Omen of Disaster
Today, I nearly lost an eye again. The Collodic family's eldest daughter had come and gone, thrusting an awl at my eyes just like always.
I pulled myself up from the trashed floor. Dust got in my throat, making me cough for ages.
"Haa."
I silently picked up the bread rolling around on the floor. With a deep sigh in my heart, I brushed it off and shoved it into my mouth.
Thirsty. How long had it been since I last drank water? My saliva wouldn't come, so the bread wouldn't soften. I forced my front teeth together, gnawing on the rock-hard chunk.
I lamented my fate. The Collodic family didn't treat me like a human. That's why I was chomping down like my molars might shatter.
Red... eyes... Omen of Disaster!
The Collodic family had produced brilliant mages for generations—one of the empire's top powerhouses. And I was reincarnated into that family. Into a medieval fantasy world. Without a status screen or a single talent, no less.
Deep sea-blue eyes were the proof of inheriting the Collodic family's "mana." Mages with blue eyes could wield great spells—from 7th Circle magic that transcended human limits to even summoning the supposedly impossible Mountain Golem.
As if eye color decided everything, like some ninja comic. And the opposite color? Red eyes faced extreme persecution.
Omen of Disaster. They said that whenever a child with red eyes was born once a century, calamity struck the Collodic family. Because of that, the family—who'd endured countless crises—cursed any red-eyed child. They were treated worse than trash.
And I just had to be born with those red eyes. Thanks to it, everyone in the Collodic family despised me. They could chop me to pieces right now, and it wouldn't be enough.
But I was still alive. Even though I could barely eat proper food every day, got kicked and tumbled whenever I tried to leave the room, and boiling water was poured on me routinely.
There was one reason.
"When do you plan to get rid of that thing?!"
"The world's changed a lot. If we burn it like in the old days, the 'Empire's Eye' won't let us off easy."
My original fate was to burn to death. A red-eyed kid had no magic talent anyway, so they wouldn't even send me to the front lines to be ground up—just torch me.
If the Empire's Eye—the family that called themselves the imperial blade, upholding morals and justice—hadn't existed, I'd be ashes by now, crackling in the flames.
'And soon... nine years old.'
But that didn't change my lot. The moment I turned nine, I'd lose even the scraps of food I got here. It was the age when nobles could abandon kids without penalty. An ancient law.
A wicked law... but in a world where witch hunts happened casually, arguing it would only hurt me.
'At least they won't kill me outright... small mercies.'
Of course, outright killing a child was an issue. In a world with magic, where "Omen of Disaster" cases like mine popped up occasionally, the empire had no choice but to make the law. Some noble families had cases like me. So the empire enforced "don't kill them."
'Don't kill them.'
'If the kid wanders off and dies alone, oh well.'
'So don't kill them yourselves.'
A law for noble dignity. Like covering the sky with a palm. No, not even trying. Utter garbage.
I eked out an existence in the basement, quietly surviving on the bare minimum resources that kept me going. No fateful encounters for this scrawny kid, no prior knowledge, no one to trust me. I couldn't escape the vast estate.
The Collodic eldest daughter would barge in anytime, yelling "I need to gouge out those ominous eyes!" and jabbing with her awl. I'd felt my brain shrink countless times. Hormones or whatever, I really felt like a kid now. My past life as a guy? It barely registered anymore. All I could recall was...
Riru. Just those two letters, the name I got in this world.
Riru. That's me. The name that came with my unwanted reincarnation.
"Ah."
I was wrapped in a sack. No strength to thrash, so I couldn't resist the rags around me.
Birthday already? They'd decided to toss me out now that I was nine, it seemed.
...Like discarding an old rag.
'Hungry.'
'Thirsty.'
'Cold.'
Revenge bubbled up. But right now, survival was possible, so instinct screamed. Shove something in my mouth. Drink anything to quench the thirst, wrap up to stop shivering.
I yanked at the ragged cloth around me. Cold wind whistled through a hole outside. Below, snow piled thick and white.
Ah, winter now. I peered at the world for the first time through a hole near my heel.
The snow looked chillingly cold.
"Let's dump it around here."
The servants carrying me spoke without even opening the sack. With that, they flung me onto the snow.
No strength to untie it. The chill from below was excruciating. Like blades on my soles, my skin turning purple.
Footsteps faded away.
"......Fucking bastards."
