The first thing Rudy saw when he opened his eyes that morning was a face,
His mother's face.
Her bright blue eyes stared at him with so much excitement that he almost screamed.
"Happy birthday, my sweet boy!" Rose said, wrapping him in a tight hug before he could even breathe.
Rudy blinked, his heart pounding. "M-Mom… you scared me again…"
Rose laughed softly and kissed his forehead. "Oh, come now. You're turning five today! You should be happy, not startled."
"I'd be happy if I didn't wake up to someone watching me sleep," Rudy muttered under his breath.
This was the third year in a row she'd done this, and somehow, he still hadn't gotten used to it. But he couldn't bring himself to be annoyed for long. His mother's face was glowing with joy, he was her miracle, after all.
"Now get ready," she said, standing up and straightening his blanket. "We're hosting a party tonight. Nobles from all over the Flame Kingdom will be coming. You have to look your best."
Rudy groaned inwardly. He didn't hate parties, but being surrounded by nobles who all acted polite while judging you behind fake smiles wasn't his idea of fun. Still, he nodded. "Okay, Mom."
By afternoon, the entire Avara mansion was bustling with servants decorating every corner. Glittering banners hung from the walls, flowers were being arranged, and a golden chandelier was polished until it sparkled like sunlight.
Rudy wandered among them, curious about all the preparations. That's when he saw her.
A girl, around seven or eight, was helping tie ribbons to the stair rail. Her black hair was tied neatly in a ponytail, and her face… well, Rudy had to admit, she was pretty. Way too pretty for a maid.
He stopped walking, staring for a moment. She's new, he thought. And seriously cute. Maybe I should… add her to my future harem?
He immediately shook his head. Wait, no! Bad Rudy! I'm not a creep. I'm mentally twenty-five. She's just a kid… a pretty kid. Okay, that sounds worse. Forget it.
He walked up to her, trying to look calm. "Hey, I haven't seen you before. What's your name?"
The girl turned, startled, then quickly bowed her head. "Good morning, Master Rudy. My name is Cassandra Flare."
The moment she called him Master, a strange sense of satisfaction ran through him. It was such a simple word, but hearing it from a cute girl, yeah, it hit something deep inside his reincarnated soul.
"C-Cassandra, huh? Nice to meet you." He coughed to cover his grin. "You're new here?"
Before she could reply, another maid approached, wiping her hands on her apron. "Ah, young master. She's my niece. I brought her in to help with the household chores."
Rudy nodded. "I see. Well, she's doing great."
Just then, his mother's voice echoed down the hall. "Rudy! Come here, sweetheart!"
"Coming!" he replied, glancing once more at Cassandra. "See you around."
As soon as he left, the older maid leaned close to her niece. "Remember what I told you, Cassandra. Try to befriend the young master, all right?"
Cassandra nodded shyly. "Yes, Auntie."
Night came quickly, and with it, the celebration.
The grand hall glittered with chandeliers and music. Servants hurried between tables carrying trays of wine and pastries. Laughter and chatter filled the air. Nobles from across the Flame Kingdom mingled and exchanged smiles that looked friendly but felt sharp.
Rudy stood beside his parents, dressed in a fine dark-blue suit with silver trim. He looked every bit the noble's son but inside, he felt like a goldfish in a shark tank.
Rose led him around proudly, introducing him to every important guest.
"Lord Victor Ostin," she said with a graceful smile, "this is my son, Rudy."
Victor was a tall, mustached man with a confident air. Beside him stood a girl, perhaps seven or eight years old, with long blonde hair and piercing green eyes.
Victor smiled warmly. "Ah, young Rudy! Happy birthday, boy. I wish you a blessed evaluation."
"Thank you, Lord Ostin," Rudy replied politely.
Victor chuckled and placed a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "This is my daughter, Livia Ostin. She's a talented mage, and has a mana capacity of seven hundred."
Rudy blinked. Seven hundred? That was… very good.
Livia's lips curved into a small smirk as their eyes met. Something about her expression screamed I'm better than you.
"Nice to meet you," Rudy said, trying to be polite.
Livia didn't reply. She simply looked him up and down as if she were inspecting a bug.
Victor laughed awkwardly. "Go on, Livia. Make friends with young Rudy. You two will be seeing more of each other in noble circles."
"Yes, Father," she said sweetly, then grabbed Rudy's hand before he could protest.
"H-Hey...wait!" he said as she pulled him through the crowd and into a quieter corner of the mansion.
Once they were alone, Livia turned to face him, arms crossed and chin lifted.
"Listen carefully," she said with the confidence of someone who clearly thought she ruled the world. "From today onward, you'll be my servant."
Rudy blinked. "…What?"
"You heard me. I'll be your master. You'll serve me for the rest of your life. In return, I might consider being your friend."
Rudy just stared at her, completely dumbfounded. His brain short-circuited for a moment.
What the hell did I just hear?
Here he was, thinking she might be one of those cute noble girls from romance stories, but instead she was a walking ego.
He rubbed his temples. "Look, I don't think you understand how friendships work…"
Livia smirked again. "You'll understand soon. My mana capacity is at seven hundred. You should be honored to be by my side."
Oh, she's one of those, Rudy thought. Great. She's beautiful, but she's got a rotten personality.
He forced a smile. "I'll… think about it."
"Good," she said confidently, clearly taking that as agreement.
Then she turned and walked off, her blonde hair swaying like she owned the place.
Rudy stood there, completely stunned.
"…What the hell was that?" he muttered to himself. "This world's nobles are something else."
That night, as the party carried on, Rudy leaned on a balcony, gazing up at the stars.
His fifth birthday was nearly over. Tomorrow, he'd finally go through the evaluation ceremony and discover his class. Maybe then… maybe then the system would finally appear.
He smiled faintly. "Let's see what kind of story this becomes."