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

"Ughh..." Arthur struggled to open his heavy eyelids, his breathing ragged, as though he had just sprinted a long distance.

"What was that? Was it all a dream?" He muttered in a hushed tone, squinting at the room's sky, which felt vaguely familiar.

"My bedroom?" He whispered to himself, his voice tinged with confusion, as he slowly sat up.

It was then that he realized he was in his own bed, and his eyes roamed over the surroundings, a sense of strangeness enveloping him.

"Huh? Weren't I in the reading room a moment ago?" Arthur rubbed his forehead, baffled by the sudden shift from the place where he had last seen the mysterious white book that had apparently whisked him away.

"Oh, that's right! The white book!" Arthur's eyes widened as he scanned the now empty room, devoid of any trace of the enigmatic white book.

With a sudden realization that the book was gone, Arthur withdrew his gaze, and just as he did, a white fox leaped at him from the front.

Arthur swiftly caught the fox in his hands.

"Hmm? Little fox? Where have you been? I haven't seen you in days." Arthur gently rubbed the white fur of the fox, curiosity piquing his tone.

"Hmmmm~" The little fox nuzzled affectionately against Arthur, as if it had missed him.

Sensing the fox's warmth and affection, Arthur couldn't help but smile, his fingers softly caressing the fox's pristine, soft fur.

Just as the two were relishing their time together, the door to the room suddenly swung open, revealing Vivian holding a glass of warm water.

"Arthur! Are you awake, my dear?" Vivian, spotting Arthur petting the little fox, exclaimed in surprise and hurried over to him.

Hearing his mother's voice, Arthur turned his gaze toward her.

"Mom?" Arthur's voice held a hint of surprise as he called out to Vivian softly.

"My dear, you really had me worried." Vivian, now standing beside him, let out a sigh of relief and gently stroked Arthur's hair.

Seeing how concerned Vivian was, Arthur's confusion deepened.

He continued to stroke the little fox in his hand as he asked curiously, "How long have I been unconscious, and how did I end up in this room?" His tone was hushed as he looked at Vivian.

Vivian shook her head and replied, "It's been two days since you fainted, and I have no idea how you ended up fainting on the floor of the palace's reading room."

"If the library guards hadn't found you, my dear, I fear that you might never have been found at all," she said, her expression etched with deep worry and her anxious eyes conveying the gravity of the situation.

Vivian felt an overwhelming wave of relief as she observed her son, who had made a remarkable recovery.

Her heart had nearly failed her when she witnessed Arthur faint, plunging her into a state of panic that threatened to shatter her world.

Thankfully, the palace physician assured her that it was merely a fainting episode, which brought a profound sense of relief.

However, the slight dark circles under her eyes told the story of her sleepless nights, her thoughts perpetually consumed by concerns for Arthur's well-being.

Arthur himself was in shock upon hearing this, as he vividly remembered being pulled into a vortex created by the mysterious book.

Yet, it appeared that he had been unconscious for a full two days!

Seeing Arthur's speechlessness and his slightly furrowed brow, Vivian became increasingly worried and gently caressed his face.

"My dear, did you have an accident? Were you perhaps attacked by an enemy?" Her voice resonated with concern and genuine worry.

Though the idea of someone daring to harm Arthur was highly unlikely, Vivian couldn't completely dismiss the possibility, leaving her feeling quite uneasy.

If her son was ambushed or perhaps poisoned, strange and irrational thoughts continued to plague her, plunging her into a state of anxiety.

Arthur soon snapped out of his initial confusion.

Seeing the evident distress in Vivian's eyes, he gently placed the little fox on his lap, lifted himself up a bit, and tenderly embraced her.

"It's alright, Mom; no need to worry," Arthur reassured Vivian, his soothing touch stroking her back.

Her son's comforting words gradually helped Vivian regain her composure, and she held Arthur close for warmth.

They remained in this embrace for a while before finally parting.

"So, did something happen to you?" Vivian, now composed, immediately resumed her inquiry, determined to get to the bottom of the situation.

