Chapter 2 - Prologue [2]
The novel I wrote was named "Magi Arcana".
It's about the main character battling against the threat that will come and destroy the world, and it’s their job to bring the evil incarnation down!
—Stuff like that. It was a hit on my end, so I kept writing.
The only time I was vigorously bashed was when I only did one route for the character I liked.
A few days later, I got review bombed, so I immediately announced that I would do an ending for each heroine.
All that ends well, I suppose. Honestly, I don’t actually have to interfere with the main story.
I don’t think I have an important role in the story at all, so I can enjoy my life in a world full of magic and technology that far surpasses the world I used to live in.
In fact. I think I would love it here if I lived alone after graduation.
I may not have some status window, super-power, or a legendary weapon to slay evil.
But I have the greatest self-proclaimed weapon of mankind—knowledge that is stored in my head to… start earning money for myself.
Since, of course, I don't wanna be left behind, I also practiced the use of magic.
At this point, I can use low-level magic to such an extent that I can skillfully use it during daily life.
That's also one of the fun parts of my transmigration.
Of course, none of my siblings were aware of this hidden skill I have.
Kuro was someone who had a decently above-average magic aptitude, but for some reason, had slim to none mana.
In other words, a failure.
But I don't care. I take what I get, and that's all that matters.
Ah… I can smell it. The smell of freedom once I get disowned.
Yep, it's intentional why I’m acting like this— playing off like some idiot who leeches on their siblings.
It’s what I initially wanted but… I didn’t do anything atrocious to be this hated.
I'm just playing the role of a silent guy who has a cold attitude once you talk to me.
Yet for some reason, my attitude was enough to piss them off now and then.
Decades of suffering, trying to withstand my oath may have been gruesome, but in the near future, it will all pay off, and I'll never have to see these sick bastards ever again.
Judging from my name already, I think this was the destiny of the character I was turned into.
—Some character development pawn for the main characters.
'…That’s enough for now, I should finish things up and head to school.’ I shook my head and put on my uniform.
Tomorrow is where everything changes.
The youngest and the eldest’s age difference was 5 years.
Bellerose and Erina are currently in their 1st year of college. Camellia, Elenore and I are in high school, and Anemone is still in middle school.
Born in a prestigious family, I was forced to enter a prestigious school to not tarnish the family name, despite initially refusing.
The only thing our father said was to “Learn how to enjoy youth to the fullest!” (He didn't say this), and dropped me off alongside the other Historia members to be mocked as the failure of Historia.
Thankfully, all of this is going to end, and I’ll ask my father if I can live independently on my own.
—I’m sure I could ask this much after everything he has done to me.
Even if he doesn't allow it, I have a backup plan he cannot refuse, so I’m set as long as there aren’t any variables.
“Alright… 8:20. I guess I’m good to go.” I fixed my necktie and headed off to school.
It takes around 15 minutes to go to school on foot, divided by 5 if I were to use a car.
Since my siblings showed obvious aggression just by being in the same car as me, I decided to go buy a simple bike. I have used it ever since our relationship went to shit.
…The bike and talking to myself are the only things that keep me sane now that I think about it.
Before I self-deprecate myself, I look at the scenery I always gaze at throughout my travels.
—Whoosh…!
'…This scenery still takes my breath away, no matter how much I see it.’
This world takes place in a magic-technology era, a golden age where almost every country has set aside its differences.
In this nation, flying islands are at every corner alongside futuristic architecture, making them look even more sophisticated.
If there’s something I’m truly glad about transmigrating into this world, it’s the fact that the world I poured my love into turned into a reality.
The real thing hits differently, rather than simply reading it.
'… I still honestly can't believe it.’
Transmigrating, Reincarnation, all of these seem superficial.
Either you get run over by a truck, die from overworking, or do stupid stuff like tripping over a rock; all of these cliches are in novels.
—Then poof, I'm in one all of a sudden.
Sounds quite silly, but I guess it did happen to me in the end.
'So does that mean there are other people who were reincarnated somewhere in this world?' I assumed.
It’s only a theory of mine, but it only further increases my suspicions if there is an infinite amount of parallel universes like this, which I couldn’t even begin to comprehend.
Anyway, enough of all of this complicated talk that stemmed from being run over by a truck.
