Chapter 1: The Reincarnation of the Hero
Part 1
Dark. From within this pitch-black darkness… I slowly awaken.
Wake up…? I thought I had already woken up.
My opened eyes haven’t received any images at all; the world has been blurred and distorted since I opened them. In addition to this my feet and hands won’t respond to me at all; as if I don’t have the strength to move them. No, it’s not just my feet and hands. My neck too… My whole body—I’m completely unable to move my whole body.
Come to think of it, it’s no wonder: My condition before losing consciousness was seriously terrible. The Father of the orphanage had christened demon summoning, and had successfully done so at the expense of the lives of several children. However, because of our intervention the priest didn’t accomplish his purpose and was slain by me. That was good, but the demon was free from losing its summoner and I couldn’t leave it as it was. Because at the time, the children were too afraid to act and Cortina had no knowledge of Close Quarters Battle were behind me—I had no choice but to fight.
In a moments judgment I ordered Cortina to run away—to bring back our comrades—and I faced that demon alone. She had also grasped the situation and acted swiftly, saying she would surely bring aid. No, I made her leave. She was powerless, and it was difficult to escape while carrying the children. Only about ten children had survived.
I could just barely subjugate the demon, but I had broken my left hand and right leg, and had also received a gaping wound across my chest to my abdomen. In that condition, just being able to breathe was a good bargain.
According to the self-proclaimed god’s words, I should have returned to this world again, but…my voice won’t come out and my limbs can’t move either.
…What happened!?
“Fugyaaaaaaa!?”
Even though it was unintelligible, an odd scream like the cry of a kitten could be raised. I could feel my face being wiped by something warm and something soft was pressed against my mouth. I instinctively sucked it and swallowed something sweet from it. And when my stomach became full, I sank into sleep again.
I could finally grasp what happened several days later. I…was born again as a baby: the secret path that the god had mentioned. In other words, because resurrecting the dead is considered taboo, being reborn as a newborn baby is acceptable, huh. I wonder…
Moreover, I noticed that my eyesight had stabilised…
“Good morning, Nicole. You woke up early today.”
I woke up and quickly noticed that a neat, clean, and beautiful woman was bringing her exposed chest close to my mouth—Maria. Yes, she’s my former comrade who’s been called a saint. And, the one whom she called Nicole…… was I. This meant I had been reborn as a child of my former comrades.
Reincarnation magic is the highest ranked sacred technique. However, with this magic, you cannot confirm whether the technique works or fails; only the designated person can confirm its success. Furthermore, you can’t know where the designated person will be reincarnated. Anyhow, this magic is the sort of magic that has its subtle corollaries. In short, even Maria hasn’t realised that her own child is the reincarnation of her former comrade, Reid.
That is why she is able to press her breasts against me, defenselessly. If Maria knew that I am Reid, it would hardly be possible for her to continue this action. If I screwed up, she would probably send me flying in one slap. Her sense of virtue was quite severe.
On one occasion, she sent me and Lyell flying with her magic attack called “Divine Punishment” when we tried to peek—I thought I would seriously die at the time. Besides, Cortina precisely held back our escape route, so we have experienced being easily captured. It was a thing called youthful indiscretion.
“Fugyoouuu.”
I raised a groan and refused the meal.
It’s because I don’t yet have enough muscle to move my neck. I’m not brazen enough to suck my former comrade’s breasts. Yet, no matter how many times I’ve sucked my former comrade’s breasts, I still can’t tough it out. Above all, I’m afraid of my true identity being discovered. I may die this time If that happens.
“Ugyuu. Fuaaaau.”
“Ah, I wonder if your stomach is okay? You drank so little this time, Nicole. I’m a little worried.”
After being reincarnated as a baby, I’ve not breastfed well. No, Maria is honestly an extremely beautiful woman, but, as expected, I feel ashamed to suck my former comrade’s breasts while still having this consciousness.
If this woman was a perfect stranger, I would suck her breasts while feigning ignorance… However, I know this woman.
She’s my former comrade whom I’d survived a life-and-death crisis alongside. And another thing is her husband is that Lyell. He is a man whom I fought together with; a rival, and a man who has embodied "the figure of a hero" in fairytales that I could never reach. How could I have the nerve to suck the breasts of this woman who is both my former comrade and the wife of my other former comrade? It is for that reason that I went on a hunger strike of my own accord.
As I didn’t suck Maria’s breasts, she had a lot of trouble bringing me up. I know what I’m doing to her is bad, but I cannot give in. After all, she’s managed to support my life by giving me moderately warmed cow's milk. Today too, Maria fed me using a milk-soaked cotton cloth that she held in my mouth. Lyell’s leg appeared.
“Good morning, Maria. And you too, Nicole.”
He said so while embracing Maria who was holding me, and then they exchanged passionate kisses in this early morning. After which, he gave me the same kiss—on my cheek. It was disgusting.
“Fuaaaaauuuuu.”
“Ah, did you get angry?” Maria asked, “I wonder if you dislike papa, Nicole?”
“Wh—Whaaat?”
Without ill will, Maria had voiced the cruel truth as I expressed my intention to resist to Lyell.
In fact, I didn’t like Lyell. It’s not as though I didn’t long for a position called hero too. Rather, it can be said that I had a much stronger longing for it than any of us.
He was a strong and sturdy swordsman who was the representative of the heroes. It was precisely because I admired his strength that I sought for strength. However, I simply didn’t have the qualities. My slender body didn’t support much muscle, so I ended being swung backwards whenever I wielded a heavy weapon. Nevertheless, I couldn’t give up. To compensate, I found a way of fighting that did not rely on swords, and I reluctantly built my own way of fighting with ingenuity and tricks. The result: surprise attacks that depended on steel strings and traps, and assassination techniques focusing on avoiding combat from the front as much as possible. Justice without power is no more than the weak’s nonsense. I had the strength to save the weak. And I never lost because I taught myself a way of fighting that couldn’t be conquered.
For me, Lyell who was the embodiment my ideal hero image, is a man who arouses my very delicate emotions. He was a partner I could rely on more than anyone else, a partner I longed for more than anyone else, and a partner I hated more than anyone else. Receiving a kiss on cheek from such a person, I felt a chill run down my spine.
Receiving the emotional blow, with a dejected face, Lyell went out to the garden for sword-practice-swinging. From the window, I could see his routine. His movement was strong, elegant, and sharp.
The hero I dreamt of was there. In my previous life, I lacked endurance and didn’t have strength so I wasn’t able to adopt the same way of fighting as him.
But now, I can feel something like an electric shock which makes my body tremble.
Oh, that’s right; I’m Lyell and Maria’s child now. In other words, I may inherit Lyell’s strength and Maria’s magical power. My present self may be able to become a swordsman. The existence who will guide me to that destination is right before my eyes.
I may be able to follow the path of a swordsman that I once aimed for but failed to reach. No, if I inherit Maria’s magical power, the possibility of becoming a magical swordsman is also possible.
“Nyaauu!”
While expressing joy, I threw up both of my hands. Although, my current strength was too weak and I was barely able to bring my short arms before my view.
“Hey, Nicole…? I wonder if you like watching father’s sword technique. You actually want to be spoiled by him, don’t you?”
Misinterpreting my attitude, Maria poked my cheek. Speaking of which, she was the type of fellow to misunderstand.
Chapter 1 Part 2 >>