It had been three hours since I found myself in this new body. I don't know anything about this body owner, but pieces began to come back to me. The boy's name was Grey Ravenwood. He had once been loved dearly by his family—his father and sister meant the world to him. At first, everything was perfect; his father was so overjoyed when Grey was born that he declared him his successor.
But everything changed when Grey turned nine. They discovered he had no mana, and the news shattered him. His family, however, refused to give up. They sought help from every healer and mage they could find; they tried potions and artifacts, believing that somehow, they could help their son. The Ravenwood family used all their resources to find a solution.
***
"Father, why are they all here?" young Grey asked, looking up at the crowd of healers in his room.
"Don't worry, Grey," his father replied, forcing a smile. "They're here to help you."
***
There was a saying in this world that even a commoner could rise to greatness with enough support, but they were met with failure at every turn.
The pressure was too much for young Grey. He locked himself in his room, crying. Even though the world turned its back on him.
he found comfort in knowing that his mother, father, and sister still cared about him. That was enough for him. He wanted to prove the world wrong; he wanted to show them he wasn't a curse. Yet as time went on, his parents became more absorbed in their search for a cure. They started to ignore him, and Grey assumed they were just busy.
***
"Mother, can you read me a story tonight?" little Grey asked one evening.
"Not now, Grey. Your father and I are busy," she replied, not even glancing up from her work.
***
As the years passed, things only got worse. The maids and servants started to bully him, while his younger sister, with her incredible potential, received all their love and attention. When Grey tried to tell his parents about the abuse, they didn't listen.
***
"Father, the servants are being mean to me," Grey said, his voice trembling.
"Grey, I don't have time for your nonsense. Can't you see I am busy?" his father snapped, not looking up from his books on mana.
"Albert, take him to his room" his father said to the butler
"Young master…Lets go"
***
"Albert, can I ask you a question?" Grey asked, his voice barely a whisper.
The butler looked at the young boy and kneel on the ground to meet his eye level
"Of course, young master," Albert replied gently.
"Does my family still love me?" Grey's eyes were wide, brimming with unshed tears.
Albert eye shook, looking at those golden eyes filled with tear his heart started aching. He wanted to comfort this pitiful child, he wanted to wipe his tear but it was not his place to say anything. He was, after all, just a servant.
choosing his words carefully he said, while forcing a smile.
"Your father and mother both love you very much, young master. It's just that they are busy with their work. Please try to understand,"
Grey nodded slowly, feeling a lump form in his throat. "I-i see."
***
The loneliness and neglect turned him into someone he never wanted to be. He turned to drinking and drugs in hopes that maybe, just maybe, if he acted out, they'd finally pay attention to him.
***
"Grey, where have you been?" his sister demanded one night, catching him sneaking back into the house.
"Why do you care?" Grey slurred; the smell of alcohol heavy on his breath. "No one else does."