I was sure I had died, but I'm quite well alive and breathing with no injuries to my body. No burnt marks from the fiery flame, and many scars of my past are gone. Almost like I had been given a new body, and perhaps that was true.
In the mirror stands a striking young boy, around the ages of fourteen or fifteen, with floor-length white hair and captivating, sparkling green eyes. His slim figure and pale, smooth skin give him an almost fragile appearance, reminiscent of someone who is ill. He wears ill-fitting clothing; the fabric hangs loosely over his fingertips and feet, as if he were a child dressed in adult garments.
"Unbelievable..." I whispered while frowning at the person in the mirror. I took a step closer, inspecting every detail of this person, because everything about this felt like a dream.
Knock, Knock—
"Young Master Alexander, are you awake?" A soft woman's voice came from the other side of the room after the knock.
'Young Master Alexander? Why does it sound so familiar to me?' I thought, frowning even more deeply at this weird feeling.
The lady on the other side of the door didn't speak another word, but I could hear light whispers of people talking to each other. If they called this body 'young master', then it must be some servants checking up on him earlier in the morning.
I looked out the glass door, where the sunlight sparkled into the room, making it feel like a fairy tale dream. The sun wasn't high in the sky; it was just a little past sunrise, but its light shone beautifully.
The room features a large bed that can comfortably accommodate three to four people, with a stylish couch positioned at the foot of the bed. Every item in the room is adorned with elegant golden designs. In the center, a coffee table is flanked by two small pots containing white roses. A spacious couch is situated in the center, with two single-arm chairs on either side of the coffee table. Additionally, a fireplace is mounted on the wall facing the coffee table, and two more flower pots are displayed on either side of the fireplace.
The room was massive, almost like two bedrooms smashed into one. It's truly a young master bedroom. I tried to look at every detail in the room, but I couldn't even explain everything within this room. The original had everything you would want or need in a bedroom.
'This must be a dream since nothing like this is in real life.' I did not want to believe that I had been transported into another world where the sun was magical, and I was a young master of a noble and rich family.
But everything felt too real; the soft fabric that wrapped around my body, the hard wooden floor beneath my feet, and the light kisses of sunlight on my skin. It wasn't a dream.
'I'm getting a headache.'
I was starting to get a slight headache, feeling as though I might faint. Fortunately, the table beside me supported me before I could fall to the floor. However, in the process, a beautiful, intricately designed flower pot toppled off the table and shattered into many pieces on the ground.
"Young Master Alexander, are you alright?" A worried voice came from the lady, but they never made a move to push the door open to check.
'God... I'm gonna throw up.'
I suddenly felt a small stabbing pain in my stomach, which only made my headache worse. Perhaps my body is just weak and hungry in the morning, but it felt like there was something more than just hunger. The discomfort in my stomach felt as if something was consuming me from the inside.
"Young Master Alexander?"
The people on the other side of the door keep calling to me, but never intend to open the door to see if I am alright. It was strange.
'I mean, wouldn't you be worried if you heard something fall and break in the room and he wasn't answering you?'
I was wondering if there is an unusual rule in this place that requires the master to allow the servants into their room. In most stories I've read, this seems to be a universal rule. However, I notice that servants often come in to investigate if they hear something break.
But it looks like my conclusion seemed wrong the moment I heard the next words that came out of their mouth.
"Let's go, we've already done what we needed to do, right?"
"His time is almost up, plus the poison we put in his food last night was the last dose, which was a lot."
"But don't you want to check if he really has died?"
"Didn't you hear something crash in there? He must have fallen from the poison."
"Let's just go, I don't want to be caught by his room when they find him dead."
Footsteps scurried away from my room, and I could no longer hear them.
'I guess being a noble young master gets you in trouble like this.' I sighed, clutching my stomach from the agonizing pain.
Although the pain was unbearable, I wasn't honestly dying like those people judged, because I felt something within this body resisting the poison, almost like a miracle.
The poison must have been very potent, as my headache is severe and the pain in my stomach persists. I wonder how long this person has been ingesting the poison, and why those servants would betray someone they are supposed to serve.
Possibly, it might have been greed or envy?
Although I have no time to worry about those people, this body didn't seem like the strongest, but it was fighting back so intensely, so I can't sit around and wait for another death.
