Maximus gazed into the mirror, trying to come to terms with the fact that he had transmigrated into a new body in a world of fantasy.
However, he was fortunate enough to be born into a noble family, as the son of a Count.
Their territory was the largest in the kingdom, but most of it was barren land without mineral resources or arable land.
But his good fortune was short-lived, as he was forced to confront the harsh reality of his new life.
The memories flooded his mind, as he remembered the attack by the cultists that had taken the lives of his parents.
His father, a Tier 3 Earth knight, had fought valiantly to protect his mother and him but he ended up dead in the end with his mother.
Fortunately, he had been rescued by the guards and managed to survive, but his parents had not been so lucky.
They had failed to wait for the rescue that could have saved their lives, and the burden of their loss now weighed heavily on Maximus’s shoulders.
Maximus found himself in a world where gods and extraordinary power existed.
It was a daunting thought, and he couldn’t help but feel like a weakling in the face of all this power.
At 19 years old, he was already an adult, but he was still only an apprentice magician and had not even entered the official ranks yet.
The knowledge that there were beings more powerful than him was overwhelming.
As he was reminiscing on his thoughts, a new change caught his attention.
A blue screen appeared in front of him, with the words “Family and Power System Activating….”
After a while, the whole thing loaded up, coupled with information about the system.
[System initialized]
[User: Maximus Shadowcrest]
[Strength: Tier 0 – Apprentice Mage Level 5 (3/16)]
[Potential: Rank 0 – Trash (0/1)]
[Wife: 0]
[Children: 0]
[Gold: 0]
[Mall]
The system was about building his family and making more children.
The function was simple – after every wife he had, he would receive gold points every day depending on their strength, and having children would give him potential points every day that he could use to upgrade his potential
There was also a mall system where he could spend the gold points he obtained.
He was surprised to see a wide array of items available, including magical tools, rare artifacts, arrays, and runes.
There was everything he could think of, from the most basic wand to the most esoteric knowledge, and there is even basic materials for living like food, raw minerals, all kinds of wood, and such.
As he checked his system, there was a knock on the door.
“Young master, are you alright?” The steward of their manor, Gerald, came in.
Gerald was the one who took care of everything in this castle.
“I’m fine, How is everything?” Maximus asked.
“There was chaos in the city, but it was quickly suppressed by the guards, and the cultists who attacked you and your parents had escaped after the guard rescued you” Gerald replied.
“So it is… alright, you can leave me here to think this through,” Maximus said.𝑜𝑽xt.𝗈𝑚
Gerald hesitated for a moment before speaking, “Young master, I am truly sorry for the loss of your parents. They were both brave and loyal to the end.”
Maximus nodded silently, still in the process of accepting his new status.
“As for the future, please know that I will do everything in my power to support you in your new role as the Count of Shadowcrest,” Gerald continued, his voice full of concern.
Maximus appreciated his butler’s care and concern. “Thank you, Gerald. I know I can count on you,” he replied, trying to sound more confident than he felt.
Gerald bowed respectfully and left the room, leaving Maximus alone to process his thoughts and emotions.
After Gerald left, Maximus started to think about his situation. With this system, he could gain more power as he built his family, but he needed to start somewhere.
He was but a weak chicken, but he knew he had to be stronger to protect his family and territory from any danger that may arise.
Maximus inherited the position of count from his father and had access to more resources than most people.
However, arranging a marriage with the nobles was complicated, and being poor, no one would seek him out.
Despite being a count, the land he inherited was somewhat barren.
This was because his grandfather had acquired the title of a baron by using his strength in war, and he was given this land as a result.
But when his grandfather was promoted to count, the previous king had already passed away.
So when he was promoted to a count, the new king not wanting to see an old remnant rise, just circled the map to make the scope of the territory bigger.
But those were just wastelands without any value.
Maximus continued to explore his new system, browsing through the mall to see what he could purchase with his gold points.
As he scrolled through the categories, he stumbled upon the section on books.
He clicked on the section, and a new window popped up. There he first saw books about basic knowledge in the Etherealium realm, Alchemy, basic spells, basic runes, meditation methods, forbidden magic, and many more.
Maximus spent hours browsing through his system, taking notes, and making plans for his future.
He noted that everything is expensive, and based on the conversation 1 gold point is equal to 1 gold coin.
After a while, he closed his system and went to explore his new home.
The castle was huge, with dozens of rooms and corridors that he had yet to explore.
He wandered around, marveling at the luxurious decorations and intricate designs.
As he walked, he met some of the servants and guards of the castle.
They greeted him respectfully, but he could sense a hint of fear and uncertainty in their eyes.
He knew he needed to earn their trust and prove himself as a capable ruler.
The next day, Maximus went to the meeting hall and was greeted by a group of officials, including the magistrate and the head of the guards.
“Welcome, young Count Maximus. We are deeply sorry for your loss,” the old officials said, offering their condolences.
Maximus nodded. “Thank you for your kind words. However, I am here today to discuss some pressing matters regarding the state of the city and our territory.”
The officials looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to continue.
“As you all know, my parents were killed in an attack by cultists on our way back to the territory. I am now the head of our noble family and must manage our territory and ensure our people’s safety and well-being.”
The officials nodded in understanding, knowing that the young Count had a lot on his plate.
“Unfortunately, we are facing several problems that need to be addressed immediately. Firstly, our city is facing a severe shortage of food. The barren land in our territory makes it difficult to grow crops, and we have been relying on imports from other regions. However, with the recent deaths of the count and the resulting chaos, the supply chain has been disrupted, and our people are going hungry.”
The head of the guards spoke up. “Not only that, but we have also been facing a rise in crime and banditry. After the death of the previous count, the outlaws and thieves become more daring causing more trouble than before.”
Maximus sighed. “I understand. We have a lot of work to do. But we must act quickly and decisively. I will be working closely with all of you to quickly find solutions to these problems and ensure the safety and well-being of our people.”
The officials nodded in agreement, and the meeting continued as they discussed plans and strategies to tackle the various issues plaguing the city.
Maximus felt a sense of confusion and uncertainty as he left the meeting, knowing that he had a lot of work ahead of him.