Chapter 1: Past life

“Master. The young lady has been born!”

Today, the mansion is bustling.

This is because it is the day my father, Duke Leonhart’s second child, was born.

All the retainers and servants are smiling, blessing the future.

“Let’s go.”

I, too, leisurely followed my father.

The birth of a sibling could mean a rival for the ducal succession for me, the eldest son.

The Empire strictly adheres to the principle of primogeniture.

Unless my sibling is exceptionally talented, my position should not be threatened.

I head towards the delivery room with my father.

However, I noticed the servants’ expressions gradually stiffening.

–Hey, did you see?

–Yeah. She didn’t cry at all.

–How can a newborn baby not cry?

A uniformly unusual atmosphere.

As I tilted my head and entered the delivery room.

I saw a silver-haired baby girl wrapped in swaddling clothes.

‘What is this?’

Silver hair?

Our Leonhart family has blonde hair.

Moreover, my sibling’s expression was utterly devoid of emotion.

A completely blank expression, impossible for a newborn baby.

It was even eerie.

“This is…”

My father let out a groan.

He furrowed his brows, then uttered a single word.

“A monster has been born.”

Thump!

At that moment.

A powerful shock ran through my mind.

“Ugh!”

“Young Master!”

I saw servants rushing towards me from all around.

Beyond my slowly closing eyelids, a scene I had never seen before emerged.

The name of a game displayed on a monitor.

I closed my eyes after seeing .

****

I became aware of my past life.

If I were to say it like this, it would sound like a very shocking event, but surprisingly, it wasn’t.

It was as if my previous personality and current personality merged as naturally as flowing water.

Currently, I am Craine Leonhart, the eldest son of the Duke of Leonhart.

My personality from my past life, as a man in modern Korea, was added.

In my past life, I was an extremely ordinary person.

I was the type to see famous memes on online communities and burst out laughing.

And I remember one of the most famous memes among them.

‘Please, just die.’

‘You’re pitiful, brother.’

Two very simple sentences.

But even with just these two, it wouldn’t be difficult to guess the relationship between the brother and sister.

It is said that features stories of characters from before the protagonist’s generation.

That’s where the story of the Leonhart ducal siblings became a meme.

The elder brother, Craine Leonhart, was originally the one meant to inherit the ducal title.

He had a talent for swordsmanship from birth and an excellent character, leading everyone to consider him the next Duke.

It seemed as if a brilliant future lay ahead of him.

That is, until his younger sister, Ariel Leonhart, was born.

‘A monster has been born.’

Duke Leonhart said that upon seeing his daughter.

And that was the unvarnished truth.

Ariel surpassed her elder brother, Craine.

No, it wasn’t merely a matter of being superior.

It was a strength that transcended human limits.

If one were to call someone strong for cutting a rock with a sword, then hers was a strength on a level where one might ask if cutting the sky with a sword could also be called strength.

Discord in Craine’s succession to the ducal title was inevitable.

–They say the Young Master might not get the ducal title?

–What? That’s ridiculous. He’s still the eldest son, isn’t he?

–But if Young Lady Ariel is that extraordinary, there’s nothing that can be done.

–That’s true. But isn’t Young Lady Ariel sometimes scary? I have no idea what she’s thinking.

Craine, who initially treated his younger sister well as an elder brother.

Eventually, unable to overcome his growing jealousy and inferiority complex, began to push Ariel away.

–Brother. Please play the flute again.

–Get lost. I regret ever playing the flute for a wretch like you.

Even the flute he had given her in childhood was ignored.

Craine’s hostility towards Ariel grew steadily, and eventually, Ariel left the ducal family.

Later, Craine meets Ariel.

The two, having grown through their respective lives.

But seeing the still unbridgeable gap in their abilities, Craine ultimately curses her.

–Please, just die.

And at the end of that storyline.

Craine ended up becoming a subordinate of the final boss, and Ariel appeared to defeat him.

–You’re pitiful, brother.

Love-hate built up since childhood.

Ariel beheaded Craine, and Craine vanished into the annals of history.

Lastly, a single tear streamed down Ariel’s cheek, who had lived her entire life expressionless.

…That’s the background explanation for the meme I saw on the community.

