Prince 2:
I saw it happen with my own eyes.
Though I am not sure if anyone else saw it.
A rift opened in our classroom.
It split wide open, a blinding light swallowed the room and I felt a terrible pain throughout my entire body.
Then I blacked out.
I was half-asleep back then, so I couldn't do anything about it.
Not to say that I think I could have done anything to begin with.
And now I am a baby, right next to another that is sleeping soundly.
I think I have been reincarnated.
Y'know, like in those stories called isekais?
Kanata was really into those, and often shared them with me and Kyouya.
Speaking of, they scolded me for staying up late so often just to grind levels with Skanda-sama but we promised to go grind some levels together anyway later the same day I died.
A promise I can no longer keep and I already miss them three.
I have other regrets as well.
I feel undutiful to my parents for dying before my grandparents.
And the thought that I won't see them again is depressing.
This other regret is a bit silly.
Another promise I can't keep is that I own Hasebe a piece of candy for lending me a pencil and eraser since I forgot my pencil case at home.
I was bitter that it wasn't free, but I suppose there is no such thing as a free service.
But really, I shouldn't be as hung up on this as the other regrets.
The only reason I care so much about this is because I have a crush on her.
We sat next to each other in class and often chatted while helping each other with subjects we were less adept in.
I was planning on confessing to her eventually, but now that will never happen.
...
Unless, my classmates have been reincarnated alongside me.
The blinding light did cover the whole classroom, so I don't think I was the only one who died from it.
I mean, what are the odds I am some sort of chosen one?
No way, if I can be isekai'd, the likelihood others have been as well is high.
If so, then there might be a chance I will get to see my friends again?
...
No, how selfish must I be to wish that my friends died too just so I won't be alone?
I should be wishing that I am the only one who died, and that the others are alive and well.
Then, a blue-haired boy wearing a white scarf entered the nursery room I'm in.
His eyes are leaking tears.
He keeps looking between me and the other baby.
Then he mumbles something, I don't know what he is saying because I don't know the language here.
That thought scares me, because I don't know what's going on and I begin crying uncontrollably.
The boy pats my and the other baby's heads before leaving.
Then another scary thought comes to me.
What if my caretakers decide to abandon me?
I'm a baby, I can't defend myself!
As I begin to panic and cry even more, my attention turns to the other baby next to me sleeping peacefully.
That's right, a baby isn't supposed to worry about such things.
I am only like this because I have memories of my past life.
A baby is a frail creature, leaving everything to the world and others.
I am sure of it, I am this baby's brother.
And as someone with memories of my past life, I should be mentally stronger than my baby sibling here at the very.
It should be my responsibility to protect my much weaker sibling.
I don't know if I can really do it, but I have to try.
First thing first, I should start with getting my body to move properly.
Just then, a maid enters the room.
There was already one here actually, a rather buffed one.
But she simply stood by, not doing anything even when I cried or when the other boy left.
I think she greeted him when he first entered but that's it.
She looks nervous the whole time now that I think about it.
Back to the new maid, she looks at me and seems a bit surprised.
I was crying a moment ago, so maybe she heard me and thought I needed attention.
So me stopping crying all of the sudden is a bit strange.
I have seen her before, she was the one who helped deliver me when I was born.
Though the real reason I remember her is her ears.
Unlike everyone else, her ears are pointy.
She reminds me of an elf, and maybe she is one.
This does seem like a fantasy world to me, with the vibrant hair colours.
But I probably won't find out until I can communicate with her.
Anyway, back to my game plan.
I start flailing my body around, trying to whip it into shape.
The elf-like maid notices my exercise and asks the buff one to bring me some milk.
She then gently picks me up and feeds me the milk.
She must think the reason I am moving so much is that I am hungry.
Well, to grow up healthy and strong, I will have to drink a lot of milk.
So I gladly drink the milk, and when she puts me back onto the bed, I continue my exercise.
The maids seem confused by my actions.
I'm sorry, but I have to do this, just bear with me.
Half-Elf 1:
The fourth prince, Schlain Zagan Analeit, and the second princess, Suelecia Analeit, have just recently been born.
Their mothers are the third princess consort and the true queen respectively.
Unfortunately, Schlain's mother, Lisa, passed away soon after she gave birth to him.
Her other son, Julius Zagan Analeit, the second prince, is still grieving her death.
Julius wasn't there when Lisa died, mainly because he is now the new Hero.
He was away in the Holy Kingdom of Aellius to meet the Pontiff.
I guess now I should mention that I am Anna, a Half-elf.
I was a court mage once, now retired and serving as a maid, a royal attendant to be exact.
I have long since sworn loyalty to the royal family ages ago.
I was outcasted by the Elves for being of mixed descent, and the royal family took me in in my time of need.
I have gladly served them regardless of how little they think of me, but Lisa always treated me with a casual respect, as if our positions didn't matter at all.
I think the reason we got along so well was because she herself wasn't always royalty, like me, she was taken in by the royal family in her time of need.
I even dare to go so far as to say we were good friends.
In fact, as she drew her last breath, I promised through my own tears that I would look after her sons for her.
Probably something I shouldn't have said given my position, but no one objected.
Right now I am on my way to the nursery room to check on Schlain.
I see Julius leaving the nursery room with tears on his face.
He is wearing a white scarf, which was knitted by Lisa not long before she passed away.
It is made from Taratect silk, which is extremely rare and expensive due to the fact that the silk is produced with Skills, so there is no way to dissect a Taratect to get them, and there has yet to be a successful taming of a Taratect.
Apparently, those prideful Monsters are known to commit suicide avoid being tamed, and have came to symbolise pride as a result.
And this rare batch is from the Great Elroe Labyrinth.
