The butler's footsteps echoed down the hall like he was running from a ghost. I stood there in the fancy room, staring at the door he'd slammed behind him.
Family? In a world like this?
My heart did a weird beat, part of it was excitement, part was fear. Back home, family was just memories that hurt. Here, it could be a death sentence or a cheat code that might grant my wishes.
But 23 hours are left on the timer. No time to get sentimental.
I paced the room, trying to take it in. Polished wood floors that didn't make a creaking every time I walked, green curtains heavy enough to block out the bright sun, a desk with papers, and a bench that looked like it cost a fortune.
The mirror showed me this red-haired,d pretty boy staring back, but who the hell was he?
No memories flooding in yet.
And I'm not like Kim Dokja either, who remembered everything from the story, or always carried a pdf in his hand.
The door burst open again, and in rushed a woman. Middle-aged, brimming with elegance, in a flowing gown that shimmered like water under light. Her eyes, blue, sharp, locked on me, wide with something between joy and terror.
She froze for a second, hand to her mouth, then crossed the room in three strides and pulled me into a hug that squeezed the air out of me.
"Oh, my boy," she whispered, voice cracking.
"We thought we'd lost you forever."
I stiffened. It's been a while since someone embraced me like this.
Also.
Boy?
That was it?
No name.
Shit.
I patted her back awkwardly, mind screaming in confusion. Who could this be?
Mom?
Stepmom?
Aunt? I need to play along.
"Uh... yeah. I'm... back?"
She pulled away, her hands cupping my face, tears streaming nonstop.
"The healers said it was hopeless. That coma... three years. But the seer promised you'd wake. She saw it in the stars."
She must be talking about the king's companion. She was the only one capable of reading people's lives.
And that also means I was transmigrated into a family rich enough to have connections with others.
So this body was in a Coma?
That explained the butler's shock. Having been out cold for years. Literally a perfect cover for a transmigration.
I nodded, faking relief. "The seer was right. I feel... better now."
She smiled through the tears, wiping them with her sleeve. "Come, you must be starving. Your father will want to see you immediately."
Father.
The word hit like a thunderbolt. In the novel, powerful families meant royal drama, betrayals, power struggles, and cannon fodder and disgraceful sons.
She led me out into a hallway lined with portraits: Knights in armour, women with jewels, all with that same red hair.
Our family trait, I guessed. No names on those either, though. Just titles like "Lord of Ravengard" or "Guardian of the Rift."
We descended a grand staircase, her arm linked in mine like I might disappear any moment. Servants bowed as we passed, murmuring "Young master" without meeting my eyes. Still no name.
What, was it cursed or something?
The dining hall was massive, and a long dining table was set for a feast, chandeliers flickering with what looked like magic flames. A man stood at the head, tall and broad, grey streaking his red beard. His eyes were cold and piercing, but they slowly softened when he saw me.
He strode over, clasping my shoulders with hands like the hilt of a sword.
"Son," he rumbled, voice deep enough to rattle the plates. "The gods have returned you to us."
Son. Again, no name.
I swallowed, meeting his gaze. This guy radiated a menacing aura, not just noble vibes, but something more. Like the air around him filled with energy. In the novel, the strongest people were the rift guardians, wielding blood magic or something tied to the apocalypse sky-bleed.
Was he one? Top-tier badass?
"Yeah... Father," I said, testing the word. It felt weird on my tongue. "I'm back."
He nodded, pulling me into a brief, bone-crushing hug.
"Sit. Eat all you want. We've so much to discuss."
We sat him at the head, the woman (Mom?) beside him, me across.
Servants piled food: Barbecued meats, fresh breads, fruits I'd never seen.
I didn't think twice before I dug in; starving really made me mad. The flavours slowly spread through my taste buds, way better than my mom's failed recipes back home.
As we ate, they talked, but it wasn't to me. They talked about me.
"Even the strongest healers couldn't explain it," Mother said, taking a sip from the wine. "One day you're breathing, the next... gone. Like your soul disappeared."
Father made a gruntnoisee. "The rift's influence, perhaps. It's been unstable since the last bleed."
I perked up. Rift, that matched the novel's end-times prophecy. "What... happened to me?" I asked, playing dumb.
They exchanged glances. Father leaned forward. "You fainted during the training. No one even attacked you. It just happened in a minute."
Training? Spell? So, this body had magic.
Fuck that's amazing.
That's why, despite being in bed for so long, I didn't feel tired.
But no details on who "I" was. No "Ardent" or whatever my name might be.
Weird.
The lady reached over, squeezing my hand. "But you're here now. That's what matters. Your sister will be thrilled, she's in the gardens, practising her illusions."
Sister?.
I nodded, smiling as I knew her. Family moments like this felt surreal. Back home, dinner was me alone with cup noodles. Here, it was... warm. Almost too warm. The feeling I longed for.
Father shared stories: How there were occasional cracks in the rifts and how outsiders would invade, and he would be on the frontlines beating their asses up.
I laughed at his jokes and asked questions to know more.
"What about... the others? Any brothers?"
Father's face darkened slightly. "Your older brother is away. Scouting the borders. He'll return soon."
News to me. The novel had noble families with heirs, but no specifics. Was he the golden child? The one who'd inherit while I got sacrificed?
I completed my meal. Mother started making a fuss, insisting I rest.
"You've been through so much, dear."
Still no name. It was starting to bug me. Did they think I'd forgotten it in the coma? Or was it some plot thing?
Father stood, clapping my shoulder. "Tomorrow, we train. See if you have awakened your abilities in your state."
My stomach twisted. No system yet, pretty sure I'd fly if he flickered his fingers.
But the timer ticked: 22 hours now.
They left me alone in the room, servants picking up and clearing the plates. I paced again, trying to think of a way. Near-death in 24 hours.
What should I do? Poison myself? Jump off the balcony? With a family watching, it'd be awful.
Then it hit me. Tomorrow, when I train, I will voluntarily fall in front of the knife, getting stabbed. I'm sure this family has many healing potions. Even If i did't unlock the system, I'd live for another day.
My lips curved upwards, grinned at the mirror, red hair messy.
I found a way to die.