Liam Knight only felt his consciousness being constantly tugged, as if some unseen hand was kneading and stretching his very soul.
When he finally came to, forcing his heavy eyelids open, he was startled by a face suddenly looming too close for comfort.
On instinct alone, Liam's tiny fist shot out and punched that handsome face squarely in the eye.
A sharp cry of pain echoed through the room, and the blonde young man stumbled back, covering his eye and flailing dramatically on the ground.
The man groaned, clearly caught off guard by the unexpected attack.
Liam blinked. Had he really just done that?
He looked at the man writhing on the floor, now eyeing him with a mixture of shock and amusement. The man was tall and handsome, with short blond hair, deep navy-blue eyes, and a well-toned physique—lean but muscular. Despite wearing a simple white shirt and black pants, he gave off a neat, energetic vibe.
Well, aside from the fact that he'd just gotten decked by a baby.
Liam's gaze shifted. That punch had definitely landed.
He blinked again, feigning innocence. You were the one who got too close, not my fault.
"Paul, are you alright?" a gentle female voice called out from the side.
Paul—the injured man—waved his hand weakly, trying to act tough despite the tears forming in his eyes.
"I-It's fine! Our child's just… very energetic," he said, wincing but smiling nonetheless.
Liam stared hard at Paul. That name rang a bell.
Wait a minute.
Paul... Greyrat?
Liam's attention shifted to the blonde woman resting on the bed. She was stunningly beautiful, with long, golden hair cascading like silk to her waist. Her delicate features, distinct and elegant, reminded him of a younger Tsunade from the anime world he once adored. Her green eyes, although tired, still shone with gentleness. She had a tall, graceful figure and carried herself with a dignified, noble aura.
She could only be Zenith Greyrat.
No way, Liam thought, stunned.
He moved his tiny, pudgy hand across his own body and realized—yes, this was no dream. He really had been reincarnated.
Wait, hold on… does that mean I've become Rudeus?
His eyes widened as realization hit him, but Paul's next words shattered that assumption.
"Then I'll call you… Roya Greyrat!"
Roya? Not Rudeus? Liam—now called Roya—froze in surprise.
He blinked up at Paul, whose boyish face was filled with pride and amusement. Still young and slightly immature, Paul had the air of a cocky youth with his raised brows and ever-present smirk.
Roya glanced around and spotted a red-haired girl standing quietly to the side, her gaze fixed on him.
Lilia.
Paul's junior from the knight school and now a maid in his household.
Her red hair was neatly tied back, and her expression was calm but slightly guarded. She looked closely at Roya in his cradle, clearly curious. The baby in front of her had golden hair, plump cheeks, and brilliant golden eyes—unlike the green eyes of Paul and Zenith.
Something about those eyes unnerved her.
It was as if those eyes could pierce through her, seeing straight into her soul. Yet at the same time, they exuded warmth, clarity, and serenity. For a moment, Lilia hesitated.
Her initial instinct to view the baby as strange faded into awe.
What is this feeling?
Their eyes met.
A soft flicker passed between them. Whatever unease she'd felt before slowly melted away.
Roya shifted his gaze, scanning the room again. Only the four of them were present.
So this isn't exactly Rudeus's story then, he thought. I've ended up in the same world, but clearly, I'm not him. Seems I got here a little early—Rudeus hasn't even been born yet.
The couple, meanwhile, showed no signs of being alarmed by their baby's strange calmness. Paul lifted Roya into his arms, gently placing him beside Zenith, who looked down with a smile full of maternal warmth.
Liam—now fully settled into the identity of Roya—couldn't help but sigh internally.
This woman… she's way too beautiful. And Paul's the one who landed her? Life really is unfair.
Paul tickled Roya's cheek and grinned. "Come on, little guy, time to call Mom!"
Roya blinked.
He opened his mouth to reply, but all that came out were incoherent baby babbles.
Paul and Zenith laughed with joy.
Roya could only stare up at the ceiling with a helpless expression.
Fine, you win, universe. I'll play along.
---
Two years passed in a flash.
Now two years old, the golden-haired, golden-eyed Roya lay flat on his bed, staring at the ceiling with a complicated expression.
His hair had grown surprisingly fast—reaching down to his waist already—and his features had become increasingly androgynous.
He stared at the mirror on the side of his room. Staring back at him was a stunningly adorable child. Doll-like features, soft golden locks, and wide, clear eyes.
Am I… too pretty? he wondered, half in despair.
Was he growing up to look like a girl?
He quickly checked his physical condition—just to be sure—and sighed in relief.
Still a boy.
But it was close. Too close.
At this rate, I might as well become a trap protagonist, he thought bitterly.
His room was simple but cozy. A thick magical tome rested on the table—one he had requested from Zenith. She, along with Paul, had initially been fascinated by their oddly clever baby, but that interest had quickly waned once their romantic urges took over again.
Children, after all, are just side products of love, Roya mused dryly.
He sank his face into the soft quilt, letting the warmth soothe him, though it couldn't quite thaw the cold in his heart.
Even if I look like a girl… I'm still a man inside!
Still, he was self-aware enough to know he was young. The future could go in many directions. No need to stress now.
With a small gesture, he tapped a floating orb that hovered in the lower-right corner of his vision. A transparent panel appeared.
Three basic options were displayed:
[Character Attributes]
[World Capture]
[System Mall]
Unfortunately, the system mall was completely grayed out. Every item was locked. The Lord God, clearly still holding a grudge, had banned him from buying anything.
The only silver lining was that he'd managed to score some incredible talents during his reincarnation.
His eyes drifted to the status screen.
There, in the third column on the first page, was his A-rank talent: [The Fool].
Its value?
A staggering 100 million points, plus three S-level purchase permissions.
Even his B-rank talent, [Greed], was priced at one million points and two A-rank permissions.
Though he didn't yet know how hard it would be to earn points or permissions, the absurdly high prices told him all he needed to know.
It was probably impossible for an average person to obtain these things without decades of grinding.
Guess I really am the chosen one this time. Took advantage of the system till it bled.
Roya smirked to himself, confidence blooming in his heart.
---