Chapter 3 - 03 - Rygar Adoldia
There I was, hair blowing in the wind, head held high and chest puffed out, gazing at the vast green expanse from the top of a tree—an epic scene, at least in my mind. Because I noticed my mother laughing behind me, genuinely finding my attempt at looking heroic, despite my size, to be cute.
It had been a little over a year since I reincarnated into this world, and every day brought a new challenge and discovery. From my first movements to finally being able to stand and walk, I felt that I was making progress. Today, I can run, and even though I'm not as fast as an adult, considering my size, it's already something quite impressive. I may be small, but every step, every run through the forest, is a reminder that I can grow and improve.
My strength was also not typical for someone my age. If I had to estimate, I'd say I had the strength of a 6- or 7-year-old from my previous world—something remarkable for my small, still-developing body. My family and the rest of the tribe noticed this quickly, especially when I was able to move things that no one would expect someone my age to be able to lift. I thought it would be wiser to hide this strength, but every time someone was surprised by it, I felt a strange but pleasant sensation. And since this strength had only been beneficial so far, I decided not to hide it. I could feel my muscles adapting, as if this body were quickly adjusting to some internal need to grow stronger.
Another detail was my vision. My golden eyes, different from the red ones most of the tribe had, seemed to go beyond just a change in color; I could see more clearly and from greater distances. When I focused, I sometimes saw something around people—almost like an aura. Since this was a world of magic, I thought it might be one of those "Aura" powers from anime, or maybe just mana, since I could see this aura more clearly around the warriors of the tribe.
On one occasion, I was watching my father and another warrior from the tribe train. He was strong—not just strong, his movements were truly superhuman. I focused hard because I could see the aura flowing through their bodies as they fought, but after ten minutes of intense concentration, everything began to spin, and I passed out. I woke up hours later, and from what I could understand from my mother's conversation with Verdia, the elven healer who had treated my arm, I had suffered a mild mana exhaustion. Since then, my mother has been even more cautious with me, even limiting my time outside, which was unusual because she had always encouraged me to go out. I admit, I was a little disappointed. Being stuck inside when there was so much to explore? It wasn't easy for me to accept.
But my disappointment didn't last long when torrential rains started falling across the region. Apparently, this was normal—the Great Forest experiences seasonal rains that flood the forest floor. At least I discovered why we live in the treetops.
The best thing, however, happened recently: I'm finally starting to understand the language! It took a while, but after hearing so many conversations and with Selene eagerly teaching me, I was starting to get the hang of the words. My speech still needed improvement, but little by little, I could communicate. And with that came new opportunities.
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One morning, while my mother was talking to Verdia in the simple house we lived in, my mother stepped into another room, and I quietly approached. Verdia was sitting next to a small fire, drinking tea she had made herself. She looked so calm and serene, which fascinated me.
"Have you been recovering well, Rygar?" Verdia said when she saw me approach, her voice soft but firm. "Do you feel any discomfort in your arm?"
"No... it doesn't hurt," I replied after a moment to process my words.