In summary, I transmigrated the moment I finished writing the last volume and published it.
There was no bright light saying, "You were the chosen one!" or, "You will repent for your sins!"
I just fell asleep and woke up as an infant.
…Yeah, there's no twist. Just the brute force of reality screwing me over.
‘Sheesh… thank god I ended the novel with a happy ending.’
=======
“Damn… I should’ve ridden the bike a bit longer, I was 2 minutes early.” I clicked my tongue, frustrated.
…Oh, right, did I tell you what I look like right now? I'm quite proud of it.
Right now, I look like a dweeb with glasses-
“Hey, you! Hurry up and get inside the school gates before I close them!” The school guard screamed at me.
They were tired of waiting and called me out impatiently, who was still riding their bike.
'…It's not even the first period yet.' I scoffed, rolling my eyes. I knew that he did this to me specifically to feel better for himself.
Heading inside the school gates, I nodded my head and bowed lightly.
He was about to say something directly to my face, but I’m still part of an esteemed family, so he didn’t take it any further.
They don’t wanna get themselves in trouble directly under Historia blood.
“…”
“That guy… he always emits such a cold aura around him, doesn’t he?”
“Uwaa… can’t believe this guy is related to Historia…”
“I know right? I think I’ll be a better fit than that failure.”
“Shut it, you just want to get along with all of the girls.”
Gossip was being made from left and right, each of them harboring malicious intent.
‘…That advantage doesn’t stop the gossip going around the school though.’ I shook my head.
Status doesn’t matter when my reputation was already rock bottom.
As naturally as possible, I packed my shoes in the locker and headed towards my classroom.
I have malicious glares directed at me everywhere I go, so I have an easy time walking to my classroom since they pave a path for me, wanting to avoid me at all costs.
I also cheated the system a tiny bit so I don’t have to be around my siblings during class.
If Camellia and Elenore were surprised they were in the same class except for me, that was all me behind the scenes. Because of that, I garnered less attention to myself while they were busy doing their own thing.
Bullying me anyway wouldn't serve as a good representation of the Historia family, so that’s one more good thing on the list.
“…”
I stared at my desk and nonchalantly placed my bag behind my chair, not noticing that I delved too deeply into my thoughts. I’m far too used to this attention to care.
“Alright, class. Take your seats. I’ll briefly explain what you’ll do during the graduation ceremony…”
But eventually, all of this will end tomorrow.
I look out the window and gaze at the giant sky island. It’s exactly how I depicted it.
A mystical floating fortress filled with aspirations and dreams, a place you’d see in fairy tales.
It's everything this world begins with and ends with.
—Arcadia.
The nation’s academy of magic. An elite school aiming to educate promising students, each with the ability to shape the world.
‘Bah, I won’t attend that academy anyway.’
For my survival and my sanity. I decided not to take the risk and go to another school that isn’t related to magic in any manner.
‘…What a bummer.’
Thinking about it only worsened my mood, so I decided to just pay attention to class to pass the time.
=======
Lunchtime. Above the school roof.
“You know… I’m glad Anemone didn’t eat her food." I ate the lunch Anemone was supposed to have.
I made it with luxurious ingredients, so it was extremely delicious.
"Thanks to her, I get extras… Mhmm…! This tastes so good…!”
Alone on top of the roof, which was obviously off-limits. I ate the two lunch boxes that I proudly prepared myself.
The Historia family was rich enough that I could leech money off them without noticing anything. The food in here was most likely worth my monthly salary back then in my previous life.
Even if they do catch on, I could just report to the family head that these are their ‘lunch money’ expenses.
“…Munch munch… hm?” Munching on the food, I spotted a couple of students and observed them like it was an everyday thing.
‘Oh? Is that Camellia?’ I spotted her from below and saw her.
Her unpleasant face was enough to get me to punch her in the face, but witnessing her demeanor with other people, it’s as if she has a completely different personality…
“…She could smile like that?” I grimaced in disgust.
…The thought of seeing her smile so innocently made me sick.
This doesn’t make sense to me really. This world was a novel I wrote myself, so why are the heroines so ruthless to me?
I wrote Camellia to be some sort of tsundere, but the last time I saw her smile was years ago.
“…”
—Whoosh!
A moment of silence passed, silently looking at her happy, everyday life.
