The second chance of the uncrowned king - (Isekai)

We headed home shortly before the fair ended. All of us were completely full and needed to save our energy for the night fair.

When we arrived at our home in Mancor, we saw my father and the baron sitting in the garden, talking and laughing, each with a bottle in hand. Was that alcohol?

We quickly approached them. Cris and Sol began telling their father about the new games and foods, while my father started a conversation with my mother, slightly apart from us.

"Did you enjoy that last game?" my grandmother asked without looking at me. Even though it was just a simple question, I understood the hidden meaning behind it.

"I pushed myself more than I expected… I didn't think I'd get that far."

"You usually sound like an adult, but that reminded me you're still a child. Did you have fun?" I could feel her eyes on me, so I turned my head to meet her gaze.

With a wide smile, I admitted, "Yes, it was really fun."

"Then there's nothing more to say. If you understand your actions and had a good time, that's enough." She gently stroked my head. I want to grow a bit more—it makes me feel helpless when people pat me like that.

My parents joined us again, and the other nobles had finished catching up quickly. We headed toward the house. My father and uncle were going to have a proper lunch, but the rest of us were too full from the fair, so we each went to rest.

Before I could reach my room, Sol grabbed me. Don't forget your promise. Those words activated Cris, who came running toward me, and both of them followed me to my room.

They sat cross-legged on the rug in a yoga pose, waiting for me to speak. I lay on my bed for a moment, then sat up to begin.

"I didn't show you all my abilities yesterday." Their eyes shifted from eager to judgmental. "Don't look at me like that—everyone's allowed a few little secrets." Their expressions didn't change at all—they kept judging me.

With a sigh, I gave in. "I have another ability that lets me sense nearby objects in a small radius around me." I wasn't lying—just telling a half-truth. I couldn't share everything about myself.

"According to my grandmother, a few members of our family gained this ability due to childhood circumstances. It's not impossible for others to develop it too, if they dedicate enough effort. The problem is the time it takes."

"My ability isn't all-powerful either. It has lots of flaws, and I need a ton of practice to level it up." Lately, I've noticed the range has grown—it's now about 25 meters. That's not all; I can sense more detail about objects and mana within my range. Must be from slowly leveling it up.

They kept staring at me. They weren't judging anymore, just absorbing the information, looking at me like they were deciding whether to trust me.

"That's all about my ability. I'm not hiding anything else from you." It hurt to lie to them again—I still had other abilities I hadn't shown, and I hadn't demonstrated the full extent of the ones I had.

"I believe you" Sol was the first to speak. "I hope you don't keep hiding things. We're friends, after all." Her smile was sweet and warm.

"Yeah, we'll be friends from now until we die, just like our fathers." Cris was back to his cheerful and lively self.

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

We chatted about food, our preferences, and our favorite dishes, then about the games at the fair—the excitement and the competition. I invited them to lie down on the bed with me.

I opened my eyes after a short nap and saw the young nobles still sleeping beside me. I wasn't sure when we'd fallen asleep. According to the clock, only an hour had passed—we still had three hours before the night fair.

I sat down on the rug to let them rest peacefully.

"I can't practice my mana while they're awake..." I murmured to myself, thinking of a way to use this downtime productively. If I couldn't train my mana, I'd do something with my Imra.

I started by focusing my Imra on my arms, then my legs, then my head. I had only used it to make my swords sharper and more durable. The last application I tried was infusing it into my mana constructs, which was still impossible for now.

I began manipulating it through my body, shifting and concentrating it in different areas, just like I did with my sword. Something in my pocket felt uncomfortable—it was the ball I'd won at the fair. I set it on the floor, and an idea popped into my mind.

Imra couldn't be expelled from my body directly like a magic ability—only when embedded within a mana construct, my grandmother explained. But could I use it to grasp nearby objects?

I struggled to wrap it around the little ball. I finally managed to envelop it after a while, but lifting it was a problem—I didn't have enough control over my Imra.

It was totally different from coating my sword. That felt like an extension of my body, but this felt more like imprisoning something, holding it with force, and finally moving it.

I kept practicing for another two hours. I finally managed to move the small ball with no issue. I'd try lifting larger objects later.

"Damn..." I muttered to myself. Now I had one more thing on my list. At this rate, I wouldn't have time to practice everything daily.

I woke up the two sleepyheads—we had to get ready for the upcoming fair. I walked to the window and let the fresh wind hit my face. Summer was coming to an end—I could feel the first chill of autumn.

They went to find my parents—I didn't know where their room was—so I headed to the bathroom for a good shower before another exciting experience.

I stepped out into the yard, now dressed in light yet elegant clothes chosen by my mother. I saw the two heads of family still talking—they were still drinking. I slowly approached them.

"How was the fair this morning, Maki?" Before I could greet them, my father asked.

"It was very entertaining. The games were exciting, and I found one dish in particular that was delicious. I'll try making it myself soon." My father nodded and invited me to sit.

"Want to try a little beer?" Beer? It had the same name as in my old world. That couldn't be a coincidence—some assimilated or reincarnated person must have invented it.

"He's eight, Jarrid. If your wife sees you offering him beer, she'll be pissed." My uncle burst into laughter, while my father just rolled his eyes.

"It's just a sip. He has to get used to the taste. When we started drinking in school, we hated the flavor for months."

"Don't remind me. Even now I find it bitter—I've just gotten used to it." They both wore nostalgic expressions, recalling their early school days.

"Want to try a sip?" My father extended the bottle toward me. Hesitantly, I took it, scanning around to make sure my mother wasn't nearby.

I took a sip and felt a nostalgic taste—that bitterness filled my mouth. In my previous life, I didn't drink much—just on a few occasions with my trainer or uncle after a victory or during important celebrations.

I handed the bottle back, making a face to show just how bitter it was. They were both looking at me with an odd expression—maybe proud? Proud for letting me taste alcohol?

They resumed their conversation about some moment in their past. I lost the thread as I watched the sun start to set—a stunning view considering all the greenery and mountains. I tried to etch the image into my memory for the future.

After a while, I saw everyone else coming toward us. My father and the baron finished their beers—it seemed like that was their last before the night fair.

"Maki, I haven't given up—I'll beat you in every new game!" Cris approached, his competitive spirit renewed. Sol just looked at us with a stifled giggle.

"I'm not planning to lose. I'll end the day as the undefeated champion."

We set off toward town. We were only a few minutes away from entering the fair, which was now packed with people—much more crowded than in the morning. Lots of new faces. Among all those people, I saw a familiar face working at a food stall.

I walked over and waited to the side of the customer line. When my turn came, he stared at me, clearly surprised.

"Hi, Edd. How've you been?" His brain seemed to be scrambling for words. A woman beside him looked at me.

"Sweetie, do you know this boy?" Sweetie? She must be Edd's wife.