Three days have passed since I returned to the past after dying. Ordered by my mother to stay in bed and rest, I have obediently spent my time lazing around in bed. At first, the rare peace lulled me into thinking, "This is the life I’ve been longing for," but I can’t spend my days like this forever.

This tranquility is nothing more than a fleeting taste of the "ideal future" I once envisioned—a future that is certain to vanish in the near term, or rather, very soon. This second chance at life is precious, and while it may seem like I have ample time, wasting it would defeat the purpose. With that in mind, I’ve been earnestly crafting a life plan to secure the slow, peaceful life I desire.

"What’s the practical approach here?"

A haphazard plan would undoubtedly result in a repeat of my first tragic future. Avoiding that requires not just rejecting that path but forging an entirely different life. It demands a meticulous strategy for my life moving forward.

"Let’s reassess my situation objectively."

I’m the heir to the Bradley Marquisate, a noble house of great prominence. I’ve also inherited Primal Magic, an elite form of magic that only a handful of people in the kingdom can wield. This makes me a "chosen one," destined to carry the country’s future on my shoulders.

"Yeah... this situation is pretty much a disaster."

Even stating the facts feels overwhelming. My family ties and the responsibilities tied to my lineage are immense—practically impossible to sever.

The bloodline I inherited is often called "the world's beloved lineage," a testament to its unparalleled importance and rarity. Yet, this very heritage shackles me to the expectations of a strong, proud figure. My vow to lead a quiet life in a remote corner of the kingdom feels more like a dream than a plausible goal.

Even if I were to resort to extreme measures to sever my ties, the limitations of my current abilities—or even my peak strength from my first life—make that unrealistic. Navigating the intricacies of family and politics to sever those ties cleanly is nearly impossible. Even if I succeeded, the weight of my Bradley blood would continue to haunt me. In some ways, this lineage feels more like a curse than a blessing.

I cannot escape political power struggles. So, a more realistic plan might be to delegate my responsibilities as a noble to someone else while keeping myself out of the fray.

"That could work, couldn’t it?"

I have a younger sister, Alice, who is two years my junior. If she were to inherit the Bradley family title, it would resolve everything.

"Genius!"

This revolutionary idea amazes even me. In my first life, Alice and I were estranged—not to mince words, we didn’t get along at all. But this time, while we are still children, that rift hasn’t formed yet.

"And she’s a prodigy."

Alice is every bit as gifted as I am, if not more so. It wouldn’t be unnatural for her to take over as head of the family. In fact, it might even seem logical.

"This is far safer than risking unnecessary danger."

With the path to avoiding ruin becoming clearer, my priorities crystallize. First and foremost, I must strengthen myself. Even if I relinquish the family title, I’ll remain a Bradley by blood, which inevitably brings danger. My survival will ultimately depend on my own abilities. That much was painfully clear in my first life.

Second, I must conceal my true capabilities and feign incompetence, allowing Alice to inherit the title. Entrusting her with this burden is regrettable, but I trust she can handle it. Meanwhile, I’ll build a good relationship with her to ensure our bond is strong.

The plan is to stay humble, deceive those around me, quietly build my strength, and fade out of the political sphere unnoticed. Whether this will go as planned is uncertain, but it’s my only choice.

"Alright, I’m feeling motivated."

Once the course of action is set, the mind and spirit naturally follow. Up until now, I had only vaguely thought about what I wanted, passively hoping it would somehow work out. But that mindset will no longer suffice. Repeating my first life’s mistakes isn’t an option.

The immediate priority is to focus on self-improvement, but I’ve also decided to tackle another challenge: reshaping my way of thinking.

"This might actually be more important than training."

Even with the trauma of my first life fresh in mind, it’s not easy to change deeply ingrained habits and attitudes overnight. For now, I’m pretending to be humble and cautious, but there’s no telling when my facade will crack.

"Let’s face it—my personality is trash. It might even run in the Bradley bloodline."

Looking back, I was arrogant, overconfident, and always quick to belittle others—a product of my upbringing and status. I trusted the wrong people, fell into their schemes, and was ultimately betrayed. My poisonous personality played no small part in leading me to a public execution. That flawed nature must be eradicated.

To this end, I make a new vow to myself:

"Be kind to others, strict with myself, and build goodwill wherever I can."

I believe this is the fastest way to avoid my ruinous future.

"Alright then..."

With a clear direction, it’s time to act. Frankly, I’ve had enough of lying in bed. Humans need activity; we must expend our energy to thrive.

In parallel with my character reform, I’ll focus on strengthening myself. In my first life, I rested on my laurels and hardly put in any real effort. But this time, I aim to achieve the impossible. I’ll push myself to grow stronger and prepare for the challenges ahead. However, there are limits to how far I can go on my own. I’ll need guidance from someone far more skilled.

"And it just so happens that the perfect teacher is staying in this house."

With that, I set my plan in motion to apprentice myself to the ideal mentor.