It's funny how life can change in an instant. One minute I'm Okazaki Hajime, a perfectly ordinary office worker in Japan, minding my own business, and the next, I'm Kairon Nocturne, a ten-year-old kid in a world of magic and mystery. Reincarnation? Yeah, that's the ticket.
Don't get me wrong, it's not all bad. I mean, who wouldn't want to escape the soul-crushing monotony of spreadsheets and pointless meetings? But still, it's a bit of a shock to the system.
It's been three years since I arrived in this world, and honestly, I've been trying my best to stay under the radar. Blending in, being the side character – that's the life for me. No pressure, no expectations, just peaceful obscurity.
My family here, the Nocturnes, are your typical noble family. My father, the Baron, is a decent guy, a bit henpecked maybe, but harmless. My mother, on the other hand, is a force of nature. Let's just say she has a strong personality and leave it at that.
Then there's Velrith, my older sister. She's fifteen now, which means she's off to the Royal Capital for the mandatory noble education. Velrith is...intense. Beautiful, talented, and driven, she's the kind of person who commands attention wherever she goes. And while I admire her, that kind of spotlight just isn't for me.
The day of Velrith's departure dawned bright and clear, the air filled with the usual pre-journey chaos. My mother, naturally, had organized a farewell party of epic proportions. There were speeches, tears, and enough food to feed a small army. It was all very grand and very...predictable.
What wasn't predictable was Velrith vanishing without a trace.
One minute she was there, radiant in her traveling attire, the next she was gone. Poof. Like a magician's disappearing act, only without the cheesy flourish.
The house erupted into pandemonium. Servants scurried about like headless chickens, my mother's voice reached a pitch that could shatter glass, and my father, bless his soul, just looked utterly bewildered.
"The room was like this when I came in," he explained to my mother in his usual calm voice, which was doing very little to calm the situation. "No signs of a struggle. But it looks like the window has been pried open.The culprit must have been skilled to do this without me and Velrith noticing."
He trailed off, staring out the window with a forlorn expression. I swear, if he had a glass of whiskey in his hand, it would have been a scene straight out of a melodramatic play.
"And?" My mother's voice cut through the air like a shard of ice. "Are you saying we're out of luck since the kidnapper was skilled?"
"Th-that's not what I'm saying. I was just stating a fact..." My father stammered, beads of sweat forming on his brow.
There was a pregnant pause, then...
"Shut it, you idiot!!"
"Eep! I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry!!"
I watched the whole scene unfold with a detached sense of amusement. It was like observing a particularly chaotic play. As usual, I was invisible, blending into the background. Just the way I liked it.
Of course, I was worried about Velrith. She might be a bit much sometimes, but she was still my sister. But what could I do? I was just Kairon, the unremarkable younger brother.
Later that night, as the household finally settled into an uneasy silence, I slipped out of my room and headed for the forest. I needed some air, some space to think. And maybe, just maybe, I could figure out what happened to Velrith.
As I walked, I couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. This wasn't just a simple kidnapping. There was something more sinister at play.
I reached my usual training spot, a small clearing bathed in moonlight. Taking a deep breath, I began to practice my magic. It was a simple spell, nothing flashy, but it helped me focus, helped me clear my mind.
Suddenly, a voice broke the silence.
"You can come out now."
I turned to see a figure emerge from the shadows. A girl, cloaked in a dark robe, her face hidden by a hood.
"Okay," she replied, her voice soft and melodic.
It was Morgana, one of my...associates.
"Oh, it's you, Morgana."
"Yes," she said, pushing back her hood to reveal her delicate features. Pink hair framed her feline blue eyes, a small mole adding a touch of charm beneath one of them.
Morgana was the third member of the Ceberus, a group I had formed a couple of years ago. It all started when I rescued a young girl named Lilith from a band of thugs. She was cursed, poor thing, but I managed to lift it after six months. For some reason, she got it into her head that I was some kind of prophet, that she was a descendant of legendary heroes called the Celestial Line, and that the thugs were part of an ancient evil organization called the Black Covenant.
All complete nonsense, of course. I made the whole thing up. But Lilith, bless her heart, believed every word. And before I knew it, she had recruited Morgana, and the Ceberus was born.
"Where's Lilith?" I asked.
"She's searching for signs of Miss Velrith."
"Dang, she's fast. Is my sister alive?"
"Most likely."
"Can we rescue her?"
"It's possible...but it requires your assistance, Master Phantom."
Ah, yes. Master Phantom. The enigmatic leader of the Ceberus. Another one of my fabrications. It's amazing what a little mystique can do.
"Did Lilith say that?"
"Yes. She said we must take every precaution in a hostage situation."
"Huh."
If Lilith, with all her supposed power, was asking for backup, this was serious. It seemed my quiet life as a side character was about to get a lot more complicated.
"It makes my blood boil…," I muttered, clenching my fist. A surge of magic crackled around me, causing the air to shimmer. There was no real need for the dramatic display, but old habits die hard.
Besides, it never hurt to reinforce the "Master Phantom" persona.
Morgana gasped, her eyes wide with awe. "Incredible."
Mission accomplished.
"As we'd expected, the perpetrator is a member of the Black Covenant," I declared, my voice taking on a serious tone.
"Presumably one of their highest-ranking officers."
"A high rank, huh…? But what do they want with my sister?"
"They must suspect that she's a Celestial Line descendant," Morgana replied, playing her part perfectly.
"Well, those bastards guessed right…" I sighed dramatically.
See? This is what I was talking about. Lilith and Morgana were naturals at this whole conspiracy game. They took my ridiculous story and ran with it, weaving a tapestry of intrigue and danger. And I, the supposed mastermind, was just along for the ride.
"Take a look at this report," Morgana continued, pulling out a stack of documents that looked suspiciously like they'd been salvaged from a dusty attic.
"According to our most recent investigation, Miss Velrith seems to have been brought to this hideout…"
She launched into a detailed explanation, complete with cryptic phrases and references to ancient texts.
I didn't understand half of what she was saying, but it sounded impressive. I was pretty sure she was making most of it up as she went along, but hey, who was I to complain?
"Just point to where she is," I interrupted, gesturing towards the map I had pinned to the wall of my secret hideout (which, ironically, was just a slightly larger clearing in the forest).
Morgana, bless her theatrical soul, gasped dramatically. "But there's nothing… Wait. No way…!" She frantically shuffled through her "reports," pretending to have a sudden realization.
"After cross-referencing my reports, it appears the hideout is at that location," she announced, pointing to the exact spot I had randomly chosen.
"To think you instantly interpreted these documents and uncovered hidden details… You never cease to amaze me," she gushed.
I smirked, trying to maintain my air of mysterious genius. "Morgana, you gotta train more."
"I'll do my best," she replied, bowing her head.
Honestly, it was all a bit ridiculous. But it was also kind of fun. And besides, it kept Lilith and Morgana occupied, which meant they weren't causing too much trouble.
"I'll report to Lilith right away," Morgana said. "Will we attempt our rescue tonight?"
"Yeah," I nodded.
She bowed again and disappeared into the night, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
So, it seemed I was actually going to have to do something. Rescue my sister, infiltrate a secret hideout, confront the Black Covenant…
All in a day's work for Master Phantom, I guess.
I sighed. This was so not what I signed up for. But then again, when does life ever go according to plan?
I glanced at the map, my finger tracing the route to the hideout.After all, even a side character has to step up sometimes.