"The Corruption of Knowledge"
Chapter 3: I'm Home
Author: Frenames
Nine years had passed… and Fray, now eight years old, had grown healthy and vigorous, like a young tree standing firm against every blow of wind and rain, its leaves shimmering in sunlight as if struggling to survive a coming storm. His intelligence sparkled like moonlight piercing through thick clouds—he learned things easily even before they were taught to him, as if knowledge flowed through his mind like a river running through a parched desert.
But more than his intelligence… the most striking thing about him was his skill in combat. Even as a child, every movement he made was swift and precise—like lightning slicing across the sky, impossible to catch, the wind itself seeming to shift with each step he took. To others, he was a prodigious young warrior… yet in this world, he was still bound by the chains of society, like an eagle yearning to fly while tied with thick ropes.
The techniques he had mastered were the fruit of a past life—a life of martial arts and discipline, experiences that had been seeds planted in his soul, now slowly sprouting in this new world. Each memory was like a fire within him, burning and giving warmth to his determination.
Yet no matter how skilled he became… there was one thing that continued to hold him back… his social status.
This world was divided into three classes of citizens…
The low-status, or third class: born into poverty, seemingly chained by fate, like plants trapped in the shadow of towering trees.
The middle-status, or second class: nobles living in the shadow of power, like flowers in the king's garden—beautiful, but never truly free.
The high-status, or first class: of royal blood, like stars in the sky—distant, dominant, and almost unreachable by ordinary people, like flames in the heavens that no one could touch.
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Years passed, and at seventeen, Fray was chosen to become a royal soldier. Yet even with talent, his status continued to restrain him. If you were born with a golden spoon, you could enter the prestigious royal academy—a privilege like stars beyond reach, sparkling yet distant to ordinary mortals.
In District Tres, where the low-status lived, Fray walked wearing armor and carrying an old book. But it was unusual—there wasn't a single word on its pages. On its cover, twenty dots were connected by lines… like a secret constellation, a map of stars hiding a mystery.
"Whose book could this be…? I feel like I've seen this before…" Fray whispered, gently folding the book in his hands. He felt the warmth of the old leather against his skin, the scent of aged paper like a memory from a past life… a whisper from the past inviting him into the mysteries of destiny.
Even though he had been reborn, memories of his past life offered little help. This world was ruled by the nobles. If you weren't born with a golden spoon… bad luck. Born poor, and your death would mirror your birth.
"I thought I would shine in this world because of my past life's memories… but I was wrong. Reality hurts more than fantasy… not like the anime or dramas I watched before, where entering another world instantly makes you powerful and gives you a harem. All of that was just fantasy," Fray muttered to himself, staring at the hazy yet luminous sky, a sea of clouds reflecting his melancholy.
He felt sorrow. He didn't know whether to cry or to smile. Yet amidst it all… he was grateful for the second chance at life, a chance to defy fate… to become lightning in the dark sky.
Lost in thought, he suddenly realized he had arrived in front of his home. Slowly, he knocked on the door.
"Knock… knock…"
"Mom… I'm home," he said.
The door opened, and a young girl stood before him. Her hair was short, her face round… like an angel descended from the heavens. Her eyes were black, inherited from Fray's parents, sparkling like secret stars in the night.
Three years after Fray was born, his younger sister, Elizabeth, had come into the world.
"Big brother! You're home~" the girl shouted, brimming with joy.
"Did your patrol duty at the kingdom finish already?"
Fray gave a slight smile, feeling a warmth in his chest, like fire slowly dispelling the cold of his sorrow.
"Yes… I finished early today. The patrol schedule changed—tonight I'll patrol later at the kingdom."
"Where are Mom and Dad?" he asked his sister as he entered the house and closed the door. Life wasn't bad for them… because his father was also a royal knight, strong and steady like a tree standing firm in a storm.
Royal military were divided into four ranks: Delta, Charlie, Bravo, and Alpha. His father was a Charlie, captain of a squad, earning a respectable salary and holding an honorable rank.
Fray himself belonged to the Delta rank… but don't underestimate him. He was the youngest Delta military department ever to join the kingdom's history… like a small flame in the darkness that had just started to ignite.
Elizabeth answered,
"Mom and Dad went out shopping."
"I see…" Fray replied, gazing out the window, feeling the cold breeze and the scent of wet earth outside, as if it were gently stroking his memories.
Fray climbed up to the second floor to change.
The Ames family home was a two-story dwelling made of sturdy wood and cement. At the front, a small porch welcomed guests before entering the house. The door was thick wood, and whenever it creaked open, it sounded like an old secret slowly waking from slumber.
Inside was the living room, the main area of the house. This was where the family usually gathered to talk or receive guests. There were a few chairs and a table in the center, softly illuminated by the lamp's gentle glow, wrapping the room in a warm, comforting embrace. The faint scent of polish and wood lingered in the air, like a quiet memory of countless evenings spent here.
At the back of the living room was the dining area, with a long table large enough for the entire family. Here, they ate together, sharing stories of the day—simple moments that felt like tiny stars scattered across the ordinary night of their lives.
Next to the dining area was the kitchen. This was where meals were prepared, with wooden cabinets holding cooking utensils and a small window letting in fresh air from outside, carrying the faint scent of grass and earth. A cast-iron pot rested on the stove, its surface still warm from breakfast being prepared.
Near the kitchen was a small bathroom used by everyone in the house.
Alongside the living room was the staircase connecting the first and second floors. Its wooden steps groaned under each step, the sound familiar like an old song Fray had known since childhood.
Climbing up, Fray reached the long hallway of the second floor, which connected the rooms. On one side was his own room.
Upon arrival, he held the cold doorknob and slowly turned it. The door groaned faintly as he pushed it open, like a long-forgotten secret stirring awake in the quiet of the house.
He stepped inside and gently closed the door behind him. In that moment, the noise of the world outside seemed to fade, and his room became a small island of calm.
Fray's room was simple but orderly. A bed rested against the wall, the blanket and pillow neatly arranged as if waiting for a weary body to rest. A small desk held a few books and an old lamp, its surface lightly scratched—a quiet record of countless nights spent reading, thinking, or simply staring into the quiet darkness.
Across the room was a window looking out into the world beyond. The first light of dawn streamed in softly, spreading across the wooden floor like thin silver fabric brushing over the furniture. Dust motes floated lazily in the air, dancing like tiny stars in a silent sky. The curtain swayed gently, lifted by the breeze, as if greeting him with a whisper only he could hear.
To be continue..