Chapter One: Reincarnation, Small Maple Leaves, and Squishy Cheeks

In an instant, the darkness faded away. Her vision flared up as if the lights had suddenly turned on, making Ryoko squint. As time passed and her vision started to focus, she could see that there was an unfamiliar, porridge-like dish before her and a spoon in her hand.

“Urgh!?”

With the grunt that escaped her lips, the spoon fell from Ryoko’s hand into the bowl, splashing the porridge onto her clothes. The spoon bounced out of the bowl and onto the table, leaving a trail of porridge on the otherwise spotless surface of wood. As Ryoko remained frozen, unable to grasp the situation, a woman’s quiet sigh reached her ears. Ryoko slowly turned toward the sound to find a woman in her twenties, her brown hair tied up in a bun, chuckling. Her large, slightly downturned brown eyes were adorable. Ryoko imagined that the average man would feel the urge to protect her.

Her movements were swift yet precise. She produced a napkin, wiping Ryoko’s face and clothes as she slid the porridge bowl away. After cleaning Ryoko up, she picked up the strewn spoon and placed both the spoon and the bowl onto the tray atop a nearby serving cart. Finally, she wiped away all of the spilled porridge.

“There! All clean,” she said with a smile. She knew that toddlers generally wanted to eat on their own but usually struggled to do so.

The cause of the mess on the table, on the other hand, Ryoko herself knew nothing about her current situation. It was like a lightning bolt out of the blue.

“Ur? Ura...? Urgh...?”

First of all, she couldn’t form any words. The only things that came out of her mouth were meaningless noises. When she tried to move, all she could manage was barely wiggling her arms or legs. Her hands and fingers didn’t move right. Ryoko turned toward her right hand, only to find a pale, tiny, baby-like hand instead, opening and closing much more slowly than her brain commanded.

What’s going on!? Is this a dream? Am I dreaming!? ...Wait, wait, wait. Let’s stay cool, Ryoko. I’m a woman who’s got what it takes.

Ryoko controlled her panic with this mantra. Her mother, incidentally, had always told her that anything she “had” was pointless without putting it into practice. Ryoko turned to her left. Another pale and tiny hand moved just as she commanded it, albeit just as sluggishly as her right.

Am I dreaming about the reincarnation fantasy comic I read? Or that one novel? I think I played a game like this, too.

Ryoko recalled the comics, novels, and video games she’d been into lately. A lot of them were in the reincarnation genre, where a high schooler would wake up one day in another world, for example. Romance would inevitably ensue with all the hotties inhabiting said fantasy world, of course. A reincarnated protagonist usually had unimaginably good looks, Olympian-level strength, or incredibly powerful magic... Sometimes a faithful childhood friend would take a leap of faith, or a stoic knight would struggle with his romantic feelings toward the protagonist, and even the villain could fall for them...

Making the villain fall for you was actually a lot of fun. There better be a sequel to that one... Wait, Ryoko. This isn’t the time to dwell on sweet memories. This is a dream, remember!? I have to wake up and go get the game I pre-ordered...

Putting the breaks on her racing thoughts, she slapped her cheek with one tiny hand. She heard a flat plap, and she was greeted by the impression of a soft cheek. Cheekums, more like. Because that sounded softer.

It’s so soft... These are bona-fide cheekums! They might be softer than my niece’s.

Ryoko’s family consisted of her parents and her two younger sisters. “Three’s a crowd, especially with girls,” her parents used to say. The middle sister had married before Ryoko had a chance, and she already had a daughter. Ryoko’s niece (and her parents’ first grandchild) was as precious as an angel. Ryoko reminisced fondly of the times she and her sisters had to stop their parents from spoiling her niece too rotten. Her niece had started elementary school that April and had been putting Ryoko’s sister and her husband through the ringer by entering a sort of rebellious phase from growing up a little too fast, like many girls do. For some reason, though, Ryoko’s niece never gave her aunt any trouble, other than throwing a tantrum because she wanted to stay over at her auntie’s condo whenever she came over. It was only trouble because Ryoko had to hide all sorts of questionable “materials” that would lure her niece down the same rabbit hole she had gone down. Ryoko couldn’t help but hope that her precious niece would not follow in her footsteps. If her niece should choose that path, however, she was the kind of auntie to fuel her obsession, full force.

“Now, now. What’s the matter, Lord Herscherik?” the brown-haired woman asked with a smile.

