Act.

~Pre-reincarnation~

It started in the filthy apartment of Haruto Sakamoto. As always he was glued to his screen, a major gamer and total shut-in. It was the night the unimaginable happened, where his life changed for the better.

Called by his parents and friends one particular name - Unmotivated Bastard. He didn't have any other goal besides wasting himself in his obscene apartment playing games, watching pornography or masturbating.

This made him distant from people. The only reason he even had friends was because they didn't know who he really was, but it was going to change today. Because he planned to meet her. The girl he'd been playing "Elden Annulus" with all this time.

Her in-game name was "@UselessSakura30." But in real life she went by Sakura Sakaguchi.

As for Haruto, his was "@SexyZeus24/7." A name that struck fear in the hearts of gamers all around the world.

Standing up from his swivel chair and removing his headphone designed for the ideal audio setting for gaming, he walked over to the bathroom.

Staring at himself in the mirror, it was like his ugly appearance couldn't help but laugh at him. In his late forties, a virgin, hadn't taken a shower since the last edition of Punter × Punter and a likely diabetic patient after all the sugar puffs he consumed a day. How much more pathetic could a human get?

Some minutes after, he stepped out of bathroom. A clean shave and ready for his meet-up with the girl. This was the first time in his life he was motivated.

A bouquet of flowers in hand, he rushed out of the apartment and snuck past his landlord. Why? Overdue rent.

...

When he arrived at their meeting point, Sakura phoned him.

"Hey!" her voice was chipper and lively. Without a doubt it was a lady in her early twenties.

Immediately Haruto panicked, 'Shit! Shit! Shit! Why me! I'm at least two decades above this gamer girl, she definitely has an Onlyfans page. I should ask her for it... No! Focus Haruto, you messed up big time.'

The age difference was too high. He lied to her about his age only because he thought she was also lying about hers. He'd rather trust a protagonist from a mind game anime than the age women tell you they are.

"Uhhh... Hey, it's Haruto.." he did his best to speak in a way similar to someone in her age grade. In reality, Haruto made virgins look like Casanovas.

"I know silly, where are you? Can you wave back?" Sakura waved her left hand in search of her mystery online boyfriend.

'That's her?! You hit the jackpot Haruto-dono, but you failed to impress her physically. She'll think I'm her potential boyfriend's dad..' and unfortunately, not the hot dads people were used to. Just the ones that waste on the couch all day watching pre-recorded Superbowl clips.

"Hey there sexy.." a guy came up from behind Sakura, placing his hand by her waist.

It was alarming and caused her to retaliate, immediately she turned to slap him across the face. A slap that felt like light-years of human evolution fixed into one palm. A transcendental slap, similar to the one mother's unleashed on rebellious kids.

She was sure this wasn't Haruto. He was a well-mannered guy and treated women with respect. She knew that much from her in-game conversations with him.

"You're dead girl!" he unfolded his knife and pointed it at her.

Haruto who watched from afar was in shock. He knew he had to help her, but he hesitated. The fear that she'd discover who he was came as a constant reminder to him with every step he took moving forward.

'No! I have to help her! Strength, Vitality, Skill, Dexterity! I have it all! I can save her!' he was determined.

Some seconds later, a knife was deep into his chest. Blood pouring out as vehemently as the rain that the skies cried out.

'What the fuck? Am I really dead?' he asked himself while the image of Sakura faded due to his failing vision.

...

~Post-reincarnation~

The three year old Archibald opened his eyes abruptly. It was all a dream.

("Geez, for a moment there I thought I was back on Earth. Wait... Do they even call it Earth here? Do they know it's a planet even?")

"Archie!"

He heard his name being called and immediately sprung out of his chair rushing down the wobbly, wooden stairs. He was excited to see what it was about. Given the tone of voice he could preclude it wasn't his father's. Surely, that was his mother's; Amara.

His parents were at the door. They had a visitor or rather one who'd come to stay.

Michael tightly grabbed onto Amara's buttocks and Archibald clearly saw it. "Michael.." she salaciously called out his name, "Stop it, Archie's watching and we have a visitor.." her own way of telling him not to stop.

