Chapter 1: Dig in the family register

Having played games all night until I conquered them, I fell asleep, only to wake up as a newborn baby.

Initially, I had no time to grasp the situation.

I was utterly astounded by the phenomenon unfolding before my eyes.

Being a baby, cries erupted from me, yet strangely, with every breath I took, a surge of power coursed through my entire body.

The world appeared entirely shrouded in a hazy fog, and whenever I strained my eyes, I saw what looked like human anatomical diagrams floating around, much like exhibits from the Mysteries of the Human Body (TL Note: A popular exhibition showcasing preserved human bodies and anatomical displays) exhibition.

As I thrashed about in sheer shock, the clamor of panicked shouts and a woman’s screams reverberated in my ears.

‘What in the world is happening?’

Quite literally, my five senses were in disarray.

The world before me was merely a hazy blur, revealing only faint outlines, and my sense of taste was limited to the dry sensation of air passing in and out.

Similarly, my sense of touch registered only the vague impression of something brushing against my skin, with most specific textures remaining imperceptible.

Yet, amidst this confusion, various pungent odors assailed my nose, and ringing sounds hammered at my head, wildly disrupting my thoughts.

After an indeterminate amount of time, the commotion finally subsided.

Only then could I regain my composure, and it was around that time that I roughly grasped the situation.

‘It truly seems I’ve been reborn as a newborn.’

A memory from my school days resurfaced.

It was during a home economics class, I recalled, that I learned how significantly a newborn’s five senses differ in development from an adult’s.

As I retraced the hazy knowledge that came to mind, it perfectly aligned with what I had just experienced in that chaotic situation.

The problem, however, lay elsewhere.

I had no idea why on earth I had been reborn as a newborn baby.

I had no memory of dying or suffering a life-threatening injury, yet I had simply woken up to begin a second life that was never meant for me.

However, I quickly dismissed that concern.

After all, worrying about it wouldn’t be of much help, nor would discovering the reason dramatically alter my life.

‘What’s more important, however, is…’

Which family I had been born into.

People often fantasize, don’t they? About how wonderful it would be if they were born into a chaebol (TL Note: A large family-owned business conglomerate in South Korea) family.

I was no different.

Unlike my ordinary previous life, I earnestly hoped that this time I would be born into a wealthy family, living an easy life with a silver spoon in my mouth.

With that fervent wish, I burst into vigorous cries.

As a newborn, this was the only way I could express my hunger.

****

Time passed quite swiftly.

The newborn, who had repeatedly eaten, slept, relieved themselves, and cried, grew steadily and turned five years old.

I cannot express how delighted I was when all five of my senses finally developed and began to function properly.

The joy of seeing clearly, the vivid sensations of touch on my skin, and the tastes that danced delicately on my tongue were truly moving.

In any case, I was now at the perfect age to enter kindergarten, had this been Earth.

It was the age when I would be playing with blocks with my peers, perhaps getting into a few scuffles, and then bawling during naptime, thoroughly annoying the kindergarten teachers.

However, I did not attend kindergarten.

The reason was simple: the concept of kindergarten simply didn’t exist in this world.

“Young master! Where have you been wandering off to again?”

“Sorry.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake, do you know how my heart drops every time you disappear?”

“No.”

In truth, I knew.

I could tell by the attire of the woman who had rushed over in a panic and hastily picked me up.

It was a classic maid uniform, adorned with abundant frills.

As I had observed, the world I was reincarnated into was not modern Earth.

It was a romantic world of swords and magic.

To put it more commonly, it was a medieval fantasy world.

“Aither! As the eldest son of the Astrius family, please try to behave a little more primly!”

“No.”

“I can’t live like this!”

Despite complaining that she was exasperated to death, the maid, who gazed at me with eyes full of love, carried me away with quick, short steps.

As the maid’s words had just revealed, the family I was born into was the Astrius family.

The name translates to ‘Sword of Stars,’ and as anyone could tell from its grand sound, it was a renowned lineage of master swordsmen.

Among them, I was born as the eldest son, legitimately qualified to be the successor of the family.

This meant I was the rightful next head of the family, having proudly inherited the pure blood of both my father, the current patriarch, and his legitimate wife.

‘My life is set.’

A smile never left my face, thanks to the beautiful future that was clearly visible even with my eyes closed.

This world was undoubtedly a Happy Medieval Land.

****

The moment I turned ten, I was cast out of the house.

Happy Medieval Land, my foot! It was nothing short of a Sad Medieval Land.

Even the reason for my expulsion was preposterous.

I couldn’t believe they’d expel me from the family on grounds of mental illness.

Just before I was cast out, I tried to find the reason and was told it was due to some prophecy that had been passed down in the family for generations.

Since I was expelled without even knowing what that prophecy was, frankly, I felt wronged to be treated as mentally ill.