This woman was the one who had just cleaned up the mess Ryoko had made. From the title she’d used, Ryoko guessed that the woman wasn’t her birth mother.

“Ah...”

Ryoko tried to apologize, only to end up making some cute sounds. Sadly, she couldn’t form words.

“Are you all done with your meal? Or are you still working on it?”

With that, the woman placed a steaming bowl that she must have just prepared onto the table. She took a scoop of the porridge with a clean spoon and blew on it a few times to cool it before bringing it to Ryoko’s lips. It was a simple dish, like a rice porridge with sweet potatoes mixed in. Ryoko felt a sudden hunger for it and chomped at the spoon. The porridge itself was a little bland, but the potatoes were sweet with just the right amount of salt.

“Is it good? Do you like it?”

“Ugh!”

Ryoko tried to answer the woman but could still only make unintelligible baby sounds. But the woman seemed to understand since she scooped another spoonful of porridge and held it up to Ryoko’s face. Just now realizing how hungry she was, Ryoko began taking one bite of porridge after another.

I’m like that baby bird I used to have...

It was a little weird comparing herself to a baby bird, but her hunger wouldn’t let her stop eating. After cleaning out the bowl in a flash, an unmannerly burp escaped her mouth. The lady smiled and wiped Ryoko’s mouth with a napkin before picking her up out of the baby chair and setting her onto the luscious carpet, placing a stuffed dog next to her.

It looks like Kuro.

The stuffed animal was a black dog, about as tall as her. It reminded Ryoko of the large black dog she had when she still lived with her parents. The dog was called Kuro, and it always obeyed Ryoko’s orders. Ryoko gave the stuffed animal an experimental pet. The silky fur felt soothing to the touch, and she immediately liked it. In fact, maybe the woman had placed it here because it was the baby’s favorite.

After watching the woman place the bowl onto the serving cart and wheel it away, Ryoko looked around the room. She was obviously not in her condo. In fact, the room was bigger than the entire floor plan of her condo combined. It had a medieval European style to it, like the ones described in fantasy novels. Come to think of it, Ryoko remembered that the woman who was just with her was wearing a maid’s outfit she had often read about in these kinds of books, too. The room was wrapped in a calming emerald wallpaper and held a canopied bed. All the furniture was evidently well-crafted, even to the untrained eye. Ryoko couldn’t help but make some calculations in her head to wonder how many months of her salary the shining leather sofa alone was worth. There was also a fireplace in the room with the portrait of a blond woman above it, painted in a pose similar to a world-famous painting by a particular Italian painter. She recalled a print of the painting that hung on the wall of the art room back in school, and some ghost stories that her classmates told about it.

I wonder if her eyes move at night...

The thought made her shudder. Ghost stories made her more than uncomfortable; she would have preferred death over living through one. Ryoko turned her head to look around some more but ended up losing her balance and falling on her back. The expensive-feeling carpet protected her from any pain, comfortably embracing her as she fell. With warm rays of sunshine coming through the window that lead to the balcony, Ryoko could feel herself being lulled to sleep. Just when she felt the urge to take a nap, Ryoko came to her senses.

There’s no time to nap!

Ryoko struggled to get up, rolling on her back. In her toddler body, she couldn’t lift herself up using her abs alone. She might have had just as much difficulty in her original mid-thirties body with a pooch, though. She managed to push herself up and surveyed the room, only to yield no additional discoveries. She observed her own body once again: tiny hands, stubby arms and legs, a plump belly.

What a babe. Baby, that is.

Ryoko pondered.

What was I doing before I ended up here?

She crossed her shortened arms and frowned, trying to recall her memories from when she inhabited her original body.

I stayed late at the office, even though it was a release day. It was pouring rain when I left...

The off-season downpour and the blinking walk sign. The blaring horn. The white light. The sky and the ground. A dull thud. Screams... Then, darkness.

Oh, right.

Ryoko reached her cold, hard conclusion.

I died. In a car accident.

Ryoko accepted this fact; she had no other choice. Ryoko was reminded again that this was a common situation in many of the comics, novels, and video games she’d enjoyed. Some high school or college student in modern-day Japan dying from accident or illness, then being reborn into a fantasy world, carrying over the memories of their previous life... A reincarnation story. The protagonists of reincarnation fantasies would save (or conquer) the world, enjoy a life full of romance, etc.

I didn’t think I’d end up in some light novel situation. And in my thirties, no less...

