Time Travel? Rebirth? I Win This Time!

Mike Bai closed the ledger, still feeling dazed as though his mind had been struck by a hail of gold coins. No wonder the knights below him were so eager to go to war—Mike Bai had once thought they were reckless, but now he realized they were simply driven by desperation.

He stared at the war profits, marveling at how lucrative war could be. After over two years of painstaking work, his savings hadn't even reached a fraction of what he'd earned in just two months of plundering. A part of him almost felt like raising an army again and going after Saladin, greed bubbling up.

"Greed truly is the original sin," Mike Bai muttered, making a quick sign of the cross to steady himself. Rationality pulled him back from the brink. Both of these victories had been built on luck; had Saladin been more cautious, Mike Bai's estate might have been looted instead.

After repeatedly reminding himself to resist the temptation, the fire of greed finally subsided. He glanced once more at the figures in the ledger, sighed, and turned to his maid, Adila. "Make arrangements for a victory feast tonight. Everyone will receive a bonus—20 gold nomi for each knight, 10 to 5 gold nomi for the estate's guards depending on rank, and 20 silver dinars for each servant."

Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind. He fixed Adila with a sharp gaze. After spending time with Sasan, Mike Bai had discovered a peculiar method for identifying her: no matter what guise she wore, Sasan's face remained icy and expressionless when alone with him. When he saw a look of confusion flicker across Adila's face, he confirmed she wasn't Sasan. He asked, "Adila, where's Sasan?"

"Master, she's probably training," Adila replied calmly.

Mike Bai noticed the coldness creeping into Adila's demeanor. Smiling, he reached out and ruffled her hair. "You should smile more often! After all, hardships pass, and life will get better."

"Take a day off and have some fun. I'm going to stroll around." Leaving a slightly blushing Adila behind, Mike Bai wandered alone through the estate.

The shadow of war had lifted, and the female workers no longer wore worried expressions. The estate had returned to its usual rhythm, peaceful and warm. However, the aftermath of Saladin's ravages had affected half the kingdom, and many workshops were at a standstill due to shortages of raw materials like wool. As Mike Bai walked by, the workers who had been resting quickly stood up to greet him.

"My lord, we weren't slacking off, it's just..." One of the older workers began to explain.

Mike Bai waved his hand. "No need to explain. There's no raw material; if you need to rest, rest. You've all worked hard." He valued these workers who had come with him during the dangerous journey—following him had been no small act of loyalty, especially in such dark times.

He chatted with them for a while, and soon, a group of children rushed in, running like the wind. Before their mothers could scold them, they tossed their writing tools aside and dashed out again.

Mike Bai smiled, reassured the anxious workers, and turned to watch the children gather in the open space outside, laughing and playing. They were clearly engaged in a game of tag, with a girl playing the role of the "ghost" chasing after the others.

At this age, children in Mike Bai's previous world were pampered, at least without worries about survival. But in this dark era, these children had long been expected to help support their families. It was normal for them to work. Even Mike Bai's employment of "child labor" had been met with gratitude from their families, as he was willing to pay them a wage—though he felt embarrassed about it. Only recently, with some free time, had the children been able to enjoy their play.

The girl playing the ghost was Adila. Mike Bai, aware of her training with Sasan, knew she was much faster than the other children, yet she seemed somewhat clumsy as she ran after them, barely missing them each time. She appeared frustrated, but it only made the other kids laugh harder.

Mike Bai watched the joyful scene and thought to himself, How wonderful! Childhood!

Then, suddenly, it hit him. "Oh, right! I'm still a child too!"

He quickly changed into a coarse linen tunic, smeared some sand on his face, and let out a loud "Roar!" as he rushed toward the children. The kids paused for a moment, unsure what to make of this larger-than-life "big kid." But Mike Bai charged straight toward Adila, grabbed her hand, and slapped it onto his body, then turned to the others and shouted, "I'm the ghost! I'm going to catch you all!"

The children immediately burst into laughter, scattering in all directions, leaving only a frozen Adila standing in place.

Despite his height and speed, Mike Bai enjoyed playing the ghost, intentionally slowing down to keep up with the kids. But when it came to Adila, he didn't hold back. Knowing her well, he used his full speed to charge at her.

Adila, who had been clumsy moments before, became a blur of motion, dodging Mike Bai's "hungry tiger pounce," leaving him eating a mouthful of sand.

"Pah! Pah!" Mike Bai spat out the sand, muttering to himself, Looks like Sasan's training is paying off fast. He wasn't bothered by the little details, though, and kept playing. No matter how hard he tried, no matter the angles he took, Adila always evaded him.

When the other children took turns playing the ghost, Adila became the awkward girl again, only able to growl helplessly as they easily dodged her. Only when Mike Bai couldn't take it anymore would he allow Sasan to catch him.

As he walked past the warehouse, William, who had just sneaked out with some wine, saw Patrick and Demol sneaking behind a building, acting suspicious. He crept closer, ready to scare them, but Patrick, already noticing, quickly covered his mouth.

"Shh!" Patrick made a silencing gesture and pointed at the group of children playing. William turned and immediately recognized the tallest of them all—Mike Bai. His first reaction was to hide the wine behind his back, but no one seemed to notice.

Curious, William asked, "What's Mike Bai doing?"

The other two simply smiled without answering.

William leaned forward, looked at the children having fun, and sighed, feeling a bit nostalgic. He took a swig of wine and said, "Mike Bai is only 12 this year."

Suddenly, as if struck by an idea, he was about to jump out and join the game when Patrick, quick as a flash, grabbed him. "Where do you think you're going, you brute?"

"To play, of course! I'm Mike Bai's favorite Uncle William! Let go, you pretty boy!"

"Shut up! Don't let anyone see us!"

Despite the antics of the three men, the children continued to play until the sun began to set. Slowly, they began to disperse, leaving Mike Bai and Adila alone.

As Adila's expression returned to its usual coldness, Mike Bai smiled and took her hand. "Let's go. Let's set off some fireworks."

At the victory feast, the knights presided over the ceremony, thanking everyone and distributing the bonuses according to Mike Bai's instructions. When some tried to express their gratitude to him, the knights simply smiled without saying a word.

Fireworks soared into the sky, bursting into brilliant displays of color. The vibrant lights flickered on the faces of the young men and women. Mike Bai, holding Adila's hand, spoke to her in a quiet voice. "Adila, do you think Sasan can see these fireworks?"

Thinking back on how Sasan had helped him generate at least 11,000 gold nomi in profits from the two campaigns, Mike Bai smiled and said, "If only Sasan were here. I would grant her one wish!"

Adila's gaze seemed to soften, and she turned to look at him, her once-icy expression shifting subtly.

Mike Bai continued, unaware of the change, "I think Sasan's wish would be for her people to live a better life, don't you? I've decided—tomorrow, I'll grant freedom to all of Sasan's people. Those who are free will get a 30% pay raise!"

He turned to Adila and smiled. "I think Sasan would be happy to hear this news."

Adila's cold expression seemed to melt further, and for the first time, a smile appeared on her face—a smile so gentle, like a flower blooming in winter, or a dolphin leaping from the ancient ice. Mike Bai stood there, mesmerized.

The fireworks soon faded, and darkness reclaimed the land. But the moment seemed to disappear along with the light.

"I hope you'll keep your promise, my lord." Sasan's voice echoed in Mike Bai's mind, cold but tinged with a hint of urgency.

At that moment, Mike Bai suddenly realized he had made a mistake.