I slowly open my eyes to see an unfamiliar ceiling. The strong light stings my eyes, forcing me to shut them again. I take a sniff of the odor.
'Wait, this strong smell of medicine. Am I in a hospital or something?' I slowly take a peek at my surroundings and then at the ceiling, smelling the strong and sweet scent of medicine, I look around and see that all around me are babies with humans keeping watch on these babies. Babies?!!
'Wait, all of these are new-born babies, why am I in this place surrounded by these kids?'
I start to panic as I see my tiny, chubby hands.I try to lift my head but my neck is limp and incapable of listening to my commands. I try to search a way to get out but suddenly the glass panel on my carrier is opened. I see 5 metal fingers reach out to me and place me on its left arm comfortably.
I look up and see it's not even a human but some kind of robot. I feel a chill up my spine, expecting to feel coldness of the steel body the robot would have, but only to feel soothing warmth from its arm. Which emotionally calms me down as I once again peek at its face.
'Is that a fu**ing robot. Holy sh*t. We have robots!? No wait! did I die?'
I start to think with more clarity and close my eyes in an attempt to remember what has happened till now for all of this situation to happen.
'I went to Comiket, met my fans and sold my merchs to them. Met that bast**d after which I met with Marvin and explored the cosplay area and circle where authors sell their merch. Only to meet him again, then… then? I don't remember!!'
'I was in darkness and sometimes I would fade in and out of being conscious, only for that agonizing headache which woke me up, wait headache, ....darkness, ....I am in a body of baby now. Did I regress!!'
I then remembered the robot, I peek open my eyes again and see it holding me in its arm and rocking me gently. 'Yeah this ain't a regression, this… that bet!!! I remember now. That bast**d was saying about that bet before he somehow knocked me unconscious.'.
'I swear if I meet him, I will make his life miserable.'
I think of various ways, each with worst outcomes then before for that bast**d to suffer. After cussing at him and imagining making him suffer. I slowly calm down, I try to explore with my eyes to see but with all the rocking, all I see is things in shaky view. But that does not deter me as I move my neck to explore my surroundings only to be met with a few more of these robots making rounds within the room watching the babies sleep.
With the walls being made of glass, I see all kinds of people walking with many people with all kinds of various injuries. I also see all kinds of advanced machinery, with a emergency patients being treated or should I say being stabilized through magic as machines with some kind of neon like letters having been imprinted on them.
'Ah sh*t, this setting. It's my novel isn't it? Couldn't they have reincarnated me in another novel, anything could have been fine, even becoming a magus in another world would have been fine, but "Fever War"? What did I do to deserve this?'
'What did… ah goddamnit, when will this thing stop rocking me. Its shaking up my thought process and I am also starting to feel lethargic.'
I try my best to resist the sleepiness which is slowly consuming me, as the tender warmth emitted from the robot does not help one bit. I slowly start to fall asleep in its warm arms.
***
I suddenly open my eyes; to see myself standing in neat black formal suit. I would only wear for important events.
My thought process is interrupted by the person next to me as he is holding some kind of award and he looks at me.
"Mr. Arwin Hall is the winner of the most perfect fantasy book Prize. How do you feel after getting this prize?"
I look a bit dumbfounded only for sudden happiness to blossom in me, for getting recognition.
"Ah, I never thought I would one day reach this place and will ever be receiving this prize. It is quite an exciting feeling, I never thought I would ever experience these feelings at this age. All I want to say is this all happened due to the support of my parents, my partner Soleil and all my fans who supported me throughout my journey."
"I really hope to do my best and hope that you will find my work worth your time to read. I have always dreamed of being an actor but it was only later on that I found what I really excelled at was writing, from story writing to script writing. All I wish that I can capture your heart with my next work."
As I watch everyone clap and cheer for me it only makes the smile on my face wider.
'Ah it's all perfect. Everything I ever I wanted, he said that I couldn't be actor or find any success in being an actor. Only for me to be mocked again for being a writer of fictional story. They never understood me, not him, not them and not even her!!'
As Arwin looks at the audience he only feels more euphoric at his own success, he smiles and mocks them in his head.
'Ah if only you were here in the audience, it would only make it more euphoric to see all of your expression. As I have taken my first step to success.' As the person next to him turns to Arwin and says,
"What do you want to say to A̸̯̰̤̾̒͐̃̐͘ş̶͖͇̹͚̼̥̘̳̺͕̣͎̠͚̘̹͕̣̹͍̙͙̈͑̓̏̍́̏̅̓̾͑͒̈́̓̽̔͒̂̆̐̓̀̑̆̓̽͘͘ͅͅt̵͈̺̟̭̀͋͌͐̽̈͐̉̽̓̅́̾͗̈́͐́̀̇͆̉͠͠r̸̡̧̧͙̙̥̥̥̖̠̯͚̰̫̺͓̖̙̭͚͖̼̩̜̠̠̿̊̃͛̓̇̆̈̐̀̉́̇̄̓̆̀̓̅͊̓̇̕̕͜͠͠i̶͔͖̺̖͕͉͚̱͖͍̥͍̳̰̻͕̱̰͎̥̰̪̥̻̯͓̫̫͒́͋̋́̋̃̋͐̇ȩ̷̛̛̺̩͚̹̮̭̟̱̖͖̋̔̔̋̈́́̔̋̆̑͂̃̿́͆̋͜͝l̵̡̡̳̼͓͈̰̣̇̏͐̏̈͝͠ for his support and his help to mend your personal relationships and your personality."
