CHAPTER - 1

Chapter - 1.

I don't want to work.

I'm still on my way to the workplace, though.

I haven't even arrived at the office yet, but I want to leave my job.

Isn't that what life in the city is all about?

Suddenly, a piece of paper rustled in my pocket when I put my hand in.

When I took it out, I saw a 1000 dollar lottery ticket I bought last week.

In the end, though, this time it was just a prank.

Home-Office-Home-Office.

I get tired of repeating each day, like this.

How do people in the world live so well?

...There was a time when I was serious about such concerns.

I've already become a 36-year-old man.

It wasn't a particularly high salary, and it wasn't that I had a girlfriend.

Amidst the family adults' ambiguity about when I will date and get married.

All I could think of was, "I want to go back home."

That's right... If only I had money, I'd quit my job right away...

When I was young, there were many things I wanted to do.

As I walked, I arrived in front of the office before I knew it.

Contrary to my reluctance to enter, my legs got into the building as naturally as any other day.

It's a terrible habit.

*****

The clock struck past 6:00 p.m.

There is no sign of an end to this dreadful task.

Yesterday it ended past 9 o'clock.

It seems that today will end at the same time.

Is this reality? Is it right to live like this?

Suddenly, the newcomer in the seat next to me catches my eye.

We are all buried in piles of work, yet some are scrolling through their cell phones or fiddling with a piece of work.

Is it because I don't want to be seen like that, now that I've become more experienced?

It was the same for me as well.

Somehow, my head hurts.

All the things that didn't seem to end are over.

The year has long since passed away.

My shoulders are tight, and my back hurts.

Even though I'm just sitting here, my legs ache.

Despite the dark night, the world sparkles as if it's daytime.

There are too many cars and too many people.

The headache I had earlier won't go away.

Tingling, tingling.

No, it might be a little dizziness creeping in now.

Could it be that I am slowly succumbing to overwork? Am I working myself to death? Shouldn't dying from overwork be more dramatic?

Useless thoughts keep flooding my mind.

I heard that some people make money while playing.

Some landlords say that even if they stay still, the monthly rent comes in fully every month.

I'd rather retreat to a peaceful place and live off a pension.

I think it would be nice to go into the forest and live a simple life.

"Oh, I wish I had a lot of money too."

The murmurs unknowingly escaped from my mouth.

The sound of cars running on the road completely drowns them out.

Soon the traffic lights changed,

Stepped on the crosswalk.

One step, two steps…

I don't know if they're screaming behind me.

By the time I realised…

*****

I had a sudden thought.

What if I had a substantial amount of money?

Or if my parents were wealthy.

What if a mysterious inheritance suddenly came, or if I won first place in the lottery?

So, would my life be any different?

Could it have been a little more polished?

I could only laugh, haha.

Yes, that's how it was.

That's why, under this unfamiliar ceiling, even if I'm embraced by a strange woman,

I can't respond appropriately.

No, perhaps I'm still unable to speak in the first place.

They call me 'Kael.'

They dress me, breastfeed me, and put me to sleep.

I'm definitely dead, and 'probably' reborn.

Somewhere other than Earth.

* * *

When I was first reincarnated as 'Kael,' my memories were not perfect.

My body didn't move as I wanted, my vision was blurry, and I was constantly sleepy.

Then, around the age of five, the memories of my previous life gradually started becoming clearer.

In my past life, my name was 'Alex,' I died at the age of 36 after being hit by a truck.

If only I hadn't lived so hard, maybe things would have been different.

It was a life where I worked hard in my own way, but it ended in vain.

And now, it's like this.

I don't know why, but I am currently reborn as a blonde boy named 'Kael.'

My parents are good people, and I have one older brother and one younger brother.

I was born as a commoner in a world with a caste system, and we run a fruit shop that has been in the family since my grandfather's generation, so there is no problem with our livelihood.

No, rather the opposite.

From the time I could walk, my parents often took me to the store.

Every time I went to the store, the business would flourish, or a nobleman would come to sign a supply contract.

I gradually got used to being treated as a lucky charm, and today, I was brought to the store by my parents.

"Hey, Mary! Did you bring good luck today?"

One of our regular customers, Liam, called out to my father.

"Yeah, oddly enough, business goes well whenever this little guy is around!"

