Stella and Gustav were still fighting when the old man began speaking.

— "You know, your mother and father grew up here in this small town. They were both orphans from Pyeonin, a northern human kingdom. When the Demon Lord expanded his territory, Pyeonin was the first to fall. Gustav's father was a noble, and Stella's parents were adventurers—they all died in the war.

I found them both in a refugee caravan and decided to keep them here in this small town. The remnants of Gustav's bloodline wanted to kill the last of his family, so we hid him here. No one would suspect a former prince living in a place like this.

Wait—Gustav, my father, is a prince? That's quite a surprise.

— "Also, Gustav was a weak, sickly child. Stella used to mock him constantly for being frail, and they would fight like this all the time." —

Gustav, weak? That seems impossible. Look at him—a full-grown, muscular man who could probably lift a monster that weighs a thousand tons. How could that be the same person?

Who is this old guy, anyway? He seems to know a lot about my family.

— "Anyway, son," — he said, turning to me. — "What are your intentions?" —

He stared at me with an intense gaze.

I think this guy is crazy.

— "Are you really the child of these two people? Or are you something else? A demon, perhaps? You can pretend you don't understand me, but I can see your soul. You're in the body of an infant, but your soul... it's already fully mature. Who are you?" —

Who is this old man?

— "I'm just kidding!" — he suddenly burst out laughing hysterically. — "Why am I even talking to an infant? I guess I'm drunk too!" —

— "Stella! Gustav!" — he shouted.

The two of them noticed him. Stella stopped casting spells, and Gustav stood up but then collapsed back to the ground.

— "Uncle Enchu!" — Stella called out.

— "This is my son." — She picked me up, holding me in her arms.

— "So, Uncle Enchu, why are you here?" —

— "Long story, Stella. First, I'd love a cup of tea... but it looks like your house isn't quite ready for guests." —

He glanced around at the ruins of the house, which had been completely destroyed.

Stella laughed awkwardly.

After that, she used earth magic to create walls and form a temporary shelter. We spent the night there.

In the morning, I was the first to wake up. Stella was still sleeping, so I tapped her face lightly. It hit me then—she's beyond beautiful. I'd never seen this kind of beauty in my previous life, though it seemed like average looks in this world.

I crawled out of the shelter and saw my father, Gustav, already awake. He was with Uncle Enchu and some neighbors, working on rebuilding the house.

Gustav noticed me and jumped down from the roof.

— "Where are you going, Leon? Want to help your daddy?" —

Of course, I don't want to. Even though I was part of the reason the house was destroyed, rebuilding it didn't sound fun.

Stella woke up and saw me with my dad. They kissed each other, which was incredibly cringy. Why am I even narrating this?

Gustav handed me over to Stella, and then we went through our usual morning routine—my favorite part of the day: breakfast. Stella returned to the makeshift shelter and started feeding me... with her milk, of course.

After a while, the house was completely rebuilt. It happened a lot faster than I expected. Building houses in this world seems as easy as washing dishes in my previous life.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Stella dispelled the shelter, and it crumbled into dust.

We entered our newly rebuilt home, and everything looked exactly as it had before. Gustav was really good with details—everything was back to normal. Uncle Enchu then entered the house.

— "Now that the house is complete, I need to tell you both something, Gustav and Stella." —

Stella quickly prepared some tea, and the three of them gathered around a small table while she placed me in a crib. But I could still hear them talking.

— "Listen carefully, you two. The demon army from the northern human continent began marching a year ago. They're headed toward the great desert in the Kingdom of Arthria.

That would be the fifth human kingdom to fall since they captured Pyeonin. The remaining 17 kingdoms are in a panic. They want to form an alliance with the elves to stop the demon advance. But we need powerful humans to halt the demons' movement before they reach Arthria.

The Council of Sages, where I serve, has decided to recruit the remnants of the Hero's Party. I trained you both, and I know what you're capable of. I know you will survive." —

So, demons exist in this world? what a typical fantasy world. The gods should create something more unique than demon vs. human scenarios.

Both of them disagreed.

— "We've done enough for humankind. Sorry, Uncle Enchu, but we're a family now. We don't want to leave Leon without parents," — Stella said.

— "I understand, but I have another request: Let me handle your son's training," — Uncle Enchu suggested.

Both of them were surprised.

Training? I don't like training. All I want is to sleep in a cozy bed and suck on my mom's tits.

— "Training? Leon is just 2 years old!" — Gustav laughed.

— "I know, but I saw your son cast a spell yesterday and destroy one-third of the house." —

— "What!? I thought that was a dream!" — Gustav was shocked.

— "So, you're the culprit, Leon?" — Stella smiled softly at me.

— "Leon is still young, Uncle Enchu. Can't we wait a little longer, maybe three more years?" — Gustav suggested.

— "We don't know when the demons will launch a full invasion on the human continent. We need to be prepared. And after seeing Leon, I feel a strange power inside him. He has the potential to be the next hero..." —

— "No!! Leon will not be a hero!!" — Stella objected aggressively.

— "A hero is just a title the council and the Holy Church give to random humans, using them as guinea pigs on the battlefield to boost soldiers' morale. I won't let anyone force Leon into this 'hero' business." —

— "I see..." — Uncle Enchu stood up. — "I understand. I'll send someone here in three years to train Leon. But for now, enjoy your life to the fullest. And remember, Leon is a special child—don't treat him like a typical infant. I'm leaving now." —

Uncle Enchu left the house.

