"I Reincarnated But Have No System? You Must Be Kidding Me!"

Inside a dimly lit inn tucked into the bustling center of Austerra, the quiet hum of life outside barely reached the second floor.

The faint glow of a lone oil lamp threw long, trembling shadows across the cabin walls, its light spilling over the rough wooden table where Auren and Austaire sat.

Their focus was fixed on the scattered papers spread before them, a silence thick with the weight of unspoken doubts and the looming risks behind their plans.

Night had only just begun.

Auren leaned back in his chair, arms folded, his crimson eyes gleaming like sharpened steel as they traced every mark on the parchment.

Across from him, Austaire, fresh from her quick run of gathering information, bent low over the map. Her quill moved with steady precision, gliding across the surface as she committed details from memory.

Her jaw was set, her movements measured and deliberate, as if each stroke of ink was less a note and more a vow etched into paper.

It had only been a few days since they infiltrated the kingdom.

Slipping past the gates had been laughably easy thanks to Gringo's transformative accessories, yet neither of them felt any victory.

The moment they entered, an oppressive aura clung to them like smoke, seeping into their lungs and thoughts.

From the outside, Austerra glimmered like a thriving jewel.

Tall spires, merchant stalls bursting with color, laughter in the markets.

But beneath the painted mask lay the rot.

Faces of citizens told the real story: sunken eyes that carried exhaustion, smiles that cracked into grimaces, shadows etched permanently in their features. The kingdom was bleeding, and its people were shackled in silence.

Auren finally broke the stillness. His voice was low, edged with concern."Any news about Father?"

Austaire's quill stilled.

She lifted her eyes, softening slightly.

He had told her long ago- Robert was the only man he called father. The deranged Aurelus, no matter the bloodline, was nothing but a curse on the name.

"I picked up whispers," Austaire said carefully, her voice lowering as though the walls themselves might be listening.

"They say Robert is imprisoned beneath the castle. But…" she hesitated, lips pressing into a thin, unforgiving line. "There's also talk he may already be dead."

The lamplight flickered, shadows stretching across the table as her words sank in. Auren's jaw tightened, his crimson eyes narrowing.

He forced his breath steady, though every part of him wanted to break something.

If Robert was gone, there was nothing he could change. And yet, the thought clawed at him- he would gamble everything just to see the truth with his own eyes.

Austaire finally exhaled, her shoulders sinking as the weight of her own words caught up with her.

"It's too dangerous for me to reveal who I am. Even the ones I left behind as spies- they've changed. They don't feel like allies anymore. I can't trust them. If I do, we risk everything- our cover and our lives."

Auren leaned forward, elbows on the table, fingers steepled. His voice was quiet, but firm."Knowing Robert, I'd wager my life he's still alive. Barely, maybe, but alive."

Suddenly her eyes glinted as she added, "But I did manage to get a lead on a person that might lead to him."

Auren's expression brightened with something rare- hope.

"You mean…?"

"There's a man named Jesse..."

Austaire explained, folding her map and setting it down. "

He drinks at a bar not far from this inn. He's pretty famous for his work as a prison guard. The barkeep says he specializes in… breaking people."

Hearing those words, Auren's hand turned into a fist.

"And I heard Prisoners don't last long when he's around." she added.

Auren's took a deep breath to calm himself and said,

"Well done."

He flicked his fingers, summoning a set of glass bottles onto the table- two glowing with a soft crimson hue, three shimmering with a blue sheen.

Potions he personally crafted, neatly lined up.

"We can start with this guy Jesse," he said.

"But if we're diving into danger, I am sure you'll need these."

He slid them toward Austaire.

Seeing the potions, she accepted them without hesitation, storing them in her smaller-capacity storage ring.

Despite the casual exchange, her eyes softened in gratitude. She knew well that potions of this quality were priceless treasures, each one capable of turning death into survival.

"Thank you," she said with a faint smile.

For a moment, the iron mask of the princess slipped, showing the girl beneath who still believed in trust.

Her gaze shifted to the cluttered book on the table.

Strange glyphs and diagrams danced across the open pages, like a maze waiting to be solved.

"So… any progress with that thing?"

Auren followed her gaze, then chuckled.

"Progress, sure. But it's not exactly an easy bedtime read." He ran a finger across the page.

"It's filled with Elvish theories about mana and magic that I can barely piece together. But," he leaned back smugly,

"I've managed to learn a couple of tricks."

"Oh? Like what?"

"This."

He placed a copper coin on his palm. Closing his eyes, he inhaled slowly, whispering words in an ancient tongue.

His brow furrowed in focus, sweat forming at his temple as faint blue light shimmered around the coin. It trembled, humming softly, then stilled.

Austaire leaned forward, brow raised. "That's it?"

"Yup."

She frowned, unimpressed. "Looks the same to me."

"Take out another coin," he said with a knowing smirk, "and place it beside mine."

