Part 1: Birth

Prologue

「――……が――……――とう……応答しろ！」

[--... ...g-... … --swer… … Answer!]

A certain country, that is said to shoulder the center of the continent, In a president’s room of a multistory central building.

A room that normally has marble floors and expensive ornaments, now looks like it’s changed to a disaster scene.

Floor and walls broken by a bomb and gunfire, ornaments that are only junk now.

And the countless scattered ---- dead bodies.

Blood is flowing from all the bodies, no matter how anyone looks their survival is hopeless.

No, there is only one moving figure.

A man wearing a protection suit that looks like a full body tights.

The man tries to rise from lying face down, but continues to fall down unable to support his body.

Giving up standing, the man crawls forward, rests his back against a nearby wall and pauses for a breath.

And in his ear, presses a switch on earphone type communication device.

「……はいよ、こちら……コード・アクセル」

[... …Yeah, here… … code axel.]

[Are you okay!? Report the situation!]

In the midst of countless bodies, only one is wearing clearly higher class clothes.

Not only in the forehead but the whole body is covered in bullet wounds, the shape somewhat destroyed by the bombs shockwave, this building’s owner, the man’s target.

「目標は……始末した。後は……ごほっ、後始末……かな？」

[The target is… ...taken care of. All that’s left… …cough, cleaning up... ...right?]

[Wait! That’s the last measure. Hurry and escape!]

「は、はは……そりゃ無理だ」

[Ha, haha… ...that’s impossible.]

The man looks at his body.

Multiple gunshots in abdomen, left leg missing from knee downwards.

No feeling in the left hand, a body that even speaking is painful with, utterly embodies the meaning of full body scar.

With only his right hand moving, he takes out a small terminal from his pocket, and releases it’s safety device.

It’s a control device for explosives.

Calculated, countless set up explosives, will reliable collapse the building if activated.

Involving the unmoving man laying here.

[Don’t give up! Pick up will come soon! Oi, prepare the helicopter! Permission? Leave that later!]

The other side of the transmission becomes noisy.

It looks like the man’s partner is desperately giving orders but, there is no more time left.

As the man opens his mouth to tell him to stop, there is a sound of door opening from the transmission.

[[[Teacher----!!]]]

It was the man’s apprentices voices.

Between the hurried noises, he hears five boys and girls arrive at the microphone, he hear’s the yells of the students.

[Teacher, please don’t give up!]

[We’ll come and get you, please wait!]

[There’s still many things we want to be taught!]

『約束……したじゃないか』

[Promised… … didn’t you?]

『先生！　先生……お、おとぉ……さん！　お父さーん！』

[Teacher! Teacher… ...fa, fa…...ther! father!]

Even though he before the mission told there was a possibility this could happen, it looks like the students couldn’t bear it.

Their spirit is still inexperienced worries him but, the affection makes him feel happy.

Mustering his strength, the man gives an order.

[Form a line!]

[[[!? Yes!]]]

Seed of the training, the flustered students answer without any disorder.

「俺が言いたい事は……わかってる……な？」

[What I want to say… …you know… ...right?]

[[[Don’t stop walking forward!]]]

「なら……いい。お前達なら……大丈夫だ。自信を持って……生きろ」

[That’s… …good. You guys… ...will be fine. Have confidence and… ...live]

『『『……はい！』』』

[[[... ...Yes!]]]

It seems the students are desperately holding back tears, but their voices are tearful no matter how you listen, they are probably shedding a flood of tears by now.

「ふっ……すまんな、弟子達が」

[Fu… … sorry, for my students.]

『いや……問題ない。彼等には当然の権利だ』

[No… …no problem. It’s their right.]

[Is that so.]

『もう……無理なのか？』

[Is it… ...already impossible?]

「こうなるって……わかってた……だろ？」

[That it would come to this… ...you knew… ...right?]

『……ああ』

[... ...yeah]

Troubled, conflicted voice that finally leaked after being pushed down.

「俺が残した……ものは……ある。笑って……逝けるさ」

[I’ve.. ...left… ...something. I can go… …with a smile]

『……後は全て任せておけ』

[... ...Leave the rest to me]

「頼んだ。お前と……一緒で……楽しかっ……た」

[I leave it to you. With you… ...being together… ...was… ...fun.]

[That’s my line.]

The man has lost too much blood, his eyes can’t see and his mind is becoming faint.

Even with the result being this, the plan was a success.

I’ve entrusted everything I have.

Only the last job is left.

With the strength he had left the man pressed the switch.

Countlessly resounding explosions.

They became gradually larger, and finally reached the man’s floor.

The rubble falling down, the man accepted and felt with his body.

　そして男は……

And then the man… …

Fastest training plan.

