World of Iron and Blood

Gray days replaced one another, leaving no room for inspiration. Work, home, rare meetings with friends it all became a never-ending cycle. Alexander, a middle - aged man, had long grown accustomed to the routine.

Once, he loved his job, enjoyed the small joys of life, but now all of that had lost its flavor. Modern life, where everything needed for comfort was readily available, no longer brought happiness. Each new day felt like an exact copy of the previous one.

The only thing that still sparked a faint flicker of interest in him was history. In his youth, he dreamed of great campaigns, admired kings who changed the fate of nations, and imagined himself as a knight deciding destinies on the battlefield. Those dreams had long been buried under the weight of everyday monotony.

One evening, Alexander was sitting at his laptop, mindlessly browsing online stores for something that could distract him. Pages flickered by one after another until his eyes caught an unusual book title:

How to Survive and Change a Medieval World.

He frowned. Something about the title struck a chord in him. The description was concise but intriguing:

"A practical guide for those who want not only to survive but to achieve power in the harsh world of the past. From farming to politics all the secrets on one scroll."

- Of course, - he muttered skeptically, smirking. - Who even writes books like this?

But something clicked inside him. Curiosity, a long-forgotten feeling that hadn't surfaced in years, prompted him to click the "Read" icon.

From the very first page, he was captivated by the style. The author didn't just describe the medieval world they brought it to life. Every detail, every nuance from building a kiln in the forest to surviving at a king's court was written with such precision that it felt as if the author had experienced it all firsthand.

- Remember, - the book said, - in the Middle Ages, it doesn't matter what you have. What matters is how you use what you have. Talents, knowledge, connections - these are your tools for survival

Alexander didn't even notice an hour pass. His eyes skimmed over the lines as if devouring each letter. He could almost smell the cold iron, hear the clash of swords. For a moment, he could have sworn he felt the rumble of a knight's cavalry rolling across the fields.

When the free chapter ended, he stared at the screen in bewilderment.

The rest is available in the full version.

- Damn it! - he exclaimed, as if someone had interrupted him in the middle of a gripping film. Without hesitation, Alexander ordered the paperback version of the book. A few days later, the package was in his hands.

For the next few evenings, he didn't leave the book's side. Each chapter felt like a challenge:

Could you survive in a world where life is worth nothing? How would you build your empire where there are no allies and no knowledge of the world?

He imagined himself in the shoes of the book's characters. How would he negotiate with lords? How would he outwit the merchant guild or win a knight's tournament armed only with knowledge from the 21st century?

Those pages became more than just a story for him. It was a manual, a guide to action. It was as if he had rediscovered himself, tasting life again, something he hadn't felt in so long.

When he finished the book, the sense of emptiness returned. He closed it, placed it on the table, and gazed thoughtfully out the window.

- I wish I could try it myself... - he murmured, absentmindedly tapping his fingers on the book's wooden cover.

That night, he fell into a restless sleep. He dreamed of castles, battlefields, and tall walls of gray stone. He was surrounded by knights in armor, their faces hidden by visors, their eyes glimmering with cold light.

A voice, powerful and deep like a bell's toll, echoed across the square:

- Alexander!

Everything spun. Light and shadow merged into a whirlwind that pulled him into its abyss. He wanted to scream but couldn't. Instead, he felt the warmth of another body enveloping him. When he opened his eyes, everything around him had changed.

Before him were the walls of a castle, the smell of burning torches, and the weight of something cold on his head. In his hands was a sword. And for a moment, which felt like an eternity, he couldn't tell - was this a dream or a new reality?