Volume 1: The Fourth Holy Grail War
Chapter 3: Fantasy Life Simulation (Part III)
Darkness.
Not the empty darkness of sleep.
Nor the endless void that stretched between the stars.
This darkness was…
warm.
It pulsed gently around him, accompanied by a slow, rhythmic heartbeat that echoed through his entire existence.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
The sound was strangely comforting.
Ren tried to open his eyes.
Nothing happened.
He attempted to move an arm.
No response.
Even taking a breath felt unfamiliar, as though his body no longer obeyed him.
“…”
Confusion rose within him.
What happened?
The last thing he remembered was choosing Gaia’s Embrace.
After that…
Silence.
Then…
Warmth.
A faint voice drifted into his ears.
“…”
He couldn’t understand it.
Another voice followed.
Gentle.
Calm.
Completely foreign.
It wasn’t Japanese.
Nor any language he recognized.
Yet somehow…
It felt oddly familiar.
As though his mind understood its meaning while being unable to translate the words.
His thoughts gradually slowed.
Not because he wanted them to…
But because something was gently synchronizing his consciousness.
Fragments of unfamiliar memories brushed against his mind before quietly dispersing again.
A peaceful meadow.
An enormous tree stretching into the heavens.
Children laughing.
Flowing rivers.
None of them belonged to him.
Not yet.
A quiet notification appeared before disappearing almost instantly.
It didn’t demand his attention.
It merely informed him.
══════════════════════════════
Fantasy Life Simulation
Synchronizing…
Memories Stabilized.
Current Life Progress: Beginning
Earth Memories: Preserved
Simulation Memories: Initializing
══════════════════════════════
The screen dissolved before Ren could examine it further.
Then…
The heartbeat stopped.
A different sensation replaced it.
Pressure.
An overwhelming pressure surrounded his tiny body from every direction.
The warmth that had protected him disappeared.
His entire world began to move.
“…!”
Instinct took over.
His small body struggled helplessly.
He didn’t understand what was happening.
Only that something was pushing him forward.
A blinding light burst through the darkness.
Cold air rushed into his lungs.
His chest tightened.
A sharp sting spread through his body.
Without thinking…
He cried.
The first cry of a newborn echoed through the quiet forest.
“…A human?”
A soft feminine voice trembled with surprise.
“How can this be?”
Another voice answered.
“I don’t know…”
“I’ve never seen one this small.”
Gentle hands carefully lifted him from the soft grass.
Unlike human hands…
These felt strangely cool.
Light.
Almost weightless.
Ren’s tightly shut eyelids trembled.
The faint scent of flowers entered his nose.
Fresh earth.
Morning dew.
Ancient trees.
A fragrance unlike anything from modern Earth.
His instincts urged him to open his eyes.
Slowly…
Very slowly…
A sliver of light entered his vision.
Everything appeared blurry.
Shapes melted into colors.
Green.
Blue.
Gold.
Several silhouettes leaned over him.
Long ears.
Delicate wings shimmering like translucent glass.
Beautiful faces filled with curiosity.
“…”
Fairies.
Even through his blurred vision…
Ren immediately understood.
The Simulation had truly begun.
One fairy carefully wrapped him inside a soft white cloth.
“Poor little one…”
“You’re freezing.”
Another looked around nervously.
“There are no human settlements nearby.”
“How did he appear here?”
Silence answered her.
No one knew.
Ren wanted to ask questions.
Where was he?
Which part of Fairy Britain?
How many years before Morgan’s reign?
Was this truly the Age of Fairies?
But…
Only tiny sounds escaped his lips.
“…Aa…”
The realization struck him almost immediately.
Right…
I’m a newborn.
He couldn’t even control his own voice.
The elder fairy stepped forward.
Unlike the others, she remained calm.
Her silver hair flowed gently behind her despite the absence of wind.
Wrinkles lined her face, yet her emerald eyes remained bright with wisdom accumulated over countless centuries.
She quietly examined the infant in silence.
Then…
She froze.
“…”
“…Lady Elder?”
The others noticed her expression.
“What is it?”
Instead of answering…
She slowly raised her hand.
The entire forest suddenly became quiet.
Birdsong ceased.
Leaves stopped rustling.
Even the breeze seemed to vanish.
Everything…
Simply stopped.
Ren instinctively noticed the sudden stillness.
Although he couldn’t understand why…
Something deep inside him responded.
Not fear.
Not danger.
Recognition.
A feeling impossible to explain.
