Dream

"We meet again. It seems you're getting used to this place.""You are… the boy from last time?""Yes. We Executors need to periodically observe the reincarnated individuals to understand their situations and provide appropriate help when needed.""Sigh, life has been tough since I turned into a dog. Luckily, I've been adopted by a kind family, so survival isn't an issue for now. But I don't understand the language of this world, so I can't do much.""I roughly understand your situation. Since you're having a harder time than the other reincarnators, I'll grant you the ability to understand this world's language. The others, who arrived here as infants, have gradually learned it over the years. They've been here for over a decade and are now about ready to set out to defeat the Demon King.""Demon King? There's a Demon King in this world? Does that mean my mission is to defeat him too? Oh, and yesterday, I was chased by a monster and fell into a valley. I found a bead there, and it had some mysterious power that seemed to get absorbed into me. What's going on with that?""I'm sorry, I don't know much about this world myself. I'm just an Executor who arranges reincarnations based on the divine oracle from above. I can sense some ominous energy in your body, likely from that bead you mentioned. You'll have to investigate that yourself. For now, I'll grant you the ability to understand this world's language to help you carry out your tasks more effectively."With that, a beam of light shot from the boy's palm and enveloped my body. I didn't feel anything strange. "Now you can understand the language of this world. That's all for tonight's meeting. See you next time." Then the boy vanished. When I woke up from the dream and opened my eyes, it was the next morning. I stretched and prepared to get out of my nest. "Xiaobai, you're awake! Come eat~" …Huh? I clearly heard the little girl's words—I could understand her! It seems last night wasn't just a dream; I really did learn the language of this world. They call me Xiaobai, huh? The name's a bit funny, but oh well. I wagged my tail excitedly, barking, "Woof woof, woof woof!" "Alright, alright, you little glutton. Today I've prepared some jerky and vegetable soup for you," the little girl said with a laugh. "I'm going to the city with Dad to deliver goods today. Want to come along?" This was a rare opportunity. Compared to the countryside, the city might have more news to overhear, and as a dog, humans wouldn't be wary of me. I nodded eagerly, barking again. "But you have to behave, okay? No running off in the city," she said, patting my head.After breakfast, the girl's parents loaded the goods onto the cart. Her mother said to me, "We're counting on you to look after Bona, Xiaobai." So the little girl's name is Bona. "Woof!" I stood up straight as if I'd been given an order. "Haha, Xiaobai's such a good boy," her mother said with a smile as she saw us off.It was a clear, sunny day. The gentle swaying of the cart felt like a cradle rocking us, making me drowsy again. After about 20 minutes, we reached the city gates. Bona's father showed something like a pass to the guards, who let us through. Passing through the towering gates, I was greeted by the sight of a bustling market—carts and people coming and going. So this is a big city? It's really different. Bona and I got off the cart and walked alongside it. The streets were filled with people, and now that I could understand them, I needed to keep an ear out for valuable information. After a while, we arrived at a shop with a sign that read "Philo Trading Company." It seemed they were here to sell their crops, kind of like dealing with a buyer in the real world. Her father negotiated with the shopkeeper while Bona and I wandered nearby. "It's the heroes! Look!" someone in the crowd suddenly shouted. Everyone turned to look in the same direction. (Heroes? Could they be reincarnators like me?) Curious, I bolted toward the commotion, ignoring Bona calling after me. Squeezing to the front, I saw three young men and two women being led by soldiers, waving to the crowd as they passed. "I heard they've returned from a mission up north to report to His Majesty," the onlookers chatted. (His Majesty? Is this the capital? Looks like I've stumbled into an incredible place. I can't believe I got to the capital so soon and ran into fellow reincarnators this quickly. I'm so lucky!) "Xiaobai! Xiaobai, where are you?" I suddenly remembered Bona was still looking for me. I squeezed out of the crowd and ran back to her side. "You naughty little thing! Don't run off like that—what if you got lost?" Bona scolded me angrily. I whimpered and lowered my head as if apologizing. "Alright, let's head back. Dad's probably done with the trade." I followed Bona back to the trading company. Today's outing had yielded a lot of useful information—very worthwhile. Tonight, I'd need to think carefully about my next steps. Judging by the friendly, confident faces of that hero party, defeating the Demon King probably doesn't involve me. For now, I should focus on figuring out how to turn back into a human.