Do You Think You Can Run After Reincarnating, Nii-san?

Golden Boyhood: Birth of Talent

Chapter 8

The Fateful Day

The sound of cicadas filled the air.

It was a summer so long ago that I can’t even remember how many years have passed since then.

She came to my house with her parents to introduce themselves.

What was supposed to be a brief greeting turned into a long conversation, and my sister, she, and I were completely left out by our parents.

She was the first to speak.

“Hey! What’s your name?”

I remember feeling strangely startled by her slightly off intonation, whether it was due to an accent or something else.

When I answered, she asked my sister the same question.

My sister, who was four years old at the time, was so shy that she was always hiding behind me, so I tried to answer for her, but—

To my surprise, my sister spoke up and introduced herself.

It was probably the only moment in her life when that sister, who would later undergo a tremendous transformation, opened her heart, even a little, to someone other than me.

Back when we were still just ordinary siblings.

The first summer after entering elementary school.

The summer day when I was seven years old—

The memory of meeting the girl who would become my childhood friend.

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“So hot…”

I woke up on my fluffy bed.

The blanket had fallen to the floor, probably because I kicked it off in my sleep.

I had long since gotten used to life without air conditioning, but hot is still hot.

I grimaced at the feeling of sweat on my face as I got up.

The maid who usually wakes me up hadn’t come yet, and the curtains were still closed.

But the murderous rays of sunlight pierced through the curtains and reached inside.

Only the sound of cicadas was missing.

“A dream…”

It was still faintly lingering in the corner of my mind.

A warm, dazzling memory from the past.

I can’t even remember her name anymore.

Everything was stripped away.

During those nightmare-like five years.

“Let’s stop this.”

Enough about the past.

It’s something I settled six years ago.

I got out of bed and opened the curtains.

Outside the window, the lush, green landscape of the Earl of Lieber’s domain, Dimekuld, stretched out as far as the eye could see.

I—Jack Lieber—was seven years old.

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“Mm… Mm, mm, mm…”

I focused my consciousness on the soles of my feet.

Just a little ahead of them—only the air touching my soles, pinpointed—

“Whoa!?”

The power keeping me afloat suddenly cut off.

I fell with a thud into the soft sandbox.

It didn’t hurt much. It’s a cushion sandpit.

But I was covered in sand. Even my mouth was gritty.

“Ugh… ptooey. Damn it…”

I cursed and thought about the cause of my failure.

It’s all about how to separate the parts to keep on and the parts to keep off inside myself.

Behind the Lieber family mansion, there’s a small training ground for me.

Training in spirit arts here was my daily routine.

That was practice for a double jump.

The [Wings of Departure] is a power of levitation, not flight, so I can’t move freely in the air like a bird.

But if I exclude only the air touching my soles from the range of the art, I can gain mobility equivalent to flight by kicking the void.

Well, to reach that level, I have to succeed in consecutive jumps, not just two, but three, four, and five jumps… My current record is only three.

My current goal is to enroll in the Royal Academy of Spirit Arts in the capital.

The academy is an organization based on the Spirit Arts Guild and a gateway for spirit arts apprentices from all over the kingdom.

If I want to make a name for myself as a spirit artist, I can’t avoid it.

I’m going to inherit this territory from my father in the future, but having fame as a spirit artist is a strong asset in noble society.

The academy doesn’t have entrance exams, and you can’t get in without a scout or a recommendation from a guild member.

Once I’ve honed my skills enough, I plan to use my father’s connections to secure a recommendation and enroll in the academy.

If I can get in by the time I’m ten, I can rise within the academy.

That’s why I’m honing my skills like this.

“You’re working hard from the morning, Jack.”

While I was groaning, covered in sand, a voice came from the direction of the mansion.

“Oh, Father. Good morning.”

“Mm. Good morning.”

My father, Callum Lieber.

When I was a baby, I thought he was young, but it’s been seven years since I was born.

He’s always had a dignified face, and lately, he seems to have developed a nobleman’s imposing presence.

…Hmm. That’s not something a child usually thinks about their parent.

Father smiled as he saw me covered in sand.

“Having a hard time?”

“Well, yes. I’m groping in the dark since I don’t have anyone to teach me.”

“Ha ha ha! My son is giving me a hard time.”

As he declared when my spirit arts awakened, Father has been doing his utmost to nurture my talent.

