A Strange Body
When I came to, I was naked.
And it was winter.
...?
Of course, if my memory served me right, I went to sleep in my bed yesterday.
As I squatted, shivering, trying to grasp the situation, I felt a strange sensation from the hands wrapped around my body, a sensation I'd never felt before.
What is this...
My skin was soft. Unnaturally so.
My voice being a little childish was hardly worth noting compared to how bizarre this was. I spread my hands and realized this wasn't my body. It was plump and small.
It was the body of a boy, perhaps around five years old.
Looking around, I could tell I was on some kind of medieval street at night.
In short...
I couldn't understand a single thing that was happening to me.
As I stood there, dumbfounded and trembling, a surprised voice suddenly reached my ears.
It is, isn't it? What are you doing out here in this cold?
...Huh?
Two women, dressed like nannies, fussed over me as they approached, then draped their clothes over me.
Oh? He's not an Orphanage Student? I haven't seen him before.
Then this child is... Oh dear, how pitiful, tsk tsk...
Wait, just a moment. Where is this place?
When I asked in a childish voice, a look of pity crossed the women's faces.
Poor thing... It seems he still doesn't know what's happened.
To abandon him in this weather, they might as well have killed him. May those people be cursed by the heavens...
No, what are you talking about—
Come inside first, or you'll freeze to death.
I was led into a building by the hand of one of the resolute women.
*Inside, a terrible scene unfolded: grubby children choking each other, fighting, and sobbing.*
It wasn't particularly surprising. This is usually what happens when you have over fifty children under the age of ten.
The women, rather than getting angry, clapped their hands to get everyone's attention.
Alright, everyone. We have a new friend today. Please be kind to him.
...
Feeling dozens of curious gazes, I realized.
*Could this be...*
*...Isekai Reincarnation?*
*Why is this happening to me, who was just minding my own business...?*
Oh my, you can't use such bad language in our Orphanage from now on!
***
After my reincarnation, I pondered it thousands of times over the roughly five years until I turned ten.
*Why me, of all people?*
I hadn't committed suicide out of despair, nor had I been hit by a truck. I hadn't been betrayed by a lover, nor had I been defeated fighting my worst enemy.
I had simply lived an ordinary life, then fallen asleep from exhaustion.
If there were a sin, perhaps it was being content with an ordinary life.
And when I opened my eyes, I was a complete orphan.
It felt like walking down the street and suddenly getting slapped hard across the face. I kept wondering why some bastard would send me here, leaving aside other suffering people, when I had just been living a moderately comfortable life without much worry—
No answer came.
What could I do? In this world, I was just an ordinary orphan. I simply lived.
Alright, alright, class is about to start. Everyone gather in the Classroom~
Okay~
Living in the Orphanage, I realized something.
This country is incredibly wealthy.
“Jereun, how much allowance did you get?”
“500 copper.”
“What? Why do you get twice as much as me?”
“It's not that I get a lot; it's that yours was cut in half because you peed on Louis's face when he was sleeping last time.”
“He said it was okay to pee on him if he didn't wake up!!”
Jereun—that's the name I was given. I'm still not used to it, though.
I gazed at the green-colored coin for a moment, then slipped it into my pocket.
It wasn't even meant for meals. Meals were provided punctually at set times, and the allowance was literally for snacks or cultural activities.
The quality of the food was also excellent. There were so many strange vegetables and meats that I couldn't be sure, but <span class="docx-body-text">seeing the children grow, or rather </span><span class="docx-emphasis-text">swell</span><span class="docx-body-text">, over the past three years made me suspect they might be mixing in Growth Accelerant, and the portions were certainly ample.</span>
The living quarters were also decent. Four children shared a room, but it was spacious enough that there was no inconvenience, and we could bathe whenever we wished.
Most importantly, they were serious about education.
“Who knows the three essential things for farming?”
“Me! Land, strength, and...water!”
“Of course, strength is needed, but no matter how diligently you till the field, crops won't grow without *this*. Think again.”
Compared to my previous world, this was elementary school level education, but that was because we were actually elementary school age. When I eavesdropped on the lessons for the older Orphanage Students, I could tell they were teaching diligently in various fields.
Math and science were only taught at a basic level.
Most of it was history, law, language, and Vocational Training to broaden our options.
For orphanage students with academic talent, there were even programs to help them become public officials, which honestly surprised me.
I had initially imagined a medieval Orphanage to be like a Gangster Group that starved and beat children while forcing them to beg, but this place was so bright and hopeful.
For me, it was nothing short of a blessing.
As I attended class, sending endless gratitude to the unnamed Princess who championed Child Welfare, crumpled pieces of paper kept flying at me from behind.
At first, I ignored it, but then I heard the sound of something heavy being carefully taken out of a desk, so I frowned and turned my head slightly.
“What.”
“You have to come see the performance after class.”
“?”
After a moment of thought, I realized this was a child's typical invitation, where the conclusion was already decided.
Lately, the children kept clinging to me. It was probably because my black hair was a rather unique feature that attracted their interest.
It was a blonde girl, smiling brightly as she spoke. I think her name was Linmel. We were quite close... I suppose. Probably.
I shook my head.
“I'm not interested in performances.”
“Then what are you going to do?”
“I'm going to observe ants, and if it gets boring, I'll step on them and kill them.”
“That sounds fun! Can I join?”
“You have the performance... Never mind.”
Children this age change their minds so quickly that 'fickle' doesn't even begin to cover it. As he wrote the basic elements of farming on the blackboard, I saw the teacher spitting, and I quietly replied.
“Actually, I have to study. So I can't play with you. Sorry.”
