Transmigration

The azure sky was boundless, like an endless sapphire. There was not a single cloud in sight.

A few black birds shrieked as they streaked across the sky.

Below lay a vast, lush green forest. A winding path snaked its way between the trees. A carriage laden with golden grain straw moved slowly forward, the rhythmic sound of horse hooves echoing along the trail.

Lying atop the golden straw was a young boy, appearing to be thirteen or fourteen years old. He had short brown hair and was neither handsome nor striking; he could only be described as ordinary.

The boy's eyes were tightly shut, as if he were asleep.

The coachman driving the carriage in front handled the old horse with great care, trying his best to keep the ride steady, seemingly worried about disturbing the boy behind him.

Bang!!!

With a loud crash, the carriage wheel struck a sharp rock, and the entire vehicle jolted violently. It came to a sudden stop.

Song Ye's entire body shuddered. He woke up directly from his sleep.

His sallow little face crumpled, and he slowly opened his eyes.

"Where am I?" The boy's voice was faint, sounding weak and breathless.

He twitched his nose, catching the fresh scent of green grass.

Only then did he look around in confusion.

"I'm sorry, Second Young Master Anglie, the carriage hit a rock and disturbed your rest." The coachman was a middle-aged man with a sturdy, powerful build, though he was dressed in dusty, coarse linen clothes.

Seeing Song Ye wake up, he immediately turned back and apologized. At the same time, he took out tools to begin checking if the carriage wheel had been damaged.

"Second Young Master Anglie?" Song Ye was stunned. He looked left and right, confirming there was no one else around. Only then did he point to his own nose and ask, "Are you talking to me?"

"Yes, of course." The coachman nodded honestly while checking the wheel. "You fell from your horse and were hurt quite badly, so you need to get plenty of rest. I'm the only one left in town, and I couldn't find a better carriage on such short notice, so I've had to wrong you." The dark-skinned middle-aged man smiled kindly.

Song Ye's expression changed instantly, as if he had realized something.

"This isn't right..." he muttered. He hurriedly scanned his own body.

A black hunting outfit fit him perfectly, with a red belt wrapped around his waist and a black leather whip tied to his side.

A thin, frail body, fair palms. And waves of pain radiating from his knees and the back of his head.

Suddenly, a sharp, intense pain surged into his brain. Scenes of memories flooded his mind.

Song Ye rolled his eyes back and collapsed straight down, lying on the grain straw. Faintly, he heard the coachman's anxious and panicked shouts...

He did not know how much time had passed.

Song Ye slowly regained consciousness once more.

His mind now contained a portion of memories that did not belong to him at all.

This was the second son of a rural noble named Anglie Leo. A common young noble, ordinary to the extreme.

Because he had gone out riding with companions during his break and fallen from his horse, Song Ye had been able to slip into his place.

At the same time, memories regarding his life also flooded into Song Ye's mind.

This was a world very similar to medieval Europe.

The place where he was located was a country called the Rudin Kingdom. It was a very large nation. The Leo Family could be considered relatively wealthy rural minor nobles within the kingdom—not the best, but certainly better than most.

The family territory was located on the edge of a vast forest in the Yara Province.

In Anglie's memories, he only knew that his father, Baron Leo's territory, included three knightly fiefs and five villages and towns, with a population of at least five thousand people by annual census. Riding a horse from one end of the territory to the other at top speed would take at least an hour. It was a very, very large piece of land.

Anglie Leo, the second son of Baron Leo, was also the person with the highest status among the younger generation of the Leo Family. The eldest son had left to join the army and had not returned, so the legitimate right of inheritance for the family would very likely fall to Anglie.

"A minor noble... I actually transmigrated..." Song Ye rubbed his head, only then discovering that he was lying on a small bed. His clothes had been changed into a white sleeping robe, and he was covered by a thin white quilt.

This was a spacious and bright bedroom.

A bed, a white-painted writing desk, and two high-backed chairs, also white.

The window facing the bed was open, and a faint, bustling noise drifted in, seemingly from a street or similar place.

A light breeze carried the aroma of pancakes inside.

Song Ye took a deep breath and immediately felt famished.

"Is anyone there?" Song Ye cross-referenced Anglie's memories, confirming that this was one of the family's residences in town.

With a creak, the door opened.

A solemn-looking middle-aged man dressed in red noble attire strode in. He held a small silver bowl in his hand, and waves of enticing meaty fragrance wafted from it.

"Anglie, are you feeling better?" The man frowned as he walked to the bedside. He placed the small bowl on the nightstand and reached out a large hand to touch Song Ye's forehead.

"The fever is gone. Drink the meat broth first. Your body is too weak."

Song Ye quickly pulled up the memories of the man before him.

Kyle Leo, the current head of the Leo Family and the Baron who governed the territory. Yet, in front of Anglie, he was merely a father who doted on his son.

"I remember telling you," Baron Kyle said in a low voice, "to spend less time with those little things in the city. Even if they are your classmates in the Knight Course, you shouldn't get too close to them."

