Chapter 1

It's like an angel.

"Woo, baa..."

Holding the baby in his arms and seeing the baby smile, Enoch Rubinstein had his first thought.

Two months old.

The baby had only been in the world for two months, but it seemed to know that the man holding it was its father.

"Biaa."

Fine, silken hair and clear, blue eyes.

Enoch, who had been staring at the baby that looked just like him, was taken aback by an unfamiliar feeling that stirred in his chest.

It was an irresistible pull.

A bond of blood, and perhaps even affection...

'Why?'

Enoch couldn't understand why he felt such emotions.

Like most of the empire's capable individuals, he had a child created to continue the family line, much like a stud.

He thought he wouldn't feel anything.

Just a small being with the same blood as him, who would grow up to be a capable individual, a noble, and a soldier, living as a dog of the empire...

'I don't like it.'

He was overwhelmed by a strong impulse.

'I don't want him to live like me.'

The moment he made up his mind, his heart began to race. He quietly slipped out of the tent with the baby in his arms.

Outside, the battlefield was in a lull.

Unextinguished fires still smoldered, sending up thick smoke.

The sight only strengthened his resolve.

'You... can't.'

Both parents were top-tier capable individuals, and the baby's abilities were beyond question.

As a sword, a shield, or a staff of the homeland... the baby would spend more than half of its life on the battlefield.

"Trying to run away?"

A voice tinged with amusement slowly stopped him in his tracks. Enoch swallowed and slowly turned around.

The woman who appeared from the darkness was the baby's mother.

"Surely not with the baby?"

She had gone to war while pregnant and given birth during the conflict, rejoining the ranks a month later.

While some might not understand the situation of sending a pregnant woman to the battlefield, the duty of a capable individual was, sadly, just that.

"What are you thinking?"

"I don't want to raise him like me."

"He's my child too."

The woman sneered.

Enoch's thoughts about the baby in his arms were brief.

"Then, let's go together."

"Hahaha, you're more impulsive than I thought."

The woman, who had been laughing, took a step closer.

"We were born as capable individuals, lived as nobles, and will die as such... and so will this child."

"..."

"Well, I understand your feelings. It's even more so because it's a daughter. I've been thinking a lot too."

The woman brushed past Enoch.

"Go."

Enoch was surprised and then realized.

The woman must have had the same thoughts while looking at the baby.

She didn't want the baby to live like this...

"I'm thinking of going to Zyon. I'm not sure if I'll stay there, though."

It was like a deserter revealing their whereabouts, but...

The woman was the baby's mother. She had the right to know.

"Alright. Good luck."

With the woman's brief farewell, Enoch disappeared into the darkness.

That day.

Thus, the empire's only Sword Saint, Enoch Rubinstein, vanished.

Seven years ago.

* * *

Chirp chirp chirp—

Through the window of the old cabin, the morning sun shone brightly.

"Our princess, it's morning. Wake up, please."

"Umm... five more minutes."

"No, no. We need to get up and have breakfast quickly."

As the hand pulled back the blanket, I forced my heavy eyelids open.

The woman wearing a cute cherry apron and holding a spatula was none other than James Brown, my dad.

"Ugh, I'm not hungry."

"Dad made your favorite scrambled eggs, and they're really delicious."

Dad picked me up from under the blanket as I tried to burrow back in.

I closed my eyes again and sniffed Dad's neck.

"Sniff sniff. It smells like broccoli in water too, not just scrambled eggs?"

"Ah!"

Dad was taken aback. My eyes snapped open.

"Ah! I said I don't like broccoli!"

"Shh, our princess, Lylis. Let's just eat two pieces of broccoli today. Then I'll give you a chocolate macaron with apple jam for dessert."

"Hmm."

Trying to negotiate with a childish offer of a chocolate macaron with apple jam.

Does he really think I'd fall for that and eat the tasteless broccoli?

"Alright. Just two pieces, then."

...Good observation. That's exactly the kind of kid I am.

It's only two pieces, after all.

"Whoa, whose daughter is so well-behaved?"

Dad chuckled and kissed my chubby cheeks.

Mr. James, the master of housekeeping, was also a master of parenting.

* * *

My name is Lylis Brown.

I'm seven years old.

A young child with a somewhat special secret, slowly remembering my past life as I grow.

"Ah, try it."

"Ah."

Chika chika.

"This time, ee."

"Ee ee..."

Even though I can do it myself, I giggled at Dad's face as he insisted on helping me brush my teeth.

"Why are you laughing?"

"Au go to ai ya. (It's nothing.)"

