Chapter 3: Beyond Confines Of Walls

 It's been two whole years since my reincarnation, and I've become completely accustomed to my new body. I can move around effortlessly and fluidly, navigating the world with ease. However, there's a tiny inconvenience – doors can be quite the challenge for a three-year-old like me.

The language here is unlike anything I've ever encountered in my previous life. Nevertheless, I've gradually picked up a few words and swiftly acquired fluency. Surprisingly, it only took me about a year to master this new language, which was quicker than I initially anticipated.

In terms of appearance, I've retained my familiar black hair and eyes from my previous life, but there's always an underlying sense of peculiarity about this body. Perhaps it's the contrast from my previous one? Moreover, I've noticed a few peculiarities about this body; it seems to grow at an astonishing rate! Its adaptability is truly remarkable.

Within the first year of my reincarnation, as previously mentioned, I gained a comprehensive understanding of the language, and within two years, I've become capable of fluent speech. However, I've deliberately chosen not to reveal this ability to Leila and Cliff.

I embarked on my journey around six months into my new life, which may not appear unusual initially. Yet, there's something extraordinary about it. Apart from those two incidents, I rarely feel pain. I vividly recall tumbling down the stairs once without flinching. Initially, I attributed it to sheer luck, but similar incidents became commonplace. Situations that ought to inflict significant pain on a child like me seem to have no effect. Perhaps my adult mind is somehow dampening the sensation.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate this apparent resistance to pain, but it's also disconcerting. I appear to possess an abnormal level of strength for a three-year-old. I can effortlessly lift a shelf with one arm, as if it's second nature. Fatigue is practically foreign to me, or at least, I don't recall ever feeling tired, and believe me, I'm familiar with fatigue—I once perished because of it.

Oh, and there's this bizarre thing that happens sometimes: I seem to levitate in my sleep... Well, maybe that last part was a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the idea.

I can't help but wonder if all these peculiar occurrences are somehow connected to those strange flashes I experienced when I died. When my consciousness faded, I witnessed bizarre and vivid images flashing before me. Even now, a year later, the memory of that post-apocalyptic world with its haunting mountain of corpses remains etched vividly in my mind.

And those eyes...

 That's enough pondering for now. My current plan involves orchestrating my first escape since arriving in this unfamiliar world. I'm determined to venture out into the unknown for the first time since my arrival, driven by curiosity to discover which country or continent this might be.

I've ventured outside a few times, but my outings never took me beyond the enclosing walls. Judging by the people's appearances, my best guess is that I'm somewhere in Europe. Yes, it must be Europe. I can't imagine anywhere else where you'd find women as strikingly beautiful as Leila. However, it's puzzling that I haven't encountered any semblance of technology since my arrival. The fact that Cliff works as a blacksmith in this day and age only adds to my intrigue.

Enough with the speculation. Currently, I'm holed up in my room, while Cliff is occupied in his workshop out back. Leila, on the other hand, fulfills the role of a dedicated housewife, meaning she's home an astonishing 95% of the time. The remaining 5% is reserved for essential errands, such as restocking our food supplies or managing other household necessities. Essentially, those errand runs are her only moments away from home.

Leila's routine is quite predictable. After finishing all the household chores and other tasks, you can usually find her in the living room, engrossed in her knitting or some other craft project. And when she's not occupied with that, she's showering me with affection.

Now, don't get me wrong, I enjoy being the center of attention, especially when it comes from someone as beautiful as Leila. However, I must admit that this wasn't my first attempt at "Operation See the Outside World" but rather my sixth.

All my previous attempts were thwarted by Leila at the very last moment. She's almost like the guardian of the living room, an insurmountable obstacle standing between me and the outside world. But this time, I've devised a different plan.

If I can't make my way through the front door, my only option is to sneak out through the window. However, there's a slight issue with that plan – the window in my room is situated about three meters above the ground, which poses quite a challenge for someone of my stature.

Fortunately, there's a trusty stool tucked away in my room, which seems to be the key to my great escape. I position it beneath the towering window, and to add a few extra inches to my makeshift ladder, I gather a haphazard pile of books I never had the slightest intention of reading and stack them on top of the stool. With this questionable tower of knowledge, I ascend unsteadily, my balance teetering on the brink.

I finally reach eye level with the window, and with an anxious heart, I fling open the shields and covers, eager for my first glimpse of the outside world...

But then reality smacks me in the face, and I'm hit with a wave of panic. No way! No way! No way! My internal alarms are shrieking like a banshee.

Maybe... maybe I should just take the stairs instead?

There's simply no way I'm going through with this hair-brained window escape plan. It initially seemed like a brilliant idea, like something out of a fairy tale where a princess locked in a towering castle makes a daring getaway through a window. But let me make this perfectly clear – it's a suicide mission!

Yes, I understand my new body might be remarkably sturdy, but I have absolutely no desire to test its limits just yet. Uh-uh! I've just been reincarnated; there's no way I'm kicking the bucket this early in the game.

As I reluctantly came to terms with the sheer stupidity of my window escape plan, I hastily slammed the window shut and swiftly dismantled my makeshift tower of books and stool. Well, that's one idea thoroughly discarded. So, what's the new game plan? I strike a contemplative pose, my fingers pressed to my chin, but frustratingly, I can't conjure any brilliant ideas. Ugh! I'm dying to get outside.