"Huh!! What do you mean?" I turn my head towards him, only to see A̸̯̰̤̾̒͐̃̐͘ş̶͖͇̹͚̼̥̘̳̺͕̣͎̠͚̘̹͕̣̹͍̙͙̈͑̓̏̍́̏̅̓̾͑͒̈́̓̽̔͒̂̆̐̓̀̑̆̓̽͘͘ͅͅt̵͈̺̟̭̀͋͌͐̽̈͐̉̽̓̅́̾͗̈́͐́̀̇͆̉͠͠r̸̡̧̧͙̙̥̥̥̖̠̯͚̰̫̺͓̖̙̭͚͖̼̩̜̠̠̿̊̃͛̓̇̆̈̐̀̉́̇̄̓̆̀̓̅͊̓̇̕̕͜͠͠i̶͔͖̺̖͕͉͚̱͖͍̥͍̳̰̻͕̱̰͎̥̰̪̥̻̯͓̫̫͒́͋̋́̋̃̋͐̇ȩ̷̛̛̺̩͚̹̮̭̟̱̖͖̋̔̔̋̈́́̔̋̆̑͂̃̿́͆̋͜͝l̵̡̡̳̼͓͈̰̣̇̏͐̏̈͝͠ face with that same look he gave me?
'I know… him?' I question myself, only to remember that man who knocked me unconscious and at the last moment was smiling deviously at me.
Which sends a shudder through my whole body as I start to feel the coldness trying to consume me, as all the light start to fade from the audience hall I look around to see everyone's face is swapped with A̸̯̰̤̾̒͐̃̐͘ş̶͖͇̹͚̼̥̘̳̺͕̣͎̠͚̘̹͕̣̹͍̙͙̈͑̓̏̍́̏̅̓̾͑͒̈́̓̽̔͒̂̆̐̓̀̑̆̓̽͘͘ͅͅt̵͈̺̟̭̀͋͌͐̽̈͐̉̽̓̅́̾͗̈́͐́̀̇͆̉͠͠r̸̡̧̧͙̙̥̥̥̖̠̯͚̰̫̺͓̖̙̭͚͖̼̩̜̠̠̿̊̃͛̓̇̆̈̐̀̉́̇̄̓̆̀̓̅͊̓̇̕̕͜͠͠i̶͔͖̺̖͕͉͚̱͖͍̥͍̳̰̻͕̱̰͎̥̰̪̥̻̯͓̫̫͒́͋̋́̋̃̋͐̇ȩ̷̛̛̺̩͚̹̮̭̟̱̖͖̋̔̔̋̈́́̔̋̆̑͂̃̿́͆̋͜͝l̵̡̡̳̼͓͈̰̣̇̏͐̏̈͝͠ face with that same damning devious smile filled with mockery coming closer to me. Everyone is coming closer to me trying to…..
***
Arwin suddenly wakes up with a yelp. As he is still reeling from the shock of the nightmare he had. He hears a loud noise in front of him.
I am clearly in some kind of vehicle. As I suddenly hear a loud voice in front of me which jolts my sleepiness away or well whatever was left of it.
"You said, you were going to cut off your connection to that bi*ch. You would spend the time with me , but you spent money on her. You!! told me trust you."
I suddenly look at two couples are arguing each other, 'Wait I can understand their language?!!'
'Oh!! Yeah its English, of course I can understand it.'
As the man suddenly bangs on the steering wheel of the vehicle violently. Which breaks me out of my reverie.
"Listen to me, I can make you disappear like the wh**e you are, and no one would bat an eye to your disappearance. Or I can send you to front lines to get you killed. Either way you will die and this kid? Hah no one will believe it's mine, no matter to who you go, they will turn you away. So think carefully" The man grabs the woman chin forcefully bringing her closer to him. As the woman starts to tear up. The man lets her chin go.
"What about the money, I can't just take care of him alone." She grabs his shirt, as she begs to leave some money to support the kid.
'Damn, is this for real? Couldn't it be a normal household. What's up with this dark background story of mine. Am I really this unlucky still?'
As more I think about that guy, the more it pisses me off. I was enjoying my vacation away from them only to come across that psychopath. God!! Why am I the only one always suffering.
My attention once again falls on this couple. 'Wait can I even call them couple? No wait, let's not get ahead of myself, maybe they could be old sweethearts…'
I stop thinking as I take a look at their clothes and compare them with each other. The man is wearing some high end futuristic version of formal suits with internal lightings, while the woman in red hair is wearing normal clothes with a futuristic design as well.
'Yeah, it seems she was fooled by this playboy. I mean look at their clothes.'
