If you had the chance to go back in time or be reborn, would you do things differently? Of course, that would be the obvious answer. But if you found yourself in an unfamiliar world, in a place where nothing made sense—what would you do?
That's the question I find myself asking right now.
It's been four months since I arrived in this world—whether by the will of some being powerful enough to move a soul from one place to another, by sheer luck, or simply due to an error in the universe. Who knows?
Either way, my "parents," in the short time I've spent with them, seem like quite the odd pair. My father, for one, is a strong, broad-shouldered man with fair skin that's now deeply tanned. His haircut is... a bit strange, and his hair is a light brown. And, as I suspected, he acts rather childishly. But what surprises me most is how smart he can be in certain situations—no matter how ridiculous they may be.
On the other hand, my mother, Elisa, is a young-looking woman with skin even fairer than my father's. Her hair reaches all the way down to her waist and has a shiny silver tone. She's quite beautiful, if I'm being honest—charming, yet the opposite of Albert when it comes to demeanor. She's serious and focused on whatever task she has in front of her.
Not that Albert doesn't focus—he just tends to get sidetracked, like when they were deciding on my name.
My mother already had a few names in mind, but my father kept suggesting weird ones. Elisa wanted to name me Sebastián, Alan, or Lucas. My father, meanwhile, was coming up with things like Zeus, Hercules, or some other crazy name, at least in my opinion. In the end, and mostly thanks to Elisa's persistence, seriousness, and the scared expression on my father's face whenever she looked at him, they settled on Kael.
Kael Drakewill—a name that sounds like it belongs to a main character destined to wield immense power and become the last hope of a crumbling world... or something like that.
That, along with my appearance—my hair seems to take after my mother's side, being a shade of ash white. And my eyes? A mix between both of theirs—green with a blue tint. It reminds me of a character from a manga I once read.
But putting all that aside... I've been doing pretty well. Actually, better than well.
This past month, we've gotten into a rather interesting routine—at least for me. During the first three months of my life, I was basically locked inside the house: eating, pooping, and sleeping, just like any baby would. Now, we go out for walks every so often—sometimes for my father's work, or simply to restock the house with food and other necessities.
What I look forward to the most on these outings is when we pass by the small school in the town we live in—Arishtar.
From the information I've managed to gather, it's a kindergarten. My parents have noticed me glancing at it, and even though my father still doesn't seem to realize that a baby can't speak—or maybe even understand—he told me that this small school isn't just about basic learning. It also introduces kids to the world of "Bonds."
I've seen children and teachers with various animals—dogs, cats, birds, even small fish. Maybe it's meant to show the many kinds of creatures you can form a connection with. Well… that sounded kind of weird.
The world I came from wasn't all that different. There were animals, cities, even massive cities, and plenty of things to do day by day. The main difference is the concept of these bonds, and the lack of advanced technology compared to my old world. But that technological gap is filled by the power and supremacy that these creatures offer here.
I was just an average man. My name was Liam, and I lived alone in the U.S.—Chicago, to be exact.
I had a typical office job and, above all, my life was... dull. Not meaningless, really—it had its good moments. But it lacked purpose or any real goal to chase.
Every day was the same: wake up, work, maybe do something after... or not, and then sleep again. When I was younger, like anyone else, I had more energy and time. I remember even taking music classes and practicing Kendo during a trip to Japan when I wanted to live like the protagonist of an anime. Looking back now, it was both amazing and exhausting.
I lifted my head toward the infinite blue sky I could see through the window.
Whether this happened due to some magical mistake or something else, I just hope this life won't be like the last one.
No, I promise, to whoever might be out there, that I'll be better this time. I'll surpass my former self, so I won't live a mediocre life that'll only leave me bitter and full of regret when I'm old.
I raised my tiny fist into the air as I made that promise.