TBATE - The Second Son

Chapter 7: Message

Around 4 months have passed since my family arrived at the Helstea manor. Understandably, my parents have not moved on yet from the events a few months ago, not even I have fully accepted it.

Such a talented human, to just die there seems hard to believe, but the fact that he fell to his death is proof of that.

All I can do is accept the fact and learn from it. Getting stronger is a priority, that is why I've been training a lot. My training consists of baby activities like playing with blocks, reading books via someone reading it, gaining control of all my movements perfectly, and meditating to awaken my mana core as my brother did.

I can now speak more words and walk around more. I hate the fact that I always have a diaper on me. If only I had control of my bowel movements, I guess I have to wait for a few more years. I need to re-learn how to write. Be it English or the symbols, some information I've read could be lost after years of not refreshing my knowledge. There is no way for me to refresh my knowledge if I don't have the resources available to learn it. The fact that I now live in a different world, which is behind in terms of science, but has characteristics of fictional fantasy.

Lilia would play with me often, it's fun because she acts like a big sister to me. Due to her being much stronger than a baby, I'm mostly forced to follow her, since I don't show my displeasure with her forced invites. I'm such a pushover baby, at least for now.

As a reincarnated baby. I must not stand out, or I would be the subject of suspicion and attention. I would take a slower pace and try to be a genius slightly above geniuses, at least intellect-wise. It would be best if I hide most of my talents unless I've got no options left.

The characters I've read in fictional stories would always show me that hiding their strength and only showing it to a select few, privately, or when it's unavoidable can help a lot since everyone would underestimate you and not gauge all of their capabilities. By hiding my cards, I can deceive my future opponents by giving them false info as to what I can really do and leave them in the dark.

I made my way down to the dining area where my parents are. The atmosphere is still off, I just hope to see them truly smile after they've sorted their emotions. I wonder if I ever sorted mine. Back then I always used escapism as an escape from my own emotions, an escape from my fears, an escape from the reality I have lived. Old habits do die hard.

The fictional books here sure suck. Ughhh, I miss reading literature from Earth, so many unfinished stories and sequels. I guess I should write a book here in the future about Earth. I would be able to see if there were also reincarnators from Earth but there would be risks involved. Not everyone has good intentions, especially in a new world where fantasy elements are in fact a reality, they would get drunk with power. Using their past knowledge, they have the edge over everyone in this world.

Speaking of reincarnators, I assume my brother is also one but I have no way of knowing anymore.

As my mother raised me up to my seat, she helped me eat the dish prepared, beef stew huh. I have no way of distracting myself now. My mother tried feeding me, but sadness took over and I've lost my appetite.

Soon enough, there was a faint sensation, similar to when magic is being used. It might be my imagination, but...

'Hi Mom, hi Dad, hi August'. I heard my brother talk telepathically. I must be too deep in my thoughts again and now I'm having delus...

'It's me your son and brother, Arthur.' I looked around, trying to find the source of the voice to no avail. I saw my parents, also baffled by the voice of my brother like they were also trying to see if they have delusions.

'...Again, I'm alive and well, Mom and Dad. I managed to survive the fall off the cliff...'

What? How? That cliff is at least two hundred feet above someone else should have saved him.

'I'm alive and safe. I managed to survive the fall from the cliff...just barely.' he said. 'This should be kept a secret, but I'm currently staying in the kingdom of Elenoir with the Elves. I know it must've been hard.' He said.

Still shocked by the information I've received, I've barely heard what he said, even if it was telepathically, but I still pretty much heard that he has some sort of illness and needs to get treated. A deviant was behind the telepathic communication, he'll keep practicing magic and fighting and that we should stay safe all the time. Overrun by emotions, my parents cried, tears dripping.

Unfortunately, I'm caught in between their embrace so some of their tears got to me. I can't help but smile knowing the fact that I still have a brother.

Filled with positive emotions, I can't help but look forward to the future. If this were the old me, I would have suppressed my emotions, but this is not the old me. The past is gone, now is the present. With experiences from my past, I will walk in the present to build the foundations of my future.

A few more months have passed and we've celebrated my second birthday. I asked my mother to teach me how to write. The symbols used here are pretty much the English alphabet with broken letters. Practicing how to write was easy since I've already known what some symbols are. Hopefully, I can get some unsupervised reading time in the library. I need some blank books to write out the information I've kept stockpiled. I'd hate to lose years of information go to waste and refreshing it won't happen since I would need a reincarnator for that to happen or write down information before I lose it.

I would write the book in the English alphabet, so people won't decode the contents of my book easily. Is me and my brother's reincarnation a coincidence? Were there also others? How many are there hiding in the shadows I wonder...