The Castle's Eldest Son

Lin Ke sank comfortably into the soft, expensive velvet and let out a long sigh as a servant fanned him with a fan made from Gula Peacock tail feathers.

Cool, pleasant, relaxing.

Nothing like the way he had played the fool an hour earlier while battering Zernital, King of the Gods, to death.

He closed his eyes and thought quietly.

It's been several years since I transmigrated, hasn't it?

I'm six this year.

He had been unable to speak when he first arrived, but fortunately, the writing here was pictographic and not too difficult to learn.

The spoken language, however, had pronunciations somewhat reminiscent of Latin.

Although this place resembled his previous world, it most certainly was not that world.

Sometimes he still felt nostalgic, missing everything on that blue planet.

He worried about how his parents were doing, whether his friends and relatives were well, whether the red flag had spread throughout the universe...

Still, he had transmigrated. There was no changing that.

And the King of the Gods he had just worn down to death with math problems proved that his initial assessment had been wrong.

This did not seem to be an ordinary physical world resembling medieval Europe, but a realm of magic.

"Young master, your bathwater is ready. We've added milk from Gula Cattle, perilla flower buds, and peach-peach fruit juice."

Suddenly, a man dressed in luxurious scarlet silk entered his room and reminded him in a gentle but clear voice.

"Got it, Uncle Billy." Lin Ke opened his eyes and hopped down from the chair, walking along as the servants helped him undress.

He couldn't help it. He had gotten used to this.

This vile, decadent life under feudalism.

These clothes, clearly modeled on Western aristocratic attire, had so many layers that they were more complicated than the sweetest mille-feuille in the castle.

He had no idea how to remove any particular layer.

Ever since he had tried to undress himself at three and nearly strangled himself, he had decided he ought to adapt to this era-for instance, by accepting that this decadent aristocratic lifestyle required servants to help him take off his clothes.

If undressing was like solving some mechanical puzzle, he might as well leave it to the servants.

"Where's my mother?"

"The first madam invited her to afternoon tea."

"Someone went with her, right? My mother's safety is assured?"

"Actually, the first madam..."

"Mm, no need to say more. She wouldn't dare. I know. Oh, right, my mother doesn't know I went out to play, does she?"

"She doesn't..."

Shedding his exquisite, luxurious, yet airy clothes along the way, Lin Ke chatted with Billy until he finally reached the bathroom, twenty meters from his seat in the hall.

There was no helping it. In this vile feudal age, his bedroom came with an enormous bathing pool and a toilet. Such cushy comfort-he had to walk twenty meters just to take a bath.

Smack!

A servant tried to strip away Lin Ke's final line of defense, but Lin Ke gently slapped his hand aside.

Opening the door, the baby-faced Lin Ke entered the bathroom with his little elephant swinging.

Only the steward named Billy followed him inside; the servants waited outside.

The bathroom was large as well, somewhat like the fishponds beside flower beds in his previous life. Various pebbles lined its edges, with an inlet for flowing water at the bottom and an outlet higher up leading outside the castle.

Splash!

Lin Ke jumped in. The pool was a meter deep, just right for his six-year-old body.

The steward watched with a smile. Only after Lin Ke's head emerged and he settled against the wall to soak did Billy speak softly.

"Young master, would you like today's report as well?"

Lin Ke gave a slight nod and said in his childish voice, "Father is away. As the eldest son, naturally I should help First Mother shoulder the family's affairs. Mm, pick out the important things."

Steward Billy nodded slightly in approval, then began softly, "The maid Sophie spilled a bowl of soup, and the head maid punished her by forbidding her from having dinner. The hunters near the forest caught a wild boar, which has already been cooked in milk from Gula Cattle, with the addition of..."

"Stop! Stop! Uncle Billy."

Lin Ke rubbed his brow with his chubby little hand and said helplessly, "Important information, important information! I'm very busy today. Only the important things!"

He really did not have much time for trivial details right now!

There was still a system reward he had not checked!

Right now, he was very interested in anything magical. Hearing the important family matters would be enough.

Besides, that curse disguised as a blessing urgently needed dealing with.

"As you wish, my little master."

Billy took no offense. He placed his right hand against his chest and bowed, then considered his words. "The purchasing team wishes to make a procurement trip to the nearest city. They're on their way to the first madam's room to request permission..."

While he was speaking, a manservant suddenly ran into the bedroom and called out in panic from beyond the bathroom door, "Something terrible has happened! John said Madam has been punished!"

Mother has been punished?!

Lin Ke's eyes snapped open. He stood up in the water and looked coldly toward the door. "Wasn't my mother invited to tea by the first madam?"

"It... it was the first madam who punished her! That's what John said!" the manservant shouted breathlessly outside.

My mother has been punished?!

"Dress me!" Anger laced Lin Ke's voice. "Punished?!"

Billy's hands blurred as he swiftly dried Lin Ke and dressed him without saying a word.

