**Zenith POV**
I am Zenith Greyrat, formerly known as Zenith Latria, the second daughter of the Latria family. I used to be the perfect Millis lady, even though I hadn't had my second birthday yet. I was Mom's favorite and ranked first in Millis school above my classmates and friends—always the center of praise. To Mom, that was to be expected as a lady from the Latria household, the biggest and most important noble house in Millis.
At first, I liked being complimented here and there. Our huge library in the house made every day enjoyable, from fairy tales to hero stories. But my favorites were of course the romance ones. (Yes, I always wanted to live a great love story and be able to remember it.)
But that will never happen. If anything, that's impossible. Because I'm a Latrian lady. In our family, the men always become knights and women are married for alliances. Years passed, and I was already in my last school year when Mom suddenly said:
"Zenith, after you finish school, you are getting married." (Yes, I am almost an adult. But that's not what I wanted. I want to have a love story to remember, not just a noble marriage to a man I don't even know how he looks.) "Huh?"
"I am preparing a marriage between you and the next head of a big noble fami—"
"I REFUSE!" That was the first time I ever refused Mom's orders.
"What did you just say?" Mom said with a glare.
"I said. NO, I refuse to be married like this." As I finished my words, I felt an intense pain on my face. Mom had slapped me. And she slapped me very hard. (I felt tears forming in my eyes.)
"Then you are under house arrest. You are not allowed to leave your room, and your books will be taken from you." As she said that, she gestured to the maids to prepare a lock and take books from my room.
"..." I didn't answer. My brain just couldn't comprehend what was going on.
Suddenly, I found myself locked in my room without my books, without anything. The only thing left was the window from the second floor that had a view of the garden. Suddenly, I heard knocking on the door.
"Leave! I want to be alone!" I shouted.
"It's me, Zenith. I'm Therese." (My youngest sister, Therese—a six-year-old girl and my favorite in the house. And I think the feeling is mutual.)
"What do you want, Therese? If you want me to go out and say 'sorry' and accept whatever Mom is saying, then leave. Because you're wasting both of our time. I DON'T WANT TO TALK TO ANYONE ANYMORE! NOW GO! AND LEAVE, THERESE!" (You know what? I'm not sure why I was so mean. I was screaming in the face of my youngest sister, who isn't to blame at all. If anything, I'm sure she came to calm me down and talk with me so I don't harm myself.) But I was frustrated and needed a victim for my frustration.
I just heard cries, and Therese left me alone. After some time, I thought of my escape plan. I wrote a farewell note, jumped out of the window at night, broke my legs, then healed them with intermediate healing and escaped without looking back. I escaped searching for my love story—which I found one. Not the one I wanted, but I got married with love.
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**Before Rudeus' Birth**
I expected everything to be easy. I got a job as a healing doctor at the village clinic (in the village where Paul's cousin made us settle). I worked there until my third trimester. Also, Lilia was helping us with the house very nicely. (She is our new maid, and she appears to have a history with Paul, which I feel I wouldn't like to hear.) So I left things as they were between them without asking about it.
The birth itself wasn't hard. The problem was what happened next. After the birth, Rudeus—my boy, my son—he was dead.
I was heartbroken and about to cry. But Lilia didn't waste time. She ran, pushing me aside to reach him, and started doing strange movements on his chest to get him to breathe. After some time, he started breathing—a very weak and hurt breath with agony. It was something that isn't supposed to happen. (Both that Rudeus, my boy, is somehow breathing, and that he is a newborn breathing with agony—something a kid isn't supposed to feel.)
He was breathing weakly, but still breathing. Suddenly, she started shouting, explaining to me what I was supposed to do—to heal him nonstop if I wanted him to live. While I proceeded to heal him, I realized he started losing his color gradually because he couldn't breathe. He was suffocating. My normal healing was just delaying the inevitable. And I was too scared to chant intermediate healing, afraid I'd find him dead while chanting.
Suddenly, he opened his eyes very weakly. He was trying to make a sound, but it wasn't audible. So I healed him again and again, just to hear a very hurt moan that was barely audible. When I finally chanted the intermediate healing, he cried. This cry improved the whole room's mood. Then I proceeded to nurse him. (It's good he's healed. I don't think I can cast any more healing for the day—I almost suffered mana exhaustion.)
When I thought the problem was resolved, the next day, Lilla called me as hard as she could from Rudeus' room. When I entered, I found him blue and dying from suffocation. If Lilia had been late for one more hour, he probably would have been dead.
