My sunshine

study 01

He suddenly snapped his fingers close to my face, snapping me out of the tornado of thoughts swirling in my mind.

"Focus," he said sternly. "Did you even hear a word of what I just said?"

I instantly felt guilty. "Sorry," I muttered, my voice soft with regret.

He sighed, exasperation clear in his tone. "Just listen from now on. I know I'm saying a lot, but you need to focus. There are many things you need to learn, so stay with me."

And that's how my studies with James began.

"Open the book to your left," he instructed.

I picked it up and read the title out loud. "The History of the Nation." The book was old, its cover worn and faded. It had to be over a thousand pages, heavy in my hands.

Then he continued, "We'll start from the beginning. Open to the third page."

Before I could even question it, he interrupted me. "Before you ask, this one page still holds a lot of mysteries to this day. This book was written 300 years ago."

That piqued my curiosity even more. I opened the book and began reading.

"To the visitor who saved us, to the ruler who led us to prosperity and peace, always remembering you."

At first glance, I didn't understand why he said it was still a mystery. It seemed like a normal paragraph. Then it hit me.

"Did you notice?" he asked.

"The visitor!" I exclaimed.

"Exactly," he nodded. "Why did they use that word? A visitor from where? Was it a different city? A kingdom? Was he even human? Or another species? Some legends claim he wasn't even from this world, but from another entirely. And remember, he was the first ruler of our kingdom—the one who united us after the Great War."

"And then I remembered Margaret's conversation. Could he be another transmigrator like me? The one who came before? Someone who also had a mission here?"

Before I could finish the thought, he snapped his fingers again. "Focus," he said sharply, pulling me back from my mental detour.

He continued, "Before this ruler came, life here was pure chaos. It was a living hell for everyone. Humans, elves—every race was caught in a constant state of war. There were no alliances, no unity. Everyone fought for survival, tearing each other apart. It wasn't just petty skirmishes; entire villages, towns, and even races were on the brink of extinction."

His words painted a grim picture. I imagined a world where trust was shattered, where no one could find peace, and every day was a battle just to live.

"Before all this," James continued, "humans were the weakest among all the species. Our ability to 'awaken,' which today is common—everyone awakens at five years old—was once incredibly rare. Back then, you'd be lucky to find one person in a hundred who awakened. And even among those, not everyone had a power strong enough to survive. The few who did were often seen as threats by those in power, making humans weaker and more isolated over time."

His words made my skin prickle. I imagined a time when humans were even more vulnerable, struggling against the stronger species.

"Then one day, war broke out," James said, "and humans found themselves enslaved by other species. We became pawns in their battles, treated as little more than tools of war."

He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "But then, as you already know, the visitor—our first ruler—united all the humans. Through his intelligence and power, we didn't just fight back—we dominated the other species. I won't say we won the war, but we finally forced all the countries to sign a peace treaty. That was the turning point."

He leaned back slightly, his eyes shifting to the old, worn book on the table. "Afterward, he built the kingdom as we know it today. He ruled for another eighty years before he disappeared. Some say he died, but the kingdom didn't want to sadden the people. Others say he chose to travel the world. Some even believe he returned to his original home—wherever that may be. What we do know is that we owe him everything, and he will always be our first ruler."

Curiosity got the better of me. "What was his power?"

James hesitated, a rare crack in his confident demeanor. "We don't know. No one does, actually. It's just mentioned that he was incredibly powerful. Some old texts even hint that his true power was..." He stopped, looking at me for a second as if considering whether to continue. Clearing his throat, he said, "Well, he was strong, and that's all you need to know for now. You'll study this in more detail when you're older."

That felt suspicious. Why stop there? Was it something I wasn't supposed to know yet? A secret too dangerous for someone like me? His hesitation only made me more curious.

"For now, you need to read this book and learn a little about our life back then. That part's for you to read on your own later," James said, handing me the heavy book. "But first, go to the middle—around page 500, or 480-something."

I followed his instructions, flipping through the pages until I found the section he was talking about.

"You'll find here a detailed description of all the other species that participated in the Great War and their unique characteristics," he explained. "These aren't just facts you need to know; you must memorize them. Don't forget a single detail about those parts. We have many books on this subject, but we'll start with this one."

His voice took on a more serious, almost reverent tone as he continued, "Even if time changes, their way of thinking as the 'most noble creatures' won't fade. It's something every noble must understand. The war may be over, but it wasn't the end of all conflicts. And even though they see themselves as superior beings, remember—we are now the nobles of this kingdom. We must never bow our heads to any of them."

The pride in his voice was unmistakable, and it stirred something inside me. It wasn't just about learning history; it was about understanding our place in the world, about upholding a legacy that had been passed down from the kingdom's first ruler. This knowledge, this awareness, wasn't just a lesson—it was a duty.

Hello, sunshines! 🌞

Here's a new chapter for you! I'll be doing my best to update as quickly as I can. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you for your support!

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