Chapter 01

“Are you really okay with this, young master? You should at least bring one maid with you…”

“Beatrice, how many times do you have to say that?”

Looking over to the source of the voice, Beatrice, a stoic maid, stood holding a blazer in her hands, observed me up and down.

“I apologize. But it would not sit right with me to let you go alone. And they would surely feel the same.”

She didn’t need to specify who she was referring to. It was clearly my parents she meant. I sighed as I continued to  dress, her words falling on deaf ears.

“I’ve heard that a million times too.”

At my bitter joke, Beatrice offered me the blazer she was holding. Having known me since my childhood, she acted as always when it came to overprotecting me.

As I took the blazer and looked myself over in the  mirror, a boy of sturdy build with black hair and dark eyes was adjusting his necktie – someone who by appearance would not need such fussing over.

“I apologize for the rudeness.”

Heartily, Beatrice extended a gloved hand and swiftly straightened the half-untied necktie.

“All done. You don’t need to thank me, I was only performing my duty as a maid.”

“Indeed, quite audacious of you.”

“Such is the attitude you bred in me, unsurprising given I have served you for so many years. Perhaps it is your influence.”

Her words brought a faint smile to my face. Beatrice returned a polite nod, lifting the hem of her skirt slightly and bowing in respect.

“I shall take my leave. The carriage is in the garden, Sir Mira, please arrive at your leisure.”

With a soft clank, the door closed. I gazed at the empty spot where Beatrice was only moments ago, before turning my gaze back to the  mirror.

Still reflected there was the healthy boy – seemingly unworried.

Mira Crate, the youngest son of the Crate family who holds a high position within the imperial hierarchy. That was my name in my second life.

The reason for such a name, usually given to a woman, is that my birth was nothing short of a miracle:

I was a stillborn child.

About half a minute after doctors had confirmed that the newborn boy neither breathed nor had a heartbeat, I burst out crying, as if being born anew.

Given the miraculous aspect of these events, even though it may not suit a boy, my parents named me Mira – a derivation of the word ‘miracle’, which is why I came to be known as Mira Crate.

The main factor that brought me to life, of course, was my spirit, which had occupied the dead body, escaping a possible biological death as well.

It was a turn of good fortune for all involved: I, who was blessed to be reincarnated as the youngest son of a rich family, and my parents of this world, who were about to lose their youngest son.

Sure, the overprotection, that bordered on obsession, from being resurrected right after birth was a minus point.

“…If it’d been just a little less, I wouldn’t have minded.”

Up until the age of 15, I had to endure weekly check-ups surrounded by dozens of physicians. Their over-concern deprived me of my sleep, fearing I’d die in my bed.

Only after my 16th birthday did they allow me to sleep alone.

“Shouldn’t they stop worrying about me fainting now, seeing I’ve been ranked first for admission in the top academy of the Empire?”

Yet, even now, at 18, their worries seem relentless.

Despite having regained all my abilities and memories, and being declared a genius by a private tutor, and despite all the doctors declaring I’m healthy without any cause for concern, their worries persisted.

Despite knowing that their worry about me was because they loved me, it still annoyed me.

After all I couldn’t say, “Actually, I possessed your son at birth, so having regained full strength and health since the possession, I don’t anticipate any serious illness, so don’t worry”.

“Do you have anything to say?”

“No. It’s nothing.”

“Yes. If you need anything, please let me know.”

Beatrice, who had dutifully followed me all the way to the academy’s entrance, was the same as always. Maybe because she had looked after me since I was a child, or perhaps she was influenced by my parents. Sometimes, she worried about me even more than my parents.

“But it’ll be better once I can live by myself.”

That was why I insisted on enrolling the moment I first heard about the academy. Because the academy practiced a full boarding system, I would certainly enjoy more freedom.

I chose to enter Bellium Academy, known as the best in the empire, and took first place in the entrance exam. It was a pretext, a reason so that they wouldn’t let a talent like me go to waste.

“We’ve arrived.”

After a while, the shaking stopped. Almost simultaneously with Beatrice picking up my luggage and getting up, the door opened automatically.

Outside, where a horse should have been pulling the carriage, was a golem shaped like a horse, spewing heat from its mouth. The butler was removing the magic stone that powered it.

Because golems powered by magic stones were far from efficient, they were not easily seen. The curious gazes were a bonus.

Same thing with the gazes of men that Beatrice attracted.

“I understand you have something to do.”

Of course, Beatrice didn’t seem concerned in the slightest.

“I need to rehearse my speech. We arrived early, but I’ll go ahead.”

At Bellium Academy, traditionally, the respective top students of the grades give short speeches at the entrance ceremony. After the President, the Principal, and the valedictorians of the third and second years give their addresses, the ceremony concludes with the first year valedictorian’s response and vow.

Since I had decided to attend, I tried to grasp everything I could about Bellium Academy.

“How do you plan to give your speech?”

“I’ll read it as prepared. I can’t write stuff like that.”

I recalled the surprised voice when I requested one from the school. Most valedictorians, due to their pride, wanted to write their own.

Well, for me, the time for my self-esteem to be elevated for such a reason had come and gone a long time ago.

“I’m sure, as the master-“

“I don’t want to hear it, leave it. You’re attracting attention. You should go back first.”

