CH 1

Darkness that goes on forever ……

So this is the afterlife …… Before I knew it, I was in a cold, empty space where I could see nothing.

…… I don’t know if “was” is the right word. I had no idea whether I was stopping or moving, and although I thought I was moving my body, I didn’t feel like I was moving.

In the end, I couldn’t do anything but sit still, and after a while, I saw a faint light in the distance. It was getting closer and closer, enveloping me.

◆ 　 ◇ 　 ◆

“Congratulations! It’s a healthy boy!”

“Fugyaaaa! Fugyaaaa! (Wh-What!?)”

After I regained consciousness, in front of me, came upon a scene where a woman with chestnut-colored hair was smiling at me. I hurriedly tried to sit up, but I couldn’t muster the strength.

“Fua …… Fua ……”

“Oh, ohhhh ……! He’s trying to move on his own …… what a healthy little boy! You’ve given us a fine child, Marianne!”

“Ufufu, because it’s yours and mine! Look, Delaide, it’s your little brother.”

“My little brother? My little brother!”

“Hahaha! I can’t wait to see what you two boys have in store for us!”

“Abuu.”

A handsome man and a boy being carried by a man gently pat my head. I don’t know them, but they make me feel at ease …… I’ve just woken up and I’m starting to feel drowsy.

“Oh, he’s asleep. Now, babies are delicate, so please come back to see me later!”

“Okay. Marianne, I’ll see you later.”

“Yes. Take care of Delaide.”

As I listened to this conversation, I fell asleep.

–Now, about two days have passed since then, and I can finally think about the current situation calmly.

Yesterday? …… Yesterday was, well, let’s just say it was tough ……

“Lars-kun, you don’t cry.”

“Yeah, I’m worried he didn’t cry too much when he’s just born.”

The chestnut-haired nurse in front of me called me “Lars”. I didn’t think it was possible, but after spending the day yesterday, it seems that I was born as someone else’s child.

The other blonde woman peeking at me on the bed was my mother, and the handsome man I’d seen the day before yesterday seemed to be my father.

“Au. Babuu.”

“Oh, you’re smiling! Ufufu, You’re so cute!”

“There …… Fufu, you’re so light.”

I can’t help but say “Babuu” because I’m a baby, so please overlook it. I’ve been here for three days, and I can’t even move, let alone speak.

“Nnn~ Your hair looks like me and your face looks like your father.”

My mother holds me in her arms, and I look right into her smiling face. My mother is extremely beautiful, and she smiles and kisses me on the cheek and forehead, as if she was really happy that I was born.

The strange thing is that I don’t feel any kind of sexual desire towards her. I don’t know if it’s because I’m a baby or because she’s my mother.

“Auu (…… They’re so different from my parents ……)”

In my previous life, my parents were the kind of people who treated me like a bad …… child, or even with malice. And yet, without my salary, they couldn’t even make a living, they’re literally good-for-nothing. 

My younger brother, who was my other blood-related family member, had many talents such as drawing and writing as well as studying. He was born a genius, with above-average results in basically everything he did.

…… We were very close when we were younger, but my parents were overly protective of my brother because of his talent, which distorted his personality and made him look down on others. This became apparent when I was in junior high school.

“Abuu (I wish I had the same talent as my brother but that’s too late now.)”

While I was able to do everything with ease, I was never the best in my field, I was what you would call an ordinary person.

I did everything I could to be recognized and praised for one thing or another. In addition to sports and studying, I worked part-time at a pizza parlor, a bakery, an arcade, a newspaper delivery service, a coffee shop, a bar, an anime store, a bookstore, etc …… I worked at various jobs during my high school and college years like this. Even in video games, I was serious about beating my brother.

–But in the end, I couldn’t make my parents and brother look back at me.

“Lars, you’re so cute!”

“Auu.”

“Let’s go home to your father and brother’s house soon.”

I felt a sense of security as my mother hugged me tightly. I remembered that I had an older brother. I think he was about three years old. In my previous life, I was the older brother, but in this life, I am the younger brother.

I wondered if I would be thrown away again if my brother had any talent ……

As I swayed in her arms, thinking about these things, I felt sleepy again.　　

–For the time being, my father and brother have been coming to see me every day for the past few days, and my mother has been talking to me as she feeds me. I felt that this family was really happy, and I was happy even though I was a baby, as I had spent my previous life in a bleak environment.

…… Previous Life ……Yes, I think it’s safe to say that that was in the past, a previous life.

After another week or so, I was finally discharged from the hospital. I was wrapped in a blanket and carried by my father as we left the hospital. My father, with his silver hair, was strong and looked very dependable and cool.

“Aaabuuu (I wonder what kind of house it is, I’m looking forward to it.)”

“Lass, I want to hold him too!”

“Oh my, Delaide is trying to be a big brother. No, It’s too early for you yet, Delaide. When he’s a little older, okay?”

“Buu”

Apparently, my brother wanted to stroke me. He had been stroking me on the bed so much that I thought I was going to lose what little hair I had left, so I hoped he would give me a break today. I didn’t feel bad at all, though.

Then my father looked at me, smiled, and spoke up.

“Well, Lars, we’re home!　From now on you’ll be with us every day!”

“Okay, Lars, we’re home! You’ll be with us every day from now on!”

“Kyakkya (Eh ……?)”

He pointed to a fenced-in house in front of him. But I was confused.

“Abuu …… (It’s crumbling ……)”

Yes, it was crumbling. It didn’t have broken windows, holes in the walls, or weeds all over the place …… like in the manga and anime, but the whole place was old-fashioned. I can’t imagine what it must be like for these happy parents.

But there was a secret –.