2-Infancy

Another year passed by and Ralph had turned one.

He could already control his bowels and could shit on the toilet by himself. He also started to eat solid food with his teeth growing and stronger. In the past days he had fully accustomed on his feet, he started running full speed his balance nearly perfect without tripping himself.

Ralph discovered outside that there was a garden her mother was taking care of. Trees, flowers, and an orchard of vegetables and fruits decorated their yard.

"Oh my, you're here Ralph? What brings you here dear?" Zenith said to him taking care of a plant in the garden.

"I wa'nt to... help." Ralph said.

Ralph in his previous life worked in the fields, gardening was something close to it.

A smile plastered into Zenith's face, "Oh really? Then if you'd like, how about we pull the weeds like this?"

Given a simple task, Ralph squatted down and pulled a weed "Like this?"

"Wow, you did it correctly!" Zenith smiled, "Then can you help Mom with work, Ralph?"

"Kay."

After that Ralph helped his mother on weeding out the garden. With practiced movements he removed them efficiently, roots and all.

After he was done helping, he got a hug and kiss from Zenith. Ralph really felt happy after that.

In the afternoon, Zenith has something to do at the village clinic. So Ralph was bored when suddenly he heard the sounds of metal cutting through the wind. Following the origin of that sound, he turned to the front yard. In there he saw Paul swinging a sword on his hand.

'Woah, so swords also exist. I also saw Mother using magic too, it's like a game!' Ralph thought as he continued to watch.

Starting there, he continued to watch until night came. Zenith arrived and Paul stopped his sword practice. Lilia called it was time for dinner.

Ralph's work gained a huge approval from Zenith that she bragged about what he did on the dinner table, which embarrassed Ralph a bit.

Rudeus who had been in the study room the entire time looked strangely at him. Ralph only gave him an innocent smile, as childish as it could look.

-*-*-*-

Weeks passed since Ralph started helping Zenith on Gardening. He did not just do weeding, but also watering and checking the plants to eliminate harmful insects.

Ever since then Gardening is something he started to do in his way to kill time. Just spending his days around the house brought him back to a stress free life, so he wanted to at least do something to occupy his mind.

And then after that, he is going to watch Paul doing sword practice in the afternoon.

One day when Zenith had work as a village cleric, his father done with the day's work came to Ralph.

"What's with you doing here Ralph?" His father goes by the name Paul. He works as a Knight in this village.

"Gardening." Ralph replied.

"I see, then do you like Gardening that much?" Paul asked.

"Not really."

"How about Rudi? Aren't you playing together?" Paul asked.

"He's, looking at... books. I don't want... to disturb." Ralph said trying to say the words correctly. He's slowly getting accustomed to the language to form one or two sentences.

Ralph and Rudeus were brothers and often played together as the only children in the house. Though Ralph was often repulsed by him so he often distanced himself from Rudeus when he can.

Ralph continued doing his work. Though he's pretty much already done with it, he had nothing to do so he's playing with dirt and observing ants.

"Then what do you think if I bring you with me somewhere with work tomorrow? Of course I'd bring Rudi too." Paul offered.

Ralph thought a bit before he said, "Okay Dad."

And that day Ralph agreed to go with his father.

-*-*-*-

And then tomorrow came. Paul brought Ralph in his arms, he told Zenith he's bringing Ralph to work so he could go outside for once.

"If you're fine, then that's all that matters. Are... you sure about bringing Ralph?"

"I did promise to show him. They've already started, so I've gotta hurry a little."

Zenith agreed and was all for it. Though when she brought up with also bringing Rudeus along too, it ended up bad with Rudeus walking away with fear in his eyes. Clearly he doesn't want to go outside.

"It's sad Rudi didn't want to go, you guys could have fun." Paul said in regret.

"Hmm." Ralph just nods his head. Even if he say anything to him, it's not like an adult would take him seriously.

After walking for a while, Ralph finally got a good look outside the house beyond the fence. The paved roads made of hardened Earth. The scent of animal shit in the roadside. The fields of crops. Anything else that you wouldn't find indoors. Up until now, he had only ever been able to look through the wooden framed windows and doorway of his house, as well as whatever was within eyesight when Zenith and the maid Lilia worked in the yard while cradling him.

'It's basically just a countryside covered with fields. Oh, a house!'

The father and son pair continued down a path flanked by farmland. Here and there, small houses dotted the expansive fields.

Back when Ralph first heard of monsters and Paul's job as a Knight in a conversation between his parents, it interested him he asked what they are.

Starting then he discovered interesting things, for example magic existed. Zenith one time used magic to heal his brother from falling down. There were also the instances where Paul swings a sword around the yard practicing and displaying superhuman feats.

With all the information that he came to know, Ralph thought that this world was different from Earth. Swords, magic, and monsters existed.

After about several minutes of walking, they finally saw a small hut that looked like a guard post.

"Hey, there you are, Paul!" a man's voice came out from inside.

Ralph could see a bishounen with blonde hair. He could easily be one of the most good looking guy he has ever seen in his life. What caught his eyes though was the ears, which are longer than normal.

'I heard about them before. I think they were called elves?' Ralph thought.

"Hey there, Laws," Paul greeted the man named Laws. "Rudi didn't want to come so I only brought Ralph with me today."

"Hello, my name is Ralph Greyrat." Ralph waved his small hands at Laws.

"This is the first time I got to take a look at your son. His eyes and hair looks like Zenith's." Laws commented.

Paul laughed, "Well that's going to be tough on him. He didn't inherit the good parts to charm girls. Ralph's still a half of me so I doubt he'd have trouble on that side."

"Dad..." Ralph silently muttered.

The way Paul speaks like it comes from a womanizing scummy bastard. It made him sound like he actually had a lot of experience with different women.

Zenith's looks can also be considered to be top tier. So even if he only had half of Paul's charm, Zenith's genes would be a good thing.

Ralph realized he inherited good genes. He's already starting to look forward to his future. Ralph had the full intentions of enjoying his life to the fullest.

Though he might have a few misgivings about living here in this world from now on, he can't just be anxious and be pessimistic about everything.