Chapter 2: Learning the Ropes

A few weeks had passed since Einar's (Re)birth. They had been as confusing as they had been uneventful. The world Einar now woke up in was completely different than the world he once knew. Luckily for him, everything would've been new to a baby too, so his ignorance actually helped him stay in character.

Being a baby had a few other advantages. He had all the time in the world to get used to his new body. A baby wasn't expected to have fine motor skills until later in their development so his clumsiness didn't stand out. His parents also spoke to him in simple, albeit annoying, language. This sped up his learning process significantly.

It also gave him time to think about what he saw and notice a few things about his new life.

The first thing he noticed was that his new name was apparently Ruen. He had yet to fully learn the language, but whenever his parents talked to him, they would refer to him as 'Ruen'.

The second thing was the apparent lack of Mana. He couldn't sense any Mana in his body nor in that of his parents. Back in his previous life, Mana was as widespread as the air itself. It permeated through everything. Even rocks had contained a tiny bit of mana. Now, however, he felt a complete lack of Mana. It was as if the world had been sucked dry of its very essence, leaving behind a dull husk for him to look at. For a man who had used the magical energy so much that it had become as natural as oxygen to him, the world felt almost suffocating.

The good thing was that there was definitely still magic. It just wasn't as omnipresent as he remembered it. Its uses did seem more widespread though. On his way home from the factory he had seen many marvels of magic. Things he would've considered to be impossible in his previous life. Enormous floating metal carriages that could hold hundreds of people flew through the air, and giant steel poles lit up the night sky, allowing one to navigate the streets as if it were day.

The third and last thing he noticed, was that his family was dirt poor. When his parents had brought him home, he was actually quite impressed. They walked up to a big building that was entirely made of steel and illuminated by dozens of crystals lined along the walls. Back in his previous life, not even middle-ranked nobles could afford to make their mansions out of metal. Illuminating it all with magic crystals to top it off would've been considered pure madness!

Alas, his enthusiasm was short-lived. Once they entered through the large wooden doors. they weren't met with lavish rooms like he expected, but shabby hallways that led to their even shabbier apartment. His parents shared a small room that contained two beds, one for him, and one for them. There was a tiny kitchen, a single bathroom, and a living room which was also used as a bedroom. Compared to even the backroom of the factory he was born in, his new home was spartan at best.

Looking back at his curbed enthusiasm, he chuckled. 'Even in my first life, most people didn't live much better than this. Expecting more was just wishful thinking.'

Despite his acceptance of his new social status, it still took him some time to adjust to his new standard of living. Though he wasn't a Noble, his father had been an Archmage, just like him. They never had any financial struggles and their living situation had been comparable to a rich mercantile family.

The switch from warm, carpeted floors and sturdy but cozy brick walls to cold, stone floors and rusty, moldy metal walls, was a grand one.

"Here Ruen, drink." His mother said, bringing him out of his thoughts. She held out her hand with a cup of lukewarm milk. It was the only thing they had that could ever so slightly quell the hunger that had plagued him since his birth. Being as poor as they were, his parents barely had enough money to make ends meet before his birth. Now the budget was even tighter and food was scarce.

He tried to drink as much as he could, but he didn't even need to act like a baby, his body failed him on its own and he spilled a lot of it. He shortly grieved the loss of part of his precious meal before drifting off into his thoughts again.

'I'm going to need to find a solution to our financial problems at some point.' he thought. 'There has to be some way I can help out. I've always been considered a smart person. I'm sure I can learn some profession that pays well enough.'. He wasn't quite sure how educated the people in his new life were, but judging from the lack of books in the apartment he guessed that his parents were illiterate, meaning he still at least had an edge over them. Even if the alphabet was different, he was sure he could learn it quickly.

'At least I won't have to worry about appearing too intelligent for a child. My parents probably don't know what's normal either and will just celebrate me as a gifted child.' He thought. 'Our low standing may be a blessing in disguise.'

Einar took a look at his mother again. Now that her face was clear of worry and fatigue, she reminded him a lot of his first mother. She had the same aura of warmth and the same caring look in her eyes. It made him feel strangely at home in this alien place.

He didn't quite know what to think about his father just yet. The man wasn't home very often, and when he was he would mainly sleep. Einar was sure he wasn't a bad man, just an overworked one.

'Due to my birth, he probably has to work extra hours. Pour soul.' Einar sighed.

He wasn't sure what kind of job his father worked. Judging from how tired he was every day, it couldn't be a bureaucratic job, that's for sure. His muscular build also betrayed the nature of his job to involve a lot of physical activity. At first, he thought his father might be a guard of sorts, but his lack of armor or weaponry ruled that out.

He was still pondering when the clicking of the door interrupted his train of thought once more.