The wind blew strongly against me, blowing my long hair in the gentle breeze that I had forgotten to cut.
In this sunny weather, I slumped my shoulders and sat down, taking a deep breath and savoring what time I had left here, on top of this rooftop.
At a glance, I can tell from here that she's having a lot of fun during her youth.
But the word youth stung me a little. If I didn’t have memories of my past life, would I be the same?
'Youth, huh… I’m probably around 44 years old in terms of mental age…''
Family, friends, and co-workers, I used to have those around me.
But because of my transmigration to this world, all of it suddenly disappeared.
At first, I was surprised and filled with confusion. Soon after that… I felt sad and empty.
I don’t get how those main characters from novels cope with it extremely fast.
It took me roughly until I was 4 years old to recover. I couldn’t bear being separated from my loved ones just like that.
Hell, I didn’t even die back in my old world. I was suddenly… transported here.
‘Gah… here I go again, thinking about depressing stuff again.’ I slapped my cheeks and moved them around to snap out of it.
“There’s no point dwelling in the past. I have to focus on the future now, the future!” I showed my resolve in a half-assed manner and ate all the food in big bites so I could use my phone to pass the time.
‘Well… I guess being young again isn’t so bad… if I did have friends, that is."
=======
—Ring! Ring! Ring!
“Class dismissed. You students can head home now. See you tomorrow, everyone~!” Our class teacher waved happily.
She tried her best to hide her emotions since she won’t be seeing us anymore after tomorrow.
“Hey, hey. Are you going to be a bit busy? Wanna hang out?”
“Haha. I still can’t believe I’m graduating from high school…”
…
…
The voices of the students gradually faded away until I was the only one left in the classroom.
Leaving early will grant me a lot of attention. I learned that the hard way.
“…Hmm, alright," I whispered to myself after confirming.
I packed up my things and decided to head back home, quietly paying attention if there was anyone left in the halls.
It didn’t take long for me to hear a familiar voice, taking me by surprise.
“Kuro.” Someone suddenly called me out.
“…What is it?” The tone of my voice was cold, different from my usual behavior.
Unbothered by my rude remark, I rotated my head to see who reached out to me.
It was the classroom teacher.
She had a weary smile on her face, hesitating over something.
Despite doing something she wasn’t advised to do, she slowly raised her hand… and waved at me goodbye.
"…" My expression stayed the same while I looked at her.
"…Please stay safe.” She stopped shaking and resolved herself, uttering words I wasn’t familiar with.
“…Thanks.” Surprised by such gentle words. The tone of my voice warmed up, unable to keep my composure.
…
…
…
We stood still like this for a few seconds. Despite playing the bad guy, the teacher understood the situation completely, giving me space and waiting for me to go.
Back to my senses, I turned back and walked out of the classroom.
Our short and last interaction had ended. We knew that after this, we would never see each other ever again.
‘…Haha… I guess I was busted, it seems.’ I chuckled.
Besides those who harboured hatred and jealousy— feelings people had for me, some felt pity and sympathy.
'…Pathetic.’
But it’s all the same in the end. All of these feelings are directed towards me; they’re all just as bad.
What I truly wanted was a friend, someone I could rely on.
“…”
I looked at the school I attended for 6 years one last time and thought about the memories I made here.
'…None of them were great to look back to.’
I shook my head and rode my bike. I planned to head straight back home.
‘I guess I do miss it. Being normal.’
Just… just one more day. One more day and it'll all be over.
I don’t have to be around these self-proclaimed “family” anymore.
Worst-case scenario, I'll have to change my identity, my voice, my appearance. Everything.
10 years. That is how long I withstood the oath my mother gave me on her deathbed.
Her words kept replaying inside my head until I was tired of them.
'There was a phase of mine where I followed that oath properly.’
For years, I followed her wishes and protected my siblings from harm.
'…That was a long time ago.’
It was a distant memory. Even my siblings acted like it never happened.
…Well, it's fine, I did too.
Giving them genuine love and support as their sibling was now proven to be impossible.
…So if it isn’t too much to ask. I want to live normally again.
I want to live as a character with no connections, like the mysterious origins Kuro Historia had from the start.
‘…I wonder what Kuro’s role is in the story despite being related to the Historia family.’
That’s a question I refuse to know and something I find unnecessary.
