Year 594 of the sacred calendar, at the gates of the Arcanist Academy.
He came up the last rise toward the majestic building, looked into the distance, and muttered that it was amazing. He had expected nothing less from the Empire's first academy. There were so many applicants gathered on the approach that it was simply unbelievable — a field of heads and banners and carriages stretching back down the road.
At this point the reincarnated Louis was only thirteen years old.
Behind him his mother began shouting his name, telling him to wait for her. His father confirmed how fast he was. The two of them were very tired of catching up with him.
When Luciela reached him, she leaned close and asked in a whisper whether he had taken his identification, and about his hair colour — he should make sure no one noticed. He told his mother not to worry. He had his papers, and he had dyed his hair.
"Maybe you'll change your mind after all," she said, and her voice trembled. She had heard that candidates sometimes died in there. And if someone targeted him because of the colour of his hair and his eyes, things would be very bad.
His father, Julian, said that magic was the only way to solve this child's problem. Wasn't that right, Luciela? He placed a calming hand on her shoulder and explained that this was the only academy in the northern part of the empire where commoners were permitted to sit the exam at all. They were standing at the Candria Arcanist Academy. It was the premier institution, founded by the imperial family, and one of the ten great academies of the continent.
It was where the empire's strongest grandmasters taught, and where they had demonstrated all their abilities over the past hundred years. Over that time several grandmasters had risen out of the noble houses, and most of them had trained here. So he believed this was the ideal environment for learning magic.
Louis confirmed that Julian was right. He would become a grandmaster, he would gain power, and he would take the church's orphanage into his own hands.
Luciela looked at him dumbfounded. "He's grown up so much," she said. Not only could she not manage his temper, she had also made him worry about the orphanage. She was a terrible mother.
Luciela started crying, and Julian tried to calm her, saying that she cared so much for the children and did more than enough. Louis said that he was only alive thanks to his mother, and that he was truly grateful.
In his past life he had dreamed of becoming the greatest martial artist in the world. But severe asthma had forced him to wear an oxygen mask at all times. Even his parents came to hate him for the enormous medical costs. His passion for martial arts never faded, though, and eventually it paid off. He wrote a doctoral dissertation and became a scholar studying martial arts theory.
His research contributed greatly to the development of the martial arts industry and to the revival of the old schools. But another researcher stole his work and accused him of plagiarism. It was as if a sick man who could not move properly did not deserve any fame at all. In the end even his parents abandoned him, and he wanted to live longer.
In his next life, he wanted a healthy body and a loving family. He also wanted a life that belonged to him.
So everything happened as he asked.
In the year 581 of the sacred calendar, bright sunlight fell across the city of Mantia in the empire. When he opened his small eyes, he saw Luciela standing over him, unsure what to do. They asked her whether she really meant to take this child. Let her look at the colour of his hair and his eyes.
The boy did not understand where he was, because he was supposed to have died.
This child would bring disaster down on their orphanage, they told her. But Luciela listened to no one. She wrapped him in a blanket and pressed him to her chest, saying over and over that he was an innocent child and that she could not abandon him.
From that day on, his name would be Louis Kiril.
Now he had a loving family and a healthy body. He wanted to change everything in this life.
But suddenly Luciela was struck in the back by a nasty young man who shouted at her to get out of his way. A commoner. She fell to the ground and began sobbing from the pain and the shame of it. Her husband and her son were frightened and tried to lift her up.
And at that moment the nasty young man asked, "Does he want to become a grandmaster? Why dream of the impossible?"
Louis turned to look at him. The young man expressed his displeasure at having touched a dirty commoner, and said he hoped the boy would fail. His friends laughed at the joke, and at that Louis became very angry and shouted that they were freaks.
His whole body shook with rage. He clenched his fist, ready to hit the man. But Julian caught his arm and told him to focus on the exam. Luciela asked whether he had not promised not to cause trouble at the academy. Did he remember everything they had agreed? He should simply endure this.
Louis looked at them, stunned, and tried to calm down. Then he exhaled and apologised to his mother.
"What a bummer," the young man said. He had got lucky. Trash. Now they would go and collect their exam numbers.
At that moment people started shouting that everyone should make way, because Lord Cain was coming. Everyone recognised the boy walking through with his servants. They were surprised that he actually looked the way a nobleman was supposed to look. He was almost glowing. He was the heir of the Oranka family.
Louis watched Lord Cain pass and thought about how all these people would look at him one day.
His mother took his hand and called him by name. But Louis immediately shouted out that everything would be fine, that he would definitely pass the exam and become a grandmaster. Cain, who heard this, silently turned and went on listening as the boy declared that he would study magic and show them all.
The young man who had shoved his mother chuckled at these words, and so did his friend. But Louis paid no attention to anyone. He thought only about how in this life he would become the strongest, and how he would protect what was dear to him.
Luciela watched her son go, murmuring, "Will he be all right?" Only twenty or thirty people passed every year, and this year there were as many as twenty thousand applicants. All they wanted was for this child to be safe.
Julian said that he was more stubborn than anyone else. As soon as he decided something he rushed forward and did not care what anyone else thought. They were his family, and they should support him. Luciela agreed that he was right, and so the two of them let their son go.
When Louis entered the hall, he asked himself whether this was really the examination area. Everyone here was older than he was.