Chapter 2: I Have Siblings?

Days had passed since Ryuto first woke up in his new world, and while he was still trapped in the form of a helpless baby, he had spent most of that time observing the Velclair household and its inhabitants. In that short period, he'd learned quite a bit about the noble family into which he'd been reborn. The Velclair estate was a sprawling mansion, filled with luxurious furnishings, servants, and, most importantly, opportunities. Opportunities for power, wealth, and, if he played his cards right, a harem of stunningly beautiful women.

"Focus, Ryuto. Power first, harem later." He reminded himself, trying to maintain his priorities, though it was difficult with Lady Seraphina and Nanny Elara constantly hovering around, both radiating beauty and maternal warmth.

But today was different. Something in the air felt charged with anticipation. There was a buzz around the estate as if something important was about to happen. Ryuto's keen ears picked up snippets of conversation from passing servants, and before long, he learned that today was the day his siblings would finally meet him.

"So, I've got siblings too, huh? Let's see what I'm dealing with." He thought, his tiny fists clenching in excitement.

Ryuto was lying in his crib, staring up at the intricately designed ceiling when he heard the distinct sound of heavy, confident footsteps approaching the nursery. The door swung open with a quiet creak, and in strode Edwin Velclair, his older brother. Tall, lean, and wearing a crisp noble's uniform adorned with the family crest, Edwin radiated authority and discipline. His icy-blue eyes scanned the room before landing on the tiny figure in the crib, Ryuto.

Edwin raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable as he stepped closer.

- Edwin Velclair:

"So, this is the new addition to the family. Hmph."

Ryuto stared up at him, doing his best to look like a completely clueless infant, even though his mind was racing. "Okay, this guy looks like the type who'd rather fight dragons than deal with a baby. Perfect. I just need to stay under his radar."

Edwin didn't seem particularly impressed. He glanced down at Ryuto like he was an object to be examined, not a person.

- Edwin:

"You don't look like much. But then again, none of us did at that age."

"Wow, this guy's got the emotional range of a brick. Great." Ryuto thought, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

Just as Edwin was about to turn away, another figure burst into the room, all but skipping across the floor. Celeste Velclair, Ryuto's older sister, came crashing into the nursery with the energy of a hurricane. Her long silver hair bounced behind her as she ran up to the crib, her vibrant green eyes sparkling with curiosity.

- Celeste Velclair:

"Oh my gosh! He's soooo cute!"

She didn't hesitate for a second, immediately reaching into the crib and scooping Ryuto up with zero regard for personal space. Ryuto found himself suddenly pressed against Celeste's chest, her arms squeezing him a little too tightly. He could barely breathe, let alone process what was happening.

- Celeste:

"Look at his little hands and his big eyes! Oh, I could just eat you up!"

Ryuto tried to keep his cool, but between being smothered against Celeste's chest and the overwhelming scent of flowers that seemed to cling to her, his mind was struggling to stay focused. "Okay, this is… not terrible, but please stop squeezing me, lady!"

Edwin let out a soft, exasperated sigh, crossing his arms as he watched his sister fuss over the baby.

- Edwin:

"Celeste, you're going to smother him. Put him down."

- Celeste:

"Oh, stop being such a stiff, Edwin! He's adorable. Aren't you, little Ryuto?"

She poked his cheek lightly, and Ryuto couldn't help but let out an involuntary giggle. It seemed to please Celeste even more, as her eyes lit up like stars.

- Celeste:

"See? He likes me!"

"Yeah, sure. Let's go with that," Ryuto thought, feeling both amused and mildly terrified by his sister's enthusiasm.

As Ryuto was passed back to Nanny Elara, he took a mental inventory of his siblings. Edwin, the cold and calculating older brother, seemed like the type who would become a dangerous opponent or ally in the future. He had the stoic demeanor of a warrior, someone who valued strength and discipline above all else. If Ryuto wanted to get on his good side, he'd need to show promise, especially in magic or combat.

"I'll need to stay under his radar until I can prove myself. No need to rush."

Celeste, on the other hand, was a bundle of energy. Bright, bubbly, and probably a little reckless, she seemed more like the doting type who'd give him whatever he wanted just because he was cute. That was a relationship Ryuto could definitely exploit in the future.