Apparently, around six months ago, some Adventurers found balls of Taratect silk searching for an Earth Wyrm Egg after burning down a large Taratect nest, which they never found.
It was strange, a Taratect has no reason to create balls of silk, a first in known history as far as I am aware, and soon after, a mutated Small Taratect that is way faster than it should be was reported in the labyrinth.
Moreover, instead of mindlessly attacking like any other Monster, it ran away from the Adventurer that found it.
It has yet to be reported as dealt with, but many suspect that strange nest once belonged to that strange Taratect.
But I am getting off track here, perhaps even on purpose to distract myself.
No, focus.
That scarf is her parting gift to Julius, and I am the one who handed it to him earlier today.
Julius: "I am sorry, I think I scared my little brother and now he is crying."
He told me in a sombre tone.
I am not sure if I should ask him how he is feeling right now, because I myself am barely holding it together.
I would probably break down crying if I don't focus on working, and that will never do.
"I understand, me and Klevea will look after him. Just rest easy, Prince Julius."
I replied while smiling as warmly as I could to reassure him and we parted ways.
I enter the nursery room and standing off to the side is Klevea.
She was a knight that has recently retired and became a royal attendant like me.
New to the job and position, she tends to get too nervous to act at all.
Good thing she is paired with a senior like me to show her the ropes.
More importantly, I find Schlain to have stopped crying.
And sleeping soundly next to him is Suelecia.
Well, this is awkward, why did he stop crying so suddenly?
Anyway, I suppose I should be on standby in case something happens.
And so I stay in the room, and watch as Schlain suddenly starts moving his body almost impatiently.
Is he hungry?
So I ask Klevea to bring me some milk to feed him with and he drinks it without hesitation.
But as soon as I put him back down on his bed, he is flailing his body again.
He isn't crying, or in pain.
Actually, he looks determined about something.
I am rather confused by what this means and what I should do.
...
Thinking back, I have lived here for a long time.
I have served generations of the royal family.
I have watched many people I cared for pass away.
I will most likely outlive these children here as well.
It never seems to get easier, if anything, I just dread the day they finally die and leave me behind even more each time.
Sometimes, I wish I was fully Human.
Hero 1:
I can still remember the moment when it happened.
God: "Condition satisfied, acquired Title [Hero].
Acquired Skills [Hero LV1], [White Magic LV1] as a result of Title [Hero]."
I was reading another story about past heroes with My Mother when it happened.
I became the new Hero.
I have always looked up to the Heroes of the past and wished to be as heroic as them.
But I never expected to be chosen, let alone at a time like this.
I am still just a child, a prince in fact.
Not only do I already have to live up to the expectations of a prince, now I will have to be just as great as the Heroes that have come before me.
I nervously told my mother everything, and she just reassured me.
My Mother: "You only need to be yourself, Julius. After all, you're already my Hero. Just having you close by gives me courage."
Her words made me so happy, but I was too flustered to tell her, and I never will be able to.
Soon after, I went to meet the Pontiff of the Word of God religion.
Meanwhile, My Mother gave birth to my younger brother, Schlain.
She had never been very healthy, and after giving birth to Schlain her condition rapidly worsened.
And before I could return to see her, she died.
I returned earlier today and Anna gave me a white scarf knitted by My Mother.
Her parting gift for me.
She is gone, forever...
Why? Why does she have to die?
I...can't accept this.
I have just entered the room where my new baby brother and our younger half-sister, Suelecia, are sleeping.
I think Klevea, the new maid, greeted me, but I was too distracted to really tell.
Suelecia is a daughter of the true queen, someone who I never really got to know.
All I know is that she is rather cold-hearted towards My Mother.
On my way here, Hyrince, my best friend, told me about the rumours that the queen has something to do with My Mother's death.
Is that true? If it is, then this is her fault!
I can feel the hatred building inside me.
No, a Hero cannot hate anyone for personal reasons.
My Mother would be disappointed in me if I did.
Besides, the true queen only ever does what is needed for the kingdom.
She cannot be behind My Mother's death, there's no reason to do it.
Then My Mother really did die only because of giving birth to my brother.
I keep looking between them, Schlain is wide awake and scared in contrast to Suelecia who is sleeping without a care in the world.
Is he scared of me?
"No, I can't hate anyone for this."
I mumbled out loud.
It's not his fault, it's no one's fault.
If anything, it's my fault for not studying more.
Maybe I could have figured out a way to help with My Mother's condition if I did.
Then, Schlain begins crying.
Did I make him cry?
Was it the unjustified hatred in my eyes that he is scared of?
I quickly patted his and Suelecia's head.
He doesn't stop crying.
I...should leave.
How can I be the Hero if I can't even comfort a crying baby?
When I leave the room, I run into Anna, who is just about to enter it.
She may be a maid, but she is more like an aunt to me at this point.
She has helped to look after me since I was born after all.
She is someone I know I can depend on.
"I am sorry, I think I scared my little brother and now he is crying."
I told her as calmly as I could.
Anna: "I understand, I will look after him. Just rest easy, Prince Julius."
She replied, smiling warmly.
Anna and My Mother were good friends, this must be hard for her as well.
And yet, she is much stronger than me.
There is no anger in her eyes, or even tears.
She just smiles warmly at me, reassuring me.
I am sure she can calm Schlain down where I cannot.
As we part ways, I can't help but feel ashamed for being so weak.
Schlain is what my mother left behind beside this scarf.
To reject him is to reject My Mother.
I won't do that.
In fact, as his older brother and the Hero, I must set a good example for him to follow.
The same goes for Suelecia, I am her older brother too, half or not.
The next time I see them, I will smile warmly as Anna did to reassure them that they can depend on me.