Looking Forward to Another World Chapter 2: Dimensional Magic Cube

Riezel Brynhart was a genius.

Not due to keen insight or exceptionally high innate skill, but simply because the world had favored him, granting him a natural edge over many others.

He wasn't some influential figure with profound connections. On the contrary, he hailed from the overlooked countryside, where his family had been farmers for generations, and his grandfather was even a slave. One could easily imagine his humble origins.

Yet, Riezel was undeniably fortunate.

He was born with an abundance of magical energy.

Recognizing this and unwilling to remain a mere farmer or slave, he abandoned the plan to be handed over to a lord by his grandfather and family. Escaping from the obscure rural territory of his childhood, he journeyed to the estate of a great noble. There, he participated in the entrance test for the National Magic School, which happened to be held at that location.

His naturally powerful magical energy effortlessly drew the attention of the magic school's higher-ups. He was smoothly admitted into the continent's most prestigious academy, quickly becoming a sensation within the renowned institution.

Riezel Brynhart's reputation as a genius stemmed precisely from this.

His insight wasn't extraordinary, and his innate skill in magic wasn't exceptionally high. Still, because of his outstanding innate magical energy, he became the envy of many.

All of this was because in this world, though everyone possessed magical energy, its quantity was a natural talent determined at birth and unchangeable through later effort.

In other words, the amount of magical energy one's body held at birth dictated their magical ability throughout their life.

This meant that many individuals were destined from birth to never become magicians, regardless of how hard they tried. Conversely, some blessed with an abundance of magical energy could effortlessly become magicians, performing high-rank, high-powered magic that others could only dream of, thus becoming the so-called geniuses.

Riezel Brynhart was precisely one such person.

He received abundant praise.

He garnered numerous compliments.

People gravitated towards him, and even some highly influential figures sought to curry his favor. The kingdom itself held him in high regard; it was even said that the king remembered his name.

Now, the question arises.

What becomes of a humble, inexperienced country boy, accustomed to a simple life, when he arrives in the big city and is showered with compliments, support, and praise from all sides? After experiencing the temptations of the dazzling world, what does he transform into?

Will he, much like the protagonists in certain novels, strive diligently, resist all temptations, and ascend to become the strongest, fundamentally altering his destiny?

No.

At least, Riezel could confidently assert one thing.

The original inhabitant of this body knew this predicament acutely.

Amidst the praise, compliments, flattery, and support from those around him, the original owner easily abandoned the notion of hard work, forgot about diligence, and succumbed to the sugar-coated tactics of others, unable to extricate himself.

The consequence was that the original owner became utterly ignorant and incompetent, using his so-called 'talent' as a shield. He spent his days indulging in pleasures with certain noble children. Although he didn't descend to bullying or oppressing others, he gradually grew so arrogant that he disregarded everyone else. He became self-conceited, believing he had surpassed all others, unwilling to associate with those of humble birth, and frittered away his days with a clique of noble children.

Finally, the calamity that would jolt the original owner from his delusion arrived.

On a night just a month prior, after indulging in revelry with a group of noble children and preparing to return to the academy, he was ambushed. Not only did he sustain severe injuries, but his body's 'Gate' was also destroyed, rendering him incapable of using magic.

From this point, the fall from grace of this supposed genius commenced.

Realizing this, the original owner met a tragic end.

His final thoughts were not of regret for his past actions, but rather a profound reluctance to face the future of returning to his days as a mere lackey.

In such circumstances, Riezel arrived, replacing the world's Riezel, and was then brought back to her mansion by Yuri, who mistakenly believed he had been successfully rescued.

Toward this body's original owner, Riezel felt no sympathy or pity.

'This outcome could be considered self-inflicted...' Riezel mused internally.

In his past life, Riezel's circumstances bore a resemblance to the original owner's, replete with honeyed words and adulation.

However, unlike the original owner, Riezel perceived the true intentions behind the smiling facades of those individuals, feeling disgusted by their ulterior motives and the environment he inhabited.

Now, having departed his original world and entered another, it represented a form of liberation for him.

Considering everything, Riezel initially held no intention of probing into the assault on his body's former owner. However, the situation appeared more complex than he had initially conceived.

"An investigation has been initiated," Yuri stated, her brow furrowed slightly.

