Mcʼs POV
The first thing I remember is pain — crushing, burning pain that tore through my skull as if invisible hands were trying to pry it open from the inside. The sensation was overwhelming, suffocating, and for a moment I thought I was dying.
Light seeped into my vision in blurry shapes. My eyelids felt heavy, like they had weights stitched into them, but I forced them open just enough to see two figures hovering over me. A man and a woman… their faces bright, flushed with joy.
I didn't know why, but the moment my gaze met theirs, tears spilled from my eyes—hot and unstoppable.
I cried without understanding the reason.
Maybe it was fear, the shock of being thrust into a new world.
Or maybe… maybe it was because somewhere in the back of my mind, I remembered something. A story. A fate.
But I couldn't grasp it fully.
---
Darian's POV
"Selara… look!" Darian's voice trembled, thick with emotion, as he held the tiny bundle wrapped in soft silk. His arms — strong enough to wield a broadsword — shook as if he were a child picking up something impossibly precious.
"Look at our son, Selara. I finally have a son. I finally… have an heir."
There was no shame in the tears brimming in his eyes. Years of sleepless nights filled with quiet despair, years of wondering whether the bloodline would end with him — all of it had led to this moment.
For generations, the Ravenor Dukes had stood as the empire's shield, warriors whose names echoed in every corner of Valtherion. And now, at last, the line would continue.
With his son.
---
Selara's POV
The birth had been long — painfully long. Every contraction felt like fire ripping through her bones, But Selara had never feared pain. She had been raised among royalty, trained to maintain grace even under the weight of crowns.
Still… this suffering had been different. Too consuming.
Yet as she looked at the small life in her arms, all of it felt worth it.
After fifteen years of marriage…
After fifteen years of hoping, worrying, trembling at every failed attempt…
After fifteen years of smiling through the pain so no one would see her heartbreak…
Their miracle had finally arrived.
Her son — warm, alive.
He cried loudly, his body trembling, and though it stung that the first thing he did upon seeing them was cry in terror or confusion, Selara couldn't bring herself to mind. He was here, and that alone made everything beautiful.
But still… she narrowed her eyes playfully at her husband.
"Darian," she said with a soft but teasing tone, "stop laughing like a madman. Our son probably started crying after seeing your smile. For a moment, I thought he didn't like us."
Duke Darian froze mid-laugh, face blank with disbelief.
"Can't I even be happy after waiting so many years?" he complained. "And… well, it's true I make a lot of children cry."
Selara burst into laughter, unable to hold it back.
"You sure do, dear. You sure do."
His dramatic sigh only made her laugh more. Their shared joy filled the room like sunlight.
Then Darian's expression shifted, as if struck by a sudden idea.
"Dear… what shall we name him? Shall we use the one we agreed on, or do you have something else in mind?"
Selara paused. Names held power — especially in noble families. But then she smiled warmly.
"Yes," she whispered, brushing her fingers against the newborn's cheek. "I have a name. What do you think… Kael?"
Darian blinked, but then his stern face softened into a tender smile.
"A wonderful name, dear… perfectly fitting for my son— oh, I mean, our son." He grinned sheepishly, unable to hide his excitement.
Before they could continue their playful bickering, the midwife — who had been watching them with moist eyes — cleared her throat delicately.
"My lady," she said, "the young master must be hungry."
---
Kael's POV
The moment my mother pressed me against her bare chest, the world seemed to shift. Warmth enveloped me, very soft, and the rhythmic beating of her heart soothed the lingering pain in my skull.
Instinct took over, guiding me to latch onto her. The warmth of her milk spread through me.
While I fed, I listened— laughter and words floating through the air. Names cut through the haze clearer than the rest:
Selara.
Darian.
Heir.
Ravenor.
These weren't random names. I knew them. Knew the story they belonged to. I read that novel before but when?
And then another name reached me — Kael.
Is that my name? They are naming child and I think I am only child here so they are naming me. What, they are naming me Kael?
That single word triggered a cold shiver inside my new body.
Kael Ravenor.
The minor villain of the story.
The man destined to die early.
Realization struck, like ice across still water.
I had been reincarnated as the son of the Ravenor family. A family whose power was second only to the royal family. A family blessed with wealth, honor, martial prowess.
By all rights, I should be happy. Noble life in fantasy world, you can do what you want, and people do what you want.
But I knew there is a catch. There is always catch.
In the story, the Ravenor heir became villain, executed by the heroes summoned from Earth.
The very thought twisted inside my chest.
I need time.
Time to remember each event and every character. But right now… everything is hazy.
Every memory floats like smoke, slipping through my fingers the moment I try to clutch it.
My eyelids grew heavy once more, exhaustion creeping through my tiny body. No I canʼt fall asleep during such important time. I need to remember, I need to remember plot... . Slowly, my thoughts dimmed. My mother's warmth wrapped around me like a protective cocoon, I couldnʼt resist it and fall into sleep.
---
Darian and Selara's POV
From above, parents watched silently.
Darian let out a low chuckle.
"After crying like his life depended on it… he sleeps as if nothing happened."
Selara laughed softly, brushing her fingers through Kael's head.
"He's adorable. I feel like my heart might burst every time I look at him."
Their joy lingered in the air like sunlight — bright and soft.
If only they knew the shadows hidden within the future of the child sleeping peacefully in their arms…
But for now, the world was quiet.
For now, Kael slept.
And for now… no one knew the storm that would one day rise from this tiny infant.