“Stuuudy? You're doing it right now, aren't you?”
“I need to do more.”
“Why?”
“It's easier to get adopted if you're smart.”
“Adopted?”
“...It's when parents come to take us away.”
“But they said our mom and dad went to a faraway country?”
“...Don't you think it would be good to have even *fake* parents?”
“Hmm...”
As I answered, sweating, Linmel thought deeply for a moment, then nodded.
“Yeah, that sounds good! I'll study too!”
“Phew...”
The facilities are good, and people's gazes aren't unkind.
But—ultimately, it's an Orphanage. The first wish of children who aren't yet too old is to be adopted.
Whether adoption is possible or not is usually decided around the age of ten. I'd heard rumors that no one gets adopted after turning ten.
But honestly, I didn't want to be adopted. I didn't want to think of strangers as my parents.
My entire goal was simply to become a Scribe. Of course, the path of a Knight would lead to wealth and glory, but—
Thwack—
“Jereun, you're weak, aren't you?”
“...”
A wooden sword rested on my head.
Naturally, there were many spirited children who dreamed of becoming Knights, so the Orphanage had a Training Ground and wooden swords. I'd brought Linmel here to spar once, but...
I guess I have no talent for swords.
I had no idea how to make a sword 'dance'.
Instead, it seemed Linmel was the one with Swordsmanship Talent, as she precisely parried my clumsy movements and rubbed the wooden sword against the top of my head.
Even the technique of reducing force at the end to avoid injury is a factor.
This kid is definitely going to be a Knight.
I sighed and pushed the sword away from my head.
“That's amazing.”
“What? Jereun is much cooler. Didn't you get first place on the History Exam again?”
“That's...”
...because I'm the only one who pays attention in class.
My mind is that of an adult man, after all. If I can't even memorize elementary school level material, I might as well die.
From my perspective, Linmel, with her Knight's Talent, was far more impressive. I'd seen countless people who were good at studying back on Earth, but never anyone who wielded a sword so well.
I tidied up my spot and stood.
Let's just live moderately here too, content with what we're given.
I realized the very next morning my talent wouldn't allow that.
***
Early morning.
When I woke up, the ceiling was blurry.
*What the...*
As I tried to get out of bed, I tumbled to the floor with a loud thud.
My legs wouldn't obey, and the floor against my cheek was icy cold...
My body was burning hot.
My entire body felt like a ball of fire. When I called for help in a hoarse voice, the children who had slowly woken up screamed in surprise.
“Aargh! Jereun's dead!”
“W-we need to call the Orphanage Director?”
The fuss made my head throb, and my mind grew hazy, pulling me back into a deep sleep.
A bad cold? Flu? No, it was different. Not a sensation of pain, but...a feeling of something merging.
When I opened my eyes in the Infirmary, I saw the rare sight of the Orphanage Director and Teachers looking at me with serious expressions.
It wasn't normal for them all to gather like this just because one Orphanage Student had a cold.
Feeling uneasy, I asked.
“...What's going on? Am I dying?”
They conversed quietly among themselves, then the Orphanage Director approached, her face solemn, and began to speak.
“Jereun, you've received a terrible gift from your parents.”
“Huh?”
Divine Heat.
That was the name of the illness that had made me burn with fever.
To put it simply, it's a pain all Mages experience in childhood.
Am I a Mage, I who knew nothing of Magic? That didn't make sense, but that wasn't what she meant.
In this world, a Mage is like someone born with three arms.
Only those born that way can use Magic; if you're not, you can't use Magic no matter what you do.
Naturally, people born with three arms aren't common.
Even with extreme luck, it's a rare case, appearing perhaps once every ten years, and even then, it's usually someone with a Mage ancestor.
However, there is one sure way to produce a Mage—
If both parents are Mages.
“No, wait a minute. As far as I know, Mages are...”
As I trailed off, recalling the common knowledge I'd learned in class, the Orphanage Director nodded with a stern expression.
“Shouldn't we be more formal with each other?”
“It's not certain. It could be from a distant ancestor...”
“Hmm, we should consider keeping this a secret for now.”
A bewildering Secret of Birth.
It seemed I was an illegitimate child of a noble.
The reason was simple—all Nobles are Mages.
From ancient times, Nobles repeatedly intermarried with Mages, who truly possessed Noble Blood...
This ensured that everyone was born with Magic Talent.
Of course, there were a very few Mages who weren't Nobles. I'd learned they were like Prophets who trained in the Snowy Mountains.
Since it was unlikely such people would have children, it was highly probable that I was an Illegitimate Child of a Noble.
*I, an Orphan, actually inheriting Noble Blood?*
Hmm.
I hadn't particularly wished for a Reversal of Status like this.
“I'm sorry, Jereun, but this matter...”
“This is a big problem.”
“W-well, it's not *that* bad, but nothing good will come from spreading it around.”
I thought for a moment.
She's trying to comfort me, but it really is a big problem.
The fact that someone not of Noble birth is a Mage is extremely unpleasant from a Noble's perspective.
And from the Commoners' perspective, it's hard to deal with too. It's similar to having a tangled family tree.
I had become something difficult for both Nobles and Commoners to approach.
“So, for now...”
“I'll keep it a secret.”
“Oh? Hmm, yes. Let's keep it a secret. Don't show it off to others unnecessarily.”
“Understood.”
Seeing me agree so readily, the teachers actually looked more uneasy.
But why would I boast about a burden that only creates weaknesses the moment it's revealed?
*Unless I were an Unparalleled Genius...*
...
.
*Am I...?*
After I made about a hundred books float in the air in the Warehouse, my thoughts changed slightly.
I guess I do have talent after all.