After healing him with normal healing just to stabilize his state until I could chant intermediate healing, when I finished, his body had returned to life. He pooped and cried hungry at the same time.
While we were taking care of him, Paul stormed into the room with his terrifying speed, like in our adventuring days when he was fighting monsters. He was carrying his sword in his hand. (I suspect he was in the middle of his village patrol when he heard Lilia's screams.)
Lilia then explained to us that he was suffering from being born a stillborn before she revived him. But because she didn't do it perfectly, he would suffer for quite some time—that's the case if his lungs weren't damaged by her in the process when she was pushing his chest. She apologized for failing to help in the birth the right way. We just shrugged it off by saying if she wasn't around, we wouldn't have known what to do, and he would have been left to die. (Millis, I can't understand this woman. She is too reserved and stoic—it makes me remember Mom a lot.)
She also said if the stroke of bad luck continues and she hit his lung while doing those strange movements to revive him, he will have one of three futures awaiting him: Either he will heal over time (that's the case if he is strong and healthy), or he will suffer until he gets treated by Saint-class healing magic or higher (preferably King-class), or the last choice is he remains weak, and if we don't heal him, he will suffer for the rest of his life.
The days continued with the same thing happening daily. The only difference was Lilia putting more and more distance between her and Rudi every day. (She definitely knows something and doesn't want to talk about it.)
Until one day, after some months of this repeated loop, Rudi started crawling—a very happy and energetic crawl. But he suddenly stopped, not even after 3 meters, and breathed heavily. (Oh Millis, even crawling will be hard on his weak body. This boy definitely doesn't deserve this.)
When I heal him these days after he started crawling, his body has become better—not cured, but better. Now he can go for 5 days without my healing magic. (The problem is, at this rate, he won't have a good childhood. It's a good thing people don't have memories until they're at least 3.)
After the healing, he usually smiles like he's trying to ease me. (Like he understands everything, but that's impossible—he's still my cute little baby.) He usually tries to crawl away to explore the house, but his heavy breathing problems hold him back.
And the days continue with Paul—broken, wanting a healthy son to become a swordsman like him. But that will never happen at this rate. It will only be a dream, but him being a healthy adult will be our hope.
Just when my mood was going down again, he gave me the best gift I could ask for—he called me "Mom." In the middle of my happiness, I jumped, celebrating and screaming, only to find Paul with used diapers on his head. (I had to hold back the urge to laugh—it would have been like pouring oil on flames.) Then, as if to calm him down, he called him "Dad."
For a moment, I thought Paul had a lost expression or something, but what happened was he celebrated, jumping like a madman and screaming happy words. After some time, I thought Rudy deserved the suffering we suffered for him.
The days continued until Lilia demanded a meeting. (Which is worrying, considering her character.)
I hope it's a good thing.
---
**Paul POV**
I am Paul Greyrat, formerly known as Paul Notos Greyrat. My life as a nobleman failed miserably for three reasons. (People.)
Firstly, I don't like the nobility even for a little bit. There you find people smiling in front of each other's faces while trying to stab the other in the back. And where your biggest enemy is your family. So I escaped the house after my mother died. And if I had to describe the biggest reason for that, it would be Philemon Notos Greyrat - but for real, he deserves not just a spot for himself. He is literally part of all of them.
He was telling the maids to spread rumors about me by repeating all of my past mistakes and bad deeds every day so it appeared I was doing them daily. At the same time, they only spoke of his good deeds and compared them to my mistakes, making him appear as an angel while I looked like some kind of demon.
Secondly, I used to be what Father called a 'sex deviant.' So Father, not wanting to waste his time (according to him) and trying to fix the problem by talking to me and trying to solve it, picked the easy solution. He put me under house arrest so nobody could take advantage of me. And he was preparing Philemon to be the head after him - which I wouldn't have minded, until I learned the only way he could be head while I was alive was if I were kicked out of the household. So Philemon pressured me to do bad things while also pressuring Father, so Father would put me under permanent house arrest where I could suddenly be found dead. Before that happened, I escaped the house, losing the Notos name - but not before breaking Philemon's disgusting face beyond recognition.
