It felt warm, like how one would feel under a pile of comfy blankets, laying beside a blazing fire in the middle of winter. The boy couldn't focus very well, but seeing a deep, brilliant redness, encompassing his view, didn't require a sharp vision. A beating sound kept reverberating in a fast rate, sending a wave of sudden jump after each beat.

Feeling a strong need to rest, he closed his eyes, falling into a deep sleep for who knows how long.

Once here and there, he would wake up, see the same surroundings, feel an overwhelming exhaustion, and again fall asleep, but he had lost his sense of time, not being able to tell how much had already passed or how many hours, or perhaps minutes, did he stay awake at these durations.

During one of these times, woken up by hearing a series of heavy moans, something kept pushing him forth like a river, flowing in a specific direction. The redness in sight approached him, putting pressure on his body, which he could tell had the most effect about the head.

A light flickered along the way, casting a deep glow similar to that at the end of a dark cave. Slowly but surely, the reddish setting turned into a blurry vision of blinding brightness. His ears felt clogged, hearing incoherent deep voices all around, which he couldn't recognize even by giving full attention and focus.

His body felt tired again, asking the mind to take a rest, which it obliged, forcing him into another deep sleep. When he woke up, his eyes had already adjusted to the light, although his sense of hearing was still shrouded.

He could see and differentiate a human figure, sitting to his left with a glowy brownish background behind, growing dim in brightness as his vision became clear, revealing walls of burnt umber limestone and cheap cracked hardwood floor.

A burning candle, on what seemed to be a crumbling desk, shone light throughout the room, allowing him to see the person vividly: It was a figure of a man with a cragged face and rough hands, possessing dark unkempt hair and hazel eyes. He wore a rustic tunic, which laid bare his slim build.

The man reeked of moist soil and manure, which filled the boy with disgust, but the feeling wasn't mutual, as the man looked at him with a gentle smile on his face, showing a set of yellowish teeth.

Becoming aware of the surroundings, he noticed a white piece of clothing wrapped around himself, covering everything except the face, which signified how relatively small his body was.

The view before his eyes gradually changed, being turned around, to face a joyful smooth face, that resembling of a young woman, with eyes of burning scarlet, brows angled, and cheeks blushed in delight. She held the boy in the air, slowly distancing him from herself, letting him see the golden hairs flowing in slight waves over her generous bosom, and the shiny squashy mattress, on which she lay.

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She had a red-hot smile on her face, displaying snowy teeth that bore resemblance to wild pearls.

"Who is this women?" he thought. "And who is that man?"

Being able to process information and formulate his thoughts, he put together the details of what had happened until then. I see, it seems I have to start from scratch. Back when meeting the goddess, he expected to be reincarnated instantly with the power and talent of an adult male, skipping the childhood period.

But impatience wouldn't do any good. The strings of destiny would indeed help him in his life to achieve what was previously asked and gifted. This world is going to be all about me, spending some time as a child here and there won't make much difference.

So this lady is supposed to be my mother?

The heavenly scent of the woman before him had the strength to perfume the entire room, in contrast to the unpleasant smell of the man sitting beside her.

And this dude is probably a lowly servant? Where is my dad, I wonder.

Trying to make sense of the situation, he came up with a speculation, Perhaps he is a famous adventurer, who's exploring the unknown and killing monsters while saving kingdoms from falling and innocent people from being slain, day and night without a rest. It would be normal for my father to not be here when mom gives birth to me.

Everything made sense, except for a small detail that confused him. Would they leave a male servant with a woman alone? Wouldn't a female servant be more appropriate?

As the boy fell deep in thoughts, his mom spoke words, which he failed to understand, and then kissed him on forehead, standing up a little and leaning on the pillows. She then brought him near her chest in a cradle hold to start breastfeeding her baby, letting him taste the first milk of his new mother.

His mom and the man beside her exchanged looks and sentences that he had no idea of what they meant, but there was a word that kept being repeated, "Aydem."

Is it one of those sight words in their language? Or it could be...

All doubts were vanished once the mother separated the boy from her breasts and moved him right before her face, clearly uttering, "Aydem."

Pointing at herself, she said, "Emine."

The scruffy-looking man also came close, waving his hands, "Aydem."

"Xander," he said, putting a hand over his chest.

As mom held him gently in the air, the man placed a hand over the boy's chest.

"Aydem!" they said in unison.

He couldn't recall a lot from his childhood in the previous life, but getting to experience the first moments of one's birth for a second time awakened something deep inside of him, something that was long forgotten.

And so here's my father. This guy's my daddy. That much I can figure.

An unanticipated revelation, as he had expected his father to possess a rich heritage.

But let's not judge a book by its cover. My dad can still be a great adventurer and warrior. Right! Right! He still smells bad though...

His mother, on the other hand, had a stunning look and charming appearance, capable of bewitching anyone by her staggering beauty.

Aydem, huh? I can't say I hate it.

The woman continued breastfeeding the boy in her arms, giving motherly love to her son.

"A refreshing drink," Aydem thought.