After crying my heart out, I eventually passed out. When I woke up, I found myself surrounded by people—my family, or maybe a new family. I wasn't sure yet. The first thing I heard was that I had been asleep for seven years. Seven years… that's a long time.
A priest, who came to check on me, looked utterly shocked and kept whispering, "Thank you, Lord of Light, for bestowing this child a new life." I didn't really understand what he was saying. Then, my father—the king—gently asked everyone to leave and stepped out himself to ensure the room was empty.
I felt like I'd been given a second chance, a new life. My previous life… it wasn't a good one.
My little brother was tugging at my hand, asking me to play with him. My body was too weak to move, but when I saw his eager, innocent face, it reminded me of Shen. Without realizing it, I smiled.
Noticing this, my mother sat beside me and said softly, "Your brother always comes to tell you all the new things he learns. He doesn't want his big brother to fall behind in anything."
She paused, then turned to the window where the sun was beginning to set. Tears welled up in her eyes.
"I always believed the day would come when my son would awaken," she whispered. "And now... it's finally here. My son has opened his eyes."
At that moment, my father returned to the room. A rush of emotions filled me—ones I couldn't express in my previous life. With a voice that trembled slightly, I said, "Mother… Father… I want to enjoy every moment I missed with all of you, from the day I was born until now. I made you all worry, but I won't make the same mistake again."
As I spoke, my heart ached. These emotions—I never had the chance to express them to my parents in my past life. Their faces are a blur now, mixing with those of my new family. My mother, with her long, shimmering pink hair and matching eyes, had the most beautiful face I'd ever seen. My father, a peak human specimen, stood tall with his brown hair and piercing blue eyes. And then there was my little brother, around five years old, with pink hair like our mother's and blue eyes like our father's.
That evening, we talked for hours. Laughed. Cried. Connected. It's already been two weeks since I woke up in this world. My body, though still weak, has begun to gain some strength. From a 60-year-old man… to a 7-year-old child.
My name in this world is Liam Morningstar.
One thing I've realized since coming here—it's the same world from the novel Shen and I once read together: The Illegitimate Prince. The protagonist of that story was named Jon Walkers, and he's supposed to be the same age as I am now.
But here's the thing: I don't remember there being a sixth kingdom called Vineta in the novel. There were five kingdoms and one empire. So... who is Liam? And where does Vineta fit in? Did I miss something? I don't think so.
"Young Master, it's time for breakfast," said a voice outside the door. The butler.
"Yeah, I'm coming. Just need to wash up," I replied, trying to sound commanding—still adjusting to this luxurious life where maids and staff assist with everything.
"Shall I have the maids dress you after your bath?"
His words sent a jolt through me.
"NO!" I said, a little too loudly.
The first time I bathed here, the maids tried to wash and dress me. But no matter how young my body looks, my mind is still that of a 60-year-old man. Some things I simply can't accept. The butler, with a polite smile, left the room.
I walked into the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror. A young boy stared back—dark purple eyes, black hair… definitely not the traits of my parents. Strange. According to the book, children's features reflect their lineage. What does that make me?
My body was frail, and on my back was a scar shaped like a monster's claw. When I asked about it, they told me I was born with it. That mystery still lingers.
Now, here's what I've gathered about this world:
This is not Earth—it's a planet called Gaia, nearly twice as large. The world runs on a magic system. People's power is ranked from F+ to SSS+. So far, only one human has ever reached SSS+: Gabriel Baratheon, the legendary hero from 200 years ago. His tales are told to children at bedtime—even I remember them.
I was thrilled when I learned this world had magic. There were so many things I wanted to do as a child in my past life, but never could.
Two hundred years ago, portals opened across Gaia, spilling monsters into the world. Humanity nearly fell. But after years of chaos, another wave came—this time, bringing not monsters, but refugees: Elves, Dwarves, Demi-humans, Mermaids, and Dragonkin.
Their own planets had been destroyed by demons, so they sought shelter on Gaia. Together, they helped rebuild society—Elves and Dwarves improving magic and technology, teaching humans how to harness mana.
Then came the first great war. Demons attacked Gaia. They were winning—until Gabriel Baratheon and his dragon, Snow White, descended from the sky. Together with his companions, they drove the demons westward, into a desert wasteland.
After the war, Gabriel founded the Empire, building schools and academies to train the next generation of warriors—preparing for the demons' inevitable return.
The Baratheon family has ruled the Empire for centuries. The current Emperor, Aegon Baratheon, now in his 50s, has two sons and a daughter—all with dazzling gold-white hair.
The Empire, named Minas Tirith, lies in the center of Gaia. Its capital is Nazgûl. To the east is the Elven nation Imladris, with its capital Rivendell, hidden in mist magic. Further east lies the Dwarven nation, Erebor, whose people live underground in sectors, not cities.
Southwest of the Empire lies the massive nation of Pelargir, home to orcs, demi-humans, humans, mermaids, and dragon descendants.
To the north, beyond the Empire's walls, lies the dangerous Darkwood Forest, teeming with monsters. The noble tasked with guarding this frontier is Duke Edward Stark—a name spoken with reverence.
So that's Gaia—at least, as much as I've learned.
Back to my morning. After getting dressed—thankfully by myself—I still looked like a frail child. The butler escorted me to the dining hall, stopping at the large double doors and opening them with a bow.
The sight inside momentarily stunned me—but I didn't let it show.
So this is how the rich live, I thought.
Still adjusting. But this new life… it's mine now.
And I'm not going to waste it.