The False Samaritan

Change, or suffer - that was the ultimatum he was given.

Arthur de Mowbray. An English aristocrat, prideful, the lowest of the low. On his twenty-first, he is assassinated, and thrust into a vast, incomprehensible world of sorcery. Reincarnated into the slums of an alternate Earth. He is raised by Ma'a, an adoptive figure shrouded in mystery, and with her influence, he regresses deeper into his own ego. But that all begins to change when he crosses paths with the reincarnation of the maid that served him in his past life.

She offers him a place to stay, under the roof of the House of Raynott in the country's capital: Murancia. However, sparks are flying. Political tensions are rising. And conflicts with the Raynott family, conflicts with his own mind, slowly whittle away at his pride. As that facade begins to crack, he comes face to face with the embodiment of his own masked self-hatred - The Despair Saint - marking him as a target for the cruel beasts known as simates that lie beyond the city’s protective walls.

He is exiled under the guise of a quest, to the City of Soul: Nuncékref. However, his life hangs in the balance as the mayoral triumvirate, three infamous sorcerers, attempt to take his throat to stop him from reaching his destination. But all three have ulterior motives. Grudges to make peace with. Pride to sear away.

Amidst everything, questions about his companion plague him. Why can't she use magic? Why did she help Arthur in the first place? If he died and reincarnated on the same day, why do they both share that birthday?

Can humans really change?

AMBITIONS

Why am I writing this?

This is the first part of The Grail of Lilintha, focusing on the deadly sin of pride.

Mainly, with this book, and the series in general, I want to argue that everyone deserves forgiveness, as everyone, even the lowest of the low, has the capacity to change. I want to challenge the stigma against those who have done wrong; not to justify their crimes, but rather showcase that whilst they may not be forgiveable now, they should be given the right to have a positive influence help change their ways, and ultimately, have the right to redeem themselves.

In this book, I focus on all the facets of pride I know. Ranging from the pride of humility, perfectionism, toxic masculinity, the inability to push past one's own beliefs and grudges, and ultimately, what it takes to forgive, and accept, yourself and others.