2 2 years later…

My life these past 2 years have been interesting to say the least. As a baby, people tend to forget you're there even when they are having important conversations. Though I guess I can't blame them as who would think that the baby could actually understand the importance of what was being talked about.

"Ah, Meredith, here is the monthly fund for the orphanage. Everything is going well I hope?" A younger man with short brown hair and an equally brown goatee walked into the orphanage.

"Mr. Helstea?! You didn't have to come all the way down here, I could have sent Maeve to pick it up." The head mother, who I've now figured out is named Meredith, rushed over to him with me in her arms.

There was something else very important beside learning her name though, it was the name of the man standing in front of us. 'Mr. Helstea? Would that be the same Helstea that Arthur's parents lived with?' I had only read the books, and even then that was quite a long time back when they described how Vincent looked. However he does kind of fit how I always imagined him.

"Oh it's no trouble. Me and Tabitha were taking little Lilia around the city and decided to stop by and see the place. They are currently in the backyard looking at the garden." He pauses and glances at me before coming closer.

"Ah this must be the newest member of the orphanage. His name was uh…" he brought his hand to his chin in thought, but Meredith answered for him.

"His name is Jaron, but we also call him Jay. Say hi, Jay" I lift my hand in a wave and smile at Mr. Helstea.

"Hello, Mr. Helstea."

"Quite well spoken for a young lad isn't he?" He says with a bright smile in return.

"Yes, little Jay here has learned many things quickly. Caused no end of trouble when he learned to crawl and even more when he learned to walk." Meredith said with a shake of her head. And I bashfully lowered my head, which earned a laugh from both of them. I pulled on the fabric of her dress before whispering into her ear.

"Play."

"Oh alright, why don't you look for Lilia while you're out there. You'll be the only one her age, so she may feel lonely." I nod as she lowers me to the ground, and take off to the backyard.

Once outside I take a moment to soak in the fresh air, and look at the trees and flowers that are planted back here. It was in the middle of spring currently, so the flowers were in bloom. With a rainbow variety of flowers sprinkled around the edges of the back yard. At the far corner of the fenced in yard was my usual spot that had a giant shady tree.

It's body looked much like an oak tree from my past life, but the branches hung low and didn't grow taller than maybe 15 foot. Making it the perfect respite for when I just want to relax and read or even meditate to further my mana core progression. However that's not what I came out here for this time, I was asked to keep Lilia company and I planned to do that.

While I was very much a loner in my past life, and still have a lot of the same tendencies. I find it a lot easier to approach others now, whether it's my childish body effecting my brain in some strange way or maybe my new life here in the orphanage is changing me more than I thought. Sticking that to the back of my mind I see Lilia and Tabitha standing across the yard looking at the flowers.

I dash across the yard but slowdown as I get closer as not to spook them. I've been told that I'm abnormally silent and seem to appear out of nowhere sometimes, so as a heads up I specifically let my feet fall a little harder to alert them to my presence. They both turn at the same time at my approach.

"My you must be Jaron, the other kids said there was someone Lilia's age around here."

I give a childish nod, "Hello." With a small smile to go along with it. Though Lilia hides behind her mother's leg and grips the hem of her dress, while slightly peeking out the side. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, they are nobles I'm pretty sure so she probably doesn't get to interact with other kids very much. I can sort of understand, though not in the same.

I give her a little wave before speaking again. "Hey! I'm Jaron, but you can call me Jay!" I say while holding my hand out, not really sure why but it seemed like the right thing to do. Lilia timidly looked at my hand then up to her mom where she saw her giving an encouraging nod towards me.

"Go on Lilia, introduce yourself." She spoke softly. Lilia gulped and clenched her hand in a tiny fist before stepping out from behind her mother. She performed a sloppy curtsy before shakily speaking.

"I-im L-lilia, pleased t-to meet you." She still seems very flustered, but she does eventually reach her hand out into mine and I give it a gentle shake.

"It's nice to meet you too. I hope we can be friends." I say while still smiling, she seems hesitant but she smiles as well.

"Uh yes, I would like that."

"Good! How about I show you around the garden? Is that okay Mrs. Helstea?" I ask while looking up at Tabitha.

"I don't see why not, if Lilia is fine with it then I am as well." She says with a nod of her head, then looking down at Lilia. She hesitated for a few seconds before giving a small nod, and a similarly small smile. I grab her hand and lead her off to the start of the garden.

"Alright, I'll show you the whole garden and I know all the flowers here, so if you have a question just ask." I say as I drag her to the beginning where the head mother's flowers start. She gives a shaky "okay", but she doesn't let go, so i take that as a good sign.