I pushed my exhausted body up and slowly made my way towards the door. Each step felt like I was walking on nails, and breathing was hard, but I had to bear with it. I can not die pathetically like this again.
I reached the door and pushed it with all my strength, causing it to open slightly. This created a gap that allowed me to see into the hallway. I moved the door to open it wider for a better view. Leaning against the wall, I looked around to see if anyone was there, but the hallway remained silent, with only the sound of birds chirping outside.
'Wow, they must hate the original a lot if not a single servant is in sight.'
It's too bad that I don't have any of this body's memories, because if I did, then maybe it would be much easier to understand why they're poisoning this person. I'm going into this completely blind.
My vision slowly lost its focus as the minutes went by, and my body no longer wanted to move an inch from the door. I slumped down on the floor, and suddenly the feeling I've been getting in my stomach came up.
I threw up blood, a lot of it. It was as if the inside of my body turned into a soup.
"Ha... I wanted to taste a l-little bit of the rich life." I jokingly laughed and groaned at the pain.
It was painful, yet I didn't dislike it; this might be a much calmer death than my last one. Dying by fire is not enjoyable; it's painful, and the process is slow. It's purely torture.
My vision faded between death and reality. The surroundings were quite peaceful on a day like this, and maybe this death was to redeem my last death, which was loud, full of hostility, and bitterness.
"Young Master Alex!"
'That's a new one.' I thought as I heard the voice shouting and turned my head towards the direction of the person.
They were a blurry figure running towards me and shouting, but they were a little far from me, so it felt distant to my ears. All my senses were slowly fading as the seconds passed, and I could feel my whole body letting go.
'Fuck, I wanted to do something at least before I died.'
It's quite regrettable that I died young in my last life, and I didn't even get to do anything that I wanted. I had a long bucket list I wished to fulfill, but never got the chance since I was burned to death. Now, I'm dying young once again without even living the rich life. How regretful, indeed.
"Young Master Alex, oh my god, you're throwing up so much blood!"
The figure was blurry in my vision, and I could barely make out their words, but the panic in their voice was evident. Anyone would panic upon witnessing their young master coughing up blood.
I see their blurry figure looking around, likely searching for someone to help. But, of course, there is no one here, as it seems that this body doesn't have a single person in this place who cares for them.
They focused on me once they noticed no one else was around. They spoke, but I couldn't understand anything.
I wanted to say something to reassure them, but everything went dark, and I realized that I had truly died once again.
—
I must be in heaven.
It was a clear blue sky and a field of wild flowers as far as I could see. It must be heaven because I have never seen such a beautiful place in real life.
I took a walk around the field before feeling a presence behind me. I turned around and saw a lady carrying a parasol.
She had long blonde hair and a pair of dull blue eyes that appeared somewhat lifeless. She wore a stunning dress adorned with blooming blue flowers and carried a matching parasol also decorated with the same floral pattern. Her stomach slightly protruded beneath her dress, indicating that she was pregnant.
"Young Master Alexander, are you playing in the fields again today?" A beautiful lady spoke in a soft and sweet voice to me, but she wasn't looking at me.
I turned around to see a young boy covered in dirt.
The young boy appeared to be around six years old, with messy and dirty white hair and clothing from playing in the dirt. Rather than getting upset with him, she crouched down to his level, mindful of her stomach, and offered him a gentle smile. His green eyes met her blue ones for a moment before he frowned and turned away.
Although the boy did this, the lady never got mad and continued to smile kindly at him.
"What are you doing here?" He asked the lady, crossing his arms together.
"Of course, I came to see Young Master Alexander." She lightly laughed, replying to the boy.
"Don't you need to stay inside?" His eyes look at her stomach before returning to her face. "If my younger sisters die because of your recklessness in going out, you won't survive long."
Is she his mother? No, that cannot be right since she calls him 'young master'. But she is carrying his baby sisters, so perhaps a stepmother?
Once again, the lady did not react with anger to the young boy's words; instead, she smiled at him. She straightened up and walked closer to him. He flinched at the sight of her approaching and instinctively covered his head with his arms.
She stopped when she saw him doing that, and a small frown appeared on her face. Her eyes were dull and devoid of all emotions, yet when the young boy looked so scared, those eyes held a small kindness within them.
"Young Master Alexander, do you want to hear your sisters?" She asked.
