-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: Baby Cry
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Life is full of twists and turns.
We should always prepare for crises that could strike at any moment and never panic no matter what happens.
Like right now.
"Wah!"
A booming cry burst from my mouth.
Right. Don't panic.
"Wah! Wah!!!"
That's just how life is.
Even when breathing is hard and the tears come...
"Wah!!! Ahh!!!!"
No, even so, this was too much to stay calm about.
Baby cries, of all things.
I opened my mouth to try speaking.
"Wah! Waaah!"
But instead of words, only cries came out.
And that wasn't all.
The whole world looked enormous.
"Mana..."
"Incredible mana..."
The murmurs of others around me.
Mana? What mana? This isn't some fantasy world.
Thinking that, I looked around.
A chandelier on the ceiling, people bustling about.
"Wha, wah?"
Then, several faces peering down at me.
But that lasted only a moment.
A floating sensation came over me as my body was lifted.
It felt just like long ago, when the orphanage director would pick me up on her good days...
As I turned my head forward with that thought,
a silver-haired woman gazed at me with a pale, smiling face.
"My child."
Her smile brimmed with more maternal love than anyone else's, and our eyes met.
Red irises.
Eyes that would normally seem utterly cruel, but her loving gaze made it feel like they overflowed with affection, completely hiding the blood-red hue.
No, wait—red eyes and silver hair?
"My precious child."
The woman's voice rang in my ears again.
"Born with the Star's Blessing, my precious child."
"..."
Star's Blessing?
What could that mean?
But such thoughts were fleeting.
The bottomless gratitude and relief in her voice left me staring blankly at her, unable to do anything else.
A warmth I'd never felt growing up an orphan.
*
I've heard it countless times, but my name is Theodor.
To be precise, Theodor Adelio Castina.
And shortened,
"Theo."
A gentle woman's voice snapped me from my reverie.
"It's time to eat."
I looked around blankly.
First off, the silver-haired woman smiling brightly down at me again.
I wanted a clear look, but with baby eyes, everything was blurry.
All I could tell was that she was incredibly beautiful.
"Nom."
Something was placed in my mouth, and only then did I realize it was mealtime as I began to eat.
Of course, no need to explain what "food" means for a baby this age.
After the meal, the silver-haired woman adjusted her embrace and looked at me.
"...Such beautiful golden hair."
She reached out and brushed my hair back.
How much hair could a baby even have?
"Your sisters want to see you."
Sisters?
I have older sisters?
A lot of them?
"They're all very interested."
Her hand, full of love, stroked my head.
"Everyone's so curious about the baby of the family."
No, she doesn't look like anyone's mom, that's for sure.
Me being the youngest was absurd enough, but sisters too? Hard to believe.
But that thought didn't last.
"..."
Sleepiness washed over me.
A full belly naturally brings drowsiness.
"Sleepy, my child?"
A voice laced with laughter sounded, and something warm patted my body.
Before I realized it was her hand,
I was already asleep.
*
After a few days living as a baby, I've realized a few things.
First and foremost.
I seem to have been reborn as a baby.
And in a world where...
"Change the sheets over there."
"Yes."
"Clean this up."
"Yes. Clean!"
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡Clean
[Cleansing magic applied]
...magic exists, no less.
Of course, that's not all.
"How is His Highness the Prince?"
"He's doing well."
I'm apparently His Highness the Prince.
Royal blood if they call me that.
I know the drill.
Brothers and sisters fighting to the death over the throne, bloody revenge, factions forming left and right.
Only the victor of that bloodbath claims the crown—a deadly game.
And I'm supposed to play it?
Cold sweat already.
But there was an even bigger problem.
"...Uh."
"Hungry, Your Highness?"
"Uh."
"Doesn't seem like you're hungry."
"Uh."
"Hmm..."
Bored.
A life without even a smartphone.
Torture for a modern human pickled in dopamine.
The silver lining? Babies sleep a ton. But during these awake hours, all I can do is mentally sort things out. That's the tragedy of this life.
"...Uh."
"Still, it's amazing, Your Highness Prince Theo."
"I've seen many children, but none this well-behaved."
"Most cry nonstop and keep everyone busy."
Two maids murmuring fondly as they gazed at me.
Obviously. Crying at this age would be inhuman.
To make me cry, you'd need something like three years of wage freezes, job hunting, and failing.
I downed three bottles of soju alone and bawled that day.
With those thoughts, I organized my questions.
Fortunately, my vision was sharpening as time passed.
I rolled my eyes to look at the three women chattering above me.
Girls who looked mid-teens, heads together, whispering.
And their hair colors—every shade imaginable.
Their clothes too.
Perfect maid uniforms.
Like they'd jumped straight out of a picture book, maids gossiping away.
I've confirmed it multiple times: definitely a fantasy world.
"I heard the other princesses cried a ton..."
"Yeah, the other nannies barely slept."
Makes sense.
Our team manager looked barely human for about a year after his kid was born.
"Look, it's like he understands us."
A face suddenly popped in, meeting my eyes.
A cute face locking gazes with mine.
"I told you to be careful."
"Ow!"
A smack, and the maid retreated with a pout.
"If Her Majesty finds out, it won't end with just losing your head."
"R-right."
The maid clamped her mouth, face ashen.
Shaking like in terror.
Her Majesty the Empress?
