"This place is the mansion for the Lord of this town. And that is you!" said a tall woman with black silky hair flowing beyond her back. She had fair skin, black eyes, and a beautiful long face.

  She stood at the center of the mansion hall, as her eyes glazed over the dusty place. On the ceiling were numerous spider webs and big spiders the size of a fist.

  The woman turned and glanced at the mansion door with a smile and said, "I read through ancient records that one of our ancestors started from here. He built this mansion and hid in this forest, he mined here. Even after he left, he sometimes came back and spent some time chilling and reminiscing about the past!"

  Her eyes were glued on a boy who wasn't over 12 years old. However, he was tall with black hair, black eyes, and fair skin, just like his sister. His face bore a frowning expression, undoubtedly not happy about the situation.

  He opened his small mouth and whispered, "I passed the exam!"

  As if she didn't hear him, the woman walked to the door that was facing her. She pushed it, or to be precise, a force pushed it as she was covered in an invisible field that protected her from even the air in the place. Even her feet, which seemed to be walking, were stepping on air just inches away from the wooden floor.

  The boy followed her in, he too was covered in the same force. His arrogance and disgust were vivid on his face, but his angry gaze at the woman was more pronounced.

  "This will be your office. Hmm, a place where you discuss matters of the town with some officials!"

  "I passed the exam. I excelled at it. Better than anyone!" he muttered, more audible than before.

  The woman walked around the table before she exclaimed, "Our ancestor was magnificent. This will help you in your journey, my little brother."

  The table was 150 centimeters long and 50 centimeters wide. It was made with polished oak wood and inlaid with some bronze at the edge. On top of it was a water-soaked rotten section that swelled and deformed like hundred-year-old wood. But if one looked deeply, they would see that there was faintly a map of the town on it.

  "There are some secrets that you need to discover yourself," she said naturally with gladness in her tone. She now believed her brother would have it easier.

  The boy glared at her and the piece of the ancient artifact but didn't say a thing.

  She walked back to the hall and said, "There are secret passages in that office of yours that may lead to different parts of town and the mansion itself. Come, let me show you upstairs!"

  The boy reluctantly followed her and also endured her lecture. They entered every room in the mansion as she explained that any furniture he saw was an artifact and he should not get rid of it.

  After the tour, they came back to the mansion hall and she faced him attentively. Her black hair refracted red sparkles and minor blue hues. "The people are your assets. Remember to treat them well!"

  "I have the highest score in the known generation. Better than you and anyone else!" This time his tone was loud, and the mansion tremored, but in the undertone, there was a hint of a trembling voice as if he was about to cry.

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  His eyes were red, and his fists were clenched; he was barely holding his anger.

  As if she didn't notice that, she came close and tapped his shoulder. That made his face contort into a fit of extreme anger, and he tried to shout but failed. His body swayed, and he fell to his knees.

  He was now touching the dust-covered floor. He was now breathing the dust-filled air. He was now basking in the dust-covered atmosphere!

  He wasn't angry anymore but in shock. He raised his head and looked at her; she had a sweet smile on her face as she looked down at him. The boy assumed she was mocking him as she didn't even bend her head down; rather, her eyes were looking down as if he was a vermin before the queen.

  In his entire life, he had never kneeled to anyone, and neither had anyone ever looked at him that way. But now, here he was, kneeling!

  "Why!?" he croaked. His voice broke as his mental faculty held the tears threatening to roll down his cheeks.

  "Interesting. The high and mighty Adam Leander Escander will cry before me. It's good since I'm your elder sister. But what will those vermins... I mean your people say if they saw you kneeling before me?" she sarcastically mumbled.

  Adam Leander Escander tried hard but failed to hold back his tears. This was the worst humiliation he had ever undergone, and the fact he was sheltered since childhood meant his mindset had never crumbled like this.

  All this while, he was hoping this to be his parents' plan to agitate him, but hell no. He was in the lowest place and also given the worst title that he had ever imagined to have.

  Drip!

  Drip!

  Drip!

  More than ten drops of tears landed on the mansion floor before he managed to hold his emotion, stand up, and look at his sister.

  Her face had changed; now that he was breathing with the lower life forms, she had no respect for him.

  "Congrats. You are now known as Adam Eskander, the town lord of... I don't know the town's name. Anyway, don't ever refer to your name with my family. Not until you've married the Great Emperor's Princess."

  "I passed the--!"

  "So what? Do you think we will step down for you? Or do you want Duke to give you the Throne just because you scored better than him when he was little?"

  "He forced me into this?" Adam asked as he gritted his teeth, his fist still clenched.

  "No. He doesn't even know you exist!" she said with a smile.

  The shock was written all over his face. How could that be possible? No way their oldest brother doesn't know he exists, right? He had met him before. Not that he interacted with him.

  "To get your lazy ass from the bed, you need a little push. The exam is real, but the rivalry is factual, and you were never a challenge. This is your fate and destiny. Take control of it. Oh... just kill yourself if you can't handle the shame!"

  Her body began to become blurry; she then flicked her finger, and a slender sword in its sheath dropped in front of the boy.

  "I swapped your dress with that garbage, but I guess I have to give you this to kill yourself or protect yourself from something."

  "Bye, Lord Adam Eskander!" Adam's sister's voice whispered in his ears while her body had long disappeared.

  Along with her, the mansion became super clean; there was no dust on the floor or the wall, and the spiders and their webs were all obliterated. The air had become clean, but to Adam, it didn't make a difference.

  He stood there in a trance, unable to believe what had happened to him was true. He collected himself and walked out of the mansion to make a final confirmation.

  He stood in front of the mansion's double doors with rusty knobs; however, he hesitantly opened them.

  What stood before him, behind the doors below the five stairs of the mansion, were soldiers in line. There were 200 hundred of them. Behind them were 120 younger soldiers with naivety in their eyes.

  Far behind them were people in ragged clothes of different kinds. They were dirty all over, and Adam could smell their stench. Even though some were cleaner than others, to his eyes, they were all filthy.

  Their number was double the number of soldiers, and they were a mishmash of males, females, children, and old people. They all stared at him in expectation.

  Adam refused to formulate any thought about them as they were beneath him to even do that. His peripheral vision showed him another set of people.

  They might be cleaner, but they weren't different in his eyes. Ten of them wore flowing red robes; one of them held a book and another one a badge. Behind them were 10 young maidens, their eyes on the floor respectfully.

  Adam fought the urge to scoff.

  "My Lord, welcome...!"

  Adam Escander turned around to the mansion. His pace was slow and silent; he disappeared into the mansion. He left the people confused and disappointed.

  He was the most beautiful and clean person they had ever seen. His innocent face had baby fat, his skin seemed to have never been touched by the world's hardship, his black hair somehow refracted faint blue light, and his beautiful black eyes gave calm to onlookers.

  His clothes were the best they had ever seen. His overcoat was wide and long, obtained from bear skin. Underneath was his suit, black but giving out a blue color when light landed on it, and his trousers were tucked into his boots.

  He looked like he was covered in a halo, and his whole body emitted radiance and fragrance that soothed their minds.

  However, their Lord just walked back without letting them hear his voice.

  The town folks and soldiers standing were disappointed, but their Lea

  der wasn't, as he expected as much. He glanced at the Book Holder. They looked at each other in understanding.