"I really came back…" Dorian said slowly sitting up. The old bed creaked under every movement.
Dorian stood up from the bed, went straight to the mirror in the bathroom. With his hand touched his cheek, fingers ran across his lips and then through his hair. In the mirror he saw himself, around 15-16 years old. Then he couldn't hold back a smile.
"I came back!" he shouted in joy and hit himself on the back of the head with his palm. Then snapped his fingers. In front of him, the toothbrush with toothpaste that was standing in a cup disappeared from sight and fell to the ground behind him. Laughter spread through the bathroom.
"I couldn't use this magic for a good 8 more years…" Dorian giggled and then froze, not believing he made that sound. "Was that… genuine laughter?"
"Kid, wake up!"
Dorian heard a familiar voice from downstairs.
"So…" he couldn't believe his ears. It was his grandfather's voice. Dorian hadn't heard it for a good 7 years. Without waiting, he answered. "Yeah, grandpa."
Dorian looked into the wardrobe, picked the first clothes he saw. A black shirt, a black hoodie and black pants made from Dungeon rat leather stitched with ThreadSpider's threads. They smelled like mold and were uncomfortable until stretched, but gave agility. Dorian's family was not well-off, so there wasn't much choice in what to wear. Clothes that gave even a small stat were a big luxury.
"Dorian!" again he heard his grandfather's voice, this time irritated, louder.
"I'm coming."
Dorian went down the stairs, but stopped in the middle. Downstairs, through the door, he saw his mother cooking breakfast.
"M-Mom…" Dorian muttered when his chest tightened and his eyes started to sting.
"Hurry, child. You'll be late." grandfather came out from another room.
Grey hair, thin, in torn clothes. He stood leaning on a crutch, because a few years ago during a mission he lost his leg to a group of werewolves. Looking at him now, you wouldn't say he was once a high rank hunter.
"Y-Yeah…" Dorian said and went into the kitchen.
In the kitchen, the table was almost ready. On it was a minotaur meat steak, next to it a stew with manaroot which strengthened mana flow, fairy leaves helping stabilize mana gathering, and ashgrass helping the body accept magic. And finally glowing soulshrooms. These were low quality so didn't have the usual glow, but still worked as a stabilizer, reducing the side effects of the other herbs and giving a small mana boost.
"Where are Marcus and Selena?" Dorian asked sitting at the table, not taking his eyes off his mother's back.
"Ah, your siblings today went to grandma." mother said, not looking away from the pots.
"Today I have the entrance exams to the school, right?" Dorian asked, because from memory this was the only time his mother and grandfather allowed themselves to spend and make mana boosting food, even if after that they were in debt for two months.
"That's right, boy." mother turned to him. The same golden eyes as Dorian, the difference that instead of white hair she had golden ones, matching perfectly with her eyes. "You waited so much that it's hard to believe the day came?" she smiled widely, hiding worry.
"You didn't need to do all this…" Dorian sighed looking at the food, rubbing the back of his head.
"What? Why?" mother got confused. She expected him to be happier. More excited. Then snapped her fingers like a realization came. "Trust me, boy. It tastes better than it looks."
"Haha." Dorian laughed, but his eyes didn't show joy. "Would taste better if the whole family ate together."
Also, Dorian didn't need these magical herbs or the minotaur meat to get stronger. In the future he was the strongest mage in the world. The man who destroyed a planet by himself. He knew how to raise mana in his body without this nonsense. It would've been better if his mother and grandfather didn't have to suffer in debt.
"Well… I told Mark and Selena to stay…" mother's eyes dropped back to the pots. "But I think they wanted all attention on you today!"
"And the budget." Dorian said still watching her.
"Uh…" mother hesitated and turned to him. "Boy, don't worry. It's the adults' job to think about living."
"But…"
"No buts, Dorian. Your job is to become a great mage or fighter!" she pointed at him, an encouraging smile on her face.
