A-achoo!
Lloyd sneezed, snot visibly dripping from his nostrils before he sniffed it back in.
Seated in front of the fireplace, he could only rub his nose with his finger, hoping the next sneeze would pity him and halt its advance.
Then came a voice, a familiar voice he had heard all too often in this house.
"John, I am making us dinner. Please check on Lloyd; I think he is having trouble with this cold."
Immediately after hearing that female voice masked by unending affection, Lloyd put on a gloomy expression.
Why? Because he knew what would come right after that.
And it was something he had tried to avoid throughout his stay in his current household.
Yes, the human father approached.
"Aww, Lloyd, are you feeling cold? Come, let Papa cuddle you and read you bedtime stories until you fall asleep."
John walked into the room with a warm smile on his face, his arms stretched out to lift his son from the ground.
'Human father, unhand me!'
Lloyd's effort at retaliating came out as cute baby noises, only fueling his father's already melting heart.
After sitting on the chair right next to the fireplace, John placed Lloyd between his legs and then picked up the old-looking book from the table next to him.
The room was dark and chilly due to the winter season; this made the fireplace one of the most important items in the house. It also enhanced the aesthetic appeal of a typical home.
Flip.
John opened the pages with ease, making sure it was close enough for Lloyd to see.
"Now, where did we stop last time? Ah, yes, the hero Seraphine's journey to the demon lord's castle."
Lloyd instinctively turned his gaze to the pages as they fell, the glow from the fireplace reflecting on his face.
'Hero Seraphina, ugh. Who knew my old nemesis would take the time to write a story about her journey? That is so unlike her.'
Lloyd thought to himself, 'No, to think I, the demon lord of eternity, would reincarnate into the body of a human child... I find that rather vexing. My human parents, though kind, have provided me with no information about the outside world to go on. If I could speak, I would command them to take me to the location of the explosion outside this village. Alas, every attempt I make at communication only results in this weird sound. What sort of curse is this? Seraphina, is this your doing?'
"Oh, here we are…" John finally found the page he was looking for. "After the hero stormed the demon king's castle, she slew all the monsters that stood before her in a single swoop. Her action caused the rest to flee, leaving only the demon king, Valego, her long-lost lover, who had turned to the dark side, to rule over the demons."
'I think not!'
"They fought for months, each showcasing their powers and refusing to back down from their ideals. After what seemed like forever, the hero, Seraphine, got the upper hand and stabbed the demon lord in the chest. But, before he died, he confessed his love, kissing her in a last, desperate attempt before he died in her arms."
'Who the hell wrote this book?! I should burn them a thousand times over!' Lloyd frowned in his father's arms.
After a while of listening to his father mumble unwanted words, he finally calmed down.
'I must say, I never expected my sacrifice to bring the world together to work this way. Did I succeed? I have yet to see what the world has become; as such, my knowledge is limited. I truly wonder, did my people find peace after my death? My generals and followers? My death was meant to bring that for them...'
As memories flooded his mind, Lloyd couldn't help but wear a serious expression.
And before he knew it...
'Ah…'
His face turned purple.
This was then followed by his father's outburst, "Lloyd! Why?! You keep pooping in my clothes! It's not fair, son!"
'F-forgive me... this body doesn't listen to me.'
…
A year or so later, Lloyd had begun to crawl and could now attempt to communicate with his parents.
So, one fateful day, while his warrior of a father was out hunting, he crawled toward his mother, who was knitting a sweater in the room.
As he made his way to her, he was quick to spot her.
Her long, golden hair was tied back in a ponytail, and she was dressed in a simple red dress with a waist belt that highlighted her perfect waistline.
From what he knew about her, she used to be a soldier with his father. But after a war recently ended, they resigned to live their lives at the far end of the capital.
In other words, 'Do not let this woman's cuteness fool you; she is a deadly weapon.'
Finally making it in front of her, he sat down, then pointed.
"Mother, I would like to make a request," he uttered in the best way he could.
To him, he sounded quite clear, but to his mother, he was simply mumbling, yet she seemed to understand what he wanted.
"Lloyd, how did you know I was here? Are you hungry and want to breastfeed already?" Alice placed her knitting on the bed before picking him up from the ground.
"Y-yes, I would like that as well."
Wasting no time, Lloyd sucked on his mother's nipple the moment she brought out her breast.
Although, he came right back to his senses just as quickly.
Pop!
He pulled his lips away.
"I will not be tempted by this! Mother, I wish to explore the world beyond this house! I am no prisoner."
Alice stared at him for a while, her gaze narrowing.
"For a child, your choice of words is quite alarming."
'Ack!'
"Hehe, my son is going to grow up smart," Alice smiled smugly. "If you want to go out, I guess you can come with me the next time I go to buy something."
'Jackpot.'
Lloyd placed the nipple back in his mouth before sending a thumbs-up to his mother.