Thud!
"Ugh... O-Ouch…"
A sharp jolt of pain surged through his entire body, as if he had been dropped from the sky and slammed into the earth without mercy. Slowly, Hideo Takumi opened his eyes—only to be greeted by a wooden ceiling he had never seen before.
"Huh…? This place…"
He sat up with difficulty, pressing his fingers against his throbbing temple. His vision spun, sweeping across a spacious room adorned with ornate carvings and a faint scent of exotic spices lingering in the air.
"Why… am I in a bed?"
Confused and disoriented, he instinctively reached to the side of the bed.
"Where are… my glasses?!"
But before he could continue searching, he froze.
His vision—was crystal clear.
He could see every detail of the ceiling's intricate carvings, the grain of the wooden floor, even the tiny dust particles dancing in the sunlight streaming through the window.
This is impossible… I've been severely nearsighted since I was a kid…
His heart pounded. Without thinking, he jumped out of bed and stumbled toward the large mirror standing in the corner of the room.
"…"
The face staring back at him left him speechless.
It wasn't the face he had known for thirty years.
Staring from the mirror was a boy around seventeen. Pale skin like porcelain. Sleek black hair brushing across his forehead. Large, obsidian eyes that shimmered like black jade. Naturally pink lips. A sharp, elegant nose.
"…Bea—?"
Hideo almost muttered the word, but shook his head quickly.
"No… Handsome. Is this… me?"
And then, suddenly, a strange sound echoed in his head.
Ding!
Background: Hideo Takumi
From the age of seven, Hideo Takumi found solace in the pages of books. He never truly loved the world—and the world never truly accepted him.
Born from a forbidden affair, he was a stain on the legacy of a noble family. His mother, cold and status-obsessed, never once held him. His father? Too busy chasing an endless business dream.
Only one person ever showed him warmth—Chika, a maid who cared for him like her own. She nursed him when his mother refused. She shielded him when no one else would.
And then, the world took her too.
Chika died in an accident, pushing Hideo out of the way of an oncoming car.
Since then, his world had been empty.
He spent a week locked in his room, starving and dehydrated. But the worst part wasn't the pain. It was realizing—no one came looking for him.
That day, he found a book lying in the street. That book opened the door to another world. From that moment on, books became his refuge.
By the age of thirty, he was still living alone—reading, writing, thinking. Then, on one ordinary night, as he fell asleep, his body began to glow—and his consciousness slipped away.
Awakening
Ding!
"Aaaagh!"
Hideo screamed as a sharp pain stabbed into his skull—like thousands of needles piercing his mind.
Knock knock knock!
"M-My Lord! Are you alright?!"
The voice of a young girl called from beyond the door, filled with worry.
Hideo curled up on the massive silk-covered bed. After nearly thirty minutes, the pain finally began to fade, replaced by a deep, unsettling confusion.
"…My Lord? May I come in…?"
He took a deep breath before answering in a low voice.
"…Come in."
The door creaked open, and a young maid stepped in nervously. Her face was pale, her hands tightly clutching the fabric of her long skirt.
She looked no older than fifteen. Her large eyes were filled with hesitation and fear as she stared at Hideo.
"My Lord… are you alright?"
'My Lord?' Hideo blinked, looking around the room. There was no one else.
"…You're talking to me?"
"Yes… of course."
"…Yeah. I think I'm okay… maybe."
"But… your face is so pale…"
Hideo raised an eyebrow, staring at her curiously.
Suddenly, a blue transparent screen appeared before his eyes—like a hologram.
"Layar Status"
Name: Hideo Takumi
Age: 17
Job: [Choose Your Job]
Current Stats:
• Mana: F
• Strength: F
• Intelligence: S
• Speed: F
• Endurance: F
Skills:—
"Please Select Your Job"
› Warrior
› Mage
› Assassin
› Acolyte
› Archer
› Alchemist
› Summoner
Hideo stared at the screen, completely dumbfounded. It looked like a system interface—but he didn't understand it.
"…What is this?" he whispered.
The maid watched him carefully, unsure.
"…My Lord? Is something wrong…?"
Without thinking, Hideo turned to her.
"Um, can you see this?" he asked, pointing to the floating screen.
She looked in that direction, confused, trying to spot something.
"I'm sorry, My Lord… I don't see anything."
He sighed, shaking his head. "Ah… never mind. Forget it."
He turned back to the status screen, which still hovered before him, waiting for a choice that only he could make.
"What am I supposed to pick…?"
The maid still lingered by the door, visibly anxious.
Hideo waved a hand.
"You can go. I need a moment."
She hesitated, then bowed deeply and quietly exited the room.
Hideo returned his gaze to the screen. His mind raced, struggling to make sense of it all.
This world… Did I… really reincarnate?
TO BE CONTINUED…