Emsier Archduchy
Klaus has no idea what was happening. One moment he was running away from the goons, creating a distraction for the young woman to escape. She successfully escaped but something happened.
After that, something touched his head, and he fell down after that. There were sounds of horns that he could hear but there was pain before he could respond. Before he understood what was happening, everything blurred.
There are more sounds, sounds of sirens. Then there was darkness.
Klaus finally understood that he died trying to be a hero.
As an orphan, he had only one true dream, to have a family and have a good life with them. Though he got basic education because of the government's mandatory education law for children, college was different. He couldn't afford to pay for the best universities.
Even the cheapest is out of reach. He had to work part-time in order to attend college, which lessened his study hours. He graduated but with average marks, which only got him a job in a company that was no different from a sweatshop.
With a mediocre salary, he couldn't afford himself properly much less a girlfriend. Even at twenty-seven, he was alone and the status became permanent with his death without being able to fulfill his wish.
---
It has been days, weeks, or months but felt like an eternity to Klaus. At first, when he understood that he died, he thought that he is going to the afterlife, but nothing changed.
The darkness stayed as it is. He hasn't seen a soul ever since he regained consciousness. He didn't even know how to count time when it is complete darkness. He tried to count seconds at first but then lost count. This loneliness is driving him crazy.
Unable to hold back he often cursed out loud, "I was alone in my life and alone in the afterlife too. Why?"
Sometimes he prayed if anyone is listening, "Please help me. I'm tired of being alone."
He kept blabbering about whatever came to his mind to keep his sanity.
After what he felt like an eternity, there was a change. A small light popped up.
Klaus was ecstatic when he saw the light. He pushed himself towards the light. Finally, after a lot of work, he could see something other than darkness.
'Giants! Why are there giants here? Did I wrongly enter Giant's Heaven?'
Thinking that the giants would be enraged because of his intrusion, he apologized or at least he tried but all he heard were noises, weird noises.
He felt something wrong. He tried to move his body but he couldn't move as he wished. It's like he forgot how to control his body.
He tried to speak but only weird noises came through. He tried to wave many times but failed a few times but finally got to control his hands. This is when he got shocked.
His hands were small.
'Wait a minute. My hands are small and I can only make some weird noises. I see giants but now I don't think they are. I feel that I am a baby. Did I get re-incarnated?'
The answer came later than sooner. The supposed giants were also speaking about something couldn't understand them.
This is when those giants gave him to another giant, a beautiful woman who didn't look well. When she saw him, she was smiling, a smile he knew only a loved one would show. She embraced him and he felt good.
'This has to be my mother and... Aaaahhh... I love this feeling. Is this how one truly feels embraced by a loved one?'
Right then a man barged into the room. He has a beard and mustache, trimmed and combed. There is a unique scar across his right eye, which looks like he wore it as a badge of honor.
The man approached the mother and spoke something to her. He then looked at Klaus and caressed his face while smiling. Klaus understood that this probably is his father. Men aren't permitted into delivery rooms unless it is the father. Even they are only allowed after the birth.
Back in his old world, this was the norm. Even in hospitals, fathers would only be allowed as a support for the mothers. This is why he concluded that the man is his father.
The first impression Klaus got from his father is 'Majestic' and a bit medieval. This is not surprised him most.
When they were talking the old lady approached them and spoke to them in a language he couldn't understand. After she spoke the man took Klaus into his hands. This is when he saw it.
The old lady murmured something and light came from her hand enveloping the mother. His pale mother recovered in a few minutes. Except for the facts that state that she went through the ordeal of birth, her face showed none of the fatigue from before.
'Magic!'
'My father looks like some medieval lord and this lady performed what looked like magic. My death while saving someone in distress, reincarnation as a baby, medieval style, and magic. These things only say one thing. I'm in a world of swords and magic.'
'The question is am I the protagonist?'
'I finally got what I wished for but am I going to lose them?'
'No, I already paid the price in my last life. I'm going to enjoy and carefree in this life.'