Granted Second Life [Vol. 1 - Rebirth]

Herena's view was overwhelmed by bright light. She appeared to be confined. She picked up several sounds. She was only aware that she could already hear a baby crying.

She did indeed pass away. She remembered how Calus hurled his blade to kill her in her room just as she was about to tell him something. She didn't appear to be able to even imagine where she was up to this point, until...

"UWAH!"

She, all of a sudden, felt warm. The stuffy sensation in her body was relieved by her hot bath. Then she was caressed with a soft towel. How gentle were the actions, she thought.

'Huh?' She lacked confidence in her underwater vision.

What's happening? Is she being reborn as a noble baby once more?

Her thoughts were loaded with concerns, but before anything else, she realized that she couldn't perform much, given where she was.

That woman was unable to convey distinct thoughts about her even after she was born. The woman, who was the Duchess of the house, was unable to express even her emotions. Her eyes, on one hand, also seemed lifeless. Some blood that leaked from the woman's bed was cleaned by the maids.

One person was the only one who helped the newborn infant because the other servants were all helping the Duchess.

The person who was tending to the little one was the household's physician. She was cleaning the infant when she started to laugh out loud. The physician thought that the little one resembled Duke and her brother more than the Duchess, actually.

The centre of the baby's head was covered in small golden blonde hair. Those features all seemed to make the person squeeze her cheeks for a moment, the way her eyes sparkled when she gazed at the physician.

"You're such a sweet baby. You'll grow into a wonderful woman in the future," the physician cried out. Then she raised her lips and her eyes.

She was a fine woman. Herena understood that. However, she left one day. Nobody knew why, but the noble lady's parents maintained that the woman had taken a different job.

Herena understood that with her foresight from a distance, she had a new birth, a new chance to relive her life and past mistakes, and also, she will be engaged with the Crown Prince once more

"Uhacowh"

She spoke, but the physician appeared to be mocking her with her expression. She appeared to like the infant, so she couldn't help but squeeze her tender cheeks.

It was so nice, I supposed it was a baby's word, the physician thought

However, Herena's life would never be the same. She made a promise to herself that she would make the necessary adjustments to change the course of her destiny, but there may still be long ways to go.

***

"Is that my little sister?"

Where the nanny had held the infant, a soft, nostalgic, and familiar voice had spoken. The infant was dressed in a lovely, modest outfit. She sobbed uncontrollably in her nanny's arms as she fixed her gaze on her brother.

"Oh, my dear, why are you crying? Are you hurt or what? Did something happen to you?" Her brother enquired.

The infant's gentle hold on her nanny was impossible to break. She continued to embrace Harlene. The infant shook her head as she realized what her brother was saying.

"Young master Ismael, the baby is as intelligent as you," Harlene spoke

Then the nanny started grinning at the infant and at the young master, which made the young boy's eyes widen.

But it didn't take him long to smile at the infant in front of him. The baby's cheeks were tenderly pinched by him, making them more pink than ever. He lifted one of her hands.

"I know Harlene, and I hope I can be there to witness her prowess when she becomes a beautiful and clever being."

He wiped the infant's tears before pinching her cheeks once more. But Harlene appeared surprised by the young master's remarks. Ismael emphasized his words and giggled after them, so she wouldn't realize that he had actually said goodbye.

"I hope she accomplishes something just before I marry someone I love," Ismael added.

Herena laughed for the first time as a result of him pinching the infant's cheeks once more.

"You'll have to put up with me for a while, little sister, unless you like having your cheeks squeezed."

Playtime with his sister is fun for him. He adores her as if he was a baby. He continued to fix his gaze on the infant. It seemed to soothe him in some way, soothing the unimportant realities tucked away in the back of his mind.

Harlene placed the infant from her arms to the young boy so that Ismael could hold his sister even though he was still a little child.

"Young Master, please handle the little one with caution," Harlene spoke as she smiled

"She's my precious little sister so I will, Harlene. Oh, I nearly forgot, did the Duke and Duchess ask about my dear little sister?" Ismael asked

Although he was aware of the situation, he held out hope that having his smaller sister in his arms would alter his perception. Ismael, on the other hand, couldn't hear what Harlene said. All he could do was watch the nanny move her head and look surprised.

Despite the fact that he already had a younger sister, they appeared to be very busy and uninterested in them, so Ismael believed it will always be that way.

"I'm sorry," the nanny said.

"It's not your fault, so there's no need to apologize, right Harlene?"

"Yes, young master."

"Then..."

