Astral Prodigy: The Reincarnated Genius in the Shadows

During this season of warmth and joy, the city's dark and empty streets were howling with a cold wind. Despite the weather, he saw many people walking happily on the streets, decorated with colorful ornaments and bundled up in warm clothes. 

However, a young man stood alone on top of a tall building. His feet were dangerously close to the terrace's edge. Looking down at the busy streets below, he felt a strange sense of peace that he hadn't felt in a long time. The city's lights and sounds were like a healing balm for his troubled soul. He began to reflect on all the challenges he had faced in life.

He was an ordinary office worker. Throughout his whole life, he faced many issues. The debt left by his father before he died, his manager continuously abusing him, and finally being falsely accused and fired from his company. 

As he leaped off the building, the faces of his mother and his sister popped up in his head. He thought

They would do fine without me.

(From now onwards, the man's POV)

I opened my eyes in an unexpected setting. I was lying on a giant, king-size bed. A beautiful white curtain surrounded the bed, which was softer than usual. As I got up, I felt weird. I was pretty sure that I had died. My eyes went to my hands; it were smaller than usual. I suddenly woke up and got out of bed, quickly running to the mirror next to the window. I felt startled, and my heart raced as I looked at myself in the mirror. 

It was not me.

In front of the mirror stood a young boy who looked around ten years old. He had dark black hair and crystal-green eyes. Despite being young, he looked incredibly handsome. As I touched my face, I realized that it was my face. I shouted, "What! Who is this?"

I am sure that I fell off a building. Who is this kid? And where am I?

I raised my hand to my face and pinched myself on the cheek with my fingertips, waiting for the sensation of pain to register. As I felt the sharp twinge of discomfort, I knew this was reality.

What the hell! Have I reincarnated? But there was no truck-kun. My sister says every time that reincarnation happens because of Truck-kun.

As I turned my gaze towards the room, my eyes widened in amazement. The room was vast, with high ceilings that seemed to reach for the heavens. The walls were adorned with intricate patterns and paintings, while the furniture was crafted from the finest materials and looked like it belonged in a palace. The room truly embodied the meaning of luxury and extravagance.

It looks like I live in a palace. Does this mean I am a prince?

I then headed towards the door and opened it. I stepped out of the room. I found myself in a vast corridor that seemed to stretch on endlessly. The walls were beautifully decorated with artwork that mesmerized me; it reminded me of the room I woke up in.

Suddenly, a voice called, "Young Master, you are finally awake."

I turned back to look; it was a man who looked very stern and strict. He wore a butler's uniform and had a pocket watch in his hands. 

I inquired, "Who am I?"

The butler replied with a stern face, "You are the heir to the dukedom of Thaddeus, Magnus Thaddeus. "

I have heard this name somewhere.

I then asked carefully, not to create suspicion, "What happened to me?"

The butler was hesitant at first but then replied, "The young master almost died due to an assassination."

What! An Assassination. Wait for this name; I have heard this name and story somewhere.

The butler requested, "Young Master, the doctor is here. We must see him immediately."

I replied, "Okay."

As we walked across the hallway, it struck me. I was in a novel named 'My new life.'

It was a romance fantasy novel, and the female lead was reliving her life again. 

The story begins when a fake princess enters the royal palace. At that time, the female lead was the princess of the kingdom. She was only five years old. Her family mistreats her during her first life, but in her second life, she decides to seek revenge and plans to leave the family. However, as every story goes, in the end, the female lead will forgive everyone, and they will live happily ever after.

Oh, I forgot to tell you that the fake princess is a demon, and the male lead and female lead will kill the demon in the name of love. This story was stupid. I mean, who forgives the family? My younger sister loved this story. She told this story to me a million times.

So, I am the sub-male lead of the novel. He was one of the villains. He sacrificed himself in the name of love and saved the main couple. THAT IS EVEN MORE STUPID. Why do I have to die?

Suddenly, they arrived at his room door. The butler opened the door and said, "We are here, young master."

In the room, I saw a priest from the temple sitting on a chair while waiting for me. The priest got up and said, "Good afternoon, young master."

I replied hurriedly, "Good afternoon."

The priest came close to me and asked me to lie down on the bed as he checked me. As he put his hand close to my abdomen, there was a sudden glow of light. It was mana, or magic. As mana surged through my body, I felt weightless, enveloped in a peaceful cloud. All the worries and stresses of the world had melted away. Instantly, I drifted off to sleep.

Is this really happening? Am I a character in a novel? How is that even possible?

I heard a distant voice saying, "Oh, the young master fell asleep."

Upon waking up, I realized that a day had passed since I last remembered being conscious. I realized that I was still in this world. As I looked around, I noticed a maid standing in the room who immediately saw my awakening and ran out of the room shouting, "The young master is awake!"

Am I trapped in this story? Do I have to follow the script? Can I change the ending?

In no time, the whole room was filled with maids, and two people banged open the door. It was the lord and the lady of the dukedom.

As I looked at the Lord, I couldn't help but notice our striking resemblance. However, he had a captivating pair of blue eyes that could steal anyone's heart. Undoubtedly, he was more handsome than I am. On the other hand, the lady had a certain elegance about her. Her wavy brown hair cascaded down her back, framing her face perfectly. Her emerald green eyes sparkled in the light, adding to her breathtaking beauty.

The lady rushed forward, her eyes widening with relief. "Oh, thank the heavens! We were worried sick when the priest said you'd been unconscious for a whole day. How do you feel, my dear?"

Should I play the amnesia game? That seems safe.

I struggled to sit up, my head throbbing. "Where am I? What happened? Who are you?"

Everyone looked shocked. The lady suddenly burst into tears.

The lord, his brows furrowed in concern, took a step closer. "My son, it's me, your father. And this is your mother."

I continued to feign confusion, squinting as if I were trying to recognize them. "Father? Mother? I'm sorry, I don't remember anything."

The lady, wiping away tears, gasped. "You don't remember us?"

I shook my head. "I'm afraid not. It's all a blur."

The lord exchanged a worried glance with his wife. "The priest did mention memory loss, but we hoped it was temporary. We need to inform him about this."

The room buzzed with hushed whispers as the maids exchanged concerned glances.

The lady, still emotional, reached out to touch my hand. "You've been through a terrible ordeal, my dear. You are the heir to the dukedom. We are your parents, and this is your home."

I nodded, doing my best to look bewildered. "I appreciate your concern, but I can't remember anything. Where am I? How did I end up here?"

The lord sighed, his expression a mix of worry and frustration. "You were at the birthday banquet when... there was an incident. You collapsed, and we brought you here immediately. "

The lady, still teary-eyed, pleaded, "Please, try to remember. We love you."

She then sat on my bed and hugged me. She said sadly, "Honey, we are always there for you. It is okay if you forget your memory. We are always by your side."

The lord also came near me and put his hand on my shoulder, "Don't worry, we are always by your side."

Upon hearing the news, I suddenly saw small tears coming from my eyes. My parents in this life are supportive of me. In my past life, my father left me with a debt and mistreated me constantly. Meanwhile, my mother was always at work, making me take care of my younger sister alone. 

I couldn't think of anything that made me happy in my life except for my younger sister. She must be feeling sad.