Princess, You Must Start the Revolution!

Chapter 1: Prologue  

The stars in the night sky are more beautiful because they are beyond human reach.  

Likewise, many things that exist only in imagination seem even more appealing precisely because they never happen in reality.  

More people than one might think have entertained a similar fantasy.  

Crossing into another world, gaining extraordinary abilities or an exceptional lineage—sometimes both—and starting anew.  

Of course, there would be hardships and trials, but one would overcome them all, growing stronger and rising as the protagonist of the story.  

I was no different, and naturally, I never thought such a thing would actually happen.  

Honestly, reincarnation, past lives, and traveling to another world were all ideas that went beyond science fiction, existing solely within the realm of imagination.  

But I was wrong.  

By some unknown stroke of coincidence, I was granted the opportunity to live a new life.  

“So, you’re saying I wasn’t originally meant to die here?”  

“That’s right. It was truly unfortunate. A ‘mistake’ that happens once in centuries caused your death. It was meant to be someone else’s possibility.”  

What would you think if you heard something like that?  

Especially after dying in the most absurd way—tripping backward while walking down the street?  

People might react differently, but for me, there was only one possible response.  

“No, send me back! If I died by mistake, you can just bring me back to life!”  

Even if my life had been nothing more than a hamster running in a wheel, it was still precious in its own way.  

After all, simply being alive was something to be grateful for.  

It was a truth difficult to grasp while living, but very few failed to recognize the value of life when facing death.  

Even more so after death.  

To begin with, I was someone with a strong attachment to life.  

“Well, the problem is that you’ve already been officially recorded as deceased, so there’s nothing that can be done. You understand, right?”  

“Understand, my ass! I died so ridiculously, and now you’re telling me it was a ‘mistake’ that should’ve happened to someone else, but you can’t even bring me back? How does that make any sense?!”  

The being before me—or rather, the presence I could feel—was something completely beyond the comprehension of modern logic.  

But I was already dead.  

If I didn’t argue now, who else could I argue with?  

There were no documented accounts of what happened after death, so I had no way of knowing.  

Still, if I didn’t raise hell at this very moment, I knew I’d regret it for the rest of my—well, maybe not life, but… whatever it was now.  

“How about this instead? I’ll place you in another world, inside the body of a child who was originally fated to die at birth. If you want, you can file an official complaint, but the process will take quite some time.”  

I could never return to my original life.  

But for someone who often daydreamed about other worlds while running on the wheel of life, the offer this being extended was quite tempting.  

Being born in another world?  

And not even taking someone else’s life, but replacing an existence that was never meant to survive?  

It didn’t sound too bad.  

I wouldn’t have to feel guilty, and with my pre-existing awareness, I could potentially gain various advantages in life.  

I did have lingering attachments to my previous world, and I was certainly angry about the situation.  

However, I was long past the age where throwing a tantrum would resolve unfair circumstances.  

“Can I choose?”  

As I took a step back and began to compromise with reality, my tone grew slightly more polite.  

If I was to be born in another world, the kind of family and environment I’d be born into was crucial.  

What if I ended up as a medieval serf?  

Even in another world, I’d just spend my life farming and performing labor until I died.  

“According to the records, you often imagined other worlds, is that correct? Your main keywords are ‘fantasy,’ ‘magic,’ and ‘high status.’”  

“So, does that mean I can choose?”  

“You won’t be able to pick everything exactly, but I can grant you those three elements. You’ll be reborn in a fantasy world, with magical abilities, and as someone of high status.”  

Honestly, I was a little dissatisfied.  

It was already outrageous that I had died due to a mistake, yet I couldn’t even choose everything myself?  

I understood that the other side had its own circumstances, but my anger hadn’t fully subsided yet, and I figured I might be able to push for more.  

“You said I died instead of someone else. So, can’t you at least do that much?”  

