Fwoomp!!
Richard jumped onto the king-sized bed. "Ough," he moaned, enjoying the fluffiness of the luxurious material.
"I can't hate him if this will be my life now," he thought, referring to the genie.
"A new life..." He reached out his hand toward the waterfall chandelier that hung several meters above him, stationed at the center of a mural depicting a magnificent purple nebula.
The chandelier beautifully reflecting the nebula's vibrant colors.
"All my plans for the old world gone down the drain." He retracted his hand, clenching it into a fist, only to release it as he lay spread-eagled on the bed.
"Sigh, well I should do something here as well... But first—" He jumped up, now sitting at the edge of the bed. "I need to get a bath."
His eyes darted around the luxuriously decorated bedroom, floored with snow-white woolen carpet that harmonized beautifully with the cream-colored table and chair in the corner.
A sectional modular sofa sat at the foot of the bed.
"That should be it." His gaze halted on the translucent frosted glass—sure it was the bathroom.
He walked toward it, whistling as he took in more of his surroundings.
A room meant for a king.
A dream come true.
He entered the bath, closing the frosted door behind him, silence replacing his presence moments ago.
Cling! Cling!
The chandeliers slightly shook, responding to the shifting shadows within the nebula mural.
The shadows slithered like snakes, creeping into the seam between ceiling and chandelier, then vanishing into the building's pipeways.
After a couple more turns, it slowed, arriving at the feet of a silhouette, merging with its shadows.
"He is truly recovered..." A hoarse voice sounded in the darkness, eerie and full of suspicion. "Did the Patriarch help?... I have to find out"
Footsteps echoed in the dark as he walked.
Creak!!
The door opened, brilliant light quickly rushing through—yet too bright to determine the features of the individual, except for his grey hair that fluttered in the wind as he stepped out.
_____
"Wow, that was a refreshing bath," Richard said to himself as he wiped, admiring his features in the mirror.
"I need to check this place out..." he thought to himself as he left the bathroom, quickly throwing on a jogger and T-shirt, "Wow, it comes with its own cooling," he thought, a cool sensation enveloping him as he dressed.
The hybrid technology of magic and fashion—only the rich and affluent could enjoy.
Ready, he decided to step out, opening the door only to find Kaida standing behind it, poised to knock.
"Oh, I was just about to get you..." Richard blurted out cheerfully, clearly forgetting the earlier awkwardness.
"About that, Master... The First Lady has requested a meeting with me. She wishes to discuss your health," Kaida replied, pouring cold water on Richard's plans.
"Okay... Go do your job." He paused, his eyes widening in realization. "First Lady? That means I'm not an orphan?"
"Well yes, your mother and stepmothers are still alive..." Kaida explained.
"I'll have to go. I'll tell you about them later." She excused herself, noticing the growing curiosity in Richard's eyes.
Now was not the time—the First Lady wasn't one to be kept waiting.
With that, she bowed before hurriedly stepping out into the hallway, leaving the supposed amnesiac Richard alone.
"Sigh, I guess you can only rely on yourself..." He strolled down the hallway, stopping before the magnificent painting of who he believed to be his grandfather—or at least an elderly relative—the painting of the old man on a dragon.
"So this is a world of magic and swords," he muttered, entranced by the painting's beauty.
"Well you are somewhat right," a voice sounded right beside his ear, their breath cold and stale.
Most would have jumped in fear, yet Richard remained poised, his heart threatening to burst from his chest yet his demeanor didn't falter.
"What the heck..." he cursed internally, but outwardly asked calmly, "What do you mean?"
"Wow..." the person behind him thought, stepping forward to stand at his right side.
"Young Master Richard, I am Winston Wellington, the head butler of the family." He bowed, showing his respect to the heir of the Auric family.
"Oh ok..." Richard bowed as well. "I guess Kaida has already filled you in on my situation..." he added, his gaze—even though not shifting—scrutinizing the butler.
He stood a few inches taller than Richard, about 6'1" (Richard only 5'11").
Adorned in a black traditional butler suit, tailored to fit his slim frame.
Tied in a ponytail, his grey hair complemented his neatly trimmed grey Van Dyke beard, his gaze sharp.
