Chapter 2
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Reborn as a Baby
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Flash.
Ugh.
I woke up after sleeping my fill.
It had been ages since Id had such a deep sleep.
It was because I hadnt been able to get any proper rest since being locked in that tower.
.
I couldnt bring myself to open my mouth, afraid that weird beastly cry would come out again.
Keeping my lips pressed tightly shut, I scanned my surroundings to figure out where I was.
A low ceiling was the first thing that jumped into view.
And that wall blocking the edge of my vision.
This is weird.
It wasnt the spire where Id been trapped for so long.
That place hadnt been filled with this kind of cozy warmth.
But it wasnt my snug room in the main keep of Battenberg Castle, either.
There was no way it could have a ceiling this low and cramped.
No way... theyve tossed me into a servants quarters now.
Coming from someone who knew my fathers ruthlessness all too well, it was a theory carrying real weight.
Ugh, as I tried to turn my head.
Wh-whats going on!
My neck wont turn?!
Wiggle, wiggle.
I could definitely feel the soft bedsheets against my back.
But my neck! My neck!
Did it snap or something?!
How come I cant see to the side!
Waaah!
Frustration boiled over, and a huge wail burst out.
Id only meant to let out a yell, but something must be wrong with my emotionstears started streaming from both eyes.
Screw it, I dont care.
Overcome by the sorrow surging up from inside, I started bawling my head off before I knew it.
Aww, is our little Siu awake?
The door swung open then, flooding the room with light.
The woman whod held me and lulled me to sleep earlier stepped inside.
Y-you...!
Danger.
If she picks me up, Ill lose it again.
I flailed my arms and legs in desperate resistance.
Huh?
But something odd entered my field of view.
Short little arms, ending in plump, pudgy hands.
They were shaped like hands, sure.
Hands they were... but tiny ones, like they belonged on a doll.
No way.
I swallowed hard and slowly curled my fingers into a fist.
Sure enough, the little hand right in front of me clenched up small and cute.
Clench.
I squeezed my eyes shut against the reality I didnt want to believe.
By then, the woman had come right up and stretched out both arms.
Lets see now, whats gotten into our Siu? Missing Mommy? Or hungry for mama?
Mama?
I stared up blankly at the woman who scooped me up just like before.
Didnt she just say mama?
One hypothesis shot through my mind.
No wayis she seriously claiming to be my mom?
I gaped in silent horror.
What is she doing impersonating a duchess when shes got nothing better to do...!
Urp.
There we go, our Siu let out a good burp. Just lie still now. Mommys gonna drop this off at the sink real quick?
Looks like Id been on edge from hunger.
Once my belly was stuffed full, all those overwhelming feelings from before had vanished without a trace.
Rub, rub.
Rub, rub, rub.
I was in a pretty dire situation right now.
Proceeding on the assumption that these stubby little limbs were mine, Id finally managed to stretch my hand out to my foot.
Fiddling with the soft, chubby pair, I started piecing together what was happening to me.
It was hard to believe,
Even harder to accept,
But right now, I...
Was a baby.
Ow.
My arms had gone numb from gripping so long.
I had no clue how it happened, but meNoah Battenberghad been reborn as a baby in this unknown place.
Why?
Was it because Id died so young, at just twenty-nine?
Had that god whod ignored me all this time finally deigned to notice me?
I couldnt make sense of the reason at all.
Sniff!
I wriggled, trying to swallow the drool I couldnt control.
A babys body came with more than one or two inconveniences.
My neck still wouldnt obey me, and Id only just been born.
Lying there did nothing to stop the hunger.
Now even staying put had drool pouring out, which was no way for a Battenberg to carry himself.
Somehow sensing it, a pale hand reached over from the side and gently wiped the corner of my mouth with a soft cloth.
My mother in this life.
Our Sius acting all funny today. Not sleepy?
Oo.
Well, she seems to be my new mom, at least...
Mother, what are you saying?
Oo! Ooo!
Hm? Whats up with our Siu today? You hardly napped at all.
Mom tilted her head like it was odd and glanced at some round thing hanging on the wall.
Whats that thing?
And that language she was mumbling.
I couldnt understand a lick of itfrustrating as hell.
Come on, time for our Siu to sleep? Gotta sleep lots to grow big and strong.
Oo!
No! Put me down!
She tried scooping me up again, so I fought back hard.
Yeah, answering so well too. Our boy.
The stiff intonation made me think German at first, but nopenot a single word registered.
Lullaby, lullaby, our baby.
Not English.
Sleeps so nice, our baby.
Definitely not French.
Lullaby, lullaby, lullaby.
Still, not bad...
Pretty melody.
As I puzzled over Moms native tongue, I conked out again.
Eung?
Noisy chatter forced my eyes open.
I hadnt slept as long as I wanted this time.
This body didnt take kindly to thata lump welled up deep in my chest again.
Eu, eu.
...If I couldve pulled emotions up this freely back when I was faking tears, acting wouldve been a breeze.
Waaaaah!
Siu!
Wow, Sius awake!
Hang onmore than one or two voices answering my cry?
Blink.
Hows he so pretty? Boy for sure?