"Celeste is… useful. A little over-the-top, but she'll probably be easy to manipulate later on. I just need to keep playing the adorable baby card until I'm older."

Just as Ryuto was starting to piece together his strategy for dealing with his siblings, the door opened again, and a third figure entered the room. This one caught Ryuto completely off guard.

A tall, muscular man with dark hair and a sharp jawline strode into the nursery with the air of someone who commanded armies. His presence was overwhelming, and for a second, Ryuto felt a genuine chill crawl up his spine.

This was clearly his father, Duke Alphonse Velclair.

- Duke Alphonse:

"Is this the newest member of the Velclair family?"

His voice was deep, authoritative, and cold. There was no warmth in his words, only an expectation. He glanced over at Ryuto, studying him with the eyes of a man who judged a person's worth within seconds.

Ryuto knew immediately that this was a man who wouldn't be impressed by anything less than absolute strength. Duke Alphonse looked at Ryuto as if he were already assessing his future.

- Duke Alphonse:

"He's small. Weak."

Ryuto internally winced but remained perfectly still, doing his best to appear oblivious.

- Duke Alphonse:

"But we'll see. Velclair blood runs strong. He will grow."

And just like that, Duke Alphonse turned and walked out, leaving an air of tension in the room.

Ryuto let out a mental sigh of relief. "Well, that was terrifying." He now understood that the man expected nothing but greatness from him. No pressure, right?

As the day continued, Ryuto found himself laying back in his crib, left alone to his thoughts. His interactions with his siblings and father had been brief, but they revealed a lot about the family dynamics. He would need to be careful around them, especially around Duke Alphonse. This man was dangerous, and Ryuto would have to prove himself worthy of the Velclair name, something easier said than done in his current form.

The day had stretched on with a slow, tense rhythm. Ryuto, or rather, Baby Ryuto, spent the next few hours pretending to sleep in his crib while his mind whirled with thoughts of his newly discovered family. His siblings were going to be easy enough to handle, Celeste with her boundless energy and doting nature, and Edwin with his cold, dismissive attitude that bordered on apathy. But it was his father, Duke Alphonse, who sent shivers down Ryuto's spine.

The duke's brief appearance had been enough to drive home one thing: the Velclair name carried weight, and with that came expectations. Expectations that Ryuto, in his current state, was woefully unprepared to meet. The man hadn't even looked at him as a person, just a potential future asset.

"He'll expect strength. I can't give him that. Not yet," Ryuto thought, glancing around his lavish nursery. Soft blue curtains, plush rugs, and a crib fit for a prince surrounded him, but the room felt more like a cage. He was trapped in the body of a baby with absurd magical power he couldn't control, and even worse, he had to keep up the act of being an innocent infant.

But Ryuto wasn't just any baby. No, he had his secret weapon, the smartphone nestled safely under his blanket.

Once he was sure the room was empty, Ryuto began to wiggle around under his blanket, pulling the phone into his chubby hands. The screen glowed as it came to life, and for a moment, a sense of calm washed over him. This was his edge, his cheat code to surviving this world.

"Alright, let's see what else I can do with this thing," he thought, tapping into the Stats App first.

His current stats appeared on the screen once more:

- Strength: 1

- Agility: 1

- Mana: 9999

- Magic Control: 10

The sight of his Mana stat still made him feel both excited and terrified. The last time he had tried to mess with it, the entire room had nearly gone up in flames, and he was in no hurry to repeat that disaster.

"I'll need to find a way to practice magic without blowing up the entire estate," he mused, his mind running through potential plans. Maybe once he was older, he could sneak out at night and experiment with his magic in secret. For now, though, it was too risky.

He swiped over to the Quest Log App, hoping to find some guidance or, at the very least, some low-level quests that didn't involve him nuking the nursery. The app had a simple interface, with a list of active and available quests. To his surprise, there were a few already waiting for him:

Quest Log:

1. "Grow Stronger"

- Objective: Increase Strength stat to 5.

- Reward: 100 XP, +1 to Agility.

2. "Keep Them Guessing"

- Objective: Avoid suspicion from family members for 1 week.

- Reward: +10 Affection Points from all family members.

3. "Magical Control"

- Objective: Practice using Mana without causing collateral damage.