Gustav looked at me, then at Stella.

— "Do you think our child is... you know, retarded?" — he asked Stella.

Stella smacked Gustav on the head, causing his face to bounce off the table.

— "But Uncle Enchu said Leon is special!" — Gustav explained.

— "If Uncle Enchu says the demons are on the move, it might only be 1 or 2 years before they capture Arthria," — Stella said.

— "That won't happen. Arthria is a massive fortress, and the King of Arthria is a strategist. They can't take it down. Besides, how could two humans like us change the battlefield?" — Gustav reassured her.

— "And of course, who's going to take care of this handsome boy who looks just like his father?" — Gustav added with a grin.

Stella smiled and then cast a spell: */dniw/*

A part of the wooden floor opened, revealing a hidden entrance. Stella descended into the secret passage while Gustav sipped his tea.

She re-emerged moments later, carrying a huge, dusty book.

— "What's that for?" — Gustav asked.

— "This is a book of elemental magic. From now on, I'll teach Leon how to control magic, step by step," — Stella replied.

Well, that's a little interesting... but I already know that stuff from reading the book she written.

Stella walked over to me with the book.

— "Leon, listen. Mom is going to teach you magic, okay? So don't cast any dangerous spells on your own," — Stella said as she carried me into the bedroom while Gustav cleaned the table.

Stella placed the book on the table beside the bed, then started telling me a story about dragons. My eyes grew heavy, and I eventually fell asleep.

Then... I had an unusual dream. I was on a stage with Stella and Gustav. The two of them were whispering each other's names while the crowd clapped in a strange rhythm...

*/Clap*

*/Clap*

The clapping grew faster and faster, and suddenly, Stella and Gustav's voices sounded tired as they continued saying each other's names.

the I woke up. They were both sleeping, and I was in my crib. I tried to stand up. The book piqued my curiosity, so I climbed out of the crib and reached for it. Once I had the heavy book in my hands, I slowly walked out of the room. Using fire magic, I lit a candle and began reading.

This book not only contained basic elemental skills but also explanations on how a caster can combine elemental skills to become more powerful.

Like what I did yesterday. Based on the book, what I created was like a bomb. I formed a solid sphere from dirt and cast a flame in the middle. The pressure from the hot air inside the sphere caused it to explode when disturbed.

So that explains it. This is more like science than magic. That makes sense—magic isn't about some mysterious power. Even magicians in my previous life had logical explanations for their tricks. And here, spells and magic are based on logic, too. I prefer it this way rather than the fantastical nonsense where magic works without explanation.

I spent the rest of the night reading the book. It was fascinating to see how elemental magic could be manipulated, even mixed together to form new spells. Fire and wind, for example, could create a fiery tornado, while earth and water could turn into a mudslide. The potential was limitless, but I knew my body couldn't handle much yet.

The sun began to rise, and I felt the strain on my eyes. I returned the book to the bedside table, careful not to wake Stella or Gustav. Climbing back into my crib, I closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep as I heard footsteps approaching.

Stella came in, stretching as she checked on me. She smiled when she saw me "sleeping" peacefully. If only she knew I had just been up all night learning advanced magic.

Later that morning, during breakfast, Stella spoke up.

— "Gustav, I've been thinking. We need to start teaching Leon now, little by little. Even if he's young, he needs to understand control before his magic becomes a danger to others." —

Gustav nodded, though he looked hesitant.

— "I agree, but he's only two. What can we realistically teach him without overwhelming him? He's still just a child." —

Stella glanced at me, her eyes serious.

— "He's not just any child, Gustav. You heard Uncle Enchu. There's something special about him. I feel it too." —

Gustav sighed.

— "I know, but I just want him to have a normal childhood. At least for a while." —

— "We'll start slow," — Stella assured him. — "Basic control. I won't push him too hard." —

They were discussing my training as if I didn't already know most of what they were planning to teach me. Still, I understood the importance of playing along. I couldn't let them suspect how much I truly knew, at least not yet.

After breakfast, Stella took me outside into the garden. She kneeled down in front of me and placed her hand gently on my head.

— "Leon, sweetie, today Mommy is going to teach you how to control your magic. We're going to start with something simple." —

She raised her hand and a small flame appeared, flickering above her palm.

— "This is fire magic, one of the basic elements. I know you've seen Mommy use it before, but now I want you to try. Just focus on the warmth, and don't worry if you can't get it right at first." —

I pretended to concentrate, although I already knew how to summon fire. It wouldn't do to make it too easy, though. After a few moments of "struggling," I managed to create a tiny flicker, just enough to convince her.

Stella's face lit up with pride.

— "That's it! You did it again!, Leon! See? You're a natural!" —

I smiled back, though inside, I was already planning more advanced spells for later. But for now, it was best to play the role of a curious toddler learning magic for the first time.

As the day went on, Stella showed me how to manipulate small amounts of earth and water, forming simple shapes like stones and puddles. I complied, though it all felt like child's play compared to what I had read the night before.

By the time the sun began to set, I was tired—not from the practice, but from keeping up the act. Still, it was a productive day, and I could see how excited Stella was about my progress.