"What? Are you stupid? They're not even here yet!" The young boy removed his arms from his head and shouted at her, then turned away.
He's a little bit of a brat if I do say so myself.
"Hm, you can hear them if you place your ear on my stomach." She responded with no change in her tone.
He peeks back at her, seemingly interested in hearing his baby sisters, even though he called the lady stupid a second ago.
"You're not lying to me, are you?" He asked her, his face filled with distrust and wariness.
"Haha, I have no reason to lie, Young Master Alexnader." She replied with a little laugh.
He turned fully towards her and stepped a little closer to her stomach. He looked at it, frowning, then glanced at the lady's face as if seeking permission. She nodded her head, and he placed his ear against her stomach. His eyes, once filled with distrust and wariness, were now bright with purity and excitement.
"Haha, it looks like your sisters are saying hello." She chuckled at the sight of the innocent young boy.
It was an incredibly heartfelt scene.
Although it wasn't my memory, my heart felt a bit hurt watching them. It wasn't envy for something like this; rather, it was regret and distant longing.
I wonder why I'm feeling like this.
The dream faded into white, and I was back inside the room I was in before I died.
—
In a dark and cold cell, two young boys with similar features cuddled closely with each other to gather warmth from nothing but their body heat.
Their clothes were old and dirty with little holes. Their hair was messy and a dusty color. It was once a beautiful white color, like clear snow after a harsh winter storm, but now you couldn't even tell anymore.
One boy raised his head to look out the small window, displaying a glittering night sky.
"The stars... they're responding once more." His lifeless golden sun eyes twinkled a little within the darkness.
"Giotto?"
"He is here," The boy, now named Giotto, turned towards the other one. "Gabriel, brother Alexander is back."
—
"How is your body, Young Master Alex?" The maid asked me while she cut up some fruits for me onto a plate.
She had long black hair and brown eyes. Compared to the beautiful lady I saw in my dream, she looked quite ordinary. She was dressed in a maid outfit that reached her feet, and her long hair was tied up with a matching ribbon.
'I wonder if this body and this maid were close since she doesn't call him by his full name but a nickname.' I observe the maid for a while before taking a piece of fruit.
"I feel much better now," I said as I took a bite of the fruit.
An hour ago, she found me dying and helped me back into my room. She didn't make a big fuss for everyone to notice, and tirelessly cleaned me up. Which is weird to be because wouldn't you find someone to help your young master?
Everything about this place is strange: the servants are attempting to harm their young master, and a maid who cleaned the scene without hesitation.
"You didn't call a doctor, though?" I asked since I was curious.
"I know medicine and poison. Your own body fought back, and it looks like the poisons you have consumed were many different types of poison, which are sometimes cures for other poisons." She replied without even answering my question, avoiding it actively, and her eyes were watching my every movement.
"You didn't answer my question..." I frown at her.
My eyes narrowed when she slightly flinched a little, and she seemed like she wanted to say something, but didn't speak another word, and continued cutting more fruit. I stared at the plate, which was stacked in a pyramid-like formation. I wondered if this body really liked fruit, considering that she hadn't stopped cutting it altogether.
"You can stop cutting the fruit now," I told her, because I know I won't be able to eat all those fruits. Plus, I do not like fruits that much.
Her hand paused as she looked at me, then nodded and placed the knife and fruits on the plate. She was a little surprised by what I said. I suppose I'm not acting like the original, but I don't plan on being like them. I want to live how I want instead of trying hard to pretend to be someone I am not.
"Pardon me for asking, Young Master Alex, but is your head alright after the poisoning?" she asked, her eyes filled with concern.
"I just had a good dream," I replied, and put another piece of fruit in my mouth.
She didn't speak anymore and only watched me eat the fruits until they were gone. By the time I finished eating all the fruits on the table, the sun was high up in the sky, and many people were working hard outside.
After a while of staring outside, I spoke up. "Are there always a few servants who usually wake me up in the morning? Like a routine?"
"There is only I who usually wakes you up, Young Master Alex." Was the response.
'Ha, that makes everything harder.'
I thought I would struggle more to adjust to this place, but surprisingly, my heart feels calm, even after being poisoned and nearly dying from it. I have no intention of living like the original owner of this body; I want to live life on my terms. However, I've come to realize that the original owner has enemies. If I want to lead a peaceful life, I need to eliminate these enemies, or I risk facing another meaningless death.
