2 months have passed since the Great Forest incident.

I fell asleep soon after the woman stop ringing her bells, only to be awaken when a group of men reach our location while creating heavy noises. They took us away from the forest back to the woman's home.

The condition of three survivor they brought back was critical back then, I know my body have a couple holes and there is practically no chance of surviving.

The mother is still bleeding from the birth process, she lost quite a lot of blood and was unconscious while the baby have a fever.

Thankfully the castle doctor is more than able to save the mother and her child, although there is nothing he can do to fix my broken body.

It seems they misunderstood my body as a normal human due to my humanoid appearance, else there is no way they will bring a demon corpse inside their home. I wonder where they bury it.

As for why I am still alive even after they buried my body. Somehow I ended up in the stillborn child body after I open my eyes.

Don't ask me how, I don't know either, I have plenty of questions with no answers, although this a perfectly acceptable condition considering I was supposed to have perished back there.

Anyway, my current situation can be best described as boredom. I know an infant should be managed with maximum care, but you can at least let me out from my room every now and then.

My only activity right now is scanning the room and sucking my wet-nurse's breast.

It seems the woman condition is still nowhere near well enough to fed me her milk, so a wet-nurse was hired instead.

Now that I think about it, it seems my current parents are quite respected around this part. There's no way a commoner can afford separate room and wet-nurse for their baby.

All this talk about milk made me hungry, good thing the wet-nurse is still in the room.

After a great effort, I finally able to make enough movement to attract her attention. My body belong to a former stillborn child after all, it was naturally weak and have a breathing problem.

Simply doing this much have left me powerless.

The wet-nurse turn her head away from the window and greet me.

"**** *** ** *******?."

Yep, I don't know what is she saying. Not only my hearing is still not up to par, I also have no knowledge about human language.

Back then my castle have a few books looted from the humans who attempted to invade our kingdom, I have tried to read them for no avail. Human language are weird.

I open my mouth without words, hand pointing at her breast, my cue for milk time. I can only ask for milk whenever she is in my room, because the only way I can call her when she is not here is by crying, it felt weird for me to cry just for the milk.

She move her body closer to me while slowly undress her top, revealing stupendous breast capable of storing enough milk for five babies.

I start to suck the milk out from those while clenching my hand on it as to not let it go.

Sometimes I do a gentle bite out of curiosity, but as expected from a professional wet nurse, she barely bat an eye.

The milk was delicious.

*******_______*******_______*******

My body have grown a little bit stronger now, I can walk properly using my legs. It took almost one year to accomplish this.

The wet-nurse have learned to not carelessly let the door open anymore. Last time it happen they have to search for a few hours to find me. The wet-nurse got a little bit of scolding because of that.

I'm so sorry, but there is no way I'm willing to be entrapped in this room any longer. Thankfully she seem to notice my frustrations as she start to take me on a tour around the house more often.

Even if I call it a house, the size is somewhat bigger than my expectations. There is at least three story with plenty of room in each of it, as well as a group of maids I'm unable to completely remember their faces.

This is a mansion alright.

Today my wet-nurse take me for  a walk as usual, after walking for a short while she knock on the door in third floor before a voice from the inside gave her the permission to enter.

I have learn a few things from listening to their conversation in this previous year, most of them are words they uttered before an action, so I somewhat capable to grasp the meaning of it.

I still can't replicate most of the sounds, but that didn't stop me from training when I am on my own.

The one we are visiting is a woman in her sickbed. Her blonde hair glisten under the sun light, with a face which is in another whole level than any other human woman I met until now.  She still looks a bit sickly and pale, but she is happy nevertheless whenever I come to visit.

I start to climb atop her body as soon as the wet nurse put me on her bed. First is her slender leg, I just love to hug it anytime I can. Next is the stomach, I gave it a few pat before moving on to her chest, I rest my head on it while listening to the heartbeat. Her chest may not be as big as the wet nurse, but it is still acceptable.

