My name is Reigh Asteion. I was born into a family that owned a rapidly growing trading company.
But everything collapsed overnight. When I was just ten years old, both of my parents were murdered by their own assistant. I was left alive… but without wealth, without a place to live, and without a way to survive.
Since then, I spent seven years on the streets. Feeling the scorching heat, the bone-biting rain, and the hunger that constantly haunted me. Without knowing why I was still holding on until now.
Then, something happened.
Suddenly, an unfamiliar memory burst into my head.
"Arghh!" I winced, holding my head, which felt like it was about to split open. The pain was so stabbing it almost made me scream.
When the pain began to subside, I was breathless, opening my eyes in confusion.
"Memories… from… Earth? What does this mean?!" I thought, bewildered. But before I could process it, a voice emerged inside my head.
"Ugh… where is this?" the voice sounded confused.
I frowned. Why was he the confused one? Wasn't I the one who should be confused right now?
Then the voice screamed in panic, "HAAA! Why can't I move my body?! Where am I?!" The sound of the scream made my head hurt again.
I yelled back in frustration. "Shut up!"
The people around me stared in surprise, perhaps thinking I had gone insane.
The voice echoed in my mind again. "Who are you?"
"I should be asking you that!" I retorted curtly.
Silence for a moment. It seemed like he was trying to understand the situation. Then the voice spoke in a flat tone, "Oh… so that's it. I died, and now I'm in your body. Like… the reincarnation in the novels I used to read."
"Reincarnation?" I repeated in confusion.
"Yeah," he replied briefly.
A glimpse of the concept of reincarnation, of a soul moving to a new body, just popped into my head. It must be from him.
"But… why can't I move this body?" he muttered. "Why are you the one who is free to move?"
I just looked at my own hand. What was really going on?
He then chuckled slightly. Somehow, I could feel it even though I couldn't see his face.
"Hey, kid," he said softly. "How about we work together? Seek a better life?"
I squinted. "What do you mean?"
"Both of your parents were killed by their own assistant, right?" he said calmly.
Those words made my blood boil, but I could only lower my head. "That's right."
"I was a scientist in my previous life," he continued. "I can help you… get revenge."
A scientist? Instantly, another unfamiliar memory flowed into my mind, about him, a man who died while trying to create something called 'Nuclear.' I sighed. "What do you want?"
"Not much," he answered. "I just don't want to see you living miserably like this. Both of us can enjoy a more decent life. You have your world, I have my knowledge."
He then chuckled lightly. "Oh, and I can see your memories too, you know."
I fell silent. So he knew everything about me… but I couldn't see his thoughts.
He suddenly became quiet, perhaps thinking about something, but I couldn't perceive it. It was like a big dream whispering in his head. This world… swords and magic, huh? If I could rebuild civilization here, wouldn't that be interesting?
The dream of all scientists is to be at the center of the world's progress. Of course... without having to repeat the mistake of creating weapons of mass destruction.
Even though I couldn't know what he was thinking, I could still feel him grinning inside my head. "What are you thinking? You must be thinking something weird, right?" He smirked.
Somehow, when he showed emotion, even though I couldn't see it, I could still feel his emotions. Maybe because our souls were connected?
"Don't think about it." He said. But I was still confused. "What's clear is, I won't let you live miserably like this."
He said that? I can see your memories of when you were an ambitious scientist, you know. "How about it? Do you agree?" He added.
While I was still focused on thinking, a beautiful woman suddenly crouched down a little in front of me. I looked up. She was staring at me; her face was very beautiful.
I could only stare at her speechlessly upon seeing how beautiful she was. "Are you hungry and thirsty?" She asked me, then offered a piece of bread and a cup of water.
I still couldn't blink while looking at her. "Here, please take it." She added.
Lately, she has always given me a piece of bread and a cup of water. It made me feel ashamed as a man to always be given food by her.
I flinched when the man in my head suddenly spoke loudly. "Hey! Do you like her?" The tone of his voice when he said that annoyed me.
I didn't want to reply to his words; if I did, the woman in front of me would think I was crazy.
I took the bread and drink she offered. "Th-Thank you very much." I stammered. I immediately bowed my head stiffly.
The woman in front of me smiled, "You're welcome. Please enjoy." She said, turning her body away from me.
The silver-haired girl turned, walking away. She was probably 2 years younger than me… around fifteen years old.
I stared at her retreating back, then mumbled softly, "Thank you very much…" But she was already out of earshot.