Ryoko fell back onto the fluffy carpet. In this toddler body that she couldn’t easily move, just sitting up was a workout.

...My mortgage is null and void, at least, now that I’m dead.

Looking up at the ceiling without focusing on anything, Ryoko recalled her previous life. People had always told her that she’d never know what life may bring, but she never expected she’d have to think back about what she’d left undone after her death.

The pre-order is automatically canceled since I didn’t pick it up that day... Oh, but the cashier lady gave me such a nice call to tell me she’d saved a copy when I couldn’t pick it up after working late, last time. Maybe she kept a copy for me again. I feel bad...

The cashier lady, whom she’d been acquainted with since high school, was the only non-family member she could show her true otaku colors around. She had always greeted her with a smile when she entered the store, so Ryoko always answered with a smile, too.

Speaking of, I’ve got a task at work that’s due soon. I was going to input all the data tomorrow. I wonder if the newbie can handle it. I’m sure they’ll help her with it. And there’s a manual, too... Thank goodness I made that manual.

She’d jokingly told her apprentice, “I made you a cheat sheet in case I go AWOL or end up dead!” but she had never expected to actually end up dead.

I can only hope that my sisters wipe my hard drive before my parents look through it...

This was Ryoko’s one and only regret in life. Her home computer contained all sorts of data that she couldn’t allow anyone to find. This Pandora’s Box contained X-rated materials, fanfiction, some emo poems from back in the day... If she could come back to life, she would erase them all with her own two hands.

I did tell my sisters to pour water on my computer and turn the power on to short it out after my death... And that I’d haunt them if they peeked. It should be fine... It will be fine... Please, sisters, I beg you. I’d rather die than... Well, I’m already dead, but I can’t haunt them now that I’m reincarnated!

Now, Ryoko began to resent the strangest elements of her death.

Right. I can’t watch the TV shows I’ve recorded, either.

With how busy she was at work, her pile of unwatched recordings of TV shows was constantly maxing out her DVR. She always forgot to watch them on the weekends and often had to make the difficult decision to delete an entire season, unwatched.

I was going back home this weekend, too. They always get me a cake. I wish I could have had it.

Perhaps out of concern for their still single daughter, Ryoko’s parents had made sure to invite her back to their home at least once a month, whether it was for Christmas, family birthdays, or just because. After her sisters got married, it was rare for all five of them to be back at the house together, but they had planned to all come for Ryoko’s birthday party.

I was going to buy some good ice cream for all of us...

Then, she realized. In fact, she had been avoiding the thought until now, but the realization hit her, nonetheless.

I’ll never see my family, or my coworkers, or my friends, or anyone I know, ever again...

Once she’d finally realized this, she felt a sting in her nostrils and her eyes heated up. Sobs came up her throat, suffocating her.

The last time she’d seen her family had been a month ago. When she ran out of her stock of rice, she went to have dinner at her parents’ house. As her mother scolded her for not calling before showing up, she clinked her glass of beer with her father’s. She snacked on the sashimi and simmered potatoes her mother prepared while listening to her father complain about his work, and she wolfed down a bowl of her mother’s special wild rice.

“Eat some vegetables, too,” her mother said, as she presented a plate of steamed spinach. Ryoko recalled how delicious it had been. Then, her mother poured herself a drink and asked, “You’re almost 35. Have you thought about marriage at all?”

When Ryoko jokingly responded, “No one’s fallen out of the sky and into my lap, so far,” her mother only looked exasperated, but her father gave a happy chuckle, perhaps encouraged by the booze. As she left, her mother told her to come over again on her birthday weekend. That she’d have a cake ready, at least. When Ryoko returned to the condo, she saw a pair of texts from her younger sisters, which was rare since they didn’t write (or type) her often. The messages were to tell Ryoko they’d be there for her birthday party, and that she should look forward to her presents. While it almost felt silly to have her birthday celebrated at that age, Ryoko distinctly remembered how happy those texts had made her.

I was actually looking forward to my present...

Albeit with small changes here and there, Ryoko was convinced that her ordinary life would continue. Maybe she would have gotten married, down the road. If she didn’t, she would have taken care of her parents while continuing to work hard. She would have spoiled her sisters’ children, and once she retired, she would have lived off of her savings, gone into a nursing home before dementia hit her, and would have been happy just to have her sisters take care of her funeral after she died. At the very least, she had no intention of disappointing her parents by dying before them.

