He opened his eyes and was presented with the same gold ceiling.
'It was not a dream.'
He did possess the body of this kid.
He had given her a second life.
He did not die.
Sigh. What a headache.
More importantly, did he just cry yesterday? In the beautiful woman's embrace! God! It was embarrassing! He remembered that he cried his eyes out because he felt disappointed too much! But that emotion was intensified because of this goddamn child's body; yes, he blamed this body rather than his emotional state.
He cried, and that woman hugged him by putting him on her lap. She was caressing his hair gently while trying to soothe him by singing a lullaby. He was swayed by the beautiful singing and fell asleep after that. One thing he could remember happening was that woman kissing his forehead.
Yes, those are what make him embarrassed. He was treated like a literal child, even though he knew he was in a child's body! But it still hurts his adult's pride, mind you!
He covered his face with his now-tiny hands.
"So embarrassing. Why am I crying like a baby? You are a grown-up man, idiot! Oh God, how should I react after this?"
Having a mental breakdown is not unusual for him. It was just that he never experienced having it in front of anyone.
He buried his face in the pillow and let out a muffled scream.
"Ahh!!"
He needs to think rationally right now and put aside not being able to die. He can't just pretend like everything he said yesterday was all a lie, right? He needs to find an excuse.
'Now I regret crying yesterday. What's so bad about living in another body? It must be easier than my last life.'
He can't die again in this body because this body has a family that cares for him, not like in his past life. So, maybe he could try living as someone else. If it's not working, he can still choose to end everything again. He has done it once. After all; it will become much easier later, right?
So, let's pretend that he has lost his memory! He does not know what happened to this kid; let's just say this kid lost his memory due to the trauma. Yes, yes, that's a good excuse.
"Micha?"
He flinched. Since when is this woman here? The woman came out of one of the doors in the room. Is that a bathroom?
"You're awake. How are you feeling?"
The woman frantically asked for his condition. She expressed a worried expression that made him feel bad.
"I am fine."
He said it slowly. The woman bit her lower lips, and a frustrated sigh escaped from the same lips. He managed to see the woman's face, which almost broke into tears but was replaced by a warm smile.
"You really don't remember me?"
She asked him with a soft voice. The blond woman sat beside the bed, not close or far from his position. He could see the woman's fingers moving, but she stopped midway before she touched him. The lack of response from him shakes this woman. She clenched her shaking hands into her dress.
"Not even your name, hm?"
Ah. He felt bad. He just shook his head from left to right.
The woman closed her eyes before she stood up and walked out of the room. Not long after that, the same light-blue-haired man and another old lady came into the room. They begin asking him questions and examining him, and he just gives them the lie he had planned.
×××××
Michaelis Kristafall.
This boy's name. Now, his name
Eight years old.
The first prince of the imperial family in the Dradgim Empire.
The blond woman is the empress and his mother, Zera Kristafall.
Apparently, this boy drowned in the imperial lake. He was unconscious for a week and woke up after he possessed this body. This news would have a very major impact on the imperial family, obviously. He doesn't know if this boy's drowning incident is one of the assassination attempts, but what he knows is that this boy was left alone at the lake. Not even his nanny or maids are there.
He was given the examination these past few days, accompanied by Zera. He did not go out of the room and was asked to recuperate until he became familiar with the people he met the first day he woke up. Of course, the blue-haired man, Sir Celix, an imperial doctor, diagnosed him with temporary amnesia with the thought that he would remember his past again later.
Oh yes. He had decided that he would live in this body for the time being. His supposedly second life chance by God, because he knew that this kid would not come back even if he attempted to kill himself again. This kid already died, and he is the replacement without knowing why.
"How are you feeling, Micha? Are you excited to meet your father and sisters?"
He looked at Zera, who was holding onto his hand. They are currently walking towards the imperial dining room to meet his other family members.
"Yes! I'm excited, Mother!"
He smiled. He almost stuttered when he said that word.
'It has been so long, hm.' He thought.
Zera smiled back at him. Ah, the smile is so blinding; how can someone look this beautiful? This boy is so lucky.
They arrived at the quite large door after minutes of walking. Tired is an understatement. He needs to exercise a bit after this.
The guard in front of the door opened the door for them. After the door was fully open, he was presented with the smell of food. He is drooling. Oh, how can the food smell so good? He hasn't even looked at the food yet.
