The first light of the morning sun filtered gently through the sheer white curtains, touching the walls of the small room, filled with the scent of fresh flowers. Aldric slowly woke up—or at least he thought he did—but he immediately felt something different… something he had never known before. His small body was weak, his limbs short and soft, and his little eyes widened at everything around him with a mixture of confusion and wonder.
He looked around and saw that he was lying on a small bed, cushioned with a warm blanket and a soft pillow supporting his head. The room was filled with a strange quiet—no sounds of the old world's struggles, no whispers of the city… everything was unnaturally calm, and his little heart raced with a mix of astonishment and curiosity.
Nearby, a woman with breathtaking beauty sat watching him, as if she had stepped out of a divine painting. Her long white hair fell over her shoulders like fresh snow, and her eyes were filled with both worry and love. She held his small hand in hers, as if afraid it might slip away.
This woman was his mother in this world, and her name was Emma.
"Oh finaly… you're awake , my little kid. I was so worried about you!" she said softly, her voice tender yet filled with concern.
Aldric shivered at the sound of her voice. It was strange, yet familiar, stirring a warm feeling inside him that he hadn't experienced in a long time.
He tried to move, only to realize how weak he was. His body no longer obeyed him as it once had. He couldn't even speak clearly, but Emma did not wait, speaking gently with love as she held his tiny hand.
"Your temperature is a little high… do you feel any pain? Can you move?"
Aldric smiled inwardly, trying to feel strength despite his small body. He remembered everything from his previous life… all the plans and events of the novel, everything that had happened to him as the mature Aldric. But now he was just a child in a new world, weak in body, yet his old spirit still present.
After a few moments, another person entered the room, and his presence was completely different. He was tall, strong, with handsome but stern features, and thick black hair naturally falling over his forehead. His eyes looked at Aldric cautiously, yet with love and concern. This man was his father in this world, named Kevin.
Kevin approached the bed with steady, measured steps. He stopped beside Aldric and leaned slightly to get closer to the child's face. Then he said in a deep, serious, and commanding voice:
"How are you… how do you feel now?"
Aldric shivered at his voice. He was not accustomed to this type of authority and presence, yet it radiated a sense of safety. He tried to move, and Emma smiled quietly, saying:
"Don't worry, he's awake now. Let's just make sure he's okay."
Kevin observed him for a moment longer, then gently pressed on his shoulder, as if to ease his tension.
"I'll go talk with the doctors. You need to rest."
After the father left the room, Emma stayed by his side for a few more minutes then she also left. Aldric felt something strange within himself… a sense of independence, a desire to move, to explore this new body, even if it was weak.
He slowly lifted his head and began moving his small limbs, attempting to sit on the bed. It wasn't easy, but he felt a small surge of strength within him. Every movement required intense concentration; every action was a new discovery.
Finally, he stood and made his way toward the large mirror hanging on the opposite wall. Every step was heavy for him, but he was determined to see his new face.
He approached the mirror and turned his head to view his reflection. When he saw his face, he froze for a moment.
It was the face of a small child, but unnaturally beautiful… a mix of innocence and coldness at the same time. His white hair resembled winter snow, with a few black strands framing his forehead, making it seem as if his entire being carried a contrast between light and shadow, between childhood and latent power.
Aldric looked into his own eyes in the mirror, a mixture of wonder, excitement, and fear swirling within him. Then, in a small voice, he uttered his old name… though it was now different:
"Himmel…"
He spoke the name with a mix of fear and excitement, astonishment and bewilderment. He could hear the echo of his small voice in the room, hardly believing what he saw.
Aldric—or rather, Himmel, as he was now named in this world—felt something strange inside. He knew his fate… the child inhabiting this body would one day become the Demon King's right hand and betray the world from within. Yet now he carried Aldric's memories, knowledge that could change the course of events.
He took a deep breath and turned his head to observe the room once more. He felt his mother's tenderness, his father's strictness, and a strange sense of responsibility weighing on his small heart… despite being no older than four.
He remembered the words of the imposing entity in the white void before his reincarnation: "You will be born in this child… and you will have the chance to change the fate of the world."
Himmel—or Aldric in the child's body—smiled, a small but determined smile.
"If this is my body now… if this world begins with me… I will use everything I know… all my memories… to become stronger."
He stood before the mirror, staring into his reflection once more. He felt power beginning to gather within him—a hidden force waiting to be activated, the Growth System given to him by the entity before his incarnation. He knew that every small step now, every minor movement in his body, was the beginning of a long adventure that would determine the fate of this world, the demons, and all the heroes who would fall later.
Finally, he sat on the floor beside the bed, closing his eyes for a moment, contemplating his new face, ready to accept his destiny… the fate of the child who would one day become the Demon King's right hand, but this time armed with knowledge that the original heroes never had: foreknowledge of the ending, and the power to change it.