Chapter 1: A Bureaucrat’s Rebirth

The rain fell in sheets, turning the hillside into a treacherous slurry of mud and debris. Kaito tightened his grip on the walkie-talkie, his voice calm but urgent as he directed the rescue teams. The landslide had struck without warning, burying an entire village under tons of earth and rock. As a civil servant, Kaito had seen his share of disasters, but this—this was different. The scale of destruction was overwhelming, and the clock was ticking.

"Team Three, report!" he barked, his glasses fogging up in the damp air.

"We've got survivors trapped near the schoolhouse, but the mud's too unstable to approach!" came the crackling reply.

Kaito cursed under his breath. He knew the risks of sending people into unstable terrain, but he also knew that every second counted. He made the call. "Pull back and secure the perimeter. I'll handle this."

Ignoring the protests of his team, Kaito grabbed a rope and began making his way down the slope. His boots sank into the mud, each step a battle against the sucking earth. He could hear the faint cries of the trapped villagers, their voices barely audible over the roar of the rain.

When he reached the schoolhouse, he found a young boy pinned under a fallen beam, his face pale with fear. Kaito knelt beside him, his mind racing as he assessed the situation. The beam was too heavy to lift alone, and the mud was already creeping closer.

"Hey, kid," Kaito said, forcing a smile. "What's your name?"

"T-Taro," the boy stammered.

"Well, Taro, I'm Kaito. And I'm going to get you out of here, okay? But I need you to stay very still."

Kaito looped the rope around the beam and tied it off to a nearby tree. He pulled with all his strength, his muscles screaming in protest, but the beam didn't budge. The mud was rising faster now, swallowing the ground around them.

"Kaito-san!" one of his team members shouted from above. "Get out of there! The slope's giving way!"

Kaito ignored the warning. He couldn't leave Taro behind. Not again. Not after last time.

With a final, desperate heave, the beam shifted just enough for Kaito to pull the boy free. He slung Taro over his shoulder and began climbing back up the slope, his legs trembling with exhaustion.

He was almost at the top when he heard it—a low, ominous rumble. He turned just in time to see the hillside collapse, a wall of mud and rock rushing toward them.

"Run!" he shouted, shoving Taro into the arms of a waiting rescuer.

The last thing Kaito saw was the boy's tear-streaked face as the landslide swallowed him whole.

---

Kaito expected darkness. He expected silence. Instead, he awoke to the sound of birdsong and the faint rustle of curtains in the breeze.

He blinked, his vision blurry as he took in his surroundings. He was lying in a large, canopied bed, the sheets soft and luxurious beneath his fingers. The room was spacious, with high ceilings and ornate tapestries depicting scenes of battle and triumph. Sunlight streamed through tall windows, casting a golden glow over everything.

"Where… am I?" he muttered, his voice hoarse.

A sharp pain shot through his head, and suddenly, memories that weren't his own flooded his mind.

*Prince Cedric of Valeria. Youngest son of King Alaric. Mother dead. Siblings hate me. Outcast. Half-blood.*

Kaito—no, Cedric—sat up, his heart pounding. He stumbled to a nearby mirror, his reflection staring back at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. The face was unfamiliar—young, with sharp features, silver hair, and piercing blue eyes.

"This… this can't be real," he whispered.

But it was. The memories were too vivid, too detailed to be a dream. He remembered his mother, Lady Eleanora, her gentle smile and the way she'd hummed lullabies as she tucked him into bed. He remembered the day she died, the way the court had whispered behind his back, calling him cursed.

And he remembered his siblings—Edmund, the cold and calculating crown prince; Selene, the beautiful but venomous princess; and Roland, the hotheaded brute who took pleasure in tormenting him.

Cedric clenched his fists, his mind racing. He had been given a second chance, a new life in a world that was both familiar and alien. But why? What was he supposed to do here?

A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts.

"Enter," he called, his voice steadier than he felt.

The door creaked open, and an elderly man stepped inside. He was thin and stooped, with a long white beard and kind eyes.

"Ah, you're awake," the man said, his voice warm. "I was beginning to worry."

"Master Wyntor," Cedric said, the name coming to him instinctively.

Wyntor smiled. "It's good to see you up and about, Your Highness. You gave us quite a scare."

Cedric frowned. "What happened?"

"You collapsed during your morning lessons," Wyntor explained. "The court physician said it was exhaustion, but I suspect it was something more."

Cedric's mind raced. He needed time to process everything, to figure out his next move. But one thing was clear: he couldn't afford to show weakness. Not here. Not in this viper's nest.

"Thank you for your concern, Master Wyntor," he said, forcing a smile. "I'm feeling much better now."

Wyntor studied him for a moment, his gaze sharp and knowing. "Very well. But remember, Your Highness, you're not alone. There are those of us who still believe in you."

Cedric nodded, though he wasn't sure he believed it himself.

As Wyntor left, Cedric turned back to the mirror, his reflection staring back at him with determination.

"Alright," he said softly. "If this is my second chance, I'm not going to waste it. I'll survive this world. And maybe… just maybe… I'll change it."