The Reborn Veteran is an Aristocrat

Chapter 1: Another World, Part 1

Author's Note: (The story starts in chapter 1. The prologue introduces the MC and his background. Feel free to skip it if you're not interested, but as the author, I recommend reading it.) (Any * are brief notes I feel are worth mentioning.)

Bleary-eyed, I blinked awake. Alive, apparently. My brief moment of bliss in death had been whisked away as if it were some cruel joke.

The world seemed awfully close, the view skewed through the blurry lens of tiny hands. I quickly realized that I wasn't in my own body. Panic clawed at my throat, but a wave of memories – not mine, but undeniably real – washed over me, calming the frantic beat of my tiny heart. This was my body now, a three-year-old named Fenris.

The room was dimly lit, while a strange symbol glowed faintly on the floor around me. Six pillars topped with clear crystals stood guard, pulsing with a soft inner light. Several figures loomed over me, chanting in a low monotone. Fight or flight? My options seemed limited. I considered making a break for it, but the memories I inherited held no fear, no sense of danger. So, I sat tight, hoping to avoid drawing unwanted attention.

The chanting reached a climax, as the magic circle flared brightly. The crystals followed suit, each illuminating a different color – red, yellow, green, blue, white, and purple. The adults behind me gasped, the tension in the room snapping like a taut string. A loud, high-pitched voice cut through the stunned silence.

"WHAT?!"

I craned my neck, my curiosity burning bright. A young boy, no older than six, stood fuming.

"Damian, calm down. There's no need to overreact—" A soothing voice tried to reason, but it was cut off.

"This half-breed runt can handle all six elements? Impossible! This has to be a mistake!" Damian sputtered, his face contorted in rage. "Do this again!" he demanded, his glare fixed on the mage overseeing the ritual.

"It doesn't work that way, Mister Damian," the mage replied, his voice firm but respectful. "These examinations rarely malfunction. In fact, I've never witnessed someone with an affinity for all six elements in my entire life."

Damian's scowl deepened as if he didn't believe a word of it.

"Fabian, please escort Damian upstairs," a third voice boomed, deep and authoritative. Damian's tantrum immediately fizzled.

"Yes, Father," Fabian mumbled, grabbing Damian by the collar and ushering him towards a staircase. Damian grumbled and squirmed, but Fabian remained unfazed.

Damian, was it? What was his deal? I haven't been in this world for five minutes, and I'm already lumped together with an annoying prick like him. Joy.

Fabian at least seemed decent. He gave the vibes of a mature older brother - just what I needed in my life. I've always wanted a brother, but my parents couldn't make it happen, much to my chagrin.

He appeared to be taller than Damian by at least half a head. That means he's probably around nine or ten. Jeez, and I'm the adult here.

Then there was the big man. My father, presumably, stepped forward and looked down at me and the now-faded magic circle. I looked back at him with a neutral expression as he cracked a smile on his lips.

"You seem to be far more extraordinary than I thought," he muttered, even though I could hear it clearly.

My father turned away from me and headed upstairs, leaving me in the hands of the adult mages who oversaw my magic examination.

My mind buzzed with unanswered questions. How did I end up here, reincarnated in this tiny body? What made me so special with this six-elemental magic? Was it even magic? This world seemed to function on different rules entirely.