'Sigh. You can't be this naïve in this era, I mean its 22nd century and if you fall for this cliché, then shame on you.'
"Here, use the money in this account. It should last you for a decade even if you have to take care of that thing. Of course after you sign this contract."
As he presents a contract, as Arwin squints his baby eyes to get a look at the contract to see the conditions written in English, but due to how far it is he can't clearly make out the sentences, except everything else is in some unknown language which glows in white light, like that of neon signs during night.
'Damn, is that the "Contract". How loaded is this guy?'
'Wait is he a mana user, if he is then I am well off for this life. I wouldn't even need to get contracted to that damn virus.'
As I look at the young woman who has her full attention on the "Contract". Viewing it and skimming through the conditions. As she then gives back the "Contract" to the man.
He pricks his own finger and smudged his blood in the bottom left side of the "Contract" and returns it to the woman, as she copies his method of signature on the right bottom side.
At that exact moment the unknown letters emitting white neon light float from the paper, turn into a chain and touch the couple's chest.
As a chain of white neon emitting light connect the couple which then fades out of existence like it was never there before. As the paper with the "Contract" now turns back into regular paper with only conditions written in English and no sign of the unknown language.
'Woah, so magical. That looks thousand times better than any CGI in movies. This really is a magical world isn't it?' I ask no one.
The man starts to clear the wrinkles on his suit as he look the woman,
"You can have this vehicle as it is stated in this "Contract". and never mention this to anyone, don't even try to find a way to void this "Contract" in any way. You know that it won't work."
The woman nods her head as she looks at the man getting out of the vehicle with a sad expression.
"Mrron, you are really leaving, leaving me and our child?"
"Ambra, I already told you, I didn't want a child. If you had taken the birth control pills like you told me, then this wouldn't have happened. Now you want me to get into taking care of that thing with you? Listen, I have a life to live, I don't wanna get chained down so young. So take the money and leave." Mrron replies with a cold expression.
'Damn, there are parents like these in real world?'
As the Ambra starts to sob on the front seat seeing Mrron leaving the vehicle. 'I really lost the lottery of getting reborn in a normal family, huh. Man even I feel bad for this young woman.'
Ambra starts up the vehicle and drives it across streets in night. As I change my attention to the outside of the window and see many advertising boards with moving neon signs and with some military propaganda. I see very few cars travelling the road and guess that it must really late night since there are so few vehicles on the road.
Ambra then parks this vehicle in front of an old building, as she gets out of the vehicle and picks up her stuff, and opens the door to Arwin's side as the bitter cold air hits the face of Arwin's young body and carries Arwin in a baby basket.
I shiver up from the cold air hitting my face but take a look around from the baby basket as I look at the vehicle. It looks like modern sports car just a bit more bulky and with some sci-fi looking design.
As I am carried to the old worn-torn building I take a glance at the walls and see its made of concrete and the door frames of apartments are made of metal with some kind of touch screen pad to open the metal doors.
I am carried to third floor as she then puts me on the ground and suddenly crouches in front of her door and starts to giggle like crazy.
I see a wide distorted grin appear on Ambra's face, as she breaks into a stiffled laughter, only to calm herself down. She opens the door and carries Arwin in the baby basket and puts it close to couch and her bag next to my basket and goes to another room.
'Wait, was she laughing right now?'
'If this was her plan to get money from the rich kid then damn. I underestimated you woman.'
As Ambra comes and sit on the couch with a glass bottle as she pours wine in a glass and starts to giggle like crazy after taking a sip of the wine.
'Ah, if Bipolarism had a face then it would be her's.' I watch her laugh like a maniac every time she takes a sip of the wine until she taps on her wrist band which projects a screen as she starts to tap on it and suddenly infront of Arwin a screen appears with news displaying.
'You know what, this world really has some cool and slick technology.' I observe the projected screen as Ambra surfs through channels. I start to feel cold due to thin clothes wrapping my body.
'She cares about her own baby right? Please don't be neglecting mother. Please!!' I start to make baby noise to attract her attention as the cold is really starting to get me.
She gets up from the couch and faces me, with an annoyed expression. I raise my small hands towards her in attempt to garner some attention.
'Yeah, look at me. I am your cute baby aren't I? So please don't be a neglecting parent.'
She looks at me and goes to her bag to take out some kind of food sealed in packet as she tears it open and feeds me. More like pushing food down my throat as after shoving it down my throat, she goes back to laying on the couch.
While I am focused on the eating and not chocking on the food. 'What the hell. Who feeds their child like this?'
While eating I start to hear some snoring from the couch. 'Oh no, no no .... no. Woman at least put me near a heater or something. I am going to die to cold because of you.'
I start to make baby noise in an attempt to wake her up, only to be met with failure. I then decide to cry out loud but it doesn't change anything as my supposed biological mother is still asleep with not a care for her own child.
I start to feel sleepy due to the amount of time I had remained awake, while also crying and making noise so I can be placed where it is warm for my young body.
I slowly doze off to sleep with worries of how I am going to survive in this world with this kind of mother.