chapter 3: kingdom's crisis

I've been reincarnated.

It's easy to say but hard to understand. Even today, it's still hard for me to process what happened.

I looked down at the mirror in my hand, it's the same face... Blonde hair, silver eyes, pale skin. I can't get used to my new face, it's just so unique and it feels weird looking at it.

It's been three days since I woke up. Alaric visited me yesterday and told me to rest for two weeks before I go outside. They still have no idea what's happening in my body or how this i managed to overcome the poison. Meanwhile, i do know that I'm probably reincarnated into some fantasy world, the flashing pictures the day I woke up was unfinished. It's like there was more than that.

As I remember, those pictures I saw when I woke up had a name that kept repeating.

"Rleyn" I asked Anne about the name but she doesnt seem to know anything. I even asked Alaric if he had heard that name outside once when he was checking my condition yesterday, he didn't know anything and I shrugged it off when he asked why I was asking.

I asked Anne for some books about my family, there wasn't a lot in our family's history. Just some achievements and the things my ancestors has done in serving the royalty.

Before I do anything, I must know everything cyril knew before. I'll find the problems he has made and then fix them one by one. To do that, I must associate and know how cyril was like before he died in his sleep.

My eyes shifted to Anne, who was standing there quietly and waiting for my orders. She probably knows a lot about cyril since she's his personal maid. Judging by her actions and her work, they probably stayed together for some time. She must know cyril a lot. A lot of servants were re-introcuced to me yesterday, the butler must be close to Cyril. He looks old and wise.

But I'll have to stick with Anne, u didn't have the chance to ask the servants because they kept telling me to regain strength and rest.

"How long have you been with me?"

"U-uh, not for long young master... Just three years ago when the young master had graduated from the academy."

It's not very long but it's good enough. That's enough for her to know some things about cyril. She's pretty young when she worked here, but I'll hope she can provide some good information about him.

"So can you tell me how I was like before?"

She flinched at the question, her expression shifted, eyebrows and the gaze tightening up. She looked like in a state of confusion but she nodded and answered my question. Keeping her eyes at me with a smile on her face, recovering a calm expression.

"I can do that, young master."

She started listing up all the things cyril has ddon, his personality and his relationships. There were some bits about his family but her explanation was more focused on what he has done.

Listening to her, I realized that Cyril... Was an arrogant asshole. She even tried to filter it with nice words and tried to fix some things that spoiled out accidentally out of her mouth. So she's telling me that Cyril punched a duke so the Duke made his family suffer and he can't even say the reason why he did it. That he made fun of a commoner and called them a dirty peasant and insulting them daily, that he used his father's money and spent it on unreasonable things despite being in debt.

His actions were often noticed and reported by to his father and his older brother. When they point out cyril's mistakes everything eventually leads into fights or scolding. Their constant fights led their relationship to get distant.

"... That's e-enough..." I told her, shaking a hand with the other one massaging my forehead. And she's not even finished yet and explaining all the things he has done. "Tell me about my family instead. You said I had a brother, right? Tell me about him."

"Master Felix... He's really kind but he's also scary. Maybe that's why the young master doesn't get along with him. Because he's both strict and scary and the young master is reckless and stupid."

"Excuse me?..."

"Master Felix also takes care of the count's work when the Lord is gone. He's in a different country for the meantime, he's negotiating with someone so he can't visit the young master."

So he has access to the Royalty and the other nobles... Maybe he would be useful sometime. I'll keep that in my head. I nodded and changed the question, I needed to know my family too. It feels weird how not even my father visited me when I woke up. "What happened to my father?"

"The Lord... He's sick... But master Felix has found a good doctor to take care of him. No need to worry, young master."

So my father is ill, that's why my brother took all the work. There's still much more unanswered questions about cyril's death and why he was poisoned. It must've been someone holding a grudge on him probably an commoner or someone sent by the duke. But how did that poison led him to a coma?

As I heard, they found cyril in his room. A cup of tea beside where he was, it was a tea made by the new servant but when they tried finding him, he was gone. I noticed her stare. Not wanting to deal with her worrying, I cleared my throat and started another question.

I looked down at the mirror in my hand, my eyes travelled down to the reflection of my face that it held. I really do wonder what the owner of this body thought before falling into that coma.

"Did anything happen while I was asleep?"

"Oh... Uhm, when the young master was gone, the whole mansion was really quiet. And some food has been stolen, no one knows who's the thief actually is even now..."

"Thief..."

The kingdom was suffering because of the uncontrollable population. The kingdom can't hold so many people so they're going downhill. Politics here are the Royalties, the kingdom that my family was serving and living for was called "novarith".

The commoners has no choice but to do crimes such as hostage, stealing and other things. It's a problem for the whole country, even here people still have to do malicious things just to gain money. If this continues, I might get affected too...

"Has the thief been found?"

"Unfortunately, not yet..."

It looks like that bastard has been used to not getting caught so he's not doing it more often. I'll catch him and make him pay for what he has stolen, things come with a price. My father paid for those food he stole.

"Alright. You can leave now I will rest for tommorow."

She nodded and left my room, leaving me in silence. If I think about it, those flashing pictures only had dialogues or words. The only images I saw was cyril's face and a man. The words described everything about the execution, I probably missed some but I'm sure it was words only.

It's in this world's language too, even the letters. It's no mistake... If it's written in this world's language, then does that mean it came from here and not my world?

I shrugged it off, I'll deal with it After some time.

It was Alaric's visit again today, he had noticed that my body is starting to function more normally than before. Though I expected him to smile at me, he had an frown on his face instead.

"Did something happen?"

"Someone stole my wedding ring."

He started explaining how he lost his ring. He's telling me how someone had stolen his wedding ring, it's understandable that he didn't look enthusiastic while checking me up. His lips were turned into a frown and eyes down, how gloomy. His hands clenched on the handle of his bag while he talks about it, his body tensing up. I can feel his frustration.

"That ring was special to me... It's dissapointing but I can't do anything about it. Robbery can't be avoided even if it's in your own fingers nowdays."

"Robbery..."

Alaric finished his visit and left without saying anything after that. He told me he'll visit again next week to see how my body develops. The kingdom's crisis really does affect everyone, including the people with money. Anne came back with someone to escort the doctor outside, she entered the room and watched the doctor leave.

"I hope the crimes may atleast go down somehow..."

The room fell into silence, but it wasn't the type where you'd get uncomfortable. It feels more relaxing.

"I do hope too."