There was something I always asked myself when I was in high school.

What makes someone a genius? That was a question I asked myself countless times when I was a high school kid. A genius is defined as a person who has remarkable intellectual or creative function, or other natural ability.

I was never one of those people. I was surrounded by them, however. Entering one of the most prestigious schools in my city was both good and bad. My self-esteem took a nose-dive. Each and every day I’d see the gap between the normal people such as myself and the geniuses. It was… very large.

However, just because you were born normal did not mean you’d remain a bland human being forever. If you worked hard and put in the effort then there’s no limit to what you could achieve. I never believed those words. They were said by people who already achieved great things in life after all.

I failed tenth grade twice. I didn’t take school seriously when I was younger. Why did we need school, was the question I’d ask myself.

I began getting serious in life once I realized my mistakes. I put in an effort to improve myself. I even did a math degree in college. Yet what did that bring me in the end when the pillar that guided me left? Homeless, broke and jobless.

I had to live with my ex which was humiliation of the highest degree.

"Deadline is today..."

I packed up the papers with the character sketches I finished just a few hours ago. Since I was a night owl, I tend to focus better during the night.

"Ah, fuck..."

I ran to the train station only to find it packed with people. There were even several lines.

I decided to walk. It's always busy in this city during the mornings. I can't remember the last time I got into a train without any problems.

I saw the cold air exhale from my mouth when I sighed.

"Did you hear about this morning's news? More kids disappeared last week."

"Yeah. It's strange how they don't find any leads."

I heard the conversation of two people as I stood at the traffic lights and waited for the light to turn green.

It was as Stranger A said. People had been disappearing for reasons we couldn't fathom. First it was at the local high school near our apartment then it started happening to all the high schools. I wondered what it could be. Some said it might be mass kidnapping, yet no traces get left behind.

"What the hell is going on with traffic today?"

I grumbled as I saw the cars pass by.

"Huh?"

I saw three boys push around a girl on the sidewalk. The weather was cold and the sidewalk was slippery.

"Give it back!"

She had tears in her eyes as she jumped to take the bag from the boy.

I turned my attention away from them but couldn't help but hear a noise.

HONK—!

A honk grabbed my attention followed by the sounds of crashing.

'What's going on?'

It was coming closer down the steep road. The traffic was way too much for me to cross so I could only stand on the sidewalk.

SCREECH

I heard the sound of tyres screeching on the road and looked in its direction.

"RUN!!!"

People started screaming when a car was toppling over the other cars. It smashed down the poles that stood in its way and nearly hit a person.

'What the hell. Why is it not stopping?'

Maybe it was because the street was a small hill that the car couldn't slow down.

That girl I saw earlier was still trying to get her backpack back.

"SHIT!!"

They were still unaware of the danger behind them.

I dropped my laptop bag and dashed toward the girl who was in the range of the chaos. The boys were frozen in fear when they finally saw the approaching car.

Many other vehicles crashed into each other creating a chain reaction.

"Out of the way!!"

I grabbed the girl and tried to throw her onto the pavement.

"---!!!"

I slipped on the icy road but managed to get her out of harms way.

"Run–"

Before I could finish speaking, a heavy impact crashed into my body.

My vision blurred in and out of consciousness.

'Huh? Why is my head spinning?'

I couldn't hear anything besides the ringing inside my head. It felt like I was flying.

BOOM—!

I felt an impact on my back and only then did the pain come.

"GYAAAH!!!"

I screamed at the top of my lungs.

The gathering pedestrians hurriedly called for help.

"Kuk!! Guh...!"

I could barely speak. When I looked down...

"...?"

My entire lower half was gone.

"!!!!"

A shriek came out of a nearby pedestrian's mouth as she pointed upwards. I looked as well.

'Ah, man... why does it feel so peaceful...?'

I was strangely calm inside my mind even as I felt agonizing pain.

The location I landed in was a construction project of a new building.

The objects falling towards me were pillars.

"Fuck..."

I shut my eyes tight as I clenched my jaw.

The heavy objects fell on top of me. The pillars crushed my head and then my body.

I died.

◇◇◇

'Huh? Where am I?'

I was surrounded by darkness and it felt like my body was restricted of its movements. It was like I was in a tight area.

‘Did I manage to save the girl at least?’

Moments before the accident, I ran to save a high school girl. Did she make it out? I couldn't see her before my death since I was thrown into that construction site.

My consciousness faded to black when the impact from the objects—each weighing a ton—landed on top of me. I wasn’t even able to feel any pain. All I felt was a squishy sensation before I entered the land of the dead….

Or so I thought.

Where am I?

I felt myself moving in a tight area. My hands and feet were like jelly and I tried grabbing onto anything I could latch on to. I could only move my fingers and toes. It was too difficult to open my eyes for some odd reason.

‘How am I moving when I already died? Is this a dream?’