Lin Ke said nothing more and hurried out of his enormous bedroom.

"The castle's future young master certainly is devoted to his mother-and sensitive..." Billy sighed. He knew perfectly well that the first madam and Lin Ke's mother were as close as sisters.

For some reason, though, Young Master Lin Ke had always been deeply prejudiced against the first madam.

After a moment's thought, Billy shook his head and went into the bathroom to deal with the milk-scented bathwater.

Lin Ke had not really bathed at all; at most, he had briefly dipped himself in. Even so, all the bathwater had to be replaced.

"Mortonke, come in and clear out all this water!"

Tap... tap... tap...

Lin Ke strode briskly over the castle's stone-tiled floor, his mind racing, oblivious to the servants bowing around him.

"What's wrong with the young master today?"

"Andrew's legs, he seems troubled."

"Andrew's legs" was an exclamation, much like "Merlin's beard" in his previous life.

The servants whispered after Lin Ke passed, thoroughly puzzled.

"The young master is so precocious. I'm sure he'll resolve it."

"Of course. The young master has the blood of Azan running through his veins."

"May glory forever shine upon the family, and may all go smoothly!"

Normally, their young master would smile and nod to them, treating them kindly. He would not rush around with such a volatile expression as he did today.

Still, the servants did not linger over the conversation. They all had their own work to do.

As for Lin Ke...

He was in a terrible mood.

I just killed some god... which means this world isn't the ordinary medieval setting I imagined...

I was even thinking about taking control of the family and conquering the world...

Now that I think about it, understanding this world's magical system matters more.

This world isn't the medieval West! Its culture, customs, traditions, writing, and all the rest are different from the West in my previous life.

And in a magical world like this, strength always comes first!

I don't have time for this damned family business. I'd originally planned to take my time dealing with the first madam.

After all, in a world where individual strength did not differ greatly, political maneuvering and intelligence were extremely important. But a world with vast disparities in individual strength was another matter.

There was also the curse. Although it would only manifest a year later, someone as weak as him would be utterly insignificant before the King of the Gods' mortal enemy.

Rather than fret over what might happen, he should look for a solution.

Besides, he had a system. Perhaps things would work themselves out when the time came.

And his mother-he hoped she was all right. Otherwise, he would never let the first madam get away with it.

I need to bring Mother back right away, then study the system and the curse.

And learn more about this magical system and ask around about it.

"Whew..."

At last, a deeply troubled Lin Ke stood before an ornate door made of blue wood and let out a long breath.

He straightened his clothes, then pushed it open with both hands.

Creak-

With that soft sound, he stepped into the first madam's room.

"Lin Ke, is there something you need?"

The moment he opened the door, a warm greeting came from ahead.

Warm? Just as I thought, beautiful women are the best at pretending... Lin Ke sneered inwardly and looked up.

An elegant, richly dressed woman sat upright in a beautifully decorated chair, looking at Lin Ke with a smile.

Her voice was full of affection.

But Lin Ke knew it was all an act!

Once!

This first madam had once tried to kill him! She thought he did not know, but his tiny body had housed the soul from his previous life.

So he knew that the delight and affection she feigned in her voice were for the benefit of the other three people present.

Three people stood beside the first madam: the armored captain of the guards, the burly head maid, and the leader of the purchasing team.

"First Mother, where is my mother?"

Lin Ke's voice was flat as his six-year-old body entered the room and he looked around.

His mother was nowhere to be seen.

Where is she?!!

"Lin Ke, I'm discussing business right now. This isn't a good time. Would you mind stepping outside?" the first madam asked with a smile.

Seeing how seriously she acted, Lin Ke frowned. "I am this castle's future heir! I have the right to inquire about any matter."

"Until your father passes away in boundless glory, you are merely the 'future' heir." The first madam smiled, narrowing her eyes, then ate a small sour berry beside her, looking perfectly at ease.

"What was the reason? The reason you punished my mother!" Lin Ke narrowed his eyes and questioned her again.

"The reason? Because she stepped into my chamber with her right foot first." The first madam gave a little snort of laughter, as though the reason had amused even her.

Her right foot first?!

Absurd!

Lin Ke did not find it funny in the slightest. His anger only grew.

Rather than respond to the first madam, he turned to the burly, hunter-like man from the purchasing team, preparing to play the trump card on which his survival depended. "Tell me, is your loyalty to Azan or to Brando?"

The Azan Family!

Lin Ke's full name here was "Lin Ke Azan."

This was Azan Castle!

And his first mother, his bastard father's first wife, belonged to the Brando family.

At the name "Azan," the hunter-like man immediately dropped to one knee with a thud and lowered his head.

"I swear to defend the glory of the Azan Family to the death, until the stars fall, the world collapses, and the laws are destroyed... my loyalty shall remain unbroken unto death."

P.S. Rolling around and throwing a tantrum for votes!