"It is my fault, Father." Song Ye lowered his head involuntarily and whispered. But this was not his own intention; it seemed to be a conditioned reflex of this body.

"You fell from a galloping horse and didn't even break a bone; it seems your luck is quite good." The Baron softened his tone slightly. Watching his son lower his head in guilt, he couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache.

"Your older brother left to join the army, and whether he returns is uncertain. I expect the future hope of the Leo Family rests entirely on you. If anything else were to happen to you, I dare not imagine the consequences..." The Baron sighed and fell silent.

In Anglie's memories, Song Ye knew that this was his father's true nature.

To the outside world, he was the formidable Baron of the Leo Family, cold and unyielding. Many servants within the estate had been executed by his hand for the slightest of offenses. Moreover, as a lord with numerous subjects,

the Baron took in beautiful women from his territory every few years. Consequently, he had many children.

More importantly, last year, through a series of calculated maneuvers, the Baron had sent troops to annex a neighboring barony, nearly doubling the size of his territory.

People outside spoke of his cruelty and arrogance, his cunning and deceit, and his cold-blooded ruthlessness.

But unfortunately, the Baron's affection was unique only toward Anglie. Or perhaps, it was a special sentiment held for Anglie's late mother.

Therefore, Anglie held the highest status among all his children.

No matter what request he made, the Baron would use all his power to satisfy him.

"You must remember, Anglie. Regardless of the circumstances, as the future heir of the Leo Family, you must not lack reason. You must think carefully before doing anything," Baron Kyle said heavily to Song Ye.

"I will remember, Father." Song Ye nodded solemnly.

"Forget about Catherine. As for the other one, the girl you wanted before, I have already had her sent to your room. You are still young, so it is fine to play around, but if I discover you are becoming obsessed..." The Baron paused, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes, "You know what will happen."

"I understand." Song Ye's heart tightened, and he nodded quickly. Although the Baron doted on him, the trouble he had caused this time was truly significant.

"Very well, finish your soup and rest. I have matters to attend to. Old Ward will send someone to take you back to the castle shortly. I am leaving now." The Baron nodded and turned to walk away.

The moment the bedroom door closed,

Song Ye's gaze drifted to a knight in full plate armor standing outside. He recognized him; it was the Baron's strongest warrior, the knight Audis. He was known for using his heavy armor to stomp the heads of his enemies until they burst like watermelons.

The people in the territory called him the Demon Knight.

With a thud, the bedroom door shut.

From the courtyard outside, the sound of the Baron's hushed voice and footsteps drifted away, growing fainter until they were completely inaudible.

Song Ye turned his head to look at the meat soup on the nightstand.

He knew that if it were merely ordinary broth, the Baron would not have brought it himself.

The meat inside came from a creature called a Ring-Ding Fish, which legend claimed were children lost by evil wizards and transformed into fish through sorcery. He had drunk it before when he was injured.

Song Ye picked up the silver bowl and peered inside.

In the milky-white liquid, a small, finger-length silver fish flickered in and out of view. On the head of the small fish was, unmistakably, a human face that bore a striking resemblance to a person.

"A fish with a child's face..." Song Ye muttered, watching the pained expression on the child-like face in the bowl. His stomach immediately churned.

This world is truly not the world I once knew... The thought flashed through his mind.

Sitting on the bed, Song Ye hesitated for a long time before finally pinching his nose and gulping down the soup. As for the fish head with the child's face, he tore it off and left it in the bowl. He dared not consume such a thing.

After finishing the soup, he lay back on the bed to rest for a while.

Only then did Song Ye begin to organize the memories in his mind.

The original Anglie, because of his father's doting, was timid and lacked initiative in his personality, but when it came to entertainment, he was no worse than the other children. In fact, he was far more privileged.

Whatever he wanted—be it objects, pets, wealth, or even people—the Baron would find a way to satisfy him. This had led Anglie to become increasingly unscrupulous, wanting to snatch anything that caught his eye.

In other words, he was a standard spoiled brat.

After all, as a barony, the territory was equivalent to a county-level city on Earth in Song Ye's past life. Although the population was much smaller, the power held was far greater. As the lord, the Baron could essentially do whatever he pleased.

In this chaotic era, with the current internal turmoil within the Rudin Kingdom, the nobility remained the ultimate representation of power and wealth.

However, regardless of how terrifying Baron Kyle's influence was, the spoiled Anglie had gone too far this time.

While being sent to study knightly courses, Anglie had taken a fancy to a noble girl who was studying alongside him.

The girl's name was Catherine Candia. She was the most beloved granddaughter of Viscount Candia, who nominally governed the Kyle Barony.

To show off in front of Catherine, Anglie had accepted a horse racing challenge against another boy. The result was that his saddle had been tampered with, and in a moment of carelessness, the original Anglie had vanished from this world forever.

"It was actually because of petty jealousy..." Song Ye was speechless as he flipped through the memories again. "This world is truly... baffling... to be fighting over jealousy and attacking a romantic rival at only fourteen years old..."