2 Chapter 1: Reincarnation

Amidst the snow-capped mountains and icy tundras of a far-flung, secluded realm lies a kingdom veiled in seemingly never-ending snow.

A land where time seems to stand still and where the winds whisper secrets only to those who are willing to listen.

Here, the kingdom's people live in harmony with the unforgiving elements, rugged and unyielding like the terrain that surrounds them.

They are sturdy folk, their faces etched with lines of fortitude, their eyes gleaming with fierce pride and independence.

Located in the north of the continent, it had the coldest temperatures and the shortest summers. It was ruled by women, whereas men were treated as second-class citizens.

The kingdom's capital, a sprawling citadel of towering spires and ornate domes, rises from the frozen earth like a jewel in a sea of white.

Within its walls, the monarch births her fourth offspring. Her room was filled with the brightest minds and most skilled midwives the kingdom had to offer.

"AAARGGHHH!!" The monarch's agonized cry echoed throughout the castle, ripping through every corner and every crevice as if her pain could never be forgotten.

After hours of grueling labor, the monarch lets out a final scream as her child is born. The midwives hold their breath as they wait for the baby to cry, but the room remains silent.

The baby opened its eyes, staring eye to eye with the midwives before moving to the next one.

The midwives' faces went pale, and their hands shook as they looked upon the baby. Its eyes were wide and unblinking. Its gaze seemed to penetrate their souls.

The midwives' faces were pale and drawn, their hands trembling as they looked upon the newborn baby. Its eyes were a deep, dark shade, like the bottomless depths of the abyss.

Its gaze was intense and penetrating, filled with a power and force that seemed to go beyond what any human child should possess.

The midwives felt a chill run down their spines as the baby studied them in unnerving silence.

"Where am I? What is this place?" The baby tried to speak, but its undeveloped vocal cords could only produce a soft, gurgling sound.

The midwives exchanged nervous glances, unsure of what to do. This was unlike any birth they had ever witnessed before.

The monarch, exhausted and weak, beckoned the midwives to bring the baby to her. As they placed the child in her arms, she felt the warmth and safety of her newborn's embrace, and her heart filled with love and joy.

"A name... we must give him a name," she whispered, looking at her newborn with tenderness. "What shall we call you, my precious one?"

Finally, the monarch announced that the baby would be known as Thomas. The name was a homage to the first and only male monarch in the Aquinas Kingdom's history.

Six months have passed since the birth of Thomas Aquinas.

The young prince had grown quickly and was able to walk upright and even speak a few words, a feat that amazed and distressed the monarch and her courtiers.

"A prodigy! That child is a prodigy!" A courtier exclaimed, watching in awe as Thomas recited the alphabet in perfect order and read complex words from a book.

"But he is a man... A man cannot sit on the throne," the monarch responded with a heavy heart, knowing the matriarchal traditions of their kingdom.

Despite her love for her son, she knew that the people of Aquinas would never accept a male monarch. Women had ruled the kingdom for centuries, and the idea of a man sitting on the throne was unheard of.

"There are a few alternate ways we can think of, your majesty." One of the courtiers piped up, sensing the queen's distress. "Perhaps we should appoint him as a courtier should he grow to live up to his potential? The prince could serve the kingdom and be a valuable asset to your rule, your majesty."

The queen considered this for a moment, her mind racing with the possibilities. "Yes, that could work." She nodded slowly. "Thomas may not be able to take the throne, but he can still serve his kingdom in other ways. I will appoint him as a courtier and ensure that he receives the best education and training possible."

And so Thomas grew up in the palace, learning about politics, history, and warfare at the young age of six months.

Three years have passed since his birth, and the prince has become a young child.

A faint cracking noise emanated from the prince's flesh as he brought his body down to the ground and up again, performing a push-up.

"This... hurts." He grunted as he continued to push himself up and down.

His body collapsed to the ground, exhausted.

"No... this isn't enough!" He shouted in his mind, berating himself for his weakness.

Thomas gritted his teeth and pushed himself up once more, the cracking noise returning as he felt his muscles strain. He forced himself to keep going, to keep pushing until he couldn't anymore.

"This pain... is nothing... compared to the years... the family... the world I've lost." He muttered through gritted teeth. His arms shook with tremors, and sweat dripped down his face.

"Fight. The only way to survive is to keep fighting." He repeated to himself.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps approaching. Thomas quickly stood up, wiping the sweat off his brow. It was his caretaker, an elderly woman who had taken care of him since he was born.

"Your Highness, it's time for your lessons," she said, her voice soft and kind.

Thomas nodded, his royal status weighing heavily on his shoulders. He couldn't afford to show any weakness in front of his subjects.

As they walked, Thomas noticed a group of maids looking at him with aversion. He knew that they resented him for his privileged life despite being a man. It wasn't the first time he had encountered this type of hostility, but he tried to ignore it.

Upon reaching the study, Thomas took a deep breath, trying to control his emotions. His tutor, a strict and stern woman, was already waiting for him.

"Your Highness, we will continue with the lesson on politics today," the tutor said, her tone formal.

Thomas nodded, taking his seat and pulling out his notebook.

