Chapter 2 - Different Existence
Darkness…
Everything. Seems so weightless.
Am I, dead?
Aurik didn't understand what was going on, every time he tried to form a single coherent thought, it simply vanished. It was as if his mind simply wasn't responding to his commands. He tried to remember, tried hard, yet, there was nothing.
W-who, where? I am…
The thought trailed off as any semblance of his mind seemed to once again vanish unconsciously. There was naught a thing he could do but watch, as the light in front grew larger, and larger.
Once there was darkness, now, let there be light.
Despite the light taking months, possibly years, to arrive, it felt as if it came within an instant. The concept of time did not exist for the briefest of moments.
Then, after a single event, the world became clear once again.
Slap!
"WahhhhhhhhHHHHHH!" The sound of a crying infant echoed throughout the area.
A bearded man with goggles could be seen holding the leg of the newborn, a thoroughly fatigued woman with her distressing husband to the side.
"It's a b-boy my l-lord!" The doctor spoke, unsure if he picked the right moment to speak.
The frantic father snapped out of his anxious stupor, impatiently gesturing him to near.
"Well, what are you waiting for! Bring him here!"
With no hesitation, the sweating doctor carefully made his way to the noble's side, extending his arms for the child.
The noble, despite his constant air of arrogance, seemed to shine with kindness and compassion for the brief moments he stared into the baby's curious green eyes.
"Vanessa," The bearded man looked towards his wife, who was slowly coming to from her hours of labour. "Look."
The black-haired woman stared at the little creature wrapped up in an opulent blanket, her arms wavered as she reached for the little bundle. "Rosward, he's beautiful." A genuine smile was plastered across her reddened face, her eyes focused on the baby, who was staring back at her.
The doctor simply remained silent throughout the whole scene. Despite having done this dozens of times, he still felt the surreality in front of him. World Nobles, revered and seen as gods, arrogant as they came, in moments like these almost seemed… human.
"What should we name him?" The husband inquired with a smile matching his wife's as he spoke. The two nobles stared at one another, before one finally answered.
"Benedict."
The woman stared curiousity at her husband. "After our ancestor?"
"Yes, just like him."
With a gentle hand, the mother caressed her newborn son's cheek, eliciting a small laugh.
"I like it, Benedict. Saint Visconti Benedict."
It was an interesting experience, to be inside such a little body; innocent, yet with such a clear view of the world. His thoughts were muddied for a short while before it began clearing at a frightening pace. Despite being brought to the world no more than two months ago, he had already shown his parents a learning ability reaching unprecedented levels - or as his dad would say: 'truly fit to be a child of god.'
Dad's weird…
For the most part, the world around him was unfamiliar. Even then, he could feel a inkling feeling of familiarity that only strengthened as time passed. In his room, simple shapes and colours filled the majority of his vision; many of them he would be able to understand, as if by instinct, what they were used for. He knew about everything around him, and at the same time, didn't.
His tiny eyes shot towards the object beside him, that's for hugging, then, to the object on the ceiling, that's to brighten. Every time he would see something new, words would appear in his head. Ones that he had never seen or heard before, yet it felt like he had been using them for a long time.
It barely took any time for him to learn about his immediate surroundings. His parents came to see him very often, but the times they didn't, he would occupy himself by trying to understand everything he could see. It would only be a month, before there was no new experiences. Without them, he was as good as trapped.
Being stuck inside his crib made him felt… boredom. Lying around for hours and hours was peaceful, very much so. Despite that, he wanted to do more, to be more. Many times before, he would try to reach for the bars separating him from the outside world, trying to pull himself. Many times, he would fail in his attempt. For him, moving around without aid was still a challenge, but he would try… and try.
The tiny noble wanted to know everything about everything around him. From the crib where he spent half of his time, to the various strangers he saw beside his parents. Past his room, past whatever was beyond that, and then past that.
This time… for sure.
A hand in front, a leg followed, another hand in front, and another leg followed. Learning from his past failures, he remembered what made him fall, and what made him go higher. Slowly, but surely, he was free.
…
"Rosward!" The frantic voice of a woman resounded through the hallway, and into a massive study decorated with marble pillars.
What?
The man in question turned towards the entrance of his room, an annoyed curiousity festering in his mind.
"Vanessa? What's happening?" It took a good minute before he was able to reach the source of his wife's voice, for the sheer size of the rooms and the hallways actually made it time-consuming to make his way around.
The only times I wished I lived in a smaller place.
Entering his son's room, his eyes widened, and his jaws went slack from the scene in front of him.
Impossible! He's… standing!
Before the noble knew, he was already beside his wife and son, still taking in the remarkable sight before him. A boy, no more than 2 months old, had already been standing! To his knowledge, babies weren't supposed to learn how to do that until 9 months at least!
