Arai's Perspective
1 year had passed.
Since then, speaking has become much easier for me. My mother and older sister were constantly teaching me new words—names, objects, and so on.
For example, I learned my older sister's name: Mizuki.
My mother's name is Kuyomi.
And my father's name is Verdi.
This was honestly surprising. When I first realized my mother and sister's names, I couldn't help but question it. Isn't this supposed to be a Western magical world? How do my mother and sister have Eastern names?
It was intriguing.
Could my mother be from another country? I don't know how this world is divided yet, but it seems plausible.
My father is a noble, so maybe my mother is a war captive he secretly married.
My mind began creating different romantic drama scenarios, so I forced myself to stop thinking about it.
Initially, pronouncing words was difficult, but with some practice when I was alone, it became much easier. I could now understand most of what I heard, whether it was the servants' conversations or my mother speaking to me—though I still struggled with some difficult words.
Of course, outwardly, I displayed the abilities of a regular child. I only mumbled nonsense when someone spoke to me.
Standing out isn't a good thing. I just want to live a normal life and escape from this palace.
Currently, I'm in my father Verdi's study room.
I looked at him as he busied himself with some documents.
Specifically, I focused on the words written on the papers.
"Oh? Arai, are you interested in the documents?"
He stopped writing and scratched his head. I heard him mutter, "Do kids care about reading? Mizuki wasn't like this…weird."
Hey, what do you mean by "weird"? Calling someone weird is rude.
After mumbling to himself for a moment, my father handed me a random sheet of paper.
I took it, but I couldn't hold it properly due to my tiny fingers.
I placed the paper beside me and examined the words.
Hmm… the language of this world… it's strange.
The letters resemble inverted Latin characters with random decorations and dots.
I brought the paper closer to get a better look, but my father took it back.
"Do you want to learn? It's odd for a child to show such early interest in learning."
Verdi muttered to himself again, then picked me up and placed me on the table.
He cleared some papers off the desk, took a fresh sheet and pen, and began teaching me.
Is this man serious?
How does he expect a baby to learn to write this quickly? Hmm, maybe this world has a different sense, or...maybe he's just an idiot.
Still… I like this. Hey, make sure you teach me properly!
"Look, Arai, this is how your name is written."
My father moved the pen and wrote my name.
Hmm… if I used the Latin reading method from my previous life, this would read as "Arelino Royalan" instead of "Arai Rolan."
"This language is called Zadaka. It's the most common language in the Artemis Isles. Of course, you can't understand it now or what I'm saying, but in the future, I'll hire a tutor to teach you properly."
Oh, there are other languages too? That's normal, I suppose.
"I need patience!"
I encouraged myself, reminding myself to wait just a little longer before I could fully act and free myself from the constraints of this infant body.
"Eh? Did you say something?"
Ah, I must've spoken my thoughts out loud!
"Ga?" I gave my father an innocent, silly smile, pretending I had no idea what he was talking about.
Living as a baby for this long has taught me how to act like one.
Being a transmigrator in a baby's body means giving up your pride and thickening your skin.
"But I'm sure I heard something…" My father tilted his head in confusion.
"Knock, knock."
My father immediately returned to his serious demeanor and said calmly, "Enter."
The door opened, and a maid with light yellow hair stepped in. She bowed respectfully and said, "My lord, lunch is ready in the dining hall."
"Alright." My father gave a slight nod.
The maid bowed again before excusing herself and leaving.
"Aray, are you hungry? Because your father is starving…" My father leaned back in his chair in a way that didn't match his previously formal demeanor.
"Hung..ry."
Well, I am hungry too.
After addressing a few more documents and signing them, he took me to the dining hall and placed me in my designated seat.
They say the way a person eats reflects their personality and manners.
Is that true? At the dining table, we were all having lunch together.
My father ate with politeness and composure, but his expression hinted at a sense of injustice.
He looked as if he was being forced to eat this way.
If I were to analyze him, I'd say he's a free-spirited man who seems weighed down by his work.
My mother, on the other hand, ate with elegance. She didn't make a mess or leave any crumbs, either on her plate or her lips.
A true noblewoman!
Meanwhile, she raised a spoon toward me and said, "Aray, say 'ah!'"
She didn't forget to feed me in the process. Although I could eat on my own… mostly.
