Chapter 2 [ A plot in where the protagonist overcomes the trials...still trying ]

Noel can feel that he was now aware and conscious. He opened his eyes and he was instantly greeted by darkness. He felt fear even as the previous events flash in his mind. He was floating in somewhere, an unknown place just like the previous one. This place was full of darkness of nothingness. It was neither warm or cold. Is he now reincarnated? Noel wanted to ask someone... And there was also a thought that even he wasn't aware on what a mother's womb supposed to be like, there was a certainty that he was supposed to be not in a very vast darkness of nothingness and he should feel warm and trapped. Not just like this, where he felt so free in this vast dark space and lost, with neither feeling if it was warm or cold.

Just nothing....

It was strange.

From the previous feeling of elation that came with the knowledge of his reincarnating, it was starting to lose their novelty with everytime that he spent his moments here in the unknown.

Noel, didn't know how long did he float in the darkness feeling lost and confused with occasional feelings of fear. Eventually, he decided to close his eyes and sleep. Hoping that when he wake up, it wasn't that the darkness welcoming him.

Time passed, he doesn't remember if he dreamed of something. Noel can only feel a feeling of emptiness and nothingness. It was so peaceful, silent and hollow.

Occasionally, he would frown when he was sleeping.

For him, this process of reincarnation is a very uncomfortable and it have spent so much time.

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When he opened his eyes again, blurrily and slowly, Noel was surprised when a ceiling have greeted his sight. It was brown, made something from a wood of a tree, that he obviously didn't know; Noel thought distractedly. Then, his focus turn to the ceiling and his attention becomes sharper. Noel was relieved as he realized that he was finally reincarnated.

Finally.

No more darkness my friend for him this time. Noel felt comforted at his optimistic thought and he should never think of the darkness again if ever possible.

Noel tried to control his body, and he was surprised when he managed to raised his hand and a little slightly chubby toddler hands have greeted his sight. Noel was confused. Aren't he supposed to be aware in the start of the reincarnation process? He thought. He also knows that the imagery of being aware, while he was being push out of his mother's womb, excreting of his waste, drinking his mother's milk and other baby experiences look and sound so awful. Why is he a toddler now? Noel tried to roll himself and he was later surprise when he found that he can crawl and walk sluggishly and clumsily. He also realize that he was in a bed.

Noel was relieve that he can see anything other than an endless span of darkness. He was sick of seeing too much black. He turned his attention to every object in the room. Windows, tables, chairs, books and etc. Everything of them, have given him a sense of delight. It was like that he was a child seeing the world for the first time. Even he isn't. It just that he have forgotten the feeling of them. Him, being confined in the endless darkness are still fresh in his mind, and he was trapped for a very long time. He look around and found something that was useful. It was a mirror. Noel crawled to the edge of the bed slowly and carefully. He paid attention to his surroundings so he  won't accidentally fall and crack his head on the floor, and maybe he would die and it was a horrible thought for him, wasting an opportunity just to die early because of his stupidity.

Noel look at his reflection on the mirror, and his mouth parted in surprise unconsciously as he first notice how small he is. Then, he noticed the eye catching and shocking pale icy blue hair and the bright golden eyes.

Noel started laughing as he was certain that he was finally in a fantasy world. On Earth, there is no one who can possibly have a hair and eyes likes this! Having your hair dyed and wearing colored contact lens didn't count. He would finally have the opportunity to do Magic and fulfill his Fantasy Otaku Dreams!

As he was lost in thought and distractedly think that his laugh didn't sound so evil at all but infuriatingly adorable, the door opened and a beautiful lady with long silver wavy hair and striking golden eyes entered. She gasped in shock when she have caught sight of him. Her expression of shock change to serious and grim. Noel thought that the situation is bad for him.

'Uh oh.' was what he said in his mind as she immediately dashed towards him causing him to lose his balance. Thankfully, she have caught him in her arm– not arms. Noel was floating....He can feel the wind.  His mouth unconsciously parted in awe and wonder. Is this a wind magic? Awesome! His mother– was she? She have a golden eyes like him. She was his new mother... Noel was certain of it.  She have a magic. She was a mage..A wind mage.. maybe, she doesn't have just a wind magic but other types too. Noel hoped that she would teach him all of the cool stuffs. Noel was lost in planning out for his happy future. He feel so delighted at the prospect of learning Magic that he instantly forgotten his nearly second death experience.