“Oh, you’re mistaken. You didn’t die instead of someone else. Rather, the possibility of another person dying in your place was misdirected. For example, in your original life, you were fated to face genuine death three times—three years from now, twelve years from now, and thirty-two years from now.”  

“Dying is dying. What do you mean by ‘the possibility of dying’?”  

There’s always a chance of dying.  

At any moment, a reckless driver—drunk, drowsy, or simply out of their mind—could run me over.  

This wasn’t some kind of wordplay.  

“It’s a fate with variability, dependent on free will. Besides, there aren’t many beings who are born with magic, destined to die at birth, in a fantasy world. It’s quite a rare condition.”  

Well, that made sense.  

I didn’t know how vast this universe was or how many worlds this being oversaw, but it was a rather specific criterion.  

They were probably granting me this much because I died by mistake.  

Realizing this, my mind cooled slightly.  

“……What happens if I insist on pressing my claim?”  

“Then you’d have to file an official complaint. To put it simply, your case would go through about a dozen layers of bureaucracy before being processed. By the time the results reach us again, it’ll have taken around fifty years in the time you’re familiar with. If you’re unsatisfied with the decision, you can appeal twice more, extending the process to a maximum of 150 years.”  

“That sounds an awful lot like a threat.”  

“Well, it’s meant as a bit of a warning. To be honest, it would put me in a difficult position, and I’d rather avoid that. So, are you prepared to waste 150 years just to inconvenience me?”  

The fact that they weren’t outright denying it made them seem more trustworthy.  

I didn’t know this being’s exact situation or how much trouble my complaints would cause them.  

But waiting 150 years after dying out of sheer frustration was absurd.  

Even if it was only 50 years, it would be the same.  

I hadn’t even lived that long in my original life.  

“……Alright. Then I’ll take the fantasy world, magic, and high status.”  

That was fine.  

There would be no games, variety shows, or smartphones, but if I had magic and a noble status in a world filled with different races, there would be plenty of ways to have fun.  

That was enough.  

If I couldn’t return to life, obtaining such conditions was more than satisfying.  

After all, I’d belong to the top 1% of that world’s hierarchy.  

Depending on the situation I was born into, I might even be able to use my shallow knowledge to spark revolutionary change and leave my name in history.  

If I couldn’t come back to life, this was the best outcome I could hope for.  

The probability of being born under better conditions was close to impossible.  

“Well then, now we just need to—”  

“Oh, I almost forgot the most important thing. There’s one more thing.”  

At my words, I sensed the being suddenly growing tense.  

Were they worried I’d demand something unreasonable?  

I didn’t know exactly how things worked here, but I’d already learned that my actions could cause trouble for this entity.  

So it made sense for them to be wary.  

And in truth, the additional condition I was about to request had the potential to become a significant variable in my new world.  

“I want to retain all my memories. I didn’t get to live out my original life, so if I lose my memories, it would be as if my past self ceases to exist entirely. That would make this meaningless.”

Seeing the being’s reaction, I thought there was a chance my request might be denied.  

So, I added some justification.  

Even if I was to be reborn, what meaning would it have if I lost my memories?  

“Hmm, I see. You’ll be born anew, with an entirely new body—including a new brain—but if there’s no mental connection either, then you wouldn’t really be ‘you.’ It would simply be the child who was originally meant to die being given a second life.”  

“Exactly. That’s precisely my point.”  

I hadn’t thought about it that deeply, but since the other party laid it out so clearly, I was grateful.  

And hearing it put that way, it was true.  

My physical form was already completely severed from my past life, and if my mind was as well, then I wouldn’t truly be myself, even if I was reborn.  

“I can allow that much. However, there’s one condition—if you tell anyone that you were reincarnated with past-life memories, all of those memories will be erased immediately.”  

That was reasonable.  

If I carelessly went around revealing such a thing, it would inevitably lead to complications.  

In that case, a restriction like this was only natural.  

Besides, if I recklessly spread that information, it would only make my life in that world more difficult.  