Even if I say it myself, my life was full of ups and downs.

The torture in the name of training, being taken to warzones with the feeling of going for a stroll.

　怒涛な日々を過ごす内に俺は、日本連合第三十七特殊工作員……いわゆるエージェントになっていた。

During those stormy days I became, Japan alliance’s 37th special worker… ...a so called agent.

There I met my partner, I continued to fight with him beside me.

Doing nothing but fighting, after I became 55 years old, I retired and started training the next generation.

Education is difficult but, I think the days I spend were fun.

During those happy days, a certain dark organization continued manoeuvres that would upset the world.

The people obstructing the organization carefully selected personnel.

　そして……俺が選ばれた。

And… ...I was chosen.

For a time I had enough skill to make my name famous in the world, trust was earned with results.

　実際は、引退したおっさんだから万が一死んでも被害は少ない……と、組織らしい損得勘定による結果論であるが。

In reality, even if an retired old man would die by chance the damage would be small… ...is, organization like risk calculation’s result probably.

　どう見ても陰謀だ……と、相棒は反対したが俺はそれを受けた。

No matter you look at it it’s a conspiracy… …Is, how partner objected to it but I accepted that.

If I succeed in eliminating the target, my partner was promised to become the organization’s top.

Making a blood sealed letter, I made preparations and challenged the operation.

　結果……俺は死んだ。

The result… ...I died.

Though I talked about it for some length, I want you to think that I spend a life far from that of a normal person. I even put on years, I won’t lose my composure over ordinary and can brag that I have an iron heart.

　が……俺はみっともなく混乱していた。

But… ...I was disgracefully confused.

[Au--, auau-!]

Why have I become a baby!

Even If I wanted to yell that, this body’s vocal cords haven’t developed, I can’t form words. These surprisingly tiny hands and feet, even though it’s my own body it won’t move like I want to. Even though it’s absurd situation, I somehow clearly understand that I’ve become a baby.

Even if it is me who lived with optimism in previous existence, this situation is impossible to pardon. 

When I lose my composure in confusion, a shadow rises over my face.

「―――……――……―」

[---... …--... …-]

A woman is looking at me and talking.

But, my undeveloped ears can’t pick up words, I don’t even know what she’s saying.

Calm down, let’s try putting the circumstances in order. The change is fast, to calm and accurate. To calm down, I look back at my memories.

At my last mission, I dealt with the target but got a fatal wound myself. Escape was hopeless, I chose to destroy the building and myself to remove the evidence. I even remember the feeling of getting hit by the falling debris. After that, I blacked out.

When I woke up I was a baby.

　……うむ、落ち着いたが結局意味がわからんな。俺は確かに死んだはずなのに、何故か赤ん坊になってる。『転生』したのが理に適うが、俺という自我と記憶があるのは何故だ？

… ...Um, I calmed down but still don’t get it. I certainly died but, somehow became a baby. [Reincarnation] fits the logic but, why do I remember myself?

And even though I remember the life I walked, I can’t remember the names of my partner or my disciplines. Memory with pinpoint precision holes in it, a situation and a body I can’t get information with. Presently, no matter how much I think there is no answer, there’s also no one to tell me.

I cut down further meaningless thoughts, and for the moment observed the person in front of my eyes.

A woman with blond hair tied behind her head, eyes are sky blue.

There are some wrinkles in her face so, she’s probably passed the marrying age but even without complimenting is plenty beautiful. If I wasn’t a baby, I might seduce her.

But, why is she wearing a maid uniform? Cosplay? No, looking at her appearance this might be a foreign country? While I was thinking idly she gently picked me up in her arms, and started humming something like a lullaby. I don’t understand the content or the words. But, her gaze is filled with affection, the restful rhythm pushes my awareness away.

There are many things I have to think about but, unable to go against the pleasant sensation I let go of my consciousness. 

One month has passed since I woke up.

The world I currently know is only this room.

Approximately six tatami size, the low bed I am sleeping on and desk and closet only. This room without even books, really fits the word dreary. The bed’s material is rough to touch, there’s a behind the times impression to them.

Well then, it’s been a month of only sleeping and eating but, my body is growing well.

My ears no longer hear sounds like broken speaker, it’s not enough to walk, but I can move my body somewhat. However in response to that my fuel consumption has become unusually bad. In other words I’m hungry.

　いつもなら、俺を監視してるんじゃないかっていうベストタイミングで食事が来るのだが、今日に限って遅い。これは何か策を考えなければならんか……と、対処法を考え始めた頃に扉が開いた。

Usually, the food comes with a best timing like I’m being monitored but, today it’s late. I should think of a plan for this… ...when I was starting to think of ways to deal with it, the door opened.

