Chapter 2 - Finding out about the world

My journey in this new world has been surprisingly satisfying. It's been two years since I was reborn here, and during that time, I've had the chance to notice various quirks of this environment. Even though I still haven't managed to stand up long enough to be able to leave the house, it hasn't stopped me from exploring and making some observations.

First and foremost, it's evident that this world is in the medieval era. I can say this based on the architecture of my own house, with stone walls and a wooden roof. Needless to say, when the wind blows strongly, I fervently pray that we won't be swept away.

Everything here is built in a simple and rudimentary manner, if I may say so. From the moment I learned the language of this new world, it became clear that our financial condition is not affluent. My father appears to be a lumberjack, while my mother takes care of the house. Although we are not rich, we also do not go hungry. We have enough to eat, and our house is comfortable enough for me.

Furthermore, I've understood that money couldn't grant me a healthy body if I were born with an incurable disease. Therefore, the simple fact of being born healthy is a true fortune for me. I've learned to value what I have and see wealth in the most essential things in life.

Moreover, in our house, we have a modest library with only a few books, maybe not even fifteen volumes. That's why I consider it small. However, it has been enough to help me better understand this world around me. My mother used to catch me crawling towards the library, but I'm sure she believed I was just curious about everything. After all, who in their right mind would believe that a two-year-old baby could read books?.

Nevertheless, up to this point, I've discovered some information about this world. We are in the year 989 of the Solis calendar, and everything indicates that Solis is the name of the planet we are on. From what I could understand from the books I've read, it seems that people here have no knowledge of the existence of a universe beyond this planet. Additionally, they are unaware of what lies on the other side of the sea. To simplify, my family and I live on a continent called Marben.

The kingdom we are currently in is called Solaris, a name apparently derived from the reputation of the queens and princesses who possess the greatest beauty among all the kingdoms. Interestingly, I overheard a conversation between my parents and some neighbors about the youngest princess of our kingdom, who was born on the same day as me. She is the youngest of a family with five members excluding her, consisting of two brothers and a sister. It's truly a surprising coincidence. However, it doesn't matter to me, as our social statuses are too distinct for me to have any kind of contact with her.

Returning to the subject, our kingdom is surrounded by majestic snow-covered mountains. Thanks to this feature, winters here are somewhat harsh. However, to be honest, the weather isn't as cold as one might imagine. I would say it's comparable to the cold sensation experienced in a cold-climate country in my old world. However, I realize that for people from outside, this place is considered quite chilly.

Geographically speaking, our kingdom seems to be a natural fortress due to its location. The intense cold can influence the course of a war if we know how to use it to our advantage.

After our kingdom, we find the kingdoms of Belfri, Arcolia, Crystal, and Storne. Unfortunately, the books we had at home didn't contain much information about the other kingdoms. However, it seems that the closest kingdom to us is Storne, considered the most powerful in terms of land warfare on the continent. Interestingly, our kingdom and the kingdom of Storne do not have a friendly relationship, although I am unaware of the reasons behind it. That was just information I heard from my parents. I only hope that a war doesn't suddenly break out due to power struggles or technological rivalries.

Another discovery I made while reading the books is that, unfortunately, magic doesn't exist in this world. At first, it saddened me a bit, but I realized there's nothing I can do to change that reality. Additionally, there are no monsters here either. There are some animals that are unique to this place, like a giant lizard that is used as a mount for carrying heavy loads, or cows that, unlike those on Earth, have thick fur and enormous horns growing on their heads.

As I flipped through the books in front of me, I was suddenly grabbed and suspended in the air.

"What were you doing, dear?"

Said my mother, her gaze turning to the books I was reading. At first, I didn't understand a single word my parents were saying, but gradually I became fluent in this new language. It's quite strange considering how quickly I learned. It seems like my learning process doubled compared to my previous life.

"Hehe, you really seem to enjoy those old books. Our Ren is so intelligent"

Another funny thing is that, initially, I thought my name was Reni. At least, that was the impression I got from my mother's words. However, over time, I realized that "Reni" was an affectionate way of referring to me, while my real name was simply Ren.

Getting back to the present moment, even though my mother is saying this, I am fully convinced that she doesn't believe I'm actually reading these books. However, mother, today is the day I will surprise her. In fact, I've been able to do it for some time now, but I wanted to surprise both my mother and my father. That's why I've been training intensely to perform it perfectly. Gathering all the air in my lungs, I uttered my first sentence since I was reincarnated in this world.

"Mama"

After my mother heard that, it seemed like she was frozen in place. I felt a slight apprehension as she stared at me with her mouth open. However, my concern quickly dissipated when my mother let out a surprised scream.

"Bred, Ren, Ren, he..."

My mother shouted, her voice filled with astonishment and excitement. However, despite her efforts, she couldn't articulate coherent words. A few seconds after my mother's screams, I heard heavy footsteps approaching rapidly from where we were.

"What's wrong, Layla? Is our Ren okay? What happened to him?"

My father asked in response to my mother. From the tone of his voice, it was evident that he feared I had gotten hurt or fallen ill.

"Our Ren, he... he... he said 'mama' for the first time"

With a radiant smile on her face, my mother exclaimed while jumping up and down, making me spin. To be honest, this playfulness was starting to make me feel a little nauseous.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhh, is that true, dear? Come on, Ren, say 'daddy' come on, Ren, I know you can do it"

Said my father, excitedly jumping up and down along with my mother. The scene was already crossing the threshold of embarrassment.

"Daddy, mommy"

Once again, the room filled with silence. I wonder if they'll do this every time. After hearing my words, the two started jumping again, this time shouting with joy.

"Our Ren is the most adorable child in the world"

Declared my mother, with a loving and proud smile on her lips, as she enveloped me in a tight and affectionate hug.

(These parents really aren't good)

I thought to myself, while a mischievous smile formed on my face.