Rumble
It was night, and the LED lights illuminated a small apartment. The light flickered from time to time, disturbed by the thunderous storm outside. Rain poured heavily, and not a single person could be seen on the road.
Roy focused on the motherboard lay out in front of him. He firmly gripped the small screwdriver in his hand and tightened the last bolt, letting out a long sigh of relief. He had been working for hours, trying to fix and improve his computer for some heavy coding.
At 28, Roy was still considered young. He worked as a tech engineer in a very small company—just four people in total—and he was the lead engineer. He dabbled in both hardware and software, a useful combination for his career.
He slotted the motherboard back into the CPU case and reattached all the wires and components. His desk was a chaotic mess of tangled wires and random parts that most would consider junk—but to him, they were treasures.
He powered on the computer and sighed in relief again. He really didn't want to spend money on a new one, so buying some small parts and improving it himself was the best and cheapest option for him. As he sat in his chair, his fingers moved automatically over the keyboard, thrilled as the codes began to appear on the screen.
Haah
A deep yawn escaped his lips, reminding him of his fatigue. Shaking his head, he grabbed the half-filled energy drink from the side table and gulped it down.
"It feels good to have an energy drink. I'm glad I bought the Melon flavor," he muttered chugging down the bottle.
He refocused on the screen. Though his body was exhausted, his mind felt slightly refreshed. He had to finish the code—it was his lifeline. Just one more hour, and he could finally sleep, free from worry.
Just as he typed the final line and hit Enter, something felt off. The world tilted sideways, and suddenly, instead of his computer screen, he was staring at the mess of wires beneath his desk.
"What happened?"
Confusion clouded his mind. Why was he lying on the floor? He had just been typing. How did things change so fast?
Did I fall asleep? And then fall off my chair?
He tried to move but couldn't feel his limbs. Panic began to rise.
Is this sleep paralysis?
He chuckled weakly in his thoughts and tried to refocus. But his eyelids grew heavy, and no matter how hard he tried to stay awake, they refused to stay open.
Looks like my body needs more rest than I thought. I guess I'm not that young anymore. Oh well... I'll just sleep here. Not the first time I've crashed on the floor. My back is going to be sore when I wake up. Strange, I'm not even feeling cold—
---
Roy woke up to sunlight streaming through a window, directly onto his face. The brightness was jarring. He lifted a hand to shield his eyes.
The bed beneath him was soft. There was a gentle fragrance in the air, further adding to his confusion.
Wasn't I on the floor? How did I end up in bed? Am I in a hospital?
He forced his eyes open and looked around. To his dismay, this wasn't his room—nor was it a hospital. The room was large, elegant, and decorated in a style straight out of a medieval movie. He looked around the big room, he was on a big bed, the window was big and even the mirror to his corner was big.
He glanced down at himself—and froze.
"What the hell?"
His legs looked shorter. So did his arms. His hands were small—like a child's. He scrambled to his feet and staggered toward the large mirror, heart pounding.
"No way..."
He stared at the reflection—a 10-year-old boy with fair skin, short grey hair, and piercing blue eyes. Nothing like his old self. He touched his face, watching the reflection mirror him in shock.
Just then, a knock came at the door. He turned instinctively, only now noticing it.
"Are you awake, young master?" a soft, feminine voice called.
He hesitated. What should he say?
"Yes... Come in," he finally replied.
The door opened, and a woman in her twenties stepped in. She wore a plain outfit and had her blonde hair tied in a bun. She was... stunning.
"Good morning, young master," she said, bowing politely.
Her voice snapped him out of his daze. He had drifted into his thoughts again.
"Good morning," he replied stiffly.
"Young master, breakfast is being prepared. Please bathe and get dressed. The Lord expects everyone to gather in the hall shortly."
"Hmm. Okay."
She bowed again and turned to leave.
"Wait," he called after her. She paused, glancing back.
"Take me to the bathroom," he said, clearing his throat.
Thankfully, she didn't question him and led him to a bathroom twice the size of his old apartment. A large tub of warm water waited, with neatly folded clothes, soap, and a towel nearby.
After the bath, Roy felt more composed. He'd accepted the truth: he'd died and reincarnated into this new world, now inhabiting the body of a young noble boy. What he needed next was information—his new name and the situation he was in, but one thing was sure that this was a world in the medieval era and he was probably a noble.
He considered asking the maid but thought better of it. It might raise suspicions about memory loss. Better to play along.
He learned her name—Sara—and pretended he had simply forgotten it in passing. Her confusion was clear, but he maintained the aloofness he imagined a noble would.
She led him downstairs to a large dining hall with a long table surrounded by chairs. Sara guided him to his seat, and only then did he take note of the others present.
At the far end of the table sat a stern-looking middle-aged man with long hair, a clean-shaven face, and a scar running from his lips to his ear. He radiated nobility.
Is that my father? What kind of mess have I been thrown into?
To the man's right sat four middle-aged women, heavily made up but surprisingly attractive.
I wonder if one of them is my mother... they look way better than most back on Earth.
On his side of the table, to the left of the scarred man, sat a stoic young man in his twenties, a similarly cold-looking young woman beside him, followed by a teenage boy, and three more kids around his own age.
So... four brothers and two sisters? That's a big family.
"Everyone is here now."
The deep voice cut through the room. Roy turned to the man at the head of the table.
"You all know why I've called you here."
Everyone nodded. Roy mimicked them.
"Tomorrow is the Awakening Ceremony. Sean, Maria, Karen, and Sellas—you will all be twelve and undergo your Awakening." He paused, glancing toward Roy and the three others. "You are children of Admar Thorrin, of the Thorrin Ducal Family. I expect each of you to awaken as Mages. If not, you do not belong to this family."
Mage? Like, real magic?
Roy's heart raced at the thought. A world of magic! This was a fantasy come true.
"Sellas. Did you hear me?"
Someone elbowed him. He turned to see his brother, who was looking toward his father, beside him sitting casually. Before he could ask why he elbowed him, a voice rang in his ears.
"Sellas. Did you hear what I said?"
Roy turned to the man—Admar, his father. Everyone was looking at him.
Sellas... Is that my new name?
"Ye…Yes," he said quickly, wondering if he was the once being called.
Admar nodded and turned to a man, whom he considered his father's butler, standing nearby.
"Albert, prepare for tomorrow. There will be three new mages joining this household. Also begin preparations for the Imperial Mage Academy. They leave the day after the ceremony."
"As you command, my lord," Albert bowed.
Roy—now Sellas—remained silent as the family talked. He learned bits and pieces:
His eldest brother, James, was in the Imperial Army.His eldest sister, Emilia, worked with the Mage Association.His second-oldest brother, Kail, was at the Mage Academy.His third brother, Sean, elbowed him.His second sister, Maria, sat beside Sean.His fourth brother, Karen, sat in between Maria and Kail.
(Note: Roy will be referred to as Sellas from this point onward, his new identity.)
When the meal arrived, Sellas copied the others, clumsily trying to eat like a noble. Luckily, no one paid him much attention.
"You four are excused from training today," Admar said, wiping his hands. "Rest well and prepare for tomorrow."
Everyone began to disperse. Sellas stood up and made his way back to his room.
The discovery of magic had changed everything. He needed to regroup—plan for what came next, especially the awakening ceremony which was going to happen tomorrow.
Then, a thought struck him. He turned back.
"Sara, where is the library?"