Killing Some Time with Cultivation and Bonding

Several hours after my rebirth, the people carried me and put me down in a rather uneasy location. The sensation of prickly straws and rough leather can be felt on my back.

Where the heck did they put me? The freaking chicken coop?

 ["Negative, the family members placed you in their version of a crib."]

Well, they didn't put some effort into making it comfortable. But I'll tolerate it for now.

As I tried to endure the poor excuse for a crib, my ears strained to hear all the noises in the background. Most of the time it is just the footsteps of people coming and leaving my vicinity but not a single person spoke a word or two—just the silence with a side of telepathic noise.

Eventually, I became bored of listening to nobody, so I consulted my imaginary voice on what I could do for entertainment.

Hey, I'm bored. Is there anything I could do to relieve myself of my boredom?

["Suggestion. You should consider Qi sensing."]

Qi sensing, huh? That's a weird thing to suggest a newborn. But who am I to complain, it is my life mission to cultivate after all. However, there is one tiny problem with that.

["Understandable. What seems to be the concern?"]

You see, as far as I know, the world of Mushoku Tensei doesn't have that kind of stuff, but rather it has mana instead, or at least that's what the manga told me.

["Affirmative. Substituting Qi with Mana. Proceed with the act of sensing the energy source."]

Alrighty then, let's do this!

Enthusiastically, I began the given task. 

...

...

...

Oh, wait, I don't know how to sense mana. Could you help me out?

["Instruction. Close your eyes and control your breathing. Once that is achieved, direct your attention inward, particularly on your lower abdomen or palm. Finally, visualize the energy as observable lights flowing in the environment."]

As I listened to the list of instructions given by the fabricated conscience, I carefully followed them step by step. I first closed my eyes and took small breaths, enough for my infant body can handle. After that, I focused my mind on the specified body parts and began imagining.

After several hours of controlled breathing, I could see some small spec of lights dancing in the darkness of my enclosed vision. Perhaps these were the mana saturating in the air.

Looks like I found it. What should I do next, conscience?

["Suggestion. You should try gathering the mana into your body."]

Okay... but how am I supposed to do that?

[Instruction. To perform mana gathering, exercise breathing, and meditation to draw in and store mana within the Dantian, which is a fundamental energy center located in your lower abdomen."]

So, that means I should continue controlling my breathing then. However, I'm not sure about meditation though. It seems rather impossible to do that kind of stuff since you know, I can't move my limbs yet. Oh well, I might figure things out eventually.

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After a considerable amount of time, I managed to gather a little amount of mana from the air around me. Even though it wasn't much, at least I did it anyway. When I conferred with my fabricated conscience on what to do next, its response wasn't something I expected to hear.

What do you mean there's no next step?

["Explanation. Since you are not capable of locomotive functions, it is ill-advice to proceed to the following task. Fabricated conscience suggested continuing the current steps until your body is fully developed."]

Really? What a bummer. Oh well, I guess it can't be helped then.

Just as the conscience said, I continued gathering mana from my surroundings. But it didn't take long before I became hungry and my stomach grumbled loudly. I was then picked up by someone and my mouth was shoved into a soft fleshy lump that shot out a sweet liquid.

What the heck are they feeding me?

["Answer. It is breast milk."]

Oh, I see. That makes sense. Which means the person nursing me is my mother, correct?

["Affirmative."]

With that confirmation, I felt somewhat reassured, knowing that I was in the presence of the person who gave birth to me in this world. Hopefully, she was more caring than the mother I left behind in the previous world.

Anyway, after drinking enough milk, I was placed back in the crib and felt her hand stroking my head gently, which was rather endearing. 

["Grow strong and healthy, my dear."]

Suddenly, I heard a telepathic message from my new mother, wishing me to grow. It is such a heartfelt thought. Something my previous mother didn't bother expressing.

A few moments later, I heard footsteps advancing in my direction, sensing the presence of another person entering the vicinity. After that, I felt a hand pinched my cheek.

What the heck? It hurts. Who is pinching me right now? 

[Answer. The person in question is your father."]

My father, huh? Well, he seems to be a bit of an attention seeker. Like seriously, cut it out.

I tried squirming my body regardless if I couldn't move my limbs. This caused the pinching to stop but it was replaced with me being picked up once again and felt their hand patting me on the back. Maybe they thought I was spazzing out, which worried them somehow.

["Papa is sorry, dear. Please forgive me."]

After that, I heard a telepathic from my new father, apologizing for what have done. This was such an earnest thought. Something that my previous father wouldn't say after hurting me.

Later on, more footsteps can be heard coming in, sensing the presence of multiple people. I then feel them poking my face from all sides, which is rather annoying.

Urgh, not again. Cut it out! Who are these people and why are they touching my face?!

["Answer. These people are your siblings and they are merely entertaining you."] 

Dammit, I know I wanted love and attention, but this is too much to handle. Hey, how should I make them stop?

["Solution. Use telepathy to convey your thought."]

Telepathy, you say? But wouldn't be too early for me to communicate since I'm a baby?

["Negative. The newborns of your new kind use telepathy to convey distress before they can transmit telepathic thoughts."]

Ah, I see. So, you were saying that was their method of crying, correct?

["Affirmative."]

Alright then, let's see what I can do.

Prepping myself to cry telepathically, I cleared my mind and went for it, regardless if I could use the ability or not.

["Bwaaaaaaah!!"]

As my impromptu telepathic drama echoed internally, it seem that my new siblings stopped poking my face. However, what happens next is utter chaos.

["Wait, did she use telepathy just now?"]

["Oh dear, I think she did."]

["Should we all be concerned about this?"]

["You kidding, right? This is amazing!"]

["We should tell Mama and Papa about this."]

Five distinct telepathic thoughts reacted to my telepathy. Some of them were ecstatic and others were somewhat concerned, which is rather troubling.

["Rokua, if you're listening, please cheer up."]

Just then, I received a telepathic message from one of my siblings, telling me to be happy. A reassuring thought that I wouldn't receive in the previous world because I was the only child.

With that, I was placed back in the crib yet again and felt each of my family members kissing my forehead before hearing their footsteps moving away, leaving me alone again.

Welp, there they go. It was exceptionally eventful while it lasted. Honestly, I will cherish all of their efforts as long as I live.