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  “The sky? Did I survive that massive explosion? But… there’s no burning pain in my body.” Irkhan wondered as he gazed at the clear sky above him.

  He checked his body—there was no pain, but something felt off. As he touched himself, he realized something was wrong. He quickly sat up and was shocked when he saw his hands. They weren’t his usual large, wrinkled hands. Instead, they were small and delicate—like a toddler’s. His clothes were strange too, resembling those from old European eras.

  “What is this? What’s going on?” Questions flooded Irkhan’s mind. He looked around and saw a wide courtyard surrounded by large trees, perfect for napping under, and tall walls enclosing the area. Beyond that stood a grand mansion in a classic style—like something out of a historical drama set.

  In his previous life, Irkhan believed that a dead soul would return to the afterlife for judgment. But this? When he opened his eyes, he saw a bright ceiling and this massive, old-fashioned mansion. It felt like he had been transported to a different era. He recalled a popular genre from his past life—reincarnation stories, where people were reborn inside novels they had read. Was this the same?

  Irkhan had read war and apocalypse novels to kill time during his life as an assassin, but never reincarnation tales. He had only heard of them in conversations among fellow killers during vacations.

  Now, Irkhan was completely confused. There was no one around to ask—only silence. He stood up and wandered through the courtyard, eventually approaching the mansion. Up close, it looked even more massive. He didn’t go in—just stood there, admiring the architecture. It was grand and imposing. On the terrace, he noticed an open book and picked it up. The writing was strange, using ancient-looking characters unlike anything from his previous life. Yet somehow, after staring at it for a while, he began to understand it.

  “Is this because I’ve taken over this body? Is that why I can understand the language of this world?” It was the most logical explanation he could come up with.

  He started reading the book. It was an introductory guide to fruits and animals—clearly made for children. Still, he kept reading. It was the first source of information he had in this new world. The animals and fruits seemed similar to the ones he knew. But then, something on the next page caught him off guard.

  **“Fruits and Animals Containing Mana.”**

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  That was the title of the next section. Mana—Irkhan was very familiar with the term. It often appeared in novels, comics, and movies as a source of energy used for casting magic—fire, wind, water, and more.

  “So this world… is a world of magic?” Irkhan thought. He knew this kind of world—one filled with war, different races, nobility, commoners, mythical creatures, and surely some sort of empire ruling over all.

  A world where strength dictated power.

  It felt just like his past life—training endlessly to grow stronger just to survive. Irkhan let out a sigh as he digested everything he had learned so far. But there was still one thing he hadn’t figured out: 'Where is everyone?'

  If he was now in a child’s body, that child must have had parents, right?

  Lost in thought, a bell suddenly rang.

  The sound came from the mansion’s front gate. Irkhan immediately ran toward it. The distance was quite far, especially with a child’s stride, but he eventually made it. There was a bell above the gate still ringing. He was sure someone was on the other side, but he couldn’t open it—it was locked from outside. He had no choice but to wait.

  “Young Master Kieran, have you arrived yet?” a man’s voice called from the other side. Irkhan guessed it was the servant of this body.

  'Kieran? Is that the name of this body’s owner?' Irkhan thought.

  “Yes, I’m here,” he replied.

  What surprised him even more was that he could speak the language of this world fluently. 'That’ll make things a lot easier,' he thought.

  “Very well, Young Master. I’m here to deliver your lunch,” said the servant.

  Irkhan stepped back a few paces, expecting the gate to open—but no sound came. 'What’s going on? How is he going to deliver food if the gate won’t open?'

  Just then, to his amazement, a floating tray rose above the gate and slowly descended in front of him. Irkhan’s jaw dropped. On the tray were a loaf of bread, a bowl of porridge with small cuts of meat, a boiled egg, a glass of milk, and a glass of water.

  “Young Master, have you received the food?” the servant asked.

  “Yes, I have,” Irkhan replied. He decided to eat right there, since there were plenty of things he wanted to ask the servant.

  “What’s your name?” Irkhan asked while eating.

  “My name is Erick, Young Master. I’ve been assigned to serve you starting today,” he replied politely.

  “I see. By the way, why do I feel like I’m being locked up here? There’s no one else around, and the food delivery is… unusual,” Irkhan asked, curious.

  “Well…” Erick hesitated. Irkhan could tell from his tone that the answer might be important. And Irkhan needed to know.

  “Just tell me. I order you to answer all my questions. Understood?” Irkhan commanded firmly.

  Erick stiffened, surprised by the change in tone—it was unlike the usual Young Master Kieran. He bowed and said, “Forgive my insolence, Young Master.”

  “Hmph… First, explain why I’m being locked up here!”

  “It’s because you released a dangerous death aura from your body, one that could harm all living beings. Many nobles became uneasy and demanded that you be sacrificed to prevent chaos in the future. But your father refused. Instead, your retainers proposed sealing you here until you could control that power yourself,” Erick explained.

  Irkhan stared at his half-eaten food. *So this body holds a terrifying talent… Death aura?* Irkhan didn’t feel anything strange within himself, but perhaps there was a method to awaken that power.

  “I see. But aren’t you worried about leaving a child all alone in a mansion this big?” Irkhan asked.

  “There’s no need to worry, Young Master. Your father anticipated everything. This mansion is enchanted with magical tools to help you operate it with ease. As for meals, I’ll ring the bell at mealtimes. Once you’re done eating, just place the dishes back on the tray—it’ll automatically return to me,” Erick said.

  Irkhan nodded. Everything had been carefully planned by this body’s father.

  *Still… I don’t even know what kind of family I’ve been reborn into.* He finished his meal, drank all the water, and placed the empty dishes back on the tray. It slowly floated up and passed over the gate. Erick promptly took it.

  “Young Master, is there anything else you need?”

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