Haruma: of Magic and Swords

Tick tock

What? What's that? A clock?

Tick tock

Huh..? I can't see... or feel anything!

Tick tock

Okay, what's going on, is this a dream? Since I know it's a dream, shouldn't I wake up?

Tick tock, Tick tock

Uhh, why haven't I woken up yet?

Click

What was that sound?

Tap, tap, tap...

Hello? Who is there?

I can now slightly open my eyes, and in front of me is a tall man dressed in all black. He is walking towards a massive old-fashioned clock that has stopped at twelve.

Wait! Where are you going? Who are you?

"Hey."

A loud voice resonates in my head.

"Hey!"

What!? I'm over here, help!

"Hey, man! Are you going to buy this or not?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, here you go."

Sigh...

I worked so long that now I'm daydreaming, I need sleep...

Sip

Vrrr

"Hey, sis. Thanks for the ride."

My name, well, my nickname is Haru, and I'm a 26-year-old salary slave who lives with my older sister. After an excruciatingly long 12-hour shift, I called my sister Shizue to get a ride home.

"Yeah whatever, just get in."

It is pitch black outside as it is already late into the night. We turn into an old street where the only buildings in sight are rundown stores and small apartments that look like they have been untouched for years. Due to the absence of streetlights on the road, she turns on the high beams. When she does, it starts to rain heavily.

"Huh, didn't think it called for rain today."

When she comments on the rain, thunder starts crashing down.

Boom!

"Shit!"

A lightning bolt strikes the back of the car, causing us to spin out and crash into a nearby abandoned building. Instantly, the old building falls on the car, trapping us in place and shattering all the windows. It happened so quickly. I didn't even realize what had happened until we were stuck. I feel a sharp pain in my head, so I reach up and feel around on my forehead. My finger touches something wet and I bring my hand down to look at it. It's dark red. I'm bleeding. The blood rushes from my forehead to my cheek and then my chin as it drips off my face.

Cough cough

"Ugh..."

I look over at my sister, and my eyes widen. She isn't moving. A large piece of glass which used to be part of the windshield was lodged into her stomach, causing the glass and anything near it to be painted bright red.

"S-is?"

Soon, the pain from whatever object is stuck in my head becomes unbearable. I stop trying to talk as the pool of blood in the car grows larger and larger.

Is this it? Is this death? I couldn't even quit that trashy job before I died. Hell, I haven't even lost my virginity yet.

My consciousness begins to fade. The last thought in my mind is about my little sister, who is sitting lifelessly next to me.

I'm sorry I couldn't help you. I failed as an older brother even in the end. 

"Waaaaaaaaaa."

What? A baby crying? Is this the afterlife?

Slowly, I open my eyes. I'm in a white room that I can't see the end of, like an infinite void of white. The only object in the surroundings is a crying baby held in its mother's hands. I walk toward them, and as I get within arm's reach of the baby, the room begins to transform around me. It changes from an endless white void into a small, dimly lit room. There's a short round table in the corner next to the door. On top of the table is a knife with a fanciful red and black design and a rectangular light red gem implanted in the handle that appears faintly glowing. There also are undecipherable runes engraved into the blade. Next to it is a lit lantern, which, together with a few candles spread around, provides the light for the room. There are cobwebs in the corners and a large bed in the middle. I am standing on the left side of the bed. There is a door at my northeast and another one to my west.

The baby has black hair and blue eyes and is wrapped in a cloth.

"Where am I?"

As I speak, I feel an intense headache, which causes me to fall to my knees. A bright flash originates from the bed, blinding me. After a few seconds, the pain and the strange white light fade. I open my eyes, and in front of me is a beautiful woman with long, wavy blonde hair and green eyes. She has a soft, caring face and a silver necklace with a circular dark red spessartite gem complementing her large bust. She is wearing a dirty and torn green dress decorated with black spots. And has... Long pointy ears?

"Gaa gaa"

I try to speak, but the words won't come out. In their absence is a baby's cry.

An... Elf? What's going on? Am I hallucinating?

"Harue, my baby, you are just as handsome as your father"

Wait, My baby? Is she talking about me?

I try to stand up, but my legs are too frail and feeble. I look down at my palms, they are small but chubby and smooth, and my fingers are tiny.

There's no way, am I an... INFANT?!?!

I've been in this world for around six months, and I'm gradually gaining a better understanding of it. For some reason, I can understand the words my mother is speaking, but I cannot understand the language. Like something is translating it in my head. The most significant difference in this world compared to mine is the existence of many more races, including demons, elves, dwarves, beastmen, and even dragons!

Tap tap

I've begun to crawl around and sneak into rooms when Mom leaves the door open, but one has been closed this whole time. However, that changes today. For the first time, Mom went into the room. And on the way out, she left the door open just a crack.

Creeeeeeeeak

Wow.

