I was walking back home happy, having accomplished a great victory for myself. Just a few hours ago, I had completely taken control of a very powerful fortress from enemy hands. The keyword here being “I”. The fortress is mine. Not my family’s. It’s mine. They don’t know about it despite it being in their land. The fortress is mine, and it will stay that way until my parents find a trail of corpses leading back to the gates.

As I said before, the fortress was manned by enemy hands, more specifically bandits. Bandits, the very same group that was disrupting the power scales in the kingdom. When I found them hiding in my future territory, I was furious. However, now I see it more as a boon.

I didn’t kill all of them. No, I left some alive and inside the fortress. Usually that means I abandoned the fortress. That would be true if they weren’t under my control. See, loyalty is hard to come by. You can obtain in one of three ways. Social bonds, material goods or, my favourite, fear.

Long story short, I confirmed their loyalty to me. I had them remove their tattoos that signified they were apart of the bandits. I didn’t help them though. They had to do it by themselves, with a knife. I’m not that malicious, I wouldn’t make them spend days tearing their skin off. No, I let them use their weapons. I needed to get them to work after all.

You see, the bandits had uncovered a large reservoir of blood crystals inside that mountain, something my family had never known, despite this land being in our territory (or rather my mother’s family’s territory) since the establishment of their lands. I should have assumed as much because of the various huts in the walls, which I assumed were for housing but also doubled as mineshafts.

It also made sense why the captain had those weapons and why there was so much gold in his room. It was a costly, but worthwhile operation and if the bandits had completed their mission, they would have left theses lands truly desolate and gained thousands of new powerful weapons against mages which were the kingdom’s main force.

Unfortunately for them, I happened to stumble across their little operation and because their plans coincided with mine, I had to shut it down. Now, under my control, they will send messages to their bandit lords, pretending that everything is well while all the rewards they are supposed to be reaping go towards me. Eventually, this won’t continue to fool them, and they will send men over here to investigate but I don’t need to worry about that now.

Currently, the bandits are now my slaves. Working day and night, mining those crystals. They are self-sufficient as well. They hunt in the woods by themselves for food. With their self-sufficiency, I wouldn’t need to check up on them for days, maybe even months. That gives me time to settle other matters, however, it also gives them time to plan an escape.

So, I left a little something behind to make sure they don’t try and run away. My trump card to be exact. Two of them. I can guarantee that they won’t be gaining their freedom any time soon. I could have also left one of my angels but that’s just overkill. No need to make them religious.

I reached the edge of the forest, oblivious to the world around me. I could hear a “There he is!” in the distance. I paid it no attention. I just continued to walk forward. I then found myself surrounded by guards and it was only then was I brought back into this world.

Guard #1: “Aenios! You’re all right!”

Of course, I’m all right. No one… Nothing in this part of the country can even stand a chance fighting against me! Unless you count those above the clouds but that could technically be called another domain. Arrogance aside, the guards looked awfully worried, as I know, worry is contagious. I started to ponder all the reasons why they would be worried in the first place.

Guard #2: “Today is your play-date with young miss Amelia!”

Ah. Yes. I guess I had gotten wrapped up in my recent winnings a little too much. Hmm… lets see, what’s a good excuse?

I rushed to the fortress without a moments delay. My sister carried the element of fire. Fire was always correlated with passion and anger. My sister embodies both and represents the element more than anyone. That and her magic power is very strong as well.

Since I was running, I got to her room very quick. I didn’t realize it was her room until I saw her in it. Let’s just say, it was more than a little disfigured. Scorch marks covered the walls, the windows were tinted black and all the furniture was burned to dust. Even her favourite bed was gone.

There she was, crying in the middle of all the carnage. Every time she let out a whine, another burst of flame would extend from her body and smash into a nearby surface. She doesn’t lack control of her powers. She has very good mana manipulation. This wasn’t a child’s temper tantrum either. She’s only two years younger than me. Two years and she’d have to take the entrance exam for the MCBA as well.

I rushed towards her, where many bolts of flame started to fire towards me. I instinctively put up a shield and I easily block all of her attacks. The nerve! To think you would actually strike your older brother? Sometimes, I feel this persona I created only holds me down. But I can’t break it now.

The firebolts get stronger as I get closer to her, each one coming closer to breaking my shield. The guards do nothing but watch from outside the room. Hopefully, they won’t do that if an assassin with powerful magic comes along.

Just as my shield is about to break, I reach the middle and start rubbing her head. She immediately stops crying and a smile forms on her face. Cheeky little…

Amelia: “Aenios! Your late.”

Her tone sounded happy for the first half, then dropped to a threatening demeanor. I have a high tolerance for things, but I’m really starting to lose patience with her. If she wasn’t family… no, if her death wasn’t a problem for me, then I would have killed her a long time ago. But her dying will only ruin my plans. Her presence in this family is that of the youngest child. Her attention seeking behaviors are only natural, although they are sometimes a little too eccentric.

