It's been nine months since I arrived in this new world.
I'm no longer a newborn—I can already stand, though walking is still a challenge.
I can almost say a word if I try hard enough, but forcing it hurts my throat, so I've stopped pushing myself for now.
Over these nine months, I've managed to confirm a few things.
First, it's clear that my family holds some kind of prestigious position.
The place we live in is enormous, and I overheard my mother discussing formal matters with Elizabeth and the twins.
She mentioned that with our castle at the center, our territory extends in a 55-kilometer radius.
I'm not entirely sure how large that is, but it sounds massive.
I wonder what kind of authority our family wields.
The twins mentioned in passing that our mother is considered the strongest of the dukes, or something along those lines.
Elizabeth also pointed out that giving birth to me had significantly weakened my mother, and it would take her at least a few years to regain her former strength.
Another thing I've come to understand is that the strange, seemingly unnatural things the twins do are indeed real magic.
They haven't explained how it works yet, but it's apparent that what was considered legend or myth in my old world is very real here.
It would be amazing to leave the castle and explore the world for myself.
I can't help but wonder what everything beyond these walls looks like—I want to see it all with my own eyes.
But I can't do much about it; after all, I'm just a baby.
My mother and sisters keep me safe within our private quarters.
I'm not sure what dangers they're so worried about, but I trust my family, and that's enough reason for me to wait a little longer before exploring this world.
It's not like I have any big responsibilities to worry about yet.
Right now, I'm cradled in my mother's arms.
She just finished feeding me and has started to spoil me with her affection.
"My baby, why are you growing up so fast?" she murmured, massaging my cheeks.
Her large, round eyes widened with joy.
"M-mom-my," I slowly tried to pronounce, forming each letter carefully as I called her.
"Yes, it's Mommy!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with delight.
"Oh, my sweet boy is already speaking!" She gently pressed my head against her chest, patting me lovingly.
"Mom… mommy?" I managed to say a bit more clearly this time.
The moment my mother heard me speak so clearly and call her by that name, her happiness overflowed.
She showered my small face with kisses.
"Oh, my sweetest baby can already speak! You're growing up so fast," she pouted with a beaming smile. "Let's go show your sisters."
The air around us shifted, and in an instant, we were in the twins' room, with Elizabeth there as well.
"Our baby is talking!" my mother announced excitedly.
My sisters' attention was caught immediately.
They appeared before me in the blink of an eye, and Elizabeth reached out to grab me from my mother's arms, holding me securely.
"My baby brother can talk now?" she marveled, adjusting me on her arm. "He can already speak?"
The twins quickly joined in, their eyes sparkling with anticipation. "Baby brother, call me sister!" one of them pleaded eagerly.
"Yeah, call us sisters!" the other chimed in, both of them watching me expectantly.
I could see the hope in their eyes.
They genuinely wanted me to acknowledge them, and I wanted to as well, even though I wasn't quite used to speaking yet.
Fortunately, it seemed like my vocal cords and lungs were developed enough to manage it.
I just needed to get used to forming words.
"S-sis… sisters?" I called out to them hesitantly.
Just like with Mother, their smiles brightened, and all three of them began kissing me all over in delight.
...
One year and six months have passed.
I can now walk and talk clearly, which seems to surprise my mother and sisters.
My mother mentioned that I am growing abnormally fast, even by their standards.
The twins have taken on the role of my teachers, diligently instructing me in reading and writing, as they deemed me perfectly ready to learn.
As I began my studies with them, I noticed something remarkable: the language we spoke here was identical to the language spoken in my old world.
Although I was blind in my previous life, I had still learned spells and recognized letters by touch.
By matching the feel of the letters to their visual forms, I was able to grasp literature quickly.
This rapid progress astonished the twins, who even declared me a genius among geniuses.
When my mother discovered my proficiency in reading, she introduced me to the castle library, a treasure trove containing over ten thousand literary works.
Oh, I almost forgot—my mother won the argument over my name.
She had decided on a name for me... Damian Ignatius.
Yes, I am Damian Ignatius.
Anyway, my mother always had the twins accompany me whenever I wished to visit the library.
I have already read several books and learned a great deal during my time there.
The first thing I realized is that this world is completely different from my past one.
Secondly, we reside in the Kingdom of Astoria, and my family is one of the duke households—the Ignatius household.
The duke households hold a status second only to the royal family, and our family is the strongest among the four duke households.
My mother is considered one of the five most powerful beings in the entire kingdom.
When I speak of strength, I am not referring to political power but to cultivation power.
Yes, this supernatural world is home to martial artists capable of lifting mountains and splitting seas with a single strike, as well as mages who can create seas and mountains with just one spell.
My mother and eldest sister are martial artists, while the twins are exceptionally talented mages.
I have learned almost all the basics about this world.
Unlike my old world, the inhabitants here possess a natural ability to sense and absorb the ambient energy around them.
This energy, known as Mana, allows individuals to evolve, grow stronger, and even extend their lifespans.
It was during this revelation that I discovered my mother is over two and a half thousand years old, my eldest sister is nearly seven hundred, and the twins are approaching three hundred.
I should have been shocked by this world-shattering information, yet for some reason, I accepted it with surprising ease.
I can't quite explain why.
Moreover, ever since my arrival in this world, I have felt an unusual calmness, absorbing knowledge effortlessly and understanding everything perfectly.
It's as if my mind operates a thousand times faster and stronger than it ever did in my old life.
In this world, there are two primary ways for individuals to evolve: through martial arts or magic.
However, the process is not as straightforward as it may seem.
One must possess sufficient talent to even begin their chosen evolutionary path.
Some individuals are naturally inclined toward magic, while others excel in martial arts.
Very few can claim proficiency in both, and even if they do, their progress is often very limited.
As a result, most people concentrate on mastering one path.
My mother and eldest sister have a talent for martial arts, while the twins are gifted in magic.
Don't ask me which path I'm practicing, because I haven't yet chosen one.
In order to select a path, I first need to awaken my talent to determine which one would be suitable for me.
I can only awaken my talent after I turn sixteen; until then, all I can do is train my body.
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{Author's Note: If you enjoyed this chapter, don't forget to vote with some POWER STONES. It would also really help me if you could rate this book. Thank you for reading!}