She is my savior as well as mother of the body I am currently inhibiting, I don't have any right to fault her.

She put her hand on my head while chuckling a little bit after seeing my behavior. It is good that I can make her smile, this is my first step to repay the favor.

After the woman and the wet-nurse have a short conversation which I couldn't understand as usual, the wet-nurse carry me away from the room to continue our tour.

Next destination is the training ground, where several men are swinging their sword in front of a man. They shout a few words after they notice us, only to be scolded by their instructor.

After making sure his disciple are focused on their training, he left them and walk towards us with a smile on his face.

He grab my hand and speak a couple words to me. I can clearly feel the hardness of his hand, a result of repeated training with the sword.

It seems this man is my father, I know that because he often visited me in my room by himself.

He tried making funny face to make me laugh once, but he never do that again after seeing my stone cold reaction.

Overall I have to say he is a pretty nice guy, but you can clearly see he is impatient waiting for me to grow to start teaching me the sword.

After a short while, his disciple start to make some noise again, prompting him to return to watch their training. The wet-nurse bow and ask for permission to continue our walk while I'm waving my hand to them.

This time she bring me out from the mansion towards the garden on our backyard. There's a few maids tending to flowers and trees greeting us. She continue to walk past them until we reach a gravestone beneath a giant tree.

At first I thought it was my grandparents grave, but there's a sword I recognize laid above it. U'raul, the sword personally made for me, King Mos'cua Red'shar of Ga'ux Demon Kingdom. This is where they put my body to rest.

I'm glad that they made a proper gravestone for me. Sure it is not as grand as my demon father royal grave, but to think they would do this much for someone they are not acquaintance with.

That just add one more favor I have to repay them.

*******_______*******_______*******

"Mami.."

"Good one Glen!. now try saying da-ddy!, or fa-ther!.

"Da..fa.?."

My parents can't hold their laugh after seeing their two years old son failures of mirroring them.

I'm now capable of understanding their basic conversations and replicating most words. There's also a few sentence I've been training on, but the maids are kind of overreacting when I said it. So I am pretending to be a fool right now.

I also gain a few knowledge about my human parents, mostly from night time stories and eavesdropping.

The mother is a landless noble daughter, while his husband is a decorated war hero elevated to nobility and granted a newly established county in the frontier.

The man name is Rupherd Postou, while his wife is Lana Postou.

It seems non-noble human are only allowed to hold a single name, so Rupherd took his wife surname as his own. By other words, he is married into his wife family to be elevated into a noble.

Right now I'm being raised as their first child and son, Glenard Postou.

Glenard, that's not a bad name, although they prefer to call me with shortened name Glen instead.

Apparently my mother is the one who grant me this name on her sickbed, completely abandoning previous name my parents have agreed on, my father have no other options except accepting it to make my mother calm down.

Their relationship seems to be quite good for arranged marriage. At least I never saw Rupherd chasing the maids while Lana is stuck on her sickbed.

Lana still haven't been able to walk yet. When the doctor see no sign of her strength returning even after all physical wound are already healed, he claim her sickness as expended life force, a heavy fatigue on the body as result of completely exhausting your mana.

The diagnosis came as a surprise as Lana is not a mage nor does she is in possession of any magic tools. I have my own suspicion about the bell, but since Lana didn't saying anything about it herself I will keep my mouth shut for now.

Doctor said the only cure is to rest and allow her body to heal itself. With how severe Lana condition is, it can take a few decade for full recovery.

After another few rounds of failure pronunciations, Rupherd lift me from the ground and pass me to Lana. She hold me in her arms while naming things outside the window, her only connection to outside world.

A few decade huh?, as humans have the shortest lifespan of all the other race it must felt really long for her. From what I know, average human lifespan is 70 years, compared to demons who can live up to 300 years it really felt too short...

I've been contemplating how I should live this second life, even though this is a human body and I'm currently living among them, I'm still a demon on the inside. There will be times when I have to choose between them, and no matter which side I choose I will still end up as a traitor.

