Part 1 — Three Years Ago
It had been years now.
Or at least, I thought it had.
People here didn't use calendars or even have names for the days like they did back home.
The family I had been reborn into was pretty weird, in the sense that they were a crazy mixture of
magic users and hand-to-hand fighters.
The muscle daddy was a highly skilled fighter. His name was Clifton Bloodstone. He seemed to be
somewhere in his late thirties or early forties, and something crazy I had just found out was that he
was half-dwarf.
So that explained his superhuman strength.
But still, this dude was tall as hell, even for a human. I found it hard to believe he was half-dwarf.
My mother was Elara Bloodstone, and she looked to be around the same age as muscle daddy. She was highly skilled in magic—healing magic, combat magic, and some kind of dark magic that she
hated using.
There was one time when a monster got into the village, and I just happened to be there...
My body might have been that of a toddler, but I was still Daiki Tanaka inside, so I had to look around
the village.
I mean, who wouldn't?
I had two older brothers.
Rulf was the one I followed around, and he was three years older than me. Rulf was like a wild child who went out at night into the forest that teenagers used for hunting training.
That sounded cool and all, but he was only five years old and had already killed a fair number of monsters.
The kid was scary.
And then there was Walter, the oldest.
That dude was straight-up a bully to both me and Rulf.
He would do something like hang Rulf upside down from a tree and call it training. It didn't seem to bother Rulf, though, and that was why he had turned his attention to me, who was clearly bothered by his actions.
Asshole.
But if you removed all of that, Walter was some kind of Blessed One—or at least, that was what people in the village called him.
There were different types of gods here.
Magic Gods.
Combat Gods.
And that was all I knew.
I was still trying my hardest to learn the language.
But with all the weirdness I had seen in this world...
…I was glad that this was the family I had been reborn into.
A powerful father and mother, both masters of their respective fields, and two brothers whose skills surpassed their age.
If anything were to happen to me, I could trust this crazy family.
They would protect me.
…They would save me.
Part 2 — The Mixture of Craziness
"Oh my, it seems that Walter is running low on mana."
"Walter, are—"
"Don't worry. I'm fine."
He was lying.
This damn bitch had been attacking us for the past five minutes.
The dining room was completely destroyed, and Walter was protecting me, Mother, Father, and...
…Rulf.
When she attacked, Rulf blocked her strike and exchanged blows with her.
But even with his strength...
This lady was crazy good.
Blessed or not, Walter was still an eleven-year-old child.
Creating two barriers strong enough to protect all of us—including Mother and Father—was just insane.
"I must say…"
Roselyn slowly placed her hand against the barrier.
"I'm quite impressed, Walter. You truly are my younger sister's child, that's for certain. And that brat over there as well."
Her eyes shifted toward Rulf.
"At first, I thought he was merely a combat type. But his attacks were followed by offensive spells.
That is a very dangerous skill he possesses."
She smiled.
"You have both proven that you are Clifton and Elara's children."
CRACK!
My eyes widened.
"But…"
Roselyn pressed her hand against the barrier.
"That thing over there is merely an impostor. And it needs to be gone if my sister is to remain safe
and well."
She was breaking the barrier.
"If you say that… our mother is your younger sister…"
Walter struggled to breathe, his entire body drenched in sweat.
"Then why are you trying to kill her kids?"
"Who said anything about killing her kids?"
Roselyn tilted her head.
"I'm here for that thing."
Her eyes...
Her eyes were locked on me and me alone.
Learning how to create a barrier was something every child was taught at a young age.
There were three different types of barriers, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.
And the easiest one to use...
The Cell-Wall Barrier.
A simple barrier designed to keep something out.
...
But not in.
"Huh? Ivan, get back here!"
Ignoring Walter's shout, I took a step backward.
Then another.
She was only after me, so if I could lure her away from everyone else, maybe Walter would have
enough time to figure out how to free Mother and Father from whatever she had done to them.
I turned and ran.
"Huh?"
Roselyn blinked.
Then a grin spread across her face.
"Oh? It's a coward on top of being a pest as well."
Don't look back.
Just run.
Run.
RUN!
"You move quite fast for your age."
How?
"But, considering that you are not of this world…"
Huh?
Wh—
"It's not a suppress."
Gah!
Roselyn closed the distance between us.
With the very little combat training I had learned from Father, I was somehow able to block Roselyn's kick.
But only barely…
The kick sent me flying across the grass field.
For a few moments, all I could see was the blue sky.
"AAH!"
Damn it…
"HFF."
I could hardly breathe, and I was pretty sure my arm was broken or something.
I quickly glanced at my left arm, the one that had taken the blow.
Aaah!
My arm...
It was bending the wrong way.
I should have felt more pain, but the shock was numbing it.
"What name did they call you back there?"
Roselyn slowly walked toward me.
"Oh, yeah. Ivan."
She stopped for a moment.
"They called you Ivan."
Her expression twisted.
"Wait. Isn't that the name of our father?"
She sneered.
"Disgusting. She named you after my father. How disgusting."
Oh shit.
I had to get up.
With every bit of strength I had left, I tried to get back on my feet, but once again, another kick
knocked me down.
"Disgusting."
Ah!
"Disgusting!"
Gah!
"Disgusting!"
Ahh!
"Disgusting!"
Over and over, I was kicked.
"Enough already. She has suffered more than enough. Why… damn it?"
Oh shit.
I was blacking out.
Damn it.
"Roselyn, stop it!"
