The first thing I remember is pain — crushing, burning pain that tore through my skull as if invisible hands were trying to pry it open from the inside. The sensation was overwhelming, suffocating, and for a moment I thought I was dying. I could not breathe, could not move — that was the worst feeling of my life.
Light seeped into my vision in blurry shapes. My eyelids felt heavy, like they had weights stitched into them, but I forced them open just enough to see two giant figures hovering over me. A man and a woman… their faces bright, flushed with joy. One had dark hair, the other was golden-haired.
At that moment, my eyes glanced at my hands. They were very small. Then I looked at their hands, my hands, my legs, and my body — everything was very small compared to them. At that time, I knew I was a baby, their baby.
Then I couldn't stop myself from crying. I cried without understanding the reason.Maybe it was fear, the shock of turning into a baby, or baby instincts taking over me. Truthfully, I did not know why.
Darian's POV
"Selara… look!" Darian's voice trembled, thick with emotion, as he held the tiny bundle wrapped in soft silk. His arms — strong enough to wield a broadsword — shook as if he were a child picking up something impossibly precious.
"Look at our son, Selara. I finally have a son. We finally… have a son."
There was no shame in the tears brimming in his eyes. Years of sleepless nights filled with quiet despair, years of wondering whether the bloodline would end with him — all of it had led to this moment. The moment he heard his wife was giving birth, he ran to her side as soon as possible and stood there with her.
For generations, the Ravenor Dukes had stood as the empire's shield, warriors whose names echoed in every corner of Valtherion. And now, at last, the line would continue.
With his son.
Selara's POV
The birth had been long — painfully long. Every contraction felt like fire ripping through her bones. But Selara had never feared pain. She had been raised among royalty, trained to maintain grace even under the weight of crowns.
Still… this suffering had been different. Too consuming.
Yet as she looked at the small life in her arms, all of it felt worth it.
After fifteen years of marriage…After fifteen years of hoping, worrying, trembling at every failed attempt…After fifteen years of smiling through the pain so no one would see her heartbreak…
Their miracle had finally arrived.
Her son — warm, alive.
He cried loudly, his body trembling, and though it stung that the first thing he did upon seeing them was cry in terror or confusion, Selara couldn't bring herself to mind it. He was here, and that alone made everything beautiful.
But still… she narrowed her eyes playfully at her husband.
"Darian," she said with a teasing tone, "stop laughing like a madman. Our son probably started crying after seeing your smile. For a moment, I thought he didn't like us."
Duke Darian froze mid-laugh, his face blank with disbelief.
"Can't I even be happy after waiting so many years?" he complained.
His dramatic sigh only made her laugh. Their shared joy filled the room like sunlight.
Then Darian's expression shifted, as if struck by a sudden idea."Dear… what shall we name him? Shall we use the one we agreed on, or do you have something else in mind?"
Selara paused. Names held power — especially in noble families.
"Yes," she said, trying to stop the baby from crying. "I have a name. What do you think… Kael?"
Darian blinked, but then his face lit up with happiness.
"A wonderful name, dear… perfectly fitting for my son— oh, I mean, our son." He grinned sheepishly, unable to hide his excitement.
Before they could continue their playful bickering, the midwife — who had been watching them with moist eyes — cleared her throat delicately.
"My lady," she said, "the young master must be hungry."
Kael's POV
The moment the golden-haired woman pressed me against her bare chest, the world seemed to shift. Warmth enveloped me, very soft, and the rhythmic beating of her heart soothed the lingering pain in my skull.
Instinct took over, guiding me to latch onto her. The warmth of her milk spread through me.
While I fed, I listened — laughter and words floating through the air. Then I heard names:
Selara.Darian.Ravenor.
These weren't random names. I knew them. Knew the story they belonged to. I read that novel before… but when?
And then another name reached me — Kael.
Is that my name? They are naming a child, and I think I am the only child here, so they are naming me. What? They are naming me Kael? Am I in that novel as Kael Ravenor?
That single word triggered a cold shiver inside my new body.
Kael Ravenor.The minor villain of the story.The man destined to die early in the novel.
Realization struck, like ice across still water.
I had been reincarnated as the son of the Ravenor family. A family blessed with wealth, honor, and martial prowess.
By all rights, I should be happy. Noble life in a fantasy world — you can do what you want, and people do what you want.
But I knew there was a catch. There is always a catch.
In the story, the Ravenor heir became a villain, executed by the heroes summoned from Earth. Because of his recklessness. Because he wanted revenge against them for his fiancée choosing one of them.
The very thought twisted inside my chest. I am going to die like that in the future, for one woman leaving me. No, never.
My eyelids grew heavy once more, exhaustion creeping through my tiny body. No, I can't fall asleep during such an important time. But slowly, my thoughts dimmed. My mother's warmth wrapped around me like a protective cocoon. I couldn't resist it and fell into sleep.
Darian and Selara's POV
From above, the parents watched silently.
Darian let out a low chuckle."After crying like his life depended on it… he sleeps as if nothing happened."
Selara laughed. Even though she was very tired after long hours of childbirth, she was still very happy, and she continued brushing her fingers through Kael's head."He's adorable. I feel like my heart might burst every time I look at him."
Their joy lingered in the air like sunlight.
If only they knew the shadows hidden within the future of the child sleeping peacefully in their arms…
But for now, the world was quiet.For now, Kael slept.And for now… no one knew the storm that would one day rise from this tiny infant.