Carlo, where are you?"
A shout from the top of the luxurious palace interrupted Carlo's thoughts and pulled his soul back to the real world.
"I'm here, father," Carlo responded quickly.
"Thank God, my child, are you feeling better?" The voice came closer, and soon, its owner was behind Carlo.
Carlo turned slightly, still struggling to believe the reality before him. The man standing in front of him, dressed in royal splendor, was none other than his father in this world—Vittorio Emanuele II, ruler of the Savoy Dynasty and the first king of unified Italy.
"It's better now. The doctor's medicine worked well," Carlo nodded honestly. Internally, though, he wrestled with how to speak to this unfamiliar father.
Vittorio Emanuele II, however, seemed unconcerned with Carlo's inner conflict. Lovingly, he touched Carlo's head. "It's okay, my son. Though your brother Edonne is gone, you still have us, right?"
Edonne was the third son of Vittorio Emanuele II, born with the title Duke of Monferrato. In Carlo's new memory, Edonne had been a kind brother, much closer to him than his two elder brothers.
Unfortunately, when Carlo's soul entered this world, Edonne was already terminally ill. He died soon after, the inadequate medical care of the era unable to save him.
Carlo had experienced modern advancements before this life, making the world of 160 years ago a difficult adjustment. While he held a noble title as the Duke of Chablais, the simple discomforts of the time, combined with the trauma of watching his new brother die, made him uneasy.
Vittorio Emanuele II, unaware of Carlo's inner turmoil, touched his son's head again, smiling sadly. "Everything will be alright, child. Neither God nor death will take you from me. Adelheid and I will protect you."
Carlo could sense how much this father cared for him. He'd read about Vittorio Emanuele II's reputation, and though he hadn't completely bonded with his new family yet, he had no reason to reject them.
"I'm much better, father. Thank you for your concern."
"That's good, my son. May God bless you. I'll stay with you," Vittorio Emanuele II said before signaling for the maids to help Carlo back to his room.
Carlo, the youngest son, was now the most beloved in the family. He held vast estates, castles, manors, and hundreds of servants. However, even with all these luxuries, his mind was still racing. His rebirth was a blessing, but he couldn't help but miss the technology, convenience, and relative safety of the 21st century.
Once inside his grand chamber, Carlo found himself alone with two beautiful maids, each poised to cater to his every need. While he momentarily enjoyed their massages, he soon snapped back to reality, realizing he had bigger ambitions.
Left alone, Carlo began to think. His mind wandered back to his former life, where he had been a brilliant strategist, not in ancient China but in 21st-century America. Before his mysterious rebirth, he had lived a modern, hard-working life. Though he once struggled with a modest job in New York City, his strategic mind allowed him to navigate the complexities of business and leadership.
Now, placed in the body of a prince of Italy, his ambitions were reborn as well. With knowledge of the future, Carlo knew that monarchy would eventually fall, just as it had in the America he knew. The thought of being at the mercy of history troubled him. He would not allow his fate to be controlled by the wars and revolutions of the coming decades.
No, he had a new plan. A plan to secure power, not just in Italy, but perhaps across Europe.