("Lucky bastard! I've only ever gotten used to the two-dimensional cold feel of buttocks everytime I scrolled the web at night..")

He pretended to act innocent, like he had no idea what Michael was really doing, "Mother, you called?" his voice was wholly professional.

She'd almost forgotten herself as a result of Michael's magical touch. When she heard Archibaldʼs voice she immediately removed Michael's hands and opened hers out as a gesture to hug Archibald.

The young boy rushed to his mother and affectionately embraced her, she used that as an opportunity to carry him in her hands. "Who's my handsome, little genius! Yes you are!" her voice akin to a child's.

("Unhand me woman, I'm too old for this dammit")

In actuality, Archibald enjoyed it very much but wouldn't admit to it. The last time he experienced a mother's love in his previous life was in his late teens. After several demoralizing terms in school, he slowly drowned into his own pitiable pessimism and shut himself away from the world.

Since that one decision of failure, he remained unmotivated ever since. And the one time he does get some shred of motivation, it led to his death.

Michael pointed straight ahead, "There's the teacher we said we'd get you.."

They lived in the Berkyl Region, apparently. It was far off from the Azapita Mountains which led to the Velvana Territory.

Velvans were the higher class of Elves who inhabited this territory. With the most prominent royal family being the Greenwoods.

The man being pointed at was thirty meters away, but given Archibaldʼs village was wide in agriculture, there were lots of grass in the area. The few houses in this Region were well dispersed making for better farming opportunities.

Originally, Archibald believed they were just a normal family of commoners but in fact they had noble blood in them.

The Pendragon family was broken down into three different households there's the Graviant Pendragons of Alakatasia, Felmodeus Pendragons of Camelot; the most known and lastly, them who were the Melvis Pendragons of Benatleb.

("This guy's gonna have some insane skills, I'm so glad I was a Sword and Gunsman in Elden Annulus. Damn it! All those showerless days of leveling up is finally gonna pay off! I mean I'm definitely more skilled than the average three year old who can only suck their thumbs... Heheh, so I can't rule out the possibility that I'm a badass...")

Thinking deeply, Archibald didn't know when the man arrived in front of them. He wore in a tattered black robe that hid his face and had a large brown sack worn atop his shoulders.

("Hm. This guy looks strange, like those dealers you'd find on the dark web. Come to think of it... It reminds me of that bastard I tried to buy a Jennifer Lopez album from, dude was a scam, my two hundred thousand yen wasted..")

They lived in the sticks of the outer borders, so it was strange that they got a response for a tutor so easily. And Michael said he got it for a cheap price as the man only wanted eight silver pieces per month.

Unveiling his face, the man uttered "My name is Gadi Veltits... Pleasure to meet you." he looked to be in his early twenties, Michael and Amara would only be some few numbers older than him. Perhaps a year or two.

He was a fairly tall man with a lean yet well built physique, light colored skin, long blond hair and blue eyes, almost like he was of european descent. The most distinguishable factor he had were his pointed ears.

("Talk about Sensei Lite Mode... I was expecting the retired swordsman, you know, the middle aged type with long bushy beards, a cane, wooden slippers and he'd call me Archie-san and our story would legendary. Well, at least he got the billowing cloak bid right.")

Archibald in his mother's arms looked closely at the man.

("He is a handsome guy without a doubt. And those ears... He's probably Elven, damn it! Why wasn't it a lady, female elves are the epitome of beauty, the day I meet a flat elf is the day I lose my virginity and we both know that isn't happening..")

"So you're the teacher?" Michael inquired, unsure as to why a teacher would be so young.

"I am, I sent a letter ahead of my arrival.." he didn't.

"I'm surprised father.." Archibald uttered. His parents always found it disturbing that he referred to them in such a mature manner.

"What's wrong kiddo?" he inquired, Amara was equally interested. And the same for Gadi who inconspicuously stared at Archibald.

But before he could speak, a beautiful sight ceased his speech.

The emergence of an Elven girl that looked to be around his age. Dainty pointed ears, light blue eyes and an ivory colored hair. She was a beaut, so much so that Archibald had to swallow his saliva in order to catch a breath.