With 25 years of memories from my past life and 7 years from this one, I have a total of 32 years of life experience.

Yet, my dad, James (27), treats me like a baby and even helps me brush my teeth.

I'm actually a child with a secret...

"Alright, wiggle wiggle. Ptoo."

"Wiggle wiggle. Ptoo."

After spitting out the toothpaste, Dad picked me up again and wiped my mouth with a towel.

"Hey, mister. I have legs, you know?"

"I know. But princesses don't move. They just wiggle their fingers, and the servants do everything for them."

"Ugh, Dad. If you keep spoiling me like this, what will happen when I develop bad habits?"

Dad, who was heading to the kitchen, paused and laughed.

"Our Lylis talks like an adult."

That's because I am an adult.

Memories from my past life started to return when I was about three years old, and now, at seven, I remember everything perfectly.

I also realized that this world is from a fantasy novel I read in my past life.

"Alright, brave Princess Lylis! Let's defeat the evil Baron Broccoli today!"

"Ugh."

Scrambled eggs and sausages...

I sighed as I poked at the two shyly placed cooked broccoli pieces with my fork.

Memories from my past life returned slowly, and until then, I was just like any other baby.

Even now, if I don't deliberately recall them, my past life feels hazy.

Instinctively, I immerse myself in my current life...

'Should I hide the broccoli under the scrambled eggs?'

Even though I can think like an adult, I still hate broccoli.

"Umm, how should I do your hair today? Bunny ears? Or princess style?"

Dad, who had pulled a chair behind me, asked while brushing my hair.

Bunny ears mean two pigtails, and princess style means a half-up, half-down look.

"Dad, am I a kid? Just do a ponytail."

Dad, who paused, burst out laughing.

"Our princess is still a baby. You don't even reach Dad's waist."

"Only in size?"

I grow more slowly than other kids my age. I'm even smaller than Jimmy, the youngest son of the apple tree house, who is five.

But I'm fully mature inside.

Now that I can think like a complete adult.

'Hmm, but... it's good to be a smart kid, but I shouldn't make adults feel too strange, right?'

Deciding to hide my secret well, I agreed to the bunny ears and even stuck out my tongue.

"Just do the bunny ears."

"Bunny? Okay."

Dad skillfully tied my hair.

"Ah, so cute. Whose daughter is this cute? Huh?"

"Ugh, no kisses!"

Dad's kisses, which pressed my cheeks like a pancake, made me feel squished.

"Right, princess. Dad has to go to the market today, so go play at the neighbor's house. I'll tell Aunt Susan."

"Why? Can't I go with you?"

I asked, swinging my short legs that didn't touch the ground.

"Not for now. There are scary soldiers around these days."

"Tch."

The scary soldiers Dad mentioned are elite troops from the imperial royal family.

Even in this remote village, which is ten thousand miles from the capital, imperial troops occasionally come to find 'capable individuals.'

"But it doesn't matter to me. I don't have even a speck of ability."

"Still no. It's dangerous."

Don't worry unnecessarily.

'Dad, you don't know, but we're just extras in this world of amazing protagonists. We're just one of the countless citizens, one of the many non-capable individuals!'

I held back what I wanted to say.

This world is from the fantasy novel, "Dos's Rebellion."

The most distinctive feature of this novel is that the world is divided into 'capable individuals' and 'non-capable individuals.'

In simple terms, if you can use magic, you're a capable individual; if not, you're a non-capable individual.

Non-capable individuals are ordinary humans and don't even qualify as supporting characters in this novel.

That's exactly who I am and my dad.

"But... I like it! Haha, being born ordinary is a huge blessing?!"

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

I looked at my dad, who tilted his head in confusion, with satisfaction.

He's a perfect dad—tall, well-built, incredibly handsome, and a doting father—but he's clearly an extra.

Ordinary brown hair, brown eyes, and a common last name 'Brown.' Even his first name, 'James,' is so common that you'd meet two out of ten people with it on the street.

"It's a scary world. I love living a simple, happy life with just Dad. I'm so happy!"

In a world where only capable individuals have noble titles and are treated well.

A pyramid class system based on ability.

Frequent wars and the use of capable individuals in them.

And a story where even main characters die mercilessly...

If this is "Dos's Rebellion," where every page is filled with turmoil, being an extra with no name is truly a sweet life.

I was grateful to God for realizing my role as 'Citizen 1' and 'Extra 1.'

"...Yeah, you're right. I'm happy as long as I have our princess."

Looking at my dad, James, who smiled awkwardly, I firmly ate the two pieces of broccoli.