Chapter 2

Chapter 1

I am a civil servant - 1

This happened about five years ago.

"Who are you?"

"AAAAAAH! Young Master!"

"Doctor, call the doctor again, right away!"

"Young Master, are you alright? Can you see how many fingers I'm holding up?"

I woke up to find myself in an unfamiliar room for the first time, surrounded by unfamiliar people looking down at me for the second time, and then a violent commotion erupted as soon as they asked who I was for the third time. In just five seconds, I was enveloped by three shocks, and that was my first memory in this new life.

Even now, when I think about that moment, my eardrums still seem to ring, but it was understandable, so I feel a bit sorry about it now. If the eldest son of a noble family collapses from a fall and his first words upon waking suggest amnesia, of course everyone would panic. If I had acted a bit more confused, a few servants or maids would have been held responsible and flown away.

"Are you really okay...?"

"I'm fine. I was just a bit dizzy for a moment."

Fortunately, the original owner's memories flooded back immediately, and I was able to dismiss it as a minor incident and send everyone out of the room. Whether it was the original owner's wish to protect the servants and maids who served him, or the magnanimity of someone who put me here, I don't know, but it was probably the latter. If someone had that kind of magnanimity, they wouldn't have put me here in the first place.

"Why me...?"

Reincarnation, transmigration, rebirth, collectively known as "ReiByouKan." When it first appeared, it was a novel concept, but over time, it became so common that it's now hard to find a novel without it. And I ended up being the "transmigration" part of ReiByouKan. Wow, I'm really excited!

The problem is, I don't understand why I ended up being one of the three main types of ReiByouKan. I didn't follow a novel to its conclusion, I didn't write a 5700-character rant about the author's drift, and I didn't suddenly see my monitor shine brightly or get hit by a truck. I just woke up here, in this world.

Let's say I can understand that much. After all, transmigration itself is an unreasonable and sudden phenomenon, so trying to figure out why it happened is meaningless. Did other transmigration protagonists transmigrate by their own will?

'At least they should have been hardcore fans, right?'

The real problem is that I transmigrated into a work I don't know. Well, to be precise, I do know it, but I didn't read it properly. "Young Lady is in Love... something like that." It was a romantic fantasy, and I stumbled upon it while aimlessly browsing the site for something to read. It launched as a webtoon, so I read the free chapters and then dropped it.

It didn't really suit my taste, and I soon found other interesting works, so I quickly forgot about it. Damn, if I had known, I would have finished it.

I was furious at transmigrating into a work I didn't know, but upon reflection, it wasn't a bad condition. In a romantic fantasy, the Demon King won't appear to destroy the world, and there won't be plagues or famines that kill people off. There probably won't be a major war either. Romantic fantasies are busy showing the sweet romances of the characters.

Wait, does that mean I transmigrated into a world where the creator made it easy to live? Moreover, the body I transmigrated into is the eldest son of an imperial baronial family. A noble, blue-blooded layer, indeed. Whoever you are, thank you for transmigrating me here!

"Ah, I've unlocked the easy mode of life."

The more I organized the memories I gained from transmigration, the more I couldn't help but laugh. The original owner, Karl Krasius, is 16 years old. The eldest son and heir of the Krasius family. Not a prodigy, not a crazy troublemaker, just an average noble child.

In other words, I don't need to pretend to be someone else or show a lot of change. I just need to enjoy a happy life as a noble and be as good as everyone else.

The only annoying thing is where the original owner went, but I assume he's dead. Even if he's not, I can't give the body back. So from now on, I'm Karl.

I enjoyed a happy life in this new world, smiling and having fun.

"Our family's glory is due to the grace of the royal family."

For exactly one year.

The day after the New Year when I turned 17, I was summoned by the head of the family, and I nodded reflexively at his words.

During this year, I keenly felt that it was right to agree without hesitation when this die-hard royalist noble praised the emperor and the royal family. The head of the family seemed satisfied with my reflexive agreement and moved on without further comment.