Aenios: “Amelia, I had only gone out to find you a gift.”

Her eyes started to sparkle after I said that. She’s materialistic, like me. She’s actually very similar to me in a lot of ways. A fake persona, manipulative behaviors… she’s only missing a cruel heart. If she was willing to go to the extremes I am willing to do, then she would have made a perfect replacement. That and if she was chosen.

Aenios: “I found this when I was traversing the forest. It was lying there, in the middle of a small pond. Be careful with it.”

I unveil a small piece of bloodstone. I had delicately wrapped it in silk as it was the only material I had when I decided to take some back home. No one but me and the bandits know about the bloodstone mine. So, as it stands, bloodstone is still an extremely valuable material. Her reaction of absolute joy wasn’t unfounded.

Aenios: “Do you know what this is?”

Amelia nodded, her eyes fixated on the glittering gem. I don’t think anyone could pull her away from this expensive piece of rock.

Aenios: “Then you know simply touching it can ruin your future? Make sure you keep it in this silk at all times. Otherwise, you might find yourself manaless.”

She quickly grasped it from my hands and placed it on window sill. The rays of light seemed to be absorbed as they got close, but it only made the gem glow brighter.

You’d expect someone like her to be clumsy, but she was meticulously careful when moving it to the table, despite her rush. Maybe she thought I would take it back or something.

Aenios: “Your happy now?”

She turned around and smiled. “Yes!”

Aenios: “Great.” I turned around as well and started to leave. Ah, a job well done.

Amelia: “Where are you going? We sill haven’t had our play date. You promised me!”

I groaned. I walked back into the room. What a waste of a perfectly good material. I was hoping if I gave something like that to her, she would be too absorbed to annoy me. I guess not. I was going to study it too! Now I lost both that and precious time.

I could only brood internally as I suffered through hours of boring, endless chatter.

---

A few days had passed since my unlucky encounter with my sister and the entrance exams were only a day away. Seeing as I had time, I decided it was time to go check on the bandit camp. These past few days were purely me training my abilities. Of course, my abilities are as strong as it gets, but that’s if I’m not pretending to be weak. Controlling how much mana you put into a spell is unbelievably hard. At least for me. My family seems to be able to do it just fine. I guess this is the curse of having too much power. Being able to contain it all.

Anyway. I left, this time without guards as I had convinced my mother that I wouldn’t go far into the forest and that I would always come back before sundown. She was tough to argue against, she’s stubborn but I prevailed in the end. My natural charisma is very high after all.

The walk through the forest was brief, I didn’t take any detours, nor did I stop to torture woodland creatures. I walked straight the to cave.

Aenios: “Ah, just the way I left it.”

Two ten-foot humanoid creatures made out of light stood in front of the entrance, guarding it. As I approached they started to kneel before me. I don’t remember these things being able to talk, or make sound for that matter, but they are very reliable and are clearly stronger than any creature here in this forest. Including those bandits,

I entered the cave, happy to see that progress was going well. The slaves… bandits were mining relentlessly. Large piles of blood crystals were forming around the cave. As I walked closer, I could see sideways glances, faces full of fear and resentment look my way.

Those glares only fuel my ego. They will me with joy. There was only one man who wasn’t working. He wore better clothing and had an intricate pair of glasses. Instead of mining like the others, he was yelling at the other bandits. I approached him, curious to see his excuse for his absence of work ethic.

Bandit Coordinator: “Ah, hello Master Aenios.”

My eyes went wide. I immediately released my chains which wrapped around him before he could react.

Aenios: “How do you know my name?!”

The bandit only chuckled, despite the chains crushing his lungs and neck. He took out a piece of paper from his pocket. Looking over it, I recognized it as the bandit’s secret message system. I recognized the insignia after looking through the bandit captain’s notes.

Bandit Coordinator: “D-don’t *cough* worry. I-I’d never betray someone as strong as you.”

I don’t usually fall for flattery, but I could sense no lies behind his voice. It seems he was being truthful. Being such a great liar myself, I can tell when one isn’t being completely honest. I released him from my grasp. He fell to the floor gasping for breath.

Aenios: “I assume you took it upon yourself to organize this mess?”

He popped back up and adjusted the glasses on his face. He seemed knowledgeable, at least more than the rest of the human filth in this cave.

Bandit Coordinator: “Yes! When I had arrived, I was kidnapped by your two friends out there and when I saw the dire status of this operation, I used my intelligence to fix it up a little. The filth was starving because there was no order to how they hunted. They left when they wanted and came back when they got food. Your two friends weren’t very happy with that and killed those who were gone too long. We know because some of the hunters saw the bodies out there.”

It seems the sentinels are doing their job properly, but what about this man? He does seem useful.

Aenios: “So tell me, where did you come from and why are you here?”