He used his connections to find excellent teachers and assigned them to me one after another.

But unfortunately—or perhaps fortunately—the only thing I learned from those teachers was one simple fact.

Namely—that the talent dwelling in me was more extraordinary than anyone had expected.

The teachers all couldn’t handle my abnormal talent and, sometimes driven by jealousy, gave up one after another.

So I was still training in spirit arts on my own.

“I’m sorry. I’ve been looking for a good teacher…”

“No. It’s not yours or the teachers’ fault. It’s difficult to teach spirit arts to someone else since they vary so much from person to person.”

“Ha ha ha! You’re so understanding!”

Father laughed heartily.

I feel like I just said something really cheeky, but is this a laughing matter?

Father is a doting parent, but on the other hand, he treats me as an equal, not just as a child.

I deeply respected Father for this indiscriminate treatment, both as a person and as a child.

“Father, what’s your business?”

“Ah, that’s right.”

Father stopped laughing and said,

“I hate to interrupt your groping in the dark, but after you clean off that sand, come to the drawing room. I want to introduce you to a guest.”

“A guest…?”

“Yes. He’s a merchant our family has been friends with for a long time. He should get to know your face too.”

I am the heir to the Lieber family. Making connections is also an important duty.

“If it’s that kind of matter, you could have sent a servant.”

“Oh, it’s just a sly way to earn points. To make sure my child doesn’t resent me in the future.”

It’s probably a joke, but if it’s true, it’s kind of heartbreaking…

Will I think about such things when I become a father…?

“Understood. I’ll come right away.”

“Good. I’ll be waiting.”

I headed to the mansion to deal with my sand-covered body.

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When I returned to the mansion, the maids washed me with great care.

For some reason, the young maids in the mansion seemed to like me.

If my past self had encountered a precocious child like me, I would have thought they were just an annoying brat, but according to them, I’m “cute.”

I don’t understand what girls mean by “cute” in any world.

After changing clothes, I went to the drawing room, where besides my father, there was a stout man.

“Mr. Posford, let me introduce you. This is my son, Jack.”

“I am Jack Lieber. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”

When I greeted him formally, Mr. Posford made a sound of admiration.

“Such a well-mannered boy. Your parents must have raised you very well.”

“No, no. He’s so easy to care for that it’s us who are grateful.”

“Ho ho ho! That’s good. I have a daughter the same age as Jack, but she’s quite a handful… I brought her today to introduce her, but she disappeared the moment I looked away.”

“Our people are keeping an eye out, so I doubt she has left the mansion.”

“I apologize. My daughter is quite the elusive one…”

“Shall I look after her for you?”

I suggested, interrupting the adults’ conversation.

It wasn’t that I disliked listening to my parents talk.

But rather than standing around like an ornament, it would be more beneficial to become friends with her.

Mr. Posford laughed heartily, shaking his chubby chin.

“That’s a great idea! If Jack’s influence rubs off on her, maybe Philene will calm down a bit.”

“If you say so, Mr. Posford—Jack, could you please?”

“There’s nothing to apologize for, Father. Playing with a girl is such an honorable task.”

When I said that mischievously, Mr. Posford laughed cheerfully. Success.

I bowed and left the drawing room.

Walking down the hallway, I pondered.

Where would a child be interested in?

To a child, a stranger’s house is like a dungeon. Especially a mansion this large, there are plenty of places to explore.

It might turn into a game of hide-and-seek before I find her.

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For now, I decided to ask the servants.

“Ah! Are you talking about the child hiding among the laundry?”

“If it’s a girl, I saw her! She was making funny faces behind my senior, and I couldn’t help but laugh even though I was being scolded.”

“Ah, that young lady? She snuck some food while we were preparing the meal. But don’t worry, it was just leftovers.”

…It seems she’s even more of a tomboy than I imagined.

Based on these testimonies, I searched the mansion, but in the end, I couldn’t find her inside.

Did she go outside? Thinking that, I opened the entrance door.

And there, standing outside, were two people.

One of them was a man. From a child’s perspective, older people always look big. So this man seemed like he could be in his late teens or his twenties.

The other person was hiding their face under a deep hood.

There are many reasons why someone might not show their face—injuries, religious reasons, and so on. My second tutor once told me that it’s polite not to pry into such matters.

Startled by the sudden opening of the door, the pair stared at me. Well, one of them had their eyes hidden.

