The Genius Mage Was Reincarnated Into A Swordsman Family

Klaus closed the door to his private quarters with decisive click that marked beginning of isolation he desperately needed. The council meeting had left him drained—not physically, but mentally exhausted from navigating political complexities while grappling with cosmic revelations that defied easy explanation. He needed time away from diplomatic necessity and family obligation to address fundamental questions about his own existence.

"No interruptions," he commanded to the guards stationed outside his chambers. "I require absolute solitude for the immediate future. Inform my grandfather that I'll emerge when necessary business has been completed."

The quarters that had once seemed spacious now felt like sanctuary designed for intensive mental work rather than mere rest. Klaus had arranged furniture to create workspace that could accommodate extended periods of concentration—comfortable seating positioned near windows that provided natural light, writing materials for documenting discoveries, and most importantly, complete silence that would allow deep introspection without external distraction.

Dudu perched on windowsill with feline awareness that sensed his master's serious mood, golden eyes tracking Klaus's movements while maintaining respectful distance. The Night Dragon had grown considerably since their initial bonding, now reaching size that made indoor accommodation somewhat challenging. Yet Dudu's intelligence allowed adaptive behavior that respected space limitations while providing emotional support through presence rather than interaction.

Klaus settled into chair specifically chosen for long-term comfort, closing his eyes to begin process that would require days of sustained mental effort. The task ahead demanded sorting through hundreds of memory fragments spanning multiple lifetimes—experiences that ranged from earliest recollections as Arkadius through recent events as Klaus Lionhart.

The memories existed in chaotic jumble within his consciousness, overlapping and contradicting without clear chronological framework. Sorting them required careful analysis of context clues, emotional resonance, and environmental details that might indicate temporal positioning. Each fragment needed examination to determine its place within larger narrative of existence that spanned eons.

Start with the oldest, Klaus decided, reaching deep into consciousness to access memories that felt most ancient, most fundamental to his core identity.

The first fragments that emerged carried weight of primal experience—consciousness achieving awareness within framework that predated current reality. These memories felt different from more recent experiences, carrying cosmic perspective that viewed entire civilizations as temporary constructs rather than permanent fixtures.

Klaus spent hours organizing these ancient recollections, noting patterns that suggested consistent personality despite changing circumstances. The being who had been Arkadius possessed outlook that transcended mortal concerns while maintaining capacity for personal relationships and emotional investment in specific outcomes.

Yet even among oldest memories, Klaus detected disturbing inconsistencies. Emotional responses that seemed disconnected from apparent stimuli. Relationships that carried intensity without clear foundation. Most concerning were gaps where memories should have existed but found only carefully constructed void—spaces that suggested deliberate excision rather than natural forgetting.

Someone has been editing my recollections.

The realization sent chill through Klaus's consciousness that had nothing to do with external temperature. If his memories had been deliberately altered, how could he trust any recollection to provide accurate information about his true nature or past relationships? What truths had been hidden, and why had such concealment been considered necessary?

Klaus continued sorting despite growing unease about what investigation might reveal. The middle periods of his existence showed even more obvious signs of tampering—relationships that began and ended without apparent transition, conflicts whose causes remained mysteriously absent from recollection, alliances that carried emotional weight without corresponding foundation memories.

The pattern suggested systematic removal of specific types of experiences while leaving framework that created illusion of complete narrative. Someone with cosmic-level capabilities had performed selective editing that preserved useful information while concealing details that might have proven inconvenient or dangerous.

As Klaus worked through chronological organization, he noted increasing frequency of gaps in more recent incarnations. The tampering seemed focused on preventing access to information that might illuminate current situation or provide context for relationships with other cosmic entities.

What don't they want me to remember?

Three days of sustained effort left Klaus mentally exhausted despite his enhanced capabilities. The work required concentration that exceeded even Soul Energy manipulation, demanding focus on internal landscape rather than external reality. Each memory needed careful examination for signs of alteration while simultaneously being positioned within larger chronological framework.

By evening of third day, Klaus had achieved rough organization of hundreds of memory fragments, though gaps in the sequence remained obvious even after intensive sorting. The oldest recollections suggested being of cosmic significance who had participated in events that shaped fundamental reality. More recent memories painted picture of entity pursuing objectives that required careful manipulation of circumstances across multiple lifetimes.

Yet crucial details remained hidden behind veils of deliberate forgetting. Klaus could sense presence of excised memories like missing teeth in otherwise complete set—spaces where experiences should have existed but found only carefully maintained emptiness.

The mental strain began affecting even his enhanced physiology as fourth day approached. Klaus felt fatigue that transcended mere physical tiredness, deep exhaustion that demanded rest regardless of cosmic enhancement or supernatural endurance. Even beings who had transcended normal limitation required recovery time when pushed toward absolute limits of capability.

I need sleep. Real sleep, not merely rest.

Klaus prepared for extended unconsciousness with arrangements that ensured privacy would be maintained despite extended absence from normal activity. Dudu seemed to sense his master's needs, positioning himself near bed with protective vigilance that would guard against interruption while Klaus recovered from mental exertion that had approached dangerous levels.

As Klaus settled into bed designed for comfort rather than mere functionality, he reflected on work completed and challenges that remained. Hundreds of memories now existed in rough chronological order, though gaps in sequence made clear narrative impossible. More importantly, evidence of tampering suggested someone with cosmic capabilities had specific reasons for concealing portions of his existence.

Tomorrow would bring new phase of investigation—detailed examination of sorted memories to identify specific alterations and potentially recover information that had been hidden rather than destroyed. The work would require even greater mental effort than initial sorting, yet Klaus recognized necessity of understanding truth about his existence before attempting further development of capabilities that might serve purposes he couldn't fully comprehend.

Sleep came gradually despite urgency of unanswered questions. Klaus's enhanced consciousness slowly relinquished control to natural rhythms that demanded restoration regardless of cosmic concerns. For twenty-four hours, he would exist in state approaching normal human rest, allowing mental faculties to recover from strain that had pushed even transcendent capabilities toward breaking point.

Dudu maintained vigilant watch throughout Klaus's extended slumber, golden eyes reflecting understanding that his master's work served purposes that extended far beyond immediate circumstances. The Night Dragon's presence provided security that allowed complete rest without concern for external threats that might exploit temporary vulnerability.

The quarters grew quiet save for steady breathing that marked passage of time while cosmic-level consciousness restored itself through processes that remained mysterious even to beings who had transcended normal limitation. Tomorrow would bring renewed investigation into memories that held keys to understanding existence that spanned eons.

As morning light began filtering through windows designed to provide optimal illumination for intensive mental work, Klaus's consciousness stirred toward wakefulness that would mark beginning of new phase in investigation that might finally reveal truth about his nature and purpose.

The work of examining sorted memories for signs of alteration awaited, promising discoveries that could reshape understanding of identity, relationship, and obligation that defined existence across multiple dimensional frameworks.

Whatever truths lay hidden within edited recollections, Klaus was determined to uncover them regardless of what such revelation might demand of his current understanding about cosmic forces and their incomprehensible objectives.

The search for authentic memory would begin with dawn's first light.