"A boy again… This is the eighth one." (Man)
"Dear, he's such a healthy boy. You should give him a suitable name." (Woman)
"You're right. How about Wendelin? Though his chances of succeeding me as the head of the Baumeister House is almost zero." (Man)
In this dream world, it was as though my consciousness had drifted away from my body; I witnessed the birth of a baby boy as if it were a scene from a movie.
Apparently, I had been born as the eighth son of the Baumeister house.
Or, perhaps it is more accurate to say that I possessed this body.
As I later learned, the Baumeister House is a lower ranked noble family that governs three villages on the frontier, each with a population of two to three hundred villagers.
Arthur von Benno Baumeister is the current family head, and for better or worse, he is an average man in his forties that took a noble of a similar class as his legal wife and the local village chief's daughter as his mistress.
Between the two women, they had eight boys, including me, Wendelin.
Should a lower class noble, who governs a population of around eight hundred, really have this many children though? In this era, I don't think they practice family planning.
From the information I've gathered up until now, I came to understand that this world resembles Europe during the Middle Ages. There is no guarantee that a child will safely reach adulthood.
Because of this, families can't afford to have only one child. And, because there is no guarantee that the legal wife can give birth, I tend to agree on the matter of taking a mistress.
But eight boys is definitely too many… In the worst case scenario, a family dispute may ensue over succession rights.
I feel sorry for the mistress's children, but it's probably not worth worrying about. I still haven't actually seen the mistress.
She is the mother of two boys and two girls. If the memory of this body is accurate, the first boy will be the village headman's heir while the second will be wed to the daughter of a wealthy, but heirless, farmer. The girls also seem to have their marriages decided.
But enough about them; their futures are already written.
The legal wife gave birth to the remaining six sons. Given the fact that I am the 10th child, I had initially assumed that I was the mistress's child, but it turns out that I was born to the legal wife when she was nearly 40.
Honestly, I don't think a woman of her age should be getting pregnant. But then again, due to the financial constraints of a poor territory, it would be impossible for Arthur to acquire a new, younger wife.
Put another way, I'm glad that their relationship was so healthy.
"Dear, perhaps Wendelin might have talent for the sword or magic." (Woman)
"If that's the case it will be possible for him to be independent." (Arthur)
By deciphering the memories that I've inherited, I gradually came to understand my current situation.
First of all, I am Wendelin, the shameful eighth son of a poor noble. I am five years old (six when counted from the start of the new year).
Despite being born into a noble house I will not inherit any territory because I have so many elder brothers. If the worst comes to pass, I will not be able to live as a noble.
Generally, the eldest son takes over the house, the second son is considered his spare (in case something happens to him), and all of the other sons are sent out into the world to make their own lives.
Unlike a great noble family with vast territory, or a noble family that holds an important position in the capital for many generations, for this poor, lower ranked noble family whose only merit is bearing children, every son after the second must make his own plans for the future, else he puts his life at risk.
That's harsh.
What will happen to me? I should be at home, sleeping in my apartment.
I don't even have time to be happy about the fact that I heard the word "magic" a little while ago.
I don't know how adults usually live in this world, but I must develop the means to make a life for myself when the time comes to leave this place.
"(It won't do any good to panic, but I have no idea how to live as a child who is just playing around…)" (Wendelin)
I absorbed Wendelin's life up to this point by viewing it in this disembodied state. Afterwards, when I wake up, I have to quickly collect information and get up to speed so that my new family doesn't suspect me.