Prince Herscherik and The Kingdom of Sorrow Reincarnation, Tiny Autumn Leaves and Squishy Cheeks

Prince Herscherik and The Kingdom of Sorrow Reincarnation, Tiny Autumn Leaves and Squishy Cheeks

Chapter 1. Reincarnation, Tiny Maple Leaves and Squishy Cheeks (2)


Ryouko consented to the reality that she died in a traffic accident…she could not help but consent.


Ryouko remembered that it was a setting that happened quite often in the manga and novels she willingly read by herself, and even in games.

After a high school student or a university student died from a traffic accident or a disease in modern j.a.pan, they reincarnate in a different world with the memories of their previous life, then save the world and conquer it – a royal road fantasy that’s very popular.


(To think that someone in her 30’s will actually have such a light novel setting…)c


Ryoko became exhausted and lied on the soft and fluffy carpet again. With this body of a baby that won’t move as Ryouko intended, even sitting down was a heavy labor.


(…For the time being, the apartment’s loan will be cleared since I died.)


Ryouko recalled her previous life while looking at the ceiling absent-mindedly. They say you don’t know what will happen in life but Ryouko never thought she would be able to reflect on the things she left undone after dying.


(The game reservation is alright since it will be cancelled if you do not claim it on that day… Nay, I once worked overtime and wasn’t able to go, and I received a refreshing call from my shopkeeper friend the next day saying “Yo-you’re going to get it, right!?” She’s probably worried by now. I feel guilty…) 


The onee-san shopkeeper, whom Ryouko was acquainted with since high school days, was the only person Ryouko can reveal her otaku self, other than her family. She always welcomed Ryouko with a smile when she visits the shop that it made Ryouko inadvertently respond with a smile.


(That reminds me, the deadline at work is close, too. I was thinking of doing it tomorrow but I haven’t uploaded the data. Did that newbie girl handle it? The department head will patch things up and there’s also a manual so I want to think it will be alright… Aah, I’m glad I made a manual just in case.)


I told my junior “I might die or disappear anytime so I made a guide!” but the me at that time never imagined it would actually happen, Ryouko was overcome with deep emotion.


(Lastly, I wanted to erase my PC data before my sisters and parents discover them…)


As far as Ryouko was concerned, this was her only real regret. Data that cannot be shown to others were saved in the computer in her house. It was a Pandora’s box full of her dark history such as R-rated stuff, literary creations and poems she wrote from a long time ago. Frankly, if it’s possible to revive, I want to delete everything. That was Ryouko’s real thoughts.


(Since I also threathened my sisters, “If I die, splash my PC with water until it’s impossible to start it up anymore, okay? If you look what’s inside, I’m going to haunt you at your bedside,” it’s fine… It will be fine, right? Seriously.) 


If they saw it, I’m going to die! No, I’m already dead but I reincarnated so I won’t be able to haunt them, Ryouko felt mortified.


(I can’t watch the dramas I saved up for nine months either.)


She was busy with work but she wanted to watch dramas and anime no matter what so she recorded them. The capacity of her hard drive is always at its very limit. She intended to watch them in the weekend but always forgot. It was quite common that even though she recorded from the first to the last episode, she ended up deleting them without watching.


(Which reminds me, I was supposed to return to my parents’ home this weekend. They always prepare a cake. I really wanted to eat it…) 


They were probably worried about Ryouko being unmarried, but she was always invited to her parent’s house during birthdays, Christmas and even if there were no events, they gave some reason once a month.


Ryouko recalled that even her lazy younger sisters who were poor at corresponding sent emails  for some strange reason. 


She recalled they rarely gathered after the little sisters married, but if everyone did gather, they bought slightly expensive ice cream…


Ryouko realized the moment she reflected that far. Nay, she thought of other things as much as possible and although she prevented thinking of those since she didn’t want to realize, she still arrived there after all.


(I cannot met my family, colleagues, friends and acquaintances anymore…)


The inside of her nose became painful, the corner of her eyes became hot. The sensation filling up her throat was a sob, and she was overwhelmed with emotions.


The last time she saw her family was a month ago.

Her stock of rice ran out so she went to her parent’s home to eat dinner. Tell us ahead if you’re going to come, her mother scolded her while Ryouko drank beer with her father at dinner.


And she was seen off by her mother who told her to come back because they will prepare cake for her birthday in the weekend.

The night of the next day, her younger sisters sent emails saying, “We’ll go to your birthday party! Look forward to your presents!”

There’s no need to greet me at this age, she thought, but she was happy.


(I was really looking forward to the presents…)


There were slight changes but she expected that her ordinary life will continue.


She would probably get married in the future and if she wouldn’t, she will continue to work while looking after her old parents. m

She would favor her little sister’s children, work until retirement age and live off her savings, enter the retirement home before becoming senile and have her sisters prepare a funeral at her death. 

She did not have any intentions to die earlier than her parents at all, but still, she was an awfully unfilial person. 