As though…
The world itself had acknowledged his existence.
Far above the forest canopy…
Ancient branches swayed.
Not because of wind.
There wasn’t any.
Tiny white flowers bloomed along roots that hadn’t blossomed in thousands of years.
Clear streams shimmered beneath the morning sunlight.
Animals emerged cautiously from the woods.
Deer.
Foxes.
Birds.
Even creatures normally hostile to one another stood peacefully beside the flowing river.
None approached.
None fled.
They merely watched.
Quietly.
Respectfully.
The elder fairy’s breathing became slightly uneven.
“…Impossible…”
She whispered so softly that only she heard herself.
“The Planet…”
“…has responded.”
The other fairies looked around in confusion.
“Responded?”
“What do you mean?”
She remained silent.
Because even she couldn’t explain it.
There had been no miracle.
No overwhelming magical energy.
No divine light descending from the heavens.
Everything appeared…
Natural.
And that was exactly what frightened her.
Nature itself had welcomed this child.
Meanwhile…
Ren knew nothing of the elder’s thoughts.
His vision was still blurry.
His tiny fingers instinctively grasped the edge of the white blanket wrapped around him.
His breathing gradually steadied.
His newborn instincts urged him to sleep.
Yet…
Even while exhaustion overtook him…
Part of his consciousness remained awake.
Observing.
Listening.
Remembering.
A habit carried over from his previous life.
Even stripped of his adult body…
That cautious nature had not disappeared.
The elder fairy gently smiled.
“…Whatever your origin may be…”
“You are still only a child.”
She carefully reached out before lightly touching Ren’s forehead.
“You will not be abandoned.”
Ren looked toward the source of the voice.
Although he couldn’t clearly see her face…
For reasons he couldn’t explain…
He felt reassured.
His eyelids slowly became heavier.
The voices around him faded.
The warmth of the blanket replaced the morning chill.
Finally…
He drifted into his first sleep beneath the skies of ancient Fairy Britain.
Far above…
Beyond the endless clouds…
Something ancient silently watched.
Not with hostility.
Nor with curiosity.
But with quiet expectation.
And deep beneath the roots of the World Tree…
A single pulse echoed throughout the land.
As though the Planet itself had whispered…
“Welcome.”
Volume 1: The Fourth Holy Grail War
Chapter 3: Fantasy Life Simulation (Part IV)
The forest greeted the dawn in silence.
Golden rays filtered through countless emerald leaves, illuminating an ancient woodland untouched by human civilization.
Towering trees reached toward the heavens, their trunks so massive that dozens of people linking hands would struggle to encircle one.
Crystal-clear streams wound through the forest like ribbons of silver.
Flowers bloomed in vibrant colors beneath the morning sun, while countless tiny spirits danced lazily through the air.
This was not the Britain recorded in human history.
This was Fairy Britain.
A land that belonged to the Age of Gods.
A kingdom where Mystery still ruled the world.
The group of fairies moved carefully through the forest.
At their center, the elder fairy gently carried the sleeping infant wrapped in a white cloth.
Ren slept peacefully.
His tiny breathing had become steady, and his expression had relaxed considerably compared to moments earlier.
One of the younger fairies glanced at him before speaking softly.
“…He’s adorable.”
Another nodded.
“I’ve never seen a human baby before.”
“I thought humans were much larger.”
The first fairy giggled.
“He’s only a baby.”
“Of course he’s small.”
Despite their cheerful voices, uncertainty lingered in every pair of eyes.
A human child…
Appearing in the depths of Fairy Britain without warning…
It was an event no one could explain.
The elder remained silent.
Her thoughts were elsewhere.
She couldn’t forget what she had witnessed moments ago.
The forest’s unusual stillness.
The blooming flowers.
The animals gathering peacefully.
It wasn’t magic.
Nor was it any Authority she recognized.
It had simply…
Happened.
As though the world itself had acknowledged the child’s arrival.
“…”
She glanced down at the sleeping infant.
Who are you…?
Time passed quietly.
Eventually, the dense forest opened into a beautiful clearing.
Dozens of homes woven from living trees stood harmoniously among nature, as though they had grown directly from the earth.
Bridges of intertwined branches connected ancient trees.
Tiny streams flowed beneath them.
Colorful flowers surrounded every home.
Children with delicate wings laughed as they chased glowing insects through the village.
The moment the group returned, curious eyes immediately turned toward them.
“They’re back!”
“What happened?”
“Did the Elder find something?”