Originally, whenever I strained my eyes or concentrated intensely, people appeared differently to me.

The problem was that this different appearance closely resembled anatomical diagrams one might find in a school science lab.

How should I describe it? It felt like a realistic manifestation of ‘weakness detection’ abilities, akin to those found in games.

I could see at a glance how bodies moved and where their weak points lay.

At first, I screamed when I rounded a corner of the mansion and came face to face with a maid.

Later, I even startled when a servant brought refreshments while I was engrossed in reading.

Sometimes, when I felt nervous in front of my father, the patriarch, his appearance would shift, leaving me speechless.

“Aither, there have been many discussions about your condition lately.”

“I apologize.”

“Is there some problem?”

“Actually, I was born with a clairvoyant ability; sometimes, I can see right through people’s bodies.”

“…It seems you might have a mental illness.”

Even now, recalling that conversation, it still felt utterly absurd.

Of course, despite casting out their own flesh and blood, they did provide me with some provisions.

These included a pouch with a generous amount of money for travel expenses, and a map detailing nearby villages.

Additionally, there were several changes of clothes and a single dagger to use as a self-defense weapon.

Originally, I had a fair amount of dried rations as well, but I had already eaten them all because I was so hungry.

“Sigh, I’ve become an orphan overnight.”

Just you wait, someday you’ll regret this bitterly.

****

Though it’s a belated realization, my body was surprisingly robust.

Whether happy or sad, medieval times were still medieval times, making the journey quite perilous; I frequently encountered bandits and monsters.

“Heh heh, little one. Didn’t your parents tell you it’s dangerous to wander alone?”

“Grrr… Woof woof!”

From the start, I was just a young child, dressed in fine clothes, traveling alone with the jingle of coins.

To the bandits, I must have seemed like a golden goblin, promising high returns with no risk, while to the monsters, I appeared to be a hearty and fresh ready-meal.

However, I defeated them all.

The dagger was surprisingly sharp, and by quickly rushing in and slashing, I was able to overcome the dangers without issue.

“So this is why nobles always emphasize their bloodline.”

My stamina was also remarkably good.

Ever since I was a newborn, power had surged through my body with every breath, and it seemed I had truly benefited from my lineage as a direct descendant of the patriarch.

The sole drawback, however, was my lack of skill.

After all, I had been cast out before I could even learn the family’s secret techniques and swordsmanship.

My fighting style was rudimentary, relying solely on improvisation and instinct.

‘Perhaps I should have somehow stayed and learned something.’

While bandits screamed and fled after I cut down a few who dared to charge as an example, monsters that roamed in packs occasionally proved quite bothersome.

Perhaps it was their beastly nature, but even if one of their kin fell beside them, they would seize the opportunity and charge like mad.

It wasn’t a particularly great danger.

If they charged, I simply cut down that one first, then systematically felled the closest ones in turn.

Still, I wished to learn refined swordsmanship.

Had I not been expelled from the family, I would likely be undergoing successor training by now.

A faint sense of regret made me click my tongue as I quickened my pace.

‘A village.’

For I could see lights flickering from a distant mountain valley.

The thought that I wouldn’t have to sleep outdoors tonight, if I just hurried a little, filled me with renewed vigor.

****

The lights I had seen on the road were not the glow of civilization, but the ominous flicker of disaster.

The light was strangely flickering, and upon closer inspection, I saw thick black smoke billowing upwards.

Moreover, ear-splitting screams reached my ears, prompting me to sprint with all my might along the road towards the village.

I couldn’t bear to lose a village I had finally reached after such effort, only to see it vanish so pointlessly.

With the resolve that I would, by all means, enjoy the comforts of civilization tonight, I drew my dagger and launched myself forward.

Fortunately, the disaster that had befallen the village was merely a few packs of monsters.

Since I had encountered and killed all of them at least once on my journey, I wasted no time contemplating and charged straight in.

There were seven boar monsters, gigantic like mammoths, with sharp tusks.

And five packs of wolf monsters, each large enough to dwarf an adult man.

For reference, wolf monsters typically roam in packs of five or more.

Thus, I single-handedly cut down a total of thirty-two monsters: twenty-five wolf monsters and seven boar monsters.

Dealing with them wasn’t particularly difficult just because they were monsters.

After all, monsters are still creatures made of bone and flesh.

If you slash at the back of their knees where the leg joints bend, they become immobile, and a stab to the neck with a blade will kill them quickly.

“I apologize for asking this amidst such chaos, but might I find a place to stay for a while?”

“There’s a spare room in the village hall, and if that suits you, we’d be glad to offer it.”

I had saved people who were on the brink of death, and in return, I received free lodging.

For the involuntary beginning of my journey, it wasn’t a bad start at all.