But at least for now I will play the part of a good child for my human parents. I will repay my gratitude for being raised in their good care.

When I grow up I will search for a way to heal her and become someone they could be proud of, that's my goal for now.

*******_______*******_______*******

The bushes protect me while I hold my breath to erase my presence.

A few men are searching within my general area, these pursuers really go all out to chase a mere four year old boy around the entire mansion.

There is no way I will let myself get caught, I don't want to go back to that place agai-.

"Ah, you are here after all."

"...!!"

I turn my head to the source of that voice. There's a girl with the same brown hair as my wet nurse. It is Gaby, my wet nurse Yester's five year old daughter.

When I'm capable of conversing with other people normally, I change my focus to the written version.

It is somewhat harder to differentiate all the words and the meaning in their physical form, so I tend to spent most of my time alone digesting small collection of books owned by my parents.

They were a little worried to see me stop talking to them all of a sudden, so they bring one year older milk-sibling Gaby to accompany me. It seems they were hoping that I will be more open towards someone with same age as mine.

Our first meeting is best described as awkward.

I was completely absorbed in reading an interesting book to the point of nodding absentmindedly without looking when she introduce herself.  When I finish reading my book a few hours later she is already in the state of extreme dehydration.

It was the peak of summer and the nearby area is in water shortage, the mansion have its own well for private use so we didn't hit by the worse of it. But the villager had to share a single well between all of them, it seems she haven't got her share of water before coming to the mansion.

I hurriedly shove all water in my glass into her throat until she choke on it.

When she stabilize a few minutes later, I ask her why she didn't let me know before it gotten this bad. The answer was that she didn't dare to disturb me, it seems her mother have told her not to talk if not asked.

I told her how stupid that command is, and that she is allowed to break the rules to save herself from this kind of stupid incident.

She just nod at me until nearby maids come rushing into the room after hearing the commotion. My wet-nurse also bowed repeatedly at me for saving her idiot daughter. The incident was solved with me allowing her to speak whenever she wants to.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

Afterwards she took that order quite literally, spewing words from her mouth freely without thinking.

Some of them are quite hurtful, like how she told me I am weird for reading the books out loud while making notes of words I can't read, or when I wear a strange grin in my face while reading specific books.

It seems there's a reason after all why her mother tried to not let her mouth run loose.

I told her that she won't understand unless she read the book as well, only for her to reply that she is unable to read despite being a year older than me.

Somehow our first few months together was spent with me trying to teach her how to read.

Her attitude to me are similar to a normal friend despite our difference in status, some may call it impudence or disobedience, but that doesn't really matters for me. Although right now I should call her a traitor.

"Psst!, don't let them know I'm here!."

"Why don't you give up already?, there's no way you can hide forever."

"And dragged back to that boring place?, no thanks."

"You can be really stubborn sometimes...."

Gaby just gave me a small shrug and left, probably looking for nearby adult to snitch my hideout. I hurriedly move to my next hiding place while cursing at the sky.

There is plenty of things I learned from being human.

Today is the sixth day, the last day of new moon phase. New moon is the first phase of the month, followed by waxing half moon, full moon, and waning half moon before returning to dark night of new moon again.

Each of those phase only happen every seventh day, while the moon will stay the same on the day after that.

Basically, 1st to 6th night is new moon.

7th night is when the new moon will be gradually filled by light up to half.

8th to 13rd night the moon will stay as half filled.

14th night the moon will completely filled with light, it is called full moon.

15th to 20th night will stay as full moon.

21st night the moon will lose half of its light and become half moon again, albeit with different side than the first half moon.

22nd to 27th night the moon will stay as waning half.

28th night mark the end of a month as well as the void of light from the moon.

I never really notice this pattern before, perhaps because I'm not a nocturnal type demon I simply slept most of the night. The humans manage to observe this pattern and adjust their nighttime activities based on it.