Thirdly was Valentina Notos Greyrat. My mother, my protection wall, and my escape from the harsh noble world to her notorious love. To me, she was my only safe place - the painkiller I took to survive somehow. And she died because Philemon delayed Father from getting a healer for her until she became a lost cause. Then he made me the blame, so he could fuel Father to follow whatever he said about me.
Yes, I wasn't cut out for nobility in the first place. But my so-called brother is the reason every day was a living hell for me. He is the biggest reason I hate nobility. And my only link to it now is my cousin and my friend Philip, who didn't want to help me at first. But when Uncle Sauros came and made him change his mind, Philip appointed me as a knight for Buena Village.
The truth is, I don't blame Philip for not wanting to deal with his uncontrolled cousin, who happens to be the original head of what is now an enemy clan, while he is suffering on his own. To him, I am just an unnecessary nuisance. But still, I owe him one.
He made me a knight in a very peaceful village, with a salary of four Asuran gold coins every month and a big house in the middle of the village. (The salary is for me and the watchtower guards I should appoint in the future because the last knight died fighting monsters in a stampede, along with all the watchtower hunters.)
When I reached the village and talked to the villagers, it made me remember why I left nobility six years ago and lived in the slums for a year, then as an adventurer for five years. They welcomed me very nicely. Then the oldest reeve, Mr. Smith (who was the deputy chief of the village), declared me the new chief.
He was the village elder, leader of the village council, and also the strongest of the seven reeves. He treated me like a proud father taking care of his own son. He made me love the village and the villagers.
With his kind treatment, he made me remember Rudd - my friend from the slums - and Mary Anne. Both had helped me in everything back then and took care of me well. Especially when he introduced me to the gang from the slums, presenting me as the gang's new boss. The only difference was they treated me as friends, while Mr. Smith was akin to a proud father who saw me as a son.
The first thing I did as a knight was a quick hunt of the monsters infesting the fields. Then I built the house of Bragg (one of the reeves who wanted to settle down with his family). After that, I solved the very shy elf hunter's problems and asked him to man one of the watchtowers (for two silver Asuran coins), which he accepted. He became my best friend in the village, and I think the feeling is mutual.
With this, I solved all the village's visible problems in a month. But I realized all the other reeves treated me with caution, and most treated me with extraordinary respect. So I went to Mr. Smith for help. He told me that the reeves are lower than slaves to nobility (which, from my name, they all assumed I was).
To make matters worse, he told me that in a nearby village, the knight - who had noble blood - ordered all the reeves to be castrated so they could "focus on their work only." But the truth was he only wanted to humiliate them so they would respect him more.
So I asked him to clarify that I'm different from other knights and to stop calling me "Lord Paul." This helped a lot with the tension, and with this, I became friends with all the reeves - especially the young boy Pete, who was 13 years old but had great potential because of his strength.
Also, Zenith worked at the clinic, gaining love and support from all the villagers because she worked as a healing doctor - not for money, but to help the village and the villagers who didn't have another healer. All of that while she was in her second trimester of pregnancy.
Also, when I posted a job opening for a maid, Lilia appeared as a maid and midwife. (She was the last person I expected to meet again, especially after all that had happened because of me.)
She had become more professional and stoic than she was at her father's dojo. (If all goes right with the birth, I have to apologize to her properly.)
I told her she would work for me and Zenith, taking care of the house for three Asuran silver coins. She gave me one of her new poker-faced fake smiles and agreed. (I really should apologize for what I did to her at her father Augusta's dojo.)
Time ran fast here. Zenith reached her third trimester and stayed home, making a garden for herself and decorating the house to enjoy her time.
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**During the Birth**
The birth was quite easy for Zenith at first. But when she finished, we realized the kid - our son - was dead. (Stillborn.) Me and Zenith were heartbroken. I was about to cry and throw a tantrum (I think Zenith was the same). Then Lilia proved to me once again why she was the star student at her father's dojo. She always took her job seriously and diligently jumped into action, pushing Zenith aside to start performing some strange moves on the kid to make him breathe and have a pulse.
Then she ordered Zenith to spam healing on him. After what seemed like forever, the kid opened his eyes weakly and breathed a hard, hurt breath with agony. Then, when Zenith healed him again, he made a very weak sound of pain. When Zenith used X-Healing, he started crying - a normal cry of pain. This cry made all of us relieved that he had survived.
