Chapter 4: Restarting Life

From the depths of darkness……I slowly awakened.

I became conscious… or that’s how it’s supposed to be.

My eyes did open up, but I couldn’t form proper images, and the world was blurred and distorted.

Not only that. My limbs won’t listen to my commands, and I don’t even have the strength to move them.

No, it’s not only my limbs. My neck… my whole body wouldn’t listen or move.

That should have been expected, thinking about my situation before I lost consciousness, it was a really terrible situation.

An orphanage priest somehow managed to summon a Devil, and what he used as sacrifice were several children.

However, we managed to interrupt and defeat him so the priest wasn’t able to complete his goal.

It was a good result, however I couldn’t leave the Devil that was freed because of losing his summoner.

During that time, there were cowering children behind me, along with Cortina who was not capable of fighting in close combat.

I concluded that it would be better for me to stay behind and fight.

I ordered Cortina to quickly escape, and then I confronted the Devil on my own.

As I have expected, she was able grasp the situation in an instant and left while saying that she would call for help.

She doesn’t have the power to carry the children to escape so she was not able to bring even one of them. Because of that the remaining 10 children who survived were left behind.

I was barely able to subjugate the Devil, and as a result I broke my left arm and right leg and got a large cut from my chest to my abdomen.

In that state— it was already a miracle for me just to be able to breathe.

According to what that that self-proclaimed god has said, I should have been returned to this world again, but… My voice won’t come out and I can’t move my limbs.

—What exactly happened!?

「Fugyaaaaaa!」

I tried voicing out words, but only a strange scream escapes my mouth like a kitten’s cry.

Eventually I felt like my face was wiped with something warm, and then something soft was pressed against my mouth.

I instinctively sucked from it and swallowed something sweet.

And then, as soon my stomach was full, I fell asleep once more.

It was a few days later that I was able to finally understood what exactly happened.

I was—reborn as a baby.

This was probably the loopholes that god mentioned. In other words, it was a taboo to resurrect someone, but starting a new life reborn as a baby was somewhat acceptable, probably?

There was also one more thing that I’ve realized when my eyesight became stable…

「Good morning, Nicole. You woke up early today.」

Opening my eyes as I woke up, I noticed a beautiful woman bringing my mouth close to her chest— that was Maria.

Yes, it was my companion who was once called a saint.

And the person she called Nicole…was me.

That is to say, I was reborn as my former companion’s child.

Reincarnation magic is the highest rank sacred technique.

However, this magic was something that only the caster could confirm if it was a success or not, not to mention that they won’t be able to identify where the reincarnation would occur.

In other words, Maria will never know that I am her former companion, Reid.

That’s why she pushes her vulnerable breast against me. If she knew that I am Reid, something like this would probably be impossible to happen.

If I was careless, I would be sent flying with slap. Her sense of virtue is very intense after all.

There was a time when I was trying to peep with Lyell and she gave us divine punishment with a magic attack called 「Divine Wrath」, and I seriously thought at that time that I would die.

Moreover, Cortina who accurately predicted our escape route was waiting for us and easily captured us.

It’s a thing called youthful indiscretion.

「Fugyuuuu」

I raised a groan, refusing to eat.

I still don’t have enough muscle strength to move my neck.

After all, I’m not shameless enough to continue sucking the chest of a close acquaintance of mine.

But more than that, I’m afraid of what awaits me if I am ever exposed.

「Ugyuu. Fuaaaa」

「Ara, is your stomach okay? Nicole isn’t eating much. I’m a little worried.」

Since the time I have reincarnated, I haven’t taken a proper meal.

Well, Maria is honestly an extremely attractive woman, but I couldn’t help it because of my ego returning.

If it was an unknown woman, I might really suck it while feigning ignorance.

But she’s an acquaintance.

She’s a companion who has gone through thick and thin with me before I died.

And while we are at it, her husband is that Lyell.

He was also a companion who fought together with me, a rival, and a man who embodied the figure of a 「Hero」 that I couldn’t reach.

How would he react if he ever knew that I was sucking his wife’s breast?

That’s why I voluntarily entered a hunger strike.

Because I didn’t properly drink Maria’s milk, she was really struggling with my childcare.

I know that it’s bad, but I also can’t compromise.

In the end, she managed to barely maintain my life by giving me moderately warmed cow’s milk.

Today as well, I was being fed with milk-soaked cotton in my mouth, meanwhile Lyell got up.

「Good morning, Maria, Nicole too」

After saying that, he embraced Maria who was holding me, and exchanged a passionate kiss with her early in the morning.

And then a similar kiss —which was really uncomfortable— was pinned in my cheeks.

「Fuaaaaaaaaauuuu!」

「Ara, are you angry? Perhaps Nicole dislikes Papa?」

「Wha-What!?」

As I showed intention of resistance, Maria tells the cruel truth without any malice.

As a matter of fact, I didn’t really like Lyell.

After all, it can be said my position as a hero was not yearned for. On the other hand, he was far more admired by the populace.

He was a strong and resolute swordsman who was also the representative of the heroes. That admiration and strength was something I longed for.

However, I didn’t have that talent. Even so, I couldn’t give up.

That’s why I’ve fought without relying on the sword, and built my way of fighting using creativity and scheming.

For someone like me, Lyell who embodies the image of my ideal hero was a man that stirs up a lot of complicated emotions inside me.

He who is someone I rely on, he who is someone I admire, he who is a companion whom I hold unpleasant feelings.

Receiving a kiss on the cheek from such companion, it felt like chills would crawl up in my spine.

After the shock he received, Lyell went out to the garden with a dejected face and started swinging his sword.

From the window, I could understand that this have been a daily routine that he follows.

The moves were powerful, elegant, and sharp.

It was the figure of a hero that I have dreamed of.

In my other life, I was powerless and lacked endurance, so I couldn’t fight the same way as that.

But now, an electric current dashes over my body and makes me tremble.

That’s right this body is Lyell and Maria’s child.

In other words, I may inherit Lyell’s strength and Maria’s magical power.

If it’s the current me, I may be able to become a swordsman. An existence that could become my guide is right in front of my eyes.

I might be able to follow the path of a swordsman that was once my goal which I’ve failed to reach.

No, if I also inherit Maria’s magical power, then there’s also the possibility of becoming a magic swordsman opening up.

「Nyaaauuu!」

I raised my hand while expressing joy.

However, I don’t really have the strength, so I was barely able to bring my short arms in front of my face.

「Oh, is Nicole fond watching your father’s sword practice? You actually wanted to be spoiled, right? 」

Misunderstanding my reaction, Maria pokes my cheek.

Now that I think about it, she was the type to misunderstand such things easily.