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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Mod7
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Let’s get this straight.
I was born in this life in an empire called Aslan.
A world divided by commoners and nobles.
Even among nobles, not everyone held equal standing. The four great families were a prime example.
House Iris, guardians of the empire’s south, possessed diplomatic prowess and wealth rivaling the imperial family.
House Luniere, protectors of the east, had produced generations of exceptional mages.
House Charlotte, guardians of the west, controlled the empire’s underworld.
House Reinhardt, defenders of the north, cultivated honorable knights.
Each of these four families wielded enough power to make most other nobles pale in comparison. They were simply on a different level.
And I, I was born the second son of House Reinhardt.
In my past lives, I’d always been born into hardship, a lonely orphan without family or friends.
But this time was different.
I had a mother who loved me, an older brother, Allen, the leading candidate to become the next head of House Reinhardt, and a younger sister, Aria, who, despite her young age, rivaled the daughter of House Luniere in magical talent.
And then there was my father, who single-handedly defended the castle against enemy knights during the Imperial War.
‘With all this… maybe… I can finally live a peaceful life?’
A peaceful life.
The reason I yearned for it was simple.
My six previous lives, combined, added up to roughly 200 years. That meant an average lifespan of less than 40 years, and none of those deaths were natural. They were all murders or deaths from illness. So, it was only natural for me to crave peace.
Life in House Reinhardt was peaceful.
The servants were kind, and my mother showered me with warmth.
Even the Duke, though gruff, seemed like a decent person. A little too strict at times, perhaps, but decent.
It was a good family. My brother and sister were…
…They should have been.
They were supposed to be.
But this damned god seemed determined to keep me from happiness.
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It was the year I turned ten.
Imperial Year 1932, 10th month, 31st day.
The night of my tenth birthday party.
The woman sitting before me, her hair as black as the night sky, her eyes a deep crimson, like the heart of the sun—that was my mother, Lady Sariel Reinhardt.
I had no complaints about my life with her. Even though she was born a commoner, no one within the dukedom dared to openly disrespect her. In fact, her gentle nature earned her the respect of many.
“Happy birthday, Jenison. You’re ten years old already…”
Mother said, her voice filled with emotion.
Jenison, that was my name.
“Now that you’re ten… your inherent mana form should manifest soon.”
“Yes…”
Inherent mana form referred to the unique characteristics of a person’s mana. It manifested in everyone between the ages of eight and ten and was a particularly important event for nobles.
The nature of one’s mana influenced everything, from the power of their magic to their career path.
House Luniere, renowned for their magic, possessed mana attuned to elemental magic, while House Reinhardt, known for its powerful knights, had mana geared towards defense.
Naturally, these inherent traits also affected individual strength, making them crucial for noble families seeking to enhance their power. Hence the significance of this event.
Mother reassured me not to be disappointed even if my mana manifested a non-combat-related trait…
But honestly, I was excited.
Perhaps it was childish, but think about it: my father was the Duke of House Reinhardt, one of the four great families. I carried his blood. My siblings, despite their young age, already possessed power far beyond their peers.
Wouldn’t it be natural for me to be brimming with anticipation, hoping I’d inherited some of that talent?
“Yes, I won’t be disappointed no matter what manifests.”
Of course, that was a lie.
I’d be incredibly disappointed.
“Alright, go to your room now.”
After our pleasant conversation, I went to my room, where I was greeted by the sight of my empty bed.
My room was spartan. Or rather, almost completely empty. I never expected a bastard son to be showered with luxuries. A bed and a pillow were all I needed, right?
“Young Master, do you require assistance with your bath?”
A female voice called from outside the door.
Her name was Ella. A maid who served my mother and me in House Reinhardt.
She was around my age, but unlike me, she was skilled in housework and possessed a charming appearance that endeared her to the other maids.
They probably assigned her to me thinking we’d get along because of our similar age…
‘Even so, at my age… having a child help me bathe is a bit…’
Feeling a pang of conscience, I politely declined and washed myself. Thoroughly relaxed, I lay down on my bed.
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my heart, followed by a contradictory sensation—a feeling both hot and cold.
I instinctively knew this was mana.
My inherent mana form was about to manifest.
I immediately turned on the mana manifestation device Mother had given me. By channeling my mana into it and waiting, a symbol representing my mana’s characteristics would appear.
Ordinary people had one symbol; those with talent had two or more.
There were countless variations of these symbols, and it was said that they determined a person’s future.
However, that wasn’t entirely true. While the shape of the symbol certainly influenced one’s talents, some individuals applied their abilities in unexpected ways, finding success in fields completely unrelated to their designated aptitude.
My father, the Duke, was a prime example.
Nevertheless, the symbol’s influence on one’s future was undeniable. Even I, having lived through so much, couldn’t help but feel nervous.
“Please… please…” I prayed fervently, hoping for something good after all the hardships I’d endured.
I placed my hand on the mana manifestation device and channeled the energy within me. The device absorbed all of my mana, and finally, a red light flickered at the top.
When it turned completely blue, my symbol would be revealed.
“Ha… I wonder what my symbol will be? It would be nice if I could use magic freely, like Aria…”
My brother Allen’s symbol was optimized for swordsmanship, and my sister Aria possessed a talent that even House Luniere envied.
Thanks to their gifts, they were both incredibly popular, despite their young age.
“Even if it’s just like Father’s…”
As I mentioned earlier, Duke Reinhardt’s talent, which he applied in an unexpected way, wasn’t related to swordsmanship. His was “Mana Sight,” the ability to see the mana imbued within objects.
A simple ability, nothing more, nothing less.
Yet, with this simple talent, he rose to the pinnacle of knighthood. He fought by observing the flow of mana within swords, by perceiving the disruption of mana as objects moved.
Of course, achieving this was no easy feat. It required exceptional dynamic vision to react instantly to the scattering mana, a highly trained body, and even more time to apply these skills in actual combat.
This was why many knights revered him. They respected the effort he put in to reach such heights with a seemingly unremarkable talent.
He made a name for himself throughout the empire with his contributions to the Imperial War, demonstrating his abilities to all.
Although my soul wasn’t his, this body carried his blood. So, I thought, maybe I could be like them.
Moreover, unlike them, this wasn’t my first life.
Lost in these pleasant dreams, I remained silent, praying for my symbol to appear quickly on the mana manifestation device.
‘What kind of symbol will it be…?’
A sword? Magic?
Mother would probably object if it was something dangerous, but such a talent would be my destiny.
‘Finally, I have a talented body… Heh.’
Beep—
As I chuckled to myself, the mana manifestation device signaled completion.
My gaze snapped towards it.
“…What is this?”
And then, my world tilted.
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