The woman didn't want to let go of me for a long time, until she got tired and Lilith, the sister of this body, took her to bed to rest.

  She has a very peculiar degenerative disease that is difficult to treat, which has left her in this state. Despite being unable to speak and the extreme fragility of her body, she remains conscious and still knows who she is, which is why I was the last child, according to my father.

  That disease is currently untreatable. In fact, there is no way to cure it completely or even slow it down. It can only be delayed with a medication that is fairly easy to make, but... its ingredients are, shall we say, very... peculiar.

  “Hm... they're quite expensive, you know...?” My dad looked at the list I gave him.

  We were in the storage room of the house. I was rummaging through the furniture looking for certain implements and some tools. There were several boxes, cupboards, and sacks full of farm implements.

  “And you really need all this?”

  “I would need more, but I don't want to ask you to spend too much.”

  “You've been acting very strange since yesterday, son. Are you okay?”

  Hm... a logical reaction to those words would be.

  “Well... I realized that they practically want to give it to me, and that my father hid that from me.”

  “I apologized yesterday, son, but...” He scratched his head and sighed. “Forget it. If it's going to be shocking, I'll come back later. Try not to have any kind of explosion or anything.”

  “Sure thing.” I finished rummaging around with a smile.

  I found a mortar, several glass jars filled with powder, and a few tools for mixing plants. I didn't think they had so many things, but they look too old, so I guess they belong to this old man.

  “You can work on these things in my office. No one should bother you there. It's at the back, next to your mother's room.”

  “Hmm?” I raised an eyebrow, confused.

  “Don't you remember what I told you?” Sighing wearily, he ruffled my hair. “I was a doctor in the war, son. I have a few things there that might be useful to you.”

  After saying those words, he left, but something kept echoing in my mind. War... that's right, there had been several wars during all this time.

  “The War of the Creators.”

  A war that threatened to destroy the world. Before, the world was ruled by the Titans, creators of immense power blessed by this world with the power of creation. They were responsible for creating the trees, the oceans, the earth, and finally the races that would inhabit this world.

  Then the dragons, as ancient as the Titans but with the sole purpose of ruling over the Titans' creations, since they lacked the emotions that made them feel “alive.” Envious of the destiny that was denied them and the ability to feel, like the creatures they themselves created, they ended up creating the Leviathans, enormous creatures without consciousness made to destroy. and the first war began, destroying much of the world but ending with the defeat of the Titans.

  —Although, well, that's just the prelude...

  Then small wars break out because of the dragon blood that runs through the bodies of all the races of this vast world. The last war ended a few years ago, and I can sense that my father was a war doctor who served in it.

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  But no one exactly won that war. It ended a few years ago thanks to the intervention of the most powerful archmage in this kingdom.

  “Although,” I mentioned quietly, “in the game, they only mention him.” I cleaned the mortar with a handkerchief and some water.

  I'm not entirely sure where I am in the game, but I am sure of one thing.

  “I'm in another world...” I polished the mortar vigorously, trying not to smile but closing my eyes, “and one of my favorites at that...” I said quietly but let out a giggle.

  In my past life, wow... how profound it feels to say that, I was a fairly young and inexperienced detective. Sometimes I screwed up badly in my cases, but these kinds of video games always cheered me up, a world of magic and turn-based RPGs... if we remove the otome addition... it's something much more...

  “Hmm...” I looked at my body, checking that I was a boy. “At least I am...”

  Enjoyable, I don't want to have to see handsome guys walking around or anything else, or some kind of strange hormonal change that women go through, I prefer to be the way I was before.

  —All that's left is to wait for it to arrive... Ouch...

  I hit my finger with the mortar and cut myself a little, it seems like there was something inside.

  “It stings a little, but...” I licked my finger out of habit, but... Hmm...?

  Then an important factor resonated in my mind. Every descendant carries a trait from their draconic progenitor, and in my case, the Naerun were cursed... with this gift from their father.

  Magic, as I said, is a concept I cannot explain since I have not yet felt it or know what it looks like, apart from the slap I got from old Elizabeth, but this is not magic, it is something written in the DNA of the subject in question, me.

  “It was a curse handed down by the Red Emperor,” I said quietly, keeping my composure.

  A curse that would cause the Naerun to bear this pain, and not only that, but the Naerun would have no will of their own and would be seen as mere objects. Due to his displeasure with his misty brother, he granted them a regeneration inherent in their DNA, so that any physical injury or fatigue would heal automatically.

  The image of my mother came to mind.

  Except for illnesses...

  I guess I'll break the rule of having no will. I mean, I stole the body from its former owner, right?

  “But anyway...” I walked through the hallways of the house carrying everything in my arms.

  it wasn't that much stuff, but it was still heavy, and at least... walking on these tatami mats made me feel like a feudal warrior? No, no, no... an Eastern feudal lord? I wonder if they have a katana I can use. I mean, it's a fantasy world, I can afford to... No, Akechi, we have to focus on this first.

  “So it's true, Liang, you did manage to escape from the clutches of that old woman. I knew you could.” Zac's familiar voice echoed behind me. “Tell me, little one, what are you doing now?”

  I turned around, leaving the things on the floor.

  “I'm experimenting with medicine for Mom.”

  “You're experimenting?” he said in a low voice, surprised. “Since when?”

  “Do you remember our trips to the capital?” I quickly improvised a little lie.

  “I'm surprised you still remember them.”

  “H-honestly, I bought some books and wrote down others as notes in my notebook. There were several plants, and I started experimenting with them... yes, experimenting in private.”

  “And what were your results?”

  “Um... not entirely concrete, but it might help Mom and slow down her illness a little.”

  “Wait, you can do that?” He grabbed my shoulders in surprise.

  “It's a mild treatment... don't think it will cure her suddenly, I'll just ease her pain.”

  “Then let me help you. Tell me what you need.” He took my hands. “I trust you, Liang. After all, you were able to escape the clutches of the witch, so I have hope that you can help Mom.”

  His hands were rough and heavy, but he still held me gently, and he seemed excited because his smile was genuine and full of warmth.

  “Please, Liang, tell me what you need.”

  “Not much, really... I have to wait for Dad to come back with the plants and seeds I asked him for. I was planning to use a plot of land exclusively for planting Mom's medicines.”

  “Hmm... something like a greenhouse, right?” he said, scratching his chin. “I think we can build something like that. Do you have any specific requirements?” He moved his hands in circles. “Let's say something specific for caring for the plants?”

  “Huh? Do you know a lot about gardening?”

  “I have a talent for herbalism,” he said proudly, puffing out his chest, “and quite a bit of knowledge about medicinal plants, but I wasn't sure if there was a medicine to relieve Mom's symptoms or even treat her.” He sounded a little disappointed. “But there's no need to worry. Do you have a formula? It'll work for me.”

  “You see, it's quite ambiguous and may be difficult to understand, but it works.”

  I showed him the sheet and he analyzed it, scratching his cheek.

  “It's so simple... the mixture, but...” He became serious as he looked at the plants. “These are very expensive plants and too difficult to handle and even treat. Where did you see this recipe?”

  “On one of our trips.”

  He frowned but sighed.

  “Several of these plants are poisonous, Liang. I hope you know that.”

  I smiled and nodded.

  “That's because they don't know how to handle them.”