When the birth was finished and Zenith went to sleep, I went to Lilia to apologize for what I did to her and asked her how Flute and Augusta were doing. She said they were fine and that she had already forgotten about what I did. (A very bad lie - it was one of my worst mistakes.) So I apologized again, saying what I did wasn't that simple. She just smiled - one of her real smiles, then a twisted one - and told me I was supposed to celebrate my son's birth and forget about the past. And to celebrate, I must eat his birth cake.
(She knows how to take revenge. She knows how I hate sweet things and love munching meat, crunchy food, and harsh food.)
She brought the Asuran cake she had made. (The cake is a kind of traditional cake for celebrating.)
The cake was all squishy and very sweet. I choked very hard many times and tried my best not to vomit. And she didn't bring a single drop of water. She had a very twisted smile until I finished the cake. Then she brought water.
After that, the next day, I was doing the morning village rounds when I heard Lilia screaming, calling Zenith by her name. When I heard her, I came running as fast as I could, reaching the room to find Rudeus suffocating. Zenith had already healed him, and he was now well.
When we left the room, Lilia explained the situation to us. He would suffer for some time if circumstances were good, and if they were bad, he would suffer for the rest of his life unless healed by strong healing magic.
When she told me that, I remembered Mother's illness and Mary Anne - they were both very ill, like Rudy. I hope he lives a healthy life.
I was heartbroken. My hope was always for my son to be a better person than me (ideally in swordsmanship too, but that's impossible now).
(So I decided if he wasn't fine by his first birthday, I would go ask Uncle Sauros for help.)
The days became a repeated loop for Zenith and Rudi - he would wake up crying from pain, she would heal him, then his body would start working, he would poop and be fed, then sleep for the day.
After five months of this repeated loop, Rudi started crawling, and he was very fast and energetic for a young toddler. But his illness always got the better of him - he couldn't move three meters without stopping to catch his breath.
But he got better gradually, and I feel he will be okay. (He is my son, after all.)
Then, after ten days, Zenith screamed and jumped, celebrating. I was going to ask what happened when a used diaper with poop fell onto my face and hair.
I got annoyed and frustrated, but when I was about to demand an explanation, the best one came to me - Rudi, my wonderful son, called me "Dad." I got really happy with his words. I think I can understand Zenith's happiness.
Two days ago, after Zenith went, as usual, hugging Rudi very tightly and demanding "Mom" from him almost every minute since he talked, Lilia gave her the harshest comment that I had wanted to say in her place. But she beat me to it before I could say it. Because she treats him in a very wrong way. (I'm not jealous.)
What Zenith did was quite the opposite of what Lilia said - she hugged Rudi even tighter than usual, demanded "Mom" again, then thanked her for the advice. I think she didn't understand what Lilia said because that's very wrong. (I'm not jealous.)
Yesterday, Zenith came after she sent Rudi to bed. She was deer-jumping and hit Lilla on the way, breaking Zenith's plate, but she didn't seem to care. She kissed me, then said to me that Rudi called her "pretty!" And she came to rub it in my face. (I'm not jealous.)
Trying to appear unfazed that Rudi called her pretty, I answered with, "When we have a daughter, I will make her call me handsome." I said it with a fake smile. (I'm not jealous.)
Today, while we were in the middle of dinner, Lilia, out of nowhere, demanded a family meeting.
"Master Paul, Madame Zenith, there is an important matter we need to talk about."
I hope it's nothing dangerous.
---
**Rudeus POV**
I woke up very early and very refreshed. (Don't get me wrong - the pain is still there, but it's weaker than usual because of the healing magic on me.)
I got down from the crib and crawled my way out to start the day and search for the people of this house. As usual, I found Mom and Dad flirting. (Can they for a moment think about anything other than that?)
I know when they enter this mood, they will never notice anything around them. At least I think they will stop if I told them that I know I will remember what they were doing in front of me.
(After five minutes of thinking: I don't think it's a good idea to tell them your son is a reincarnated person. Also, thinking about it - only my soul and knowledge are what I have with me, but the rest is a normal kid, I think.)
Crawling near Lilia as usual - our pillar of the house. Without her, I think the house would fall apart after a minute in the hands of the two young couples.
As usual, the moment she realizes my existence, it's like she saw Satan. She either flinches, gasps, jumps in fear, or even lets out a fast scream. I am starting to think I am turning into an assassination-moving doll. Because her fear of me - maybe, just maybe - I should ask her and try to find out why she is so scared of me? At first, I thought she was afraid I would die at any moment. Now, what?
