The Prodigal Rogue of House Knight

Let’s take a rest now. The hero Arden Vale, who first destroyed the Cult of the Eclipsed Flame, made a pledge. Let’s live peacefully, without caring who calls or what happens. The title of “Hero” no longer brought him pride. He wanted to spend the rest of his life in quiet anonymity, not worship. However, fate did not go as Arden wished. He closed his eyes amidst the flood of attention — and was not granted peace even after death. Hero Arden Vale was reborn into the prestigious Ravencourt family, a noble house where every move was watched, and with no memory of his former life. … Fifteen years later. Kael Ravencourt, the family’s infamous troublemaker, fell from his horse and lost consciousness. When he awoke, his past life had returned. The scoundrel Kael blinked, his eyes sharper than before. “Hmm… I was reincarnated.” The first emotion that surfaced was confusion. ‘Is this a reward for my past life?’ Sudden reincarnation. I tried to take it positively, but as soon as I recalled Kael’s life, I knew it was nonsense. Born into a noble family, yet lacking talent and cursed with a foul temperament — a man best described as worthless. It was nothing like the peaceful life Arden had longed for. Then came doubt. ‘Does this mean I have to save this wretch myself?’ Arden had saved countless lives. He saved people, nations — even earned the title of Hero. So maybe this time, fate meant for him to save Kael directly instead of others. Confusion. Doubt. And finally — acceptance. ‘Whatever the reason, I wasn’t given a second life just to die again.’ There was no need to hesitate. As Arden’s memories returned, Kael’s faded. Still, it was clear what he had to do now. ‘I need to fix my reputation.’ Arden never cared for others’ opinions because he had the strength to stand above them. But Kael, with no talent and no respect, would only fall deeper if he ignored them. If things stayed as they were, he’d be cast out of the Ravencourt household the moment he came of age. ‘And more urgent than reputation is this miserable body.’ His health was so poor he barely looked alive — like a walking corpse ready to collapse any second. ‘In the end, I’ll have to fix my body before anything else.’ Reincarnation was strange, but not terrifying. Arden, now Kael, left the room with new resolve. For the first time in Kael’s life, he intended to train. “Are you okay? Is it hard working for him?” “If I served anyone else, then had to deal with Master Kael… that would be punishment.” “Are you hurt anywhere?” One maid received the pitying glances of her peers. She was the only girl in Ravencourt Manor who had been avoided since the day she started. Sylvie, maid to the delinquent Kael, only smiled at their concern. “It’s not easy. The young master’s… personality is difficult.” “Right? You have no idea how many times I thought, ‘If only it weren’t for Ravencourt.’” “You’re already treated like a failure by the upper servants. How bad must he be?” In a noble house, two things mattered: talent and temperament. Kael had neither. No one respected him. “Just wait until the new servants arrive. Maybe you’ll be reassigned.” “That’s right. Once the evaluation comes, the young master won’t be able to act like that anymore.” They tried to comfort Sylvie, who smiled weakly. “Thanks. I should get back to work.” “Already? It’s still dawn… well, hang in there!” “Tell us if you need help.” “I will!” Sylvie waved, carrying a breakfast tray for Kael. ‘… I used to think the same as them.’ There was no way Kael could change. She’d given up and just waited for a transfer. But over the past week, her thoughts began to shift. After his fall, Kael had changed. His frail body gained strength. His eyes, once empty, now held focus. A tiny shift — but one she had never seen before. Knock, knock. “Young master, breakfast— oh.” Sylvie caught herself. There was something else that had changed. Kael now trained every morning — something unthinkable before. “He’s probably in the training yard by now.” Sylvie carried the tray to the annex’s practice hall. There, a thin boy trained alone, drenched in sweat. For a week now, every morning before dawn, he had done the same. As she watched him silently, a forbidden thought crossed her mind. ‘Could he really change?’ Could even a failure rise again? It was foolish — but she couldn’t shake it. “Young master, I brought your meal.” Kael paused, turning his head. Golden hair, pale blue eyes. Still thin, still sharp-featured — yet oddly dependable. He glanced at the food, then turned back to his training. “…Master?” “I’m not hungry yet. Just wait.” “When will you eat, then?” “In three hours.” “….” Sylvie’s hands trembled as she held the tray. Clatter! The tray slipped, food spilling onto the floor. “!” “….” Silence filled the air. Sylvie froze. Her mind flashed through memories — Kael’s rages, his cruelty. She braced herself. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” She bowed deeply, trembling, eyes squeezed shut. But no scolding came. ‘… Why isn’t he saying anything?’ Cautiously, she looked up. Kael stood quietly, his expression unreadable. ‘If it were before… he’d have exploded by now.’ She hesitated. Could he really be—? “What are you doing?” Kael finally said. “Y-yes?” “My food’s on the floor. Why are you just staring at it?” “Oh! I’m sorry!” “Is ‘sorry’ enough?” “I’ll bring another plate right now!” “If it’s not here in five minutes, eat what you dropped.” “Y-yes!” Sylvie ran off, oddly relieved. ‘Well… maybe his temper’s still the same.’ After training, Kael finally felt hunger. He hadn’t eaten until late afternoon. That night, as he gazed at the dark sky, he reflected on his week. He had started with one simple decision: to rebuild his body. He asked a knight for help. “I’m starting training. Watch me so I don’t pass out.” “I’m in the middle of my own drills—” “What’s that got to do with me?” “….” He worked relentlessly. When he wasn’t training, he ate hearty meals. “Bring me meat. As much as you can.” “Master, it’s still night—” “And?” “….” The chef, used to his demands, obeyed. Each day was a full cycle of training, eating, and meditating — rebuilding himself from nothing. ‘A fulfilling day.’ Still, time was short. He had to prepare for the Rite of Provenance — a ceremony where all noble heirs over fifteen competed before the Empire. A test of skill and potential, where families’ pride was on display. Performance there could determine one’s fate. That’s why Kael trained with such desperation. ‘Progress isn’t fast… but it’s real.’ He ignored the mocking whispers around him — except one kind of remark that stung. “What’s the point? You can’t even use mana.” “You’re hopeless. Just stay in your room.” “As long as you can’t awaken, you’ll always be a disgrace.” Everyone — knights, his sister, even the servants — echoed the same words. ‘There’s no use training if you can’t use mana.’ And in that truth, everything made sense. Mana was everything in noble society. Without it, you were nothing. ‘So that’s why Kael fell so far.’ Once he realized he couldn’t awaken, he must have given up on life entirely. ‘How pitiful.’ Born to Ravencourt, yet denied even the chance to dream. If he’d had mana, everything could’ve been different. He might have been Kael the Heir instead of Kael the Failure. “Well, that’s truly unfortunate.” After a long walk, Kael sat cross-legged in his room. He inhaled deeply, focusing inward. …Mana began to stir, faintly wrapping around his body. He slowly opened his eyes. “...What a shame indeed.”