Prologue

It was a tragedy.

"We can't do anything to save him."

Those quiet words declared my fate. The end.

...It wasn't fair.

I had just started my career. I had everything in the world to look forward to. After working so hard, suffering so much, failing to meet so many expectations... I had finally stepped foot on my path. The skills I sharpened after all those years failing were finally being put to use.

And it was over...? Just like that?

One moment. It was a single moment.

I was supposed to celebrate Christmas. It was the first year I could finally buy gifts for everyone. The first year that I could hold my head up high after a decade with nothing to show.

So... why? Why did it end up like this?

A single turn. A bright flash. The shrill screech of tires and the blare of car horns...

And then I was like this.

I couldn't see. I couldn't move. I couldn't talk.

All I could do was listen. As if I was already dead, the only thing left to me was helplessly hear the world around me, unable to interact.

It was cruel. If it was going to be that way, why not take my hearing as well? Why leave me like this?

What did I do to deserve this fate?

"...I understand."

A different voice from the first. My father's.

It was cold. Monotone. But not because he didn't care.

No. It was like that because he cared too much. Because he didn't want to show himself breaking down, he shut off his emotions and kept a level tone.

And that hurt.

It hurt because he had just started being lively again. After I started getting my life back together, he started adding some cheer back into his words when he talked to me. He started being proud again of his son.

But... But now...

A soft sigh echoed. After that, I felt a presence draw near. Not the doctor's but one that I knew well. My father.

The powerful presence that I relied on all this time. The one who I thought would always be there to protect me. The one who I used as an excuse to run around wasting my life on random skills, trying out all sorts of get rich schemes, testing all the shortcuts in the world... And the one whose expectations I kept betraying.

Until recently. Just recently, I could finally hold my head up high and meet his gaze. Could proudly face him and say that he didn't have to worry about me anymore.

But... now...!

"You worked hard, Son." A soft and tired voice. With it, I felt a rough but gentle hand brush my forehead. "I'm... I'm so proud of you."

Clipped words. Again, cold.

But I knew the truth behind them. How he was just holding himself back so that I wouldn't hear him cry.

And then he was gone. Footsteps drifted off to the distance, leaving my side.

A long sigh echoed in the room. The doctor's. And then after that... a long drone echoed. The sound of a flatlining heartbeat monitor.

I was dead.

It was the end.

My life was over. A life hailed as a genius, failing to live up to that name due to my laziness, being humbled by countless failures from trying to ride on talent, and only realizing at the end that diligence was key. That it didn't matter if I didn't look good, but that if I tried, there would be people to help support me.

But it was too late.

I wanted to make them proud. Mom. Dad... I wanted to live up to the expectations they had of me. I wanted to make up for wasting so many years and causing them so much pain.

I... I didn't want to die!

I didn't want my life to end like this!

I don't want my life to end in vain!

I...!

-LIV-

...I suddenly woke up.

My vision that had been stolen came back. Along with it came my sense of smell, taste, and touch. In exchange, it seemed like my hearing was blurred now. No, my vision was a bit blurry too and my body didn't really obey me.

I swept my gaze around to gather my bearings. And when I did, I realized that there was someone looking down at me. A beautiful young woman with clear blue eyes and blonde hair.

Was she a doctor? No, she looked too young to be one. Then... who was she?

As I was pondering that, another person came into view. A tall and handsome man with short brown hair, matched with a short ponytail. Unlike the woman, his eyes were a light green color. And as those eyes looked at me, the man smiled and they lit up.

The woman looked at the man and smiled as well.

Happiness, joy...

But I didn't get it. What were they so happy about?

And where was I? No, where was my dad? The hospital?

The man reached out to grab me, a wide grin on his face. As he did, I felt myself lifted through the air.

I wanted to squirm and break free. But before I did that, I noticed my surroundings and paused.

It wasn't a hospital.

First of all, the walls were wooden and the furniture looked a bit rustic. Mostly Victorian style.

Second of all, there was a beautiful woman standing in the back wearing a maid outfit. It would have been one thing if she was a nurse. I could have accepted the weird room as being a home hospice if she was. But that was clearly a maid outfit, complete with the white frills.

Third of all... and most importantly...

When I looked down at the man who picked me up, I noticed that my hands were in front of me. And I noticed that my hands were tiny. Small, compared to the man's face. In fact, only big enough to barely grab his nose.

And with that, I understood.

I was dead.

And now, I was alive again.

Reborn as a baby.

When that thought crossed my mind... When I had that realization, I did what any reasonable person would do.

I blacked out.