He had transmigrated. Or rather, reincarnated. Here in the Far East. Somewhere unfamiliar.
"No flashy magic. No omnipresent super-tech. The Far East in 2006… honestly, kind of boring."
Six-year-old Shiraha hugged a book to his chest as he sat on a bench. And seriously, couldn't he have just popped into existence fully formed? Did he really have to start from infancy? Orphan origin story?
"Assume y equals x squared…"
He went back to reviewing the knowledge from his past life. Well, since he'd ended up in the Far East, he might as well aim to be that guy, you know, the effortlessly cool Tokyo protagonist type. Who knows? Maybe he'd even run into a certain mind-reading goddess or something.
While he quietly buried his nose in his book, not far away a girl was desperately searching for something.
"Excuse me, do you know how to get to the Fire Moth?"
But the weary-looking woman walking past her didn't so much as glance her way. It was as if she hadn't heard a thing.
"Huh?"
Elysia stepped back instinctively. How many times had this happened now? She'd lost count. Ever since she'd woken up in this strange city, she had been invisible, a ghost.
The lively streets had nothing to do with her; the surging crowds simply passed through her space, isolating her completely.
"Excuse me, where is this?"
She kept asking, refusing to give up, repeating the question over and over even though she knew no answer would come. Eventually exhaustion crept in. Her form flickered, growing fainter.
With a resigned sigh, Elysia sat down on a relatively clean stone bench, watching the people come and go. A reflexive smile touched her lips as she observed them.
"…if we substitute x squared with…"
A young, clear voice drifted over from nearby. A small boy was sitting there, clutching a math book, murmuring formulas to himself with quiet intensity.
Elysia found it amusing. She drifted closer unconsciously, and as she did, her translucent form seemed to stabilize just a little.
But Shiraha was alert. He glanced up early and locked eyes with Elysia. She blinked. He hesitated, then blinked back.
Elysia froze, her starry eyes widening. "Y-You… you can see me?!"
Shiraha didn't answer right away. He just looked up again, his expression complicated as he took in the sight of this pink-haired, slightly ditzy-looking pretty older sister.
But Elysia had found a new source of entertainment. Beaming, she leaned in close. Her fingers, which normally phased right through people, now prodded at the little boy's cheek over and over. She reveled in the warmth of his skin, the way her fingertips sank softly into the plump, chubby flesh with each gentle press.
The soft give of his cheeks felt incredible beneath her touch, warm and yielding like fresh dough, and his skin was so unbelievably smooth and velvety that she couldn't stop.
Kids were so fun! His cheeks were so chubby and soft… poking them felt so nice, the smooth, baby-fresh texture so perfectly inviting and addictive under her fingers.
Shiraha took a deep breath.
"Can I… help you with something?"
He snapped the book shut. He'd thought the kids at the orphanage were annoying enough, but apparently grown-ups with zero sense of personal space were even worse.
"My name's Elysia~"
Her voice lilted playfully as she fluttered her lashes again.
'I didn't ask for your name…' Shiraha grumbled internally.
He sighed, answering in a flat, deflated tone. "I'm Shiraha…"
Pushing off with his small hands, he hopped down from the bench, clutching his book to his chest. He took two steps forward, then stopped dead.
'Wait… hold on.
What did she say her name was?'
"Shiraha? That's a lovely name."
Elysia wasn't about to let him off that easily. She clasped her hands behind her back, swaying lightly as she spoke, her voice lilting with mischief. The hem of her skirt fluttered with the motion.
Shiraha felt something catch in his throat.
He stared hard at the girl in front of him, sizing her up properly this time, pink hair. blue eyes. Nicely shaped thighs—full, smooth, and toned in a way that drew the eye, the soft curve of her legs accentuated by a delicate leg ring wrapped snugly around one thigh, hugging the warm skin and highlighting every gentle line. Elf ears. And… well, that was about it. No other distinguishing features.
"Staring at an older girl like that? Not very charming behavior, you know."
Elysia suddenly bent down, bringing her face close, really close. Her warm breath brushed softly against his cheek, warm and slightly moist, carrying a faint sweet fragrance.
"Miss Elysia… I have a question."
Shiraha's voice came out a little dazed.
Elysia tilted her head, eyes narrowing slightly.
'Why isn't he blushing? Is he just too young?'
Ah well. A clueless little kid was cute in his own way. This just meant she could teach him all sorts of things while he was still young. Then someday, when he was older and looked back on these memories, maybe he'd have one of those dramatic moments of enlightenment.
"Do tell~"
Her voice was still singsong sweet.
"Do you know… the Fire Moth?"
Shiraha kept his tone perfectly level. Once the words left his mouth, he locked his gaze onto her eyes, watching closely.
Elysia's expression stiffened, just for a fraction of a second. Then the corners of her lips curled upward, fast and sharp.
"Oh my~ So the little boy was eavesdropping on me this whole time?"
Shiraha just stared at her, silent and steady, until the playful grin on Elysia's face slowly shifted into something more awkward.
"Alright, fine. What was your position in the Fire Moth?"
"You're not a very cute little brother, are you?"
'So much for a clueless brat. Is this actually some ancient old monster in a child's body?'
Elysia's shoulders slumped for a moment, but she bounced back almost instantly, her smile returning in full force. Whatever. A companion who knew things but still looked like a child, that was interesting in its own way, wasn't it?
"Just a regular soldier."
Shiraha didn't bother explaining his actual situation. The whole "transmigration" thing was way too absurd to get into. Claiming to be a Fire Moth soldier was much simpler.
As for why he was confident enough to say that… it was because he was absolutely certain this place was not the Previous Era.
Elysia's eyes shimmered.
'Won't tell me? Or is there something he can't say?'
"Hmm, alright then. So, Mister Ordinary Soldier Little Brother… care to fill me in on this era?"
Shiraha was quiet for a moment, then sighed. "I don't know either. I don't even have a phone. All my information comes from asking people, and nobody at the orphanage really reads the newspaper."
"Honestly, before I met you, I thought this was just a perfectly peaceful world. I already had everything planned out: high school by age nine, a top university by twelve, back from advanced studies by eighteen, and then maybe invest in some AI and clean energy on the side."
Who could've guessed that right when all the plans were falling neatly into place, an Elysia would just pop out of nowhere?
He knew for a fact this era wasn't the Previous Era. He'd seen a geography book. This world had the standard seven continents and four oceans.
"Mmm~" Elysia pressed a finger to her lips, her smile a little strained. "That's… that's a very driven plan you've got there."
So a grindset little brother, huh?
Still, Elysia caught onto something important in all that. This world seemed… peaceful.
Peaceful enough that even a six-year-old, one who'd never left his orphanage, whose information sources were practically nonexistent, but who clearly had the mind of an adult, hadn't picked up on a single hint of danger.
"Looks like this world is a pretty gentle place after all!"
Her smile brightened, and when she looked out at the streets around them, her gaze was softer now.
Warm, even.
Then she turned her head, gaze falling back on the little boy beside her.
"And here we are, in this gentle world… doesn't that make us the closest of companions?"
Shiraha corrected her flatly. "We just met."
And Elysia-nee~ you're already a beautiful young woman. I'm six. By the time I grow into a cool, handsome guy, you'll be an old lady who's only good for coughing up loot and resources… Wait. Actually, was that a problem? A sudden thought clicked in Shiraha's mind. He might have just found his ticket out of the orphanage.
Elysia shook her head and bent down swiftly, pressing her forehead gently against his.
"A secret can bind two people together forever, don't you think?"
"The two of us… we're the legacy of that civilization, after all."