While Harlene went outside to her quarters, she sighed for the first time, and then held a piece of paper in her hands,

Ismael then took the infant to his room and played with her.

"Your Highness, I'm sorry, but I was unable to do it," she then pushed the piece of paper into a trash can next to where she had been wearing her clothing.

No longer, the little one was completely innocent.

Harlene would sooner break off her ties with the Emperor than allow herself to act in a way that would imperil the lives of the kids. She was aware that the kids were never at fault. The Duke and Duchess were to blame, not their kids. Never point out a parent's shortcomings to their kids, she learned that as she grew in the hard way

His little sister was liked by Ismael. He enjoyed her chuckle when she crawls and the way she points things out when Ismael asks about them.

She is a remarkable young baby. But why does it seem that she is using evidence other than Ismael's words to show that he is concerned about them? She's also eerily sweet, he reflected.

After that, the day dragged on into the evening, and Herena remained in her brother's lap as the family ate dinner.

"Ismael, you shouldn't let your sister sit on your lap."

The infant, though, appeared to comprehend what their father had said. After hitting the table with her little hands and realizing they were still baby hands, she finally yelled to weep.

She wanted to draw attention, but she was unable to do so. Is this the reason she lived the second time? Living inside a baby's body but with an adult's brain? She had trouble speaking.

When she cried, she was thinking of that.

While holding Herena's hands and gently rubbing them, Ismael laughed. Ismael took care of the infant despite the two sets of eyes that appeared unconcerned. He repeated the words while tenderly examining his sister, which caused the baby's eyes to open wider.

"I wanted to spoil her since she's so important to me, my Lord, but can I ask if you're getting anything other than gain from what I'm currently doing?"

"Eat and take the baby away, or maybe, words like that are unsuitable and you wanted me do do more than a severe punishment, Ismael?"

"What is the sentence then, my Lord?"

"You'll get your---"

"Asdfghjk"

Once more, the infant interrupted their conversations. Her parents were watching her for the first time at this point. With their abandoned food, they seemed to widen their eyes.

As they paused to eat, they gazed at the infant in Ismael's arms.

Although they might be their parents, what's wrong with them two? Herena was aware from her former existence that they only utilized her and Ismael for the benefit of those they want to exploit. However, treating their kids like emotionless humans is never fair. They are a phony villain.

Even though Herena was already fixed on the Duke and Duchess, she couldn't stand the way she was speaking. She doesn't even seem to utter the appropriate words, like a baby's tongue. The Duchess was the first to giggle at the scene, though.

On the spot, it made both sets of eyes larger.

"I'm sorry, I just had a funny thought," the Duchess said

Because he was aware of the reasons why he always regarded them as Dukes and Duchess in the family, Ismael didn't even treat them as parents.

The Duke's vision changed significantly after that.

As the night wore on, morning finally arrived. Ismael was unable to leave her even when the baby dozed out in her room. Ismael had the baby's hands in his arms, and the two of them were smiling and slept sweetly.

***

Morning arrived. Herena lay in a soft cradle, her eyebrows rubbing together. She was chewing on a milk bottle. She instantly pulled it off so that she could hear more clearly.

She could hear the sounds outside her bedroom. She speculated that perhaps the door had been left open. She could hear the words outside because of this, and she was always right.

Nevertheless, it was left exposed on purpose.

"Why don't you show us your lovely young sister, Ismael?"

"Yes, she's still young, isn't she?"

"Wait. Do you have a sister?"

"He's not even asking questions, but all three of you seemed to be asking me questions, so will you keep quiet and calm down like Calus?"

"Oh, the young child overprotective on his younger sibling."

"It's nice, I think, but it's okay if you don't want her to show it to us."

"What gives you the impression that I'll show you Victor, Servous, and Gavin?"

The three young men then started laughing about Ismael's behavior.

"Of course, we comprehend. Calus, your best friend complimented you. Do you have anything to add?"

"Ismael won't wait for things to be finished to see his sister, so let's move on without further discussion for the time being."

Herena was unaware that her brother and Calus had ever been friends until she heard these statements. She was oblivious to the fact that her brother's buddies were the young guys she had once detested. Her only memory of her brother growing up was that he didn't even seem to be close to His Highness. She was aware that it was because they had never been friends, but this? Perhaps she was the reason their friendship ended? She could have been the source of the problem.

She appeared to hear more, yet she was just as perplexed.

Gavin asked, "What happened to your confession to the Lady?

"Well, it seemed as though Lady Arianne was only a small lady, like us, and wouldn't have time for romantic feelings."

Ismael started to speak, but Calus cut him off.

"I believe she already loves me."