The tutor began discussing a certain political situation before Thomas interrupted her. He argued against her point of view, citing historical facts to back up his opinion.

Surprised by the prince's boldness, the tutor countered with her own argument.

Thomas listened intently as the tutor began to explain a political situation. As she spoke, Thomas disagreed with her assessment and decided to interject his own thoughts.

"Your Majesty," he began, using the royal term of address for his tutor, "I'm not sure that this is the best course of action."

He went on to cite historical examples from both his kingdom and other nations that showed why this particular problem could be solved without resorting to violence or aggression.

The tutor listened patiently, nodding in agreement at certain points and then raising her voice when Thomas made an argument she found unconvincing. At the end of Thomas' monologue, she quirked an eyebrow and smiled.

"Well done, Your Highness. It seems you have a keen eye for politics. What do you think we should do then?"

Thomas thought hard before replying. He knew that any decision he made now would affect thousands of people, and so he had to choose carefully. Taking a deep breath, he finally shook his head and admitted:

"I think we should try our best not to resort to violence or aggression if possible. We should use diplomacy and tact in order to resolve this situation peacefully. War should only be used as a last resort after all other methods have failed."

The tutor nodded in agreement. She knew that Thomas was wise beyond his years, and she respected his opinion.

"You are right, Your Highness," she said, "War is a waste of resources, and it should be avoided at all costs. However, we must also be prepared to defend ourselves if necessary. Perhaps we could send a delegation to negotiate a peace treaty with the other kingdom and try to find a compromise that benefits both sides."

Thomas nodded, agreeing with the tutor's suggestion. He knew that negotiating a peace treaty was not an easy task.

Finally, the lesson was over, and Thomas returned to his room. He lay down on his bed and closed his eyes, exhausted from the day's events.

As he drifted to sleep, he remembered how he ended up in this world.

A dark world like the vast expanse of space. Yet, there were no stars in sight, only darkness and shadows. Yuuto looked around, confused and disoriented.

But all he could see was an endless void. It wasn't until he heard a voice whisper out to him that he realized he wasn't alone.

"Child... why, no... how have you come to this place?" The voice echoed, sending shivers down Yuuto's spine.

He turned around and saw a figure emerging from the shadows.

As if a switch had been flipped, the darkness lifted, and the figure became clearer.

It was a grotesque otherworldly creature. A giant squid-like creature with thousands of tentacles writhing like worms after being poured with salt.

Yuuto took a step back, his heart racing in his chest. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. The creature spoke again, its voice reverberating through the emptiness of the void.

"Do not fear me, child. I am not here to harm you."

Yuuto remained silent, his eyes fixed on the creature.

The creature continued to speak, its voice soothing and calming.

"I...no, we have been waiting for you, child. You possess something that I seek. Something that is of great importance to us."

Yuuto's curiosity was piqued. He cautiously asked, "What is it that you seek from me?"

The creature beckoned him closer, opening its tentacles in a welcoming gesture. Yuuto hesitated, but his curiosity got the better of him. He took a few steps forward until he was standing just a few feet away from the creature.

The creature wrapped its tentacles around Yuuto, wrapping him until his body was completely enveloped. Yuuto felt a wave of fear wash over him, but the creature's voice continued to soothe him.

"This is a waste of time. There's nothing useful in this child. After billions of years, do you really still think we'll get out of this place?" A voice suddenly interrupted.

"Ohoho, this place is great. We are inside a massive source of negative mana. Why would you want to leave?" Another voice replied.

Yuuto's mind was racing as he tried to make sense of what was happening. He couldn't see anything, but he could feel the tentacles tightening around him. He struggled to break free, but the creature's grip was too strong.

"What use is the point of having a negative mana source if we can't even use it? Didn't that 'being' state that this place is a prison?"

The creature's tentacles loosened around Yuuto as its attention was drawn to the argument. He took the opportunity to catch his breath and listen in on their conversation.

"For a crime that we didn't even commit? Why must we pay for the crimes of our kind!?" Another voice chimed in, anger tainting their tone.

"Aren't you forgetting that we joined the rebellion?"

"That's true, but we didn't even slaughter a single ant, let alone a single shadow." The voice replied, indignation coloring their words.

Yuuto's mind was reeling. Rebellion? Slaughter? Ants? Shadow? What was going on? He tried to move his arms and legs, but his body was still too weak.

The argument between the creatures continued, their voices rising and falling in intensity.

"This child must've been a drifter. It appears that thing is calling out to him. He could be useful to us." The first voice suddenly said, catching Yuuto's attention.

Useful? Yuuto thought. What could he possibly be useful for? And what were these creatures even talking about?

"Are you out of your mind? You want to give him a curse?" One of the creatures replied in disbelief.

Yuuto's heart raced as he heard the word "curse." What did they mean by that?

"A minor one. Just enough to make him resilient." The first voice reasoned.

That was his last memory in that place. When he woke up again, he was being held by a group of women staring at him. Yet, the most surprising thing was that his body had become that of an infant.

"Thomas. Your name will be Thomas." One of the women spoke softly as she cradled him.

It all dawned on him. He was reincarnated.