As for my older sister—Mizuki—she ate like a wild animal as if someone were threatening to steal her food.
Food scraps and sauce were scattered all over her face, yet not a single stain touched her dress.
What a strange person! How does she avoid dirtying her clothes while eating so messily?
"Mizuki, eat properly; you're a noble!"
"Papa, there are no guests now, so I don't want to restrict myself—even in the way I eat! This is fine for now, right, Mama?"
"Verdi, why don't you just admit you're jealous of her freedom to eat however she wants?"
"Hmph!" My father snorted and continued eating, clearly annoyed.
From what I've observed, Mizuki has inherited a significant part of my father's personality.
"Mizuki, you should still mind your manners! Eat properly."
"Look at Arai! Even though he's a baby, he hasn't made a mess and is eating neatly."
Hearing my mother's praise, I lifted my head with pride and glanced at Mizuki smugly.
"What does a baby like him know? I bet he'll end up like me! No, I'll make him like me! I'll be a great role model!"
With her gray eyes glinting mischievously, Mizuki stared at me with a strange intensity.
What is this? I felt a slight fear.
Third-Person Perspective
Another year passed.
Arai was now ready to visit the library—even though he hadn't become in his third year yet.
During the past five months, he had constantly asked the servants to read to him.
As a result, his vocabulary had grown significantly, and he had even managed to write on his own without formal instruction. Of course, his writing relied on the grammatical structure of his previous world, producing a language that only he could understand.
Arai knew where the library was thanks to his frequent visits in the past. Today, he intended to visit the library to deepen his understanding of this world.
After walking and turning down several hallways, he began to feel tired.
"Damn, this palace is enormous."
Previously, the servants had always escorted him to the library, so he hadn't realized how far it was from his private room. But now, walking there alone, he grasped just how distant the library was.
"Should I say, 'As expected of a duke's palace,' now?"
Arai had known about his family's status in this world for a while. They were a duchy, the highest rank among nobles.
"I have to admit, I'm pretty lucky. In an unknown world like this, if I'd been born in some random corner, I might've died like a dog without ever knowing what happened."
After learning about his family's rank, Arai became cautious and avoided drawing attention to himself, all part of his plan to escape the palace unnoticed someday. From a book read to him by the servants, he'd learned about his ancestors, who had been great and brave mages, sacrificing their lives to protect the kingdom since its founding.
The honor of sacrificing oneself for the kingdom's protection? Keep that honor to yourself.
Such a level of indoctrination and patriotism did not affect him whatsoever. Arai felt no sense of belonging to this world, let alone to the kingdom where he was born. He was a researcher, a scientist, not a hot-blooded general ready to charge into battles.
If things continued as they were, wouldn't he be forced to stay in this kingdom "to protect it" forever? Wouldn't that cage his freedom?
Arai decided he would escape secretly in the future. It wasn't as if he was shirking responsibility. Ironically, his father had made a similar decision in his youth, running away from home, but young Arai didn't know this yet.
"…If I had a younger sibling, wouldn't that solve this problem?" Such thoughts crossed his mind, but he pushed them aside. These were matters for his parents, not him.
"Anyway, let's get going!"
He resumed his walk. After a few more turns, he finally reached the library.
Inside, there were rows upon rows of shelves filled with books. Near the entrance stood a small table with a chair, occupied by an elderly man.
"Sark Korm greets the young master."
As soon as Arai entered, the old librarian bowed.
Sark was a man with many wrinkles on his face, white hair, and a two-layered outfit that gave him an air of formality. Arai nodded in response.
"Can I assist you with anything, young master?" Sark asked politely.
Arai paused to think. He wanted books about his current location, but if a two-and-a-half-year-old child asked for that, it would seem suspicious.
Most children his age were simple-minded, focused only on breaking things and playing. The height of their intelligence was playing quietly without causing a mess.
"Would you like me to read to you, young master? There are some books here that I think you'd enjoy," Sark offered, stroking his beard thoughtfully.
Arai frequently visited the library, so his presence now wasn't unusual. He always brought servants along to read to him during these visits.
"I'll browse the library first and decide later," Arai replied quietly.
"Very well, young master. Call me when you make your choice."
Sark nodded and returned to his seat, resuming his reading.