A world beyond death.
Who could judge me if I considered this to be hell?
The one free from sin, the one who throws the first stone... What have I done so that even the eternal rest of death is stripped from me?
My name is Dante; right now, my last name is irrelevant. I was a 16-year-old teenager, in my second year of high school. I found myself involved in bigger problems that led to the end of my life. However, none of it was immoral or sinful. I just followed the dictates of my heart. However, just when I thought it was the curtain for me, I woke up blinded by a white glow, cradled in the arms of a woman who had just given birth.
I currently bear the name of Sevro Crane and have reincarnated.
If I could elucidate my location or provide details about my current circumstances, the most important piece of information I would convey is the existence of magic. This world is parallel to Earth in its essence, albeit in the past; it is close to the time when machines and steam were about to displace swords by gunpowder weapons.
At this very moment, I am sitting inside the cabin of the carriage, accommodated in luxurious upholstery, being pulled by a team of horses. Cross-legged, I look out the window at the gloomy clouds that dot the sky.
「Those eyes always hint at some shadowy intrigue. What are you up to, Crane?」
The carriage features walls polished to a gleaming shine. A row of seats graces one side, while a folding desk spans the expanse of the other: a repository for books, pens, and inkwells. Across the desk is a black-scaled serpent, its forked tongue flickering my way. For many, this creature can radiate majesty, elegance, and poise, imbued with finesse and refinement. To me, it's a disabled reptile.
—You spend your time criticizing everything you see and lamenting my high-sounding behavior, but it is you who seeks to irritate me.
「You are a hateful child, Crane.」
My confidante and newest acquisition, Zeth, the Black Serpent. According to taxonomy, it is classified as a magical creature. Among his repertoire of talents, telepathy stands out, a gift that he uses to converse with me.
Fifteen years have passed since my reincarnation in this world; ironically, I passed away at 16. I have managed to accumulate considerable knowledge about this world. The transformation has been radical. Born into the Crane lineage, I can't help but perceive myself as the recipient of Miss Luck's blessings.
The Crane family has spawned several generations of wizards. So when the letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry arrived on our doorstep, my parents couldn't have been more elated: I was going to be the first wizard of this generation. It seemed like an oasis in the desert, if only a drop, considering that until then I had been completely oblivious to the existence of magic within this world.
Currently, my understanding of magic is still rudimentary. The world of wizardry had been hidden from my awareness, known only by my grandparents and parents. After all, what use would it be to inform their progeny that they lacked magical prowess?
Make no mistake; I don't see them through a pitying lens. A fundamental truth was withheld from me to avoid disappointment. I did not share any sincere connection with any member of my new family. They could drown, and I would take over the lone lifeboat, even if there was room for all of them...
「What plagues that incisive intellect?」
The snake's voice floated gracefully, refined and mellifluous, even seductive. Such was the charm of magical creatures. It is not pleasant to house a pest that exists solely to feed and excrete.
Arms folded across my chest, I looked back into the carriage and fixed my eyes on Zeth. Then, shaking my head from side to side, I expressed my thoughts:
—What do you think would have happened if I had refused to come?
「We would never have crossed paths. That torment alone would have been enough to me…」
They said that a wizard's magical animal was the reflection of its owner's soul; I said it was stupid. The sarcasm went unnoticed by Zeth. The irony amused him, and he hated me as much as I hated him. Yet bound by a blood pact, only death could part us. According to my parents, there would come a time when Zeth would shed his animal form and assume a human appearance. When that happened, I would receive power. They didn't elaborate, but power was always attractive. Thus, Zeth would stay by my side until he accomplished his mission.
—You wretched reptile, I mean the repercussions my parents would have had if I had despised their machinations. You are well aware that Hogwarts epitomizes self-centeredness. There were many private wizarding institutions, and given my family's wealth, sending me elsewhere would have been a piece of cake.
Zeth sprawled across the entire leather seat.
「Why are you so enamored with pondering unattainable possibilities? How relevant are what-if scenarios, considering they were never developed? Living in the past is pathetic, but dwelling on past conjectures is demeaning.」
I sighed.
—Ah, you can't have a conversation without injecting some cheap philosophy. You're looking for answers I never asked for. I'll learn a spell to silence your chatter in my mind.
「And I will find a way to master Parseltongue, ensuring that you are forever subject to my voice.」
When the carriage door creaked open, I realized that we had stopped a long time ago.
—Did you really try to kiss Aurora?
The boy by the door was lean with a sharp, imposing face. His tousled blond locks framed his face, and his light brown eyes sparkled with sharpness.
—Did you really try to kiss Aurora, Crane?!"
From his breathless state, it was evident that he had run towards the carriage, and the urgency with which he posed the question suggested that he was anxiously searching for an answer.
—Robin, I distinctly remember telling you that before you put a finger on the doorknob of my carriage, you must wash your hands. Yet evidently you haven't even asked my driver's permission to see me... But tell me, what exactly do you mean?
Oliver Robin, descendant of Count Elric au Robin. This handsome young man boasted a more distinguished lineage than mine; his parents controlled more land than two cities combined, and his formidable army was a source of pride and an example to other families. In Oliver's mind, I was his closest confidant. Actually, he was my pet.
—Don't you dare feign ignorance! —Oliver burst into the carriage, closed the door, and sat down next to me—. You know very well that most of us boys would be delighted to humble ourselves at Aurora's feet!
—Yeah...? —I told him to continue.
—And you jumped over her tail to give her a kiss?!
—Wait a second, you initially claimed that I tried to kiss her, and now you claim that I succeeded. Please tell me, Robin, what is the authentic narrative you are trying to twist?
I knew what Aurora he meant. That 16-year-old maiden, with her generous chest and pronounced hips, similar to most girls in the wizarding world, was astonishingly beautiful; this was not just my subjective assessment. Through deduction, I surmised that the wizarding bloodline had been enchanted throughout history, altering their genes to predominantly sire stunning, magically adept women.
I certainly wasn't a gentleman, far from it. As a child, I used every opportunity to sneak into the maids' rooms and surreptitiously watch them change their clothes. The same voyeuristic tendencies persisted with the different women who frequented our house and offered to take care of me. Like a teenager at the height of hormonal fervor, my eyes were perpetually wandering, seeking endless training. Despite my virgin status, I will wait for the right moment until I reach 17 years old, when I can finally throw off my confinement and free myself from the limitations that have trapped my desires.
It was true that I flirted with Aurora, and the feeling was mutual. On Earth, I wasn't unattractive, but in this world, as I mentioned earlier, magical genes gave me an advantage. Whether it was her knowledge of my family's wealth, an affinity for my looks, or genuine affection, Aurora didn't hesitate to drop hints.
But kiss her? Please, if I were to go on such an adventure, I would be reaching for the stars.
For now, all uncertainties have been dispelled. Aurora had spread rumors because my actions had not met her expectations. A self-centered and despondent girl, buoyed by her looks and the attention boys lavished on her, considered herself untouchable. Taking advantage of her influence, she had orchestrated an uprising against me out of sheer spite, thus rationalizing Oliver's anger.
「My, my… It's quite a bitter pill to swallow, but I too fell with that cherubic countenance and those sparkling emerald eyes. This is more intricate and diabolical than anything you've encountered, Cranel. She really has caught you in her web!」
When the snake hissed and Oliver belatedly acknowledged its presence, he jumped onto his seat, apparently seeking solace in the close proximity of my arm.
"Situations upon situations; it looks like I'll have to play along until I claim my name. Tch, I've yet to set foot in Hogwarts, and I'm already cast as the bad guy."