The Author's Reset

The hooded man didn't say anything for a moment after stepping into the carriage. He just stood there, his face hidden, staring at me like I'd personally stolen everything he'd ever cared about. The air felt heavier with every second that passed, and then, finally, he spoke. 

"You don't even recognize me, do you?" 

His voice was sharp, cutting right through me. Before I could answer, he pulled back his hood, and I felt my stomach drop. He was an elf. 

He had the kind of face you'd expect from an elf—sharp jawline, pointed ears, and those piercing emerald-green eyes. His silver hair was tied back into a braid, falling over his shoulder. If it weren't for the murderous expression on his face, I might've said he looked regal. 

"I'm Mathias Windrider," he said, his voice dripping with hatred. 

Windrider. Yeah, that made sense. Elves didn't just have family names like humans did. Their last names came from their clans, and only the most prestigious families got to pass down their actual name within the clan. The Windrider Clan was one of the big ones, known for being insanely strong with wind magic and producing warriors who could kill you before you even knew they were there. And here I was, stuck in a carriage with one who clearly wanted me dead. 

"I should kill you where you stand," he spat. 

My brain froze. "What? Why?" 

Mathias's eyes narrowed, his expression twisting with disgust. "Don't play dumb. You think I don't know what you did? You came to Hackendor drunk. You forced yourself on my sister." 

I felt like I'd just been punched in the gut. 

"No," I said, shaking my head. "That wasn't me—" 

He laughed bitterly, cutting me off. "Spare me your excuses. You wear his face. You have his name. Julius Vaelorian. You're a monster, and tonight, I'm ending you." 

His hand shot out, and I barely had time to process what was happening before a blade of wind magic materialized around it. He lunged at me. 

---

I thought I was dead. For real this time. 

But just before the blade could slice me in half, another blade intercepted it with a deafening clang. 

"Step back, Young Master," Joseph said, his voice calm and steady. 

Joseph. 

He'd moved faster than I thought humanly possible, and now he was standing between me and Mathias, his sword locked against the elf's magic blade. The old butler looked different—gone was the polite, reserved expression he always wore. Instead, his face was hard, his eyes sharp, like a man who'd been through hell and lived to tell the tale. 

"Who are you?" Mathias snarled. 

"Joseph Alden," the butler said, his tone cold. "And I'm not letting you touch the Young Master." 

Mathias laughed, though there was no humor in it. "An old man dares to stand against me?" 

Joseph didn't respond. He just smirked, and I swear I saw something dangerous in his eyes. 

And then they started fighting. 

---

I didn't know where to look. 

Joseph was incredible. I mean, I'd written about him before—mentioned how he used to be an adventurer before retiring to work for the Vaelorian family—but I never realized this was *that* Joseph. The man was a blur of movement, his blade deflecting every attack Mathias threw at him. 

But Mathias wasn't a pushover, either. He was an elf, and elves were practically born with magic. Every strike he made was precise, his wind magic cutting through the air with deadly force. 

I glanced out the window and saw two more elves approaching the carriage, their weapons drawn. One of them raised a hand, a fire spell forming in their palm, but Joseph was faster. He turned, his blade flashing, and the spell dissipated before it could even reach the carriage. 

In less than a minute, the two elves were down, dead on the ground. 

But Mathias was still standing, his attacks growing more vicious by the second. 

---

Joseph was holding his own, but it was clear he was being pushed to his limits. Mathias's magic was relentless, and I could see the strain on Joseph's face as he parried each blow. 

"You're done," Mathias growled, his blade slicing through the air. 

Joseph's expression hardened, and for a moment, it looked like he was about to finish the fight. He feinted left, then struck right, breaking Mathias's guard. His sword was poised for the killing blow. 

But I couldn't let that happen. 

"Stop!" 

My voice came out louder than I expected, and it startled both of them. Joseph hesitated, his sword freezing mid-swing. 

Mathias turned to me, his eyes wide with disbelief. 

"You—" 

I didn't give him a chance to say more. Mathias was about to die, but I couldn't let that opportunity slip by. Elves were one of the races with the most mana, and many humans hunted them to make legendary-grade mana stones. If I could get something so valuable this early on, it might be another chance at survival.

My hand shot into my bag, grabbing one of the mana stones I'd taken from the chief's vault. With my other hand, I grabbed a dagger and lunged forward, my body moving on pure instinct. 

The dagger sank into Mathias's chest, right where his heart should've been. His body jerked violently, and I felt the mana surging out of him, flowing into the stone in my hand. The high-grade mana stone began to glow brighter and brighter, shifting to a golden hue. 

A legendary-grade mana stone. 

Mathias's body slumped to the ground, lifeless. 

I stood there, shaking, staring at his body. My hands were covered in blood—his blood. 

I'd killed someone. 

It didn't matter that he wanted me dead. It didn't matter that he hated me, that he had every reason to hate me. I'd killed him. 

I clenched my fists, forcing myself to breathe. 

*This is what I have to do to survive.* 

If I hesitated, if I let my morals get in the way, I'd die. Just like Mathias. 

I stuffed the mana stone back into my bag and turned to Joseph. "Let's go." 

He nodded silently, his face unreadable, and we climbed back into the carriage. 

---

Back in the carriage, I pulled out the two skill books I'd stolen. 

First, I opened *Subspace*. The moment I activated it, I felt something shift in my mind, like a door opening. I tested it by placing the mana stone inside, and it vanished instantly, reappearing in perfect condition when I reached for it. 

Next was *Appraisal*. 

As soon as I activated it, a screen appeared in front of me: 

Name: Julius Vaelorian 

Race: Human 

Mana Core: None 

Stats:

- Strength: G 

- Agility: G 

- Endurance: G 

- Intelligence: G 

- Charm: G- 

It was bad. Worse than I'd expected, especially that G-rank charm. If my current face is G- rank charm, I'd hate to imagine my previous face—G-... or maybe not even a number.

Curious, I turned the skill on Joseph. 

Name: Joseph Alden 

Race: Human 

Mana Core: ☆ ☆

Stats: 

- Strength: C+ 

- Agility: C 

- Endurance: C- 

- Intelligence: C 

- Charm: C 

2 star mana core not bad for an old man. 

---

By the time we got back to the Vaelorian manor, the sun was just starting to rise. I stepped out of the carriage, my legs feeling like jelly, and looked up at the massive estate. 

This was just the beginning.