On this day, I call you Jared of the house of Leonard Alphonse Serith.
Yes, did you hear that right?
At this moment, I am currently in the cathedral within my family's property. The pews are well arranged, and my dear mother, being the only mother witnessing this historic day, stands at the altar, holding me in her lap.
The vicar was facing me directly, wearing his stark white cassock and golden sash. Two of his aides, who bore an uncanny resemblance to one another, stood a short distance behind him, gazing at the clergyman with hope and adoration in their eyes.
As for the congregation, many strangers were currently piercing me with their stares. One might think that I would be accustomed to attention, given the nature of my past life. However, as a two-week-old infant, it was a little nerve-wracking.
Why? Because... in the presence of so many witnesses, this vicar was about to perform what is known as the "acceleration ceremony," whereby he would inject mana into me and activate my latent mana.
Yes, it's a method I developed in the past to help form my mana core early. It was quite popular, and even in this day and age, it seems they still use it, although it's now a highly refined event.
However, the reason I'm feeling so nervous is one crucial fact...
I've already "speeded up" myself!
Let's rewind a bit.
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I started forming my mana core 10 days after I was born, and a few days after the whole assassination attempt affair.
Of course, since I was stuck and constantly on the lookout, I had to take my time.
Normally, after a child receives a "speed-up," it takes a few years for their mana core to develop. This is because, although the latent mana becomes active, it automatically begins to converge in one place to become.
A nucleus within the magical user's body.
Infants, and even toddlers, who have no experience sensing their own mana or directing the flow have to wait years for things to take their natural course, and after that, they awaken.
The usual time for the nucleus to fully form is five years, although I've heard of cases of geniuses who formed their nucleus at the age of four, or even three.
How scary... I've been envying those lucky woodcutters!
Hahaha, but now... it's my turn to shine!" I smiled inwardly.
As you can see, I actually woke up a few days after I was born, much faster than most babies, and I've also had the ability to sense my own mana and direct the flow since I was conscious enough.
I guess the advantages of being a brilliant mind.
Although my mana ability seems to barely qualify, it doesn't seem to be a big deal. If I start directing my mana particles to form.
To form the nucleus myself, without waiting for it to assemble on its own, meant my speed would be far greater than others.
"I may not have the talent, but using this method, I won't be left behind!"
So, at 10 days old, I began my first experiment.
Ah, it was difficult. It was hard enough to sense the tiny fragments of mana residing within my body, but gathering them into one place was something else entirely.
For a child, whose mental strength was incomparable to that of an adult, it took an enormous amount of concentration to gather 10 particles in one hour.
Considering the fact that there are virtually infinite numbers of particles within a person's body, and it takes at least one hundred thousand to form a stable nucleus, 10 particles per hour was a long way from what I had in mind.
Even in this new life, it seemed that life would not be easy for me.
Nevertheless, I persevered.
On my first day, I managed to collect 50 molecules before I lost my strength and fell asleep.
My second day was better because I was somewhat able to put things on hold.
70, eh? Not bad, not bad! I thought to myself and smiled enthusiastically.
It seems that the more I practice collecting things each day, the better I get.
By the third day, I had already collected 120 molecules, almost double the amount from the previous day.
"At this rate... maybe..."
However, my hopeful thoughts were quickly dispelled when I suddenly realized, after overhearing the conversation between my mother and her maids,
"Is everything ready for tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow?" I had no idea that anything special was happening during that time.
"Yes, ma'am. The guests will be arriving very early, as their letters indicate, but we are almost finished with all the preparations," one of the maids replied.
Guests? Now I was even more puzzled.
"What's going on with the fires?" Why isn't anyone telling me anything? Oh, wait... I grumbled inwardly, hoping someone would shed more light on this commotion.
"Tomorrow is my baby's naming ceremony. Ah, I can't wait to hear my beautiful baby's name for the first time," my mother said finally, beaming with pride and excitement.
"...Eh?" came my baby's voice.
Apparently, the baby was supposed to have a naming ceremony two weeks after its birth. I knew nothing of such a thing before my mother mentioned it.
Perhaps it was because of my general heritage in my past life where such practices didn't exist. Noble culture is different from mass culture.
But, if that were the case, wouldn't I have noticed it in later stages of my life?
After all, I had many noble friends. Many of them had children, but I had never seen anything like this.
Well, perhaps it was a result of my obsession with the occult that I failed to notice such a detail...
laughed awkwardly.
Or perhaps the more logical option was that it was a new trend in whatever era I was reincarnated into.
Of course, based on the slight difference in the language everyone spoke, as well as the dates I saw around me, and also the books my mother read to me, I already deduced that it had been a few hundred years since my death.
528 years to be exact.
During that time, much had changed, like the magic-detection device I saw in my father's room. It seemed more advanced than I had known in the past.
And since many things were not the same as what I knew, the naming ceremony was no exception.
"Now that I think about it... I don't have a name yet." Everyone calls me Young Master, and my mother calls me her baby... It wouldn't be so bad to have a proper name..." I thought to myself with a little anticipation.
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How did I know things would turn out this way?
A "speed-up" ceremony after hearing my name... How did I get out of that mess?