Just before I lost consciousness, I heard a voice.
Who was it?
…
By the time I came around, I found myself in a very expansive-looking room.
The ceiling was so high, and the room was so large, that I was sure an elephant or two could fit inside.
KNOCK KNOCK.
"Excuse me, but may I come in?"
Who the hell?
"Who are you?"
"Ray, a servant of the Fitzroy family."
Wait.
Didn't Roselyn say that she came from the Fitzroy family?
And she had come with Clarice.
That meant I was in their house right now?
Oh man.
I needed something…
Hmm.
Those looked nice and fancy.
"May I come in, then?"
"Just a sec."
Damn it.
Why was it so high up?
Come on.
Just a little bit more.
"If you are hesitating because you fear I may behave as Roselyn did, I assure you, your concerns are
misplaced."
Huh?
"I was sent after Roselyn to prevent an incident that might bring considerable shame upon the Fitzroy
family. Unfortunately, I arrived too late to stop her."
His voice remained calm and courteous.
"For that, I sincerely apologize. I can only hope that, in time, you may find it in your heart to trust me."
He paused.
"So, if you would be so kind, please open the door and allow me to finish your treatment."
Treatment?
Why did I need treatment when Mother could heal—
"Where is my mother? She can heal me right away."
"Your mother is not presently in a condition where she can make use of her magic."
Huh?
Why?
"Why?"
"Beast-folk possess an ability capable of temporarily disrupting magic. As such, your mother will be
unable to assist you for some time."
The hell.
"Then Walter. Why can't Walter—"
"Your brother exhausted his mana and may be unable to use magic for several days."
There was a brief pause.
"Although, considering that he is a Blessed One, perhaps it shall only be a matter of hours."
"Then, where is my family?"
"They are in the main room with the Fitzroy family."
"Fine. Come in."
"Thank you."
The door opened, and the person who walked in didn't match the voice I had heard.
From his voice, I had expected someone in his late sixties or perhaps his seventies.
But no.
The dude didn't look a day over fourteen.
Also, what the hell?
I knew Walter and Mother had white hair, but…
Green-colored hair was beyond crazy.
"Yes, my hair is rather unusual."
What?
Can…
Can he hear my thoughts?
"Oh, yes. I can."
He smiled.
"Loud and clear, as if you were speaking directly to me."
Oh.
So you can hear what I'm thinking?
"Yes. Now, would you kindly give me your hand so I may heal it?"
Cool.
So why did you look so young?
"Because I am fourteen years old."
Like hell you are.
Your voice was way too deep to belong to a fourteen-year-old child.
"True."
He smiled.
"But you are rather strange yourself, Ivan Bloodstone."
In what way was I strange?
"Well, I believe you are five years old, and yet your actions are remarkably mature for someone your
age."
He gently examined my arm.
"For starters, a normal five-year-old would likely begin crying upon awakening in an unfamiliar room."
His eyes shifted toward the bed.
"And yet, after being attacked, you remained remarkably cautious around me."
His gaze returned to mine.
"You even hid a sword from the wall beneath your bedsheets."
…
"It is almost as though there were someone considerably older residing within the body of a child."
"…"
"Ha."
Ray chuckled softly.
"I suppose your father did an excellent job teaching you how to handle situations in which fighting
should be considered a final resort."
His expression remained pleasant.
"And even should matters turn hostile, you have already developed a personality that appears somewhat trusting of others."
He tilted his head.
"That may cause people to mistake you for a foolish and naïve child."
His smile widened slightly.
"When, in reality…"
He paused.
"You are far more like a beast than any child your age."
Don't think about it.
Think about something else.
Something more stupid.
Something pointless…
Meat stew.
Rice fields.
Cows in the grass eating grass.
"Oh…"
Ray's eyes narrowed.
"Are you attempting to prevent me from hearing your thoughts by filling your mind with meaningless images?"
What?
His expression became slightly more serious.
"How clever."
It felt like I could sense him now.
Feel him trying to dig deeper into my mind.
"Oh…"
His eyes narrowed further.
"It seems you are hiding something from everyone you know."
Stop…
"It makes me wonder…"
He leaned slightly closer.
"What exactly are you hiding?"
Get out of my head…
"I shall, once you tell me what you are hiding inside that head of yours."
Get out!
"Come now, Ivan."
His smile returned.
"Do share your little secret with me."
My head…
It felt as though nails were being hammered into it.
KNOCK KNOCK.
"Ivan… it's me… Clarice."
Her voice came from the other side of the door.
"May I come in?"
"Ah."
Ray straightened.
"It seems our time together has come to an end."
He finished treating my arm.
"Your treatment is complete for now. I shall return later to continue it."
I was sweating so much that someone might have thought I had been swimming.
And this girl, Clarice…
She had brought nothing but trouble for me.
"Lady Clarice. How pleasant to see you visiting our guest."
"Ray, what are you doing here—"
"Clarice, hi."
"Oh. Hello."
She smiled.
"How are you feeling?"
"Huh? I'm feeling fine now, thanks to Ray."
"I see. Well, thank you, Ray."
"No thanks are necessary, Lady Clarice. It is my duty to care for any guest who enters the Fitzroy household."
He bowed his head slightly.
"If you will excuse me?"
"Oh, please. You may."
"Thank you."
Ray turned toward me.
"And Sir Ivan, I do hope you recover soon."
His smile was polite.
"Perhaps then, we may have another opportunity to speak."
…
You bastard.