"Yes, she has... I am sorry for your condition. The good news is that the doctor said it shouldn't be permanent." He spoke, his hands behind his back, not out of courtesy but out of habit.
"Oh, that's good," Richard replied with a warm smile, snickering internally to himself.
He was not amnesiac, and regaining what he never had would be impossible even if given a thousand years.
"So, can you show me around? And I also have a lot of questions if you wouldn't mind answering," Richard asked.
"It will be my pleasure, young master..." Winston once again bowed to Richard. "Let me take you around the estate as you ask your questions. The first, I am sure, is who this person is..."
Richard nodded as he turned to the painting.
"The man on the dragon is your grandfather, the fifth generation Patriarch..." He huffed in a breath of air, clearly an admirer of whoever was in the picture.
With strained breath, he continued, "Charles Auric, the Phoenix..." Again he paused, his gaze losing its spark, slightly drooping as he continued,
"Though an SS-rank Awakened, he is lost to us, deciding to live in the Gates."
"Awakened? What are those?" Richard inquired, finally able to curb his curiosity.
He hadn't asked earlier as he believed Kaida would tell him eventually, yet she couldn't.
Now given the opportunity, he did not hesitate.
"Awakeners... How should I put it?" Winston narrowed his gaze as though thinking of a way to explain.
"Is he trying to find a way to dumb it down for me? Sigh..." Richard recognized the expression—an expression an elderly makes when trying to simplify something for a child to understand.
He felt insulted but understood where the butler stood; he was supposedly amnesiac, after all.
"Awakeners are like a variant of humanity, except a bit special, having a quality 40% of the population lacks—mana." He paused again, putting on the same expression.
Richard, uncaring, remained attentive.
"They are people blessed with special abilities—some with control of elements, others with insurmountable strength, some even both. They alsonhave access to the Akashic Panel, a strange system only Awakeners can use. We can even store items in it and trade when needed." He demonstrated by pulling a book out of thin air, just like Kaida's scroll—it seemed to come from an invisible wall.
"Ok, so—"
"No, young master, you are not an Awakened," Winston interrupted before Richard could even ask his question.
"I figured," Richard muttered, inferring first from Kaida's mention of man poisoning and her recall of his family.
He knew—just hoped—he had both power and riches.
"Well, riches ain't bad," he comforted himself.
"Don't be down, young master. Being an Awakened comes with its downside—all Awakeners are required to visit a Gate at least once a month, and those Gates are no joke." He pointed to the dragon and other creatures in the painting.
"It's ok, I don't care for it," Richard shrugged.
He had immense wealth, there was snow need to concern himself with trivial things like awakens, when they supposedly do their jobs for what he already has, money.
"Let's forget about this. Can you please show me around the manor? If I have more questions, I'll let you know..." Richard changed the topic.
Winston, understanding his intention, did not press further as he took the lead.
They strolled through the manor, first to the left wing, which was purposed for entertainment—a game room, indoor pools, a personal theater, and a home bar.
Richard was so entranced with the sights he didn't even ask questions.
Though he looked calm, he wore an internal grin, happy—elated even—that all this was now his.
After the left wing, they moved through the central section—a luxurious ballroom, a dining hall that could house at least 80 people, and other smaller dining rooms.
"Why so many dining rooms?" Richard couldn't help but ask, his first question throughout the stroll.
"Well, we are a dynasty. It's only right that there would be many meeting rooms. The mind works better when the stomach is full," Winston explained.
"Ok."
They then moved to the right wing, where his room was located, along with Kaida's.
There were many closed doors that Winston skipped, Richard not bothering to ask—he would find out anyway.
There was no need for rush.
The right wing seemed academic, filled with libraries, a study, and more closed doors holding secrets the butler chose to omit from his tour.
"Any questions?" Done with the interior tour, they stood at the balcony of Richard's room—the first time he had been there.
"No..." Richard paused mid-sentence, squinting his eyes to get a better look at something. "What is that?" he inquired, pointing to the strange light on the horizon, right beside the amusement park.
"That's a dimensional gate. Do you want to go there?"