After about an hour of me pointing out different flowers and answering her questions when she had some, her parents finally called for her. Them and the head mother had been watching us for a while, so think they were just glad that Lilia was socializing with someone and didn't want to end it too soon. Before she left I gave her a white lily to take with her and the seeds to plant some herself.

Though I put on a big show, I myself was mentally exhausted from the whole interaction. It was the most I had talked since I came to this world, and probably more than I talked in my past life at one time as well. Me and Meredith waved to them as they left, before heading back inside to prepare for lunch.

As someone who lost his parents at a young age in my past life, I tended to stick to the head mother like glue. Much to the dismay of the other kids, who seemed to all find me incredibly adorable and wanted my time to theirselves. Maeve specifically spoiled me, by picking me up sweets when she would go shopping. It's not like I really had the chance to develop any kind of true familial attachment to them yet, but I would be lying if I said they weren't growing on me.

Lunch was a simple but healthy meal, a chicken soup with vegetables mixed in and a fluffy roll to go with it. We lived not far from a bakery, and they would sell to the orphanage for a discounted price as they were good friends with the head mother. As soon as I finished my food I grabbed my book that I had been reading "sword play for beginners".

You might think it strange for me to be able to get my hands on this sort of book, but most often kids that leave the orphanage become adventurers. Which becomes another source of income for the orphanage as they want to give back to the place that raised them. Which is why I was able to find this book in the library. While the head mother didn't like it, she knew that it was inevitable that I might go down the same route.

Which leads me to sitting under my favorite tree in the garden, and reading the very basics of sword fighting. Grips, stances and exercises that train the necessary muscles for sword fighting. I had already secretly started the exercises, most of them were just stretched at the moment to increase my flexibility. As I don't have a mana core yet to rejuvenate my muscles it would only be detrimental to my body if I was already busting out one hundred push ups.

I even had a wooden practice sword that Maeve made for me, and she even made it the way I asked. This world mostly uses swords of the European style that are typically double edged. I however obviously wanted a single edged katana style sword. Of course the "sword" is like a knife for most people seeing as how I'm still only 2, but that doesn't mean I can't use it to practice with for the time being.

I hold it while I practice my stances, and grips, I place it across my lap while I'm reading and I even took it a step further and made a makeshift belt out of rope with a slot for my sword to go into. All the other kids looked at me strangely when they saw the lengths I went to keep this wooden sword with me, but I didn't care.

I also keep the sword splayed on my lap when I meditate. Even though it's not inside my body, for some reason it helps me focus when I'm pulling my mana in. Like it's already a part of my body, which filled me with excitement. You always read about how people say this or that is an extension of their body, but you cant truly understand it until you feel it for yourself.

I was lost in the monotonous gathering of the fragments towards my center, when I felt a fullness in my chest growing stronger. Pulling more and more and the feeling of tightness increases as I reach for one last…

*BOOM*

*FWOOSH*

The feeling of fullness vanished as a powerful force exploded out of me in a sphere shaped area. A sheen of sweat on my brow and my breathing slightly haggard, I opened my eyes to the see the destruction I had caused.

My tree had been obliterated, the surrounding grass and flowers had been vaporized with furrows in the ground stretching the 50 odd feet to the orphanage. While no real damage was done to the building, there were deep gashes marring the walls.

The next moment everyone came bursting out the door into the backyard and their jaws all drops as they took in the destruction. The head mother recovered first and started looking around the yard before yelling.

"Jaron!? Where are you Jaron!?" I stood up and waved my hand before I spoke up.

"Over here head mother. I'm alright, just a little sleepy." I start to rub my eyes and cover my mouth with the back of my arm as a large yawn comes out. She and the rest of them rush towards and crouch down in front of me, feeling and looking all over my body to make sure I wasn't hurt.

"Jaron what happened here?" Maeve asked while looking around at all the damage. She looked especially confused that me and my wooden sword seemed to be the only thing not damaged.

"I filled up my empty space right here, and a big boom happened." I said as I tiredly patted the space slightly above my stomach. "Can I take a nap now?" I ask as I lean against the head mother and rest my head on her shoulder. Instantly falling asleep.

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Author's Note

Okay mana core formed! This is roughly 8-9 months before Arthur I would guesstimate. Also I realize Jaron doesn't exactly talk like a 2 year old kid, and sorry if that is confusing I just wasn't sure how to write like that.

Also I haven't decided if Lilia will actually be the love interest. It definitely won't be Tess, but there are plenty of other female characters I can potentially choose from. But that's for the future.

Next chapter will be the inevitable training montage. I'm thinking of giving brief looks of how he's training and then ultimately time skipping to at least around 6 ish I think where the next part of Jaron's story will take place, but I haven't decided yet.

Thanks for reading.

-SocioPhobia