A person's mindset always plays in their favor; humans are capable of doing anything to achieve their goals… in some cases, even the most atrocious acts are deemed justifiable.
Kael Lanpar's POV
It had been six months since I was born.
My life was… interesting. Despite being trapped in the body of a baby, I had found ways to entertain myself.
At that moment, I was crawling through the palace halls, moving as fast as I could, while a maid ran after me, desperate to catch up.
"Young prince, please slow down. You could hurt yourself," pleaded Lilia, her face full of worry.
Seeing her distressed expression only made me go faster.
Yeah, being a baby was a drag, but some things had their charm.
The palace corridors were enormous, with white marble columns reflecting the golden light of dawn.
Before, I hadn't been able to fully appreciate how magnificent this place was, but now that I could observe every detail… I sighed, thinking about how beautiful it was.
Sometimes I feel like I don't deserve this second chance.
There's no need to explain why—my memories are more than enough to remind me who I am.
Flashback – Kael's Past Life
"You're a damn piece of trash. Your whole family are slaves. Scum like you don't deserve freedom, you son of a bi—"
Before he could finish, I kicked him hard in the stomach, sending him to the ground, coughing up blood.
"Look around you, 'ruler'. You think any of the corpses here give a shit about what you're saying?"
Honestly, I didn't care about anything he had to say. Every single one of these people deserved it.
I shook my head in disapproval.
Why is it that when people gain power, they change so suddenly?
It's like their inner beast breaks free of its chains.
I crouched to pick up a dagger from the bloodstained floor—the same one the ruler had dropped.
"This is the weapon you used to torture your slaves, isn't it? Or am I wrong?" I asked, stepping closer.
Grabbing the few strands of hair he had left, I lifted him so we were face to face.
"Are you going to beg? Or would you rather I end this quickly?"
My words were clear.
There would be no second chances.
He had never given any.
End of Flashback
That day, I ended the lives of over 120 people.
They were corrupt, loyal to the Prophet.
But even so… taking a life—no one should decide who lives and who dies, no matter how justifiable it may seem.
Back to my little chase, I had managed to get ahead thanks to the hallway's curves and the many rooms.
Now that things had calmed down, I started observing the surroundings again.
"Hehehe… I think this is officially my second favorite thing in this world."
There they were—the large windows letting in the morning breeze, and the statues of former kings standing tall in every corner, watching me with their stone gazes.
They were probably the Lanpar ancestors.
Maybe, one day, my own statue would stand here… although I'd rather avoid the rigid, intimidating pose.
While still distracted, I turned down a different hallway and noticed I had entered a room unlike the others.
It took me a moment to realize I had entered my father's study.
My smile widened.
The only time I had come here was when my father was looking for some papers. My mother wasn't around that day, so I spent the whole day with him.
This place had variety—documents, contracts with other kingdoms, finances… a bunch of things that, honestly, didn't interest me at all.
Wait… what's that?
Squinting and focusing my gaze, I saw something with my name on it:
"To my son Kael Lanpar, my pride."
I was about to go straight for it, maybe even find a way to climb onto the chair and see it… but something else caught my attention.
So distracted, I bumped into a book. It had fallen to the floor, which made it accessible to me.
The cover read: Ranks.
Without wasting time, I dragged it toward me with the little strength I had in this tiny body and started to read.
"For a long time, after countless battles and wars waged by powerful men and women, ranks were established to classify fighters—whether they were mages or swordsmen."
My heart stopped for a moment.
"Mages...? Magic?"
I blinked several times, processing what I had just read.
I had assumed this was a medieval world—with swords, bows, and spears… something like the age of kings and castles from my old home.
But this… this was something completely different.
No, no, no…
It probably means that "magic" stuff like shamans or healers.
I must be imagining things.
A strange feeling settled in my chest.
Until now, I had held on to the (admittedly absurd) hope that I had simply been reborn in a different era of my own world.
But if this was real…
This changed everything.
I shook my head, pushing those thoughts aside.
There was no point in trying to figure it out now.
All I could do was observe, learn, and understand this world as best as I could… to figure out where the hell I had reincarnated.
I turned my attention back to the book, devouring each word with renewed interest.
"On the continent of Mayora, there are three main ranks that define a warrior's level. First are the Rankeds—fighters in training still learning to master their skills. Then come the Roamers—warriors with basic abilities who participate in minor missions. And finally, the Destroyas—highly trained combatants capable of facing serious threats."
Each rank had a detailed description, but what caught my eye the most were the chapters that followed.
Interesting…
If I remember correctly, this was never mentioned in the history of my previous life.
I'm slowly piecing the puzzle together… I thought, scratching my head.
"Beyond these, there are three other organizations that far surpass the conventional ranks..."
Just as I was about to turn the page, I heard footsteps.
They were light… but strangely, I could also hear a metallic sound.
I tensed immediately.
I didn't know who it was… and worst of all, guards didn't usually patrol this area.
This is bad. Really bad.
What do I do if this really is a threat?
Looking up, I found my mother's amused eyes.
Relief washed over me in a massive, silent sigh.
I shit myself in fear… and I mean that literally.
"Kal, what are you doing here hiding?" she asked with a smile, glancing around. "You're supposed to be with Lilia."
She paused, raising an eyebrow.
"Speaking of which… where is she?"
As if summoned by name, Lilia appeared at the door, panting.
"Your Majesty, I'm so sorry. The young prince got away from me. He's way too fast when he crawls."
My mother let out a charming little laugh and scooped me up with a tender hug.
"Are you really that fast, Kal? You little rascal."
I couldn't respond, of course, but I couldn't help feeling frustrated.
They had interrupted me at the best part.
My mother handed me back to Lilia, who held me carefully.
"Take him to his room and put him in the crib to rest," she ordered with a teasing tone. "And next time, don't take your eyes off him. I don't want anything happening to my little one."
Lilia nodded, embarrassed, and started carrying me back to my room.
As she placed me in the crib, she looked at me sweetly and brushed a hand through my hair.
"Please, young prince, don't sneak off like that again. You really scared me… and probably your mother too."
I couldn't promise that.
Not when there was still so much to learn.
Wait a minute—now that I think about it…
My mother was injured.
She had cuts on her arms, and her dress was torn. What had happened?
The answer came instantly…
An explosion shook the castle.
My eyes widened in shock.
A massive figure stood in the middle of the town, visible from the window.
I didn't know what was going on, but when I saw my mother running back toward us with terror on her face, everything slowed down.
Just like that time… when I died.
Looking up, I saw a huge chunk of the ceiling collapsing.
Again… I was going to die.
I squeezed my eyes shut, and the last thing I saw was my mother's face—racing toward us with all her strength, fear etched into every line.
At least, I got six months of peace.
It was like a vacation.
No complaints from me.