I look over my shoulders to make sure he’s not looking. Damn him. Making me study this stupid stuff. I focus on my surroundings, trying to feel the mana around me. That’s what my parents call the energy that surrounds and dwells inside us. Stupid name, I know! Could have been something much cooler like… well I don’t know, I never cared enough to give it a name.

Moving the mana outside my body, I try to focus it onto the book in front of me. Apparently controlling the mana outside of your body is a rare ability. I mean, I could do it in my old world and here it is a piece of cake. I focus on the information in the book in front of me. Then I try to connect it to my mind and absorb the information directly.

“AH”

However, before I succeed, he slaps me on the back of my head and my control over the mana disappears.

“Don’t learn like that, it is harmful to the mind to directly absorb information before the age of 10”

My father is hovering over me with his arms crossed, giving me an intimidating look. Too bad I’ve seen how mom dominates him and am not in the least impressed. We glare at each other for a good 5 minutes, before I break.

“Tch”

He is stubborn; I’ll give him that. It has been a bit over a year now. I can finally hold a decent conversation. I have been reading all the books in my father’s office and my parents make me study... allot. Although I hate the political studies my father has me doing right now, I enjoy studying about other common knowledge such as; how this world works, the cultures and the practices.

The city my family lives in is called Trygard, surrounded by four other cities just like it. They form a semicircle, facing the ocean 2km away. From left to right they are called Sifgard, Trygard, Midheim, Nidavill, and Aschheim.

There are some other smaller cities and villages that surround them, but they pretty much fall under the jurisdiction of the closest major city. My family appears to be the ruling lineage of Tryfard. We have close relations with the other five cities and rule these lands together.

Although I say that, we don’t do much ruling and there seems to be hardly any conflict at all. All we do is set some basic rules, participate in some basic governing duties and enjoy the peace. It seems we keep to ourselves and know next to nothing about the rest of the world other than ‘it’s big’. Our little semicircle of cities alone stretches several thousand kilometre! We’re a bunch of peace loving sloths.

This is not better than my last world at all! Yeah we had conflict over meaningless stuff, but at least we did something! How pointless are these people’s lives. At least invent something, or do something productive! What is our damn purpose!

I could have dealt with it and done my own thing. However because I’m of the ruling lineage, I have to do a bunch of stuff! Apparently, to make sure the new generation is qualified to keep ruling over the major cities, a test is held. They test your knowledge, strength, etiquette and character.

What the hell is up with that! I guess knowledge and character, maybe even etiquette… but strength? In our peaceful society? Anyway, because of its importance, I have to study and train all day.

I hate politics the most. I don’t care about who does what! And I don’t care to resolving other peoples problems! But my father seems determined to make me absorb all the knowledge I can.

My mother isn’t any better. She is teaching me how to behave properly, dress properly, and eat properly. She found it best to show me how it’s done, and make me follow her lead. If done incorrectly, she converts a small bubble of mana filled with kinetic energy into electricity and stings me. Although harmless, it still hurts!

At least I am mostly left alone for the rest of my studies. My control over mana is getting better rapidly. I do my own martial arts studies to strengthen my body, which is harder with the difference in physique between my last and current body. The rest of my time I spend reading all the interesting books I can find.

“Dad, I finished, can I go now?”

I try to put on my best puppy eyes, which is delightfully easy with my big glossy eyes. I swear they are made for it. This never works with my mother though, but the old man falls for it every time.

“Alright, but I want you back here tomorrow to do the rest”

Hook, line and sinker. I get up and run out the office. Time to burn off some steam. Man I forgot how great it is to be a kid! I get to the platform where I had my first flight training and jump off without hesitation. My wings unfold and the air fluctuates, pushing me forward at an amazing speed.

Not long after, I land in a large open space surrounded by buildings. I walk towards the usual spot. There is a bunch of people training in uniform clothes. This is the military facility of Trygard. My farther said we need it to showcase our power, even if we don’t use it, and just in case. Whatever that means.

“Well if it isn’t young master Icarus. Why have you graced us with your presence today?”

A Man, almost a head taller then my dad, walks up to me. Apparently everyone is around 2 meters tall, this man just looms over the rest. I look at him with a pained expression.

“Captain, why you mock me?”

The captain stops in front of me and gives me a helpless look.

“Sorry boy, you making me look bad. In just a few weeks you were able to go head to head with some of my best. These men have trained for years! If someone that isn’t even 2 years old yet beats them, how would that make us look?”

I guess that is true. I found this place about 2 months ago and asked if I could join them. At first they had mocking smiles, but let me participate because of my family. Soon their smiles disappeared, as I got to know my body better and started to beat them in physical power and martial skill.

It seems my family is actually really strong compared to other people. It is still undignifying however, for anyone from the military to be on par with a 2 year old. I thought for a moment and looked up at the captain. By the way, I had gotten a little taller, but was still only half his size.

“Then tell me, where do you normally go for actual combat training?”

I guess he didn’t like that question. He made an uncomfortable face and started to rub the back of his neck. Finally he looked at me, apparently having made up his mind.

“Icarus, come with me.”

He walked off and I followed. We went around the compound and into an office I had not been before. Should be the captains. I only ever bother to come for the workout. He closed the door behind us and gave me a serious look.

“Now I know you can handle it. But I need you to make sure nothing happens to you and if you are in danger you come straight back!”

That means I pretty much had him! I had asked the captain to take me with once before, however he refused right away. Now I just had to play my cards right.

“Of course captain, I promise”

He gave me a look and then looked away out the window. You could see the gears in his head turning. Then, for a second, he looked very uncomfortable. He turned towards me.

“Just don’t tell your mother I was involved”

I can’t help but let an evil smile creep on my face.