Arc 2: 'Cycle' and Chorua.

{{ PoV: ??? }}

The old man died. Not surprising but I would've liked to talk with them more. Humans have surprisingly good wisdom after all. Anyway, my chat with the monk had finally progressed. He deigned it time to give me his name after hours which was so stupid, names are to be given at the start. For a monk, he had a weird name. Aleks Tomasson. It had no ring to it. No unexpected niceties, nothing. In a way, it suited him.

Another intriguing thing is that I believe I saw how the Train deals with dead people. It stopped and a fucking butler appeared. Clad in the whole shebang. Black suit, white shirt under a beautiful red tie. Black pants that looked smoother than my nicest clothes. It annoyed me.

Strangely, they felt more like an elemental rather than a human. It wouldn't surprise me if they truly were, the train itself is immaculate. It would need at least one person taking care of it right? What better than a being that could not feel exhaustion.

The weirdest thing though... is that the train hasn't started up again.

We're just sitting here.

The butler stood in front of the old man for a quite a long while before they reached to pick him up. I just noticed, however, that the butler had a basket with him too.

'How's he going to carry both?'

The answer was quite simple, he had the basket's handle over his arm and carried the man with both arms.

"I wonder what will happen to his body."

I jolted from watching them and looked over at Aleks. He had spoken about something finally.

"Hoh? Why'd you wonder that huh? Is the old man that interesting to you?"

"No, it just seems like a waste to let the mana disperse."

My eyes twitched.

I exhaled.

'I had my doubts but it seems Aleks truly is a Greed candidate.'

I calmed down the minor annoyance that took root before looking back at the door.

'Though, I am curious why the train would do something like this. It doesn't make sense.'

My brows furrowed.

'Maybe I don't have all of the puzzle pieces yet.'

The doors closed. Yet it still didn't depart. I was now thoroughly confused.

{{ PoV: Nika Mayrell }}

It was warm, not at all like I'd expect death to feel like. I relaxed and honestly, I was happy. If I was right, one of a few things would happen. One, my memories would be erased and my soul would become someone else and they'd live their life. Two, I'd get reincarnated and that'd probably be fun as long as I don't run into the train again. Third, I'll just disappear soon. That'd probably be the best option. I could rest. I probably haven't suffered as much as others but I say I deserve as much rest as anyone else would.

I regret a lot of course but that's fine, I feel like I wouldn't be human if I didn't live a life with at least some regrets. That'd be weird, right?

Anyways, if I am really the 'keeper' of the train I wonder why it just let me die. I mean, it could obviously speed up time so why didn't it slow it down?

Either way it doesn't matter, I'm free from the burden.

A smile slipped onto my face.

I froze.

'I can smile? Wait.'

I felt a connection to limbs, four of them. But, they felt small and so horribly weak. I could barely move them.

I felt sun on my skin and I could hear footsteps on what sounded like creaky wood. So I was somewhere with, I assume, wooden flooring and a person watching me.

'Did I reincarnate already? I wonder who my parents are. It'll be easier on my life if they have good looks.'

"You're awake."

It was a man's voice. He sounded like a refined old man, probably older and wiser than me before I died.

'Well, even if he's an old man, he's still my dad.'

I decided to act like a baby, since I wouldn't get this chance again. I raised my hands as best I could and tried to open my eyes. I regretted that.

'OH DAMNIT, IT STINGS!'

I started crying. The sudden light was too much for me. My eyes felt like that time I had to cut onions for soup.

"Stop crying."

'The hell? I'm a baby, I'm allowed to cry!'

I continued to pretend I couldn't understand him and continued to cry. Well, I didn't have to fake the crying though.

"Oi, I know you can understand me. Stop acting like a baby."

'Huh? What did he just say?'

My crying stuttered and slowed as I doubted what I had heard. It took just a few seconds before I decided my hearing was still horrible. So I made more baby noises. Then I got picked up and I realized how big their hands were. At least one of them could cover half my body.

'Holy moly my Dad is big.'

I reconsidered.

'I might just be really small, well, I'll find out later either way.'

The man holding me did nothing but hold me but it was comforting enough for me to fall asleep somewhat peacefully.

Once I woke up, I found myself able to open my eyes without much difficulty, the light still stung a little though. Then, I could finally see the person.

'This is my father? Really?'

The man in question was in a black butler suit with red accents and a tan brown undershirt. His well-maintained hair and moustache were grey and his eyes a bubbling red that made me think of lava. His face had no other super distinct features but it still stood out. The only downer was the frown that seemed to be permanently attached to his face.

"I said stop acting like a baby."

'How the hell does he know, that's just freaky.'

I looked at him before laying down in the crib that I found myself in.

"What are you looking at?"

His voice was condescending and yet still refined... somehow. I pointed at him.

"Who am I?"

'I didn't mean that but sure.'

I nodded.

"Your caretaker until I find what we need from this universe and you are strong enough."

I pointed and him, then me, then him again.

