Chapter 03 - 7 years
Venhorst Castle exuded an air of nobility and refinement. In a cheerfully decorated bedroom, vases of flowers spread a sweet fragrance throughout the room. The room was majestic— a massive bed, the work of the most talented craftsman, boasted bars inlaid with sparkling jewels. A writing desk, carved from the rarest white wood, rested against the wall, next to a mini-bookcase filled with various books. A large closet-like armoire displayed elegant gowns, and above it, an oil painting depicted vast plains and mountains, capturing the grandeur of the world beyond the walls.
Sitting gracefully on the bed was a woman of unparalleled beauty. Her casual attire highlighted her slender figure— a blue and white skirt that reached down to her ankles and a short dark blue blouse that revealed her shoulders and navel. Her long black hair was tied back in a ponytail , and her eyes shone with joy, reflecting the life that was once again pulsing within her. A gentle smile adorned her lips, capable of melting any man's heart.
This woman was none other than Catherine Venhorst , wife of Ferdinand and mother of the newborn John.
With only a few days to go before giving birth, no one would believe that just a few months ago, Catherine had looked like a walking corpse, consumed by exhaustion. Yet now, her appearance was that of a young woman at the peak of her vitality. The secret to her rapid recovery lay in her recent evolution— she had reached the peak of the Middle Kingdom, something few could achieve in a lifetime.
Fernando, on the other hand, was restless. The warrior lord, feared and respected throughout the kingdom, paced back and forth, reacting to any small complication as if it were a matter of life or death. Although his strength was unmatched— he could stay awake for an entire month, slice through mountains with a single blow, or even decimate armies without exhausting his energy—he now faced his greatest challenge: changing diapers.
The first attempt nearly knocked him down. With his forehead covered in sweat, he felt on the verge of exhaustion. Catherine, for her part, laughed unceremoniously, amused at seeing her powerful husband so helpless in the face of such a simple task.
With all his needs met, baby John finally fell asleep, and his parents were able to enjoy a moment of peace. However, neither of them were in the mood for cuddling or loving conversation.
In the dining room, sitting opposite each other, Fernando and Catarina had serious expressions. The silence was broken by Fernando's deep voice.
—What was that crimson energy?
His gaze was steady. He didn't use affectionate words or beat around the bush— he wanted to get straight to the point.
Catarina hesitated for a moment before answering.
— It must be some kind of soul power.
Fernando frowned, his expression filled with disbelief.
"How is this possible?" His voice was deep. "You're not a higher being yet… How can your soul energy be tangible? Even at the peak of the higher realm, it's not completely solid. How could this happen to someone who's still at the peak of the middle realm?"
Doubt hung in the air. Fernando had no reason to doubt Catarina's words, but this simply defied all logic. He had been present at the moment of birth, he had felt the oscillation of the soul's energy with his sonar. The presence of that crimson force was undeniable.
But how could Catherine, who had not even broken through the barrier of the higher realm, manifest soul energy in a tangible form? This was as absurd as claiming that a fish had flown into the sky.
A hypothesis formed in his mind, and he did not hesitate to verbalize it:
—Could the egg we found in the Tomb of the Primal Sin have something to do with this?
Catarina remained silent for a few moments, reflecting. Finally, she answered in an uncertain tone:
— I don't know how to say it... But there's something that 's confusing me .
The memory of that journey came flooding back. In the Tomb of the Primal Sin, both faced deadly challenges and discovered long-buried secrets. Fernando emerged from that adventure as a superior being, reaching an unparalleled level of power. Catarina, however, was not so lucky.
Presented with a riddle rather than a blessing, she had acquired a mysterious egg that had since drained her soul strength and vitality. At that moment, there was nothing that could be done. The egg was sealed within her own soul, and Catherine was forced to live with this silent curse.
Fernando's voice broke the thread of his thoughts:
- What it was?
Catarina took a deep breath before answering:
— He disappeared.
Fernando narrowed his eyes.
— Gone? What? The crimson energy?
She shook her head slowly.
— No... The egg in my soul has disappeared.
Fernando felt a chill run down his spine. His brow furrowed even more, and the uneasiness in his heart grew.
"What the hell happened at the time of birth?" His voice was thick with tension. "I felt the presence of three souls... How is that possible? Shouldn't there only be two?"
