Flash.
“Ugh…”
I woke up after what felt like ages, deeply asleep. Since being locked in the tower, I hadn’t been able to sleep properly, so this kind of deep rest was a rare luxury.
“… …”
I was afraid to open my mouth, worried that strange animal-like sound would come out again. I kept my lips pressed shut and looked around, trying to figure out where I was.
The first thing I noticed was the low ceiling. Beyond that, there was a wall blocking my view. How odd.
The tower I’d been trapped in all that time had none of this gentle warmth. But this wasn’t my cozy room in the main building of Battenberg Castle either. The ceiling there was far higher.
Did my father kick me out to a servant’s quarters?
Knowing how merciless he could be, it seemed like a plausible guess.
I tried to turn my head with a grunt—only to find my neck wouldn’t move.
Panicking, I flailed. I could feel soft sheets beneath my back. But my neck! Why isn’t my neck turning? Had it snapped?
“Waaaah!”
I let out a cry in frustration. I only intended to shout, but for some reason, tears flowed down my cheeks as if my emotions were suddenly out of control. Before I knew it, I was wailing outright.
“Aww, is our Siwoo awake?”
Just then, the door opened, and the room flooded with light. The woman who’d held me before came in.
You…!
Danger. If she picks me up again, I’ll lose my senses like last time.
I resisted as best I could, thrashing my arms and legs. But then…
Huh?
Something strange came into view: tiny little arms, and at the ends, chubby little hands. They looked like hands, but too small—more like a doll’s.
No way…
I swallowed hard and slowly curled my fingers. The tiny hand in front of me closed along with that motion.
I shut my eyes tight, refusing to accept this reality. Meanwhile, the woman came closer and stretched out her arms.
“Oh, my sweet Siwoo, what’s the matter? Do you miss Mommy, or are you hungry?”
Mommy…?
I stared blankly at this woman who had lifted me into her arms again. Did she just say “Mommy”?
A possibility flashed through my mind: is this person actually claiming to be my mother?
I silently gaped. How dare she impersonate the Duchess, my mother?
“Urp.”
“All done burping, huh? Let’s lie down, then. Mommy’s just going to go put this in the sink.”
I must’ve been hungry and on edge earlier. Now that I’d had my fill, the flood of emotion from before had vanished without a trace.
I flexed my hands in thought. I found myself in an extremely serious predicament.
Assuming these stubby little arms and legs were indeed mine, I managed—just barely—to reach my feet. And as I grabbed my soft, pudgy little toes, I began to piece together my situation.
Unbelievable though it was, and even more difficult to accept…
Right now, I was a baby.
“Aw.”
My arms grew tired from holding my feet too long.
I didn’t know how or why, but I, Noah Battenberg, seemed to have been reborn as a baby in some unfamiliar place.
Could it be because I died so young, at the age of twenty-nine? Was this God, who had ignored me all my life, finally paying attention? I had no clue.
“Sllrp!”
I tried to swallow my drool that wouldn’t stay in my mouth. This infant body came with countless inconveniences. My neck was still too weak to move freely. Lying there made me hungry. And now, my saliva just kept dribbling out, truly an indignity for a proud son of the Battenberg line.
Somehow, sensing my plight, a gentle white hand appeared at my side and wiped my mouth with a soft handkerchief—my new mother.
“Huh, Siwoo’s acting strange today. Aren’t you sleepy?”
“Uu, uu!”
She’s probably speaking to me, but what is she saying, exactly?
“Uu! Uuu!”
“Huh? What’s wrong with you today? You haven’t even had much of a nap.”
She tilted her head as if puzzled, glancing at some round object hanging on the wall.
What’s that? And what language is she speaking? I can’t understand a word, and it’s driving me crazy.
“Okay, how about we go to sleep now, Siwoo? If you sleep a lot, you’ll grow big and strong!”
“Uu!”
No, I don’t want to! Let go of me!
As she tried to lift me into her arms again, I struggled in protest.
“Wow, you’re answering Mommy so well, aren’t you? Such a good boy.”
From the slightly staccato ring, I wondered if this was German, but I couldn’t make out a single word.
Definitely not English, nor French.
“Lullaby, lullaby, my baby…”
Still, it sounded kind of… nice.
Just as I was trying to guess her native tongue, I fell asleep yet again.
“Urng?”
I woke up to a commotion. Unlike before, I hadn’t slept as long as I would’ve liked. My new body didn’t like being awakened so soon; a lump of frustration welled in my chest.
“Uuu… uu…”
If only I’d been able to summon tears so freely during my acting days… it would’ve made those tragic scenes a lot easier.
“Waaaah!”
“Siwoo!”
“Hey, Siwoo’s awake!”
There were more people responding to my crying than I expected.
Blink.
“Oh my, look how cute he is! Are we sure he’s a boy?”
“Even without double eyelids, look how big his eyes are.”
“His nose has such a high bridge already, and he’s just a baby!”
“Thank goodness. He doesn’t look a bit like your husband—so round and adorable.”
Blink.
“…Excuse me, shouldn’t you say that when I’m not around?”
“Oh, come on. She’s right, though.”
They’re so loud.
“Uu!!”
“Siwoo…!”
The man who was probably my father looked at me, moved to tears by my outburst.
Why are you happy about being scolded?
“Look at Siwoo. He’s totally taking his dad’s side, huh?”
“Huh?”
What’s that supposed to mean?
I stared at the unfamiliar speaker with round eyes. Her expression melted as if watching the hero during a romantic climax on stage.
