Darkness.
Then, light.
Cold, sticky air greeted me, accompanied by the sound of crying… not of sadness or despair, but… yes, just a physical reflex. Because of course, I wasn't truly sad. I was… angry. Disappointed. Disgusted. All emotions blending together because I had just—
—I had just been born again.
"Congratulations, my Lord! A healthy, strong baby boy!"
A woman's voice called out excitedly, followed by the emotional cheers of nearby adults. From my position—very short and wrapped in cloth—I could only move my tiny fingers in frustration.
"Huh… My body's shrunken, my power's gone, and I can't even speak without sounding like a frog choking on milk."
"His name shall be… Kaelvar. Kaelvar Solvane," said a deep, commanding voice. A man. Naturally authoritative, though not yet enough to make me yield. "He will grow into a great successor."
I was Magnus Imperator. Or… I should be. Now, the world knows me as Kaelvar Solvane, second son of the noble Solvane family—allegedly influential in the eastern territories of the Thalvareth Empire.
"Of course I'll be great. I ruled the world in my previous life—did you think I'd become a goat herder here?"
Moments later, a golden screen appeared before me—visible only to me.
---
_______________________________________
| [Imperial Reincarnation System Active] |
"Welcome back, Magnus Imperator."
New Identity: Kaelvar Solvane
Level: 1
Class: ???
Total Stats: 2
_______________________________________
"Initial Quest shall be assigned to the Grand Emperor"
| [Initial Quest: Survive as a noble baby for 5 years] |
| [Reward: Fragment of the Thalvareth Empire's Memory + One Skill of Choice at Age 5] |
---
"A system? Like the ones I've heard about in those tacky fiction stories?... Interesting."
I tried to smile, but all my face could manage was a weird expression that made one of the maids scream.
"Ahhh! Look! He's smiling! The young master smiled!"
Smiling? Of course. I was just imagining the moment all the kingdoms of Thalvareth kneel before me once again. But sure, let's pretend it's an innocent baby smile.
And so here I am—Kaelvar Solvane, noble baby in a world of magic called Thalvareth. I can't talk yet, can't stand, but my mind? As sharp as ever.
This is just the beginning.
This world doesn't know it yet, but the Grand Emperor has returned.
---
One week has passed since my birth.
Technically, I'm just a wrinkly pink baby who can't lift his own head steadily. But within this tiny body lies the consciousness of the one man who ruled the world for centuries: Magnus Imperator.
The problem?
I… can't control my muscles.
"Uuhhh…"
See? That meaningless groan just caused a panic among the maids.
"The young master is hungry! Milk! Hurry with the milk!"
"Don't make him cry! His mother just fell asleep!"
"This kid… it's only been a week, but his face looks like a jaded old noble!"
"Wrong. I'm a jaded old emperor."
As they busily fed me noble-baby milk from a fancy bottle, I focused my thoughts on the Imperial Reincarnation System. The screen reappeared when I concentrated.
---
_______________________________________
[Imperial Reincarnation System]
Level: 1
Total Stats: 2 (Sealed)
Body Status: Weak but healthy
Class: ??? (Unavailable)
Age: 7 Days
Initial Quest: Survive as a noble baby for 5 years
Quest Reward: Fragment of the Thalvareth Empire + One Skill of Choice at Age 5
_______________________________________
---
"This system… It may look like something out of cheap fiction, but I can use it. I am no protagonist who passively waits on fate. I'm an emperor. I create fate."
"Kaelvaarr~ so cute~"
A gentle woman's voice. Emerald eyes gazed down at me. My mother—Lady Alvareia Solvane. A noblewoman with silver hair and green eyes. I may feel no emotional bond, but one thing I can admit: she's stunningly beautiful.
"Are you smiling? Want to be held? Come here~"
"I am a former grand emperor. I do not need to be codd—…fine. Just this once. Easier to observe the structure of this noble house from higher up."
In her arms, I surveyed the surroundings.
The Solvane Estate was not to be underestimated. Marble pillars etched with magic runes, stained glass bearing the family crest on every window, and a soft magical aura permeating the walls.
"The eastern Thalvareth region… This family has power and magical access. Interesting."
"Kaelvar, this is your brother. His name is Cedric. Say hello~"
A boy with blonde hair and sharp eyes approached. Around five years old.
"He's… so tiny," Cedric muttered. "But his eyes are weird. Like he knows something."
"This child… has sharp instincts."
I gave the most innocent baby face I could.
"Ueehh…"
Cedric scoffed. "Tsk. He's gonna be annoying."
"You're right, Cedric. I've already begun planning how to usurp your authority in this household before I turn three."
---
That night, as everyone slept, I stared at the ceiling and activated the system again.
"Alright. Five years? Fine. I'll survive. But I won't just survive. I'll learn. Observe. Evaluate friends and foes. And when the time comes—"
—I will rise.
---
First, though…
I need to learn how to hold up my own head.
Being a baby is depressing.