...Sorry. I’m sorry... I’m sorry for being a bad daughter, a stupid sister...

With her family on her mind, Ryoko could no longer contain herself.

A baby’s cry echoed through the room. Meria, the nanny, rushed back in upon hearing the sudden outburst. Normally, Herscherik was very well behaved after meals. The worst he did was have a few crying fits at night. During the day, all he needed was his stuffed animal by his side to be completely content. It was in a baby’s nature to cry, but Meria would occasionally grow nervous of how easygoing Herscherik was. He ate a lot, slept a lot, and laughed a lot. Herscherik was the epitome of an agreeable child.

When Meria came into the room, Herscherik was on his back on the carpet, crying with his face bright red.

“Lord Herscherik, did you hurt yourself!?”

Meria frantically picked him up and rubbed the back of his head, where she suspected an injury. No bump on his shapely head, though. She held Herscherik so he could comfortably lean on her and stroked his back. As she did, his cries subsided and Meria sighed in relief.

“Did you fall over and give yourself a scare, Lord Herscherik?”

Meria stood, still holding the sniffling Herscherik, and gently bounced the baby to calm him down.

“Your face is all red now.”

With that, Meria took Herscherik to the full-length mirror. Since Herscherik had pale skin, his red cheeks particularly stood out. Meria stood in front of the mirror and turned Herscherik to see his reflection. When she did, he immediately stopped crying, strangely enough. Meria looked at Herscherik to find him frozen and his eyes widened. To top it off, he was pinching his red cheek with his little fingers.

“Lord Herscherik, don’t pinch yourself. That must hurt.”

With a gentle reprimand, Meria carefully detached his tiny hand from his cheek. Still, Herscherik’s eyes were as wide as they could be.

...For real?

Herscherik, or Ryoko, was too astounded to cry or try to speak. The reflection in the mirror was nothing less than that of an angel. With silky, light blond hair, innocent and pale skin... An infantile yet beautiful facial structure, and eyes like high-quality jade. Ryoko already had no doubt that the angel in her reflection would grow up to become a gorgeous girl. She recalled some scholar on TV who said that babies are all born cute so everyone will adore them. The beauty in that mirror, however, was on another level entirely.

Ryoko was, most decidedly, not a narcissist. In fact, she considered herself a four out of ten on a good day and didn’t like saying or hearing anything about her appearance. Whenever anyone complimented her on it, she only wondered what devious scheme they were undoubtedly hatching. However, she also possessed the weakness of blushing and melting in front of the screen whenever a romantic interest in one of her games gave her a compliment.

Am I in a romance game!?

Internally, Ryoko cheered in victory. She did feel bad for her parents, and she would miss her sisters... She also felt sorry for the driver who’d hit her as she ran into the crosswalk on a blinking walk sign, who would have to live with the crime of manslaughter. In the case of the driver, though, they didn’t stop or check to see if anyone was crossing the crosswalk, and it wasn’t like she wanted to die, so...

We’ll call it even.

She’d definitely died, yes, but to her fortune, she carried over the memories of her previous life onto a literal second shot at life.

As such a pretty girl, too!

She never disliked her appearance in her previous life, considering that her mother gave birth to her and her father worked hard to raise her. Still, didn’t everyone dream of having a face as beautiful as the protagonist of a comic book or video game at some point in their life? Perhaps even men dreamed of looking like the male protagonists or handsome characters in whatever mediums they enjoyed, Ryoko imagined.

Blond hair and blue eyes! Thank you, god! Oh, thank you, thank you!

Ryoko was really grateful, despite her lack of faith in any god in her previous life.

“Let’s change your diaper, shall we?”

Oblivious to Ryoko’s internal overjoying, Meria placed the baby on the bed and began changing her diaper with familiarity.

I know it has to be done, but it’s a little embarrassing to... What the!?

Having calmed down a little, Ryoko peeked her head up to look at her loins. There was something there that hadn’t been in her previous life. The only times she had seen that thing in real life was when she used to take baths with her father before she started elementary school. Between her legs protruded a decidedly un-feminine apparatus.

“Aggghhhhh!”

A baby’s cry, or more like a scream, echoed off the walls.

And so, Ryoko Hayakawa was reincarnated as Prince Herscherik, the seventh prince of the kingdom of Gracis, with blond hair, blue eyes, and looks as beautiful as a girl.