A Strange Yet New magical World?

Chapter 4: A Strange Yet New magical World?

Arthur felt confused as he couldn't feel anything around him. Only darkness could be seen, and there was nothing in sight—just pitch-black darkness. He couldn't feel his own body and was confused because he remembered dying after getting shot by John.

'What is happening? Where am I? Is this hell? Am I going to stay in this darkness forever?'

Arthur felt terrified by the idea of staying in this dark, abyss-like place for years, as he didn't think he would be able to stay sane. The idea of dying didn't even cross his mind because he knew he was already dead and couldn't feel his own body.

But suddenly, while thinking about being trapped, he felt a strange pull. His thoughts became disarrayed, and he couldn't think, only feeling himself being pulled by something.

He couldn't resist the force, so he let himself drift along. After not knowing how much time had passed, Arthur opened his eyes, only to see he was in an underground mine where strange blue crystals were in front of him while he lay on the ground.

He stood up after some struggle but felt a little weird. His head felt heavy after gaining some clarity of mind.

Arthur was confused as he remembered dying and being stuck in that strange dark place.

'What is happening? How am I still alive? And where am I? What is this strange place I'm in?'

Before he could think of anything else, he felt a sharp pain in his head as he remembered the memories of a handsome young boy with silver hair and purple eyes.

'Who was that? I don't know him.'

'But why am I seeing him? This guy surely is handsome.'

There were many things in the memories, like how he spent his time in an orphanage with other children or how naive this kid was to get tricked so easily.

As the memories continued in fragmented scenes from different ages, Arthur felt shocked, confused, and even fearful. The things that were happening didn't match his world. After a few seconds, everything ended.

Now Arthur focused more on his body. He felt his body wasn't familiar to him. As he extended his hands, he saw long, white hands wearing a piece of clothing he had never seen before.

Now he fully realized this body was not his. He could also tell that he could see a lot higher than he was supposed to, and being an otaku, he knew what was happening.

'Have I reincarnated into this handsome kid's body?'

If this had happened to him at another time, Arthur would have felt thrilled. However, he knew he was in deep trouble, as he had become a slave to the elves like many other human males who didn't have the ability to feel mana.

'But why is this world so weird? Why does everything I've seen tell me that women are the ones superior to men in every way, even in strength, even before the magical events happened?'

'I've also seen this guy getting shy after being seen by a girl. While I didn't see his full memories of school, everything I've seen in his memory looks like those things that happen in some weird novels.'

'Has the morality of the world reversed?'

'But if that's the case, why would the elves take men hostage and women as slaves?'

Suddenly, a sharp pain hit his brain once again as the remaining memories of the boy named Arthur, just like his own name from the previous world, became complete.

'So they only turn those men or women into slaves who don't awaken the ability to use mana after the strange portal opened five years ago, and the monsters entered their world.'

'Because, to the elves, those who don't have the ability to use mana are beneath them. They don't care about gender in this.'

'And why is the awakening rate for men only 10 percent while women are 90 percent? This is pure discrimination.'

'But I must have some golden finger like the protagonist in the manga, as I've reincarnated here in this boy's body, who died after falling and hitting his head on the blue stone.'

As he moved his hands, which still felt a little unfamiliar to him since his usual hands were short, he touched his head. He felt a sharp pain because the wound was still there.

"Ouch!"

'Argh! It hurts! My wound should have healed after reincarnation, but this is nothing compared to the pain I felt after getting hit by the bullet John shot at me.'

He felt angry just remembering how John shot him, but he tried to calm down, knowing there wouldn't be a John present in this world, so his anger wouldn't do him any good.

After calming down, he focused on the golden finger he was supposed to receive.

He tried calling for the system, stats, and anything else that could help him discover his golden finger, but nothing happened.

'I'm still going to live a mediocre life even here? At least give me the ability to use mana!'

From the memories of this Arthur, if he could use mana, the slave mark on his body would disappear on its own. So, he turned the sleeves of his baggy white piece of clothing, which was a single tunic-like ancient garment that covered his whole body, to check his wrist.

Seeing there was still a black magical pattern drawn on his wrist, Arthur knew he couldn't use mana.

He felt betrayed for not even getting a golden finger after transmigration, but he didn't feel too bad knowing how he got treated, even after becoming a slave to the elves.

'The treatment here is still better than how I got treated in my previous life, and I'm handsome and tall, so I wouldn't mind living here.'

Still, Arthur felt sad, knowing he wouldn't be able to use magic and, more importantly, live a longer life. He didn't know how long, but the boy had heard that people who increased their rank in magic could live much longer than usual.

'I believe it must be true.' 

'But why is this kid here all alone?'

Reminiscing about his memories, Arthur now realized why this naive kid was here.

'This poor kid came here to find treasure even after their shift ended today, stealing the mana stone is not even a question as those powerful female elves are guarding outside and I don't think naive fool would even have thought of stealing.'

'This isn't the first time either.'

'He comes here every day after his shift ends to find treasure. Did he really think he'd find some magical treasure here, where elves mine mana stones from their planet?'

'This kid is so naive. More importantly, he doesn't even realize that people around him are taking advantage of him every day.'

'Well, that's all in the past now. Have a good rest, kid. At least you enjoyed life while living and died happily, so from now on, I'll take care of everything.'

'And I will make sure you won't be taken advantage of by anyone from now on.'