I am a second-year student in high school.
For a long time, bullying at school has been part of my daily life.
My belongings are often damaged or disappear without a trace. Verbal abuse and physical violence are things I experience almost every day-so often that they no longer feel special.
When I get home, the situation is not much different.
My father is addicted to gambling. Every time he loses, I become the target of his anger. He hits me, vents his frustration on me, and blames me for his losses.
He says I bring bad luck.
My parents divorced shortly after that.
My mother left home and remarried. She didn't take me with her. She said she wanted to start a new life-one that didn't bring the past along.
Since then, I've been forced to earn my own living. I took on many part-time jobs. However, the income was only enough to cover my daily needs. I didn't have enough money to rent an apartment, so I had no choice but to continue living with my father.
Day after day, I lived like that.
The constant suffering slowly destroyed my body and soul. Even so, I forced myself to endure. I kept telling myself that I just needed to hold on a little longer-until graduation day arrived.
That night, I had just returned from my part-time job.
Rain poured heavily as I waited for the train on the station platform. Drip. Drip.
Amid the sound of rain and flashing warning lights, my gaze fell on a high school girl.
She looked shabby, her face blank- as if she'd gone through such a difficult day that she no longer cared about herself.
She was standing too close to the tracks.
When the warning light signaling the train's arrival flashed-
Blink. Blink.
-the girl stepped forward.
…Damn.
She was serious.
Without thinking twice, I ran.
"Danger!"
Just as she began to lean forward, I reached her.
There was no time to grab her hand.
My shoulder slammed into her body-thud!-my arm wrapped around her as I threw my entire weight backward, dragging her away from the tracks.
She was thrown onto the hard platform floor.
For now, she was safe.
But the momentum was too strong.
As I tried to keep my footing, the soles of my shoes slipped on the rain-soaked platform-skid!
My balance collapsed, and my body lurched in the wrong direction.
Backward.
Toward the tracks.
Gravity pulled me down.
The last thing I saw was the blinding glare of the train's headlights and the pale face of the girl screaming something. Her voice was swallowed by the roaring engine.
Grrrrrr-!
For a split second, time slowed.
In my heart, I thought-
Finally… I can be free from this painful life.
With this, I won't have to suffer anymore.
After that, my world went dark.
Just when I thought it was all over-
Flash.
My eyes were assaulted by a blinding light.
Slowly, as my vision cleared, I saw a blue sky. White clouds drifted peacefully above.
"…Wait. Didn't I just get hit by a train? And wasn't it raining?"
"Why is it so sunny now?"
Then-
"W-wait… whose voice is that?"
…it sounded like a child's voice.
I sat up and froze.
A vast park stretched out before me, covered in neatly maintained green grass. In the distance stood magnificent buildings clearly medieval European in design.
"…Where am I?"
My head spun. I pressed a hand to my forehead and noticed something wrong.
My arms were small.
Too small.
An uneasy feeling spread through my chest.
I rushed to the nearest fountain and stared at my reflection.
The face staring back at me wasn't mine.
It was a blond-haired boy with blue eyes.
"…Huh?"
"W-why…?"
My mind refused to process reality.
Then a voice came from behind me.
"Young Master, it's time for lunch."
"…Young Master?"
I muttered to myself.
Wait. If I think about this calmly…
Don't tell me-
I wanted to deny it. Reincarnation only exists in light novels, right?
But the world in front of me felt far too real.
I turned around and saw a beautiful dark-haired maid standing there. The moment she looked at my face, worry filled her expression.
"What's wrong, Young Master?"
Oh no.
Someone who just got reincarnated is being told to eat.
How could I possibly have an appetite?
"I-I'm not feeling hungry," I replied hesitantly.
Her anxiety deepened.
Then-
Pain.
My head felt like it was being stabbed from the inside. Memories that weren't mine flooded in violently-foreign, overwhelming.
Fragments of a life I'd never lived.
My vision blurred.
My body lost its strength.
Just before my consciousness faded, I saw the maid running toward me, calling out in panic-
Then everything went dark again.
When I woke up again, all I could see was the ceiling of a bed draped with a luxurious mosquito net. I glanced around the spacious room and muttered,
"…This must be this child's room."
Slowly, my memories returned.
As I pieced them together, I noticed a little girl sleeping beside the bed, tightly holding my hand. From what I remembered, she was the younger sister of this body's original owner.
I looked at her sleeping face and gently stroked her head.
She really loved her older sister.
I whispered so softly that only I could hear.
"I'm sorry… for taking your brother."
A moment later, her eyes fluttered open.
"Good morning, Clara," I said with a faint smile.
Her eyes widened. Tears spilled as she suddenly jumped into my arms.
"Brother! You're finally awake!"
"I was so worried about you…!"
"Hic… hic…"
She cried against my chest. I gently stroked her head until she calmed down.
Soon after, a middle-aged man rushed into the room, relief written clearly on his face.
"Thank God, Wirtz. You're awake. Dad was really worried."
A beautiful woman followed him-far too young-looking to be a mother.
"Dear, you ran too fast," she said lightly.
"You're such a worried father. The doctor said Wirtz was only exhausted."
Her gaze turned to me, soft and full of affection. She hugged me tightly.
"Thank goodness you're okay."
Overwhelmed, I replied-
"Thank you, Clara… Mother. Father. I'm fine now."
"Then we should return to work," Father said as he stood.
"For now, your priority is rest, Wirtz."
Just as they were about to leave, Clara tightened her grip on my hand.
"I want to stay longer with my brother," she muttered, spoiled and stubborn.
Mother smiled and gently rubbed her shoulder.
"You can't, Clara. Your brother needs peace and quiet. And your etiquette class is about to start."
Clara puffed her cheeks.
…Cute.
Not wanting to disrupt their routine, I spoke gently.
"Clara, don't worry. After class, you can come back. I promise I won't go anywhere. I'll read you a book later, like usual."
She hesitated, then
"Then… I'll go. But on one condition!"
"Tonight, I want to sleep with you."
I glanced at Father and Mother.
They nodded.
"…Alright. I agree."
Her face lit up.
"Really?! Yay! Then I'll work hard in etiquette class! See you later, Brother!"
With light steps, she left.
Silence returned-but the warmth remained.
Leaning back, I stared at the mosquito-netted ceiling.
My thoughts settled.
I had been reborn as Wirtz Aethelgard, the son of a Duke.
My family ruled a vast territory-mountains in the north, fertile plains, and a strategic port in the south.
On paper, its potential was extraordinary.
But problems remained monsters, crop failures, bandits.
The memories were vague.
Naturally. The original owner was only seven.
Back on Earth, I loved city-building games. I dreamed of ruling calmly, efficiently.
Now
This land was real.
The risks were real.
The consequences were real.
A quiet determination ignited within me.
I would make this territory stronger.
Then I remembered-
This was a world of magic and swords.
Wirtz possessed all magical attributes a rare gift. And he'd trained in secret.
A faint smile formed.
All I needed to do was continue his path.
To move quietly.
To grow unseen.
And to appear
Only when truly necessary.