Haa…
Life.
Isn't it strange?
Always full of surprises, always bringing unexpected events at the most unexpected times.
The gifts life gave me were enough to make me cry, yet I never truly knew whether those tears were from happiness or sadness. Maybe they were both or maybe neither.
Reincarnation.
Isekai.
Yes, I became one of those so-called heavenly blessed ones.
But the way I died?
Utterly pathetic.
It was a normal day. Nothing special about it. I had taken a seat outside a café, ordered a strong coffee, and was enjoying the quiet. I grasped the cup and brought it close to my lips, ready to take the first sip.
Then, out of nowhere, a frenzied, overspeeding car struck me.
I didn't even understand what happened. My body was trampled, thrown aside, and before I could process the pain, the car crashed into the store behind me, destroying it completely.
And just like that, my life ended.
In the next instant, I found myself lying in a cradle, swaying gently from left to right. A red-haired woman was staring down at me with eyes filled with warmth and disbelief.
She was beautiful.
So beautiful that my thoughts froze.
And then a sudden realization hit me.
She was my mother.
It took me a long time to accept it. To truly understand that I had been reborn. That this wasn't a dream or hallucination.
At first, I felt a bit sad about my old life, but the sadness didn't overwhelm me. My life back then wasn't exactly fruitful. My parents had died when I was still a child, and I lived alone for most of my life.
I was single.
Not because I was ugly, but because I was focused on building a career. And don't misunderstand, I had been proposed to many times. It was me who rejected them, not the other way around.
Loneliness was something I had already grown used to.
Still, this new life felt overwhelming. New relationships, unfamiliar surroundings, and a warmth I had never experienced before.
Yet what drowned all of that was excitement.
Reincarnation..Rebirth...Isekai.
What usually comes with it?
A protagonist's fate.
And with it either golden finger of overpowered talent or something kind of system.
And apparently, I had hit the jackpot.
I was born into a powerful noble family. A wealthy house. Parents who were feared and respected throughout the world.
Hell yeah.
I couldn't stop smiling for days. Unfortunately, that smile terrified the maids. Rumors soon spread about the newborn young master with a wicked grin.
I ignored all of it.
After all, I was destined to stand at the top of the world one day. Why waste time caring about small farces?
I began searching for my power.
I tried calling for a system.
Hey system,where are you?
Isn't it time for you to make a grand entrance and bestow the things to make be OP.
It was time to go op however...
Wait...Wait...
System?
My lovely System?
Where the hell are you?
A round of panic settled over me.
No calm down.
There might be other power.
And then I experimented with every gimmick I knew.
But nothing appeared.
Then I thought maybe I was the genius-type protagonist, blessed with heaven-defying talent. So I tried sensing mana, learning the world's power structure, and training from an early age.
And yet again nothing happened.
My hopes were finally crushed the day a priest came to examine me.
The result shocked everyone.
My father was the Grand Duke. One of the strongest beings in the world.
As for my mother, I didn't know her true status, but rumors said she could beat my father into dust despite his strength.
And me?
The child who should have inherited their monstrous genes?
I was a failure.
My body had low mana affinity. My aptitude was Bronze level. Second from the bottom.
Iron. Copper. Bronze. Gold. Mithril. Platinum. Adamantium. Radiant. Dawn.
My father was Dawn aptitude yet his only child was just a trash who couldn't even inherit the family mystery.
The moment those results were spoken, all my excitement turned to dust.
It finally explained everything.
Why I couldn't sense mana.
Why training felt pointless.
Only monsters and protagonists could sense mana at such a young age.
It seemed I was neither.
After that judgment day, I was prepared.
Prepared to be ignored.
Prepared to be looked at with contempt.
Prepared to be discarded once another child was born.
So I turned away, ready to flee.
But then…
Mother?
Why are you crying?
Shouldn't it be who should be scared and cry.
OHHH!Mother..Please stop holding me so tightly. I can't breathe.
And father…
Why do you look so sad?
Why are you apologizing?
Why aren't you looking at me with disgust?
They were blaming themselves.
For not giving me higher potential.
That moment shattered everything I thought I knew.
They didn't love me less.
They loved me more.
I couldn't believe it.
My family wasn't disappointed.
They were heartbroken for me.
And my mother?
Let's not talk about her.
She became unbearably clingy. She would explode every time I wandered too far away.
I had hundreds of maids and servants at my disposal.Money piled up like mountains. Even if I spent lavishly every day, I doubt I could exhaust it.
The Empire's budget would fall short compared to our revenue.
And siblings?
None.
Despite my constant requests for a brother or sister, they had no intention of having another child.
Everything felt wrong.
I had no golden finger, yet I was drowning in golden spoons.
This, it seemed, was my true cheat.
The love of my parents.
What greater strength could exist?
And yet…
I wasn't happy.
My heart felt suffocated.
I felt unworthy of being their son.
So I tried.
I tried harder than anyone else.
I trained like a monster. I pushed my body until even knights felt ashamed watching me.
Warrior...Mage.
Anything and everything I could attempt.
But it was useless.
No matter how hard I worked, I remained far below others.
At some point, I gave up on myself.
But every morning, I saw two familiar faces.
And so I clenched my teeth and stood up again.
Maybe today.
Maybe today would be different.
I may never become the strongest.
But I will never allow anyone to look down on my parents.
Don't misunderstand.
This isn't a mere belief or a flickering resolve.
This is the truth.
Even if I have to sell myself to the devil.
Even if I tear this body apart.
Even if I crawl through the deepest abyss.
The me of this world will stand above all.
And one day everyone will witness it.
The terrifying might of the being called NOEL DE NOVA.