"Lilia... up." (I can talk naturally, but I don't think she is already too afraid of my speed of running and growing up. I think if she discovers everything, she might declare me a demon and burn me.) As usual, the stoic woman flinches before carrying me. (Well, let's try something new.) I gestured for her to go out after she carried me.
"Can't do, young master. You have to be at least a year old to be able to go out." Well, at least I tried. Then I will ask for the usual.
"Hungry!" When I said that, she brought the same apple-like fruit. (The same as yesterday. The only difference between it and the ones I ate on Earth is that it's milky on the inside.)
And my brain, for some reason, loves it. (I hope it doesn't have anything to do with Mom and Dad's genetics.)
She brought the fruit, cut it as usual, but she did what I was afraid of. (Maybe I cursed myself yesterday by bringing up the idea.) She started chewing the fruit and tried to feed it to me the French way. (I need to refuse fast.) When she tried to feed me, I closed my mouth and shook my head.
She gasped, understanding what I meant. (Thank God.) Then she cut the fruit into small cubes, smashed them with her hand, and put them in my mouth so I could eat them on my own.
"Young master, do you happen to be a miko?" I just raised an eyebrow unintentionally. (Well, let's play it safe - I'll refuse.) So I shook my head.
"Young master, do you understand what the word 'miko' means?" I just shook my head. (This woman asks too many questions today. I want to ask too, but I will leave it till I'm older when I can talk without raising any suspicions.)
She just sighed, then explained to me the meaning of the word. Apparently, a miko means a blessed child, and people who are mikos are born with either knowledge (probably like me), super powers (cool), or unexplained strength, like the prince miko of Shrione. (Aren't there some who can give others unlimited regeneration? I need one like that to stop the pain.)
But she also told me this power comes with a very big price - losing freedom is the least of it. (Then I have to act like a normal baby. Thanks for the undirected advice, Lilia.)
As they discover they are mikos, they lose their names. After that, a high noble fosters them and uses them as a tool. And if the parents refuse to hand them over, they get executed. And some of the mikos are born without part of their characteristics or emotions. And it's an unspoken taboo for female mikos to marry. (Then I have to act normally. No one will suspect me since I'm still acting like a cute, overly smart toddler.)
I wanted her to close the conversation, so I yawned. (Pretty bad-mannered if you want my opinion. But I need to brainstorm what I will do in the future.) She just smiled and carried me to put me to bed. I wanted to ask the obvious question - where are the two blondes? I didn't see them all day. And when we were near the rooms, my answer reached me.
I got useless information about who has more stamina between the two of them, who is submissive, and who is dominant in their good times. If anything, poor Lilia. And why in hell are they doing it in the afternoon? (I wish when I grow up, I will forget this. Scratch that - it would be better if they do it in moderation when I grow up.)
Lilia put me in the crib so I could sleep. (Peacefully, I hope.) Then she left the room, leaving me alone.
After 10 minutes of useless attempts at sleeping, with the hangover above my head, I got the good idea of using healing magic to sleep - maybe even train in the chantless one. After five minutes of trying to figure out how I did it last time and failing miserably, I just sighed and started chanting.
"Let the satisfying nourishment regain the lost vigor, regaining the lost strength. Healing."
When I finished the chant, I felt an electric charge pass through my body, starting from my liver, moving to my brain, then to my arms. After that, my hands lit up with a dim green light. (And is the electrical charge in my body connected to the nervous system? I feel like it is the same but not at the same time. Maybe the human body has a different structure in this world.)
I felt the charge, and I also felt what this spell did to my left lung, which apparently has a hole. I guessed this from the amount of pain I feel from it and the fact I'm not dead yet. It appears to be a small hole, almost healed, but this healing magic is too weak to make a difference. I have two choices: Either continue trying to figure out chantless magic or try the higher caliber first (the intermediate one).
After five seconds, the pain came back, so it was decided - X-Healing it is.
"Mother of merciful God, heal this one's wounds and let the satisfying nourishment regain the lost vigor, regaining the lost strength to stand up again. X-Healing." When I finished the long chant, I felt my electric charge move at a very fast speed compared to the former spell. And I felt very sleepy all of a sudden, but the pain lessened by a lot. It didn't touch the hole, but the pain subsided. (Thankfully.)
I started to feel very sleepy, almost asleep, but I realized the door was slightly ajar - not closed. (Not like I'm supposed to care now.) And I fell asleep.
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