The carriage that looked infinitely expensive, the magic-stone golem that was rarely seen, and Beatrice, who had a far superior appearance compared to a mere maid.

The combination was drawing more and more attention because it had all the elements to grab it.

“Yes. I’ll see you in the auditorium, master.”

I made a dismissive gesture before the attention could intensify any more. Beatrice, with a slight nod, approached the butler. Something was passed into her empty hand.

It was a camera.

Or more accurately, a magical device with the function of a camera. Judging by the similar device in the butler’s hands, one of them would take videos and the other would take pictures.

‘No matter how this world turns out to be…’

It was a convenient set up. Nowadays, all modern products have a similar magical device that can perform a similar role.

It made my life much more comfortable, so I didn’t dwell on it.

“Hello, nice to meet you.”

Even though I had tried to send away Beatrice first, the attention didn’t dissipate easily. Just as I tried to hasten my steps, someone interrupted with a sweet greeting.

A girl with radiant golden hair and blue eyes as if she had captured the sun itself, and another blue-haired girl with golden eyes, letting out a small sigh beside her.

“Who’s this?”

“My apologies for the late introduction. I’m Aria April. I’m the second place in the first year. I heard about you. So you are the valedictorian?”

I looked at the girl who was greeting me with a smile.

‘So she’s the salutatorian.’

If I hadn’t been there, would she have been the valedictorian, or would someone else have taken first place and she maintained her second?

No, before that, it’s a mystery whether this character is relevant to the novel. Maybe the setting for the novel is another academy altogether and not here.

But usually the majority of academy stories are set with the premise of entering the best academy, so there was a high probability that this would be the setting.

“I understand you’re the salutatorian, but why did you seek me out?”

Even though my reply was slightly dismissive, the woman who introduced herself as Aria April didn’t seem to mind.

“I wanted to meet the valedictorian and say hello. I studied really hard this year, so I was really surprised when I came in second place, not first. So, I thought I would come and see who beat me…”

Her blue eyes swept me up and down. Then a sweet smile deepened on her face.

“Now that I’ve come to find you, I finally feel like I’ve lost. Congratulations on being the valedictorian.”

Despite her invariably warm voice and friendly demeanor, something about her made me uneasy. I had this gut feeling that we would not get along, for some inexplicable reason.

Suddenly, the blue-haired woman beside us glanced at my face and nudged Aria.

“We should stop here, Aria. The valedictorian has other things to do. We might need to leave soon.”

“Ah….”

April let out a disappointed moan. She clasped her hands together and bowed her head.

“I’m sorry. I really wasn’t aware. I often hear that I’m not very perceptive…”

“It’s okay. We arrived a bit early. We’re not late yet.”

I smothered that strange feeling and replied. There was no need to ruin the relationship from the first meeting just by trusting a gut feeling.

“I must go now. I’m truly sorry.”

After another bow, Aria left and the blue-haired woman gave a small nod before following her. It was a smaller nod than Aria’s.

“I’m Leona Brunhilde. Aria has a tendency to take things too far. If it bothered you, I apologize.”

I responded by slightly shaking my head. Seeing this, Brunhilde gave an awkward smile and quickly disappeared into the auditorium with a somewhat gloomy-looking Aria.

Left alone, I moved my steps while mulling over the uncomfortable feeling I had just experienced.

Hundreds of pairs of eyes pierced my back.

“28 ……. 29 ……. 30 ……..”

“… ….”

I glanced at the red-haired woman who was counting, staring blankly at the wall clock.

‘The top student of the second year?

She didn’t look like someone who was completely sane.

From the moment I entered the room, she had been sitting there, murmuring numbers, muttering to herself, without caring whether the door was open or closed, or whether I sat down or not.

When she’s like this, it’s best not to disturb her. You don’t know what kind of reaction you’ll get if you touch her unnecessarily. Trying to divert attention, I crammed the speech into my head.

“…Why isn’t it coming?”

The woman who broke this strange silence was again the woman with red hair. After counting for a while, she mutters, “It’s not coming,” weakly.

What’s not coming? Curious, I raised my head. She was slowly turning her head towards me.

“…What?”

Our eyes met.

Her faint brown eyes that utterly devoid of life stopped precisely toward me.

“…uh… ah…?”

She looked as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. A glimmer of life returned to her perfectly lifeless eyes, and her whole body started to shake like a quaking aspen.

“Who… are you… How… How did you… get here….”

“I’m the freshman valedictorian. You knew that, right? We’re supposed to give speeches one after another at our entrance ceremony.”

“Guh… huk…”

Although I urged her that I was the freshman valedictorian, it was of no use. Tears began to pour from her faint brown eyes.

“Huk… sniff… sob…”

Tears quickly turned to sobs, which promptly evolved into loud wailing. The moment our eyes met, the woman began to cry uncontrollably, spewing incomprehensible words. Amid my bewilderment, the door abruptly swung open.

“I’m a bit late! Sorry! I prepared everything …… Oh.”

Suddenly, a someone with an androgynous appearance, feminine at a glance, halted in place, foregoing their intention to enter.

Alternating glances between the heavily crying woman with the orange hair and myself, now unable to move from my half standing position, he opened his mouth in a slightly guarded tone.

“Hmm. It seems a great deal has happened in my absence. Would you mind explaining what happened?”

I doubted he would believe it even if I explained.