For example, there is a lot more travelers using the roads at full moon, the merchant know that and have prepared beforehand by erecting stand along the road, eventually this progress into full moon festival.

New moon doesn't have a festival due to the belief of the world being engulfed by darkness, that is why the church arrange a sermon for their believer on every morning of 1st to 6th day to strengthen their mind as to not fall into the darkness.

That sermon is what I'm currently escaping from, when I was a baby I don't know what the priest is talking about so there is no problem. But now it is different, I can't stand him badmouthing the demons as "those who have fallen into the darkness" or "uncivilized monsters with nothing in their mind but destruction".

I am a former demon after all, there is still leftover lingering feelings of hurt from that. There is no way I will listen to that lies, I will just hide somewhere until the sermon ends.

Then again, just hiding is boring. If I had to stay still any longer than this I might fell asleep from yesterday night reading session leftover drowsiness.

I guess a little bit of nap won't hurt, everyone should be gathered at the church after the sermon start so they won't be able to find me.

My feet slowly take me to the garden behind our mansion, I stop and rest at a tree with gravestone beneath it. Somehow I always feel tranquil whenever I stay here, accompanied by U'raul and bones of my former body.

The tree have also grown even bigger over this past few years, I wonder if that is because it absorb my corpse nutrients.

The wind slowly blows with a cool breeze, perfect condition to fell asleep. I'm no longer capable to hold the drowsiness at bay and soon feel into deep slumber. Only to be heavily scolded by Rupherd a few hours afterwards.

*******_______*******_______*******

"Swing it with more power!, faster!."

"Yes!."

Instructor Rupherd really gave no quarter even for his own son.

I have finished reading every books in the mansion collection a few months ago, I even read most of it twice together with Gaby.

There's nothing else for me to do so I just wandering around the mansion.

One day Rupherd caught me with a grin on his face, saying that he was waiting for the time when I was bored with books, real man should play with sword after all.

The training is pretty basic, simply learning how to swing your sword while keeping balance. There's also morning run around the mansion and afternoon duel training.

Most six year old might consider this training to be harsh, but it's obviously lighter than the training when I was a demon. Well I guess it is kind of unfair to compare a human and a demon training.

Because I mostly occupied with swordsmanship training right now, Gaby can't play with me as often as before. Yester also no longer spend much time in the mansion since I have no need for wet nurse anymore, she's currently occupied at home with her fourth child.

I also gotten livelier after finishing all the books, so there's no more need for Gaby to accompany me, but it seems she took a liking to the mansion since she always visit every day. I think I see her hanging out with the maids more often these days, I hope she get along well with them.

Swinging the sword mindlessly made me fail to notice how much time has passed. The sun almost reach it peak before Rupherd give his next order.

"Halt!, go grab your lunch and report later for afternoon duel session!."

"Yes, Sir!."

Huff.., my arms are totally numb right now. Just swinging wood sword for a few hours already make me this tired, I really need to improve this body stamina if I want to train with real sword soon.

I went to nearby fountain to wipe the sweat off my body. It's certainly have grown in this past few year, my height is already over half of Rupherd.

At first I was worried with how small my body is, but I guess a child body do grow quickly.

After donning a new set of clothes I take my feet to the dining hall, I can smell the food from all the way here.

When I enter the hall, Rupherd already position himself on the head of dining table.

The hall felt really empty today.

Yesterday is the moon phase night, there's many case of wild animal from the forest attacking the village during such night. The village militia use the day to train at the mansion to prepare for possible night attack on the village.

Needless to say the atmosphere got really hectic when they gather at the dining hall for lunch.

But now there's only me and my father who's currently in the middle of work. Somehow the atmosphere is really heavy, as if someone just died.

As I sit on the chair beside him, Rupherd stop working on his assignments and instead lift his head to face me, that's a grim face if I ever saw one.

"Glen, I want to talk with you."

"Y..yes?."