Bandit Coordinator: “Of course, I forgot the introductions. My name is Albert Weber. I came from a nearby bandit establishment to check up on the progress of the blood crystal mine. Of course, when I arrived, I was more than a little shocked to see the light sentinels out front and me. The rest happened as I had explained.”

So he was also a part of the bandits? Interesting. It seems I can get some useful information out of him. I can also confirm that he’s extremely bookwise. Not many can name those sentinels and even fewer from a criminal gang.

Aenios: “And what of this “organization” you’re doing. How exactly did you convince these ingrates to follow you?”

Bandit Coordinator: “Its very simple. I just overpowered them. No one here is very strong, at least compared to the members of our organization and for the operation, well that was simple. I set priorities and followed them out. These men don’t do well without a leader, they’re too stupid to know how to care for themselves and too greedy to work together for their own benefit.”

Bandit Coordinator: “Take the food situation for example. Your sentinels would hunt down any bandits gone too long. The bandits would walk out and die because of their sloppy tactics. So I told them to go out together, ever single bandit hunting and returning before the limit ended. Even if one couldn’t find any food, the rest would have collected some fruits or hunted some animals in the meantime, meaning there was always food for all the bandits, sometimes extra. The extra going to a food storage in preparation for winter or a possible siege. Maybe both!”

He talked quickly, his words perfectly pronounced despite the speed they were flying out of his mouth. He was learned, and his teacher wasn’t some commoner. His education was high class, I wonder how he ended up in the bandits in the first place.

I opened my mouth to speak.

Wonderful. So I imagine that things are running smoothly under your command?

Bandit Coordinator: “To the best of my ability, of course, your intelligence and plans would far surpass whatever I’ve done thus far.”

Smart and a suck-up. A lethal combo. This man is very useful. I don’t know how many times I’ve internally praised his intelligence or usefulness but its only because of how perfect he seems to be. There’s only one last question I have for him. Something that confuses even me.

Aenios: “Why? Why are you so servile towards me? You’ve never even met me.”

He chuckled. “Let me tell you something about myself young master. I follow strength, wherever it may take me. Strength and ambition. That’s how I ended up with the bandits, I found someone worth following with dreams full of hope. I would have followed them till the end of my days, until I heard of you. I had not seen you, but through whispers and talk, I began to admire you. A noble boy, someone who wields phenomenal power at his age, able to subdue an entire band of bandits, someone who could summon powerful giants who literally glow. I knew that I would find no other being stronger than you. You will be my master, from now and until eternity. That is, until I find someone stronger.”

He words hammered the nail in the coffin. I’ve never had someone praise me so… wonderfully! I was bought over. I needn’t need to worry about his trust. It seems that I’ve gained an extremely powerful ally today. Someone who will be by my side in my conquests.

I had never experienced this before. Someone I could fully trust. I don’t know why. His story is sketchy, and he literally said if he found someone stronger, he would abandon me, but I was still ecstatic. For years now, I’ve maintained this horrible façade of mine, unable to show my true self because there was no one I knew I could place my full confidence in. No person at least…

Maybe I’m overreacting, but ruler knows this one dogma of becoming a leader. ‘He who can place his full trust in any one man is he who can conquer the world.’

Aenios: “Alfred Weber. Your fanatical ideals and bizarre ways of looking at the world have truly impressed me. I name you overseer of Bloodstone Fortress. I know even in its horrible condition, you can fulfill the name I bestowed upon you.”

Alfred bowed down. “For my master.”

With a satisfied smile I left. I started to hover, with confidence I could trust him. I watched him wave and smile as I flew back over the wall.

As soon as I was far away from the fortress I threw up. Oh god that encounter was disgusting. The things he made me say… well, not say exactly, but think.

Yes. That man, I don’t understand how but he read my mind while we were talking. At first, I was suspicious. How did he exactly know my name? Obviously, he would be given information of the lords who ruled over the lands here but how did he know that I was the person who summoned these things. Well, before I summoned my chains. The bandits ‘rumors’ while descriptive still wouldn’t allow him to have enough information to peg me as the almighty being I am.

That wasn’t enough for me to investigate my suspicions, so I carried on. Then, there was another incident. “Filth.” I had used that word in my conscious thoughts to describe the bandits. Lo and behold, the moment after, he had used that word in sentence. Awfully strange wording for a man who called the bandits BANDITS for the rest of our conversation.

It was then I decided to test him. I opened my mouth to speak but let no words come out. Instead, I ‘thought’ what I wanted to say and sure enough, he responded with a proper answer. A tricky fellow but he really isn’t anything comparable to me.

However many times he lied to me, I can still make use of him, especially when he thinks he’s controlling me. I won’t let his expertise go to waste. I just have to make sure I don’t give him enough freedom. Otherwise, he might slink his way out of my grasp.

For now, I should be fine. I like to deal with potential problems when they occur, worrying about the future will only ruin the plans I’ve set out. For now, I should return and sleep.

Because tomorrow, I take my entrance exam.