Author's Note : Today's chapter is 1.5 times larger than the previous two , i mean chapter 1 and 2 not prologue and chapter 0. Enjoy , also please tell me if i need to improve at any point. Anywhere you think I maybe lacking , please tell me. If it's the chapter size being too big, then i'll pour more quality into it. I still am a beginner and i may need someone to proofread the story too. Thank you guys for reading mon.

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His Gift

I stood up, closed my eyes and again used [ Status ]. It opened again, but this time I didn’t need to lie down and focus the blood to my brain, all I needed to do was think of the feeling. The book did say it was similar to it not that the blood itself contained [ Mana ]. There was no real change in the slab which showed the details, it was the same as previous but the [ Mana ] had decreased by 1. It was 399 now and in a moment while I was reading the rest of the slab thoroughly again, it became 400 again.

So I can recover [ Mana ]. Then If [ Mana ] was indeed like energy, I probably recovered it either from absorbing the [ Mana ] around me or using the extra stored in my fats. It could be either cases, the book did say regaining it took time. Since the [ Mana ] lost was less, it quickly recovered.

But I’m still surprised that [ Magic ] exists, this is what differs the humans of this world from the old one. Even though I confirmed it a second time, it’s best if I could get proof from an external source. I went to where Olivia was and asked her if we had a last name. She replied that our family name was Mellinus which had been taken from Dari’s Last name.

“Why are asking that now, Orian?”(Olivia)

“Book said hero had last name, so my last name.”(Orian)

“Oh my, Orain wants to become a great hero in the future. I know you like reading but once you’re a year old, you show go outside and make some friends. I’m sorry you have to be stuck in the house like this.”

Perfect acting on my part. Though I can’t actually form complete sentences yet. Looks like I needed to wait a little more. In a few more months after I’ve become 1 years old, I can take my first steps outside. It’s a weird tradition but it’s followed so that the child would be safe and healthy in the future. At least I learnt the tradition people follow in this world. Most people don’t expect a child who’s not even half a year old to be able to walk and speak.

Now that I’ve confirmed the contents of my status, let’s see what else that book can offer me. I left to my room with the book, since Dari could return any moment. I read a little bit more about [ Status ] after that. The book spoke about the details you could see when you used it.

[ Name ] - Name of the person who invoked [ Status ]

[ Age ] – The time one has lived till when [ Status ] was invoked.

[ Growth ] – The amount of growth that has taken place from Birth.

[ Skills ] – All the skills the individual has acquired.

[ Physical Attributes ] – The factors which decided how much the body and mind had strengthened. These factors increase as [ Growth ] increases.

[ Strength ] – indicates the power your body carries. It can increase by training the body.

[ Intelligence ] – indicates the amount of amassed knowledge and thinking ability. It also decides the amount of mana you can hold to a small degree.

[ Wisdom ] – Mental stamina. It also describes the personality of the individual to a certain level. The older the individual, the more [ Wisdom ] he would’ve obtained is the norm. It can also be high due to calm thinking in difficult situations.

[ Endurance ] – The attribute which decides the resistances to many external and internal conditions. It can be increased from [ Skills ] or getting used to certain foreign elements and conditions which aren’t normally seen.

[ Agility ] – The speed at which your body would react, how fast it can run and its speed of observance.

As I read the book, I saw all of details which had been described. But mine didn’t show [ Wisdom ] and [ Agility ] why? Does that mean I haven’t obtained them yet or a infant’s body cannot actually possess it? Or….

You better not be saying I’m a stupid slowpoke you shitty status.

But thanks to the [ Status ] working, I can understand that the laws of this world were found to a certain extent in this book. As I continued reading, there were many different [ Magic ] the book described. The basic [ Elemental Magic ] such as Fire, Water, Earth and Wind. It also said about rare magic such as gravity, body strengthening, Psychological and Void. Other than that there were [ Unique ] magic which only certain individuals could use.

The book only described about [ Elemental Magic ] and said that rare magic were still under research, so only a few used them. I understood that technology or should I say Magic was still under development in the current era I was born. That would mean I could learn about the ones in this book currently. Even though the book said basics, I don’t think the advanced ones will have anything about rare or unique magic.