They seem suspicious. But since the guards let them through, they must not be intruders.

“Um… are you guests?”

“Ah, yes… we have an appointment with your parents.”

“My father is currently with other guests… um, and you are—”

Before I could ask for their names, a soft voice interrupted from behind.

“Oh, it’s alright, Jack. They are my guests.”

It was my mother, Madeline Lieber.

I heard she was only 17 when she had me, so she’s now 24. Unlike my father, who exudes dignity, my mother still looks youthful.

Smiling gently, she walked towards the two at the entrance.

“Welcome. Please come in, Madam.”

“…Yes.”

The one under the hood finally spoke. A young voice. She sounded like a teenage girl.

Even though she was called “Madam,” it seems normal to marry at that age. My mother did too. Will I also marry a teenage girl someday?

“I heard, Jack. You’re looking for the Posford girl?”

“Yes. She wasn’t inside the mansion.”

“Take care and don’t go too far.”

“Yes.”

Six years ago, I caused my parents a great worry when I was just one year old. So, I always nodded obediently in such situations.

I stepped outside, exchanging places with the pair. I lightly bowed to the two guests who were my mother’s visitors.

I wonder what their relationship is?

Walking straight from the entrance, I asked the gate guard if he had seen the Posford girl, but he said no.

Does that mean she hasn’t left the premises?

Where on the grounds would a child like? My training ground, perhaps?

As I walked towards it, I spotted something unusual.

A wild rabbit crossed my path.

It’s common to see them in the woods, but there’s a fence here, so it shouldn’t be able to get in…

“Hey, where did you come from?”

I caught it and asked, though obviously, it couldn’t answer.

Looking towards where the rabbit came from…

…Ah.

Though hidden in the bushes, there was a hole in the fence.

Could it be…? Did the Posford girl leave through there?

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Not finding her at the training ground, I decided to go outside through the hole in the fence.

There’s a forest beyond the fence. Six years ago, my younger sister burned down nearly half of it.

Though often traversed by people and not home to many dangerous animals, there’s always a risk. I have to look for her.

“Hey! …Um… Ms. Philene?”

I’m pretty sure Mr. Posford called her that. Philene. Philene Posford.

I called her name several times, but only the rustling of leaves responded.

Even if she did go into the forest, she probably didn’t go too far…

Maybe I should go back to the mansion after a while?

Just as I thought that—

—Rustle! A nearby tree suddenly shook.

Then—

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

A girl fell from the branches.

What?

…What!?

My mind almost froze, but I reflexively dashed forward.

Stretching out my arm as the girl plummeted towards the ground—

Just before she hit the ground, I managed to graze her arm with my fingers.

—【The Wings of Departure】!

The power of the 65th ranked spirit, the Honorable Andrealphus, erased her weight.

The girl floated gently, avoiding a hard impact with the ground.

“…Oh? Oh? Oh!”

The girl blinked in surprise, looking at her floating body with curiosity. She giggled as she rolled over in the air.

Meanwhile, I let out a huge sigh of relief.

“…That was close…”

That was no joke. It was lucky I was here…

“Ah!” The girl finally noticed me.

She floated, and—

“Did you do this? Wow! Amazing! It’s fun! Look, I’m floating!”

“Hey, don’t move too much—”

“—Whoops? Whoa, whoa, whoa!”

As expected, she lost her balance and spun—

Thud!

She hit her head on the ground.

Ah, she did it…

It happens often when you’re not used to it. I did it too when I was younger.

“Owwwwwwwww!”

She held her head, groaning in pain. I quickly ended the spell and lowered her to the ground.

“Are you alright?”

“Y-Yeah…”

Her eyes were tearing up… But she’s not crying out loud. Impressive.

Her shoulder-length chestnut hair indicated she was about my age, maybe six or seven.

A child that age hitting their head usually screams and cries. She must be used to pain. A real tomboy, for sure.

“Are you Philene?”

“Huh? Yeah, how did you know?”

…I knew it.

“I’m a child of the Lieber family. I came to find you because you weren’t in the mansion.”

“Really? You came to find me? Why?”

“Because… it’s dangerous to be alone in the forest.”

“Is it? Why?”

Philene tilted her head, genuinely puzzled.

She seems unaware of the concept of danger.

No wonder Mr. Posford has trouble with her…

“Well, whatever!”