I started to want to eat the bread she gave me, but the scientist in my head spoke. "Don't eat too quickly. Your stomach has been empty for a long time, right?" His voice was calm.
I just stayed silent, not knowing what he was talking about. "If you gobble it down immediately, your stomach might be shocked. Nausea… even vomiting. Eat slowly. Let your body adjust first." He added in a gentle tone.
I followed his words, beginning to eat slowly.
While I was eating slowly, "Hey, what's your name?" I asked him. "You can see my memories, right? Why are you asking something so stupid?"
He was right, even though I could see his memories and knew his name, "Still, I want you to tell me directly." I said firmly; he couldn't argue.
He began to introduce himself. "Nice to meet you, my name is Guiver Smith. Before I died, I was 29 years old." He said softly.
I smiled thinly while eating the bread slowly. "Nice to meet you, my name is Reigh Asteion. I am now 17 years old." I returned the introduction.
He smiled, and I could feel that he was smiling. "Yes. How about my offer?" He repeated the previous question.
The bread in my hand was finished. I slowly lowered my head, then looked straight ahead. "You don't have any bad intentions, right?" I asked him.
He was silent for a moment. "Why are you silent? Do you really have bad intentions?"
He smirked and then laughed. "Hahaha! What bad intentions? I can't move your body!" He laughed loudly inside my head, and I hurriedly bowed my head. "Be quiet!" I shouted back, holding my head.
"Hey, don't make a sound like that! People will think you're crazy!" And it was true. When I looked up, people were looking at me. "You can just talk in your mind, maybe we can still communicate?" He said softly.
Hesitantly, I tried it. "A-Ahem! Hello, my name is Reigh." I spoke in my mind, my voice didn't come out so it couldn't be heard by the people around. "H-How was it?" I continued.
He laughed again. "Hahaha! Why are you so stiff?! What was that, an introduction again?" His voice echoed in my head. It made my head dizzy, but somehow I was slowly starting to adapt.
Initially, when he entered me, my head hurt so much it felt like it was going to break. But now the pain was slowly disappearing. "I agree with your offer. But there is one thing I will demand." I said that, but it was really important.
"What is it?" He asked, and I continued.
I stared straight ahead, not caring about the people passing in front of me. As the woman's back slowly disappeared, I promised in my heart. One day I will repay that kindness.
Meanwhile, on the girl's side…
"Where have you been?" He was my older brother. "I saw a hungry man, I gave him bread." He suddenly got angry. "So what's your business? Don't waste money!"
Honestly, I couldn't stand him anymore. "I'm the one who earns the money!" I retorted curtly, walking away from him.
He followed my steps. "What did you say?!" I turned my face away when he looked at me with an angry expression. "It's true, isn't it? You just lead me, but I'm the one who does it!" I quickly walked away.
He just took a long sigh, my words were true in his opinion. "Alright." He quickly stepped, walking beside me. "The next client is in that big house." He pointed, and I understood and started doing my job.
Now, on Reigh's side.
I was still looking straight ahead. "That woman... Lately, she always gives me bread and water." I just stared straight and spoke loudly in my heart. Guiver laughed softly. "And then?" He asked.
"I want to repay her kindness, and... I also fell in love with her." Ah... It was so embarrassing to say those words. Would he laugh at me?
But he didn't laugh at me. "I see. Are you trying to say," He said softly, then continued. "That you will use my knowledge to earn a lot of money, and then win her over?"
He was indeed smart; he could immediately figure out my goal. I nodded. "That's right. Can you help me?"
He smiled thinly, smirking. But I could feel that his smile this time was not to mock or for something sneaky. "Of course, I will help you. Because we are 'Partners'." His soft voice somehow sounded soothing and convincing.
I smiled, returning his words. "Thank you very much. I ask for your help."
Suddenly, he shouted loudly in my head. "Alright! First, we have to leave this place!"
I spontaneously held my head. "D-Don't shout in my head!" I yelled back in my mind, but he ignored it.
"We have to go to the nearest forest first to look for food." He continued. That made me even more annoyed; he completely ignored my words.
I took a long sigh. "To the forest? But I don't know what can be eaten, hunting is difficult. I don't have the skills."
He reassured me. "Relax. I've read a lot of fictional books written by people in my world. Just leave it to me." He answered confidently.
Even though he said that, I was still worried about it. With a heavy heart, I stood up. "Alright."
I started walking towards the forest. I obeyed what he said, for my goal of taking revenge on the person who killed my parents... And... Repaying that woman's kindness.