No double eyelids, but look at those big eyes.
You can see his nose bridge already, even as a newborn?
Good thing, huh? Not a bit like your husbandnice and round, so cute.
Blink.
Sunghee, dont you think you should say that when Im not around?
Whats it matter? Shes right.
So noisy.
Ooo!!
Siu!
The man who seemed to be my dad looked all touched by my holler.
Happy to get chewed out? Why?
Wow, get a load of Siu. Sticking up for Daddy already?
Ung?
Whatre you on about.
Not getting it, I widened my eyes and peered up at the stranger.
Her face melted like some audience member spotting the male lead at the climax.
Thats right, Siu. Do whatever you want, you adorable little thing. Auntll make it happen. What should I get you, huh?
Not a clue what shes saying.
I wake up, and suddenly my rooms packed.
Should just be Mom or Dad looking down at me normally, but today its all strangers.
Kyau! Oo!
Making me dizzyout, all of you!
Siu answered us.
Look at him. Already got em wrapped around his finger. But man, hes cute...
The minute I let out a cry, the two strange women circling me lit up in bliss.
Siu, tell your aunts to get you a stroller, a walker, and a mobile?
Hey, Jiyeonhwayou hawking your kid already? Siu, your moms a total crook. Crook. Giving me grief cause I didnt bring a housewarming gift?
Kya! Kyau! Ooo.
If youre not gonna speak English, then scram!
Luckily, the strangers didnt stick around my room long.
They hadnt left the house entirely, though.
Anyway.
Siu. Siu?
Guess thats my name.
Id heard Mom say it a few times that way, and now strangers calling me Siu tooso yeah.
Siu asleep?
You guys leave, then he will. Hes touchier than I thought. Keep it down and head out.
One more thing I learned.
Voices chattering beyond the wall came through crystal clearour house didnt seem that big.
But hes not fussy at all. Real mellow.
Yeah? Luckyhe doesnt cry much.
As I listened to my new parents voices mixed in with the strangers, somehow...
I fell asleep again.
Day after day like that.
These last few days, it felt like Id gone back to my early childhood days in Battenberg Castle.
Siu!
Siu Its Uncle.
Quit showing your mug alreadywhat if Siu bursts out crying?
Looks just like his mom.
My new parents got way more visitors than my old duchess mom.
Every single day, all kinds of people dropped byevery time I woke, a fresh face peered down at me.
Oo.
It wasnt exactly a thrill, so I scowled something fierce.
Whoa, Siu just smiled at us.
...Did he?
Sure, I still couldnt work my face muscles right.
Siu, check this out.
Then something happened that bruised my lofty pride.
Kya! Kya!
What the heck are you doing!
Making me smile? Huh? Im not amused!
This woman Id seen before had hung something colorful over my bed, dangling all sorts of stuff on strings.
Ding-a-linglingling-a-ling
Out came this cutesyno, headache-inducing tune, and the bright bits started spinning...
And this body of mine lost all reason at the sight.
Kyah! Kyau, kya!
Sunghee.
Yeah? He really loves it, right?
Was gonna chew you out for bringing this junk, but... honestly, thanks. First time Ive seen Siu laugh that much.
Aww, over something like this? Whatre friends for.
You think its cause we never got him a real toy that he never smiled?
Yeonhwa.
I couldnt make out what Mom was saying next to me, so I choked back tears and endured as my runaway body bounced in excitement.
Aigoo, look at Siu going wild. Love the mobile that much? Good call getting the bestseller.
Oo? Kyau?
......Gasp, youre breaking Aunts heart, Siu.
Oh yeah?
The strangers face went all gooey looking at me.
Not a bad vibe.
Sure, my body grinning on its own was annoying, but with it so hyped, my mood softened up too.
Beam.
Just like the smiles Id flashed at fans milling around the theater district after a show with Oscars troupe.
Aoo.
Hm. Being reborn a baby... might not suck.
Time flew by, and I finally nailed rolling over with everything I had.
Pushing up off my belly with both arms got easy, and at last I could move under my own steam.
Aoo! Aa!
...Even if it was just scooting on all fours.
Once I could crawl, I finally broke out of that tiny room.
But thenthe shock.
Stepping out, I faced a parlor even smaller than the Battenberg servants quarters.
No freaking way.
Oo?
All those guests had been hooting and hollering in here?
In a place with nothing but that beat-up little two-seater sofa?
Wanna watch some TV for a sec, Siu? Mommyll whip up your baby food real quick.
And thats when I met itlike destinya box.
Shh
-Ugh!
-Kuhk, you little punk. That name Joseons Fist aint just talk.
-Shut your trap and come at me.
I stopped dead in my tracks, eyes locked on the box.
Dozens of actors inside it.
Honestly, Id pegged my new parents as lower class this whole time.
Bracing myself for a rough new life ahead.
But there in the corner of the parloractors Id never seen before, tons of them!
Having actors over at the house!
That was a nobles privilege.
Watching them, the itch for actingthe cravingboiled up hot.
And that craving finally burst right out my mouth.
Waaah!
My hearts a lake, but all that comes out is dew.
Damn itmind and mouth wont sync.