I woke up to the soft voice of Lina, the maid, humming a tune as she drew the curtains open. Sunlight filtered through the window, lighting up the wooden walls and the cradle where I lay. I blinked slowly, still not used to waking up so early. This had become routine.
"Time to get up, little master," Lina said with a smile, leaning over to lift me from the crib.
She had a gentle voice and calm hands. I didn't mind being around her. In fact, she was the only one aside from my mother who spent time with me every day.
It had been months since I'd first opened my eyes in this new world. I was now eight months old, and crawling was no longer difficult for me. I had gotten used to the routine—the feeding, the cleaning, the quiet moments when I was left alone in my corner of the nursery. It was repetitive, but comforting in a way.
More importantly, I had started to understand the language.
At first, everything people said sounded like noise. A strange, flowing language that made no sense. But I noticed something. A few weeks ago, I began to pick up patterns—words, meanings, phrases. Then, one morning, it all suddenly clicked. I could understand them. I didn't know exactly how, but I had a feeling it was connected to the Genius System.
It must have been the "Language Adaptation" passive skill I received.
"Allows rapid learning and internal translation of foreign languages the host is exposed to."
That explained everything. I still couldn't speak, of course, but understanding what everyone said around me was a massive advantage.
Lina carried me to the dining room today. A rare change. Usually, I ate in the nursery, but my mother had asked for me.
Lady Elenora, my mother in this world, sat gracefully at the long dining table. She had long silver-blonde hair and soft eyes. She looked young, maybe in her late twenties, and always smelled faintly of lavender. She greeted me with a smile as Lina brought me to her.
"There's my sweet boy," she said, taking me into her arms. "Did you sleep well?"
I responded with a soft sound and looked up at her. I still had to act like a baby, but deep inside, I was carefully observing every expression, every movement.
She gently fed me small spoonfuls of soft fruit. As she did, she spoke quietly, more to herself than to me.
"Your father should be back by afternoon. He's been inspecting the riverbanks again. Too much rain lately…"
I listened silently. These conversations were more valuable than she could imagine. I had learned a lot about our family just by listening to her and Lina.
My mother belonged to a small noble family from the north. My father, Lord Darius, was a minor lord ruling over a remote region near the southern edge of the kingdom. Our land was peaceful, mostly made up of small farms, forests, and a couple of villages.
We weren't rich or powerful, but we lived well. There was a small manor, a handful of knights, and enough servants to keep the place running. It was quiet here, far from any city or capital.
Later in the day, my father returned. I saw him through the window—tall, broad-shouldered, wearing a dark green cloak and leather gloves. His face was sharp, and his expression serious.
He entered the house and came into the nursery shortly after.
"How is he?" he asked.
"He's been healthy," Lina said as she stood beside me. "Lady Elenora fed him this morning. He seems stronger these days."
My father stepped closer and looked at me. His gaze was steady, and for a second, I felt like he could see through me. But then he knelt and lightly touched my head.
"You'll grow up strong," he said, almost to himself.
He didn't stay long. He was a busy man. But just having that moment—being looked at not as an adult or a failure, but as someone with potential—meant more than I expected.
When I was finally left alone in the nursery later that afternoon, I crawled to my usual spot near the window, the quietest corner in the room. The light was soft, and outside I could see a few house guards training in the yard.
One of them swung his sword. I watched in fascination as the blade shimmered faintly with a blue aura, cutting through the air in a way no normal weapon could.
Magic. Swordsmanship. I had confirmed it weeks ago. It really existed here.
I had seen Lina light a candle once just by whispering something under her breath and waving her finger. It had startled me the first time, but now I just watched with curiosity.
This world was full of things I had only dreamed of back on Earth.
And I wasn't just here to survive. I had been given a second chance.
A quiet chime echoed in my mind just then.
[New Mission: Cultural Adaptation I – Learn the Basic History, Literature, and Social Structure of the World.]
Rewards: Skill Point + Memory Optimization (Tier 1)
I blinked.
It was the system again. This was the first mission I had received since my reincarnation. Up until now, the system had only shown me my stats and basic abilities. But I had explored it as much as I could in the past few months.
Unlike those "game system" stories I used to read, the Genius System wasn't filled with flashy skills or OP abilities. It was subtle. It gave me passives. Enhancements. Tools to learn faster, think better, and grow more efficiently.
Here's what I had figured out so far:
1. Language Adaptation – Already working. I could understand the native language of this world now.
2. Enhanced Memory (Tier 1) – I could recall anything I saw or heard in perfect detail.
3. Thought Processing Boost (Tier 1) – I noticed I could focus more easily. My thoughts were clearer and faster, even when trapped in a baby's body.
4. Observation Assist – The system sometimes highlighted unusual or important things, but only slightly—like a hint, not a full answer.
There were also locked features. Skills, missions, and possibly stat upgrades. But most of them were unavailable until I reached a certain level of maturity—both mentally and physically.
I stared at the floating mission panel in my mind.
So, the system wanted me to learn about the world now. Culture, history, society. It made sense. I had the tools to do it—and a baby's free time.
I smiled to myself.
Alright. If this is how I grow stronger… then let's begin.
I closed my eyes and brought up the system interface again, focusing my mind.
[Genius System – User Status]
Name: Alex
Race: Human (Infant)
Age: 0
Level: 1
Class: None
Title: Reincarnated Soul
Condition: Healthy
Mana Core: Dormant
Intelligence: 8
Creativity: 9
Adaptability: 10
Willpower: 7
Luck: 5
Physical Stats: [Locked due to infant state]
Abilities:
• Language Adaptation – Active
• Enhanced Memory (Tier 1) – Active
• Thought Processing Boost (Tier 1) – Active
• Observation Assist – Active
Current Mission:
• Cultural Adaptation I – Learn the basic history, literature, and social structure of the world.
Reward: Skill Point + Memory Optimization (Tier 1)