Tongue numb too, it seemed. Slurred words, couldn't even curse properly—infuriating.
Why had God stuck me with this ridiculous reincarnation? I'd lived decently before.
'Sleepy.'
Eyes drooping. Odd warmth from the frozen snow. Breath fogging, then slowing. Exhausted body sinking into the ground.
I mustered my last strength.
'Don't wanna... die.'
I tensed up. Hunger, thirst, cold. Rage, vengeance, injustice.
I wanted revenge. On that family.
I wanted to eat well. Till my belly burst.
'If I want that...'
To get it, I fought sleep. Jammed fingers into the hole, widening the gap. Crawl out.
That was my only goal as I thrashed.
'If I want it, I can't just sit still.'
I—Riru—want to live.
Skinny arms prying space. Agony every time fingertips met snow.
Clawing like digging the floor. Endless tries to escape.
All for one thought: don't wanna die.
'Limit...'
But my starved body wouldn't obey. With my heart's fading heat as the last spark...
I made one final struggle. Then closed my eyes.
Like a beast scenting meat, someone approached. And...
"...Truly, a wretched sight."
Something audible.
"Abandoning a child like this. Those bastards deserve heaven's wrath."
Someone lifted me. The cloth tore away, warm energy flooding in. Light pierced the world.
Eyes dry and stinging, hard to open. But I forced them to see my rescuer.
A knight with an unfamiliar emblem. A golden eye motif gleamed in the winter chill.
I couldn't fight my eyelids closing. And for the first time in ages, I dreamed in warmth.
A very strange dream.
"Live"
"More than us"
⟨ HAPPILY ⟩
"And"
"GREATLY"
"───!"
Reaching for those hands, I floated. Realizing every palm was as small as mine...
Light flashed.
"Ugh..."
I woke. A cramped cabin, crackling campfire. Soft fur wrapped my body.
Didn't wanna leave. Body all languid.
Then someone held steaming soup to my side.
"Think you can eat?"
Heavenly aroma. I opened wide instinctively, savoring the spoonful.
Rich, velvety veggies—pure bliss. No chunks, but thick enough to chew.
Mouth and belly warming. Nom nom.
I eyed my feeder.
"...One more bite first. Then I'll introduce myself."
Sipping soup, I studied the man. Scarred face, bushy beard—middle-aged. Strong eyes, trustworthy vibe. And the "golden eye" emblem on his chest.
Nom nom...
Another spoonful as I awaited his words. Finally, he spoke.
"Empire's Eye. Knight of the Cardia family, Speredo."
Not a kidnapper... obviously. Who feeds soup and tucks in a blanket if kidnapping?
I blinked my sticky eyes. Vision still blurry.
"Haa. Take it slow. Anyway, you were abandoned by your family..."
Speredo sighed, explaining my situation. My ears perked up.
But it didn't sink in. Because something weird appeared.
A transparent film over Speredo. Rippling waves asserting presence around him.
First time seeing it.
"The Cardia family secretly gives kids like you a new life."
"You'll live in a rural village in Cardia territory now. You might not get it yet, but you will."
Another sip, fingers tensing. No strength, but curiosity lifted my arm a bit.
"I'd love to introduce you to the Cardia family directly... but we're stretched thin, and openly 'adopting' could spark a war between houses."
He kept mumbling. I focused on one thing.
Bare hand trembling toward the film. Ripples repelled it like waves on water.
Repelled, then quivering.
Speredo noticed my hand.
"......Yeah, I've never seen a kid abused like you. Must've been tough, huh?"
He reached for my hand. Too late.
The ripple touched my fingertip. A tiny red dot stained it.
And right after—
Pzzzt...!
Like a static spark at my fingertip. A brief jolt waking my senses.
And that moment—
Crack-crash!!
"!!!!"
Speredo jolted back in shock. Drew his sword, wildly scanning around.
"What?! This! Who's there!!"
Chill expression, glancing everywhere. Like a rat with its tail stepped on, panting.
Then he pulled a necklace from his neck. Golden ornament—no glow. Half-shattered.
Unbelieving eyes as he touched it.
"...How did a 3rd Circleprotection magic..."
He barely breathed, eyeing the spilled soup. Grim face softening, then locking on me.
"......No way."
Horror in Speredo's eyes. He stared, but I had no clue.
'What's his deal?'
More bummed about the spilled soup than his freakout. I just smacked my lips.