The Second Chance Was Given

Once, Arthur was the great king of his realm. But in his final moments, with a smile on his face, he whispered,

- "I have achieved my goal. Now, I can peacefully retire..." As soon as Arthur closed his eyes, he heard a joyful female voice exclaim,

- "It's a boy! It's a boy, Mrs. Hans!"

Arthur barely opened his eyes to see the face of a completely unfamiliar woman. He thought, "Who is this? And why is she holding me in her arms?"

Arthur wanted to ask, but the woman began to cry, softly muttering to herself,

- "Lawrence, Lawrence, my dear little son... How long we've waited for you..."

With tears in her eyes, the woman tenderly embraced Arthur. Arthur realized that he had been reborn. He was now an infant in another world, where the domestic interior, the attire of the maid, and the clothing of the unfamiliar man standing nearby bore no resemblance to his old world.

The man, unfamiliar to Arthur, also wept. Approaching Arthur, he said, "Lawrence, my son, how glad I am that you have come into this world!"

After the emotions had subsided a bit, Arthur decided that since life had given him a second chance, he would live it to the fullest! He would live for himself, not for revenge. Now, as an infant named Lawrence Hans, Arthur resolved to embrace this name and use his accumulated life experience for good.

Much remained unclear to Lawrence: how and why had this happened? Questions arose, but answers were elusive. Nonetheless, taking hold of himself and seeing the happy faces of his new parents—the village chief and a healer—Lawrence decided to conceal his true identity and continue living as their ordinary son.

As soon as the boy's father, Victor Hans, wrapped his arms around Lawrence, the infant felt an extraordinary warmth and safety. The father gently rocked him, softly singing a lullaby passed down through generations in their family. Although the melody was new to Lawrence, it felt strangely familiar and soothing.

- "You are with us now, little one,"

Victor whispered, his voice blending with the crackling of the logs in the fireplace. "You will be safe here," he continued.

Despite his inner reflections and memories of his past life, Lawrence could not resist the enveloping peace offered by his father's arms. His little eyes slowly closed, and soon he drifted into sleep, where the worlds of his past and present began to merge in dreams.

At that moment, Arthur, now in the body of Lawrence, encountered the first of many lessons he was to learn: even great kings need moments of rest and protection. It was a reminder that his new life would be full of opportunities and challenges, vastly different from those he had faced before.

As night deeply descended on the village, shadows flickered, and the wind carried strange whispers through the cracks of the house. In the world of Eldoria, filled with magic and mysteries, each new day promised discoveries and adventures. Lawrence, now an infant in this world, was yet unaware of the trials ahead, but the soul of the old warrior was ready to meet them head-on.