Episode 1, Reincarnation as a Non-Human in Another World
He was an orphan from birth.
As a newborn, he was abandoned by his parents and raised in an orphanage. When he became old enough to be self-sufficient, he was practically kicked out.
All he learned was the basic elementary education the orphanage was required to provide, and a little bit of secondary education. He couldn't receive higher education due to the actions of the corrupt head of the orphanage, which worsened its circumstances.
With no foundation, he entered society and worked hard at various construction sites. Fortunately, he was healthy, so through manual labor he built up some skills, gained recognition, and became somewhat known in the field.
However, society seemed to think that someone with his "trashy" background belonged in the gutter. It never let him live well, and he was always blocked and brought down by the unfair, massive wall that was society.
He never drowned himself in alcohol, nor did he smoke and lament his life, but ironically, despite his good health, he was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
He had barely managed to get a life insurance policy, hoping to leave something for a future family, but ended up spending all the insurance money on hospital bills. One day, he quietly closed his eyes.
Having achieved nothing, he struggled through life, and just as he was about to accomplish something, he was once again blocked by the wall of society, fell ill, and died.
"How unfair... Is it a crime to have met the wrong parents?"
Even at the moment of death, he couldn't find peace. As he closed his eyes and took his last breath, he lamented his life. But then, just as the pain ended and he could feel nothing, it happened.
"Tsk tsk tsk~ Indeed, what a harsh life you've had~"
He was startled by a voice responding to his thoughts and tried to open his eyes, but being dead, he couldn't possibly open them. The fact that he could hear a voice was also strange.
Where was this voice coming from? Since the voice reached him, could it perhaps hear his voice as well? Thinking this, he tried answering in his mind.
"Who are you?"
A reply came, as if the voice understood him. It felt as though he was hearing it with his ears, but since he was clearly dead, that couldn't be the case.
"Who I am isn't important, but since you're curious, just think of this as a new opportunity given to you."
"An opportunity? Please explain so I can understand."
"You've had such a hard life, so I want to give you a new start. You didn't benefit much from this scientific civilization, nor did you learn much. So there's no need to erase your memories, and you can move on as you are."
"What are you talking about? Move? Please explain so I can understand..."
"There's no time, so you'll get the explanation when you arrive. I'll send you right away."
"Uwaaaaah!!!"
Suddenly, he felt as if he was being swept away by a torrent accompanied by dizziness. All he could do was scream; he couldn't do anything else.
How long was he swept away like that? Exhausted by the dizziness, he lost consciousness, and didn't remember what happened afterward.
When he came to, he still couldn't see, so he had no idea what had happened to him.
He only knew that he was being held in someone's warm embrace, but he didn't know who it was or what situation he was in.
The only thing he could perceive was
[Can you hear me?]
A woman's voice echoed in his mind. It was as warm and comforting as the embrace he was in.
[If you can hear me, please respond. I can hear what you think in your mind.]
"Is that so?"
[That's right. I am your guide to this place. Are you ready to live a new life?]
"The opportunity the person I met before coming here gave me does that mean a new life?"
[That's correct. I'll explain more once your stamina improves. Right now, your body is in an infant state, so your consciousness can only stay awake for very short periods.]
"Now that you mention it, my body feels so weak... such intense helplessness..."
[For now, focus on adapting to this body and living your life. When you turn two, you'll have more stamina, and I'll talk to you again then.]
"Before you go, please tell me one thing!"
[Ask your question.]
"Am I human right now?"
[You are...]
"Ah..."
He fell asleep before hearing the answer. Afterwards, whenever he briefly regained consciousness, he called out to that voice, but received only emptiness in return.
The body of a baby was extremely limiting. He couldn't even open his eyes, so he was filled with fear, unable to know what was happening.
At least now, being held in a warm embrace, he realized this must be his loving mother, and he felt deeply grateful that he wasn't abandoned in this life.
"They say even rolling in a dung heap, life is better than the afterlife. And now I have a mother what more could I want?"
Though he felt a bit embarrassed to be drinking his mother's milk, since his memories were intact, his infant body eagerly suckled to get the nourishment he needed to live.
Time passed, and eventually he was able to open his eyes. The first thing he saw was her his mother, Millie.
"Oh my! Our Milk opened his eyes! How adorable our Milk lovely Milk "
As he looked up at the huge smiling face, he finally realized he really was a baby. But he thought the name was a bit odd.
"Why Milk? Hm... At the very least, this isn't the world I knew."
If he were in Korea, or even abroad, a name like Milk would be perfect for teasing. It seemed this world was not the one he knew.
There was another strange thing: his mother Millie's appearance. She was dressed like a primitive person living in the wild, completely naked except for a spotted cloth covering her lower half, with her chest fully exposed.
