After running for quite a while, my sister and I finally arrived at a wooden house with a large barn next to it.
I was gasping for air.
In my previous life, I had never run like this since I got sick. Of course, after my death, I had run around a bit when I was trapped in that dark place. But I really didn't want to remember that place, and preferred to think of it as if it never happened.
Not long after, a man stepped out of the barn, dressed in a neat black suit and wearing a pitch-black Panama hat.
"Hey, Vall. I've been waiting for you for quite some time."
A man I had never met in my previous life appeared before me.
My sister stepped forward and approached him.
"Hey, you should be grateful to me, Uncle! I went through so much trouble to find this idiot!"
"Yes, yes... thank you, Cassie. As a reward, what would you like me to buy for you? I'll get it for you later in the city."
"Hmm, let's see... Maybe some fabric. I want to make a few outfits for the upcoming festival."
"Alright. Is that all?"
"Yes."
Then, both of them turned to look at me.
"Heh, Vall. What are you waiting for? Don't you need to get changed and head out with Uncle Rushell?"
"Eh? Go? Where?"
"To the city, of course, Vall. Aren't you starting at the academy next week? Did you forget?"
"Uh... yeah, right. I guess I forgot, hehe... the academy, huh... Alright, I'll go get changed first, Sis."
After that, I quickly went into the house to get changed, while the two of them continued their conversation.
"What's going on with him? Do you know, Cassie?"
"No idea. Maybe he got hit on the head by an apple while napping under a tree!"
"Maybe you should help him get dressed. I'm a bit worried about him."
"You're right. Uncle, wait here for a bit. I'll go to that idiot."
After changing clothes with my sister's help, I was now ready to go. She had already packed all my necessities into a suitcase.
"Alright, Vall. Let's go! We'll be late if we don't leave now!"
The man reached out his hand to take mine.
I replied with a hesitant tone,
"Alright, Un...cle."
My sister then approached and hugged me before I left.
"Take care, Vall. Don't trouble Uncle Rushell too much!"
"Okay, Sis."
"I'll always be praying for you from here."
"Thank you, Sis. See you."
After that farewell, Uncle and I walked and chatted.
"Hey, Vall. Are you hungry? Should we stop by a food store first?"
"No... no need, Uncle."
"Alright. Anyway, we'll probably get food on the train later!"
"What! Train?"
"Yeah, the train. We can't get to the city just by walking, you know."
Suddenly, memories of that horrible accident came flooding back into my mind, making me feel sick.
After walking for about ten minutes, we arrived at an old but fairly busy station. I sat on the platform while Uncle went to buy the tickets. Not long after, a very old-looking train arrived. Uncle came back, and I followed him into the train.
Soon after, I sat in a cabin in the middle section of the train. I opened my suitcase to see what my sister had packed for me. Inside were a few letters, clothes, and some books. Through those letters, I started to learn a bit about my current self.
The first letter was a family record listing the names, birthplaces, and birthdates of my family members. After comparing my birthdate to the date on the train ticket, I found out that I was currently six years old. I also checked my sister's birthdate and saw that she was ten—four years older than me.
I also found the death certificates of our parents, who had passed away long ago. From that, I realized that they had died when I was still a baby.
I looked at Uncle and thought that he must have been the one supporting us all this time. I guessed that from the conversation he had with my sister earlier and from a few documents about academy registration and tuition fees that I had just read. The fees had been fully paid for the upcoming school year, with Uncle's signature at the bottom.
I fell silent for a moment, reflecting on everything that had happened. I thought maybe this was all just a dream. But the dream hadn't ended, and this world felt so real now.
Even after pinching my cheeks several times until it hurt, I became more convinced that this wasn't a dream.
Then I wondered, could this be a reincarnation? But I didn't think so, because I wasn't reborn in my previous world. Instead, I woke up in another world in the body of a child who looked exactly like my old self.
Could this be the body of another version of me in this world? If so, where did the original soul of this body go? Did it vanish the moment I took over?
I was once again confused by my current situation.
My family's circumstances here were also very different from my previous life.
Even in this new world, I still couldn't meet my parents.
I sighed. Everything made my head hurt.
In the end, I decided not to overthink it anymore and to just focus on living my life in this world.
I turned to Uncle and said,
"Thank you, Uncle, for taking care of us and supporting us all this time. My sister and I are truly grateful to you."
Uncle smiled and gently patted my head.
"Don't worry about it, Vall. You know, I already see you two as my own children. So of course, I'll do everything I can for you. Hehe."
I bowed my head and smiled happily at his words.
Then I asked again,
"Uncle, is it true that the starting age for school is six?"
"Yes, that's right. Why?"
"But why doesn't Sis go to school? Isn't she already ten?"
Uncle was silent for a moment before answering,
"Well... You see, Vall, in this world, people still look down on girls. The government only allows boys to attend the academy, while girls are expected to stay home and learn household chores. Honestly, I don't agree with that way of thinking."
I fell silent, reflecting on Uncle's words.
Even in this world, discrimination still exists. Truly, a world run by outdated thinking. Damn those people—Malala Yousafzai would cry if she saw this, you know.
Uncle continued,
"But that doesn't apply to nobles. Women from noble families are usually seen as equals to men. In fact, some of them even hold higher status, depending on how influential their families are."
I sighed with slight annoyance.
"Nobles, huh... Life really isn't fair."
In this world, the nobles hold power.
I thought of something a little funny—how similar this world was to the one I came from.
A world full of social inequality. The upper class gets the main course, while the lower class only gets the scraps. Some of them only get the trash.
But I thought, this world isn't all that bad.
The green hills I saw from the cabin window were soothingly beautiful. The rivers flowing by looked crystal clear. The air felt cool, with lush trees all around. My soul melted into the comfort of it all. It was a feeling I couldn't put into words.
A feeling like I was home. A feeling that brought me peace. Truly, a world worth living in.
And for now, all I wished for was...
I hoped that my life in this world would be a peaceful one.