...
"Almost there, madam," a woman's voice strained, echoing through the room.
"Hold on, madam," the voice urged again.
Soon, a healthy, cherubic baby boy emerged from the young woman's womb.
A dark-haired woman with piercing blue eyes lay on the bed, her strength waning. Her black hair cascaded over the pillow, a stark contrast to the tired gaze of her beautiful blue eyes. Her face was pale, her body weakened by the arduous labor.
"Congratulations, madam, it's a boy," the midwife announced.
The dark-haired woman offered a thin smile. "Even if it's just for a moment, I want to see my child's face."
The midwife gently lifted the baby, bringing him to his mother. "Here is your baby boy, madam, a healthy one. But..."
The woman's smile vanished, replaced by a chilling stillness. A tremor ran through her lips.
'No... those eyes... it can't be...!'
She clicked her tongue, averting her gaze.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
A shadow fell across the doorway as a black-bearded man entered. His blue eyes were cold and sharp, his tight clothes outlining the powerful muscles beneath. He stood silently, waiting for the midwife's report.
"W-Well, sir... It's a boy," the midwife stammered.
The bearded man approached, his gaze unwavering. The midwife looked away, unable to meet his gaze.
"S-So, like this... The baby..."
The black-haired woman cut her off. "The baby has red eyes."
The bearded man's face hardened, his gaze turning icy. Red eyes were a curse in their family, a sign of misfortune. He clenched his fists, his jaw tight. Every member of their lineage had blue eyes, never red. Red eyes were a symbol of evil, a stain on their bloodline.
This child was the only one with those eyes.
'This child is a bad omen.'
The man's gaze met his wife's, a silent exchange of understanding, a decision made without words. She nodded slowly.
He turned back to the baby, his face grim. The midwife stood frozen, knowing what was to come.
"Give me the baby," he demanded.
The midwife had no choice, fear constricting her voice. "H-Here y-you go, sir..."
He took the baby, leaving the room.
He carried the child to a clear, rushing river, its waters reflecting the sky. He wrapped the baby in a gray shawl, placing him in a woven basket.
"You don't deserve to live in this family. Find your own," he said, his voice cold, his eyes devoid of warmth.
The basket was lowered into the river, the current pulling it away. The baby's fate was left to the whims of destiny.
...
The baby drifted with the river, the rain swelling the current. He was swept through dense forests, past towering rocks, the relentless water carrying him along. Finally, the basket snagged on the branches of a tree, the current unable to pull it further.
'This body is so small... but my awareness is still intact. This world is as cruel as it was twenty thousand years ago.'
He tried to move, to free himself, but his weak body was unable to respond.
Then, a couple appeared on the riverbank. He cried, hoping they would hear him.
They did.
The couple rushed to the river, their curiosity piqued. They gasped when they saw the baby in the basket.
The man, Ard, reached into the river, pulling the basket to safety. He unwrapped the shawl.
"A-Ard... Whose baby is this?" his wife, Elsia, asked.
"I don't know, but surely his parents abandoned him."
'WillI be the child ofa commoner?'
The baby looked at Ard. The man had blond hair and blood-red eyes, the same as his. He turned to Elsia, a young woman with red hair and blue eyes. They were both young, perhaps twenty-five.
Elsia gently pinched the baby's cheek. "He's adorable," she said, her smile soft.
Her eyes lit up, as if a thought had taken root. Ard knew what she was thinking. He shook his head, a hint of sadness in his eyes.
"We can't adopt him. What if his parents are looking for him?"
Elsia's expression fell. Her heart ached for the child. She wanted to take him in, but Ard wouldn't allow it. Tears welled in her eyes.
"Ard... This baby has been abandoned. What's wrong with saving him?"
Ard shook his head again. "We can't adopt him, Elsia. We don't even know if he was truly abandoned."
Elsia clung to Ard, her voice pleading. "I want a child, Ard, please."
He shook his head, his voice firm. "No, Elsia. How many times do I have to tell you?"
"B-But..."
The silence stretched, punctuated by the roar of the river and the rain.
"Come on, Ard..."
"No, Elsia," he said, his voice unwavering.
"But... What if he's eaten by a monster or a wild animal?"
Ard's eyes widened. He couldn't adopt the child, but he couldn't leave him to face such a fate.
The baby stared at them, his eyes wide, but he didn't cry. Elsia found it strange. Why wasn't he crying?
She didn't know, but she was sure he was a newborn.
"Ard... I find this baby a bit strange. Why isn't he crying?"
"He was crying earlier, Elsia. That's how we found him," Ard replied.
"Y-You're right..."
Elsia looked at the baby again, her eyes filled with hope. It felt wrong to take in a baby she had just met. The villagers would gossip, accuse them of stealing him. Elsia couldn't have children, so bringing home a baby would raise suspicions.
But she couldn't bear to leave him to be eaten by a monster.
She stopped pleading. She knew Ard wouldn't change his mind.
The decision rested with him. Adopt the baby and become parents, or let him face a cruel fate and live without ever knowing the joy of parenthood.
Ard looked at the baby. His heart urged him to take him in, but his reason held him back.
He turned to Elsia. "Elsia... I..."
He couldn't finish the thought. He paused, taking a deep breath. Then, a small smile touched his lips.
"Elsia... Let's adopt him."
Elsia's face broke into a radiant smile. After five years of marriage, they would finally know the joy of parenthood. She was speechless, overwhelmed with happiness.
Ard placed his hand on her shoulder. "But, Elsia, if his parents come looking for him, we must return him to them," he said, his smile gentle.
Elsia nodded. "Okay. That's no problem, Ard."
They embraced, kissing under the large tree, the rain still falling around them. They kissed openly, the baby watching them.
'Spare me your emotions. You're tools — nothing more. Raise me, then vanish".
They sat under the tree, waiting for the rain to stop.
"Elsia, let's name him," Ard said, his smile wide.
"Okay. What should we name our child?"
Ard stroked his chin, trying to think of a name. After a moment, a name came to him.
"Hastora Vallois," he murmured, his voice nearly lost in the sound of the rain.
"...? What did you say, Ard?"
"I said Hastora Vallois."
"Hastora Vallois?"
"Yes, Hastora Vallois."
The name had come to him unexpectedly after holding the baby. He didn't know why he chose it, but it felt right. Just a name, nothing special.
But he was wrong. It was a name of power, a name whispered in fear 20,000 years ago.
Elsia raised her eyebrows. "Where did you get that name?"
"I don't know... It just popped into my head."
"I see... It's a good name."
It was a good name, a facade hiding a dark history. They wouldn't know the true weight of the name, the power it held.
'Idon't know if this is a coincidence or fate. But my name remains the same as it was 20,000 years ago.'
Ard realized the rain had stopped. They had been so focused, they hadn't noticed.
"The rain has stopped. Let's go back."
"Okay."
They stood, walking back home, carrying the baby in their arms.
'Do your job well, parents.'
Under the dark sky, their decision would shape the fate of the world.
To be continued in the next chapter…