With a heavy sigh, I reluctantly accept that there's no alternative. It's time to confront Leila head-on. After reaching this stern and final decision, I clench my fists and make my way downstairs to the living room. I crouch by the stairs, observing Leila as she's predictably engrossed in her knitting on one of the couches.

Now, all I need is a distraction – but what? Suddenly, the universe seems to answer my plea, as there's a loud crash of shattering plates emanating from the kitchen. Leila, reacting swiftly to the noise, abandons her knitting and rushes towards the kitchen to investigate the source of the commotion. I'm not entirely sure what caused the racket, but this is my golden opportunity.

With bated breath, I patiently waited for Leila to vacate the living room completely. Only when I was sure she had left did I begin to execute my plan. Swiftly and as silently as my tiny feet could manage, I made a beeline for the door.

This was it, the culmination of overcoming numerous obstacles and navigating through various levels of difficulty. Now, I was at the final hurdle, facing the ultimate boss battle – the doorknob!

I halted and cast a fierce glare at my formidable adversary, which loomed above me at an unjust height. This was the moment when the doorknob, the natural nemesis of kids my stature, revealed itself. Every previous attempt had been thwarted by this very door and its intimidating doorknob. However, today was different; I had no intention of confronting the doorknob head-on, at least not at this height.

Instead, I veered toward a window beside the door, luckily not nearly as tall as the one in my room. A small stool sat beneath it, my ticket to freedom. I used the stool to boost myself up and out of the window into the front yard. Who would have thought that my first successful attempt at sneaking out would be at the tender age of three? I couldn't help but wonder how I would react if my own child decided to embark on a rebellious phase at such a young age.

As I lounged myself out of the window into the front yard, I was greeted by the cool breeze caressing my face. The sun beamed down, and the sky stretched out in clear blue expanse. It felt utterly delightful. Operation "See the Outside World" was an undeniable success!

Now that I'm successfully out of the house, I find myself in the front yard, a space I've become rather familiar with. So, while I can't exactly declare the operation a complete success, it's also not entirely wrong to say so. You see, my primary goal lies on the other side of the wall.

The house is enclosed by a meticulously crafted stone wall, and there's a gate leading out to the front yard. I make a beeline for this gate, eagerly exiting the compound. The surroundings are teeming with lush greenery, and as expected, the air is as fresh as it gets. I relish in the wonderful sensation as I take a deep breath, inhaling the crisp, clean air before exhaling with a sense of liberation. The combination of fresh air, the taste of success, and newfound freedom is simply invigorating against my skin. Without wasting another moment, I embark on my exploration.

Our house was perched atop a modest hill, affording me a clear view of the surrounding area. I could make out several other dwellings constructed from similar materials as ours. These homes were fashioned from a combination of stone, wood, mud, or sometimes a blend of all three, and they were nestled amidst vast plains and fields. The ambiance had an unmistakable medieval vibe to it, leaving me to ponder the lack of modern technology in this part of the world.

Setting my sights on exploration, I chose to descend the hill to the town below, my steps guided by curiosity rather than a specific destination. Once there, I ventured into the bushes, hoping to discover plants or insects that might offer a clue about the country or continent I found myself in.

To my relief, I stumbled upon a plethora of peculiar and utterly abnormal plants and insects. However, this newfound knowledge also came with a dose of discomfort, as these organisms were so bizarre and outlandish that they sent shivers down my spine. Despite my unease, I couldn't identify my current location; these flora and fauna were unlike anything I had ever encountered in my past life. Perhaps they were rare, newly discovered species or something entirely unique to this world?

'Interesting,' I thought with a shiver.

After a futile period of aimless wandering through the bushes, I eventually emerged into a vast, golden sea of wheat that stretched as far as the eye could behold.

The wheat fields displayed a mesmerizing dance, their stalks swaying in fluid, wave-like patterns following the gentle caress of the wind. It was a truly majestic spectacle, one I had never personally witnessed in my past life. Sure, I had seen such scenes in pictures and documentaries, but to witness it firsthand was nothing short of breathtaking.

I took a few precious minutes to savor the awe-inspiring sight before me, but then a curious thought struck me. How on earth do they manage to plant and harvest such a colossal field without the use of tractors or modern machinery? I knew it was theoretically possible, but the sheer amount of manual labor required for such a task was beyond imagination.

As I contemplated how such vast fields were cultivated without modern machinery, a young woman's voice caught my attention. Though her words were indistinct from my distance, she lifted her hands overhead. Suddenly, a mesmerizing sight unfolded as a spherical mass of water materialized out of thin air, gathering in her palms. With a subtle flourish, the sizable water sphere burst into countless raindrops, cascading down upon the field below—an astonishing display.

My eyes widened in disbelief as I tried to comprehend the scene before me. I rubbed my eyes to confirm what I was witnessing, only to notice a man standing not far from the woman.

Similar to her, he spoke inaudible words from my distance, then gestured with his hand. Immediately, a gentle whirlwind akin to a weak tornado swept through the field, causing the crops to uproot.

I had pondered this before but dismissed it. Their lack of technology wasn't due to being born in an underdeveloped area; they simply hadn't invented it yet. Instead, they wielded a different, seemingly superior power. It surpassed the significance of technological advancements, something most could only dream of possessing.

They had Magic.

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[A/N]: Chapter four will be out in some hours.