A vibration, followed by the movements of the walls of which I tried latching onto. I felt like I was getting pushed out of something. Were the walls constricting? A type of fluid was making it easier for me to move outwards. I could also feel folds.

However, I felt uncomfortable as a type of liquid kept trying to suffocate me.

Was I underwater or submerged somewhere? I could feel my throat vibrate but I couldn't hear my own words.

‘This is strange…’

I shouldn’t be alive. I should’ve died when the pillars fell on top of my body. Could it have been reincarnation? I never believed in such concepts like reincarnation exists. If you die then you die. You vanish into dust. We go back to where we belong.

‘…Light?’

At the end of the tunnel I could see a bright flash.

I heard a scream but since my ears felt clogged up I couldn’t make out where it was coming from. I could barely move my neck to see where I was. But since my eyelids didn’t brighten up. I could tell that I was in a place filled with darkness.

After what felt like an eternity of being pushed by a force, I finally felt free.

My eyes wasn’t used to the light. I couldn’t keep them open since it was too strong.

My ears began clearing up and I started hearing the voices. It came from all around me. They were unfamiliar voices.

Looking around I saw many people entering the room when I opened my eyes. They were all wearing old middle age clothes.

“It’s a boy, madam!” A woman wearing maid clothes shouted while holding me in the air.

‘Huh?’

There was a lot of people who entered the room. All of them were looking at me.

My voice didn’t come out. Rather, I had no voice.

‘Why can I not speak? No, more importantly. Why am I still alive?’

“Thank you… everyone…”

A woman’s mumble caught my attention.

“Goodness. I was so excited that I suddenly grabbed him. Here, madam.”

‘Hm?’

The maid handed me over to another person.

‘Whoa…’

I saw a woman with dark brown hair and green eyes look at me with a tired smile. Her entire body was covered in sweat and she was breathing heavily. Nonetheless, she didn’t lose the warm light in her eyes as she held me.

Her robe was slightly open that I could almost see everything. Droplets of sweat trailed down her cheek.

She held me in her arms and wiped her tears.

‘I’m a baby…?’

Since I could see how small I was, I was convinced.

“Ah… You have my eyes and my nose.”

She poked my nose softly.

“Congratulations, El. He’s such a beautiful child. I can see the resemblance between you two. And look, he even has a beauty mark below his mouth. The same as you."

A woman with long grey hair came up to my mother and held her hand.

‘Huh? Why are her ears so long?’

I saw two long ears sticking out from behind her grey hair.

‘An elf? No way…’

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw her ears. I was sure that she was an elf. But, elves didn’t exist on earth though…

“Thank you, Miss Solphia. Although, I’m a little confused. Didn’t the doctor say that it would be a girl?” My supposed mother squeezed the elf woman's hand.

I saw a man with a bald head and glasses awkwardly smile. He was wearing a doctor’s coat.

“My apologies, ma’am. It seems that the magic sensor organ was mistaken. Maybe I calibrated it wrong. Goodness… I should quit before I make a mistake during surgery at my age.” He mumbled with a troubled expression on his face.

“Everyone! We need to give the couple some alone time! I can hear the father coming now.” The elf shouted at everyone.

All of the people that were gathered in the room sighed in disappointment. They abided by the old woman’s order and left the room.

“I’ll inform the magic shop that you’re resting after your pregnancy.”

“Thank you, miss Solphia.”

“Haha. Don’t mention it. I’ll visit you later today again.”

A noise similar to galloping horses entered my ears.

“Seems like he’s here. I better get going.”

She waved one last time before leaving the room.

‘First things first… Where am I?’

It was a world different from earth. No, it was rather similar in many ways. Except a few things. I didn’t see any modern lights but instead I saw lamps and candles being used as light.

There was also the fact that the house I was born in was built using bricks and wood. It was built in a way I’d never seen before on earth.

How should I say this… it was like the house was built in an old design.

“Are you ready to meet daddy?” The woman sat me up against her chest while looking at the door of the room.

‘My father?’

“Eleanor!”

The door opened with a bang. A man wearing knight attire burst into the room. His hair was light brown while his eyes were black. He had three swords hanging on his waist.

“You missed his birth."

My supposed mother glared at the man.

“S-Sorry. I was in Hurge city with lord Mason. I had to steal a horse to get here.”

The woman chuckled.

“Come meet your son, George dear.”

The man came towards me as he took off his armour.

Tears gathered in his eyes.

“My baby boy… Ah, he’s so cute.”

“Fufufu.”

The woman laughed while patting my head. I could only gaze at them in confusion.

“What should we name him, George?"

The man, George, looked at me with a big grin.

“How about Clyde? That was the name of my late grandfather.”

“Oh! That’s perfect! Clyde Astley. Yes. My baby boy Clyde.”

The two of them finally cried tears of joy as if they couldn’t hold it in anymore.

Reality kicked in and I realized that nothing I experienced thus far was a dream.

'I was born into another world.'