Chapter 2
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Breakthrough
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I had no idea what the man in front of me was talking about, or if the reincarnation perk translation had glitched out. While I was pondering that, he started muttering to himself.
"It's so hard to find a successor of this caliber... But the consort is pregnant, and there's no guarantee it'll be a son..."
His tone was affectionate, but the words coming out of his mouth were just appraising my value.
The man gently stroked the corner of my eye, looking troubled.
"I'll have to watch and wait... Even if it hurts, he has to endure it. I don't have much time left myself."
The man gazed at me with worried eyes, then gently laid me down and left the room.
I was left alone in the dark room, the door closing behind him, leaving only glimpses of the knights and mages vanishing through the crack.
And so, I spaced out for a while.
Finally pulling my wandering mind together, I began to assess the current situation.
'That man is definitely the Emperor. He spouted all that cryptic stuff and came and went in my room—a prince's room—without a second thought. Pretty much certain...'
The ornate clothes, the eye and hair color identical to the future crown prince's.
'From the talk of "the consort," he has at least two wives, maybe more—I have no idea.'
'The Emperor seemed to understand my pain. But if he says he doesn't have much time left, is it a terminal illness? Are these toxic substances the cause?'
'Does that mean I'm on a countdown too...?'
Exhausted from everything, and now with the Emperor's words weighing on me, fatigue crashed over me.
I tried to think it through more, but the sheer injustice of it all made complaints spill out toward the world.
And why not? I'd left a 5,700-character reincarnation ritual in a game review, or maybe I'd gotten hit by that dimension-shifting truck with the magic circle drawn on it.
I hadn't even voiced any gripes, yet here I was, indirectly slapped with a terminal diagnosis just like in those isekai stories.
'If you're gonna send me somewhere, make it healthy, worry-free, and loaded with cash... Well, looks like there's money... Anyway, why mess with my head just hours after I opened my eyes?'
And a prince to boot—high chance the final boss type.
In my misery, I thrashed and clawed at the blanket, making the mana flinch and pull away.
Not that I was sure it was mana anymore.
As a mere player who only knew the imperial bloodline had secrets, I couldn't even gauge if this was some spiritual thing visible only to the Emperor's lineage.
'If I'd known, I would've actually read the story.'
I hugely regretted skipping the story parts because reading text made me tired.
'How much time would it have taken, you bald monk...'
Self-recrimination in this wretched situation didn't last long. I steeled my resolve—I absolutely couldn't live like this.
'No way I'm accepting a terminal verdict and coughing my way to death like some cliché isekai!'
'I'm gonna live a long, long time!'
"Waaaaaaaah!!! (Fuuuuck!!!)"
The door flew open violently, and mages rushed in.
"Deploy the magic circle! Checking status now!"
...I'd put a bit too much oomph into that cry.
The noisy dawn passed, with the Empress and mages bursting in amid all the wailing, giving way to morning.
Sorry for dragging the Empress here in such a rush, I gave her a clumsy smile, and she hugged me tight, soothing me that everything was okay.
Seeing how one hearty cry summoned this horde, I figured I'd survive for a while.
'No, babies cry all the time. Rushing in like this just makes me feel awkward and embarrassed...'
Now, in the bright morning room, it was just me and the stone-faced servants.
If I cried again, they'd spring into action and tend to me.
'But aren't they standing a bit far away?'
Come to think of it, no one was right up close, overseeing my every infant need.
'Shouldn't there be a nanny or a high-ranking maid taking care of me?'
Instead, the maids kept their distance, just checking my complexion from afar.
I figured they were still screening candidates and turned my thoughts elsewhere.
'What can I even do right now...'
In stark contrast to yesterday's resolve, all I could manage was babbling, bellowing cries, flailing arms, and eating and pooping.
I got why people steel themselves on New Year's but chicken out when it comes time to act.
Everything felt so daunting in this unsatisfactory, limp body. I was just killing time, waiting to grow bigger, when a thought struck me.