The villagers quickly gathered.
Then…
They noticed the bundle in the elder’s arms.
Silence spread throughout the clearing.
“…A child?”
“No…”
“That’s a human!”
“A human baby?”
“Impossible.”
Whispers erupted everywhere.
The elder gently raised one hand.
The village immediately fell silent.
Her authority within the settlement was unquestionable.
“We found this child alone within the Sacred Forest.”
“There was no trace of parents.”
“No signs of conflict.”
“No magical disturbances.”
“Only the child.”
One fairy couldn’t help asking,
“Shouldn’t we report this to the neighboring settlements?”
Another quickly shook her head.
“And tell them what?”
“That a human infant suddenly appeared in the Sacred Forest?”
“They’ll think we’re joking.”
“…Or worse.”
The atmosphere became heavy.
An elderly male fairy slowly stepped forward.
His beard reached his waist, and a wooden staff rested in his hand.
He carefully examined Ren.
“…Strange.”
“What is?”
“I can’t sense hostility.”
The elder nodded.
“Neither can I.”
“Nor any curse.”
“No corruption.”
“No external interference.”
Another fairy frowned.
“Then how did he arrive here?”
No one answered.
Because no one knew.
At that moment…
Ren slowly opened his eyes.
“…”
His vision was still blurry.
The colorful shapes before him gradually came into focus.
He could finally distinguish faces.
Elegant.
Beautiful.
Entirely unlike humans.
Some possessed translucent wings.
Others had small horns resembling branches.
A few even had flowers blooming naturally from their hair.
So this…
…really is Fairy Britain.
His heartbeat quickened ever so slightly.
Not from fear.
From awe.
Even after reading about Lostbelt No.
6 in his previous life…
Seeing this ancient world with his own eyes was an entirely different experience.
It was breathtaking.
A small fairy girl cautiously floated closer.
She peeked at Ren from behind one of the elder’s sleeves.
“…Can he understand us?”
“I don’t think babies can.”
She reached out with a tiny finger.
Ren instinctively grabbed it.
“…!”
The little fairy blinked.
“He’s holding me!”
The surrounding fairies couldn’t help laughing.
“He must be hungry.”
“No…”
“I think he’s curious.”
The atmosphere relaxed considerably.
Even so…
Ren didn’t let his guard down.
Although his body was that of a newborn…
His mind remained unusually calm.
He quietly observed everything.
The villagers.
Their expressions.
Their conversations.
The layout of the settlement.
The exits.
The surrounding terrain.
Years of reading, planning, and surviving in dangerous fictional worlds had left an almost subconscious habit within him.
Observe first.
Act later.
Even if he couldn’t do anything yet…
Information was never useless.
The elder noticed his unusually focused gaze.
“…”
Most newborns couldn’t even keep their eyes open for long.
Yet this child…
Whenever he was awake…
His eyes wandered across the surroundings as though trying to understand everything.
She smiled faintly.
“…A curious child.”
Just then, a gentle breeze swept through the village.
The branches overhead swayed softly.
Dozens of white petals drifted through the air, carried by the wind.
One landed on Ren’s forehead.
Another rested upon the elder’s shoulder.
Then another.
Soon…
The entire village was surrounded by a gentle rain of white blossoms.
Everyone looked up in surprise.
“…The Sacred Tree?”
“It isn’t blooming season…”
“No…”
“It bloomed overnight.”
The elder slowly looked toward the enormous tree standing at the center of the village.
Its countless branches shimmered beneath the morning light.
White flowers had blossomed across every branch without warning.
The sight was so beautiful that no one spoke.
For a long while…
The entire village simply admired the scene.
Only the elder quietly lowered her gaze toward the infant sleeping peacefully in her arms.
“…Again…”
She whispered almost inaudibly.
“The forest welcomes you.”
She did not understand why.
Nor did she intend to force an answer.
Some mysteries were better left untouched.
Especially those involving the Planet itself.
Far away…
Deep within the ancient forests of Fairy Britain…
The clear waters of a forgotten river rippled gently.
The current flowed against the wind for only a single moment.
Almost as though responding to a distant call.
Then…
Everything returned to normal.
No one witnessed it.
No one except the silent presence dwelling beneath those ancient waters.
Waiting.
Patiently.
For the day the child would finally arrive.
End of Chapter 3
2,091 Word Count Yeah If someone read then original prototype I’m using for this Fanfic then the entire Chapter 3 Part 1 to 4 Basically where things started changing a little bit