- Reward: +50 Magic Control, 50 XP.

The third quest caught his attention immediately. "Practice using Mana without causing collateral damage? That sounds like the perfect way to stop being a walking explosion waiting to happen."

He tapped the quest to activate it, but a message appeared on the screen:

- Notification:

"Mana Control is unstable. Practice will be dangerous without proper environment."

Ryuto groaned internally. Of course, it wouldn't be that easy. He needed some kind of controlled setting, but how was he going to manage that when he couldn't even walk? He closed the Quest Log with a sigh and returned to his stats, tapping on the Strength stat.

"I've gotta start somewhere," he thought, his tiny baby limbs wiggling under the blanket. "If I can at least boost my strength a little, maybe I won't be a complete weakling by the time I can stand on my own two feet."

With a quick swipe, he allocated some of his Skill Points into Strength, raising the number from 1 to 3. Immediately, he felt a strange warmth spread through his body, like his muscles were being lightly stretched.

"Alright, progress. Not much, but progress."

Just as Ryuto was about to close the Stats App, a noise from outside the room caught his attention. His infant ears perked up as he heard soft footsteps approaching, followed by the gentle creak of the nursery door opening.

His heart skipped a beat. Was someone coming to check on him? He quickly hid the phone under his blanket and did his best to pretend to be asleep, his tiny hands curling into fists as he lay perfectly still.

The door opened wider, and to his surprise, it wasn't Nanny Elara or Lady Seraphina. Instead, it was Celeste Velclair, his energetic older sister. She tiptoed into the room, her bare feet barely making a sound against the marble floor.

"What's she doing here at this hour?" Ryuto wondered, his curiosity piqued.

Celeste approached the crib, her long silver hair flowing down her back like a shimmering waterfall. She was wearing a light nightgown that was perhaps a little too loose, giving Ryuto an accidental glimpse of her ahem… assets. He mentally slapped himself, reminding himself to stay focused.

Celeste leaned over the crib, her face softening as she gazed down at him. Her usually vibrant energy was tempered, replaced by a quiet tenderness. She gently reached down and brushed a lock of hair away from his forehead.

- Celeste (softly):

"I knew you'd be adorable… You look so much like Mother did when she was young. I'll bet you'll grow up to be strong, just like Edwin."

Her voice was soft, almost wistful, as if she were speaking to herself more than to him. Ryuto remained still, letting out a small, perfectly-timed baby sigh to keep up the act.

- Celeste (whispering):

"Don't worry, little brother. I'll protect you. No matter what happens, you'll always have me."

Ryuto's mind whirled with possibilities. "Protect me? From what?"

Celeste gave him one last soft smile before turning and quietly leaving the room, her footsteps fading down the hallway.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Ryuto's eyes popped open. His mind was spinning, trying to make sense of what had just happened. That last part of Celeste's whispered promise, it felt like more than just the words of a doting older sister. There was something else in her tone, something that didn't sit right with him.

"What was that about? What exactly is going on in this family?"

He'd sensed the tension in Duke Alphonse earlier, but now he was beginning to think that the Velclair family had more secrets than just a powerful lineage. And if there was something dangerous lurking in the shadows of this estate, he needed to figure it out, and fast.

With a sigh, Ryuto glanced at his phone once more, this time eyeing the Affection Points in the Dating Sim App. Celeste's affection had risen slightly since her visit, now sitting at 75/100.

"Good. The more I can get her on my side, the better. If she's as protective as she seems, that'll be useful when I need her in the future."

With his mind racing and his body still too weak to do much, Ryuto could do little more than continue plotting. He now had even more questions about the Velclair family, but he also had a growing arsenal of information, skills, and of course, his trusty smartphone.

After Celeste's late-night visit, Ryuto's mind was buzzing with even more questions. His older sister's protective words had left a lingering sense of unease, and as he lay back in his crib, staring up at the lavish ceiling, his thoughts swirled.

"Alright, Ryuto. Time to strategize. First step: gain power without blowing up the house. Second step: unlock the World App and figure out what kind of new worlds I can access. Third step: survive this family's weird secrets without getting myself killed."