" Bad baby!! "

His feelings of happiness quickly disappeared when she fiercely glared at him. Noel was reminded of what happened. He look at the woman. She was still glaring and now, he was starting to feel something watery blocking his eyes.

One drops, two drops, and all of the salty water started pouring out of his eyes with his body involuntarily letting out a horrible sound.

" Waaaahhhh!! "

He hated how it was easy for him to cry in this new body.

" What would happen if you fall down on the bed?! "

She exclaimed as she carried him in her hands carefully and bringing him over her to hug him.

" Noah is a bad baby! Absolutely bad...You have certainly inherited your naughtiness from your Father. "

She says as she started to make soothing noises and patting his back.

" It's okay... it's okay...Noah, you have nearly frightened me to death. "

Noah? Is that his new name? It wasn't much different from his previous name. Noel thought as he feel the comfortable hands on his back. He was also starting to get sleepy.

Noel...Noah soon starting drifting off on his sleep. His new mother smiled gently and her golden eyes soften as she felt his soft breathing on her shoulders.

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His name in this new life was Noah Aster. He was the son of Cenwrig Aster, a retired adventurer; and Fiora Bloomfield, now Aster who was a former tutor in the Magic Academy at the Faelan Kingdom.

Noah was satisfied with his new life, he have a loving and adoring parents. Even there was some things that was just so very confusing for him and made him think that there was something wrong. Something that was very wrong with him.

He first noticed, that there was something amiss with his sense of taste. At first, he thought that a mother's milk just tasted bland and nothing. But as he grow up, and his list of food to be eaten have grown, Noah can't dismiss his obvious issues further and immediately told his parents. His parents have decided to bring him to a Potion Master. Soon, the Potion Master can only shake her head. None of the potions have worked for him to cure his condition. Salty, sweet, sour, bitter and spicy. He can't feel anything of them. He can eat but he can't taste the food. Everything is bland. He feel so empty everytime he ate. With the wrongness of his sense of taste, his sense of smell soon came after. He can breathe fine. He enjoys the feeling of the ear entering on his lungs but he can't tell the difference between a fragrant and bad odor.

His parents, everyone in the village, can smell and taste fine. Noah is the only one who was obviously different. Something who was abnormal. Noah at first feel so entitled and secretly proud that he was different from everyone else. He was special and something great. But it was that the knowledge of him being a Reincarnator that he was proud of. But this feeling of difference, where everyone can do something that you can't do– It feels so awful and horrible.

He was enthusiastic that he was reincarnated at first. Since he was special and different. In this life, he promise to himself that he would fulfill his Fantasy Dreams. But now, it was obvious that something have gone wrong. He was certain that there was something wrong with the process of his reincarnation.

Thinking back of his impatient reaction, Noah was regretting his actions. Alas, as many people have said, it was now too late for regrets.

Noah, instead of feeling like a protagonist of an Isekai novel, he feel that he was an outcast. The social pariah of the village despite the villagers and his parents comfort and kindness.

He wasn't still in the beginning part of his journey on his second life. But now, he was already facing a difficulty that he thinks that it would be hard for him to overcome.

Noah missed the feeling of tasting something and the smell of everything. He was envious of everyone in the village. Even his parents. He knows that he shouldn't. He feel so awful and horrible.

But looks like the things happening to him aren't still enough. One day he discovered that his body are numb to physical pain when he tripped on his way back to the house. At first, Noah sense nothing wrong. But when he was near to their house, his vision was already blurry. When his mother opened the door, she gasped in shock and fright. Noah didn't understand why his mother have screamed until she called his father and they immediately bring him to the village's potion master.

Later he come to know that his head was bleeding and he had lost a lot of blood. That time, he thought that him feeling dizzy isn't just his illusion.

