The Beginning of Life in Another World

Translator: Cinder Translations

...

Paul Greyman yawned and stretched lazily.

"Young Master Paul, pardon my bluntness, but your recent actions do not befit the heir of your family," Butler Philip once again pointed out his "impropriety."

"Here we go again," Paul muttered to himself as he straightened up.

Since waking up that morning, whether it was dressing, washing up, or eating, this butler constantly found fault with his every move.

And by the way, the "toothbrush and toothpaste" used for washing up turned out to be a twig and salt, and the "soap" for washing his face was made from pig pancreas—completely natural.

The priest who came last night returned once more to confirm that his body was no longer in any danger before leaving.

Upon waking up, Paul found his head filled with many fragmented memories from the previous owner of this body. It seemed he was the son of an earl, and his usual behavior was no different from the idle and debauched noble sons he knew from his previous life. Fortunately, his body was still young, so he hadn't done anything too terrible.

Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately for him now, the father of this body had led troops to fight pirates a few days ago. The earl believed it was time for his son, as the family heir, to see some blood and had brought him along.

Unexpectedly, they fell into an ambush, and the earl died heroically in the breakout, while his son was knocked unconscious by a pirate's stone.

Thanks to the fierce fighting of the family knights and guards, they finally cut a bloody path back to the lord's castle, bringing back Earl Greyman's body and the unconscious young master.

The young master remained unconscious with no sign of waking, so the castle had to hold the old earl's funeral in his absence. It was a full week after his injury when Paul finally woke up.

The butler began trying to help him recover his previous memories, answering all his questions related to his "amnesia" without reservation, which saved him a lot of effort.

"So, you're saying that my father and I fell into a pirate ambush, and my father has already perished?"

"Yes, those cursed, damned, hell-bound pirates! Young Master, you must avenge the Earl!"

The butler, who had served old Greyman since his youth, couldn't help but weep bitterly, thinking of his old master's tragic death at the hands of pirates.

"Don't worry, I will definitely avenge my father. I can't wait to skin those pirates and eat their flesh," Paul said, knowing well what he should say now.

"Those pirates are quite arrogant after their recent victory and have been raiding many villages and towns, taking advantage of the leaderless territory."

"Will they attack here?"

"The knights have arranged proper defenses, and Alden Town is currently not in any danger. But since you were unconscious, everyone decided to wait for you to wake up before taking further action. I have already notified the butlers of your awakening. They will come to visit this afternoon, and I think you should discuss future plans with them."

"You're right, Philip. First, take me to my father's grave to pay my respects."

The old earl's visage became clearer in Paul's mind, and upon hearing of his death, he felt a surge of inexplicable sadness.

As more fragments of "Paul Greyman's" memories emerged in his mind, he constantly wondered whether he had taken over someone else's body or had simply regained memories of a past life.

When he thought of paying his respects at the grave, he felt a genuine familial bond with the old earl and leaned more toward the latter explanation.

If that's the case, then he would live well as the heir of this family in this new world.

"My apologies, young master. Your body has just recovered, so please don't be too sorrowful. The cemetery is right behind the castle; please follow me."

…

In the afternoon, all the butlers who remained in Alden Town gathered in the castle hall. Due to the recent death of the lord, the atmosphere in the hall was very somber, and everyone wore expressions of sadness. It was clear that the old earl had been well-liked.

Paul sat in the lord's seat, feeling extremely nervous. Before crossing over, he had only ever taken notes quietly in the corner during company meetings, never experiencing anything like sitting on the "chairman's platform" under everyone's gaze. Additionally, the sight of a room full of people in medieval attire felt somewhat surreal.

"Ahem…" he cleared his throat awkwardly.

Standing to the side, Butler Philip spoke up, "Young Master Paul has just recovered from a serious illness, and his health is still not very good. Since everyone is here, let's discuss together how to deal with the current situation."

People started to discuss in small groups.

"Then I'll start. It's time to regroup and teach those pirates a lesson. They are rampaging ashore, stirring up great anger. If we let them continue unchecked, how will any of us face our subjects?"

Finally, a burly man with a square face and a strong build stood up, loudly expressing his opinion.

"Well said!" "I agree."

The strong man's words garnered considerable support.

"These pirate landings are unusual; they've never penetrated so deeply inland before. Since the Earl fell in battle, the morale of our troops has been low. It's not wise to act rashly now. We should quickly seek aid from neighboring lords."

