from the unknown. He desperately wanted to learn about this world as soon as possible.

Seeing little Borne looking somewhat "nervous," Captain John reassured him. "Don't worry. Starting tomorrow, the children in the castle will train alongside you."

Viscount Gordon ruffled Borne's hair and said gently, "Your Uncle John will teach you the Ioulaum family's inherited art—the Breathing Technique. Remember to practice every day. It'll be good for your body."

"Yes," Borne replied with a nod.

Just then, the old steward Walker knocked and entered. "My lord, Scholar Rodney has arrived."

"Good. Show him to the reception room. I'll join him shortly."

"Yes, sir."

Old Steward Walker withdrew.

Viscount Gordon spoke with the captain of the knights for a few more moments, took one last look at Borne, then left.

After Viscount Gordon had gone, the captain of the knights pressed several spots on Borne's body. He told Borne to watch him first, then walked to the open space in the middle of the study and began demonstrating the technique.

Borne was eager to see it. After all, it was something from another world. Surely it wouldn't be some "qigong" that was everywhere in his previous life.

Captain John knew that Borne's reflexes were slow, so he carefully recited the Breathing Technique to him, one sentence at a time. As he explained each line, he had Borne repeat it.

On the third pass, he demonstrated the details of each line as well.

He had watched Borne grow up, and aside from his strange "condition," John knew that Borne was actually quite clever and learned quickly.

But he hadn't expected Borne's memory to be so good. By the fourth time the captain repeated the technique, Borne could recite the whole thing from memory.

But knowing the method wasn't enough! If he couldn't perform it, all that knowledge was useless. And with Borne's mind and body so poorly coordinated, it was even more difficult!

The Breathing Technique had many requirements. Inhaling, exhaling, and holding one's breath all had to follow special rhythms, and there were many taboos. A beginner couldn't learn it without someone to guide him.

The technique had only one advantage: it required no specific posture. It could be practiced sitting or lying down.

The captain of the knights had plenty of teaching experience, but Borne's situation was truly unusual. Even though Borne had nearly memorized every instruction, his body simply wouldn't cooperate.

That left John at a loss. After thinking for a moment, he suddenly placed a hand on Borne's stomach.

"Now, follow the feeling," the captain of the knights said quietly.

"Okay..."

As soon as he spoke, Borne felt his control over his body slip away.

The captain's hands began to vibrate rapidly.

Borne was stunned!

He could even feel the rise and fall of his internal organs as his breathing was brought completely under control!

He knew that professionals had different levels of ability, but he had assumed that only their combat strength varied. Seeing the captain of the knights go about his daily life without making a fuss, he had never imagined he was this unbelievably strong!

Suppressing his shock, Borne focused on the sensation.

By the end of the third repetition, white steam was rising from the captain's entire body.

Borne's face flushed with gratitude. While the sensation still lingered in his body, he began practicing according to what he had felt.