'Wait, this is a game world, right? Then maybe...?'
A flash in my mind: the status window, that subculture staple absent from no reincarnation tale, popping up like a high-spec AI hologram to show my growth!
What if opening it revealed achievements like 'Noble Blood' or 'First Reincarnator' and perks galore? Eyes squeezed shut, I mentally shouted "Status Window!" four times in a row!
I cracked my eyes open cautiously, and something black flickered in front of me before vanishing.
Guess I'd squeezed too hard...
'No! I shouted it four times, so it must've toggled on and off!'
'This time, the whole universe will hear my desperate plea—out loud.'
"Owaa! (Status Window!)"
The maids glanced over at my shout, then went back to their spots.
Great expectations lead to great disappointments, they say. My happy fantasy of 'How do I raise my stats?' shattered, leaving only this unsatisfactory lump of a body.
Staring blankly into space with dead eyes, I noticed the mana creeping back toward me.
'What, you bastards trying to poke me again?!'
I glared wide-eyed and swung my arms, shoving the mana away.
As if responding, it sluggishly widened the distance, like 'Whoa, whoa, got it, no poking.'
At least it listened better than words would.
If they'd swarmed and prodded like yesterday, my options were hurting, summoning the mages outside, or belting out that heartstring-tugging line to the man: 'Thank you, my dude.'
Not that I could speak yet, so not even monologues.
I let out a hollow laugh, accepting reality, about to set my grand life plan #1 as eat-sleep-poop, when another thought grazed my mind.
'It's not listening to words—it's responding to my will?'
Come to think of it, yesterday a couple touches hadn't caused any real issues.
Yet the conditioned fear made me recoil from these mana—or toxic substances.
'Hmm... It's a fantasy world, so we call it mana, but it could be some soul thing only royals see. No knowledge yet, so touching it scares me...'
I pondered what these things were for ages, then realized: if I wanted to do anything, these were my only shot.
'Fine, sink or swim—if this story starts with "I ate, pooped, and slept," count me out! Time to try something!'
I stretched out my hand, glared, and telepathically hammered the thought at the nearest mana.
'Hey, you there—nice build on you. Get ready and come into my crib right now.'
The one I eyed shot toward me.
It turned to smoke on contact with my hand, slipped inside, and excitedly zipped around my body.
'Huh... Like feeling strong liquor slide down your throat.'
The mana joyfully roamed before tiring out, settling quietly near my chest.
'Experiment success! Small amounts are fine!'
Feeling like I could escape the eat-sleep-poop route, a grin bubbled up.
'This has to help. No subculture skips mana, and if handled right, it could be an elixir rivaling immortality herbs.'
I was smirking to myself when the door opened, and the Empress entered with her father.
"Any issues with the prince overnight?"
"None, Your Majesty. The prince was perfectly fine."
Relieved, the Empress scooped me up.
"My son, Mommy worried all night. Already causing this much trouble—what mischief will you get into when you grow up?"
Her forehead touched mine, her hand gently rubbing my back.
She held me like fragile porcelain, full of tender care.
The middle-aged man beside her beamed and introduced himself.
"Pleased to meet you, Your Highness. I am Naizil Florence, Marquis of Florence—your grandfather."
The grandfather from yesterday who'd helped me. Grateful, I reached out and smiled.
"Oh, Father, does the prince recognize you? Hehe... Is that a thank you?"
Grandpa scooped me up too, chuckling as he peered into my eyes.
"Hehe, Lila, it feels like yesterday you were this small. The first time I held you, you smiled so purely and yanked my tie with such strength... Hm?"
Suddenly, Grandpa pressed a hand to my heart, checking something. The ominous air made the Empress alternate worried glances between us.
"Father, what's wrong? Is something off with Liam?"
Urgent, on the verge of fainting, she pressed him.
And Grandpa said:
"This child... his mana circuit has opened."