After Jeremy found out that the date today is several months away from the start of the plot…
He was curious about what he was supposed to do today.
He was about to ask Jude about his schedule but stopped.
If he remembered correctly, the novel mentioned that Jeremiah de Thorne…
Is a very carefree individual who only does things that are beneficial to his comfortable and peaceful life.
Yes, a very perfect copy of Jeremy indeed.
"Jude, am I free to do whatever I want today?"
Jeremy asked his butler, just to make sure that there's really no schedule for him.
The butler, who is now beginning to comb his young master's hair, tilted his head slightly.
"Young Master, that's a strange question to ask."
Jude looked at his young master's reflection in the mirror.
His young master is currently sitting gracefully in front of a mirror with a gentle smile on his face.
Seeing his young master's fine appearance in the mirror, Jude realized that he has been combing Jeremy's hair for quite a while now.
'Ah, the young master must be bored while I'm combing his hair… that's why he asked that question which has clearly an obvious answer.'
Jude immediately finished combing his young master's hair as he opened his mouth to reply to his young master's question.
"His Grace has always given you freedom to do whatever you want, Young Master."
Jude smiled brightly as he looked at the dashing appearance of his young master.
"You're right, my father has always spoiled me like this."
Jeremy chuckled as he said that, remembering how his father has always given him whatever he wanted.
The moment he finished saying that…
BANG!
Jeremy and Jude heard the door slammed open.
Both of them cast their gaze at the now opened bedroom door.
Standing on the doorway, was a tall handsome man wearing an elegant dark royal blue court uniform.
He has the same hair and eye color as Jeremy.
He has a fit body like most of the soldiers and knights.
And he possesses a very handsome face with a sharp jawline, Greek nose, and thin lips.
His eyes behind the thin-framed glasses were sharp and on top of it were perfectly sculpted eyebrows.
This face was very familiar to Jeremy.
"Dad?"
As Jeremy familiarly called out to the man, Jude also gracefully bowed to the empire's duke.
The duke slowly walked inside while gesturing to Jude to stand up.
He then pinched Jeremy's cheeks before speaking.
"I heard you speaking about me spoiling you?"
The duke said while suppressing his lips from smiling too much.
But Jeremy noticed his twitching lips.
"Yeah, because it's true that my dad spoils me."
Jeremy replied as he let the man in front of him knead his face.
The duke smiled brightly after hearing that.
Then he spoke.
"Then, how about you spoil me today instead and come with me somewhere?"
Jeremy looked at the duke smiling at him affectionately.
The same face…
With the same actions…
And the same expressions…
Jeremy paused as he realized something.
Right now, he doesn't want to distinguish or compare between the similar people he met in this world and his original world.
Starting now, he'll treat the people here in this world with the same sincerity he always gives to the people in his original world.
If they are Jeremiah de Thorne's family, friends, and loved ones… he would treat them as such.
Because, as of this moment, he and Jeremiah de Thorne are the same individual.
The duke noticed his son's silence, and thought that Jeremy didn't want to come with him.
"Oh… it's fine if you don't want to come with me… ha ha."
The duke said but his regretful look and words betrayed him.
Immediately, Jeremy knew that he was being misunderstood.
So, he spoke quickly as he displayed a sincere smile.
"No, I'll go with you, Dad."
This statement made the duke smile and chuckle.
"Okay, let's have fun later."
The duke said before turning toward the man behind him.
Jeremy then noticed that there was a handsome man in formal attire, standing behind his father…
All this time.
"Your Grace, Young Master, the breakfast is now ready."
The man said as he bowed his head toward both Jeremy and his father.
'He must be Frederick, the duke's chief attendant.'
If Jeremy remembers correctly, the novel mentioned that this chief attendant is in his late forties.
But Jeremy can't help but feel like the man talking to his father is still in his late twenties to early thirties.
The man noticed Jeremy's gaze and immediately bowed to him.
Jeremy nodded his head and smiled at Frederick.
In time, the duke also spoke.
"Then, let's have breakfast first before we go to the Imperial Palace."
Jeremy flinched after hearing his father.
"Hm, is there something wrong, Jeremy?"
Noticing his son flinching, the duke asked.
'Jeremy? Oh right.'
Jeremy is the nickname of Jeremiah de Thorne in this world.
And his family and loved ones always call him that.
For a moment, Jeremy thought that his real name was being called.
"Nothing, Dad. Let's go eat."
Jeremy said as he offered a reassuring smile to his father.
'Hmm… I guess I need to get used to both names.'
After all, people here will either call him Jeremy or Jeremiah… depending on their relationship with him.
"Alright, let's head to the dining hall."
The duke said with a wide smile as he started walking out of the bedroom.
