Chapter 1

Chapter 1

“Ah! Master Cedric! You’re awake!” A voice called to me, the sound of clattering silverware falling to the ground assaulting my ears. Not knowing of who they were speaking of, I looked around the room in, what I assumed to be my bed. “H-huh?” I asked, twisting my head around looking for this Cedric person they were speaking of. To my surprise, my eyes fell upon what seemed to be a Victorian-style maid. One who seemed very shocked at my sudden awakening.

Seeing as I seemed to be the only person in the room, I pointed to myself. “M-me?” I asked tentatively. The maid however, didn’t really seem to respond to me though as, with tears in her eyes and her hands together was too busy sobbing. “Master Cedric you’re okay!” Before I could even ask her what she was talking about, she bolted out of the room like a racehorse, to, I assumed, fetch someone else.

Now alone, I glanced around the room. First at the door she left from, then the massive bed I was laying on. “Well this is DEFINITELY not my bed back in my apartment.” I mumbled to myself out loud. However, as soon as I mumbled to myself, my eyes opened in shock as not the voice of a forty five year old man, but a small child came out. My hand flew to my throat, only to find tiny, stubby child-like fingers. I felt several sweat drops fall down my face as I realized this. Immediately I threw the covers off my bed and raced towards a full sized mirror in the corner of the room. What I saw there nearly made me fall unconscious again.

There, standing before me was a small child of about nine to ten years old. His silvery hair and blue eyes staring back at me. I was adorned in pajamas for certain, but fancy, ornate ones that looked like something out of a Victorian novel. I leaned into the image in the mirror and then back, as if to make sure it would follow my every move. When it did, I blinked a few more times, standing there speechless.

“A dream?” I asked myself stupefied. To test this, i took my tiny hand and pinched my cheek. I was greeted by a shot of pain.”Ow! Okay, well, not a dream.” As I said this, the realization hit me. “Wait a second...that means... This is real?” I asked myself out loud, to no one but myself. My reflection mouthing those exact words as if to verify it. But, that couldn’t be. I was some forty five year old office worker in Chicago. Now I looked like I was some kid from a Jane Austen novel.

I would have pondered this more, but it was at this time that the maid from earlier came in, with several other adults in tow. The female of two, a woman who appeared to be in her late thirties, rushed over to me and gave me a hug, tears in her eyes. “Oh Cedric! My dear Cedric you’re all right!” Okay, so at this point, I supposed my name was Cedric, now hearing it from two different people. That name sounded familiar at the time, but I wasn’t quite sure exactly where I had heard it before.

Rather than question her, i gave her a smile and said “Um.. H..hi mom.” Apparently I guessed this correctly as she hugged me tighter. “Yes! Yes my dear Cedric, you remember me. Oh, I’m so, so happy.” I flailed a little bit, starting to feel the inability to breathe. Thankfully the man who I assumed to be my father appeared to save me. “Now now dear, he just woke up, please don’t crush him.”

Hearing his words apparently seemed to bring her out of her love induced stupor as she released me. “Oh! Oh of course! I was merely so happy my love.” She said, blushing and standing up.

Now that I wasn’t be crushed to death, I got a good look at the two of them. They both appeared to be quite regal and lovely. My mother was dressed in a gorgeous emerald green dress, her hair quaffed in a tall bun with a few blonde curls coming down the side. Her face, while i assume was normally quite youthful and elegant despite being in her late thirties, was currently puffy from crying, but it wasn’t hard to see her beauty. My father on the other hand, was just as regal if not more so. A pure white suit adorned him along with a sort of shoulder cape. His face was slightly aged, probably around the same age I had been when I died, if not a little younger. His stunning white hair matched my own color, however while my eyes were a bright blue, his were a deep green.

“I’m so glad to see you’re doing better son.” My father said, his hands behind his back, yet with a smile, exuding all the regal air of nobility. With nothing else to say or do, I merely give a small nod. “..Eh.” I managed to get out. A small awkward silence passed between us before a maid ducked her head into the room. “Ah! Master Valatross, I am so sorry to interrupt, but you have an urgent missive from the minister!”

My father, to his credit didn’t seem too surprised at this, and merely turned his head slightly back to the maid and nodded gently. “I see. Yes, I will be there at once.” He then turned back to me. “Well Cedric, I am just glad to see you are feeling well. Please don’t overdo it and rest.” In response I gave him a short gentle nod. Seemingly satisfied with this, he nodded and took his leave.

Upon him leaving, my mother escorted me back to bed and had me lie down telling me i had a serious injury and need my rest. I merely allowed her to and went back into bed. “I’ll have one of the maids nearby in case you need anything. Just ring your bell darling if you do.” I responded with another silent nod. And with that, my mother left too.

With them both gone, my head hit the pillow as I stared up at the ceiling. What in the world was going on? I wasn’t dreaming, and I looked like a kid. I raised my hand up towards the ceiling to look at my pudgy boy fingers. Wasn’t I just in my room? Playing an Otome game.....I stopped.

“Wait. Didn’t they call me Cedric? And then the maid said.....Master Valatross?” I mumbled this to myself out loud as the gears in my brain started to turn. “Cedric... Valataross. No, it can’t be.” I salt bolt upright. Wait wait wait. Cedric Valatross? The Duke’s son? From that game I was playing before I died?! No no no this can’t be right. This has to be a mistake. Why would I be a kid version of one of the five love interests from that stupid game?!

I hopped out of bed and immediately ran to my desk. On there confirmed my worst fears. Books and stationary with the name “Cedric Valatross, son of Duke Valatross” Embroidered on all my things. I felt like I wanted to scream. Out of all the things that had to happen when I died, I got sent to an otome game with the absolute WORST protagonist? The one I went on forums and described as ‘if dollar store white bread was somehow even less substantive’?

I had to be one of the five love interests who... Wait a second! I stopped myself in front of the mirror. ‘That’s right!’ I said aloud. “There’s five of us. Which means that there’s four other guys who are interested in her! That’s great! I’ll just take myself out of the running and I won’t even interact with her.” I smiled at myself in the mirror as I came to my incredibly intelligent conclusion. “That’s right. I don’t have to deal with her at all.”