After reading thoroughly about the [ Elemental Magic ], I saw this book too had some pictures, it showed how a person could shoot fire from a walking cane …..wait that’s a weapon called the [ Staff ] or [ Wand ]. I’m almost sure it looked like a walking cane for old people.

A wand huh? I don’t think we have such a tool in this house. If fire was used to from that tool, then I’d be doubting why we have flame thrower in the house. But then again, it can be used to cook food or dry clothes….I don’t think anyone would want to hold that to complete household work.

When I read the book further, it looked like it had some words in a different language. They were marked under incantation and they needed to be used to use any of the elemental magic. [ Status ] didn’t use that though, all I had to do say it in my mind or is it because it consumes negligible mana that it wouldn’t an incantation.

I closed the book, since it wasn’t useful to me right now. Wait ….Olivia does cook food, but I never saw what she used though. Maybe if somehow without her knowledge I got a tool she would use for the fire, then I can use it to learn more from this book. I don’t think she’d show me since a parent wouldn’t allow their child to play with fire. Wait there was [ Water ] magic, maybe she would show me how that works.

I go to see Olivia, but before that it’s best to keep the book back. I immediately do that and head to her. She’s probably cooking food for Dari and Sara who’ll come back anytime now. If I go to her for food, she’ll probably feed me that slimy thing of a food. I’d like to avoid that if possible.

I proceed to her and pull at her skirt to get her attention. She turns back and seeing me she happily smiles.

“Oh hello, Orian. Are you already hungry, dear? I’ll ready the millet porridge for you very soon”(Olivia)

I quickly shake my head sideways, that… the thing I ate …..yesterday…it’s Millet porridge. It was a little thick to be porridge, it was like eating foamy jelly. Only some parts were sweet but the rest was bland. Sweet mother have some sympathy for your child.

“Mama , What’s [ Magic ]?”(Orian)

I said with a curious look, widening my eyes a little to show I was sincere and I had wanted to learn. I had to adorable as possible when I had to get what I want.

Olivia showed a concerned look. Her blond yellow hair almost looked a little pale for a moment.

“Oh dear, did you see the book in your father’s study room? Is that why you’re curious?”(Olivia)

I quickly nodded. She didn’t imply I already read it, so let’s just go with this. She continued.

“Listen Orian, it’s understandable that you want to learn but if you grow up too fast you’re surely leave us and go.”(Olivia)

Mother you crafty devil. I understand what you’re saying but you still shouldn’t say that to a kid much less an infant. Wait she’s probably testing how I’ll react, a normal child would cry when the thought of leaving their parents occur to them. I thought this while I stared at her. Tears welled up in my eyes during this moment. Break a leg, me.

“ Wahhh! *sniff* don’t wanna leave ..….don’t wanna leave papa, mama and Sara” (Orian)

Olivia seeing this hugged me, Lifted me up and patted my back.

“There there…Orian, we’re not going to send you away. You’ll be here with us always, I’m sorry for saying that.”

I kept sobbing for a while.Maybe I was a little serious there. I didn’t leave them yet, I mean I’m not even a year old yet. Don’t send me off to school. I hate school.

Thinking that, I realized probably there was such a place which [ Magic ] most probably. Chances are it would require quite some money. Olivia still patted my back and holding me spoke.

“Well if you really want to know about [ Magic ], I’ll tell you about it on your birthday. How’s that?”(Olivia)

Even thought I understood what she said, I still didn’t know how much time a year took in this world. What was the concept of time to these people?

“What’s a birthday?”(Orian).

I said obviously being my adorable self. Hearing this Olivia smiled almost as she broke into laughter. She must’ve thought that this was the same way I asked about magic.

“ It’s a special day, Orian. Your sister’s is almost coming in the next month. Your Birthday is still four months from now.”(Olivia)

Four months, that means one year is Nine months. Do people follow this timing, because a child would take Nine months to be born. That could be the case. But I suppose I can gather up the common sense I need in this world before I start learning about magic. I guess I can always start practicing writing the words.

But right now, I should be happy because next month is Sara’s birthday. I’ll be a very good boy, dear Sister. So please introduce me to your female friends.