Past the door, the room is surprisingly clean. Towards the end, an enormous window looks out onto a large open field. Two birds are flying in the direction of a forest opposite the window. The forest appears to be sitting under the setting sun, casting large shadows from the trees to cover the field. There is a longbow shaped like a pair of fiery red wings with a unique design leaning on the window. An elegant medium-sized dark wood chest with metal and golden accents rests beneath the center of the window.

What's that?

Tap tap tap

I crawl up to the bow and put my hand on it. It is hot, but not hot enough to burn my hand. I take back my sore hand and crawl over to the chest.

"Hnng"

I climb on top of it to get a better look out of the window. When I pull myself to the top of the box, I lose my balance and topple off.

Bump

"Waaaaaaaaaa!"

Oww, since when did a fall so short hurt that much?

…

Riiight, I'm a baby.

"Haru! My poor boy, did you fall?"

"Waaa."

"Aww, did it hurt? It's okay, Haru. Mommy's here."

She picks me up and comforts me while brushing my hair with her free hand.

Grumble~

"Aww, are you hungry? Come here, let's get you some milk."

No no no nooooo–!

My name is similar to my previous one, Harue. And, once again, I have picked up the nickname "Haru". My surname, however, has changed to Nakamura, and my mother's name is Ayame Nakamura.

Also, this underdeveloped brain significantly impacts how I think and act more than I thought. Wait, since this is a fantasy world, is magic a thing?

It's been two years since my rebirth, and I've learned to speak simple sentences, quicker than usual due to similarities between the two worlds' languages. My father was human and my mother is, of course, an Elf. When he found out that Mom was pregnant with me, he left for an unknown destination.

Now that I'm older, I have been reading a few books I found in a rundown shed behind the house. The abundance of boxes makes it seem like it was used for storage.

Fwip

The book I'm currently reading is a history book called "Chronicle of Gods and Wars" which tells the tale of the demon god and the three heroes. It states that the demon god descended upon the world thousands of years ago to bring destruction. In response, the gods selected three adventurers as proxies and named them "The three legendary heroes". These three were: Mala the Saintess, The Master of Combat, Esimaar, and The Great Mage of Destruction, Makura Rosella. 

When the heroes finally repelled the demon god after a long 15-year battle, they were rewarded with the highest levels of nobility, immense wealth, and exceptional fame. This was the birth of the 3 high powers, the Elven Nakamura family, descending from Mala the Saintess, and the Dragonkin Shimura family, descending from The Master of Combat Esimaar—finally, The Human Makura family, descending from The Great Mage of Destruction, Makura Rosella.

The Nakamura and the Makura families are currently in a long-lasting war due to the kidnapping of Elf children. My mother was the princess of the Banura queendom, ruled by the Nakamura family. My father was some bigshot from the Aria empire ruled by the Makura family. People don't like it when someone elopes with the people they are supposed to be at war with, so they label Mom a traitor and are currently searching for her. She could only bring so much as the only person still loyal to her was her personal guard and coachman, Tanaka Hiroshi. He helped her take as much stuff as they could. After she got to safety, he left to buy food from a nearby store and didn't return.

"Assholes."

Thump

"Hup"

Tap

"Well, that's the end of that one."

I stand, pick up the book, bring it back to the box it was inside originally, and put it on top of a stack of books sitting next to it.

"Haru, It's time for dinner!"

Enough reading for today, I'm starved!

I rush out the door, around the front of the house, and quickly open the front door.

Whoaaa~

Instantly, a heavenly smell fills my nose. I run up to Mom and look in the pot she's holding. Drool forms in my mouth at the sight in front of me. Inside the pot sits an appetizing rabbit stew with chopped celery. It also has things that are similar to carrots and potatoes, but not quite the same. All of this combined with a pleasing smell of herbs and spices.

"At least let me put it on the plate before you start eating it, huhu~."

Step, step

Whump

I run over to the table, jump on the seat, and prepare myself for the meal.

"Here you go, baby."

I look down at the plate, and it's even more appealing now than when it was in the pot. Next to the appetizing dish are two slices of fresh buttered bread and a small cup of water.

Time to dig in~

Monster Dex - Narunat

- Appearance -

• They have the general appearance of a pig

• Their body is covered with vines and plants making them entirely green

• They have various plants and vegetables growing on their backs

- Lifestyle -

• They live in groups of 1-5 with no leader

• Roam around areas of high vegetation, such as forests.

• 5-10 year lifetime

• They aren't agile or well-defended, making them easy prey for predatory animals and hunters. However, due to their short lifespans and low reproductive rate, one must be a skilled hunter to track down and hunt them

- Special notes -

• While a wide range of vegetables grow on them, the most common are tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, and celery.

• Their short lifespans are due to the plants that grow on their back. The plants slowly eat the Narunat's vital organs and use them as nutrients. This means that an old Narunat has plants that are larger and of a higher quality than a younger Narunat.