The night was wrapped in a deep, almost supernatural silence, broken only by the soft sound of Elion's rhythmic breathing. Kael woke slowly, his eyes adjusting to the dimness of the luxurious room. Despite being located in a mercantile city, he had noticed that they lived in a comfortable place, bordering on luxury.
Now that he had more control over his movements, a decision was forming in his mind. Study. He needed to learn more about that world, about its rules, magic, politics... everything.
After all... he was still someone reincarnated, he needed information to continue his life... And honestly, being a baby was tiring him out.
But before even starting to carry out his plan, there was a significant obstacle ahead of him. Elion.
Lying beside him, his mother seemed to be in a peaceful sleep, but the way she kept him close was almost suffocating, as if protecting something invaluable. Kael turned his gaze, feeling a mix of shame and frustration as he noticed she was wearing provocative red lingerie, lacy and utterly unnecessary for sleep.
'Why, my God... why tempt me so?' he thought, trying to ignore the sight as he struggled not to sigh out loud. Elion was gently holding his hand, and he knew that any sudden movement could wake her.
'First obstacle: get out of bed without waking the Yandere... come on, Kael, it's just the first step.' He took a deep breath, carefully adjusting his small arms and legs, ready to begin his stealthy mission.
Kael breathed deeply, gathering all his concentration. He needed to escape without waking Elion. Slowly, he began moving his little hand out of her gentle but firm grip. The warmth of his mother's hand was comforting, but at the same time, the situation made him feel as though he was disarming a bomb.
'Steady... slow...' he thought, sliding his hand inch by inch.
With each movement, he glanced at her face, watching for any change. Elion continued sleeping peacefully, her red hair spread across the pillow, a faint smile on her lips that, to Kael, was as terrifying as it was enchanting.
Finally, his hand was free. He started sliding out of bed, crawling silently like a small thief on a mission. However, his heart nearly stopped when Elion stirred, mumbling something incoherent while hugging the pillow he had been lying on moments before.
'Damn! Almost... calm, focus!' he thought, freezing instantly. After a few seconds of complete silence, he resumed moving.
Reaching the edge of the bed, Kael positioned himself carefully. It was quite a jump for a baby's body. He looked at the floor, then back at the bed. There was no room for hesitation now.
'Just one more step, Kael... you can do it.' He pushed himself, landing awkwardly on the floor, but controlling the impact enough to avoid making noise. He held his breath, frozen, waiting to see if Elion had noticed.
Nothing. She continued to sleep deeply.
'I did it!' he celebrated internally, now moving quickly toward the door. He carefully pushed it open, the sound of the hinges echoing slightly in the room. A final glance at the bed confirmed that Elion had not woken up.
With a relieved sigh, he closed the door behind him, ready to begin his nighttime exploration and study that new world. The feeling of freedom was intoxicating, even though, technically, he was still a baby. It was the first step toward his independence.
Kael descended slowly, each wooden step creaking under his weight. He was alert to every sound around him, as if every wrong move could trigger an invisible trap. Elion's house was silent at night, but he knew that the smallest noise could attract attention. He moved with the agility of a small hunter, each motion calculated, his mind faster than his body.
When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he took a deep breath and looked at the dark hallways. The library was at the end of the hallway to the left. He knew the way by memory, as, although his mother was protective, he had had time to observe his surroundings. The library was a large room, filled with bookshelves from floor to ceiling, each shelf stocked with tomes and scrolls of various kinds, something that could only be described as a true paradise of knowledge.
With his breath controlled, he moved toward the library door, his little bare feet making no sound at all. He pushed the door open carefully, using his own body weight so that the door made no noise. The room was immersed in twilight, illuminated only by the faint light of the moon coming through the tall windows.
Once inside, he left the door open just so he could exit later without problems.
The smell of old books and dust triggered a sense of curiosity in him.
The room was vast, with shelves extending in all directions, and he knew that within it, there must be answers to many of the questions beginning to form in his mind.
With a mischievous smile, he approached one of the shelves and began examining the titles. Most were written in a language he still didn't fully understand, and even with the 『Universal Language』, he couldn't write it correctly, so reading became strange. But he had understood some things by observing his mother, so he thought he was prepared, and of course, the idea of learning more, of understanding, made his heart race faster.
'If I learn enough... I'll be able to find a way to change my situation.' He thought, determined.
He began rummaging through the shelves, pulling out the books that caught his attention the most. Even at such a young age, his mind was already eager for information. He knew his mother might have kept secrets about that world, and he was determined to uncover them, one book at a time.
Kael spent hours in the library, his eyes fixed on the pages of the books before him. He was starting to understand the basics about the world he had been reborn into. The continent he was on was called Azalith, and apparently, it was a place of vast lands and empires, where humans, monsters, and various other races coexisted — or, in some cases, came into conflict.
Azalith wasn't just an ordinary continent, but a place where magic was a fundamental part of daily life. It was clear that mana control, the magical energy that permeated everything around him, influenced politics, government systems, and even social relationships. He read about the main cities, adventurer guilds, and the powerful mage factions that dominated the territory.
He continued flipping through the books with more intensity, finding more information about magical entities and the various factions competing for power. Although he still didn't know how involved his mother was directly with these groups, he felt that the mystery surrounding her origin and true power was deeper than he had imagined.
Among the pages, an old diary, hidden on the highest shelf, caught his attention. He pulled it carefully, his nervous fingers flipping through until a passage seemed to stand out:
Kael's reading was abruptly interrupted. When he read the book's title, something in his chest tightened. "The Lineage of the Black Sun and the Birth of the Chosen..." He had barely processed the words when the door, which he had left ajar with the force of the wind, finally slammed shut with a bang.
KABOOOMMM!!!
The sound reverberated through the walls of the library, causing Kael to turn around quickly. But it was too late. In front of him, with a presence that seemed to swallow all the light around her, was Elion. Her eyes, usually warm and kind, were now consumed by a dark fury. The smile from before had transformed into something much deeper and unsettling.
Kael felt his heart race. 'I'm going to die...' he thought, panic taking over his mind. He was about to get up, maybe run, but before he could act, Elion approached with supernatural speed.
But what happened next was completely unexpected.
With a swift movement, she enveloped him in her arms, holding him protectively and warmly. Her demonic expression vanished instantly, replaced by one of genuine concern.
"Are you okay?" She asked with a surprisingly soft tone. "Why did you come down here? You'll catch a cold like this..."
She pulled him closer against her body, offering him warmth, as if proximity was the only thing that could ward off any harm. The comforting feeling she emitted completely contrasted with the murderous look he had seen moments before.
Kael stood frozen, confused. The warmth of her body seemed to envelop the entire room, but at the same time, there was something unsettling in her gesture of affection. He knew his mother was always present and attentive, but this... the touch, the concern, felt almost like an invisible trap.
He swallowed hard, trying to process the mixture of emotions that had suddenly arisen. 'That was... unexpected...'
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