Arthur gave a slight nod, his gaze growing more focused.

"To be honest, I'm not entirely sure, Mom. All I remember is that, while I was engrossed in reading a book, my vision suddenly darkened. I believe it might have been due to exhaustion," Arthur explained, shaking his head lightly, leaving out the true reason entirely.

He couldn't possibly reveal that he had opened a strange white book and been thrust into another world, could he?

It was an incredibly peculiar situation, and even though the very essence of this fantasy world seemed strange to a modern individual like Arthur, to those residing in the Elemental World, magic and the like were the norm.

Yet, admitting to being transported to another world would likely be akin to a contemporary person claiming they were transported to a fantasy world, an utterly illogical scenario.

Arthur opted for a more reasonable and logical explanation.

Vivian, listening to his account, remained somewhat suspicious.

However, when considered in the larger context, this explanation aligned with common sense and seemed more plausible.

An attack within the palace was highly improbable since the presence of his older brother, Emperor Alex, would undoubtedly be detected if such an incident occurred.

"I understand. That's a relief. Now I can finally rest easy," Vivian said with a sigh of relief, gently patting her huge chest.

Arthur suddenly remembered that he hadn't seen Lucia with Vivian.

He assumed that if he ever found himself in a dangerous situation, Lucia would be the first to worry about him.

This situation is quite unusual. 

"By the way, Mom, where is Lucia?" Arthur asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Lucia? Oh, she's currently enrolling as a student at the Imperial Academy," Vivian explained, smoothing Arthur's blanket and adjusting his collar.

"The Imperial Academy?" Arthur was taken aback; he hadn't expected to hear this.

As the name suggests, the Imperial Academy is a place where the Balka Empire gathers and trains many talented individuals.

It's where the geniuses of the Balka Empire are cultivated.

"That's right. You know she's reached the age to enter the academy, and my brother quickly arranged her enrollment," Vivian said with a gentle smile as she sat at the end of the bed.

However, Arthur's brow furrowed.

This development deviated significantly from the novel's intended plot.

In the story, Lucia and the protagonist, Abel, were supposed to enter the greatest academy on the human continent, located in the Kingdom of Wisdom and guarded by the five empires.

This distorted plot had gone too far, and Abel himself should have appeared by now.

Vivian, observing Arthur's puzzled expression, playfully pinched his cheek.

"What's wrong? Are you worried that Lucia will forget about you and not like you anymore?" She chuckled, trying to understand his change in mood.

Arthur chuckled a little but managed a faint smile, shaking his head.

"No, that's not what I meant. It's just that I have some concerns," he said softly as he cradled the slumbering little fox in his arms, running his fingers through its soft fur to calm himself.

Vivian, understanding his emotions, smiled and gently rested her chin on her hand.

"Speaking of which, you'll need to choose an academy too, won't you? What about the Southern Region Academy, or do you want to join Lucia at the Imperial Academy?" Vivian asked with curiosity, her eyes fixed on Arthur as she waited for his response.

Arthur, after a moment of contemplation, shook his head.

"No, I won't be attending either of those academies," he replied with a hint of uncertainty, his gaze drifting towards the window.

"Oh? Then, where do you plan to go?" Vivian inquired, her concern for her son clearly evident.

Arthur shook his head once more and said, "I haven't decided yet, but I'll let you know in the future, Mom."

He turned to look at her, offering a gentle smile.

"I understand, and I'll support whatever decision you make, my son," Vivian said warmly, running her fingers through Arthur's hair affectionately.

They exchanged warm smiles, but suddenly, Arthur's expression grew very serious.

"By the way, how's the state of the war now? Have there been any developments?" Arthur's tone was filled with concern and anticipation regarding the progress of the two Empire Wars.

This war was an incredibly crucial plot in the novel "The Birth of the Elemental Lord."

Despite the disruption and deviation from the novel's original timeline, Arthur knew that he had to execute his plans carefully.

Upon hearing this question, Vivian's expression suddenly grew tense, and she nervously clenched her palms.

"The situation right now at the border is rather unfavorable."