"The gods are so merciful... so merciful..."
The river flowed gently, and the serene mountain valley bloomed in spring. The romantic fragrance of flowers filled the air.
In the river, a crib floated along with the flow of the water. It was a very luxurious crib with a golden frame and extraordinary gemstones for decoration. However, this extra weight only made the crib sink lower in the water.
Inside the crib was a baby, barely two months old, abandoned by a certain royal consort. The baby was the cutest existence the birds of these parts had ever seen, which must have been the reason they were circling above it.
Those birds, being vultures, thought the cuter the baby, the tastier it would be. They were waiting for the baby to drown, as the water had already risen quite high inside the crib.
However, what these damned birds didn't realize was that this baby was not ordinary. It used to be a young boy on a certain planet called Earth.
His country had been at war, and he was caught while trying to defect and was forcefully conscripted.
It was a sniper's headshot that had killed him—instantly, on his first day on the battlefield. Needless to say, it was a painless death.
Throughout his life on Earth, he had been an atheist, refusing to believe there could be a god in the world, considering how much suffering there was. There was no way any god would ignore such suffering or his children, should he exist.
But now, being reborn in this new world as a baby, he had become a believer.
"The gods are so merciful. Not only did they make my death painless, but they also gave me a second chance at life... I am truly grateful..." he thought as he waved, already half-submerged in water. His body was losing heat at an explosive rate.
Even though he was still a baby and on the verge of death again, his faith was unshaken, and he knew everything would be fine. There was no way the gods would waste his second chance at life like this.
And he was right. Soon, the crib passed through an invisible barrier, hidden from mortal eyes, and went past it. The scenery around him changed. The trees grew taller and denser, so much so that he couldn't see the sky—and therefore, not the vultures that had been there.
"Oh my, Lyra, what's that?" a beautiful young girl nudged her friend's shoulder as she pointed toward the crib that was floating toward them.
"Don't you know, Myra? Those are the plums—sweet and delicious," Lyra replied, her mouth watering.
"Stupid Lyra, where are you looking? There, look at that thing," Myra pointed toward the crib with her finger.
"Oh, that. It looks like a baby's bed," Lyra determined.
"Huh? A baby's bed?" both girls simultaneously screamed in alarm, clutching each other tightly. Their eyes widened as they panicked.
"Ah... Don't waste time, Lyra. Help the baby. Jump in the river!"
"Huh? Me? No, you jump!"
They bickered back and forth for a while but then both jumped together, their worries for the baby overwhelming them. They made the correct decision just in time and saved the baby.
"The gods saved me in the end. I am truly blessed..."
The baby looked at his saviors—two incredibly beautiful girls who appeared to be in their late teens. They had silky blond hair that stick to their faces due to being wet, enhancing the beauty of their delicate features. Their eyes were brilliant blue and green, respectively.
However, it was their long and pointy ears that elevated their beauty above human level.
They were elves.
These two best friends were washing their clothes in the river when suddenly the baby floated by their side.
"Ah... this baby is so cold. We have to warm him up."
"His ears are so small. Is he an orc baby?"
"It seems like that. Let's hurry and take him to Lady Sera."
"Yeah, let's hurry, or the baby will die."
The baby, despite having a developed consciousness, wasn't able to understand a single word the girls said, as he didn't know their language. However, whatever they were saying sounded very melodious, despite the worried tone it carried.
With hurried steps, the girls ran deeper into the forest, leaving their clothes behind.
As they ran, Myra carried the baby securely against her chest, blocking the baby's vision so he couldn't see the brilliance of the wooden architecture that lay around the trees.
The elves lived in treehouses made of wood with expert craftsmanship and magic.
Soon, the girls found the treehouse they were looking for and climbed up the ladder. They knocked on the window, and it opened after a second.
"Lyra, Myra, what happened... Are your laundry finished already?" An elf, older than the girls by some years, greeted them at the door.
"Forget about our laundry, Lady Sera. Look here—this baby," Myra spoke, out of breath.
"This orc baby was floating with its bed in the river. We saved it, but it feels too cold. Please save it, Lady Sera," Lyra also chimed in.
Seeing the baby in Myra's arms, Sera quickly understood the situation and took the baby from her. She stripped it of its wet clothes and wrapped it in a dry towel, keeping it near a fireplace.
"Will it be fine?" It was Myra who asked, her green eyes locked on the baby, making sure it was still breathing.
"I don't want the little orc to die..." Lyra was a sweetheart.
Lady Sera smiled at the caring and kind nature of the girls. She examined the baby's condition, and to her surprise, despite having gone through so much, the baby was perfectly healthy.
"Don't worry, girls. Miraculously, the baby is completely fine. However, there seems to be a misunderstanding," Lady Sera chuckled. It couldn't be helped—unlike herself, who had seen the world in her 300 years of existence, the girls hadn't left this secluded elf domain yet in their lives. About orcs, they had only heard stories—horror stories.
"Misunderstanding?" the girls asked in unison, puzzled.
"Yes. It's not an orc's baby. It's a human's."
***
Not long after, there was a considerable commotion in the whole elf domain. Elves of all ages and stations gathered to have a look at the human baby that had drifted into their secluded domain.
"Such cuteness. What is he, a plum?"
"Good job saving him, Lyra and Myra."
"A male baby? Isn't that rare in this place?"
The elves had filled the surroundings of Lady Sera's house. Everyone wanted to see the rumored human baby. Lady Sera also didn't hold back, passing the baby around so all could take a look.
As for the baby, he was a bit confused as the faces staring at him changed repeatedly, each more beautiful than the last. Was this heaven, and were these women angels?
However, this commotion didn't last long, as soon the news reached the supreme elf of this domain. This domain wasn't that big to begin with, so news spread fast. Within an hour of his rescue, the baby, along with his three saviors, was summoned by Eldoria Greenleaf.
Eldoria sat on her wooden throne in the council hall of the domain. Her graceful form didn't reveal that she was more than 3,000 years old. Her silver hair was long enough to reach her ankles, while her ruby eyes shone with an amused glint as she saw the baby placed on the table. Sera and the two friends bowed slightly as they told everything about the situation to her.
"A human baby was able to breach my most powerful barrier that covers this domain. How is such a thing possible? It must be a sign from the gods."
"Your Highness, you won't ask us to dispose of this baby, will you? I understand that non-elves are forbidden to enter, but this baby is blameless." Sera came for the baby's rescue.
"Your Highness, please. This baby has no one in this world, as he was abandoned with his bed." Myra also reasoned.
"Please, Your Highness..." Lyra spoke out.
Hearing the three plead so earnestly, Eldoria was surprised. In just one hour of their meeting, this baby had won their hearts.
"Be assured. This baby belongs with us from the moment he entered our domain. He is under my protection from now on." Eldoria declared.
"Ah, thank you so much, Your Highness." Sera thanked Eldoria.
"I am happy... Isn't this great Lyra?" Myra sighed in relief.
"Yes, it is..." Lyra jumped in joy.
"Now then, we should name this baby something, Your Highness. As our ruler, this is your honor to take." Sera declared.
"A name... hmm, let's see... Around 800 years ago, a human male was able to charm me. His first name was... if I remember correctly... Theo." Eldoria remarked.
"It's decided then. From now on, this baby will be called Theo."
Just as the baby was bestowed the name, he felt a sharp click in his mind, and immediately his system opened before him.
---
**Name:** Theo
Race: Human (89%)
Level: 0 (0/10)
Class: Healer (SSS)
Mana: 2737/10000
Strength: 1
Intelligence: 4
Stamina: 0.5
Charm: 50
Luck: 20