The blonde maid taking care of me enters. As such, it’s been a one month already and I haven’t seen anyone else, except the maid.

「―――……――――――」

[---... …------]

Um, as usual I have no idea what she’s saying. My ears indeed hear now but, I have absolutely no idea about the language. In my previous life I travelled all around the world so my study of languages is proficient but, the language here has nothing I’ve heard before.

But it’s not a large problem. By continuing to listen you pick it up at some point, now I should give priority to eating.

　どれどれ、一体どんな人が―…………ナヌ？

Oh, today it’s not only the blonde maid but there’s another person too.

Let’s see, what kind of a person-... … … ...what?

The blonde maid gave an order to the other and left the room.

No no wait a moment. That woman closing in with her whole face smiling, who is that? She’s wearing a maid uniform so she probably came to take care of me, but there’s a point I want to retort to.

Why does she have [cat ears], this girl.

She seems lively, age is probably between a girl and a woman. Red hair in a ponytail, quite a cute girl. But, those cat ears on her head concern me. It’s not like I love cat ears but, my foremost thought was a cosplay cafe. Is what I thought but, no matter how you look those ears are moving. And even cutely with pikopiko.

Beside the surprised me, the girl holds out a spoon with food. There’s no baby bottle so I’m being fed with a spoon like this.

The question remains but I’m hungry so I eat. The milk like meal with something mixed in it isn’t that delicious though.

She fidget’s happily when I eat.

It’s a bit irritating but, for a while I concentrate on eating.

The meal is over but, the cat ear girl is smiling and gazing at me without tiring. Are you that, the type that has no eyes for cute things? I don’t have a mirror so I don’t even know if my appearance is cute or not. Leaving aside my appearance, my stomach is full too so let’s remove one question.

Precisely, are those cat ears real?

I point at the cat ears and try to appeal to let me touch them. No, not grabbing my finger, those ears. After thinking for some time the cat eared girl lowered her head and let me touch them. Un, they’re warm. I tried investigating until their root but, they’re properly growing from her head. This is the real thing.

「――！　――、――――――、――……」

[--! --, ------, --... …]

Like being immersed in a feeling too strong for words, cat eared girl claps her hands like she’s thought of something. Closing her eyes, rising her index finger she murmurs something.

At the last moment as she let out her voice with a spirit, suddenly fire appeared at the tip of her finger.

　……え、火？　ライターとか何も無いんですけど、一体どこから火が？　ああそうか、手品とかそういうやつ？　でも火って、あんな綺麗な球体になって宙に浮かぶものじゃないだろ。

… …Eh, fire? There’s no lighter or anything like that though, where’s the fire coming from? Ah is that so, a sleight of hand trick? But fire’s, not something that floats in midair in a sphere like that.

While I’m being confused, the cat ear girl is happily rotating her finger.

In answer to that the fire sphere is doing impossible movements, and flying about the girl. I can’t see anything that’s the cause.

　これってもしかして『魔法』……なのか？

Is this [magic]... …maybe?

At the same time as I concluded this the blonde maid came back.

Noticing this the cat eared girl’s movements stopped, and the fire sphere disappeared with that. The blonde maid beckoned the cat eared girl with her hand without a word. A scary smile saying come here. Heading there the cat eared girl’s ears and tail drooped down downheartedly giving a healing feeling.

Cat ears and tail that normal people don’t have and magic exists.

In my previous life they existed nowhere in the whole world.

Thinking again, I should docilely admit reality.

　ここ……地球じゃねーな。

This is… ...not Earth.

It’s been three months since I woke up.

My neck is steady, it became possible to move by crawling around.

When the two maids aren’t watching escaping from the bed’s fence, I spent everyday concentrating on gathering information from the surroundings.

Moving around like that, my understanding of the current situation deepened. I confirmed this is not Earth, because there’s magic it would be good to call it [another world].

To think that, [another world reincarnation] that an otaku coworker of mine talked about would happen to me. It may have already ended once for me, but life’s really mysterious.

The culture level here, talking about Earth would be closest to medieval Europe. Light is mostly candles, there’s absolutely no electricity so that seems inconvenient, but there is magic in it’s place.

I’d like to move to new discoveries but, it’s almost meal time.

Let’s return to the room before maid comes. Today is probably the cat eared girl’s turn.

[Here, it’s time for a meal. I’ll feed you a lot. Say aah-~]

That’s right, I finally understand the unknown language. It’s probably also because of a baby’s learning ability, but mostly because of the cat eared girl. This girl is oddly talkative and speaks even irritatingly much. Being in the middle of a country’s language makes acquiring it fast. By understanding the language I also learned my name.

　シリウス……それが俺の新たな名前。

Sirius… ...that is my new name.

The situations is unknown but, this is how I got my new name.

