Roman opened his eyes to find himself lying in a bed that was unfamiliar to him. He tried to sit up, but not being able to control his body, it took him a few tries. Feeling groggy and disoriented, he took in his surroundings. The room was small and cramped, with little decoration and only a single window that let in a feeble light. He heard strange sounds outside, but he couldn't make sense of them.
He remembered that he was reborn and came to a fast conclusion that he was currently in his new family's house.
Suddenly, the door to the room burst open, and a woman with a worried expression rushed in. She spoke to him in a language he didn't understand, and he could only stare at her blankly. She looked confused and frustrated, then left the room in a hurry.
Maximus felt a growing sense of unease as he realized he couldn't understand anything around him. He once again tried to remember if he had ever heard of a place where people spoke a language he couldn't understand, but nothing came to mind.
As he lay back on the bed, he felt a tingling sensation that spread throughout his body. He wondered if he needed to go to the bathroom. Little did he know that this sensation was the first sign of his awakening magical powers.
Over the next few days, Roman realized that his mother gave birth to him by herself with the help of a doctor. As for his current father, Roman had no idea whether he has one as he has not met him yet.
During this time, Roman tried to speak, but the words that came out were gibberish. He was frustrated and scared, but he couldn't give up. He knew that he had to figure out where he was and learn the local language. Most of the time he spent eating, sleeping, and listening to his mother's words whenever he saw her, as she was gone for most of the day.
In this fashion, Roman has spent four months. During this time, he has learnt that he is not on Earth like he thought he was. He came to this conclusion because of the magic that he saw his mom use on him when he fell down from his bed, when he wanted to crawl and explore the house.
The discovery of magic has shocked Roman because he had never heard of anything similar happening on Earth, his home planet. His world was a world of technology after all, and magic only existed in novels and movies.
Nevertheless, by now Roman had accepted this fact and began looking forward to the future full of magic, wondering if he has a protagonist talent to stand at the peak of the world. But he also obtained some newfound worries, as Roman quickly realized that if this is a world of magic, then pool might as well not exist here.
In his home world, Earth, pool was a pastime—a captivating game often indulged in by the upper class and businessmen to while away the time.
"So, what if it does not exist. Nothing is definite. If it does not, then I will simply invent it. And since there exists magic in this world, I can create a new game that would utilize magic as well. HaHaHa. I will dominate in pool in this world as well. And if there exists a mage that is so strong that he can defeat me, I will just have to become stronger and beat him. Yes. Yes! I finally have a new goal. Thank you falling star!" Excitedly thought Roman.
Over the course of these days, Roman had picked up a lot of things. He learned that his new name was Maximus Volkel, a son of Aeliana Volkel and Leofrik Volkel. His dad used to be a village chief, but he disappeared a year ago and has not returned. His mother was a strong woman. Most of the day she works in the fields and the rest of the time she looks after him and tells him children's stories.
Through these stories and Aeliana's complains about his missing father, Roman had learned parts of the language. He had also learnt his village location and neighboring kingdoms.
The empire he is currently located in is called Imperium of Seryndor. It is divided into several kingdoms and duchies, each with its own distinct culture and landscape. Roman was born in the Kingdom of Valtoria, which is located in the northern part of the empire. Valtoria is a land of snow-capped mountains, deep forests, and frozen rivers.
Roman's village is located in the northeastern part of Valtoria, near the border with the Kingdom of Arindor. The village is small and rundown, with dilapidated houses and narrow, winding streets. It belongs to a territory controlled by a powerful baron named Roderick, who is known for his cruelty and greed.
To the west of Valtoria is the Kingdom of Carathia, a land of rolling hills and fertile plains. Carathia is known for its skilled farmers and horse breeders. To the south is the Kingdom of Orlondia, a land of deserts and oases. Orlondia is home to powerful sorcerers and fierce warriors.
To the east is the Kingdom of Kharagor, a land of rugged mountains and deep valleys. Kharagor is a relatively weak kingdom, ruled by a young and inexperienced king who is struggling to maintain his power. The people of Kharagor are divided by internal strife and are vulnerable to invasion.
North of Valtoria is the Kingdom of Isenland, a land of icy tundras and frozen seas. Isenland is sparsely populated and is known for its hardy hunters and fishers.