The surroundings were dark and quiet with bugs singing softly. The dense trees whistled with the wind and the moonlight fell upon them. The environment was tranquil and lovely as countless stars twinkled in the night sky.
Muffled footsteps could be heard between the peaceful and dark surroundings with a single source of light moving straight in the forest.
A woman was carrying a little girl on her back with a cloth tightly wrapping them together. She was covered in a black cloak that hid her very well in the surrounding darkness.
Using a black metal wand as her light source, she was able to smoothly navigate through the dense forest. The little girl was sound asleep with no trace of waking up anytime soon.
She strolled quietly ahead until she heard the faint sound of a baby crying. She went to the direction the voice was coming from, curious and knowing that the forest was a secure place.
The intensity of the sound rose as she got closer to the source of the sound. After she reached the supposed location, the crying voice was completely clear and loud. The absurd scene in front of her completely stunned the woman.
There, right below the thick oak tree, a wooden basket was placed. A very small human infant that looked like it was born just a few hours ago was crying its heart out.
The baby was tightly wrapped in a clean white cloth with faint and small black hair growing out of its head.
She got close to the basket and looked at the baby with her clear orange eyes and muttered in a sweet voice that had a hint of anger, "Who the fuck abandons a child right after birth!? How heartless can they even be?"
As if to know of her presence, the baby stopped crying and opened its big round eyes to look at her. The innocent eyes in the color of the night sky clearly reflected her figure.
A deep feeling of something unknown rose in the woman's heart. She picked up the basket with both of her hands and said softly, "I guess we'll be family from now on…"
Saying those words, she resumed to follow the path towards her destination…
**
6 Years later. In 'Z-city' at 'Phoenix Shelter'
In the playground, a 6-year-old boy and a 9-year-old girl were playing and running around in front of a big, polished building. Many more youngsters, ranging in age from 5 to 10, were playing on the playground and having a great time.
All ears were instantly filled with the sound of tin clanging. Each child shifted their head to gaze in that direction. To no one's astonishment, a woman with fiery red hair wearing an orphanage caretaker's outfit yelled at them, "Everyone, It's Lunch Time! Wash your hands and quickly head to the Cafeteria."
Everyone listened to her and quickly went back inside. The boy and the girl also went together to the cafeteria.
In the cafeteria, they both sat together after getting their meal. While eating, the boy named Mika asked the girl, "Mia, you are going to the training facility after next month, right? What do you plan to do in the future?"
The girl who shared the same fiery red hair as her sister replied with a sweet smile, "I am not sure. I want to be like Sister Rosalyn, but I also want strength to protect both you and her." she zoned out while talking and when she regained her senses, she changed the topic and asked him back, "By the way, what do you want to be when you grow up?"
The boy smiled awkwardly, a hint of hesitation tinged at his voice as he replied, "I am also not sure. I'll think about it when I am older."
The girl accepted his answer as she went back to her meal. The boy on the other hand, fidgeted with his food as a thought crept in his mind, "I just want to live peacefully in this life. After all, my last life was a complete mess."
Mark has been reincarnated into this unfamiliar world... again.
Yes 'again'. Because including the previous reincarnation to the futuristic world, it was his second time getting reincarnated.
His first life was on what people of the futuristic would call ancient day earth. He was a self-proclaimed Novel guru with more than a million novel series being completed by him. When he reincarnated for the first time, he thought that he would have the chance to become super powerful with a cheat.
But to his disappointment, that world did have gods but there was no way to reach godhood in that world.
As to why he transferred the ownership of 'Eye of Knowledge' to Evelyn before his death. It was because deep down, he still loved her deeply in his heart. Even for the price of his life, he wanted her to live happily for the rest of her life and to also cut off any lingering feeling he had for her and the love for his parents.
Now he didn't want any connection to his previous life. His life as Mark is already over and his new life as 'Mika' has begun. Having any lingering attachment to the previous world would be nothing but a hindrance in this new life.
He stood up from his seat and left for outside, leaving his food on the table.
Once outside, the harsh summer ray of the sun assaulted his eyes and wind softly brushed against his hair as he gazed upon the beautiful azure sky.
His mind recalled all those memories of his previous life as if to hug them once before bidding the final farewell.
"I held you dear to my heart,
Every future I dreamed included you as a part." He muttered softly under his breath.
"Our future seemed beautiful until you pressed the lever
Only once did our Fate intersected, but again it will never."
To be continued….