Cough cough, sniff
“Hey Kei, you’re back from already and it’s cold outside. That’s good cause I made some soup for you. This should help you with your cough. I told you to stay home today”
“Ah, grandma, I can’t do that, it’s my fault that you couldn’t open the shop today. I’ll get better on my own. You don’t have to worry about me.”
“Stop spouting nonsense. Of course I would look after you. If you keep going on about this I’m gonna get mad you know. Here, hurry up and wash yourself, this soup is gonna get cold soon.”
“S-sorry grandma, I’ll keep that in mind.”
A faint sense of happiness can be seen spread under his dreary eyes. Thinking of the familiar warm feeling he had with his own family. During the cold, all crowding together under one blanket while watching T.V.
A little while after Kei had his fill of his grandma’s homemade soup, he had a serving of his grandma’s extra creamy melon flavored cake. Rumors have it that taking a bite out of one her cakes would be enough to devote yourself to her, and Kei was no exception to it. Having his fill with some herbal tea for his throat brought a great sense of relief to Kei.
“Hmm, looks like you don’t have a fever. That’s good, I cleaned out your futon, blankets and pillow, you’ll wake up feeling fresh tomorrow morning. So have a good sleep.”
“T-thanks, grandma.”
Feeling the softness of the blanket and futon, brushing up against his face and bottom, casting a sleeping spell on him, the eight year old Kei fell asleep.
***
“Grandma, I don’t feel so well. My head hurts… grandma?”
Scrambling under the covers, Kei feels a dullness to his body. As he flips over the blankets he sees a resemblance of a body that shouldn’t exist. Pale, dry to the bones, battered, as if this body is an overused rag.
(Waa- OW! The heck’s this? It hurts all over.)
Kei hazly glances around the room. Wooden walls, a wooden door, a wooden closet, wooden floorboard, a wooden desk, a wooden chair with a red haired doll on it, a black blanket with a furry feeling -
(Why is there a doll here? Wait where is here?)
“Ah, you’re finally awake.”
“Waa-”
Startled by the talking doll, Kei fell back on the bed. Quickly trying to adjust his eyes, a figure of a girl comes to show. A red haired girl with dark brown eyes staring him down with curiosity.
“Ho, you slept like a log you know. You were messed up everywhere, but Gramps saved you in time and brought you here. You don’t have to worry about them anymore.”
“Uhh… where is this place?”
frown ”Are you ok in the head? I just said gramps carried you all the way over here after saving you from those slave traders. You must’ve hit your head or something, I’m gonna go tell gramps you’re awake, don’t go anywhere.”
(What? Slaves? What? Wait, wait, wait. All I remember is that God-sama said that I’ll reincarnate in another world. And I still remember who I am… did something go wrong?)
“Ho, looks like you woke up kid. Girl go pour him some hot soup, from the way he looks he must be famished by now. Anyways kid, just know that as Milly said, you’re safe now, so don’t worry about the slave holders and cheer up, kay.”
The burly old man from Kei’s memory came into view. His tall and daunting stature was sure to crush the pitiful will that was left of Kei.
“Umm… who are you?”
“Kid, where’s my thanks at? Show some gratitude to your savior at least, sheesh, people these days have no manners. The world’s gonna end one day cause of this.”
“S-sorry, umm thanks?”
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“... kid, I like you already. You know how to get on my nerves. My name’s Eren, the girl over there is Milly, and there’s another boy, off on an errand. Call me however you like, what’s your name kid?”
“It’s Kei. Kei Tatsumi.”
“You a noble kid? Never heard of that name. It’s rare to see someone with a family name around these outskirts. And from the look of it, are you from a fallen noble family?”
“N-no, it’s just a family name. I’m not a noble or anything.”
“Ho. Interesting. Hehe, I like you even more now kid. How bout this, you stay over till you get better then we’ll hear about your circumstance. For the other two will take care of you. They’re a part of this household, so don’t hold back and ask for anything. For now your wounds should’ve healed up, you just might feel sore from all that, nothing that eating can’t fix.”
“Oh… ok. Umm, thanks?”
“Yeah, yeah. Ah girl, help him with the soup. Don’t want him to make a mess of the bed.”
Eren walks out of the room, with Kei left in a muddle. All he remembers is that he was supposed to be reincarnated in another world. At this point he really wished that there was some sort of indication that told him what was happening. A message or something. Wondering about the wounds he supposedly had, he notices that his body has regressed to that of a child around 8 or so. Something told him he was 8.
(Wait, am I already in another world? No way, I still remember everything. No way, am I a chosen one. WAH!)
“You’re awfully happy all of a sudden. Did you remember something?”
“Huh, NO, no. I meant yes, but nothing worth mentioning.”
“Ehhh, suspicious.”
“Uh-I’m sorry.”
“I was joking. Stop apologizing all the time, makes me wonder if you were forced or willingly gave yourself up to be a slave. Here, say ah, gramps said to feed you, not that I mind, since you’re cute for a boy.”
Milly dealt full damage to Kei’s pride. Kei is KO’d. He willingly gave himself up to be fed showing no resistance.
The soup was a bit bland. It couldn’t be compared to his grandma’s cooking, that being said his current situation made him accept it as if it was the best meal ever.
“Hey, I overheard you talking in your sleep. You kept on mentioning your grandma. Is she someone you got separated from? Gramps can help you get back to her. You’re lucky you have someone probably misses you.”
“Wait, uh, that’s wrong. It was just a memory of mine. I don’t live with anyone anymore. My family all died.”
(I mean it’s true, sort of. It’s not like I can tell her about me being from another world.)
“REALLY!? Then if you have nowhere to go, stay here with us. Not just me, there’s another guy our age, well he’s gathering herbs at the moment, but it’ll be fun. We have nowhere to go, so gramps brought us here to live with him. I assure you that giant dwarf is a nice guy.”
(A dwarf that’s giant… what? That can’t be it. God-sama did say there was magic here, so that’s probably it. Since I barely know anything of this world, it’s better to stay here. They seem like nice people, hopefully.)
“Umm, if you don’t mind me, I guess. Please take care of me from now on.”
“Aaah, that’s great! Imma go tell gramps we have a cute little brother now.”
(Why am I the cute brother? And aren’t we the same age?)
As Milly dashes out to tell the great news, Kei is left in the dust, fed just one spoon full of spoon. It left him thinking if he made the right choice deciding to live here.
“Oye Milly, what you runnin’ for?”
“Ah, Roy, you’re back. Look, look, we got a new brother now! And he’s really cute, too.”
“Is it the kid gramps brought? Why are we deciding to let him be with us? Just send him back to where he came from, we can’t trouble gramps more than we need to.”
“But, but he has no place left to go to. He’s staying with us and I’m going to tell gramps about it.”
“What? I’m telling you, we can’t afford for him to stay. And he doesn’t even look useful.”
“He’s cuter than you and that’s that. Hmph.”
“Wait! Milly! Damn it, you never listen to me. I swear that kid’s gonna be extra luggage for us.”
Milly runs off to tell gramps the good news, while Roy is left in the opposition. Kei still struggling to eat the soup, which has been watered down, has found a place to call home in this other world. The start of his new life, and the goal to have a happy family begins.
Name: Kei Tatsumi
Age: 8 years old
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Status: orphan, god’s blessing of vitality
Family: Eren (grandfather), Milly (sister), Roy (brother)
Name: Milly
Age: 8 years old
Race: Human
Gender: Female
Status: orphan
Family: Eren (grandfather), Kei (brother), Roy (brother)
Name: Roy
Age: 8 years old
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Status: orphan
Family: Eren (grandfather), Milly (sister), Kei (brother)