Jeremy, Jude, and Frederick followed behind him.
As they made their way to the dining hall, Jeremy couldn't help but think.
'The Imperial Palace, huh?'
According to the novel, the palace is the center of all political struggles.
That's where the dangerous and bloodthirsty crown prince is residing.
The crown prince who has a reputation of mercilessly slaughtering his enemies.
His enemies who were slaughtered included…
Some of his relatives.
Some concubines of the current emperor.
And even servants in his own palace were tortured to death by him.
'That's what the citizens of the empire believed about the crown prince.'
Jeremy thought.
But he knew that the crown prince was not as bad as the people believed.
He has read everything about the crown prince.
He has been a good friend to Jeremiah de Thorne ever since they were kids.
'As long as he's a good person, I'll continue to be his good friend.'
Jeremy made a decision about his relationship with the crown prince.
There's another person who comes to his mind as well who has quite the reputation in the palace aside from the crown prince.
The prime minister.
It was said that even the emperor and the crown prince were nitpicked by him in the novel.
The prime minister has a strict and hard-to-please personality.
Most of the court officials, knights, and even princes and princesses were scared by him.
'That's what the novel says about the prime minister.'
Jeremy pondered on how he should interact with the prime minister if they happen to encounter him later.
Before the plot of the story started, there was no interaction between this body and the prime minister.
In the novel, the only description that Jeremiah de Thorne said about this prime minister is…
'The prime minister is not a bad person.'
For now, Jeremy decided that he'll just believe the opinion of Jeremiah, who was based fully on him.
He'll then see for himself later what kind of person the prime minister is during their interaction in the future.
But before that, he needs to know why they are going to the palace to know if he'll be encountering these people or not.
So, Jeremy moved his lips to speak.
"By the way, Dad…what will we be doing in the Imperial Palace?"
His father turned to him and smiled gently.
"Well, His Majesty wants to have tea time with our family, and asked specifically to bring you along."
"Hmm…may I know if he told you the reason why he wants to see me, Dad?"
Jeremy asked again.
"He didn't, but there's a possibility that it could be about you and His Highness the Crown Prince going to the Imperial Academy soon…"
The duke replied.
'Right, I need to enter the academy to study magic.'
Jeremy nodded his head as he finally remembered that his current body possesses an affinity to mana.
He discreetly tried to internally examine his body and can't help but smile upon feeling the mana circulating freely inside him.
He was happy and excited to know that he can use magic in this world.
"Or it could be that His Majesty wants to be graced by your good-looking face?"
Jeremy turned toward his father the moment he heard the duke saying that.
He was about to retort that it was nonsense.
But the moment he noticed his father's haughty expression after saying that line, he realized something.
His father is flexing their family's blessed appearance while using the emperor's name as an excuse.
. . .
Inside a ducal residence located in the empire's capital, servants were scrambling nonstop.
They were currently busy preparing as the duke and the youngest young master would be residing in this place for several days.
"Brother, it's been a while since I've last seen our Jeremy."
A tall handsome young man with blonde hair and green eyes said as he bumped his older brother's shoulder.
He is wearing a red imperial knight's uniform.
Beside him is his handsome older brother who has the same eye color and hair color as him…
And is wearing the same uniform as himself.
The difference is that the older brother's eyes are sharp.
While the younger brother has gentle eyes.
"Well, blame yourself for that."
The older brother said as he adjusted his glasses.
"No, Dad scammed me to join the imperial knights so that I'll be cooped up here in the capital."
The younger one argued but then immediately retained his knightly appearance when he saw a group of servants walking near them.
The two brothers are currently inside the ducal residence.
Specifically, in the basement.
They were standing a few feet away from the massive teleportation circle located at the center of the basement.
Anytime by now, they will be able to see their father and youngest brother.
As they were talking, intense bright light filled the basement along with vibrations of the ground.
FLASH.
Bzzzmmm.
Along with that flash of light and electric-like hum, four people emerged on the previously empty teleportation circle.
The Duke of Thorne…
Chief Attendant Frederick…
Butler Jude…
And Jeremy.
"JEREMYYYY!!"
The moment the light and the humming sound of the teleportation circle stopped, a tall figure immediately stepped up and hugged Jeremy.
"Brother Demi!"
Jeremy smiled brightly as soon as he saw another familiar person from his original world, aside from his father.
His older brother, Desmond.
After a second, he felt a hand patting his head.
When he looked, it was another familiar person.
"Big Brother Darius!"
He smiled excitedly upon seeing these familiar faces.
Even if they are not from his original world, he would still treat them the same way he treated his family on Earth.
He'll treat them with the same familial affection.
Because, in this world, they are his family.