-------------Olivia’s POV-----------

Oh my, I almost made Orian cry today. I assumed since he asked about magic, he was growing up too fast. I was scared. He was quick to start walking and now has to spend four more months in the house that way. I see now he’s just curious, even if he leaves this place I’m sure he’ll come back to meet us whenever he can.

It’s hard for a mother to say farewell to their children after all. I thought Sara was precocious, but even more so Orian. But they seem to be growing well.

At least he doesn’t cause too much trouble for me when I feed him. He’s a nice child. I remember Sara going on a rampage not wanting to eat the porridge when I first fed her. Today also he ate the food without opposing. He’ll grow into a fine man one day.

--------About One month later------------

I got up from my cradle. I can get off from it by myself now. This body is growing quite fast. Although my height didn’t change much. As an everyday practice I close my eyes when I wake up and use [ Status ]. Closing you’re eyes the moment you wake up. Don’t you think I should sleep a little more longer?

The status opens up in my mind. I always thought I was imagining it by myself, but I know how well the human mind can remember, so I knew [ Mana ] was being used.

[ Status ]

[ Name: Orian Mellinus ]

[ Age: 6 months 12 days ]

[ Race: Human ]

[ Growth: 2 ]

[ Skills ]

[ Language Comprehension ]

[ Strength: 2 ]

[ Intelligence: 100 ]

[ Resistance: none ]

[ Endurance: none ]

[ Agility: 1 ]

[ Mana: 400 ]

Ahhh….. there’s not much of a change than it was ten days ago. I’ll still be happy my [ Growth ] and [ Strength ] became 2. Finally getting [ Agility ] is great though but I still can’t see [ Wisdom ]. I don’t really understand it much right now, so I won’t mull over it.

I got [ Agility ] by simply running at a higher speed than the normal and crude way I run. I suppose it would be equal to a 4 year-old running. So that meant I was able to obtain [ Agility ]. If I had to make a guess then Sara’s would probably be 2 right now.

It’s not like I couldn’t run at that speed before, so why did it appear only after I did it. Was [ Status ] this world’s method of measuring me? The world is cruel.

That meant, the status updated based on my shown achievement of it. By running at that speed, I’ve finally reached my goal and the world recognizes me for it.

So unless I actually display the use of my previous world knowledge, it actually won’t count. But then again, just doing this much my [ Intelligence ] is at 100. I wonder how much the other’s [ Status ] would be. So is my [ Mana ] limited by my body? I don’t understand it much though.

But all those worried aside, it’s Sara’s birthday today. I should note that me being 6 months and 12 days old, would be when her birthday would arrive. I don’t have a calendar so I can make use of my [ Status ] to remember it in the future. I should prepare her a gift. But I’m not even a year old yet only two-thirds of it. Child labor laws can be a pain in these moments.

I can’t go outside, so I can’t really get her anything. But she spends everyday playing with me, making sure I don’t get bored. Sometimes I think she’s the one who is bored.

Hmm….can I think of any idea?

Oh wait….I can still go into the shed. Those griffons, they shed feathers a lot. I’ve seen Sara clear them from time to time. Also she makes me clear them as well. Dear Sister, have you already learned about free sibling labor?

I don’t think I’m that creative but I can make at least something from those feathers right. I’ll get some thread from Olivia and something to stick them from Dari’s study room and a small cloth too.

Looks like Sara had gone outside to play today, maybe she went to meet her friends. I wonder if I can make some friends in this village. Hope they don’t gang up the new kid.

I take the cloth and use the thread to sew it into bandana. I make small guesses on how wide her head is. I suppose a little bit more bigger than mine. I should be careful of putting the attaching the feather’s in the front. Luckily they don’t slide off and fix perfectly straight on the cloth.

I fixed the feathers to the bandana to the front, if I did to the back then the forehead would hurt because of the feathers sharp end.

I used the sticky material to make sure they don’t fall off while I sew them. This sticky substance is quite strong, I don’t think I needed to even sew the feathers but I did so anyway so it wouldn’t look oddly stuck.

As the night came and the house became dark, candles were lit and Sara was coming back with someone. It was a man. Father ready your gun, we’ll teach this fiend not to mess with the princess.