‘Wow.’

So, that’s what’s going to happen to me?

I’ll go mad with jealousy and inferiority over my sister’s superhuman talent.

And then curse her, and finally, get beheaded and die?

‘That’s terrible.’

It is truly dreadful beyond measure.

Therefore, such a future must be avoided.

In any case, my and Ariel’s stage is the story before .

Whatever I do now likely won’t have a significant connection to the main story.

“Young Master. Are you awake?”

“Are you alright?”

Around me, servants squealed as they checked my consciousness.

I casually waved them away and stood up.

“Where is my sister?”

“Ah. The Master said to leave her alone in solitary confinement.”

“Honestly. To a newborn?”

“Yes, yes. But he said she was ominous…”

I thought as much.

The community didn’t explain this part, but the Master also wasn’t keen on Ariel.

What was it? Something about her touching the other side, so she would definitely become a disaster for humanity?

I don’t know. I haven’t played this game.

It’s quite troublesome that I have to grasp the situation based only on the memes I saw in the community.

“I’m going.”

“Oh! Young Master! The Master said not to let anyone in there!”

“Forgiveness is easier than permission. Just keep your mouths shut, alright?”

“Young Masteeer…!”

Ignoring the dissuading voices from behind, I easily jumped over the door.

I am currently 6 years old.

Shall I go see my younger sister, who was born 5 years after me?

My younger sister was indeed confined alone in a solitary room.

A forbidden zone where not even sunlight reached.

To put her in a room where only those who committed great sins in the family are confined.

My father is truly a heartless person.

“Sister. I’m here.”

I opened the door and went inside.

There was a lock, but it didn’t matter.

Because only direct blood relatives could open it.

“…”

My sister still didn’t cry.

Her silver eyes, wrapped in swaddling clothes, gazed at me.

That’s truly amazing.

How on earth can she see so clearly on her own? A newborn baby?

“You truly have a strange fate.”

I pulled a chair over and sat in front of her.

Ariel stared at me blankly.

Hmm.

Now that I’m here, I don’t know what to say.

It seems she can’t even understand words yet.

Would she even understand anything I say?

Oh, right.

How about I tell her in advance how this brother will act?

“First, don’t worry too much. Even if Father dislikes you, I won’t.”

“…”

“I quite like you, you know. You’re my sister, aren’t you?”

“…Bwooh.”

She babbled something, but I couldn’t tell what.

“The ducal succession… well, I can think about that later. If it gets too hard, I can just hand it over to you.”

“Bweh.”

“What? You’re asking if that’s okay? It doesn’t matter. Anyway, I prefer pleasure without responsibility. If I can enjoy the rights without becoming Duke, that’s a sweet deal.”

“Bw.”

Ariel’s eyes sparkled transparently.

Her gaze seemed to be asking me this:

‘Are you sane? You could lose everything to me, you know?’

I chuckled.

Yes. There’s no way I wouldn’t think about it.

The future where I lose everything to my younger sister.

Ariel, who would seize not only the ducal succession but all the rights I should enjoy as the eldest son, with her overwhelming talent.

Or the ending where I, unable to bear such a situation, create conflict and am beheaded by her.

But I am confident that won’t happen.

“It’s fine.”

It might sound strange to say this, but even though I was extremely ordinary in my past life, I had one advantage.

That was being a little more positive than others.

Even now, I was aware of my past life’s personality, but I didn’t particularly care.

I recalled the ending with my sister from the original story, but I didn’t mind it.

Even now, I felt no jealousy or inferiority towards Ariel whatsoever.

–Is that really okay? That kid will take everything from me.

My current life’s personality was saying that, but.

“It doesn’t matter.”

I don’t like such depressing stories.

If I’m born, then I should live joyfully, amusingly, happily.

Living positively is my motto.

So.

“Let’s get along well, sister.”

I reached out and took Ariel’s tiny finger.

A cool and refreshing body temperature, unlike a human’s.

But I didn’t mind.

I just thought, ‘She’d be cool to hug in the summer.’

And her skin is incredibly soft, so she’d probably be nice to hug too.

“…Bweh.”

Ariel looked down at our entwined fingers for a moment, then babbled a single word.

Even though I still had no idea what she was saying.