Damn, did he know I sneak into the village with Gaby the other day?. Or is it about my demon origin?, I didn't mumble demon language in my sleep am I?.

"I've been talking with your mother, Gaby told her the only reason you do sword training is because there's no more book you haven't read, is that true?."

Damn Gaby and her periodical report to mother, what kind of predicament you put myself into?.

"No, of course not. I train because I want to strengthen my body."

"But if there's books you haven't read, will you skip training to read it?."

Rupherd is staring right into my soul, trying to discern any sign of lies from me.

Is it bad that I want to read books?, when I was a demon I rarely read anything worthwhile except letter of surrender from nearby subjugated tribe.

Demons usually kept any useful info for themselves, there's less mouth to battle for food if others die of a stupid death.

Human's books on the other hand are amazing, they have plenty of information written inside it to be shared with each other. Perhaps that is why they are able to stand against demons despite being weaker.

"...I will read the book without skipping practice."

Rupherd release a heavy sigh after hearing my answer while mumbling 'I know it is too good to be true'. He return his attention to the letters currently piling in front of him before calling the maids to serve us lunch.

It seems one of the letters is disturbing him, the quill in his hand floating above the letter without movement for a while now. Only when the maid finish serving the food he move his hand to sign the letter and put it with the rest of completed list.

As if noticing my curious glare, Rupherd continue our previous conversation while examining the meal.

"That letter is from Rohan Academy, notifying us of an available tutor I preemptively requested for you. He will arrive within a month if we decide to hire him, which I just did.

"A tutor?, does he sell books?."

"....no, as an academician he does have a wide array of books but I don't think he is selling them. Basically he will teach you many things while allowing you to freely read his books."

Read his book for free!?, It seems I will get along really well with this tutor.

I have been inquiring all over the village for new books without any results, It seems books are quite an expensive commodity. It is kind of obvious considering the effort put into writing everything on each of those pages but I never thought it would be that rare.

New books is always welcomed with open hands in here, but there's one problem.

"Can Gaby read his books as well?."

Rupherd raise his eyebrows while looking at me with amused expression.

"Gaby?, why?.

"Well, it's kind of a habit for me to read the books together with her. Else she would just stare at me while I was reading."

And then she will call me weird again. These days she's capable of reading books on her own, although her motivation to read is another problem altogether.

"Is that so, I'm sure the tutor wouldn't mind another person reading his books. Although I can't say the same thing if you want her to be taught as well."

"I don't know if she wants tha-"

My words were cut half way when the maids brought us fruits as dessert. Two maids walk towards us with a plate of peeled apple, each for me and Rupherd. I'm unable to recognize the maid who is walking towards me.

No, I do know her, but my brain just refuse to acknowledge it.

Gaby walk closer to me, wearing child-sized maid uniform while the other maids cheering for her from the hallway.

The clothes she usually wear are certainly not bad, but it can't be compared with maid uniforms which is specially made to display its wearer feminine aura.

It almost made me think she is another person.

"Can I switch your plate now?."

"Eh.. wha...why are you in maid clothes?."

"You don't like it?, want me to strip it off?."

Yep it is Gaby alright, even maid uniform can't change her brash style of speech.

What is going on anyway?, did she run out of clothes or something?, but that doesn't explain why she's also acting as a maid. I'm really confused right now.

"Uhm.., If I had to say whether I like it or not I would say I do. But you look somewhat different with that outfit on.

"Different huh. I guess that's it then."

Gaby said that as she switch the plates without my permission, I still haven't eat the last piece of potato in that soup. I watch the maids pat her on the back while I continue to eat peeled apple instead.

Rupherd, who seems to be enjoying himself during this ruckus have finally manage to regain control. He return to his previous serious face as if the last few minutes never happened.

"Since the tutor will only arrive in a month or so, I want you to completely focus your attention to our sword training for now. Of course I have no intention of letting you skipping practice after his arrival either!."

I just nod at him while chewing my apple desert.