Catarina looked deeply into Fernando's eyes. Without hesitation, she began to recount everything that had happened in the boundless soul sea— a vast ocean with no land or direction. She described every detail, from the moment she was pulled into that ethereal realm to the battle between the two babies and the emergence of the mysterious crimson energy. Catarina held nothing back, revealing everything without reservation.
Fernando listened attentively, his expression oscillating between bewilderment and disbelief. For a moment, he almost believed that his wife was delirious due to labor pains. But then, the memory of the crimson energy came back to him with force.
He frowned and, trying to organize his thoughts, asked:
—How did the egg in your soul merge with the egg in our son's soul? How is it possible for someone to enter another person's soul sea? And more importantly, where did this other egg in our son's soul come from? Didn't we only find one in the Tomb of Ancestral Sin?
Fernando's questions hung in the air, with no immediate answers. Catarina didn't know what to say either. Her knowledge of souls was limited— she was an elemental mage, specializing in the manipulation of ice and earth. Although she knew that in the advanced levels of the Middle Realm, it was necessary to create a soul sea to house a soul spirit, what she had experienced was beyond her comprehension.
"I… I don't know," Catarina admitted, her voice thick with confusion. "Our son hasn't formed his core yet, so how could he already have a soul sea? But I know that sea wasn't mine."
She paused before continuing:
— My soul sea is water-elemental, but my affinity leans more towards ice and earth. There is no way it could turn into a boundless sea. And the strangest thing of all… my soul creature wasn't there.
Fernando sighed deeply. That was a mystery that, for now, they would not be able to solve. He decided to postpone the search for answers.
— In the future, I might need to go to the capital and study more about souls. Who knows, maybe I'll find an explanation for all of this there…
For now, his priority was to protect his family.
"We need to watch our son closely," he said, his voice thick with determination. "If there is any irregularity, we cannot ignore it. Things are calm at the border, but if we continue without incident for a few more years, that will give us time to monitor him. I will increase security throughout the territory."
Fernando then changed the subject, his expression serious.
— I will also make an official announcement: I will inform you that I have been promoted to a higher being.
Catarina widened her eyes and interrupted him immediately:
—Won't this cause a commotion throughout the kingdom?
She frowned, worried.
— Won't it throw the territory into chaos?
Fernando smiled slightly and said:
— You are underestimating the battle prowess of a higher being, as well as the fear people have of him. I believe we will have a period of peace in the next eight or nine years. It is not wise to provoke a higher being, Catarina. After all, we are the pillars of a kingdom. Even the royal family needs to treat me with respect now.
He sighed, leaning back in his chair. Catarina, after thinking for a moment, nodded in agreement and smiled.
— This is the best scenario for raising our son.
However, as soon as the word "son" left his lips, a shadow of bitterness passed through his gaze. Fernando noticed it immediately. He stood up and, without hesitation, wrapped Catarina in a strong hug, trying to comfort her.
"You will see them again," he murmured softly. "Perhaps one day they will even be reunited with our son in the future."
Seven years later
A long time had passed since John had arrived in this new world. During those years, many things had happened. It wasn't surprising, but two weeks after his birth, he was finally given a name— a name he hated with all his heart.
Fernando, his father, decided to call him Fernando Junior . For John, that was simply unbearable. He despised being called "F. Junior"—it sounded pathetic.
However, remembering the vow he made before he was even born, John realized he had no choice. He reluctantly accepted the name.
Over the years, his development progressed relatively normally. He learned to walk at one year and nine months and began to talk at around two years of age.
When he turned five, John began to try to better understand the world he had been reincarnated into. He knew from an early age that this was not his original world. The events he had experienced before he was born— the indeterminate period of torment in the darkness—had given him this certainty.
The time he had spent in the darkness could not be measured in days, weeks, or years. He felt like it had been centuries… perhaps millennia. However, he could also be wrong. Perhaps it had only been a few minutes… or even mere seconds. In the end, he decided not to think about it too much.
Each year that passed, Ferdinand and Catherine held a grand banquet to celebrate their anniversary. Guests came from all over, for as a superior being, Ferdinand was an influential figure. Strengthening relationships was always a valuable opportunity.
