"The more I read, the more I acquire, the more certain I am that I know nothing." – Voltaire

  As I was taking a luxurious bath in the warm, soapy water, I thought about what had happened so far.

  I thought, I’ll need more information about my surroundings, particularly where I live and if the world map is the same as the one I had on Earth.

  They must have some sort of library or a place where there's a wealth of information in this mansion. I could consult the library as my first priority. My main goal is to figure out where I am and how developed the technology is in this world.

  Then, a person knocked on the door and announced, "Young Master Valens, your clothes are ready."

  I responded, "Yes, I'll wear them after I'm done with my bath."

  I turned off the bath and looked in the mirror for the first time since arriving in this world.

  As I looked into the mirror, I saw a child who appeared to be about five years old, with black hair and brown eyes staring back at me.

  I then left the bathroom and saw the clothes the maid had left hanging on the door. I sighed, I don't exactly know how to wear this.

  Since I only wore hoodies and jeans in my previous world, I had no experience wearing trousers with suspenders or stockings.

  I lamented the fact that I wasn't aware of how to wear these clothes, and so, I struggled for the rest of the evening with these unfamiliar garments.

  After struggling with dressing, I decided to explore the house where I’d be staying and to find the library.

  I stopped a butler who was walking past and asked, "I’ve seemed to forget, but where might the dining room and the library be?"

  The butler led me to the library and said, "I'll wait outside for you. When you're done, I'll take you to the dining room."

  I nodded and went into the room. I was greeted by the sight of a vast library filled with books. Then, I realized, Wait, how do I even know if the language written here is one I’m familiar with? It’s already a coincidence that these people speak English, but if they don't write in a language I recognize, how am I supposed to read any books?

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  When I approached the nearest book, I noticed it was in a language different from English.

  I sighed, unsurprised. However, as I took a closer look, I realized that it was actually written in something resembling Japanese, with some unfamiliar characters.

  I was relieved that I wouldn’t have to learn an entirely new language from scratch, but I would have to master this altered version of Japanese.

  The Japanese text read: "Fire Magic Basics and Tricks to Woo Your Peers."

  I gasped in shock as I reread the sentence. Magic?! I thought in surprise.

  I looked inside the book, and what I saw shocked me: diagrams and research about fire magic and how to master it.

  In my previous world, magic was impossible. If this is true, it threatens everything I know about physics, I thought.

  I then looked at the book next to it and gulped in shock. It was a book about Earth magic, and as I flipped through it, I found an explanation on how to create dirt and rock.

  This confirms it, I thought. I’m not on the Earth I was used to anymore. This directly contradicts the Law of the Conservation of Mass. Mass cannot be created or destroyed. I’m either in an alternate reality or universe, or something happened to the universe I lived in that caused this to happen.

  I kept that in mind as I searched for a geography book that could explain more about the rules and states of this world.

  Soon, I found a book titled "Geography Guide 101."

  As I saw it, my mouth twisted into a grin. The exact book I’m looking for, I thought.

  I opened the book, and what I saw only confirmed my suspicions while raising even more questions: Wait, why does the map look the same as the one from my previous world? I sighed in frustration.

  I organized my thoughts and realized this book confirmed what I had been suspecting for a while now. This was the same Earth I had known, but there either seemed to be a catastrophic change that fundamentally destroyed human civilization, or this was an alternate universe or dimension where one of my old universe's fundamental laws had been broken.

  I took a closer look at the map and saw a pin that read, "You are here." It was placed near the coast of North Carolina in the U.S. However, in this universe, this land belonged to the Kingdom of Eastern Alecia, with everything from the Mississippi River westward, except for the Texas coast, being ruled by the Demonic Nation of Western Alecia.

  I flipped to the chapter describing the Kingdom of Eastern Alecia. The overview read: "The Kingdom of Eastern Alecia, commonly known as Eastern Alecia, is both a republic and a kingdom in which the King rules by royal decree, dealing with the larger picture, while the Senate focuses on civilian and daily life, including taxes and drafts. The borders stretch from the Tumbler River to Lake Challenger."

  I then flipped to the chapter describing Western Alecia. The overview stated: "The Demonic Nation of Western Alecia is ruled by the Demon King and is populated by demi-humans, demons, and barbaric animals who consume the land and slaughter anyone who lives on it. They’re contained by Western Alecia and the Coalition, which includes Southern Alecia, Narnia, and the Intermanium Empire."

  I closed the book and decided, I’ve gathered enough information so far, as I pulled out the pocket watch from one of my pockets, which had been in the clothes I'd been given. It was now 7 p.m.

  I placed the book down, walked out of the library, and closed the door behind me. I then asked the butler, who had been standing outside patiently, "Now, where might the dining room be?"