"Yes, we. We are leaving this forest after you reach a certain age and receive enough training. You better start thinking on what weapon to learn, I didn't save you out of charity, you'll repay me one day."

He muttered a bunch after that but I heard none of it, it was all too quiet for me to hear or even make out sounds. The only reason I knew he was muttering was because he was moving his mouth and staring at me. I couldn't tell what emotion was in his eyes even if my life depended on it. They only held fire.

'He has literal fire in his eyes.'

I briefly wondered whether that was magic or something else.

"Oi."

I was snapped out of my thoughts.

"Here, a book of weapons available. Choose one to use normally and an extra to practice just in case. You'll train with them once your body reaches five years old, then I'll teach you about aura after another five. You'll have the system unlocked when you turn 15 and you can go to an academy here in Chorua and learn about that there. I'll research academies while you practice magic until the age of 5."

Then he just left.

'Wait, no, he's coming back.'

"Here's this for you to eat."

He placed a well made straw basket with a handle and two flaps into the crib. Then his hand tapped my head and I looked at him. There was his other hand, outstretched and holding a bottle of milk. A minute went by as the gears in my head screeched and halted, it was too much information, way too much.

He placed the bottle in my lap and left, I even heard two doors shut.

'He just left the house, or wherever this is, and me alone.'

It took a long while before my brain kicked back into functionality. By that time, I realized I had finished the bottle of milk. There was a lot to unpack from what he'd said, nevertheless I needed to sort out my brain before I failed to understand anything.

'Ahh, my brain hurts, alright. Take a deep breath Nika.'

I reached for the basket and tried to open it. I went back to my thoughts when I had failed. I took a few breaths and calmed myself.

'First, I have reincarnated and that old man is my caretaker or something along those lines. Second, it seems to be a typical isekai world with a system and medieval kingdoms. Third, there seems to be only cold weapons.'

I looked at the book next to the basket.

'I'll have to confirm that. Fourth, there's magic.'

Then I furrowed my probably non-existent eyebrows.

'His eyes might be an effect of Aura or Magic. Never mind, focus Nika. Fifth is that there is civilisation, whether the civilisations have control over the world or if it's controlled by monsters is yet to be seen, there are academies as he has said though. Maybe there are other races, what is the situation between races then? More things I need to confirm. Sixth, and arguably the most important, the man knew I reincarnated, at least, he knows I am different. Then there's the seventh thing, who is my family.'

I pondered it for a long while, imagining several scenarios. I could be from a fallen noble household. Maybe I was a bastard from a royal family. Maybe I was just another peasant. I shook my head, there was so much happening. Still, I smiled a little, I was free of that train and the role I probably had. I looked over at the book the old man dropped in and I moved over to it.

Or, I tried to.

I fell flat on my face. Thankfully, it didn't hurt much due to the soft mattress. The next minutes were dedicated to learning to crawl and stand, with the support of the crib's wooden bars. Those turned to hours.

'Almost, come on!'

I pushed myself, the aching was horrible for my body and this was, without a doubt, too much exercise for my body. But I made it!

'I DID IT!'

I was standing in the crib with my baby hands in the air and a huge grin on my face.

"Pfft."

I turned and saw the man in the doorway, bent over laughing. I had froze, like a deer caught in headlights. I felt blood rush to my face and laid down quickly, hurrying to hide in whatever hole I could find and stay there for thousands of years. The laughter continued on for ages.

When it finally stopped, as I looked up a hand fell onto my head. He patted my head and smiled.

"You're funnier than I thought brat."

Once again, I fell asleep.

This time though, I woke up to see someone else.

A little girl, maybe 5 or 6 years old, was looking at me through the gaps between the crib bars. We stared for a long while before the old man suddenly came in.

"Seyra, come, eat. You should let Igni sleep a little more. They won't have as much break time as you will after all."

'Igni? I won't be able to sleep now, not after you deciding my new name so haphazardly.'

I stared accusingly at him and he returned it with an intense glare. It went on for a while before he broke off to eat. The food they were eating varied from stews to skewers with meat and thin slices of fruit and vegetables.

I was annoyed, not because of the food, no I knew I couldn't eat that yet. No teeth and all. No, what annoyed me was the way I won the staring contest. He had looked away to eat even though he was winning.

'Ugh, this pisses me off.'

A rumble reverberated around the room. The sound was so loud I thought it was an earthquake. I looked around for the noise only to fail to locate its origin. I was about to try to talk to them before I noticed the old man.

'He's, laughing?'

I then looked at the girl and she had this smile that gave off big sister vibes. I then paid attention to my belly.

It rumbled again, the same sound appearing once more.

My face was, without a doubt, red. How red you ask? Red enough to be mistaken for a ripe tomato.

"Now, now, don't worry Igni, everyone gets hungry! Even Grandpa had his stomach rumble before."

'He what.'

My vision darted to him, he averted his eyes.

I sighed internally, the only way I could at the moment.

'This is going to be a nightmare... at least I'll learn magic soon.'