Chapter 1: Transmigration
Year 129 of the heril Era, March.
Western ti, East Coast.
This region, newly brought uhe rule of the heril Empire, is still filled with wilderness and danger.
The Seventon cil of the heril Empire issued a call for pi, which was met with enthusiasm by nobles across the nd, sparking a wave of grand expeditions.
Many sed sons and lower-ranked heirs of noble families were forced to embark on these perilous pi journeys.
A breeze blew, dispersing the hazy mist, revealing a muddy dirt road filled with water puddles.
A caravan of over a hundred people slowly moved along the winding dirt road.
The poor road ditions severely slowed their progress.
Stepping down, the faintly stinking, soft mud squelched aside, stubbornly ging to the soles, making the boots heavier.
After just a few dozen steps, the soles would be thick with mud, f oo slow down to it off; otherwise, their stamina would quickly be drained.
Fortunately, the members of this caravan were all seasoned veterans, long aced to such roads, and their skillful movements in ing the mud off their soles allowed them to maintain a slow yet steady pace.
Most of them were young men wearing light, rough clothing, mentally prepared for the long journey ahead.
They pushed ten fully loaded wooden carts, aiding the hardw mules at the front.
At the ter of the caravan, ten soldiers iher armor, wearing expressions of worry and uainty about the future, surrounded a carriage.
The carriage's door frame bore the family crest of a white magic tower, now stained with spots of mud.
This was the crest of the Serre family, a well-known family of spellcasting nobles on the Carl Pins, though unheard of on the East Coast.
A faint steered his nose, and Matthew, somewhat dazed, gnced out the window.
Matthew was a transmigrator, having been pying a game called "Are Emperor" before his transmigration.
The kingdom he established was under siege by the gods, on the brink of colpse.
In his final despair, he activated the "Destru Spell," bringing down the most hateful Death God Yegg, the Great Evil God Lathander, and the Goddess of Fate Taji along with it.
Depressed, Matthew, at the moment of his kingdom's destru, thought he would ehe character creation s for a new game, but instead, he found himself transmigrated into the world of "Are Emperor," being Matthew Serre.
Matthew acquired Matthew Serre's memories, only to discover that the reason he was reborn in this body was that it had once died.
Poisoo death!
In his soul state, Matthew Serre, unwilling to accept the fate of an early death, used a mysterious magical artifact to pray to the River of Fate, seeking a sed ce.
Fate pyed a joke on him.
Matthew Serre got his sed ce, but at the cost of his soul!
Over the few days, Matthew came to terms with his transmigration to this world, tinuously abs memories to ensure he wouldn't reveal any fws.
Because this was a dangerous world filled with spells, dragons, elves, dwarves, gods, and other fantastical beings.
Possession by evil spirits or soul usurpation was not unon, and even slightly higher-level spellcasters or priests could detect that Matthew's soul was fn!
Therefore, he had to be extremely careful!
Of course, there was another, more important reason why Matthew had been hiding in the carriage these days: to protect his own life!
To prevent himself from "itting suicide" again!
Fortunately, the inside of this carriage was equipped with spatial magic, aodating a resting bedroom, with all necessary facilities, allowing Matthew to live fortably within.
It was only today that Matthew successfully absorbed all the memories and fully merged with this body.
At the same time, Matthew also gained trol of the iance left by his predecessor.
Matthew Serre was 18 years old this year.
His father was t Serre, André Serre, an 18th-level near-legendary arist.
His mother was from the Eastern Empire, and after giving birth to Matthew, she returo the Eastern ti.
Matthew Serre was inally extraordinarily gifted.
At the age of 2, he could already cast minor spells.
At 6, he became a 1st-level arist.
He er genius on par with Carl Sass of the Carl family!
Matthew Serre should have, like Carl Sass, bee one of the most powerful beings iheril Empire—the Great Arist!
However, just a month after Matthew Serre's "genius" reputation spread.
A bizarre attack severely damaged Matthew Serre's soul, depriving him of the opportunity to advan his profession!
Before he could soar to the skies, he had already fallen into obscurity!
In the days that followed, Matthew Serre and the Serre family tried everything, using all means to heal the soul injury, but all efforts failed.
Gradually, Matthew Serre lost the full support of his family, being the "eternal 1st-level arist."
Disheartened, he grew up in mediocrity until he was 18.
He should have spent his life uhe prote of his family, with his greatest tribution being the produ of a few bloodline heirs.
Just when Matthew Serre had lost all hope, a mysterious figure approached him.