She also had a pair of horns sprouting from her head, and a long cow-like tail sticking out from her rear. She looked human, but not quite human.
Wondering, he tried hard to raise his hand to his head, and felt something hard growing there as well.
"No way... I'm not human!"
It wasn't fully grown yet, but it was definitely a horn, just like his mother's. Then, as Milk became curious about his lower half...
His hand, still weak and not fully healed, slowly moved down, and when it reached between his legs, he was relieved to find it was there a penis, the symbol of a man.
If even his gender had changed, the shock would have been enormous, so this was at least some relief.
In any case, he confirmed that he was no longer human. Now he had to wait until he built up enough stamina for the woman who called herself his guide to speak to him again.
He couldn't even babble yet, so there was nothing he could figure out on his own. All he could do was wait for her.
As he endured his embarrassing life as a nursing infant, eventually he was able to stay awake for about six hours a day. Around that time, the long-awaited woman's voice echoed in his mind.
[Can you hear me?]
"Yes! I hear you well! What's going on? Am I not human?"
[Calm down. I'm sorry I couldn't explain properly before because you fell asleep. From now on, I'll be by your side, so we have plenty of time. Relax and talk with me slowly.]
"Alright. First, tell me your name. Here, I'm called Milk."
[That's a good name. It will bring prosperity to your descendants. I am an assistant implanted in your mental world to support you. I don't have a name, but for convenience, call me Ru.]
"Okay, Ru. So I know I'm not human, but what exactly am I?"
[In this world, there are beings called 'Ain,' which means sub-human. You were reborn as a member of the Holstaurus race among the Ain.]
"Holstaurus?"
[If you've seen a lot of visual media, you probably know Minotaurs, right?]
"Yes! The monsters with bull heads?"
[The Holstaurus race is an evolved form, closer to humans. Imagine a dairy cow from Earth becoming human. They are gentle, very intelligent, healthy, and active.]
"Ah... So I was born as a monster..."
[At least, you don't fall into the category of 'monster' as you think of it. The Holstaurus are very friendly with humans and other Ain, so you won't be restricted in your activities. However, among human nobles, there are some who keep your kind as slaves or pets, so you must be careful.]
Hearing Ru's words, Milk thought he was a subtle being not human, but not quite a monster either and asked the next question.
"Then, where is this place?"
[It's not Earth. The planet is called Toma, the continent is Mistis, your country is the Chelson Kingdom, and you live in a small village called Remton on the kingdom's frontier.]
"Is there any way to return to Earth?"
[Even with Earth's current scientific power, it's impossible to come here. And with the less advanced science of this world, there's no way to reach Earth.]
"At least, does this place exist in the same universe as Earth?"
[Yes, it does. You exist in the same universe as Earth. But the distance is so great that the two planets have never met.]
With Ru's firm answer, Milk completely gave up on returning to Earth. He asked her another question.
"Why was I brought back to life like this? Just because I had a hard life, is that a good enough reason?"
[It's a kind of benevolence. There was a divine message for you to live another life here, since you couldn't live one there. You have no achievements you must accomplish, and whatever happens here will be recorded in your life. Evil deeds will count as evil, good deeds as good. But you have freedom, and you'll bear responsibility after death. I'll only teach you the knowledge you need; I won't force or command your actions. You simply live your life again. There's no burden, no purpose.]
"A second life?"
[Then let's briefly check your status.]
As a strange sound occurred, Milk felt as if someone was carefully observing his entire body. At the same time, Ru's voice sounded again.
[Name: Milk. Age: 1 year. Still too young to get an erection, but already owns a large penis of 5 cm. Memories are intact, so he is troubled every time he nurses from his biological mother. He does his best to act like a child to make his mother, Millie, happy. Through this, your achievement score is now +10.]
"What... That's so detailed... And why the positive score?"
[The Holstaurus, a type of Ain, are a male-supremacist race. Females are more likely to be born, males are short-lived, and the birth rate for males is low. That's why Holstaurus herds are always short on men. You are a rare male born to the Holstaurus, and they encourage inbreeding. So even if you have strange feelings for your mother, it doesn't lower your karma score. Your achievement score is +10 because you have often made your mother happy.]
Hearing such embarrassing things, he showed no change in expression, but if he had his original face, he would have blushed.
"Will I also have a short life?"
Asking based on what he'd just heard, Ru replied.
[No. You are very healthy. Holstaurus males naturally suffer from stunted growth and muscle loss, but unlike other Holstaurus males, you have been given special consideration by the gods, so your chances of dying from illness or accident are extremely low. However, you can't be protected from being killed by someone else or from suicide, so you must be careful. Assuming no threats, your lifespan is about 500 years.]
"F-five hundred?!"
He shouted in surprise, but all that came out was baby babble. His voice only echoed in his mind, and as he marveled, Ru's voice sounded again.