What? I Actually Reincarnated As Stepping Stone In Another World?

Minutes later, deep in his musings, the reading room door swung open, and the old man reappeared, clutching three books.

A smile of anticipation tugged at Arthur's lips, and he whispered under his breath, "Finally!"

The old man approached him, carefully setting down the trio of books on the table in front of him.

"Your Highness, these books hold a mix of concealed and open history," the old man said, bowing his head in respect.

Arthur gazed at the three volumes and nodded in acknowledgment.

"I appreciate your dedication," Arthur replied with a gentle smile, a profound sense of contentment filling him.

At last, he could delve into these pages and unearth the enigmas that had perpetually nagged at him: the concealed schemes of Emperor Alex, the uncharted motives behind David's rebellion that lay beyond the words of the novel "The Birth of the Elemental Lord," and a myriad of other enigmatic matters.

Understanding the significance of this knowledge, he could proactively avert these events and devise a more seasoned strategy to confront both Emperor Alex and David.

The old man nodded subtly, yet a trace of uncertainty lingered in his countenance.

"You need not harbor any apprehensions. I've given my word, and I intend to uphold it," Arthur affirmed, extending his right hand.

Finally, a sigh of relief escaped the old man's lips.

"I apologize, Your Highness. It's not that I lack faith in you, but my fears got the best of me," the old man promptly apologized.

Arthur, well-acquainted with such sentiments, harbored no offense.

He comprehended the intricacies of the human heart and the myriad emotions it held within.

Fear, the most primal facet of human nature, resided universally, excluding only those of immense power and invincibility—those perched atop the world's hierarchy, having ascended to the pinnacle of elemental prowess.

For them, fear seldom materialized, and Arthur understood that their adversaries were few, leaving fear deeply embedded in their hearts.

Within Arthur himself, that fear lingered—the apprehension of an untimely demise resulting from oversight or plan foiling.

Consequently, he faced the elderly gentleman with a serene disposition, untouched by anger.

"Very well, let's cease discussing this matter. I hold no grievances," Arthur declared, swiftly terminating that line of dialogue.

"Now, I yearn for the solitude to peruse these volumes at my own pace. Moreover, I kindly request the removal of attendants from my proximity," Arthur directed the old man.

Hearing this, the old man no longer dared to disturb Arthur and promptly bowed with deference.

"As you wish, Your Highness," the old man said, rising and casting a gaze over the attendants present in the chamber.

"Kindly withdraw, for His Highness seeks solitude presently." The old man promptly instructed, prompting the servants to incline their heads respectfully before exiting the reading room in unison.

Observing this, the old man nodded subtly and addressed Arthur, "Then, I leave you to relish your moments, Your Highness."

Arthur responded with a slight nod and a smile as the old man swiftly departed the reading room, leaving Arthur to his own devices.

With the departure of all, a faint smile played on Arthur's lips as he released a gentle sigh.

"Very well, time to commence reading!" Arthur declared, excitement in his voice, as he unsealed the first book.

"History Without a Name, Huh?" Arthur mused aloud as he absorbed the title of the book, his brow furrowed in perplexity.

"What could this signify?" He contemplated, delving earnestly into its contents.

An entire hour later, Arthur sealed the book with a contemplative exhale.

"So, that's the entire account," he murmured, his fingers gently tapping the table as he reflected on the narrative's intricacies.

"The notion that this might be the primary impetus behind David's rebellion is rather unexpected," he ruminated, his gaze profound as he reclined against the sofa.

Within the book's pages, a chronicle unfurled: millennia ago, in an era predating the inception of the Balka Empire, the southern expanse of the human continent remained cleaved in two, governed by two illustrious families.

These preeminent lineages held dominion so potent that they secured mastery over the renowned, fertile expanse of the southern human continent.

Incessantly, foreign powers coveted the subjugation of this region, yet these two families, the veritable custodians of the south, forged unyielding alliances, collectively repelling every incursion.

Notwithstanding the division of the southern realm, unity prevailed between these families, evident in their concerted front against external threats.

Dubbed the Flame and Aqua Monarchs, these two houses earned this illustrious moniker throughout the continent of humankind—an emblem of their kinship with the fire and water elements.

Offspring from either lineage bore an unparalleled affinity for their respective elements, with the elemental arts bequeathed by their progenitors transcending extraordinary potency.