My previous name has disappeared but, as long as I have my self consciousness I’ll properly live as Sirius. I might be saying a cool line, but I’m currently being fed so it doesn’t fit.

[Have you finished eating?]

The blonde maid, revised to Elinsan came to look at the situation.  There’s absolutely no break in her appearance today either so she gives a expert maid’s appearance. She might be younger than I in my previous live, but it’s my style to give respect against a pro.

[Ah, yes. At any rate Sirius-sama really eats tidily. I’d heard it was harder to feed a baby?]

[It might be like that for a normal child, Sirius-sama is special. He will surely become a great person in future.

She is a expert maid but, somewhat a doting parent.

I thought that Elinsan was certainly my parent but, listening to the conversation it seems wrong. Speech is like that towards a superior, rather an attendant than a maid. Because of that a doting parent might seem an odd expression but, the way she looks this way is completely like that of a parent. Thinking of my age, rather than doting servant a doting parent fits better.

[That’s right. It almost like he understands my words. Ah, at any rate he really is cute.]

The cat eared girl whose engrossed with me is named Noelle-san.

She’s studying being a maid beside Elinsan but, hasn’t left childlikeness behind yet.

[I wonder when he’ll call me onee-chan? No, onee-sama is also hard to give up.]

Yeah, this girl can be addressed without honorific.

[The meal is over. Next I’ll ask you to clean.]

[Understood!]

Leaving behind Noelle-san who answered with energy, Elinsan left the room while carrying and holding me gently. Heading towards the entryway like that, it became the first time since I was born that I went outside.

[Today is warm. Let’s take a small stroll outside.]

[Yee-]

[Yes, leave it to me.]

Elinsan takes me, and slowly walks around the house’s surroundings.

The house is a fine two-story building made out of wood. There are six rooms, it’s probably larger than average house. I’m being called with [-sama], so I thought I lived in some noble’s mansion. The yard is quite large, the vegetable garden and shrubs are arranged neatly.

And I realize after walking around the house once. This house, it’s completely surrounded by forest and there’s no sign of other buildings? There’s only a maintained road leading from a main entrance like place, everything else I see is only forest. A remote region style that can’t even be called rural area.

Sometimes from the thicket, a rabbit with a horn appears making me think this is an another world.

[Sirius-sama, that is called [horabi-]. It has a timid personality but, it’s a monster so don’t get close to it.]

//Shortened form of horned rabbit most likely

Hm, I expected this from when I saw magic but, it seems there are monsters in this world.

It seems like dragons and other fantasy creatures would normally be here, it seems I should start training my body from tomorrow on. Should I partly stop acting like a baby and begin training. If after a while I can show what I can do and show the speed of my growth, it seems that any feelings of mistrust towards unusual growth would lessen as well. A one month after learning to walk, it would be ideal they’d just smile and watch even if I jogged.

「……エリナ様」

[Elinsama]

[Ara, is pruning over?]

[Yes.]

Turning towards the voice, a young man wearing work clothes and carrying pruning shears walks out from between the trees.

To me this is the third person I discover.

A young man with short light-brown hair and sharp eyes, tall too, somehow brings out an hard to approach atmosphere. Seems like someone meeting him for the first time would hesitate to start talking with him.

[Apu has born fruit. Today I’ll bring some out for evening meal.]

//A fruit named apu, probably apple like?

[Is that so. It’s Noelle’s favorite food, seems like she’d jump up and down from joy.

[Yes]

[He might not be good at conversation, words are few and straightforward. Expression hasn’t changed a bit from before, in my previous world it would definitely be communication sickness.

Probably noticing I was watching him, Elinsan introduces Dee.

[Sirius-sama, this is Dee. Our house’s gardener and chef.]

[Elinsama, it’s impossible for a baby to understand.]

[That might be so but, I must properly introduce you.]

「……ですね。ディーとお呼びください、シリウス様」

[... ...That’s right. Please call me Dee, Sirius-sama]

[Yee-]

Probably didn’t think I’d answer, Dee’s expression slightly crumbled.

Feels like a completely useless win.

「……将来が楽しみですね」

[... ...I’m looking forward to the future.]

[Yes, really.]

The two’s eyes narrow, gaze gathers here.

　将来……ね。現時点で言えるとしたら、トラブルに備えて体を鍛えます、くらいかな。それ以前に、俺の将来に一番絡んでくるであろう人が見当たらないぞ。

Future… ...hm. Saying at the current time, training my body for trouble, only that. Before that, the person most involved with my future can’t be found.

I haven’t seen the figure even once, because there are no photos I don’t even know the face.

Intentionally avoiding it and completely ignoring the topic, I also kept pretending not to notice but, it’s already becoming quite strange.

I wonder, where are my parents?