Taking a stroll in the park built within my family's territory, I relished the peaceful morning air. It was my free time, the brief hours each day when I could escape my mother's overly doting grasp.
Sometimes, I would even venture to the playground within the park to mingle with other children of my age—descendants from both the direct and indirect branches of the family lineage.
Compared to the protagonists in the stories I used to read, I'm taking things slow. Those guys would already be speedrunning entire libraries, sensing mana, forming magic circuits, or wielding swords with ridiculous skill at my age. But their worlds were always a mess—constant wars, apocalyptic events, or demon lords threatening their lands.
My world? It's peaceful. So... it should be fine to take it slow, right?
I paused mid-thought. "Wait... did I just jinx myself?"
I let out a sigh, brushing off the ominous idea. While I intended to take things at a leisurely pace, I wasn't foolish enough to let my guard down. I wanted to become strong too—just without attracting unnecessary attention.
If I started acting too mature, people would label me as some prodigy, a "genius," or worse, a "child destined for greatness."
It's not that I despise the titles themselves; it's just... cringe.
Another reason for my cautious approach is my past experience in the Solum Astra. Watching the other 17 souls undergoing reincarnation like me left a lasting impression.
Laquila mentioned how extraordinarily rare such events were, but it got me thinking. If reincarnated individuals existed in this world's history, they might have left their marks.
I don't know if those individuals revealed their past lives to their families or trusted confidants—or how the world treated them if they did. My family might treat me differently if they discovered I'm one of them.
Would they revere me? Exploit me? Reject me?
Better safe than sorry.
I mused over these thoughts while sitting cross-legged in the "Upside-Down Zone," one of the park's more intriguing playground attractions. It was a spacious, enclosed room where gravity was flipped, allowing you to float or walk along the ceiling as if it were the floor.
The playground in this world was incredible. There were floating tiles that formed stairways to nowhere, simulated lava floors with wobbling stepping stones, and more. Even as a child in my previous life, I had never experienced anything this fantastical.
After some time, I decided I'd had enough fun and exited the Upside-Down Zone. Spotting my maid, Risu, waiting nearby, I called out, "Sister Risu, I'm tired. Let's go to the library."
Of course, I wasn't actually tired. But I needed an excuse to leave before I overplayed my hand.
Risu, a gentle soul assigned as my personal caretaker, turned to me with her usual warm smile. She had natural, wavy opal-colored hair cascading down her back, shimmering faintly under the sunlight.
Her sea-blue eyes radiated warmth, and her pearl-white skin seemed to glow with an ethereal softness. Despite her youthful appearance, there was a maturity in her demeanor that often left me wondering about her true age.
"Already?" she asked softly before kneeling to wipe my face with a towel.
I nodded, letting her clean the little sweat I had accumulated. "Mm-hmm."
"Alright, young master. Let's go," she said with a small smile, taking my hand as we headed toward the library.
Arriving at the library took some time, given how far it was from the park. Thankfully, the carriage ride made the journey much shorter, taking just a few minutes.
As I stepped out of the carriage, the sight before me was awe-inspiring. A massive structure loomed in front of me, its pristine white marble and polished onyx stone glinting in the sunlight.
If I were to compare it to anything from my past life, it resembled the White House—but even larger. In the center of its grand entrance stood an ornate billboard carved from what seemed to be gold-plated oakwood, displaying the name Royal Archive in elegant calligraphy.
Walking toward the entrance, I climbed a seemingly endless flight of stairs.
Why was it called the Royal Archive? Well, it wasn't just an impressive name—it was exclusive to those with royal blood. That's when it hit me again: I wasn't just part of a noble family—I was royalty.
The realization still unsettled me sometimes.
I had only learned about my royal status recently, and the knowledge left me overwhelmed. Even now, I was still trying to adjust to the idea. That was why, when I attempted to make friends with the other children at the playground, they simply bowed their heads to me instead. Talk about awkward.