Yet, at a juncture in history, the Ancient Star Empire, the reigning sovereign of the human continent and the dominant force controlling its very center, initiated a vast assault across all four cardinal sides of the human continent, encompassing the southern dominion governed by these two distinguished families.

The unrelenting might of the Ancient Star Empire's attack eclipsed the strength of these potent families, their might paling before the elemental supremacy wielded by the Empire—a Supreme Elemental of unmatched stature.

The Supreme of Elemental Might!

One could scarcely fathom the magnitude of this entity's power and the seismic impact it exerted upon the southern expanse of the human continent.

Though formidable, the two lineages proved ill-equipped to thwart the assault of a being of such colossal proportions, possessed of the earth's affinity as its elemental foundation.

A paragon of supremacy! A harbinger of unprecedented power that reverberated throughout the southern realm of the human continent.

Subsequently, the two families met their demise, their legacies submerged in the annals of the human continent's chronicle.

Fragments of their history remained relegated to select repositories, among them the very volume Arthur presently peruses.

"Both those families are the Asvold and Wilhem families." Arthur's murmur resounded as he grappled with these revelations.

Never had he fathomed that the Asvold and Wilhem families, presently relegated to the rank of Dukes, harbored an unparalleled lineage that extended back to the inception of the original Ancient Star Empire—of which the contemporary Ancient Star Empire was a mere replica.

"The depth of this history is astoundingly veiled, concealed even from the annals of the Asvold family library!" A profound inhalation punctuated Arthur's sentiment, his gaze assuming an intensity that matched his thoughts.

Perplexing indeed, the concealment of such a remarkable history, even by his own lineage—the Asvold family—struck as an oddity.

Common sense dictated that a narrative of such grandeur should be promulgated and embraced, championed by the very scion of the family.

Yet David himself never broached the subject with Arthur.

The resurgence of both the Asvold and Wilhem families hinged upon the fraternal alliance between their respective heirs, pooling their endeavors to restore the grandeur of their lineages.

In that epoch, the southern region found itself awash in turmoil—beset by the dual upheaval of the central dominion's Ancient Star Empire's onslaught and the lamentable absence of the two paramount rulers who once held sway over the southern expanse.

Their journey was an arduous one, entailing a confrontation with the mightiest force of their age!

A force that might have harbored an Elemental Lord, akin to the formidable adversary confronted by the novel's protagonist, Abel, in the climax!

Yet, during that time, no trace of the Elemental Lord was to be found.

Indeed, these two figures stand as the true progenitors of the extant Asvold and Wilhem families.

Following a titanic struggle on their part, the Ancient Star Empire ultimately crumbled under the weight of its internal strife.

This momentous collapse became the crucible that both heirs seized to reinstate their unassailable dominion, emerging as the sovereigns of the southern realm.

Yet, amid their auspicious ascent, an unforeseen twist unfolded: an enigmatic interloper surfaced, intent on unilaterally wresting control of the South. 𝑏𝘦𝘥𝑛𝘰𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝑐𝘰𝑚

How could the heirs of the era's most formidable families surrender what they deemed rightfully theirs to an unknown interloper?

In short order, the trio engaged in a fierce clash, the devastation they wrought injecting vibrancy into the once somber ambiance of the southern human continent.

The authentic scion of the Asvold lineage, a master of fire elemental manipulation, and the veritable heir of the Wilhem dynasty, a wielder of water elemental prowess, both commanded remarkable might during that era.

Their dominion had ascended to the early stage of the Elemental Supreme.

However, even with their combined potency, they found themselves powerless against the enigmatic stranger.

Drawing upon their innermost elemental cores and invoking the most formidable elemental arts their bloodlines possessed, the duo could not overcome the stranger's invincibility.

In fact, the stranger maintained an upper hand throughout.

Perceiving the futility of this strife and the detriment it posed to all sides, the true heirs conceded, permitting the formidable interloper to partition the southern expanse.

The triumvirate ratified a treaty delineating the division of the region into four sectors, yet the agreement's terms proved grossly inequitable.

The newcomer coveted ownership of two principal domains—the East and West regions.

Although the authentic heirs harbored heavy hearts, they ultimately acquiesced, subscribing their names to the accord that unfurled millennia past.

Thus, the foundational Southern Empire arose, christened the Balka Empire, as a tribute to the foreigner's patronym, "Lucius Balka."

"Lucius Balka..." Arthur echoed the name, his gaze sharpening in recollection.