Just like sense of taste and smell, him being numb to physical pain is also incurable.

Being numb to physical pain, Noah thought that it wasn't as horrible as being not allowed to taste the food that you eat. He thought of it in an optimistic way. It was a blessing. But his parents and villagers thought of it as something different. The complete opposition of his perspective. For them, it was horrible and dangerous for him. The sympathetic and pitying gazes of the villagers have increased. Noah's parents become more worried and protective of him.

When dozing off...

" Noah, you have forgotten to eat again. "

When eating...

" Noah, you have placed too much salt in your food. "

" Ah.. sorry Dad, I don't know. "

In the Kitchen...

" No. Noah, you can't help. And don't touch the knife or any sharp things inside the house. "

" ..but I'm already five and I'm smart. I would be careful. I promise! "

" No. "

" Please!! "

" No. "

" Please, please, please please!!"

Noah stared at his dad with his most pitiful and heartbreaking expression. His Dad have only given him the most bored and unimpressed expression of him.

" Your puppy eyes won't work. It's was too cliché. Too many children in the village have already used them. It was already past of It's popularity. "

"...."

Noah decided to give his Dad the stink eye. Pouting as he left the kitchen.

Too many instances, Noah wasn't allowed to do many things and his parents always berated him. Making sure that he was alright and safe.

" Noah, you should pay attention to your surroundings. "

" Ugh...Noah, take a bath! You smell so bad! Where have you gone off to? "

" I have visited on our neighbors farm, I think I have stepped on something squishy and I have tripped and landed on a mud. "

His dad look at his mother sighing.

" My dear spring of my heart..." On the background, Noah gagged at the cheesiness of his dad. " I think Noah didn't landed on a mud...but on something else different. "

Carefully, Noah sniffed himself but his sense of smell was really useless.

" Noah take a bath now... You smell so horrible. "

" Got it Dad.. So maybe that's why the other children and the other villagers wouldn't go near me. "

Noah's daily life as he grows up was full of struggles and complications. Still, he was trying hard to lived. Even through it was impossible for him to live like a normal person.

If he was a protagonist of a novel, he hoped that it wouldn't be a tragedy. Maybe this is just some stepping stone. If following the rules of  martial arts cultivation novel; sooner or later, the villagers would stop with their pitying and sympathies and they would start treating him like a trash and be treated as the village's outcast but he would still persevere and overcome the difficulties. Then, he would maybe gain a caring little sister, or a cheat item one day. There was also a possibility of gaining a powerful grandpa from the ring who would teach him to become strong.

Noah sighed sadly while he stared at his surroundings on their house's rooftop. It's a pity that this wasn't a wuxia cultivation novel but an isekai one.

Noah thought that there wouldn't be difficulties and complications coming for him anymore... But recently, he encountered his most difficult one.

Noah have recently hit the age of seven, and it was the proper age for children to learn magic. Noah was delighted at the prospect of learning Magic. Since he have been here, he was looking forward to the day where he would he able to learn magic. It is one of his impossible Otaku dreams.

Finally! He would be able to learn magic! At the start of learning, his parents decided to test his magic affinity. He have no affinity for any of the elements which brought him to the state of shock. His father have comforted him that even he don't have any affinity for elements, there was still the non elemental magic.

His parents have started teaching him. One day, two days, Two weeks. Noah aren't progressing and there are no results. His parents have brought someone for consultation, and they learned that he has no mana.

His parents had questioned that it was impossible for someone to lived without a mana in their body. Even non magic classes have possess mana on their bodies. Upon learning it, Noah decided to stop for his training for a meanwhile while he was in this rooftop being a depressed emo emulating the one and only Sasuke Uchiha and maybe the pigs will fly as he started to gain fan girls in their village.

This isn't the type of something different that Noah wanted to be. He wanted to become awesome. Not a pathetic someone who was depraved of some common necessities in life.

While Noah was sitting at the top of their rooftop and his parents are probably looking for him now, he happened to look at the village's gates. He squinted his eyes as he try to discern the figure of an unfamiliar stranger who looks like he or she was being questioned by the village's guards.