By process of elimination, the one feeding me... seems to be the Empress.
My presumed mother.
Silver hair, face full of loving kindness.
She'd execute someone over that?
She might be a bit overprotective with kids, I thought.
That tracks.
With that, I closed my eyes.
Good thing, then.
At least she loves her kids fiercely. No getting tossed out to fend for myself.
Alright. Information summary.
From Mother's words, I have older sisters.
Sisters I'll supposedly fight for the throne with... or so I assume.
No brothers or younger siblings yet, it seems.
And a mother who adores me.
Father's MIA, but never had parental love anyway, so whatever.
As those thoughts swirled, drowsiness hit again.
"Oh, looks like he's sleepy."
"Shh, let him sleep."
The maids' voices faded as I surrendered to sleep.
Not much else I can do right now anyway.
Just eat and sleep.
As I was about to close my eyes again,
the door burst open with a bang, drawing my gaze.
The silver-haired woman entered once more.
"Your Majesty."
"Your Majesty!"
The two maids greeted her in unison.
"..."
The Empress—or Mother—passed them and came to me.
Her face lit with smiles, she scooped me up.
"My Theo."
A soft voice tickled my ear.
Her voice, brimming with love.
"Did you sleep well? Last time I visited, you were out cold, so I watched you for ages."
Indeed, a voice full of love.
She carried me outside, the maids bowing and stepping back.
Where are we going?
Thus thinking, I moved along in Mother's arms.
I craned my neck to look at her repeatedly.
Long lashes, silver hair gleaming like moonlight. A face so stunning it was hard to believe she was a mother.
And ruby-red eyes to top it off.
Walking with her,
a terrace bathed in blue moonlight unfolded before us, breathtakingly beautiful.
The garden bloomed with flowers, and the night sky revealed even the Milky Way.
And beneath it, just Mother and me.
"Theo. My precious Theo."
She called to me in that ever-loving voice.
Her hand gently stroked my cheek, as if handling something fragile.
"Sleeping well, eating well... I'm so happy."
"Wah..."
"..."
She met my eyes silently, endlessly.
If maternal love—or motherhood—had a face, this was it.
Eyes fixed on one person alone, the world forgotten.
Not even a lover could gaze like this.
That thought was interrupted.
Footsteps approached.
Someone running urgently.
Two people?
"Y-Your Majesty!"
"This is bad!"
Middle-aged man and an elderly voice.
In that instant, Mother's eyes changed.
From loving warmth to icy coldness.
And at the same time.
-Crunch!
"Gah!"
"Urk...!"
A loud crack echoed, followed by death rattles.
Then, the thud of heavy sandbags hitting the floor.
"...Hoo."
A cold sigh, as if nothing had happened.
I slowly looked up at her.
Her red eyes gleamed blood-red in the moonlight.
The loving smile was now a flat line, emotionless.
Silver hair fluttered ominously in the wind.
"I've told you time and again: speak to me when I'm with Theo, and you die."
She turned her back protectively, shielding me.
In my view, only the beautiful flower garden and moonlight.
But what lay behind the mother holding me now... I couldn't tell.
"Wha, wah."
"What's wrong? Hungry? Shall I feed you, my precious Theo?"
She turned back to me with a radiant smile.
As if nothing had happened.
"Wha, wah..."
"How can you be so adorable? My precious child."
"...Wah..."
Looks like my mom's a tyrannical Empress.
Thus, most of my early childhood passed avoiding Mother's wrath.
About four years of quiet words, quiet living.
Tough for a normal kid, but not for me.
Honestly?
Scary.
I get it.
Mother loves me fiercely.
But that's that, and this is this.
Kings have executed people for coughing. You never know.
So I always took care not to touch Mother's reverse scale.
Whatever it was, I was extra cautious.
Hence, my days were all similar.
"So quiet today too."
"...Mother."
"Your sisters weren't this quiet."
"Thank you."
Acting the good boy to never upset Mother.
Precisely, living quietly.
Not bad at all.
Life as a prince was comfy.
Plenty of food, everyone listened to me. What was there to complain about?
So my goal was clear.
The youngest is farthest from the throne fight.
I never wanted to be Emperor anyway.
The crown's a burden for whoever wears it.
Let the sisters duke it out; I'll sit back and enjoy the honey.
Even in big corps, the heir struggles while second or third kids live it up. Relatively.
Anyway.
"No words again today."
"...No, Mother."
Mother looked at me with worry.
My full-throttle acting continued, but her expression only worsened.
What did I miss?
I racked my brains desperately.
Not anger—worry. Driving me mad.
"...I don't know."
I scrutinized Mother's murmuring face.
I don't know either, Mother.
What's the problem?
*
Lately, all the royal physicians and mages of Castina were on high alert.
Summoned daily to hear the Empress's grave concerns.
"..."
Audience chamber. Empress Milla Castina paced anxiously near the throne.
Her who stayed composed even as an enemy knight commander approached, now circled the throne like the weight of the world was on her shoulders.
And the reason for her distress...
"...He didn't cry today either."
She murmured, eyes squeezed shut.
"Didn't smile either."
"..."
"Frowned for 18 seconds, and smiled for... 0 seconds."
A grave expression crossed her face.
"Something must be wrong with my precious child."
More serious than ever, she spoke.
read at NovelsHub.org