“That’s fine. Let’s go with that condition.”  

“Good. Oh, and one more thing—you won’t regain your past-life memories until your mind has developed enough to hold them. If a newborn with an underdeveloped brain suddenly retained an entire lifetime of knowledge, it would cause issues. Understood?”  

“…Understood. As long as I’m not born with some kind of mental defect…”  

“I’ll make sure you’re born perfectly healthy and normal. Do I look like such a scoundrel?”  

“No, that’s not what I meant. I was just checking, just in case.”  

Now, everything was finally settled.  

A sense of complete satisfaction washed over me, and as if in response, my translucent form gradually became more transparent.  

It seemed the process was truly beginning.  

“Now, close your eyes. When you open them again, you’ll probably be around two or three years old. Until then, your soul will retain all its experiences, so don’t worry and enjoy yourself.”  

Just as I was about to express my gratitude, my vision was engulfed in pure white.  

And so, my conversation with that being came to an end.  

From that moment on, my soul must have been transferred into a body that met the conditions we had discussed.  

Until my memories awakened, I must have lived like any ordinary baby.  

The moment of awakening probably came in the midst of an ordinary day.  

“Oh my, oh my, look at you run. You’ve always been so calm.”  

As soon as my memories returned, I had been testing how well I could move my body.  

I must have run a bit too much, as a woman—who appeared to be a nanny—approached and gently wrapped me in her arms.  

The careful, delicate way she handled me made one thing immediately clear.  

At the very least, I had been born into a truly wealthy family.  

If I thought back carefully, I might even be able to recall exactly which family it was.  

Just as I tried to recall the memories of this body before my past ones resurfaced—  

“Ugh…”  

“Are you feeling unwell, young miss? Here, let me hold you.”  

A sudden, unbearable headache surged through me.  

I instinctively brought my tiny hands to my forehead, letting out a weak groan.  

My body naturally went limp, and I found myself sinking into the nanny’s embrace.  

So this was happening because my brain hadn’t fully developed yet.  

“…My head hurts…”  

My voice was shockingly cute.  

Even as my skull felt like it was about to split open, that thought crossed my mind.  

Well, all two- or three-year-olds had adorable voices, so I supposed I had just been born slightly above average.  

But for some reason, an ominous feeling settled over me.  

“I’ll take you to the royal physician immediately. Hold on tight, young miss.”  

For such a small body, even minor pain felt immense.  

That was exactly my situation now.  

In my past life, I hadn’t been particularly muscular, but I had still been a healthy adult man.  

Naturally, there was a vast difference now.  

Come to think of it, what about my magical abilities?  

Aside from the headache, I didn’t feel anything particularly special.  

Should I try meditating?  

No, since I was of high status, there would surely be someone who could teach me if I simply showed interest.  

For now, my splitting headache made further thinking difficult.  

I instinctively clung to the nanny’s clothes, letting out small groans.  

Some might think I was acting like a child, but I was a child now, so there was nothing to be embarrassed about.  

“What is the matter?”  

The so-called royal physician was an elderly man, a textbook stereotype of an old sage.  

His bald head and long, white beard were so striking that they left an impression.  

Just as I was taking in his appearance, the conversation took an unexpected turn.  

“The young miss is experiencing a headache.”  

“Oh dear, the princess is unwell? That is unacceptable.”  

…What?  

Princess?  

That wasn’t a term used for men.  

Judging by how I understood it instantly, I must have heard the term before.  

Which meant…  

Had I been reborn as a girl?  

That bastard!  

“Waaaahhh!!”  

The sheer despair hit me all at once.  

My tension snapped, my headache worsened, and before I knew it, I burst into tears.  

I hadn’t been particularly prone to crying in my past life, but at this moment, an overwhelming sense of sorrow consumed me, and the tears wouldn’t stop.  

The nanny and the royal physician looked flustered, but I barely noticed them.