Chapter 1: What to Do?

It's been a few weeks since I remembered my past life. Since then, things have been… slow. Close to every day, I've been working in the fields with Dad, Nicks and some servs from sunrise. It's fine—nice even—but there's so much more I want to do.
The problem is, I can't do much of anything yet. Not until Collin is born. I don't want to risk messing up his birth.
Waiting, though? Waiting is so boring. A year or so didn't feel this long in my memories.

Nothing's exactly like I remember, but it's close enough. I think there was a name for that in my first life… the butterfly effect? Yeah, that sounds right.
I know there are no guarantees. My memories don't mean everything will happen the same way. But Collin? He has to exist. I don't even want to imagine a world without him. It's bad enough knowing I'll never see my kids from my past life again.
That thought feels wrong every time it crosses my mind. Me, a kid, thinking about kids of my own? Gross. Blah.

I've been careful not to interfere too much—especially with Mom, Dad, or Zola. I even wrote down everything I could remember from my past life, like I did last time. The more I write, the more I remember. It's weird how that works. Stuff I thought I'd forgotten just comes back, like it was waiting for me to dig it up.
But still, writing, working, and studying? It's not enough. It's boring.
The only times I break from the usual routine are when I do things I remember from my past life. But until Collin's birth, there's almost nothing I can act on. So until then, I'm stuck. Waiting.

I'm pulled out of my thoughts when Finnley crashes into me with a grin. "Leon! Come eat!" she chirps, grabbing my arm and tugging. "Time for lunch, dear," Mom says, trailing behind her.
"Oh, yeah. Sure, I'm coming," I mumble, letting Finnley drag me along.

For now, I just have to keep my head down and not mess with anything. Once Collin is born, I can finally start steering my family toward a better future—especially Rutart and Merce. Maybe if they are not so reliant on Zola, or Zola changes, they don't meet such a gruesome fate. And as soon as I get Luxion, I'll be able to help everyone else too.

It's probably too late for the other Leon, but I promise, I'll make things better for you, my dear…
It's frustrating, though—I can't remember any names that weren't in the game. Still, I'll do everything I can to help all my past wives so they don't have to suffer this time around. They deserve better, and I won't let them down. Even my first life's sister, if she's here. Yeah, she's an idiot, but I won't let her end up seducing those five idiots just to get by. She too deserves better than that.

There's so much chaos and misfortune in these memories. I managed to live a good life, but I was always too late to act—only ever getting serious when the fires were already raging. It was always panic, stress, and desperation. This time, I need to be better, to act earlier—for the people I could have saved and for those who cared and worried about me despite everything. I owe them that much.

I just hope Dad will help me get to Luxion before I'm old enough to go after it by myself, so I get a head start.

Morning comes and goes, but the days don't feel any different—until suddenly one does. Mom and Dad call us together in the evening, their expressions unusually serious but warm.
"We have some news," Dad says, grinning ear to ear like it was the best news in the world. "You're getting another sibling!"
There's a pause as the words sink in. Mom, sitting beside him, looks a little tired, but her smile is soft, glowing with that kind of quiet happiness that warms a room. "You'll have to help out more around the house, alright?" she says, her voice calm but expectant.

Nicks, being Nicks, shrugs, with his arms crossed. "Let's hope it's a girl. Lady Zola's always nicer to girls."
Mom shakes her head, amused. "Oh, come on, Nicks. You've been a great older brother to Leon. I'm sure it'll be just fine if it's a boy. You'll help him out, just like you help Leon."
"Sure," Nicks says, deadpan.
Jenna groans from her seat, throwing her head back dramatically. "Ugh, another baby? Great. More crying all night."

Before anyone can reply, Finnley practically explodes with excitement, gasping so loudly it makes me flinch. Her little hands clap together like she's trying to summon magic, and her whole face lights up. "A baby?!" she shrieks. "I want to help! I'll sing to them every day!" She's bouncing now, spinning toward Jenna with wide, sparkling eyes. "Isn't that amazing, Jenna? We'll have a tiny sibling!"
Jenna just rolls her eyes, crossing her arms. "Babies are noisy, Finnley. You'll see."

I stay quiet, my heart hammering. This is it. This is the moment I've been waiting for. Everything has to go perfectly. If I mess up even a small detail—if anything changes—what if Collin doesn't exist? Just thinking about it makes my stomach turn. I can't let that happen.
So, I stay in the background, nodding along when Mom and Dad explain how we all need to pitch in. When Finnley tugs on my sleeve and asks, "Will you play with the baby when they're here?" I give her a small smile and say, "Sure."

The days that follow drag on. Every morning feels like the same slow routine: working in the fields with Dad and Nicks, helping Mom with chores, and staying out of trouble.
Jenna isn't exactly helpful. She keeps dodging any hard work, acting like she's above it all—a habit she definitely picked up from Zola and Merce. Every time she complains, I have to bite my tongue. The last thing I want is to start a fight that stresses Mom out.

Finnley, on the other hand, is glued to Mom like a second shadow. She hums little lullabies while folding laundry and constantly asks, "Mama, do you think the baby can hear me?
Mom just smiles, brushing Finnley's hair gently. "I'm sure they can, sweetheart. Keep singing—they'll love it."

When the big day finally arrives, the house is chaos.

Dad paces like a soldier in battle, barking orders to Nicks, who scrambles to follow them. Jenna is biting her nails in the corner, looking as stressed as I feel. Finnley clings to me, her big eyes brimming with worry.
"Is Mama going to be okay?" she whispers.
"She'll be fine," I tell her, ruffling her hair. "Mom's strong. She's got this."
Still, my stomach twists in knots. Everything depends on this moment.

Hours pass like centuries before a newborn's cries echo through the house. The tension breaks instantly. Dad steps out of the bedroom, his face a mixture of exhaustion and pride.
"It's a boy," he says, his grin so wide it's almost blinding.

It´s Collin.

It's him—it's really him! Right birthday, right name, everything matches. And they even named him Collin without me saying a word.

I didn't mess it up. Relief floods through me. Now I can finally start moving forward.
First on the list? Convincing Dad to help me with "my dream" and find Luxion. I doubt he'll agree right away, but maybe I'll get lucky.
For now, though, let's shake things up a little. Time to show my sisters and Zola's kids how much more fun life can be when you stop acting like a stuck-up noble all the time.

A/N

22.12.24 - Added some extra passages about Leons motivations.

Please comment if there is anything on your mind. All non shitposts are appreciated.
I hope this is not too invasive to the reading experience, since you can just stop reading the A/N when I ask to comment. Otherwise, let me know, and I stop adding this to new chapter and remove this sections in the old ones.