"Our family originally had red blood, not blue. However, 300 years ago, we made great contributions during the invasion of Afels."

"Thanks to that, we received a title and a fief from Emperor Eimanka the Great and rose to the ranks of the nobility. Emperor Eimanka II then made the Krasius family an imperial baron. As the heir of the Krasius family, I have never forgotten his great grace."

"Yes, you know well."

'How can you forget a story you hear once a week?'

I smiled and nodded, passing over the familiar story. Now, he would probably say, "Continue to strive for the royal family," and send me back. It's obvious.

"There is an opportunity to repay that grace, even if only a little."

"Huh?"

I didn't expect that.

Ignoring my question, the head of the family continued, holding out a document.

"There is unrest in the north. Some foolish people are rebelling against the empire's rule. However, the scale of the unrest is too large to ignore, and His Majesty is concerned."

"What a pity."

"Yes. Therefore, as an imperial baron and vassal of the emperor, the Krasius family will contribute to rooting out those who defy His Majesty."

"Are you going to lead the expedition?"

The head of the family nodded calmly. The Krasius family is one of the imperial barons, direct vassals of the emperor, holding the title of Baron Taiglehen. If the head of the family leads the private army of the Taiglehen barony to contribute to the northern pacification, the emperor will gladly accept it. So, the matter at hand is probably to have me manage the barony in his absence.

'No big deal. The butler will handle everything anyway.'

As the heir and acting baron, I just need to stamp my approval. The head of the family already delegates a lot of the barony's business to the butler. I was worried the conversation might take a bad turn, but it was a needless worry. However, as if reading my thoughts, the head of the family changed the subject again.

"It's time for you to enter public service."

"Huh? Me?"

"Yes. At 17, you can either enter the academy or start a career in public service."

"But who will manage the barony if I leave?"

"The butler will handle everything, so it's fine."

Don't say that, you incompetent lord.

"I've found a position for you. They'll tell you what to do when you get there."

'You die-hard royalist...'

Starting a career in public service at 17 is possible under imperial law. However, it's more common to enter the academy. What can a 17-year-old, just barely an adult, do in public service? It's more beneficial to go to the academy, learn various things, and build connections with other noble children or capable commoners.

But the head of the family, ignoring all that, is sending his eldest son into public service. Why? Because the emperor is in a bad mood, and the family needs to send its spare manpower to serve as labor in public service.

And he proudly declares, "Our family's heir, who has just become an adult, is entering public service to serve the royal family and the empire!" It's obvious. If this man did something out of the ordinary, it would reflect poorly on the emperor.

'It's not a bad... choice... for me?'

But it's not a bad choice. The academy? Thinking back to my pre-transmigration life, where I went straight from elementary to high school and then to university, and was about to be kidnapped into graduate school, I don't really want to go. The education at the academy is already handled by private tutors for the most prestigious noble families, and connections are built before or after the three years of study, not during.

On the other hand, the position is arranged by the head of the 'Krasius' family. A representative of the prestigious military nobility and a direct vassal of the emperor, boasting the supreme imperial authority of the Kpelopen Empire. At 17, I won't expect much, but with such a strong background, I can live comfortably... Yeah, it's really not bad.

"I will dedicate my life to serving His Majesty the Emperor."

The head of the family smiled, and I smiled. We headed in different directions, each with a different meaning in our smiles. The head of the family to lead the private army and join the northern pacification force, and I to warm up the seat he arranged, presumably a land of milk and honey.

Four years passed.

"Damn, I should have clenched my teeth and gone to the academy."

The position the head of the family arranged was not a land of milk and honey but a place of blood, tears, and wailing. For four years, I experienced chaos before and after the five-minute mark. Those four years were enough to turn a 17-year-old, eager to enjoy life, into a 21-year-old adult who has experienced the world and hopes to retire. I just escaped after being yelled at by the minister for two hours.

"Damn civil servant life."

The academy... Will they accept a 21-year-old?

Author's Note

Thank you for reading!