Understanding the System

Still captivated by the floating words that had appeared in the room, young Richard tried to make sense of it all. With the maturity and experience of a successful businessman, he decided that the best strategy was to explore the resources presented on the screen.

First, he shifted his gaze to {status}. Here, all his attributes were listed.

"Interesting," Richard thought as he examined his statistics. "Even though my physical levels are low for now, my intelligence is at a healthy 3. Carrying an adult's mind into this rebirth is certainly an advantage."

Next, he directed his gaze to {Abilities}. Only by focusing his gaze on it could he select it, but he saw only one word: "Empty."

Despite the initial disappointment, he thought, "Well, this is to be expected. After all, I've just woken up to this new world. There must be ways to acquire skills in this system; I just need to figure out how."

Maintaining this positive mindset, Richard then turned to {Troops}. Again, he was met with disappointment as the only option he saw was "Recruitment – Unavailable."

"At the moment, this function is not available to me. But the mere inclusion of something like this gives me hope. Perhaps in the future, when I've grown and gained more experience, I can actually recruit an army. That would certainly be a powerful resource," he pondered.

Next on the menu was {Upgrades}. Once again, there were no options available, but Richard didn't get discouraged.

"Upgrades," he thought, "probably refer to the possibility of improving my stats and skills, or maybe my future troops. Another useful feature that, unfortunately, I can't access yet."

Finally, there was {Equipment}. At this point, the only thing listed was a "Dirty Cloth Diaper."

"Simple but effective. Don't tell me, Richard, you were expecting some magical sword or something. This is your reality now, and you will make good use of it," he scolded himself, internally chuckling at his audacity.

After exploring the system's functions, Richard realized that, although everything seemed very exciting, there wasn't much he could do immediately. Nevertheless, he was excited. After all, he had just been reborn, and there was a whole world of possibilities ahead of him.

"This is just the foundation," Richard whispered to himself in his thoughts. "There's a whole path of growth waiting for me. And with this system, I have a feeling I'll traverse that path quickly."

Filled with thoughts and dreams for the future, Richard nestled in his crib. He might be in a baby's body now, but the mind of an experienced and determined adult was just beginning to make plans. Although he couldn't do much now, he had a sense that things would change soon.

"The most important thing now is to assess the kind of world I'm in and how to adapt to it," Richard reflected, and with a small smile, he closed his eyes again, eager to explore this unknown world.

Little did he know that soon, he would embark on a journey that would change his life forever.

Richard was abruptly pulled from his thoughts when he felt the familiar and warm touch of his mother, Margaret, who picked him up in her arms. Her sweet scent of herbs and her gentle voice quickly calmed his senses. She said cheerfully:

"My little miracle, time has passed so quickly. You're already one year old."

Richard looked curiously at his mother, touched by her words. As much as his mind was that of an adult, her love for him was undeniable and always welcomed. Feeling it flooded his heart with a warmth stemming from the newly formed bonds, something his extremely rational mind couldn't explain.

His father, Robert, approached with a loving smile, a small bread cake in his hands. Margaret placed Richard in his makeshift wooden crib, which doubled as a seat for the occasion. Robert's expression was filled with simple and genuine happiness.

"You've grown so much, my boy," he said, sitting beside Margaret on the simple wooden floor of their humble home. He placed the cake in front of Richard, with a simple, extinguished candle in the center.

Richard's eyes shone with the simplicity of the moment. His small hands reached for the cake but were soon held by Margaret's. "Wait a moment, my love. Let's sing to you first." Richard only wanted to bring it closer. His mother lit the candle with a stick that was already burning in the fireplace, while she started singing a soft melody, which Richard assumed was a birthday song of this world.

Her voice was like the gentle shimmer of a river, and the faint light of the improvised candle illuminated their faces with a gentle warmth. A feeling of belonging imprinted a soft smile on young Richard's face. Even with an adult mind, the simplicity of the situation brought forth emotions in his heart that he had never experienced in his previous life.

They sang together a simple yet love-filled melody. As they finished, Robert got down on his knees and exclaimed with a smile:

"Blow out the candle, my boy!"

Before Richard could grasp the expression, he could feel his father's breath extinguishing the candle and filling the room with soft laughter. The simple actions, the cozy atmosphere, and the love radiating from his parents gave this birthday a beauty that no sophisticated event in his previous life could match. The system he had just awakened to could wait a bit for this moment.

He was grateful for this new life, for these new people who were now his family, and for this new world that had opened up to him.

The air was filled with joy and happiness, and in Richard's heart, a new determination to live this life to the fullest began to pulsate.

"We love you, Richard," Margaret whispered, gently caressing Richard's face with maternal affection.

As he held his small hands in the arms of his family, Richard knew that this new world was ready for him to conquer.

"This is a new life, and a new chance. Although many things are unknown about this world, I know one thing: with my mind, my determination, and this 'Miraculous System,' I have no doubt that in this world, I will build my own empire." Richard thought as he enjoyed this day with his parents, looking forward to the new day about to begin.