He glanced over at the smartphone, its faint glow reassuring him. As long as he had this tool, nothing was impossible. He just needed to be careful and take things slowly. After all, he was still physically weak, and his magic was a ticking time bomb. The Magical Control quest was going to be his top priority once he could practice safely.

But for now, there was something more pressing to handle.

"I've gotta figure out this Strength and Agility thing," he thought, his tiny baby limbs twitching beneath the blanket. "How am I supposed to level up if I can't even crawl yet?"

Determined, Ryuto pulled up the Stats App again and stared at his Strength stat. It was sitting at 3 now, better than the pathetic 1 it started at, but still laughable. He needed to find a way to increase his strength without being able to actively train.

Suddenly, an idea struck him.

"Wait a minute… What if I hack the system a bit? If I make myself move, even in this weak body, I'll technically be training, right?"

His eyes darted over to the Inventory App, and an image popped into his head. He had access to a pocket dimension, what if he used that to his advantage?

Grinning to himself, Ryuto quickly pulled up the Inventory App and tapped it open. The interface was simple: it allowed him to store and retrieve items with just a thought. What he needed right now was something small, something he could lift with his tiny baby arms but heavy enough to count as "exercise."

He scrolled through the available options, his mind racing. Unfortunately, there wasn't much in there right now. Mostly basic stuff like baby clothes and a few pillows that had been tucked away earlier.

Then he saw it. The perfect training tool.

A wooden block.

"It's not much, but it'll do. If I keep lifting this, my strength will naturally increase, right? Simple!"

Without a second thought, Ryuto pulled the block out of the Inventory and clumsily grabbed it with both hands. It was heavier than he expected, but he managed to lift it up, feeling the strain in his tiny arms.

"This is it! My ticket to leveling up without even leaving the crib!"

He grunted softly, trying to lift the block higher. His arms trembled, but he could feel it, his body was working. It was small, but it was progress.

Feeling triumphant, Ryuto continued his "training," lifting the wooden block over and over again, completely oblivious to the fact that Nanny Elara had just entered the room. She had come to check on him, as she often did, to make sure her precious young master was comfortable.

When she walked in, she was greeted with an utterly bizarre sight, her infant charge, Ryuto, was holding a wooden block above his head with a look of sheer determination on his tiny face.

Nanny Elara's eyes widened in shock. Babies weren't supposed to be able to do that.

- Nanny Elara (whispering):

"What in the world…?"

Ryuto, too focused on his makeshift training, didn't notice her approach. His little arms were starting to shake from the effort, and just as he was about to lower the block, it slipped from his grip and went flying into the air.

Time seemed to slow down as the block arced through the air, heading straight for Nanny Elara's face.

"OH NO, !"

The wooden block hit her right in the forehead with a soft thud. Elara let out a small yelp of surprise and stumbled back, more startled than hurt. But the look on her face was one of complete disbelief as she rubbed her forehead.

- Nanny Elara:

"Master Ryuto! How did you…?"

Ryuto froze. His mind raced for an excuse, but all that came out of his mouth was a high-pitched giggle. The absurdity of the situation was too much for him to handle, and before he knew it, he was laughing like the baby he was supposed to be.

Nanny Elara, clearly confused but not suspicious enough to question it further, let out a small sigh, though a faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

- Nanny Elara (chuckling):

"You're quite the mischievous little one, aren't you?"

She reached down to pick him up, still rubbing her forehead as she cradled him gently in her arms.

"Well… that didn't go as planned. But at least I didn't blow up the room again."

As Elara carried him around the nursery, bouncing him lightly in her arms, Ryuto couldn't help but grin. Sure, his plan had backfired, but he was learning. Every day, he was figuring out more about his system, his family, and how to navigate this world.

And if he had to throw a few wooden blocks at people's faces along the way? Well, that was just part of the process.

As Elara rocked him gently, humming a lullaby, Ryuto's mischievous smirk softened into a genuine smile. For now, he could afford to play the role of the adorable baby, after all, it was working wonders with his family's affection meters.

But inside, Ryuto knew he was more than just a baby. He was a mastermind in the making, with the power of a smartphone system at his fingertips and the determination to see his plans through. He just needed a little more time… and maybe a little more control over his mana.

"Okay, maybe baby steps are a little harder than I thought. But once I'm out of this crib, this world is mine!"