I didn’t think my sister would be into men who were as old as Dari. He had a scar on his face, he looked really scary if I saw him upfront. As they both entered through the door, Mother and Father both greeted the man. As they all laughed and smiled, just in few seconds the man’s gaze shifted to me. He set aside the bag he was holding and slowly approached me.

What the… you don’t want just my sister, you want me as well?

He quickly held me before I could escape and hugged me. When I saw his face he seemed really happy. I thought with his spiky hair and beard he’d be a person who wouldn’t smile much. But when I saw it, I thought this man was incredibly happy and had longed to meet me for quite some time.

“Ahh..Orian, say Hello to your uncle Guez. He really wanted to meet you all this time, but he was busy for many days.”(Olivia)

“Gu..ee..s”(Orian)

Guez hearing me say this, had a shocked face. His face almost seemed to burst with emotions.

“Ahh.. Brother, let’s go inside. You should be tired, I’ll prepare the bath.”(Olivia).

“Haha … alright. What say you Orian? Want to take a bath with me?”(Guez)

I really didn’t want to agree. Olivia always washed me and sometimes Sara too. I don’t want to go into the bath with a man. But I’ll make an exception this time. It’s Sara’s birthday, and looks like she’ll join too so it won’t be too uncomfortable. I just hope me not getting excited over her body means because she’s my sister and not because I don’t have any interest in a woman’s body.

After the bath, I gave my gift to Sara. She really seemed to like it. Her happy smile was worth using the smelly feathers of Griffons. I cleaned them, I’m not such a lazy brat. The Griffon Princess commands you griffons to not make too much mess for me to clean.

The birthday went well and I got eat food what everybody ate this time not the slimy despair-inducing slug soup. Guez had bought iron boar’s meat, Olivia fed me a little of it. It tasted…..like pure bliss. O Fallen Pig, I thank thee for I can taste they meat as it permeates on my palette. The taste was sublime, the tender juices watering my mouth and slowly going down, the spice making me feel I tasted something more sweeter than honey.

And so we celebrated Sara’s 8th Birthday……? What? I thought she was 10.

So she looks older than she actually is or is it that’s the growth of humans in this world? That’s some quick growth or I just don’t have the right idea for how old a person would be. I also learnt that day Olivia was 20 years old, Dari was 23 and Guez being 24 years old. They’re all quite young actually.

After having three bowls of meat for food, I was put to sleep by Olivia and Sara pat me on the head. It looks like Guez was leaving as I went to sleep. He was a really nice guy, it seems he couldn’t come after my birth since he’s a hunter and needed to protect the village from the creatures from the forest.

I saw my status, just before my tiredness took me in. Before I could see it completely, something like a message had appeared.

[Skill: Equipment building learned]

----------Three months later----------

Today’s the day. It’s finally here. I was getting a little impatient since mother waiting. But it’s time I can set my first foot outside of my home and into the village from tomorrow. That also means today’s my birthday, wonder if Sara will get me a gift. Forget introducing me to older girls for now, at least let me have something interesting from the outside my sweet sister.

I finally was able to improve a lot at communication in these three months, I could speak fluently like the rest. It’s probably because of me improving in writing the language, I had finished almost all the books in the study room and was getting bored, but now I could venture outside. Dari was shocked that I could write well now, Sara was sulking saying that it took her a long time to practice it, but she still couldn’t write well enough. I guess that explains why she likes picture books more. I finished reading the magic book, but still I couldn’t understand the incantations basically because they’re in another language and Sara hardly could read the basic language.

I learned from the book that [ Magic ] including [ Elemental Magic ] and the rest would come under [ Skills ] in my status. Anything that would come under skills could improve over time, depending on the work put into it. So there would be a skill level for any skill, more the level more was the mastery over it.

Ahh right….i had learnt [ Equipment Builder ]. I tried to improve it, by creating bands from long leaves and shining rocks from ordinary rocks. The raw materials gathered by Sara and I became the manufacturer. Making the bands were easy, she asked me to make 4 of them so she could give a few to her friends. She was happy when I made them for her. The shining stone, I made to by using the tool Olivia used to cook. Olivia helped me use it, even Sara couldn’t use it yet, it seems. By heating the small rock repeatedly and cooling it, you could weaken the upper layer so you could easily polish it up.