Curious, she pulled one from her pouch and set it down. The moment the coins sat together, her eyes widened.

"No… way…"

The coin Auren had worked on was visibly larger, its size increased by nearly a fifth.

Her lips parted in awe. "H-how did you…?"

"I call it Mass Amplification magic," Auren explained, pride lacing his words.

"In theory, I managed to copy the elemental structure of copper using my mana. Pretty clever, right?" Auren said, a faint grin tugging at the corner of his lips.

Her eyes widened, her voice breaking with both awe and disbelief. "You can replicate matter with mana?!"

"Easier said than done," he admitted, running a hand across his damp forehead.

The effort left his chest rising and falling a little heavier than before.

"I've been at it since the day I got this book, and it's still far from perfect. My mana isn't exactly in the best shape to pull off anything bigger. But…" his expression hardened, determination sparking in his gaze,

"I have a plan."

His gaze shifted toward the window, where the looming silhouette of the castle carved itself against the night sky like a black blade.

When he spoke again, his voice carried an edge."And with this magic, I've already formed a plan to deal with Austerra's king… and every vulture that clings to him."

The words struck Austaire like steel against stone. For the first time in years, a wave of confidence and relief flooded her chest. Her lips parted slightly, her breath unsteady, but her heart lighter.

'Feels good to have someone finally share this burden', she thought, a quiet smile tugging at her lips.

Auren closed his eyes, retreating inward.

In the vast silence of his mind, he touched the golden egg that pulsed gently at its core.

Its warmth spread through him like a heartbeat of hope, bathing his thoughts in light.

"I just need one last ingredient…" his whisper was barely audible, meant only for himself and the presence within.

His hand lingered over the unseen glow, reverent and steady."…and that's you."

Suddenly he asked,"by the way..."

Austaire looked up from her map, her pen still scratching. "Yes?"

"Any news regarding Dark Fate?"

She shook her head.

"Only rumors. They're blamed for abducting knights and mages. But no solid evidences to back them."

"And Marissa?"

"No one has seen anyone that fits your description you told me."

"I see…" His eyes dimmed for a moment, sorrow flickering across his face.

But he didn't allow it to linger. He straightened, determination steadying his voice.

"Alright. First, we follow this lead. Once Robert is safe, I'll turn to fully helping you reclaim Austerra. Just like we agreed."

"I trust you'll keep that promise," Austaire said, her voice quiet but sharp, her eyes lifting to the silver glow of the full moon outside.

"I will."

He swept the table clean with his ring and stood. Their preparations were done. It was now two against a kingdom.

Taking a deep breath, Auren steadied himself, then said as he opened the door,

"Let's go."

***

CRASH!

A mug smashed against the wall, foam dripping down in rivulets.

"Punk! What are you staring at?!"

Jesse, the prison guard, roared, his swollen face twisted with rage.

His spiked bat leaned against his chair, his fingers itching to grab it.

"Want me to rip those stupid eyes out of your skull?" Jesse growled, leaning forward.

The drunkards at the next table didn't even bother to flinch.

One of them smirked, raising his mug as if Jesse's fury was nothing more than a tavern tune. His own companions exchanged amused glances, a few chuckling at Jesse's quick temper.

"I'm just saying," the drunk slurred, wagging a finger, "every time we see that crooked grin of yours, it's hard not to laugh. Especially with those gaps where your teeth should be."

"Ha! He's right!" another howled. "You look like a fat pig trying to act tough!"

One of them stood up and faced him, confidence brewing on his face.

"You strut around the prison cells like some god, but outside you're nothing but a donkey."

"A donkey without teeth!" another one added.

The bar erupted in laughter.

Jesse's face turned crimson.

He lunged for his spiked bat, veins bulging at his temples. But before he could swing, a fist suddenly crashed into his jaw.

WHAM!

He staggered back, spitting blood. Another tooth flew from his mouth, clattering against the floor.

"Bastards!" he roared, but more fists came, raining down as the men surrounded him.

BAM!~

POW!~

BAM!~

"You're nothing but a prison guard," one sneered. "And you dare bare your fangs at soldiers of the Soulfang household?"

The beating was merciless.

Chairs scraped, mugs spilled, and the barmaids shrank back, powerless to intervene.

In this kingdom, strength decided law.

Eventually, Jesse lay crumpled, bruised and bloodied. The men, satisfied, spat at him before leaving.

He stumbled to his feet as he made his way out of the bar. His eyes burning with hatred.

"Damn it… damn it all!"

He kicked a crate, rage mixing with regret.

Ever since his failure to kill Robert, misfortune clung to him like a curse.

"What else can go wrong tonight?!"

He turned into an alley, but shadows stirred. Two figures waited, cloaked by darkness.

Auren stepped forward.

"Howdy!"

His disguised fist connected with Jesse's jaw before the man could react.

Teeth flew again, and Jesse dropped instantly, unconscious on the cobblestone and was quickly dragged away by the two.