Alban was in a pitch-dark place with no signs of any light anywhere, but somehow he saw his hands clearly as if it was on a clear sunny day. He floats and had a feeling that he was descending softly like a feather. The place was accompanied by deafening silence. Not even a sound of cricket was there. He realized that he no longer wore his gloves—or any of his clothes.

“Is this the afterlife?” he said, ”Did my reincarnation machine malfunction…?” ‘Should’ve tested it on someone first...’

《ERROR: A soul named “Alban Dietrich” did not reincarnate normally.》A women’s voice was heard. If that voice were in a wide field, even someone from the far side of it could hear it.

He looks at where it, or maybe, her voice originated. She doesn’t look human, or any creature that he knows. The only feature was that she had a blue rhombus along with three arrows on both sides as what he guessed her face.

《Reporting to the governing God of this world on what to do.》Her blue face blinked white every time she talked.

《Fetching the next instruction.》

‘Is she an angel?’

《No. I am not an angel. Neither am I a creature.》

“You could read my thoughts!?”

《Yes.》

“W-what are you?”

《I am an artificial intelligence tasked by my creator on tasks that require data collection, reporting, providing information, and repetitive tasks.》

“Where am I?”

《You are in a place where souls who did not reincarnate normally, be, to be decided by this world’s governing God. Like you, and souls that come to this world or go to other worlds.》

《REPORT: Instruction received. This world’s governing God gave the soul of “Alban Dietrich” two choices before reincarnating》

‘I need to choose?’

《FIST OPTION: Reincarnate normally》

《SECOND OPTION: Reincarnate with past memory but with a light curse.》

“The curse?”

《You cannot tell anyone about the reincarnation machine.》

《ADDITIONAL REPORT: The [Appraisal] information of the reincarnation machine will be encrypted. This would be applied regardless of what you choose.》

‘The first option? Absolutely not! What’s the point of making the reincarnation machine if I reincarnated with a blank slate! The second option has a light curse I could deal with.’

《Please choose either option.》

“The second one.”

《You chose the second option.》

《REPORT: Due to “Alban Dietrich”’s memory exceeded the normal human’s capacity—961 years worth of memory—the memories will be spread for five to six years so your mind would not destroy itself》

‘That long!?’

《Sending “Alban Dietrich”’s soul to his new body.》

‘Ah…’ He fell unconscious again.

There’s a child on the grass in front of a small manor wondering at the blue skies. “That’s the last memory,” he said. That child was the demon king, Alban Dietrich. He had reincarnated into a human body. When those memories of his past life came, he was confused about what they were. Then he was torn between two memories; his current, and his past. That lasted until he was four years old, by then he had accepted both of his memories were of one person.

“Verda!” shouted a boy two years older than him, “Uncle want you inside!”

A small girl runs from the boy’s side to hug the ex-”demon lord” whose name is now Verda. “Bwother, why didn’t you meet me fwist?”

“I like the grass more,” he said with a joking smile.

“Bwother!” The girl throws a tantrum at what he just said. Hitting him with her small clenched hand.

“Verda, uncle is waiting. You don’t want him to make a worse deal would you?” said the boy.

“Ah, yeah, him,” he said in a flat tone, “Right.” He stands up and dusts off his clothes from any grass stuck on his clothes.

All three walked inside the manor. The boy in front while Verda holds his little sister’s hand and walks side by side.

“Bwother Nevi said you’we moving here.”

“I am, my litt—“

He was interrupted by his sister. “Then you’ll play with Eli and bwother Nevi right?”

“How many times do I have to say to not call me Nevi, Eli!?” Nevil said and grunted, “It’s Nevil! Nevi with an l! Nevil!”

“Aaaaa! There’s bwother Nevi!” Eli hides behind Verda.

“Be quiet now,” Nevil said. “The discussion’s inside.”

Nevil went inside first. He’s also the first one to get shouted at by their uncle. “Nevil! Where is he!?”

Nevil stopped by the door to let Verda in and Eli moved to his side.

Verda said in a disinterested voice, “Here.” He was uninterested in what his father, mother, grandfather, and uncle had talked about before he entered.

“And where were you?” Uncle crossed his arm.

“Lawn.” They both stare at each other making others in the room uncomfortable. This has been their uncle-nephew relationship since they met for the first time when Verda’s father brought him to the manor.

“Enough! Let’s get this over with!” Verda’s grandfather broke both Verda’s and uncle’s stare-down. “Verda, we’ve talked about letting you and your mother in our family. There was some difficulty.” he glanced at uncle. “We’ve come to an agreement.” he grabbed the papers on his table. “You and your mother are now in the family.”

‘But?’ Verda thought.

“But you and your mother will be the last priority in the inheritance.” He took a sip of tea with his other hand. “That means your father, brother, sister, uncle, your mother, then you. The inheritance is of that order. Your aunt, if your uncle ever gets one.” He chuckled at the thought of that. “and their children will be put before you.”

Verda nod. ‘The term is fine. I wouldn’t need it anyway.’

“Great!” Grandfather walked and holds Eri by her hand. “If anyone needs me, I’ll be with little Eli in the reading room. Nevil, Verda, if you’re still interested in my stories you could come.” Then they left the room.

Nobody else left until a maid knocks on the door.

“enter,” said Verda’s father.

A maid come in and spoke, “My lords.” She bowed. “There’s someone who wished to meet Lord Dayle.”

“See me to him,” said uncle and they left the room.

With them out, Verda’s father relaxed. “Sorry, we couldn’t do more for you, Thelma, Verda. You know how he is.” he rubbed his wife—Thelma’s—hand. “Nevil, show your brother to his new bedroom.”

“Follow me.”

They left the room. On the way, they chatted about what they’re gonna do tomorrow. Nevil had reminded Verda that he’ll leave for the academy the day after tomorrow. They planned to play together with Eli in the backyard. When they reached Verda’s room Nevil left.

Verda lied down on his bed. “I wonder when he’ll be here.” He looked at his sacked clothes. “I should put them in.” He levitates them from the sack to the wardrobe with a [Telekinesis] spell.

After the sack has been emptied, he stands near the window to see his uncle’s visitor. “What are you up to?” He put the thought for later.