"If you don't mind me asking, did someone come and wake you up this morning?" She questioned.
"I wouldn't say they woke me up; they were just talking among themselves outside the door and assumed I had died." I turned to her with a smile, but she only frowned, showing me that she didn't like what I said.
"I'll look into this matter, Young Master Alex." She spoke in a soulless tone to me.
"No, don't worry about it. I think it's better to just get me some newspapers and history books from now on."
I need to gain knowledge about this world since I lack any memories for clues. If I understand this world a little better, I believe I could survive a bit longer.
"If it's history, wouldn't it be better to just take Mr. Hugo's classes?" she responded with a hint of caution in her voice.
"Mr. Hugo?"
"Ah, I'm sorry for suggesting since you always avoid his classes, but it's better than reading history books. He always knows more as he has been verified by the Royal family."
The original seems like such a problem child: shouting and calling an adult stupid, avoiding classes, and making someone hate him enough to poison him.
"I'll take it. Tell Mr. Hugo to get classes ready for me whenever he can." I nodded and smiled proudly at myself.
"Of course, as you wish, Young Master Alex," she said, bowing slightly as she stood up.
Once she left the room, I climbed off the bed and walked over to the glass door, pushing it open. The fresh air enveloped me, bringing a sense of serenity as I stepped out onto the balcony. There was a table and a chair, a small flower pot overflowing with blooms on top of the table, and a bench adorned with pillows.
I walked over to the railing and looked down. Several gardeners were cutting the grass and tending to the flowers, while the maids and butlers were bustling about, cleaning and organizing everything. Everyone appeared to be very busy, as if they were preparing for a visitor.
'Pretty busy without even knowing that their Young Master almost died.'
"Young Master Alelxander!" A voice called out to me from down below.
I looked towards the direction of the voice, and there stood a man dressed in a nice black suit with a long black trench coat. His hair was clean and neatly placed as if he groomed himself every morning.
I didn't respond to him, but he smiled and waved at me. Although that smile wasn't like the one the beautiful lady had shown me in the dream, it was more like a smile observing its prey.
He stopped waving once someone called his name and turned to them. It was the maid, she was smiling and happy while talking to him, so that man must be Mr. Hugo.
'Is this the guy who ordered the poison? No, that would be too obvious, wouldn't it? Also, skipping classes doesn't make someone hold that much grudge.'
After they finished talking, Mr. Hugo said something and pointed at me. The maid looked up and then bowed her head in my direction. Mr. Hugo observed this for a moment before turning to face me. This time, his expression had changed; he wasn't smiling as he had been before. Instead, he wore a natural smile, as if he were looking at someone he found repulsive.
'He must dislike me, or rather the original, a lot.'
I'm starting to think why I know the reason the original avoided him. But I'm not planning to make him like me. I just need him for information, and once I'm done with that, I can avoid taking his classes again.
The two of them started talking again before heading inside the building. They must be discussing my classes, so I won't bother them for now. Instead, I'll relax here on the balcony while I recover from the poison. The pain isn't as severe as it was before, but it still lingers occasionally. The maid looked very worried about me, so to ease her concern, I lied and told her that I was fine.
I walked to the bench and sat down, listening to the sounds of the workers and birds singing. It was so peaceful right now, and the warmth from the sun made me feel sleepy. Soon, I fell asleep on the bench.
When I woke up again, the sun was high in the sky, indicating that it was midday. The maid and Mr. Hugo were waiting for me as they planned a lesson book. I sat silently, eating more of the fruit that the maid had cut up, while I waited for them to finish.
I was starting to get sick of fruits now.
But soon the lesson plan was finished, and I would be taking a history class first thing in the morning the next day. Mr. Hugo wished to start up class as soon as possible, but the maid shook her head and was firm that I get more rest after everything that had happened.
If I took a class on the same day I threw up blood, wouldn't that make everything hard on my body and mind? After going back and forth between the two, they finally agreed on a plan, and I was left to recover for the rest of the day.
I felt even more exhausted listening to them talk about me, but I didn't speak up; instead, I chose to rest. Although I wasn't completely sleepy since I had already napped twice, I lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling. For the rest of the day, I stayed in my room, and no one came to check on me after that.