The peaceful days just passed by.
Right now, I was sitting relaxed in a chair in my room. The afternoon light filtered into my vision. In my hand was an open notebook. Inside, I was noting down vocabulary and sentence structures, comparing the language of this world with the language of my old one. Simply put, it was my own self-made dictionary.
Five years have passed since I was reincarnated into this world.
Four months ago, on my fifth birthday, the [Infant Veil] skill that had helped me in the beginning of my reincarnation disappeared.
[Skill [Infant Veil] has reached its time limit]
[This skill will be removed]
The message had simply appeared before me, cold and emotionless.
Instantly, the shield that had accompanied me since the beginning, which used to grant me tranquility and a sense of security, vanished. Its departure left a slight void, but it also sparked a new determination within me. Since then, I decided to study this world's language more seriously. Now, I was fluent enough to communicate, though I still sounded a bit stiff at times.
However, behind that progress, there was one question that ceaselessly bothered me.
Why haven't I 'awaken' yet?
There was no detailed information about this in the game, only that every individual would 'awaken' at the age of five. A natural process that marked the opening of their Core and the determination of their affinity.
I thought the process would happen automatically, right on my fifth birthday. But it didn't. It seems it doesn't have to be on the exact birthday. There was nothing strange about my body, and the system offered no clues or notifications at all.
'Hahh...'
I could only let out a long sigh, letting the questions hang unanswered in the air of my room.
...
In a room resembling a private office, a black-haired man finished tidying up his work documents and stood up. His posture was upright, but his movements now looked relaxed. He had just finished his work and was preparing for his weekly activity with his young son.
"Honey, can I come with you?" a soft yet firm voice sounded from the doorway.
A red-haired woman stepped in with a small smile on her lips. On her shoulder and in her hands hung fishing gear, making it clear she wanted to join the father-son activity.
"Y-You can come... But, are you done with your business?" the man asked, with a slightly shy tone.
"All done. I finished it quickly. They became compliant right after I showed them a little 'kindness'." She said this with a casual shrug, as if the matter was no more complicated than swatting a mosquito. But her expression turned slightly serious.
"Besides, I still haven't gotten over your recklessness the last time you took Adrian fishing."
"I'm sorry, it won't happen again, Layla," the man replied.
What recklessness was Layla referring to?
It happened a week ago, when Elric and Adrian went fishing together. Adrian fell into the sea.
At the time, Elric and Adrian were enjoying a quiet afternoon of fishing not far from the pier. Adrian, still small and full of curiosity, got overly excited when he saw a large school of fish pass under their boat. He leaned too far forward, and before Elric could grab him, his small body had tumbled into the cold water.
Without a second thought, Elric dived into the sea and managed to catch Adrian. Fortunately, Adrian hadn't sunk too deep, and Elric successfully pulled him to the surface. He quickly brought Adrian back to the pier, hugging him tightly to warm his shivering body.
Although Adrian wasn't seriously injured, the incident made Layla extremely worried, and today, she decided to tag along.
....
I was currently getting ready to leave. But before I could open the door, there was a gentle knock.
*Knock knock
"Adrian, are you ready?" Mother's soft voice called from behind the door.
I quickly opened it. Standing there was a woman with a warm smile, her long red hair framing her face.
"Mom?" I greeted her, a little surprised.
"What is it, Mom?" Mother looked at me for a moment, then smiled faintly.
"Your father is already waiting outside. And today, I'm coming too," she said, gently patting my small head.
"So, let's hurry. We can get the best spot before anyone else arrives." I gave a small nod and walked with Mother.
"You're coming, Mom?" I asked, holding her hand.
It's probably because of what happened last week. Yeah, that was my fault. That day, for the first time in my life, in my two lives, I saw with my own eyes how massive schools of fish migrated, swimming through the clear blue water beneath the boat.
I couldn't contain my awe. My curiosity was too great. So I leaned forward, trying to get a closer look. And then...
*Splash
I fell into the sea. The moment was still vivid in my memory. The cold shock of the seawater, the sound of the ripples suddenly going silent beneath the surface, and the world turning upside down.
But before I could panic, strong arms pulled me back up. Father's hug was so tight, filled with both fear and relief. I've nearly died twice. Since that incident, Mother had become a bit protective.
"Well, let's just say I'm coming along to make sure you two don't create any new trouble out on the sea," Mother said, crossing her arms and looking at Father, who was standing at the end of the hallway pretending not to hear.
"But I promise, I won't make a mistake like that again, Mom," I said quickly, raising my hand as if taking an oath.
Mother laughed softly. "You'd better not. I don't want my heart to leap out of my chest a second time."
Then she bent down slightly, straightening the strap of my tilted hat. "Let's go. The weather is nice and the wind is gentle. If we're lucky, we can see the school of fish again, from a safe distance, of course."
I nodded.
...
'Hahh...'
And just like before, my fishing rod was merely a long wooden stick and a string. Meanwhile, they were using proper fishing gear. I glanced at them.
'Do they think I'm this foolish just because I'm a child?'
It felt like they were playing a console game, and I was just given a blank controller that wasn't connected to anything. Just so I could feel like I was 'playing' along.
I pulled the end of the line slowly, checking for any tugs.
Nothing. Again, nothing.
"Tsk..." I clicked my tongue, starting to feel frustrated.
Not just because of the fish, but because of something much deeper. It was because I still hadn't 'awaken'.
The moment I thought that, the world suddenly felt silent. The sound of the ocean waves, the birds, even the gust of wind disappeared. Then...
*Whoosh
Something surged within my chest. My eyes widened. It felt like my chest was struck from the inside, a feeling of heat, pain, and immense pressure. As if something that had been locked away was now forcing its way out.
"A-AHHH—!!"
I screamed unconsciously. My wooden rod slipped from my grasp and fell into the water as my body hunched over, clutching my burning chest. My breath came in ragged gasps. The world trembled. A faint blue light began to envelop my body.
"Adrian!?" Father shouted, dropping his rod and leaping towards me.
Mother also shot up, her eyes wide as she saw the light.
My body began to shudder on the boat. The wind started blowing again, and a booming sound echoed in my mind. The light grew brighter. My eyes were wide open, and the world spun. Then it turned dark. My body was in Father's arms before I could see their faces again. My breathing was slow, my body limp, but something had changed within me.
[Congratulations, you have 'awaken']
[Unity Core and All-Aspect Affinity have been unlocked] [
Skill [Atherion Dreamforge] is now available for use]
Finally....