I couldn't feel anything... just a deep silence and endless darkness. Then suddenly, it felt like someone started pushing me through a narrow tunnel. There was pressure from all sides, and I couldn't breathe.
Is this what it feels like after death?
Then, I saw a bright light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe my end was near.
"Congratulations, you have become a mother!"
Congratulations? A mother? What is going on here?
Slowly, I realized I could open my eyes. When I did, I saw a very beautiful girl. She had blue eyes, milky white skin, and light silver-colored hair.
Just then, a memory from my past life flashed in my mind. I had asked my mother, "Mom, what happens after we die?" She had replied, "I don't know, son. Maybe there is a second birth."
My old mother was right. Reincarnation is real.
This was my new life, and this woman, who was holding me and feeding me milk, was probably my new mother. I don't know how, but I could understand the language of this world. Maybe this was also a blessing. But why do I still have my old memories? This is probably a curse for the sins I committed.
I looked around the room. It seemed I was born in this very room, but why was it in such bad condition? There was no soft bed, no servants. Just brown wooden walls and a mattress and sheet laid on the floor. Did I get born into a beggar's family?
Another woman, who was probably the midwife, was talking to my mother. She must have helped with my birth.
"It's very important to breastfeed the baby. You should feed him for at least one year, understand? And about your..."
Hey! I don't want to hear all this. Don't talk about these things in front of me; go somewhere private.
Hmm, it seems my father hasn't come to see me yet. What a shameless father, not even coming to meet his own child. Does my father even exist in this world? But this woman looked quite happy.
Just then, I heard the sound of a door opening.
Suddenly, a 27-year-old man came inside. Seeing him, my mother's face lit up with joy, or you could say, a look of life's satisfaction appeared on her face.
The man was very handsome, handsome just like me. He had brown hair, green eyes, and a muscular body. He also had a tattoo of a strange animal on his arm, one that I had never seen before. He was probably my father.
"I'm sorry," he said. "I made you wait. I got stuck. My carriage broke down, that's why I was late."
The man, whose name was probably Kael, hugged his wife and gently kissed her forehead.
Ugh! These people are so cringe. But to be honest, I was jealous of them.
"Oh, it's okay," my mother said with a smile. "Look at our baby."
He took me in his arms and kissed my head. Look, I wanted to say "Ugh," but I actually liked that feeling. Maybe it was because of my small body. I couldn't feel anything, no lust, no control. Yes, there were sensations in my body, but nothing special. I couldn't speak, nor could I use my hands and feet properly.
Well, it was a good thing. What parent wants their child to start walking and talking right after birth? If that happened, believe me, the sight would be quite scary.
Suddenly, the mood here became strange. Everyone seemed worried about me. I heard my mother and the midwife talking.
"Why isn't this baby crying?" the midwife asked.
Oh, shit! I think I should cry.
"Waaah... waah... waah...!"
"See, I told you he is a normal baby. Nothing is wrong with him," the midwife said, relieved.
I didn't want anyone to suspect me because I didn't know the rules here. Who knows, they might think I am the devil's incarnation and kill me. So, it was better to act natural.
"Elra, why did he start crying? Maybe he is hungry," my father said.
Oh, so her name is Elra.
Elra held me close to her chest and started feeding me. And I'm telling you the truth, a mother's milk is very tasty. And no, you perverts, I wasn't having any wrong thoughts. The truth was, I wasn't feeling anything at all. There were no exciting or erotic feelings in my mind. Now I understand why people say that children are pure of heart.
After some time, we came home. Our house was right next to the city (Cistoria), about 500 meters away. There was also a very big market in the city. We came home through the city, but I couldn't see anything because I was inside the carriage, which was being pulled by two horses.
Our house wasn't very big, but it wasn't small either. It was a beautiful two-story house made of wood. A maid also lived with us. She was also very beautiful—silver hair, green eyes, and when she smiled, it was as if an angel was smiling. My mother was also very beautiful, but I was scared of the maid's beauty. I feared her beauty might break my family apart. She always wore a cloth on her head, like a hood. She helped my mother with her work and lived in the room upstairs.
My father was not at home most of the time. He would leave early in the morning. I didn't know what job he did, but looking at him, it seemed like he did some kind of paperwork.
I was lying in my cradle.
"Listen, did you put the baby's clothes out to dry?" my mother asked the maid.
"Yes, ma'am, I have put the clothes out to dry," the maid replied.
Lying in the cradle, I was just enjoying the light breeze when my eyes fell on something strange.
A squirrel.
But this was not an ordinary squirrel—instead of ears, it had small wings that were fluttering. It calmly jumped and sat on the cradle as if it were its own home.
"What is this...? I have never seen this before. No... not even in my previous life."
Just then, my mother came and tried to shoo it away by saying "shoo-shoo." And then, right before my eyes—
It spread its wing-like ears and started to fly. Very calmly, with a gentle flutter, it flew up near the ceiling and disappeared.
My heart started beating faster.
"It can fly?"
I understood one thing for sure—this was not an ordinary world. You tell me, in what ordinary world does a squirrel fly with its ears?