“Aww, Siwoo, do whatever you want. You’re so adorable. What should I buy you, hmm?”
I didn’t understand a word. I’d just woken up and there were so many strangers filling the room. Normally it was just my mother or father hovering over me, but now I was surrounded by people I didn’t know.
“Kyah! Oo!”
Stop crowding me—it’s giving me a headache!
“He answered me!”
“Look at that, she’s already fallen under Siwoo’s spell. But he really is so cute…”
At my babbling, the two unfamiliar women beamed in delight.
“Siwoo, shall we ask these aunties for a stroller, a walker, and a mobile?”
“Hey, Ji-yeon. Are you trying to mooch off your son now? Siwoo, your mom’s being a thief—complaining we didn’t bring a housewarming gift?”
“Kyah! Kyaoo! Ooo…”
If you’re not going to speak in English, just go away!
Fortunately, these strangers didn’t stay in my room too long, although it sounded like they were still in the house.
Anyway, Siwoo. Siwoo?
That must be my new name. My mother had said it a few times, and now these strangers repeated it. So that’s got to be it.
“Let’s see if Siwoo’s asleep?”
“He’ll sleep if you guys leave. He’s more sensitive than you think, so go enjoy yourselves quietly out there.”
One more thing I learned from the way every little noise carried through the walls, this house was not very big at all.
“Still, he hardly fusses. Such a calm baby.”
“I know, right? He doesn’t cry all that much, thank goodness.”
Listening to my new parents and these unfamiliar people, I drifted back to sleep.
Day after day passed. Lately, I’d felt like I was back in my childhood days at Battenberg Castle—except for one huge difference.
“Siwoo!”
“Siwoo! It’s Uncle.”
“Back off. If the baby cries when he sees your face, what then?”
“He’s the spitting image of his mother, isn’t he?”
My new parents seemed to host a lot more visitors than my birth mother, the Duchess, ever did. Every single day, new faces would show up at the house, and whenever I woke up, yet another stranger was peering down at me.
“Uu.”
It wasn’t exactly a pleasant experience, so I scowled.
“Gasp, did you see that? He just smiled at me.”
“…Is that a smile?”
Granted, I’m not sure my facial muscles are working as intended.
“Siwoo, look at this!”
That was when my proud dignity suffered its first blow.
“Kyaa! Kyaa!”
What are you doing?! Are you laughing? I’m not enjoying this, you know!
Someone I’d seen before dangled some colorful contraption over my crib, strings festooned with bright little shapes.
Tee-ree-ree—ree-ree—ree-ree-ree—
A cutesy—no, honestly, a grating—melody started to play, and those colorful shapes began spinning. And my body… it just couldn’t seem to look away.
“Kya-ha! Kya-oo, kya!”
“Sung-hee.”
“Huh? He loves it, doesn’t he?”
“I was going to ask why you bothered buying that, but… thanks. I’ve never seen him laugh so much.”
“Oh, this is nothing. What are friends for?”
“Could it be he hasn’t smiled because we never got him any toys?”
“…Yeon-hwa.”
I couldn’t understand what my mother was saying, but I fought back tears while my body continued squirming in excitement against my will.
“Aw, look at him, so happy. You like the mobile that much? Good thing I bought the best-seller!”
“Uu? Kya-oo?”
“Oh my! I think I’m gonna have a heart attack, Siwoo.”
Just look at that. The unfamiliar woman’s expression melted as she looked at me.
It actually felt… not so bad.
Though it annoyed me that my body was so delighted on its own, being in a good mood made me oddly benevolent.
So I smiled—the one I used to give fans outside the theater after a performance.
“Aww, I’ll get you something even better next time, sweetie. Look how he smiles—he could be a model!”
I’m not exactly sure what she’s saying, but judging by her reaction, it’s a success.
Whenever people visited, I’d smile at them, and they’d clutch their chests, murmuring something in awe.
Not a bad response. It reminded me of the applause I used to get from the Oscar Theater’s audience.
“Aoo.”
Hmm. Maybe being reborn as a baby isn’t so bad, after all.
Time passed, and with great effort, I finally managed to roll over.
I soon learned to push my belly up with both arms, and at last, I could move under my own power.
“Aow! Ah!”
…Even if that meant crawling on all fours.
Once I started crawling, I could finally leave my tiny bedroom. But what I found next shocked me: beyond my door was a sitting room even smaller than the one the servants at Battenberg Castle used.
Impossible.
“…Uu?”
So that’s where all those guests were chatting and laughing?
And there’s only a small, worn-out two-seater sofa?
“Siwoo, do you want to watch a little TV? Mommy will go get your baby food ready.”
That’s when I encountered something destined to change my life: a box.
Shwip—
—Aagh!
—Hmph, you’re tougher than I thought… So they call you the ‘Fist of Joseon?’ Not just for show.
—Less talk, more fighting!
Without realizing it, I stopped crawling and fixed my eyes on the box.
Countless actors were inside it.
To be honest, I had assumed these new parents of mine were of a lower social class. I’d prepared myself for a challenging new life.
Yet here in a corner of their small living room was something I’d never seen before, featuring countless actors.
Inviting actors into your home is a privilege only aristocrats can afford!
Watching them stirred up my old longing for the stage. Finally, that longing welled up and erupted from my lips:
“Uwaa!”
I felt a lake’s worth of passion inside me, but only a droplet came out.
My heart and my voice were completely out of sync… damn it.
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