The mysterious person cimed they could heal Matthew Serre's soul and even demonstrated by g a soul-wounded professional, rest their sanity and giving them hope to advance again.
Naturally, Matthew Serre could not refuse such "help" and uatingly followed the person's guidao bee a pi lord.
The reason Matthew Serre gave to the outside world was: to tribute to the Serre family's pi efforts and to try another path.
Having endured tless praises and mockery, Matthew Serre left the family with unspeakable hope and the ridicule of others.
He was to travel several hundred kilometers eastward to the agreed territory with the mysterious person—Bay Vilge!
There, Matthew Serre thought he would embrace a new life, but the mysterious person who had been following him suddenly disappeared.
The night, Matthew Serre oisoo death, with a half-drunk bottle of poison beside him and a very thoughtfully written "suicide note."
The poisoner was so meticulous that even the handwriting was almost indistinguishable from the real thing, leaving the "awakened" Matthew utterly shocked.
Mattheent decades in "Are Emperor."
He had grown from an ordinary mage to a 39th-level Great Arist, ruling over a magical kingdom, with vast experiend knowledge.
He had defeated tless powerful enemies, hunted dragons, sughtered demons, defeated demigod liches, and even brought gods down with him.
He knew and mastered various resurreethods, but none were as bizarre as what Matthew Serre had experienced.
He smelled something very familiar.
The st of spiracy!
"Who wants me dead?"
"It definitely 't be the other heirs of the family because while they're stupid, they're not foolish enough tet someone as non-threatening as me."
"Nor should it be the mysterious person's aplices..."
"Based on the abilities shown in the memories, the person must be at least a high-level professional, and there's no need for them to gh such trouble to kill me."
"Could it be that the person who wants me dead is reted to the attacker from when I was six?"
"And they've arranged everything so perfectly, even more 'siderate' than a son!"
Over the past few days, Matthew had been carefully p aly everyone in the caravan, identifying some suspicious individuals but ultimately ruling them out as threats.
"Crack," came a sound.
Then, a mule's neigh echoed.
Mattheed out of his thoughts, gripping his staff, then slowly rexing his hold as a cold glint fshed in his dark eyes:
"Oh? It's happening again?"
"It seems the other side is already growing impatient."
"Sihey haven't chosen to attack ht, it means they must have some reservations, which means I still have a ce to survive..."
The unknown danger and dire situation did not crush Matthew; instead, it gave him a sense of the thrill of returning to a fierce battle.
"e o me see who wants to kill me!"
"And who will be whose prey!"
Outside, the cart pushers cursed inwardly, stopping iracks as they anxiously looked over.
Sure enough, a bad situation had occurred: one of the cart's wheels had sunk into a mud pit, nearly toppling the mule that was dragging it.
Fortunately, the cargo was tightly secured and did not fall onto the muddy road—no one wao taste mud-sted bck bread again.
"What are you standing there for? Quickly bring some stoo fill it, then spread a yer of gravel, and finally tamp it down with the millstone. Don't even think about sg off!"
"Old John? Where did you go? Hurry up and take a look."
Mr. Ralph, the steward, was very displeased and immediately began direg the repairs.
Old John patted the mule's neck, smoothed its mane, and calmed the long-neighing mule.
Ohe rge stones were pced i, followed by some smaller ones, Old John directed a few youo lift the wheel using levers from the cart's side.
At the same time, he tugged the mule's reins, using its strength to pull the cart out of the mud pit.
The steward, Ralph, anxiously g the sky and spoke to Old John in an impatient tone:
"You'd better be careful; if there's another problem on the road, fet about lunch!"
Bending down for a closer look, the wrinkles on Old John's face deepened, and after shaking his head, he said:
"The axle is cracked. It'll o be repaired before we move on; it'll take about two hours."
"Two hours? Then we won't make it to Sweetwater Town by noon. That's not acceptable!"
Ralph shook his head hurriedly, displeased. He bent down to ihe cra the axle, ched his teeth, and walked towards the carriage in the ter of the voy.
The steward suppressed his nervous thoughts, gently knocked on the door, and whispered:
"Master Matthew, the cart ahead has some issues and wo hours of repair."
"Should we tio Sweetwater Town so that we arrive by noon and have lunch with Baron Carlisle?"
Matthew was just about to open the door when a fsh of light appeared in his vision, and a familiar interface popped up in front of him.
"Activate the choice of fate: Choose to leave (Misfortune 5), Choose to stay (Fortune 4)."
A slow-paced farming novel.
A braory of an arist.