"If you're going to brag like that, ask me to lend some luck to our blacksmith forge."

This time, Liam jokingly requested me to lend him some luck.

He said they were worried because their blacksmith's sales have dropped recently.

My father waved his hand at me, signalling not to say anything funny, and my mother simply laughed.

In the meantime, a well-dressed man approached the front of the store.

Ah, this development is familiar.

"Is this 'Mary's Fruit Shop'?

I come from the Duke of Gemarg."

Duke!!!!

Though servants of nobles often came to our shop for deliveries,

they were usually barons or viscounts.

My parents' eyes widened in surprise, and Liam, who was standing nearby, took a step back in awe.

It seemed that this person was a servant working for the Duke of Gemarg.

My father picked me up from the cradle next to me and handed me to Liam,

giving me a hug before gesturing for him to leave.

Oh yeah, it's an important time from now on, so I guess that means he's leaving the five-year-old to Liam.

I felt a little upset, but there was certainly nothing a 5-year-old could do.

Liam, even though he now had the lucky charm he had begged for,

stared at the Duke's servant for a long time, unable to shake off his lingering feelings.

Come to think of it, I heard that the blacksmith's business isn't doing well these days.

I don't know for sure, but wouldn't the territory of the duchy already have a dedicated blacksmith?

I thought about it, but I didn't dare utter those words, not wanting to be foolish.

*****

As I arrived at the forge in Liam's arms,

Instead of the expected sound of iron tapping, the sound of laughter and chatter filled the air outside.

"You guys! Look who I brought!"

Liam knocked on the forge door and lifted me up to show me to everyone.

"Who is this? Is he your son?"

"It's Mary's son I was talking about earlier! You guys!!"

"Ah, that fortunate kid."

"Somebody just came from the Duke's house to that guy's shop!"

Buzz buzz.

"If you're talking about the Duke, do you mean the Duke of Gemarg?"

"Is there another ducal family that treats commoners as kindly as the Duke of Gemarg?"

Certainly.

In this world, there is a clear class system, and the nobles often disregard commoners as if they were insects.

However, Duke Beltrin, the younger brother of the previous king, was different.

He treated commoners with respect and received their strong support.

Then, an old man with a shaggy beard grabbed me by the back of my neck.

"Your boy brings good luck? Come this way!"

He roughly led me to his seat and placed me on his lap, untying his beard and putting the string in my hand, probably as a playful distraction.

Wondering what he was up to, I looked ahead, and to my surprise, there were piles of cards and money.

It was a gambling game.

The other men in front looked at me with amusement.

Even if you add up all the silver coins piled up on this desk, it seems like our store's sales for a whole year could easily surpass it.

"...do you guys make swords or something?"

Oops, I blurted it out. The words were on the tip of my tongue, but I finally managed to speak them aloud.

"Huh? Curious about that, are you?

We'll be closing soon anyway, and in this peaceful world where neither monsters nor demon lords appear, unless there's a war between humans, there's no work for us."

Ha ha ha, we all burst into laughter together.

"There are no heroes, no adventurers, nothing in this peaceful world!"

Even Liam, who had been shouting earlier, stood behind him before he knew it.

Before long, the cards were shuffled, passed around, and dealt.

The man named 'Mark,' who was holding me, smiled and flipped two cards for his turn.

And then, for a moment, silence fell.

Since this card didn't exist in earth I couldn't tell which one was good or bad.

But judging by their reactions, it seemed to be a jackpot.

Liam laughed and clapped his hands.

"You truly are a lucky charm! Ha ha ha, hot!"

Even the men in the front seat, who had been skeptical, started arguing about wanting to have me for the next round.

Liam's expression, which was initially light-hearted, began to harden.

No matter how the cards were shuffled and distributed, no matter how many rounds they played.

The man holding me always won the game.

Over and over again...

Unbelievably, the men started experimenting with this and that.

Eventually, I stopped being bet on, and finally, the man without me won the game.

"Haha... haha! It was just luck after all!"

"That's really... you've got incredible luck."

Everyone awkwardly laughed and clicked their tongues, but their eyes looking at me did not change.

It felt dangerous. Something was off. By the time an unknown anxiety filled my insides.

Someone opened the door to the forge.