(Sorry, I’m sorry… I’m sorry for being an unfilial, hopeless big sister…)


The baby’s cry resounded in the room.


 


 


At the cries that suddenly resounded, the wet nurse Meria returned to the room in a hurry.

Usually, the boy was always in a good mood after a meal. He only cried at night, he was a cheerful boy in the whole day as long as he has the stuffed dog beside him. Although crying is a baby’s job, Herscherik does not really do he work. In reality, he is a baby who doesn’t need a lot of looking after. He was so independent to that extent that it’s worrying. 


He sleeps a lot, eats a lot and laughs a lot — a child who seemed like the mirror of a baby¹.


When Meria came rushing into the room, Herscherik was lying on the carpet on his back, crying with a red face.


“Herscherik-sama, perhaps you’re hurt!?”


Meria held the baby in her arms and rubbed the back of his head to examine it. However, there was no lump and instead, the back of his head was in excellent shape.


When she leaned the baby against her to make him comfortable and rubbed his back, he let out a tiny voice as if to respond. Meria leaked out a sigh when Herscherik began to calm down. 


“Were you frightened when you fell down, Herscherik-sama?”


Meria stood up with Herscherik still in her arms and repeatedly swayed Herscherik to soothe him.


“Look, look, your face has turned deep red.” 


She took him along to look at the life-sized mirror. because Herscherik was naturally fair-skinned, his reddened cheeks stood out very much.


Meria stood in front of the mirror and Herscherik peered into the mirror. Right then, his cries suddenly stopped. He stopped so suddenly that it was unnatural so Meria also looked into the mirror. Herscherik’s perfectly round body hardened. And then, he pinched his reddened cheeks with his fingers.


“Herscherik-sama, it will hurt if you pinch your cheeks.”


Meria chided him gently and removed his small hand from his cheeks. Still, Herscherik’s eyes remained opened wide in perfect circles.


(…Seriously?) 


Ryouko was so surprised that she thought her flowing tears drew back in, and was at loss for words.


Reflected in the mirror was precisely an angel.


Smooth, pale-colored blond hair and good-looking features, and attached to that face are blue jade-like eyes. One would be convinced this person will absolutely become a pure, pale-skinned beautiful girl in the future.


A scholar in the television once said, babies are born cute in order for everyone to love them, but this exceeded that range.


Ryouko was by no means a narcissist.

Actually she was aware that her appearance in her previous life was just good enough to be considered in the lower-middle side. If she had to say, she disliked her looks. When she was praised, “What the h.e.l.l are you scheming?” that was what she thought.

However, she was a disappointing human whose face turned bright read and writhed in agony when capture targets from otome games whispered to her.


(Is this the world of an otome game!?


Ryouko made a guts pose in her mind. 


She certainly felt sorry for her parents, not being able to meet her little sisters was also sad. Ryouko, who was ran over when she crossed the street during a blinking green light, sympathized with the driver who has shouldered the crime of accidental homicide.


If there is a pedestrian crossing during a driver’s left turn, they should stop, so it’s also their fault for not doing their obligation to check whether there’s a pedestrian or not.


Fortunately, although she died, she can literally start a second life while having the memories of her previous life.


(And furthermore, with the appearance of such a beautiful girl!)


It doesn’t particularly mean she disliked her previous appearance. Because her mother gave birth to her through hardships and her father worked with utmost effort and nurtured her.


However, like the heroine of a manga and the protagonist of an otome game, everyone longed for a lovely appearance at least once. Even men yearned to be in the position of the protagonist and the leading man² in games and manga. Probably.


(Viva, blonde hair blue eyes! Thank you, G.o.d. Thank you very much.)


Ryouko sincerely expressed her grat.i.tude to the G.o.d she did not believe in her previous life. 


“Shall I change the diaper soon?”


The wet nurse laid the baby on the bed and started to change the diapers with practiced hands.


(Saying it’s inevitable is indeed embarra.s.sing…wha—-?!)


Ryouko turned her head for a fleeting glance and saw the lower part of her body. Thereupon exists something that was not there in her previous life.


The only memory Ryouko had of seeing “it” upfront was during the time she took a bath with her father before she entered elementary school.


Right, the thing that females usually do not have, is between Ryouko’s legs.


“Waaaaaaaaaah~~~!!”


The crying of a baby echoed through the room again.


In this way, Hayakawa Ryouko reincarnated into a prince whose looks can be mistaken as that of a blonde-haired, blue-eyed beautiful girl — the Seventh Prince Herscherik of the Greysis Kingdom.


 


 


Footnotes:
1. The word Meria used to refer to Herscherik is 赤子(akago), which may mean just ‘baby’ but it can also be read as ‘imperial child’.


2. Leading man –> 二枚目 (nimaime) means ‘handsome man (from Kabuki plays)’. Kabuki has a ranking system for characters and 二枚目 is one of them. The word can also mean ‘the actor in a love scene’.