They stepped inside the dining room. The chandelier hung on the ceiling. Some paintings on the wall. The large table in the middle is too tall for him to even look at what is on the table. Of course, most of the items in this room were coated with gold and diamonds. An imperial family sure has tons of money.
"Greetings, Your Majesty."
His father is here already. How does he look?
"Mama!"
He heard a child's voice and large footsteps coming towards them. He saw a pair of legs walk around the table and stop in front of them. Slowly, he raised his head to see the man. Starting from the shoes that were embedded with diamonds, to the well-ironed attire, to the quite muscular and healthy body, until he saw the face. The shoulder-length white hair was tied in a loose ponytail. The well-defined jaw. The face that lacks any fur—no, he means hair. The pair of sharp blue eyes.
'Who gave this man the privilege to be born this handsome? This is not a fairy tale. He is sure God's favourite.'
Now, this man is his father. But to think of it, he can also become handsome like this man in the future, right? Oh ho, he needs to start maintaining his physique after this, when now this body is his.
Oh, and the man, Asteric Kristafall, the emperor of this empire, is holding a young girl with blond hair and hazel eyes. Is this now his sister?
Helenis or Nasharis?
Zera picked up the blond girl from the man carefully while the man was still maintaining eye contact with him. He sweatdropped. This man looked intimidating without a smile on his face. Is this emperor a strict father? Will he get scolded? He doesn't do anything, though.
He blinked in confusion when Asteric picked him up by his armpits. A half-lidded blue eye looked at the round hazel eyes. Asteric started walking back while carrying him gently. Now he could see from above. There are actually many more people in this dining room—many maids and butlers. There is also another blond-haired girl with blue eyes at the table.
'Must be the oldest', he thought.
All eyes are on them. Asteric took a seat at the end of the table. He was put on Asteric's lap.
"Get out."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
With just one command, all the servants went out of the room. The sound of the closed door made him more nervous. Why does this atmosphere feel tense? Or is it just his mind playing with him?
"Michaelis."
He flinched and looked up at Asteric. They looked at each other for a minute before he could see the change in Asteric's face. Wait, why does he look like a kicked puppy?
"Baby, are you okay? Do you feel hurt anywhere? I'm sorry dad can't see you when you wake up. Your mom did not let me. You are not angry, aren't you?"
The serious demeanour changed into a worried one in an instant. His jaw dropped.
"Love, why does baby Micha not say anything? Are you sure he is okay now? Shouldn't he rest more? I think Celix needs to stay with him."
"Dear, he is fine."
"But why is he not talking to his dad?"
Asteric looked back at him like a dejected puppy who had been refused permission to play outside. What the hell? Is this really the man from a minute ago?
"Micha, baby. Talk to dad, hm. Please, baby, I am worried."
"Dear, give him time. You know what has happened. Besides, your look might have scared him just now."
"No way, my son is scared of me! Oh no, I should smile just now, right? But I am too excited to meet him after so long."
"Asteric—"
"I won't leave you alone after this, Micha. I will protect you myself. No one would ever leave a single fingerprint on you."
Suddenly, this emperor turned cold and serious again. Oh no.
"Dad, you are scaring Micha."
The older blond girl snatched him from Asteric.
"Hey, that's foul! Give my son back!"
"Nope!"
The older blond girl looked at him and smiled. He blinked in confusion.
"Hey, Micha. I know you don't remember me, but I am your older sister, Helenis. That is our younger sister, Nasharis. That old man is our dad, Asteric. I'm sure mom told you about us, right? You don't need to be scared, okay?"
He looked at the pointed people one by one. His now younger sister, Nasharis, meekly waved her hand at him, calling him brother. His father, Asteric, is pouting in his seat.
"I'm not scared."
He meekly said.
"Ha! Micha talked to me first! Your loss, dad!"
"NO!"
He furrowed his eyebrows. This is not what he expected from a royal family. He used to read—just one storybook, though—that the royal family was full of rivalry and their relationship kind of distant. He should have read more storybooks other than educational ones in his past life.
Zera shook her head at her husband's and daughter's silly banter. Every time they have time to eat together, this will happen no matter which side starts it first. She does not know when the rivalry to become Michaelis' favourite person happened between them.
'Oh well, I'm still the winner, though.' She slowly chuckled and got a weird look from her youngest daughter.