Truly, I have been blessed! …I can't wait to rub it in Losgard's face!
The next nine months went by like a breeze. Once again, he shocked his parents by performing feats considered impossible by someone his age. Normally, toddlers like him wouldn't be able make even the simplest of sentences until they're close to two, yet, he was already able to do so before he was half a year old.
When the shock factor wore off, his parents once again tried to rub his 'progress' in the other noble's faces, placing him in the same room where the older children were being tutored.
The teaching area, similar to the other places in Mary Geoise, were decorated top to bottom with marble, gold, silver, gems, and everything that could be considered valuable. One could even compare the cost of the room itself to castles used by kings, but this one, this one room, was used for children.
Despite the spaciousness, the place was actually quite active. Dozens of tutors were scattered around the center, sitting at elegant mahogany tables, paired with impatient children that couldn't wait to leave.
Amidst the mass of complaints, whines, and foolery, were a few children, intently listening to what their teachers had to say.
"Benedict, try this question." A man dressed in formal garb laced with silver sat beside the year-old noble, his eyes focused intently on the stack of papers that his student sprinted through with no difficulty.
12 * 14, that's 168.
Benedict quickly multiplied the numbers in his head, writing his answer on the parchment before him within seconds. The tutor however, simply kept a neutral expression. Despite the young noble's unprecedented learning ability, he had gotten used to it, and knew what to expect. Regardless of that, it was still absolutely impressive.
"Yes, that's correct, great job." His words made the boy glance towards him, before staring back to his papers with a frown.
This is so boring…
Despite his desire to learn new things, mathematics was something Benedict had no keen interest over. Ever since he learned how to communicate, he tried his very best to convince his father to allow him to explore the rest of the castle. Even with a bodyguard, his father refused to let him out of his sight.
"No WAIT! I'm sorry! PLEASE! Give me another chance!" Huh? A desperate cry rang across the room, garnering the attention of everyone present.
Benedict turned his head towards the source, his head tilting curiously at what's transpiring. A middle-aged woman, one dressed in similar clothing to the other teachers, was being roughly forced outside.
Why are they doing that?
Benedict turned back towards his own teacher, noticing a terrified expression on his face as his eyes cemented themselves on his associate.
"Mr. Mirio, where is she going?" Benedict questioned, pulling Mirio's robes to get his attention.
The sweating teacher stared down at the noble boy, debating whether or not he should answer truthfully.
"She's… just going out for a w-walk. I-I'm sure."
No, she isn't.
Even though this is a relatively uncommon experience for Benedict, he instinctively knew what fate truly befell her. A few times in the past, he would see regular servants around the area, but then, they would just… disappear. At first he didn't understand, but he quickly realized what was going to happen. There was nobody that told him where and why they left, he couldn't really explain it… he just knew.
"Is Miss. Sophia going to die?" A tint of sadness wore its way past Benedict's curious expression, snapping Mirio out of his terrified demeanor.
"She…" Should I tell him? "She's…" What if they take me too! Mirio hesitated for another moment, brows furrowed and sweat visibly staining his robes, until he finally relented.
"Yes."
"…" Benedict simply looked towards the door where they took Sophia, a contemplative look on his face.
"…Oh."
"Hey! What do you think you're doing!" A man dressed in black shouted from across the room, anger evident on his rugged face.
Benedict felt Mirio's body snap frozen, before looking towards the black-suited man himself.
Why is he always here?
"You're lucky you are making progress here, otherwise Lord Rosward would have already gotten rid of you!"
Why would my father want to get rid of him?
"Y-Yes s-s-sir." Mirio's usual kind voice broke into a tremble, eliciting a weird feeling from Benedict's own mind.
Withdrawing his aggression for now, the man in the suit slumped back on his chair, moving his focus elsewhere.
"Mr. Mirio?" The teacher slowly looked down on the one-year-old, forcing a small smile amidst his terror.
"Y-yes?"
"I don't want you to die," Mirio widened his eyes in shock, clearly not expecting Benedict's words.
Because if you're gone…
"You're my friend." I'll lose my only friend.
.
.
.
.
Chapter 2 Done! Next Chapter: Worlds Collide
Let me know what you guys think!
The nobles arrogant and dick-ish enough for you?
[The Nothing Dragon Slayer's Misadventures in Fairy Tail]
[Chef Ramsay]
[A God's Redemption]
[ROTLB: The Rise of the Light Bringer]
[ROTLB: The Light of Fairies]
[Minipa's Trope Discussions and How to Not Suck Shit at Writing]
[Minipa's Trope Discussions and How to Not Suck Shit at Writing: BNHA Edition]
Minipa, out!
