Chapter 3

As I looked up at the old man, he had completely transformed from the jovial figure who was with Mother. Indeed, he is the head of the Marcosias family, which has continued unbroken since the founding of the country.

"It's been a while, Grandfather. You're quite efficient, aren't you?"

It's as if you had been preparing for this all along.

"Because I received a message from Henzel that the prince had moved."

That old man, huh.

He always seems to appear out of nowhere, standing behind Mother. You can't even hear his footsteps when he walks, and he has a different presence from Mother's guard knights, as if he makes no unnecessary movements...

The old man is a different kind of jovial figure from the one in front of Mother, and he's a bit creepy.

If he's capable of that, he could probably manage the Marcosias family, but he says, "I have a heavy workload, you know." Even though I didn't say anything.

When did that old man contact Grandfather? How? Oh, maybe with a magical artifact? After all, in this world, magic and magical artifacts exist, so it's possible to communicate instantly from specific locations.

Still, why me? I don't think anything I did would make Grandfather come to fetch Mother so quickly.

Could it be that I was being monitored by that old man?

The ones who are always with me are not that old man, but a pair of creepy servants and maids who look exactly the same but are of different genders.

They are supposed to be my caretakers, and when I move around alone, they both follow me.

Did they report something?

While I was deep in thought, Grandfather looked at me with a searching gaze.

"Prince Ryugen Albert. Are you the son of my daughter Liselotte and my grandson Albert?"

Even if I'm neglected, I'm still of royal blood, so Grandfather doesn't speak to me informally.

But, since everyone here is arranged by Grandfather, I don't think it's necessary to be so formal.

"What do you mean?"

"…Compared to the prince before yesterday, your personality seems to have completely changed."

That's what the old butler said.

"Compared to the me before yesterday?"

In response to my question, Grandfather fell silent, perhaps not expecting to be questioned.

Still, I can't hide the fact that I've changed.

When I heard the sound of destruction from the hysterical outburst of Mother, breaking vases and other art pieces, I finally realized that my thoughts and this body were in sync.

At the same time, I gained the memories of someone else, not the me from before.

Are these the memories of my past life, or did I possess someone from another world? No, the latter is unlikely.

Because I am the me who has lived here all along.

However, the me until yesterday, or rather until just now, was filled with only uncertainty about the future.

Before the memories of my past life were installed, I always seemed to be in a daze, never initiating conversations or taking any proactive actions.

This was because my thoughts and my body were not in sync. Perhaps the people around me, especially the servants in the palace, thought of me as a slightly deficient prince?

However, in a way, this was a good cover for me.

The servants in the palace didn't treat me rudely, but rather they goaded me excessively.

They never got angry or scolded me, and they always smiled and said, "Oh, what a wonderful prince," "As expected of the prince," using only meaningless, overly kind words to flatter and inflate my vanity.

Ah, anyone who knows the palace would immediately understand this.

They are making a fool out of me.

The first in line to the throne of the Kingdom of Rave is the firstborn child of the king. Whether the firstborn is from the queen or a concubine, there is no priority.

The firstborn of the king automatically becomes the crown prince upon reaching adulthood.

In other words, the king is trying to make the second prince, born to the queen, the next king by guiding the first prince, born to a concubine, to become an intolerably arrogant and haughty person.

With no emotional education, when Mother had a hysterical outburst, I would either run away and hide or just stare blankly, not knowing what to do.

Now, I approach her, comfort her, and even suggest, "Is that man necessary? Maybe we should get rid of him?"

This is not the behavior of the previous Ryugen Albert, who, when faced with a crying mother, didn't know what to do and ended up doing nothing.

It's no wonder people might suspect I'm possessed by a demon.

No, I'm not possessed by a demon, but by my past self, who lived in a slightly more advanced era.

"I am me. Just, um, let's say my brain circuits have connected."

I look up at Grandfather and speak without hesitation.

The circuits that connected are my thoughts and my body. But this explanation isn't wrong.

"Circuits?"

"Does it make sense if I say that something that was disconnected has been connected? So, I've noticed that the situation I'm in and the treatment Mother receives are not just a little, but quite strange."

In response to my answer, Grandfather's face showed shock, and he knelt and bowed his head.

"I am deeply sorry for the misfortune I have caused the prince. I humbly apologize."

Ah, Grandfather must have been concerned not only about Mother but also about my situation.

After all, I am the first prince and will be six years old soon, yet I am still left in the concubine's palace.

Normally, wouldn't the direct descendant of the king, especially the first prince, be moved to the prince's palace immediately after birth and receive emotional education and manners as a royal from infancy?

Leaving me with my mother, a concubine, and not providing me with royal education is the answer of the king and his merry companions.

Even if Grandfather is from a noble family that has continued since the founding of the country and is a marquis, he cannot easily interfere with the affairs of the royal family.

"I call you Grandfather, not Marquis Marcosias Fulftball."

I imply that I want to be the son of Liselotte Yuria Marcosias, not the first prince of the royal family, and Grandfather's eyes moisten as he embraces me.

"Albert! I'm sorry for being late!"

"No, it's fine. You arrived just in time."

Yes, it's still not too late.

The royal family, the king, and his merry companions are still in the process of making me a fool.

I was always in a daze, but they want me to become a foolish person who will act inappropriately in the future.

That's why they don't scold me, but instead inflate my self-esteem and guide me to become a mass of vanity.

But it's still in the middle stages.

My circuits have connected, and I've remembered my past life.

There's still plenty of time to break away from this royal family.

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