Sometimes, to tell a compelling story, you have to start from the very beginning. Even before the story itself was told. So, here is my story—the story of an ordinary inhabitant of planet Earth who ended up in another world and received a second chance at life. A story that shouldn't have existed, yet one day, it turned the Universe upside down in ways even the Gods could never have imagined.
And so, it all began…
"Young Master!"
"Young MASTER!"
Not fully understanding what was happening, I heard the voice of a woman calling out for some "master." Still drifting between sleep and consciousness, not grasping my surroundings, I managed to mutter a few sentences just to get her to stop bothering me so I could rest a bit longer.
"Could you be a little quieter? I'm trying to sleep, if you haven't noticed."
Though my voice sounded merely annoyed to me, I had no idea that my words would be taken by the other party as a near-death sentence. For this woman, at that moment in her life, my words practically meant that her entire future depended on how I perceived her attempt to wake me.
As for me—someone who had spent the last year suffering in agony—these moments of peace were like raindrops to a plant in a drought. So, forgive me if I was a bit blunt.
"Young Master, if it pleases you, I beg you to punish only me!"
I heard her start to sob. I still didn't quite understand what was going on.
"Please, Young Master, I did not mean to disturb you in any way!"
These words snapped me into consciousness instantly. I finally opened my eyes and looked at what was happening right in front of me. There, collapsed on her knees, was a woman weeping more bitterly than anyone I had ever seen.
"Huh?.."
I looked around and froze. I wasn't in my hospital ward. Instead, I was in a magnificent room that breathed luxury from every corner. My bed was adorned with a canopy; one look at the fabric and the intricate embroidery was enough to tell it cost a fortune. Exquisite tapestries hung on the walls. Even though the walls were made of stone, it didn't detract from the room's overall grandeur.
But what caught my eye the most was the massive fireplace. It was built from the same stone as the walls, yet it looked like a portal to the past. Its wrought-iron grate, with a whimsical pattern, held back glowing embers that shimmered with a deep ruby hue. Heavy bronze candlesticks stood on the wide stone mantel. The scent of burning wood created an atmosphere of mystery and calm.
But most surprising of all was my own body. Although it felt stiff and a bit sore in places, it was nothing compared to what I had endured in the hospital. For the past year, I had been suffering from leukemia. Intense headaches and bone pain had become my norm. The nausea and weakness from chemotherapy had done nothing but drain my already exhausted body. So, you can imagine my shock when, out of that entire "bouquet" of miseries, all that remained was a bit of stiffness.
Collecting my thoughts, I looked back at the woman. She appeared to be between 20 and 30 years old, dressed in a kirtle-style dress made of dark blue cloth that fit her frame tightly. Over it, she wore a long white apron. Her black hair was braided and fell down her back. Her head was bowed, and I could hear her whimpering. Now, don't get me wrong—I don't like seeing women cry—but with all these changes, I needed a moment to come to my senses.
"I'm sorry... could you tell me what's going on here?" I asked, trying to get my bearings.
The maid—judging by her clothes—looked up. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she actually stopped crying. This reaction confused me even more.
"Um... could you please answer my question?" I asked again, snapping her out of her stupor. At that, she burst into tears once more.
Seriously, I don't know what's wrong with this woman.
"Young Master, I only ask that you punish me alone! It was my mistake, I beg of you!" she cried, choking on her sobs.
Damn, what has she imagined, and why on earth should I punish her? But most importantly, what "Young Master"? Does she have some weird fetish or something? To stop the hysterics, I spoke in the calmest tone I could muster:
"Look, I'm not going to punish you or anything. Just please, answer my question."
After I finished, she finally—though with hesitation—stopped crying.
"Truly, Young Master? You won't punish me?" the maid asked with hope in her eyes.
"Truly," I replied, still not knowing what the hell was happening.
"So, tell me: where am I, and what is this place?"
"Um... Young Master, you don't recognize where you are?"
"No. The last thing I remember is the hospital."
"Hosital?" The maid tilted her head.
I could have sworn question marks appeared above her head.
"In any case, Young Master, you've been lying in this bed for about a month after the incident in the gathering zone. Because you didn't wake up for a whole month, I raised my voice earlier. Please forgive me!"
She bowed her head again.
"Ah, don't worry about it," I replied.
Well, at least she wasn't crying anymore. But a whole month! And what is this "gathering zone"? More importantly, why does she keep calling me "Young Master"?
"One more thing: why do you call me 'Young Master'?"\
"Ah... does the Young Master not remember who he is?"
A look of absolute shock crossed the maid's face. She covered her mouth with her hands, clearly not expecting this. After a moment of hesitation, she continued:
"Young Master, your name is Alex Redhard. You are the third son of Duke Edward Redhard."
"Whaaaaaat?!.."
For a minute, silence fell over the room, broken only by the faint crackle of the dying wood in the fireplace. We stared into each other's eyes, and then Alex burst out laughing.
"Ha ha ha! Well played!" Alex finally said, breaking the silence.
"Okay, where are the cameras hidden? And what did they do to my body? I barely feel any pain! I guess they decided to cheer me up before the end. And as for the decorations—I have to hand it to you, it's impressive. For a second there, I actually believed I'd been transported back in time, ha ha!"
He wiped tears of laughter from his eyes.
"You know, I haven't laughed like this in a long time. Whoever did this, I have to thank them. Come on, come out already!"
Alex began scanning the room as if searching for something. The maid froze in place, bewildered by the Young Master's words. She was baffled by the talk of "cameras" and "decorations." After a few dozen seconds, she finally regained her composure.
"Um... Young Master, I don't understand what 'cameras' you are looking for, but I will go call His Grace. I believe he will be very happy that you have regained consciousness."
"Fine, fine, go ahead. Call the 'master' or 'His Grace' or whatever you're calling the director of all this. I need to thank him for everything," Alex said, still grinning widely.
The maid bowed quickly and hurried toward the door. Before leaving, she shot her Young Master a look of utter confusion. Shaking her head, she closed the door behind her. Whatever was happening, it wasn't for her to figure out.