Starting a New Life from the Beginning

[Frieren POV]

As my eyes fluttered open, a soft, warm light filtered into my vision. Everything was blurry, and my senses were overwhelmed by a mix of crisp, fresh air and an earthy scent.

What… happened? Where am I?

I tried to get up, but my body wouldn't respond at all. It was like I'd been paralyzed from the neck down.

What's going on? Why can't I move?

Panic flickered within me, so many thoughts racing in my mind. 

Had I been hospitalized all this time? Was everything that happened inside the empty void—my wish, the light—just a hallucination? All those reflections about moving on to the next life, all of it… was it for nothing?

"-----...-----...----"

Just as I was about to spiral into hysteria, a female voice called out, speaking in a language I didn't recognize. Her figure blocked the light, and she looked... bigger than a normal person should be. Was she a giant? Or... am I just small?

Hold on, small? Don't tell me...

Before I could fully understand what was happening, a pair of massive hands gently grabbed me by the waist and cradled me in their arm.

Hey! Let go of me! Who are you?! And where did you take me?!

When I tried to speak and demanded some questions, I was taken aback when I heard myself babbling like an infant. 

Oh no... no, no, no!

I tried to speak again, but it was the same—more childish babbling.

My heart sank as the realization hit me. Just as I expected, I had been reborn.

But, to make things worse, I was reborn as a newborn baby.

While still trying to process the absurdity of my current situation, the person holding me just started inspecting my body. They started with my feet, then moved to my hands, and finally, they stroked my face with surprising gentleness.

But when their hand reached my ears, something felt off. It took a while for them to reach the tip like my ears were... longer than they should be.

And then something just clicked.

I'm an elf, am I?

---------------------------------------------

You have got to be kidding me. I'm seriously an elf?

Of all the possibilities, and this is what I get? Don't get me wrong—elves are cool and all, but there were so many other races I could have turned into.

Like a Dragonborn, with their superior strength and fire-breathing ability, or a Beastkin, who had insane agility and heightened senses.

But no, I get the long ears and a love for nature. Sure, elves are known for their archery skills and magical prowess, but let's be real—neither of those abilities was all that practical in fast-paced combat. Where's the brute strength or swiftness when I need it?

Actually, wait a second. Forget about the race for a minute—why am I a newborn?

Typically, in stories like this, the soul of the departed transfers into a body that matches their original age. It's more of a transmigration than a full-blown reincarnation. So why in the world am I starting all over from the beginning?

This isn't how it's supposed to work!

"---...----...----...------?"

While I was having an existential crisis, the person carrying me spoke again, their tone gentle but filled with concern. Were they worried about me?

Honestly, they should be. I'm the one stuck in this ridiculous situation!

Okay, Hikari. Breathe in, breathe out. Calm down.

I know this isn't what I expected. But still, this is my second chance, right? A chance to take a different path than the one I walked in my previous life. I'm still alive, I still have a future, and if I play my cards right, I can make something out of this.

Even if I'm merely an elf... and a helpless baby.

I've already been given the first step—this new life. And that's something, isn't it? Maybe the race doesn't matter, and neither does the age. What matters is what I do with this chance.

No matter what, I'm going to figure things out. And maybe—just maybe—I might even enjoy it. Elves live for a long time, right? At least I have that going for me.

I glanced up at the person holding me. Their face was obscured from my newborn vision, but their warmth was undeniable.

Maybe this wasn't such a bad place to start after all.

Then again, I'll have to deal with learning to walk, talk, and function all over again. Great. This is going to be a long journey.

-------------------------------------------

Alright, time to strategize my next move.

Since I'm unable to see, move, or speak adequately, I decided to observe my environment by listening to sounds. Infants may be partially blind at birth but they have sensitive hearing and given that elves have long, pointed ears, it makes things easier for me.

Even though I currently inhabit this infant body, my mind is still that of a high school girl who studied various subjects in my previous life. So, my first goal is to gather as much information as possible, including the people around me, their language, and my immediate location.

Firstly, I determined the individuals in the vicinity, starting with the person carrying me, who I presumed was my mother. Her voice was gentle, filled with concern and tenderness.

Other than her, there were two male voices—one was slightly deeper and middle-aged, likely my father, and another was older and more weathered, possibly a grandfather.

Listening more carefully, their voices were overlapping in a language that, though unfamiliar, had a certain pattern in their semantics. I mentally took note of every word they were using and tried to make an educated guess on what they meant.

Aside from people chatting, I could also hear the distinct sounds of birds chirping and leaves rustling. It was serene and quiet, unlike any city or town I had been before.

That settled it. I was in a forest. Not a typical modern world setting—clearly something more medieval or fantastical. Elves were known for living in harmony with nature, after all.

It wasn't a surprise, but it did confirm my suspicion—I wasn't anywhere near a technological civilization, as I used to know it.

Okay, the first goal was partially complete. I have three individuals living alongside me, their language was somewhat manageable, and my location is a forest area.

The next thing I need to do is wait until my vision becomes clearer so I can observe the faces of the people and my environment.

growl~

Unexpectedly, I heard my stomach growled. Of course, how could I forget a newborn's basic needs? They need nutrition, right? This could only mean one thing...

"---...----...------? ----."

Before I could react, something succulent and soft was pressed against my lips, and a sweet, warm liquid flowed into my mouth. If biology taught me anything, I knew what this substance was—it's breast milk... It's goddamn breast milk...

Great, this was going to be my life for a while, huh? 

Resigned to drinking my mother's milk, I had no choice but to accept the biological limitations of my newborn body and adapt to the daily routines of infancy.

I mean, how hard could a year of being a baby be?

----------------------------------------------

[One year later]

Quick update—being a baby is genuinely hard, no kidding.

First of all, adapting to this little body was a challenge in itself. It took several months for my eyesight to clear up, so I took a while to figure out what I was seeing.

And don't get me started on motor skills. Initially, I could only wave my limbs helplessly, and getting up on my own was difficult. Eventually, I managed to gain some control but crawling was exhausting, and standing up felt like winning an Olympic medal.

It felt like every single day was a test of perseverance.

Then there was the whole communication ordeal. I honestly had so much to say, but all that came out were coos and babbling. It was like being intercepted by a language barrier that I couldn't break through.

Though I tried mimicking the sounds around me, hoping to learn their meaning, progress was relatively lagging.

And then there was the constant need for care. Being dependent on others for everything—feeding, cleaning, comfort—was utterly humbling.

I had to trust that my elf mother understood my needs through my cries and gestures, a form of communication I hadn't used since infancy in my previous life.

But amidst these challenges, there were moments of pure joy.

The unconditional love from my new family, the marvel of discovering new sights and sounds in the forest, and the simple satisfaction of being held and comforted—all these softened the hardships I had previously.

Anyway, now that I'm a year older, I've got bigger plans. I can finally leave the comforts of my home and explore the forest. So, time to put these tiny legs to good use.

With courageous steps, I walked through the front door, ready to encounter whatever was on the other side.