"Sigh…" Dorian let out a breath, deciding no point to talk about it. The money was already spent, won't come back. At least he'll try to keep the good mood.
"Alright, mom." Dorian smiled, but his eyes still looked tired. The memories of the future changed his behavior a lot. But family probably thinks he's just nervous.
"Father, the food is ready!" mother called grandfather while putting plates on the table. As soon as she placed the plate for Dorian, she cut a big piece of the steak and put it for him. "Eat, boy."
"Thanks." Dorian said and taking the knife started cutting the steak. "Tough…" slipped out when the knife couldn't really cut it.
"Let me." mother said and placed her palm above the steak. From it came wind blades and cleanly cut the whole piece.
"Thanks." Dorian said, one eyebrow raised. So many years passed since his mother died in the previous life that he forgot she was quite a high rank magician.
While chewing, he started thinking about his family situation. About the coming, unavoidable problems. They were poor because Duchess Miranda had an interest in his mother and accused her of witchcraft. Truth be told, if not for Duke Ferdinand, his mother would've been executed.
Dorian's eyes twitched for a moment and glowed gold from irritation, luckily no one noticed.
Grandfather, a few years ago, lost his leg trying to protect William Arngold, another nobility parasite. As thanks, William threw him 30 silver coins. A mockery. Grandfather used to earn 8 gold per month.
"So, boy, today is the first step to becoming a man!" grandfather said with a smile slowly sitting down. His hands were shaking.
Dorian said nothing, just stood up and helped him sit.
"Thank you, boy." grandfather lowered his eyes.
Dorian nodded with a weak smile, but his eyes still looked dead. In his mind was only one thing that lifted his mood. The memory how in the previous life he slaughtered the whole Duchess family, servants and guards. How he burned William's villa, forcing him to watch from outside as his family burned inside.
A smile appeared on his face. But catching himself thinking about killing, he shook his head.
"Ah. Grandpa, is there a chance William will hire a Light Bishop to heal your leg?" he asked, even though he knew the answer.
Grandfather lowered his eyes.
"Not yet… will have to wait."
'Well done dumbass, way to ruin the mood.' Dorian thought, wanting to hit himself.
"I-I see…" Dorian said, awkwardly putting a piece of the steak into his mouth. Tasty, but felt like rubber. Hard to chew.
"Take some stew." mother pushed the bowl to him.
Dorian looked at it, then at the pot. Barely anything left for mother and grandfather. He wanted to refuse. But seeing their satisfied faces, his heart didn't allow it. They tried so hard for him.
"Alright, but mom… it will be too much. Please take some for yourself and grandpa."
"Eh? You sure?" mother covered her mouth in surprise.
"Boy, you need to eat…" grandfather laughed.
"No, really." Dorian pushed the bowl back. "Take more."
"Alright." mother took a ladle and added half portions for herself and grandfather.
After half an hour, Dorian helped grandfather go to the armchair. Then helped mother wash the dishes.
He looked at the clock. Almost 7:35 AM. Time to go. But before putting on his shoes, grandfather shouted from another room.
"Angela, give Dorian my gift." he said proudly.
"Right, almost forgot." mother ran to the basement and after a minute brought grandfather's katana sheath.
"This is in case you decide to train as a fighter instead of a mage!" grandfather laughed until coughing. "And anyway, even mages need a weapon if the enemy gets too close."
Dorian smiled. History repeats. In the previous life grandfather also gave him this katana, but Dorian was too focused on magic… which wasn't even going that well… so he never trained with it.
"Thanks…" Dorian smiled, his eyes briefly lighting up. "You know what, grandpa?"
"What?"
"I'll try to join the fighter training."
Not a bad idea. He already has the knowledge from the previous life. The only thing he needs now is to raise his mana, and that won't be hard. What he lacked before was sword skills and a strong body. If he reaches a high level fighter ability, even God wouldn't be able to defeat him.
He would become a perfect close range spatial magician.