By doing all this, now in my status [ Skill ] had the [ Equipment Builder +1 ] on it. I don’t know how a shiny rock is an equipment, but I know it can be used for accessories. I placed the shiny rock on the leaves band and fixed it there tightly using the sticky substance I got from Dari, I suppose that’s how the skill leveled. I needed to create new equipment if the skill had to improve though. Right now, I have no further ideas and I don’t really want to overwork my 1 year old hands.

Since Sara had gone outside and today was my last day inside, I just watched Olivia and Dari from time to time. They seemed busy, so I went to the shed and passed the time with the Griffons. They’re friendly as you get to know them.

Soon it was night time and Olivia started getting everything ready. It looks like Guez was also coming today. In the previous three months he came and went from time to time. Whenever he came to the house, he talked with me. I asked him what he did as a hunter, was the village going to safe in the future. He told me there were lots of dangerous creatures called monsters in the forest and one needed to be really careful.

I’m simply guessing but if humans could use [ Mana ], I suppose monsters could also use it. I’m really scared by that thought. Having to fight an intelligent monster, at the end to only become its food.

Guez seemed really happy always talking to me, telling me how I looked a lot like Olivia. This time for my birthday it looks like he boat iron boar meat again. O Great Pig, it seems I shall feast on your kind again today.

It was night and everybody was happy as usual celebrating my birthday. It’s not like I’ve already become an adult or anything. I had my fill of boar meat again and was a little sleepy. But I kept myself awake as Olivia was finally going to tell me about [ Magic ].

It was time to head to sleep and looks like Guez was also leaving. Wish he’d stay, but it seems today is his night watch. Olivia carries me to my room and instead of placing me in my cradle, she bring with her a pillow and another small bed.

“Today you will sleep like us, Orian”(Olivia)

Goodbye Cradle, I knew you well my friend. Looks like Olivia is going to sleep next to me today. This is absolutely not the type of situation some would think it is.

“ I know you were always curious about going outside and about magic. You’ve been trying so hard at reading and writing every day. I know someday you will leave to go on and learn more things. So I want a favor from you, Orian. Promise me you’ll stay with us at least until you are more than 10 years old. I know you want to know about the world but please live with us until we’re sure you are old enough to set out.”

I nodded happily, I wanted to stay here too although not cooped up in the house. I’ve been training my body by basic movements, and from breathing techniques I had learnt. If I had to say why I could do what I could do? It was because of slowly improving myself every day. But I can learn from the village, the forest and so many others who I had to meet yet. I could make friends from tomorrow who I could know and trust for a long time.

When I showed her that I would really stay to the least until my 10th birthday, she smiled and started speaking.

“Orian, I think you have already it from the book that [ Magic ] uses [ Mana ] and that [ Mana ] is everywhere around us. And [ Magic ] is just the effect of using [ Mana ] in the correct way.”(Olivia)

Seeing me closely listening to her each and every word, she continued.

“Originally [Magic] and [ Mana ] , the knowledge to use these were given to us from Gods. Gods are higher realm beings, who have mastered [ Mana ] and continue to look after us from the sky and beneath the ground as they have from a long time ago. I know how to use [ Magic ] a little, not to the extent of great use but to use tools. I’ll teach them to you from tomorrow after you see the village and return home. Is that alright?”

I nodded with a happy face and went to sleep. So the ones who first made use of [ Mana ] and created [Magic] were beings called Gods. Isn’t this a little similar to the previous universe?

Wait now that I remember it, that God gave me something before he died. He told it was a Gift , a reward for beating him. I didn’t really use it much at that time but I suppose going to the past would’ve been handy gift to me.

As I almost nearing my sleep, I checked my [ Status ] one last time.

………what the?

[ Skill: ????? ?????? unlocked]

When I tried to check what it was, the skill came into focus it was understandable then before now. Now that I read it.

[ Skill ]

[ Language comprehension ]

[ Equipment builder +1]

[ Unique : Gift of Time ]

…….Gift of Time?