This body is fragile. Even grasping my own fingers took over a week. And don't even mention… diapers. I, Magnus Imperator, master of heaven and earth, am being changed by maids singing nursery rhymes.
"Clean little Kaelvar~ fresh and sweet~"
I swear I will burn this memory someday.
---
The following days passed slowly, but not without purpose. I began to recognize routines and faces around the Solvane estate.
First, my mother.
Lady Alvareia Solvane. Beautiful, graceful, and—for some reason—deeply affectionate toward me. Her touch was warm, her hands gentle, but her eyes… her eyes held a sadness. Sometimes, she stared at me too long, her gaze trembling, as if holding back tears.
What happened to her?
I will find out. Sooner or later.
Second, my father.
Lord Galvarion Solvane. A tall man with a broad cloak, wide shoulders, and piercing eyes. Dominant aura—good for a regional noble. But compared to me… he's a wolf circling a sleeping lion.
He rarely sees me directly. But when he does, he simply nods after a glance.
"Hmph. Sharp eyes. Inherited from Solvane blood."
A passing compliment. But not a father's praise—more like a general appraising a new weapon.
Noted. I won't trust him easily.
---
Then, there's Cedric. My older brother.
Five years old, full of energy—but not a fool. He loves swords, magic, and—strangely—tries to make me laugh whenever we meet.
"You've got to grow up fast, Kaelvar!" he said, waving a wooden dragon toy at me. "Then we can train with swords!"
Naturally, I stared blankly. Cedric laughed as if I understood everything.
"If you grow up short, I won't share my chocolate!"
I don't know what chocolate is in this world, but if that threat is serious, he may have just declared war.
---
As time passed, I could move my body better. Lift my head. Move my hands. Even roll over on my own.
Of course, I recorded all progress in the system.
---
[Imperial Reincarnation System]
Physical Progress: 12%
Mental Progress: 100%
Internal Emotions: Stable
Quest Objective: Survive as a noble baby for 5 years
Time Remaining: 4 Years, 11 Months, 3 Days
---
The system constantly changes its interface—as if adapting to whatever I do or wish to see. It doesn't grant me direct power—not like those cliché reincarnation stories I used to laugh at. But it records. Analyzes. Reorganizes memories of my past self within this new body. And most importantly: it holds something valuable.
[Fragment of the Thalvareth Empire's Memory: Locked]
That item—whatever it contains—is a treasure waiting to be unlocked. And I need every piece of memory and strategy from my former life.
---
One afternoon, left alone in a baby carriage in the main garden, I began to experiment.
I tried sensing mana.
This world flows with faint, stable magical energy. Around the garden, flowers trembled softly, as if touched by an invisible breeze. Sunlight passed through trees, casting beautiful shadows. And I…
…I felt a faint pulse in my stomach. Not hunger.
Something else. Mana.
"..."
I tried directing it to my hand. Failed. To my fingers. Failed. But for a moment, I felt warmth gather in my chest.
"Interesting. This body can absorb mana, but its channels aren't fully developed. Perhaps at age two or three I can begin basic manipulation."
The system confirmed it.
---
[System Analysis]
Magical Potential: Upper-Mid Tier
Elemental Affinity: Undetected (Too early)
Recommendation: Build bodily control foundation & train mana perception
"Foundation, huh…"
If I'm not mistaken, the system will only truly activate when I turn five. But that doesn't mean I should wait idly.
In my past life, I built the most advanced magic academy in the western continent, revolutionized spell formations, and designed strategies that toppled seven nations in a single war season.
Rebuilding from scratch isn't new to me.
The only new thing… is the diaper size.
---
A month passed.
I could now sit with support and recognize most of the estate's staff. Some tried to win favor by bringing gifts or sweets. One maid, named Miri, enjoyed reading me bedtime stories. I'm starting to… tolerate her.
But more importantly, I've begun to map out this house.
Main hallway to the dining room. West wing for training and weapon storage. East wing holds the library and my mother's quarters.
And in the basement… sealed. No one mentions it. But I see two cloaked guards stationed there every day. They never switch shifts.
Is it a vault? A weapon cache? Or perhaps...
…something far darker?
"I need to go there. Sooner or later."
But for now, I am just a baby.
---
That night, I lay in my crib. Moonlight slipped through the curtains and traced a silver line across the floor. Outside, magical insects sang.
I opened the system one more time.
---
[Imperial Reincarnation System]
Age: 1 Month
Status: Healthy
Physical Progress: 16%
Mental Progress: 100%
Note: Basic mana route detected
Emotional Stability: High
Potential Internal Family Conflict: Unknown
---
"Internal conflict, huh?"
I've already noticed how one maid stares at my mother—too sharply, too long. And Lord Galvarion… he never touches his wife and child beyond what's necessary. It feels more like marking territory than building a home.
"I smell the scent of hidden blood."
And I will sniff it out to the root.
Because I am no ordinary baby.
I am an Emperor—awaiting the return of his throne.
~~Continued~~