"You ungrateful little bastard — did you forget everything I've done raising you?! How dare you break the family heirloom vase! You're banished!"
"Father, wait — I don't even know what you're talking about—"
"Save your excuses!"
THWACK!
In the private quarters of Ryan, head of House Vermilion, the bastard son Alan was sent flying by a fist — condemned for a crime he never committed.
House Vermilion was a family of warriors.
Its head, Ryan Vermilion, possessed the **Sword Saint** skill.
Even holding back, a blow from a Sword Saint was more than enough. Alan lost consciousness on the spot.
◇◇◇
*'You're fired!'*
*'What?! Why, sir?!'*
*'Because you embezzled company funds, that's why! Did you forget the mercy I showed by hiring a pathetic loser like you?! I'll see you in court!'*
*'No — I'm innocent!!'*
…………
BEEP BEEP!!
*'Ah…'*
My name was plastered across every social media platform over things I never did. I was exhausted — so exhausted I didn't even notice the red light at the crosswalk, and the truck was right there, barreling toward me…
The next thing I knew, I was standing in a pure white void.
A woman with soft, fluffy blonde hair floated in the air before me.
The self-proclaimed goddess spoke.
"Oh, you poor, pitiful human. To think you'd die without ever knowing that your cheerful coworker used your ID and password to log into a computer and fabricate evidence—all to cover up their own embezzlement."
"Wha…?"
"You were a pushover who couldn't stand up to anyone, got worked to the bone by everyone around you, and then tossed aside. At least try living like a proper human in your next life? This time it'll be another world. Use the reincarnation bonus skill and try living like an actual person, will you? Anyway, bye~!"
Having said everything she wanted to say and nothing more, the goddess waved her hand toward me, and once again I was enveloped in white light, losing consciousness.
◇◇◇
*Splash!* Cold water hit my face, and I jolted awake.
I had presumably been reincarnated as Alan Vermilion.
I could no longer remember my name from Earth, but since the goddess had mentioned "next time" and "reincarnation bonus," I was fairly certain.
One of my hobbies before reincarnating had been light novels, after all.
And so I awoke, bearing the memories of Alan as well.
I didn't know why it had happened at that particular moment, but…
Anyway, this body's circumstances were grim.
"Seriously, how is it fair that he only has a skill with an incomprehensible name like [^6()°]?"
"Right? And on top of that, he had zero aptitude for any other skills. He's a worthless piece of trash abandoned by the gods—not even worth living. Hey, Father?"
The one who said this while striding into Father's room was Kane, the three-years-older son of the first wife.
And he possessed the skill [Sword Master].
It was already understood that with proper growth, this would eventually evolve into [Sword Saint].
If I had possessed a sword-related skill as well, there might have been some value in me serving as Kane's spare. But the skill I had been granted at the age of ten during the church's "Awakening Ceremony" was an unreadable, unusable thing called [^6()°].
On top of that, it was also determined at that time that I had zero aptitude for any other skills whatsoever.
1. Being the child of a concubine, I already wasn't treated very well, but from then on, even the servants began to openly treat me with coldness.
2. Despite being the son of a marquis, no one would even clean my room, and the meals they brought were always cold.
3. I had to handle all my own clothes and laundry.
4. I wasn't allowed to take a bath and had to wash my body with cold water.
5. And now, I am
6. a
7. g
8. ain — being driven out on false charges.
9. I wasn't even allowed to bear the name Vermilion, and was sent off with nothing but the clothes on my back and a small sum of money.
10. But I will absolutely not let things end this way.
11. Even if I'm reborn, I refuse to be pushed around by others.
12. I will live freely, and anyone who gets in my way will be shown no mercy.
13. Even if I can't do it now — I will, with this skill the Goddess has given me.
14. ◇◇◇◇◇◇
15. Thank you always for reading!