3rd Mauc, 132.

It's been about four days since I woke up in this new, near-medieval world, and I’ve learned quite a few things. First, my name is Damian Simmons, second son of Nathaniel Simmons, the leader of Vulture's empire and Mirabel Simmons, his wife. 

I have an older brother who's already nine years old named Lucia, and he gets really, really excited every time he sees me. I don't remember jumping around when Oliver and Amanda were born, but he’s a kid, so I’ll let it slide.

My dad, the Emperor, has particularly interested me. He gave off a strong aura like you could tell he was strong but also just as smart.

He stood tall and was almost always wearing his royal garments, which hid a more than ample physique. His full black hair and beard complemented his sharp, stoic emerald green eyes and even sharper facial features.

While we aren't quote-on-quote royalty, my dad owning an empire as successful as this has pushed us into that category. Empires, from what I understand, are almost small organizations formed in a town; they help defend the town and nation and are basically only done in this nation, Giana. 

Anyone, in theory, can make one, but you'll need a large amount of income, gather servants and soldiers of your own and more than anything, have the strength to defend the empire. 

"Lucia, bring Damian over here", my mother said.

"Alright, Mom, " Lucia replied before carefully picking me from my crate.

He put me into my mother's arms, and she cradled me. She was quite a beautiful lady: long, silky blonde hair, shiny royal blue eyes, soft and light features and a smile that would light up any child's day, but I'm not really a child, so I just stared back at her deadpan.

"Damian must be such a strong baby to have not cried since after the first day".

"That's what I've been thinking!" she replied excitedly. "But it would be nice if he could show some more emotions when he's with his mommy".

My brother chuckled before sitting beside her on the bed, "I'm sure he'll turn around...eventually".

"Eventually?? I want it now!".

These guys should just leave me alone for an hour so I can find a way to off myself again, hopefully for good this time.

Another thing I've realized is that this world has magic in it, which is pretty damn cool in theory, but I still don't plan to live here much longer, so I don't know if I'll actually strive to learn it.

 From what I've seen, my mother's main elemental affinity is water and ice. The same goes for my brother, and most likely me as well, although I don't know about my dad's.

The final thing I've realized over the past few days is my eyes. From what that weird god guy said before, they're meant to decide fate or whatnot, but so far their abilities haven't reached that level yet.

The eyes have been good though; not only can I see through objects and people, I can see natural mana flowing around everyone. They come off as little balls of cotton kinda just hovering there, sometimes moving directions or entering the mana cores of people.

I can also see the mana flowing within people and their mana cores as well; everybody has a mana core, and from what I can see, it basically functions for your mana as how your heart does for your body. 

Once your mana capacity increases to the next level, you get a ring around your core, almost like a ring around a tiny planet.

Another neat skill is the ability to read and hear everything around me in clear English. At first I thought it was actually just English, but that would just be impossible by any means, so I ruled it out.

"Awww, just look at how cute he is, Lucia. He even looks better than you were".

"Ouch, Mom! You ain't even sugarcoating it. I know you're only saying it because he looks like you".

I looked up again at my mom and brother, their sheepish grins beaming into me, but I'm already tired, all these smiles, these happy moments, it never lasts, so what's the point in the first place?

My memories kept flooding back, memories of my father, my mother. They both looked at us this way; they were both filled with so much joy. They enjoyed taking care of their kids, but right after my mom died from illness, my father lost himself.

He drank every time, lost his job, stopped functioning, and before you know it, my siblings and I were being used to take out his frustration.

Eventually, my dad was reported and taken away for mental aid, as that’s what they said he suffered from and not that he was just a bastard.

We were all placed in one orphanage, but as the oldest, I took responsibility; I went on to work various odd jobs before eventually joining the military, just so I could give my younger siblings the life they deserved. 

I lost friends, lovers, my youth; I lost my life to work; I lost my life so they could have one. So why? Why did I come back to see both of my siblings dead at the hands of my so-called mentally ill father?

He had shot and killed both of them, then killed himself right afterwards.

“…He suffered from severe depression…”.

“…He should never have been let out of the hospital…”.

“…This is our fault, we should have checked in on the mental clinic…”.

None of their apologies were genuine; nothing they said could fill up the void within me.

These people don't truly love me; they don't care for me. They're selfish; they only care for themselves; they only ever see themselves. I hate them already. 

A light knock echoed through the room and knocked me out of my daze. "Madam, I brought your tea", said one of the servants.

"Come in".

“Ohh, Damian is crying a bit”, my mother teased while looking down at me.

Fuck these baby emotions.

The young servant came in holding a tray which held a few cups and a piping hot kettle. Her body blurred as she clumsily tripped on the wooden floorboard, sending hot water and various ceramics crashing down at me and my mother.

Lucia sprang into action; in one swift motion, he sprang from the other side of the bed and jumped on top of us and hit him instead.

"Oh my god, Lucia, are you okay?"

"I'm so sorry, mistress, young sir, please punish me however you see fit", the maid pleaded.

"Don't worry about it", my brother said while turning back to her. "Just pack up the stuff; I'll be fine".

After a brief moment of silence, my mom gave her a small nod, and she did as she was told. Then my older brother turned to me with a slight grin on his face that failed to mask the pain he was currently feeling. He slicked back his black hair, which had some hot water still dripping from it.

"See, Damian, isn’t your older brother cool?"

What’s with this weirdo??

END OF CHAPTER 2.