She said cheerfully and stood up straight.

“Let’s play together! I saw a big meadow over there!”

“Huh? No, we should go back to the mansion—”

“Come on!”

Philene grabbed my hand and pulled me along.

As she led me away, I felt a nostalgic sense of déjà vu.

“Oh, right.”

Her chestnut hair swayed as she turned to me.

Indeed—

She overlapped with my childhood friend.

“Hey! What’s your name?”

On a summer day when the cicadas were silent, I met Philene Posford.

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“Ja-kun?”

“You missed the ‘k’.”

“Jak-kun?”

“Jack! Jack Lieber!”

“Jack…kun?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Got it! Um… Ja-kun!”

You only kept the first letters!

I sighed.

“Fine, Ja-kun it is…”

“Hehe, Ja-kun! Ja-kun!”

Philene skipped along, repeating my nickname joyfully.

Being pulled along by her, I couldn’t help but feel nostalgic.

…I really want to go back now.

She might drag me into something troublesome.

“Um… Philene-san?”

“Just call me Phil. Everyone does.”

“Okay… Phil.”

It feels embarrassing to call a girl by a nickname.

“I really think we should go back to the mansion. Your father must be worried.”

“Yeah, we should go back for lunch!”

“No, I mean now.”

Before I could continue, we emerged from the forest.

“Wow!” Phil exclaimed.

Just as she said, a vast meadow stretched before us.

Looking up, the branches that covered the sky had given way to a vast blue expanse.

I didn’t know this place existed…

“Wow! Wow! It’s huge!”

The wind blew, making the grass sway in waves.

Phil let go of my hand and ran off, competing with the wind.

“Hey, wait!”

She’s so restless!

I chased after her.

Phil leaped and turned back occasionally, running quite fast.

If she keeps running like that—

“Ahh!”

Thud.

She tripped, of course.

When I caught up, Phil was sitting up, holding her forehead.

Did she hit her face? She should have braced herself.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, something tripped me—”

Tripped her?

I looked at Phil’s feet and gasped.

A foot was sticking out from behind a tree stump.

What… a corpse?

It’s possible. Even in this peaceful forest, wild dogs or bears could attack someone.

Or maybe… the foot might not be attached to a body.

I hesitantly peered around the stump.

Thankfully, the foot was connected to a body.

A full-bodied person lay face down.

Her long, blue-tinted hair spread out around her.

“Is she okay?”

Phil seemed genuinely concerned.

If she were okay, she wouldn’t be lying here.

Is she alive?

“Excuse me…”

I gently touched the shoulder of the supposed corpse.

…Warm. Alive?

Or maybe she just died recently. I needed to check her pulse.

I gently parted the long hair spread out on the ground with my fingers.

By doing so, I saw something that had been hidden before—and I was surprised again.

The ears—were long.

…An elf.

I had heard that they existed.

A race closer to spirits than humans, and much longer-lived, almost like living gods…

And here one was, lying dead in a peaceful forest like this?

I decided to check for a pulse and touched her white neck—at that moment.

Twitch.

The elf moved.

Startled, I tried to pull my hand back—but before I could, the elf grabbed it.

“Le-let go…!”

I tried to shake it off reflexively, but her grip was incredibly strong and didn’t budge.

As I struggled, the elf slowly lifted her face.

Her long hair parted like a curtain, revealing blue eyes peering through the gaps.

Those eyes, through the veil of hair, were glaring straight at me.

What?

Could this be bad?

“Ahhhhhhh!!”

“Hey, Phil! Don’t run off alone!”

That coward! And why did her scream sound a bit excited?

I tried to follow Phil, but—

“Oh…”

A voice, deep and eerie as if from the bottom of a dark pit, came with a pull on my hand.

I-I can’t get away—

“O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o—”

The blue eyes, devoid of intelligence, shone brightly.

Then, the creature, looking like a female elf, pinned me down.

W-wait, I can’t move—

Ah, that’s right, spirit magic!

I tried to push her away with the power of [Wings of Departure], but it was too late.

Before I could, the female elf opened her mouth right in front of me—

“—I’m… hungry…”

…Huh?

As my eyes went wide in shock, the elf collapsed again.

Pinned under her, I naturally ended up beneath her.

Squish.

…B-boobs…!

On a summer day when the cicadas were silent, at the age of seven, I met not only Phil but also a collapsed elf.