There were opposing voices as well.

"Even if they agree, it will take at least half a month for reinforcements from the nearest territories to arrive, right?"

Soon, the group divided into debates around these two viewpoints. Watching the debate, Paul wanted to interject but didn't know what to say, so he awkwardly picked up a glass of water from the table to cover his embarrassment.

"Alright, everyone." The square-faced man who began speaking suddenly halted the arguments. "We should hear the young master's opinion and let him make the final decision."

A slightly sullen man murmured, "But he's just a boy; what does he understand?"

"Watch your tone. Paul Greyman is the legitimate heir of this territory, the lord we are about to pledge our allegiance to."

The square-faced man stood up abruptly, glaring at the man who had just questioned the young master. Around him, knights eyed the man angrily, some even placing their hands on the swords at their waists.

The sullen man shrank back, lowering his head. It was uncomfortable to be the target of such intense scrutiny from a group of robust men.

Butler Philip quickly intervened to smooth things over, "Now is not the time for internal strife. Young Master, please speak."

Realizing he couldn't remain silent, Paul straightened his chest and spoke loudly, "Yes, especially in times like these, we must stay calm and united to overcome the current difficulties."

He turned to the square-faced man and asked, "And who are you?"

"I am Bryce, Bryce Alden, your military commander."

Philip had already reminded everyone of the young master's amnesia, but Bryce volunteered his identity without hesitation.

"How many troops do we have available now?"

"We currently have 263 soldiers in the territory who are battle-ready, including 15 knights and 20 attendants. Several villages have organized their own militia, totaling around 300 people. However, these militias vary in quality and have not undergone formal military training."

"Are our soldiers regulars? I mean, do they train every day throughout the year?"

"How could that be? These people are crucial laborers at home, usually working in the fields. They are summoned for training once a month at least, sometimes quarterly. They were gathered now due to the pirate invasion in Alden Town."

"How many pirates are there?"

"Based on estimates from the ambush, around 500. Historically, pirates have never conducted such a large-scale inland incursion. I know we are at a disadvantage now, but they haven't used their full strength while raiding villages. We can definitely set up an ambush and give them a taste of their own medicine."

Bryce once again pitched his proactive approach.

"What about logistics... how long can our food supplies sustain us?"

"No need to worry about that. On one hand, soldiers brought some provisions when summoned. On the other hand, the town has enough food to feed several hundred people comfortably, and we're not under siege."

...

Paul's series of questions made everyone nod in agreement and set aside their faint condescension. While most questions gave the impression of deliberate maturity, some hit the mark precisely.

It seemed this young master wasn't just about eating, drinking, and having fun as perceived in normal times. He knew that with the old Earl gone, the responsibility would soon fall on his shoulders.

"We can expand our troops first, at least matching the pirates' numbers, and then conduct drills for a month. We should seize an opportunity to wipe out the pirates while also sending envoys to nearby territories for assistance," someone proposed a compromise.

"I think this idea is feasible!" Paul slammed the table. He didn't want to appear cowardly or reckless.

Since he agreed and no one voiced objections, they proceeded to discuss details about recruitment.

Finally, they discussed formally confirming Paul's inheritance of the title and territory, a matter where he was clearly the legitimate first-in-line heir. It was quickly settled.

The Master of Seals would personally go to the capital to report to the royal court, requesting an official decree from the king to recognize his title and seeking additional aid to deal with the pirates.

After the question-and-answer session and discussion just now, Paul gradually adapted to his new identity. Once the nervousness faded, he quickly remembered the "grand plan" he had planned late into the night.

Facing a troubled territory and leaderless people, they awaited someone destined to turn the tide. Was there a better way to start?

"Let me illuminate the land of this wilderness with the light of industrial civilization!" He suddenly felt invigorated.

Butler Philip leaned close and whispered, "Young Master, if there's nothing else, let's adjourn. The knights need to inspect defenses around the region."

Yes, combating the pirates was now of utmost importance. Paul declared the meeting over, and everyone began to take their leave.

"Wait, everyone!" Just as they were about to leave the hall, a slightly immature voice came from behind.

"Given recent low morale among the troops, I've decided to schedule a military parade in the square to review the soldiers and boost morale."

He wanted to see what kind of army he commanded.

---

(End of Chapter)