"No breakthroughs?" Riezel inquired with composure.

Observing her expression, he swiftly deduced the outcome.

Indeed, she offered a nod in confirmation.

"The assailant remains elusive. Whether it was the attack that wounded you a month prior or the assassination attempt from half a month ago, the perpetrators were hired operatives from the underworld. Tracing them has proven futile."

Yes, merely half a month ago, Riezel had once again found himself the target of an attack.

At first, he had presumed the assaults on the original owner stemmed simply from offending someone or incurring another's envy.

Yet, during his convalescence within Yuri's mansion, an intruder had breached the estate. Seizing the opportune moment under the cover of night, they had attempted to end his life.

Fortunately, though this mansion was exclusively Yuri's, its security was exceptionally robust. Guards maintained constant patrols, and a magical alarm system was in place. She had managed to reach his chambers at the first indication of the infiltrator's presence, leading to their apprehension.

Had it not been for her swift intervention, he wouldn't be recuperating in bed now; he would likely be six feet under.

This entire affair was undeniably irregular.

"To contract an assassin capable of infiltrating this very mansion suggests the opposing party is not only deeply concealed but also of a significant standing," Riezel remarked impassively, eliciting a degree of surprise from Yuri.

Nevertheless, his assessment was accurate.

Even for a mere mansion, the capacity to penetrate its defenses indicated formidable capabilities on the part of the adversary.

After all, this was the residence of Yuri Frenzel herself.

An individual able to employ such a skilled assassin would undoubtedly possess considerable influence, both in terms of status and power.

"I am genuinely curious about the motive that would drive such an influential figure to target me..." Riezel mused, offering Yuri a placid smile, seemingly unfazed by his perilous circumstances.

Yuri regarded him intently before speaking.

"I shall continue the inquiry. Until then, you may find repose here. While uncommon, there exist methods to temporarily mend a severely damaged Gate. I will personally keep watch for the time being; I urge you not to despair."

"I shall not," Riezel confirmed with a nod, neither fully accepting nor rejecting her words. "Thank you."

"There is no need," Yuri replied with a gentle smile, her elegance reminiscent of a blooming orchid.

After a few more exchanges, she rose to depart.

"I will not impose further; please rest well."

With that, Yuri departed with refined grace, leaving behind a subtle, lingering fragrance as she exited the chamber.

Riezel observed her departure, yet his inner state was far from the tranquility his outward appearance suggested.

"Who could it be?"

He strove to access the original owner's residual memories, casting suspicion upon various individuals known to him. Nobles and commoners alike, whom the original owner had either overlooked or disdained, even those from his rural upbringing—all became potential suspects, yet without yielding any concrete leads.

"The clues are exceedingly scarce."

The original owner's memories might not be entirely trustworthy.

Perhaps, the true orchestrator behind the scenes was someone the original owner had carelessly dismissed, an individual so inconsequential they hadn't even bothered to register their existence.

"If it were I, such a lapse would never occur..." Riezel reflected internally.

The trials of his former existence had ingrained within him a propensity for vigilance, a habit of scrutinizing everyone, never intentionally overlooking an individual. Furthermore, those past experiences had impressed upon him a profound realization.

"The opposition has certainly not relinquished their pursuit; they will undoubtedly persist in targeting me, dispatching assassins repeatedly..."

Yuri's distinguished status and the highly sensitive, critical nature of her current circumstances were undeniable. The very fact that the opposing party was willing to resort to assassination underscored their resolute determination.

This pervasive insecurity left him, who had similarly endured such predicaments in his prior life, in a state of considerable unease.

"Next time, whom will they send?"

"Will their skill surpass the previous assassin's?"

"Will Yuri be able to intervene in time to save me?"

Each unanswered question amplified the precariousness and instability of his present situation in Riezel's mind.

Moreover, Yuri's intervention was not without its underlying reasons.

Absent some specific cause, given the minimal prior interaction between the original owner of his body and her, their relationship seeming somewhat distant and formal, she would hardly have offered him sanctuary for an entire month without charge, considering it sufficient merely to have saved his life when he hovered near death.

Riezel harbored no desire to entrust his fate to the hands of another.

He needed to secure his own safety.

He was compelled to devise a method for extricating himself from this predicament of powerlessness.

However, this represented a formidable challenge.