[MC's POV]
Even before the man — who was most probably my father — started talking, I had already recounted a dozen clichés related to families and reincarnated characters. My mind was running wild with scenarios, from being tossed out for being "abnormal" to being hailed as some divine prodigy. I just hoped they wouldn't try to kill me or sell me off. Everything else, I could tackle once I grew up a little.
The golden-haired man spoke with a solemn face, "When you were in labour, something happened..."
He went on to explain how some weirdo Oracle had tried to look into my future — or possible futures — but instead got his ass handed to him and was now lying in bed whining. That part, honestly, pleased me more than it should have. If that fool couldn't peek into my future, maybe no one else could look into my past either. The thought alone brought a strange wave of relief over me.
Then, my supposed father started talking about how he and his father — wait, that creepy old man was my grandfather? Great. I could already tell we weren't going to get along.
The next words that came out of his mouth made my heart skip a beat.
"They thought... you were the reincarnation of some near-omnipotent being."
I almost forgot how to breathe at the word reincarnation, but then exhaled sharply when he followed it up with powerful being. Me? A powerful being? If that were true, I wouldn't have messed up my own rebirth this badly. Whatever the case, he explained further that my so-called grandfather thought it was all a fluke — or that someone had cursed him with some kind of artefact. He was apparently here just to witness whether a Celestial phenomenon occurred or not.
But nothing happened. So, they concluded that I was just a normal kid... though they still decided to "stay cautious."
Well, there went my plans for innocent, carefree moments with my mother.
I had several thought processes running simultaneously as their conversation wrapped up. The first was about this excuse of a father. In my personal definition, he didn't even look at me properly — only a few momentary glances — and when he did, it was like I was a charged electric eel ready to shock him to death at a touch.
Haah... I really walked straight into these clichés.
Still, their doubts actually made my two biggest concerns disappear. They weren't killing me, and they weren't selling me off. That was progress.
The most important thing for me, though, was watching my mother's face as the conversation unfolded. Her expressions shifted beautifully — curiosity, confusion, astonishment, caution, realization, and finally... relief.
I wasn't too worried about their suspicions. I could work around that. What mattered was that I'd confirmed this was a fantasy world. They even mentioned something about a tower. My curiosity burned. What kind of tower? What did it represent? My mind was already wandering when I made a silent vow: No matter how embarrassing it gets, I must act as childishly as possible.
I lay in my mother's arms for a few more hours after the talk. That man — my so-called father — hadn't even acknowledged me properly. What a scumbag. I didn't know if I was their first child, if I had siblings, or if this cold treatment was reserved just for me. After that event, I withdrew into myself... and I think my mother did too, probably trying to figure out who or what her child truly was.
---
After that day, my life fell into a monotonous rhythm — lying in the crib, thinking of every possible theory, then debunking them myself. I noticed that my mind worked faster now, as if the brain of a newborn couldn't handle the overdrive of an adult's consciousness. Maybe it was the rebirth, maybe something else. Either way, I spent my days thinking myself to boredom.
A week later, my mother left. They said she had gone to "climb The Tower." That word again. The Tower.
I kept my ears open for any clue about it, but no one said anything useful.
My days turned into a repeating cycle — wake, think, drink milk, think again — for two or three months straight. My mobility slowly improved, and when I started crawling, I tried escaping my room. But every single time, that persistent maid caught me.
"Please don't roam in the gallery, Young Master," she'd say.
Damn that maid. She had the instincts of a hawk. I eventually accepted defeat and decided to bide my time until I became more mobile.
By the sixth or seventh month, I could move along the walls on my own. My freedom increased... slightly. I could roam the gallery but no farther. Whenever I sneaked into the courtyard or peeked into other rooms, someone would snatch me up and carry me right back. My little rebellion ended before it could bloom.
Then came the eighth month. I could finally walk freely.
That's when I began hearing bits and pieces about "The Tower of Mythus." Apparently, it had existed for thousands of years. It had countless floors, and those who climbed gained power. Crude as it sounded, it was something to work with. Around that time, I also confirmed my family's name — Ro'nark — and my own: Maximilian Ro'nark. A fancy name for a clueless baby.
My vocal cords were almost mature by then, and I could form words, though I only practiced when alone. I wasn't sure whether I had some universal translator working inside me or if people here just spoke English, but it worked, so I didn't question it.
Now, I had a goal — to learn everything about this world. The where, the who, and most importantly, the how.
---
When I finally turned one, I expected a birthday celebration — maybe cake, candles, or at least a family gathering. Instead, they dressed me in ornate, royal-looking clothes. I was actually excited; I thought I'd finally get to meet more people and eavesdrop on gossip to gather information.
But instead of a party, they led me into a large hall.
At its center stood a raised platform, with a golden bowl resting on top. A man in ceremonial attire waited beside it, silent and imposing.
My heart started to race. Wait... an awakening ceremony? Already?
I wasn't even able to speak properly in public, and they were already tossing me into a ritual? My nerves kicked in. Will I get a system? A cheat? Some divine blessing? Or will I be left with nothing?
At that moment, I didn't know that the last option would turn out to be true — painfully true — in just a few minutes.