I shook off the thought as we reached the massive double doors of the archive. Inside, the air smelled faintly of old parchment and polished wood. The vast space stretched upward, and the towering bookshelves seemed to touch the high domed ceiling, which was intricately painted with celestial motifs.
A few more steps inside brought me to the main reception area. The centerpiece was a round table staffed by attendants, but what truly caught my attention was the layout. Surrounding the reception desk, about 10 meters away, were the towering bookshelves arranged in an almost labyrinthine design.
Hmm... Why does this look so familiar?
I narrowed my eyes, inspecting the architecture and layout. It finally clicked. This library's design resembled the academy library in Raya Lucaria from a game I used to play.
As I approached the reception, an elderly man seated behind the desk straightened up, his sharp, wise eyes locking onto me. His movements were deliberate, and he exuded an air of intelligence. His hair was a mix of silver and white, neatly combed back, and he wore a tailored suit that complemented his dignified demeanor.
Noticing me and Risu, he stood and leaned slightly over the desk, giving me a kind smile.
"Ah, Your Highness," he greeted, bowing his head respectfully. His voice was calm yet resonated with authority. "What knowledge do you seek today?"
The way he spoke—so refined and deliberate—reminded me of the sagely archetypes from books and games.
I met his gaze and replied, "The history book that I didn't finish yesterday."
With a knowing nod, the man straightened. "Very well, Your Highness. I shall have it retrieved for you immediately."
After making my request, you'd probably expect the librarian to wave a hand and summon the book with some flashy magic, right? Well, given the absurd number of books crammed onto just the first floor—not to mention the second and third—it'd be a nightmare to retrieve them manually. Thankfully, they do have a retrieval system that combines both magic and technology.
As I watched the process unfold, I couldn't help but marvel. No matter how many times I saw it, it still looked incredibly cool. The old librarian reached out and tapped a transparent pad engraved into the shelf beside him. Floating text and symbols lit up, forming a rectangular interface that looked a lot like a computer monitor from my previous world.
This world sure is advanced, I thought, my gaze lingering on the interplay of magic and tech. For all its medieval aesthetics, this world seemed to have developed its own kind of technology. Even the carriage I'd ridden earlier wasn't entirely reliant on horses.
It had an engine powered by crystallized mana, ready to take over if the horses ever got... well, incapacitated.
But honestly, if engines are reliable, why keep using horses at all? I mused. Well, I didn't push for details, and my mother spared me the technical lecture.
"Your Highness," the old man called, snapping me from my thoughts. "Do you wish to acquire the wisdom here, or shall it be delivered to your own domain?"
Seriously, does this guy talk like this to all the kids, or just me?
"No, I plan to read here today, in the personal space," I replied, keeping my voice neutral.
He nodded, his wise demeanor never faltering, and handed a small key to Risu. "It's the usual room, correct? Room 3, Your Highness? Your requested book will be delivered there shortly."
I nodded in confirmation. "Thanks, Grandpa Wise."
I had started calling him that because his actual name was so ridiculously long and tongue-twisting that I'd stumbled every time I tried to pronounce it.
Thankfully, he didn't seem to mind—in fact, he seemed pleased with the nickname, judging by the soft smile on his face.
We made our way down the quiet hallways until we reached Room 3. Risu unlocked the door, and we stepped inside. As expected, my requested book was already there, sitting neatly on the table by the wall. Beneath the book, faint glowing lines formed what looked like a magic circle—a teleportation array, perhaps.
Risu picked up the thick, heavy tome on my behalf, as it was clearly too unwieldy for me. She placed it on the sturdy study table in the center of the room, the massive tome spreading open as she laid it down. The thick, ornate cover was adorned with golden engravings, hinting at the book's ancient origin.
I stared at it. The one I'd been working through for five days now, yet had barely scratched the surface. Honestly, it felt like the book had no end.
Glancing at the analog clock mounted on the wall to my right, I noted the time: 10:30 AM. That gave me about two hours before lunch.
Pushing aside any distracting thoughts, I settled into the chair and cracked open the book, diving once more into the vast, intricate history of this world.