My eyes slowly opened.
The first thing I saw was a ceiling far too luxurious to belong to an ordinary room.
Intricate golden carvings decorated the white marble above me, and a massive crystal chandelier hung quietly from the center.
For a moment, my mind felt blank.
Then voices reached my ears.
"The prince has awakened!"
"Your Highness is awake!"
"Quick! Inform the palace!"
Their voices echoed loudly around the room.
My head throbbed painfully.
I rubbed my temples and groaned.
"Will you all… shut up?"
My voice came out weak, but sharp enough.
"My head and ears are hurting…"
The entire room fell silent.
Everyone stared at me as if they had just seen a miracle.
Then chaos erupted.
"The prince spoke!"
"Quick! Call the court healer!"
"The prince's ears are hurting!"
People started running around the room in panic. Servants rushed toward the doors while maids whispered nervously among themselves.
Their noise only made my headache worse.
I sighed and decided to stay quiet.
But suddenly—
A sharp pain exploded inside my head.
"AAAH!"
Memories began flooding my mind.
Not mine.
Someone else's.
Ten years of memories rushed into my brain like a violent storm.
Images… voices… emotions…
A lonely boy.
A silent prince.
Whispers in palace corridors.
"The second prince is strange."
"His mind is broken."
"Poor child…"
The pain became unbearable.
"It hurts!" I shouted, grabbing my head.
"It hurts! Make it stop!"
I started pounding the bed helplessly.
The room descended into complete panic.
Servants ran everywhere. Some shouted for help, while others looked terrified.
Then the door suddenly burst open.
"The court healer is here!" a maid announced loudly.
Everyone immediately stepped aside.
An elderly man slowly walked toward the bed.
The moment he entered the room, everyone became silent.
It was as if a ghost had appeared.
I looked at him blankly.
The old man stared at me carefully.
Then he raised his hand and began chanting strange words.
A soft golden light appeared around his palm.
The moment the light touched my forehead—
The pain vanished.
A soothing warmth spread through my entire body.
My mind finally calmed down.
The flood of memories slowed, allowing me to slowly process them.
Just as I started breathing normally again—
A loud voice echoed from the entrance.
"His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress have arrived!"
Everyone in the room instantly knelt.
Two figures entered the room.
An elegant woman and an older man walked toward my bed.
The man's aura was powerful and commanding, yet his eyes carried a deep exhaustion.
He stopped beside my bed and looked at me.
"How are you feeling, Alex?"
His voice sounded cold… but strangely warm at the same time.
When our eyes met, I felt something unexpected.
Comfort.
Without thinking, I spoke softly.
"I… I am fine, Father."
The room froze.
Every servant looked shocked.
Even the emperor's eyes widened.
Then suddenly—
He burst out laughing.
"Finally! Finally!"
"God has heard our prayers!"
Before I could react, the woman beside him rushed forward and hugged me tightly.
Tears streamed down her face.
"My child…" she whispered, her voice trembling.
"Mother is so happy… you are finally back to your old self."
Her warmth felt unfamiliar, yet strangely comforting.
For some reason, my chest felt heavy.
Then suddenly—
Two small figures rushed toward the bed.
A girl and a boy.
The girl hugged me tightly.
"I'm sorry, big brother!" she cried.
"It was all my fault! Please forgive me!"
Looking at my little sister's teary face, I felt overwhelmed.
I gently patted her head.
"Don't worry," I said softly.
"Your brother is fine."
The boy standing behind her crossed his arms.
"You better be fine," he said bluntly.
"Do you know how much time and money Father and Mother spent because of you?"
His tone sounded rude, but I could sense genuine concern behind his words.
Before I could respond—
A strange voice suddenly echoed inside my mind.
System installation…
1%
5%
40%
100%
Installation complete.
My eyes widened.
A mechanical voice spoke again.
Welcome, Host.
Welcome to the world of "Chronicles of the Ruined Empire."
I am the System assigned to assist you in saving this world.
A transparent screen suddenly appeared before my eyes.
Status Window
Name: Alex von Voldigord (Alex)
Age: 10 (24)
Status: Second Prince of the Ether Empire
Condition: Extremely weak body
Titles:
• Mentally Ill Prince
• Good-Hearted Prince
Stats: [Click to view]
I stared at the floating screen in disbelief.
No one else seemed to notice it.
So only I could see it.
I sighed quietly.
"Can you please stay silent for a moment?" I whispered under my breath.
The screen immediately disappeared.
I looked around the room.
Everyone was still watching me anxiously.
"I… want to rest," I said calmly.
"Please give me some time alone."
The emperor nodded.
"Everyone, leave the room."
"Alex needs time."
One by one, the servants, maids, and royal family members left the chamber.
Soon the room became silent.
I leaned back against the bed.
My mind raced with countless thoughts.
Reincarnation.
A ruined empire.
And a game I had spent ten thousand hours playing.
I closed my eyes slowly.
"First," I murmured.
"I need to remember exactly how this empire was destroyed."
Because if I remembered correctly…
The fall of the Ether Empire had already begun.