John was always touched by these celebrations. In his past life, he had been an orphan at a young age. His only— That's not it…
He hesitated, staring at the plate without really seeing it.
Catarina, noticing her son's restlessness, put the cutlery aside and looked at him tenderly.
— So what is it, dear? You've been thinking a lot lately. If there's something on your mind, you can tell us.
John clenched his fists in his lap. The weight of that secret had been tormenting him for years. He knew he was loved by his parents, but… how would they react if they found out he wasn't just "F. Junior"? That his soul belonged to someone who lived in another world?
Taking a deep breath, he finally looked up and said hesitantly,
— Dad… Mom… I need to talk to you about something important.
Fernando and Catarina exchanged quick glances, but did not interrupt him. Fernando just nodded.
John opened his mouth to speak… but the words just wouldn't come out. He wanted to tell everything, but fear paralyzed him.
What if they didn't believe him? What if they thought he was possessed? Or worse... what if they rejected him?
Silence spread across the room, thick and heavy. Catarina frowned slightly, worried.
"It's okay, my son," she said softly. "Whatever it is, we will always be by your side."
John pressed his lips together and finally swallowed the words he wanted to say. He wasn't ready. Not yet.
"Forget it," he muttered, forcing a small smile. "I just wanted to say that I'm happy to be here with you."
Fernando stared at him for a moment, as if analyzing every detail of his expression. Then, he let out a small sigh.
— Well, if that's it… then let's continue with our dinner.
Catarina still looked worried, but nodded, respecting her son's space.
John turned his attention back to his plate, but the tightness in his chest remained.
He knew he couldn't hide the truth forever.
only family link was his younger sister, and they had both struggled alone to survive.
Now he had parents who cared about him.
Catarina arrived shortly after, still drying her hands with a thin cloth. She sat down next to Fernando and crossed her legs elegantly, looking at her son with a mixture of curiosity and concern.
—There, dear, we're listening, — she said in a gentle tone.
John felt his heart race. There was no turning back now. He took a deep breath, trying to organize the words in his mind. How could he explain something so absurd?
He looked up, first at his mother, then at his father. They were both watching him intently, waiting.
"What I'm about to say may sound strange," he began, his voice trembling a little. "But please, listen to the end."
Fernando leaned forward slightly, attentive.
— I… I remember another life. Another world. Before I was born here.
The silence that followed was absolute.
Catarina blinked a few times, processing the words. Fernando just stared at him, his eyes half-closed.
John continued, taking advantage of the fact that they hadn't interrupted him.
— In my other life, I was an adult. I had a sister… she's still very young, and I… I don't know what happened to her after I came here.
He clasped his hands in his lap, feeling a tightness in his throat.
— I'm not just "F. Junior". I'm someone who lived a whole life before this one.
This time, Catarina gasped softly, putting a hand to her mouth. Fernando remained impassive for a moment, until he finally broke the silence:
— Are you sure about what you're saying, son?
John nodded, determined.
— I do. I know it's hard to believe, but everything I experienced before I was born here is still on my mind.
Catarina exchanged a quick glance with Fernando, and then asked in a soft voice:
— And… how do you feel about that?
John hesitated. He hadn't expected that question.
— I… — He sighed. — I don't know. I love you guys, I really do. But I also miss my sister. Sometimes I feel like I'm deceiving you guys, because… because I'm not just the son you think I am.
Silence reigned in the room again.
Then, to his surprise, Catarina stood up, walked over to him and hugged him tightly.
"You are our son," she whispered. "It doesn't matter where you came from, or who you were before. You are our son now."
John's eyes widened.
Fernando then let out a sigh, crossing his arms.
— Well… that explains a few things.
John blinked, confused.
— Explain?
Fernando smiled from the corner of his mouth.
— You were always too smart for a kid your age. And too conscientious.
He stood up and placed a hand on his son's head.
— It doesn't change anything for us. If you have a past life, then it's part of who you are. But now, you're our son.
John felt his eyes burn.
— So… you don't think I'm strange?
Catarina laughed softly.
— You've always been weird, darling. But that doesn't change how much we love you.
John closed his eyes and smiled. The weight he had carried for so many years finally dissipated.
He still had a lot to understand about his new life. But at least now he knew he wasn't alone.