A faint glimmer of light flickered in the endless darkness.
Ethan's consciousness floated in a void, weightless, formless, drifting in silence. There was no pain, no sound, no sense of time. Just emptiness.
Then, that tiny spark of light pulsed.
His instincts reached for it. Slowly, weakly, he stretched out his hand and touched the glow.
The moment his fingers brushed against it, the light expanded. It grew brighter and brighter until it swallowed everything.
A rush of energy enveloped him, dragging him forward like a current in a river.
When the light finally dimmed, Ethan found himself standing on solid ground.
He blinked in confusion. "What… what is this place?"
Everything around him was pure white. The ground and even the horizon, there was nothing but a blank void stretching endlessly in every direction. Yet, it wasn't frightening. It felt… calm.
Suddenly, the floor beneath him began to rumble.
From the ground, a magnificent throne emerged, gleaming like polished marble. Waves of azure light rippled through it, filling the space with divine energy.
Then, before his eyes, that blue light condensed, forming the silhouette of a woman.
Her figure slowly became clearer. Long sapphire hair cascaded down her back, and a delicate crown rested atop her head. Her dress shimmered like the surface of the ocean, clinging to her body in ways that were far too perfect to be accidental. Every curve was outlined, every motion graceful and hypnotic.
Ethan's jaw slackened. "...Wow."
The woman smiled faintly, her eyes like twin blue moons. "Welcome, Ethan. I am Reincia, Goddess of Reincarnation."
Ethan blinked, then straightened up, his mind racing. "Wait… Goddess of Reincarnation? So, I actually died?"
She nodded softly. "Yes. Your soul has left your mortal vessel. Your life on Earth has ended."
A laugh escaped his lips. "Hah! So it's really happening… the classic isekai setup."
Reincia tilted her head, curious. "Isekai?"
"It's a word from my world," Ethan explained quickly. "Basically means being reborn in another world after death. And, uh, I think I know how this works."
The goddess raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Then please, enlighten me."
Ethan rubbed his hands together like a kid unwrapping a present. "Alright, so, this is the part where you offer me a chance to be reborn, right? I'll get a new life in a magical world. And I'll probably get some kind of system that helps me level up, get stronger, and..."
He grinned. "...attract beautiful women."
For a moment, Reincia simply stared at him. Then, to his surprise, she let out a soft laugh that echoed across the white expanse.
"You mortals are always so predictable," she said with amusement. "Very well, Ethan White. I shall grant your wish."
Ethan blinked. "Wait, really? Just like that?"
She nodded gently. "You have suffered much in your life. Your heart remained uncorrupted despite your hardships. You endured loneliness, loss, and pain. I believe you deserve a second chance."
Her words carried warmth, so much that Ethan felt something sting behind his eyes. He quickly wiped away the moisture forming there and smiled.
"Thank you, Goddess. I guess all I ask is… please make me strong in my next life. Strong enough to protect myself. And maybe, uh, you can make me handsome too."
Reincia's lips curved into a knowing smile. "So that you can attract women?"
He scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Well, it's part of the fantasy, right?"
The goddess chuckled again. Then she raised her hand, and a soft blue glow surrounded her palm.
"Very well," she said. "May your next life be filled with adventure, laughter, and love."
Light began to swirl around Ethan, wrapping him in waves of warmth and power. His body or soul, started dissolving into shimmering particles.
As he began to fade, he heard Reincia's voice one last time.
"...He looks just like him," she whispered softly. "I hope this time, he finds happiness."
Ethan didn't catch her words. The light consumed him completely.
And then...
The next thing he heard was a woman screaming.
"Push! Just a little more!"
Another voice followed, trembling with excitement. "It's a boy! He's here!"
Ethan groaned softly. "What the hell"
He tried to move, but his body felt… tiny. Fragile. Everything around him was hot, wet, and uncomfortable. Then came the sound of scissors, a brief tug of pain, and he let out a shrill cry before he could even think.
"Waaah! Waaah!"
The sound shocked him. Was that… me?
A warm pair of hands lifted him up, and a soft, soothing voice spoke beside him.
"He's beautiful… our baby boy."
Ethan froze. Baby? Wait, don't tell me...
It hit him like lightning.
I've been born!
His heart, or whatever passed for one right now, raced wildly. He wanted to open his eyes, to see, but everything was still blurry and bright. The warmth of the person holding him felt comforting, though, and the soft heartbeat he heard lulled him into calmness.
"Maybe this is my new mom," he thought, smiling inwardly. "Heh, this isn't so bad."
The voices around him were gentle and full of love. After a lifetime of emptiness, that alone felt miraculous.
Time passed in a blur.
Three months later, Ethan, now named Rudy Avara, was lying comfortably in his mother's arms, nursing on warm milk.
At first, the experience was unbearably awkward.
"I'm a grown man trapped in a baby's body," he thought miserably the first few times. "This is… weird."
But refusing to drink wasn't an option. His mother would panic if he didn't, and the last thing he wanted was to make his new parents worry. So, he accepted his fate like a true survivor.
His mother, Rose Avara, was a beautiful woman with gentle eyes and silver hair that shone under the light. His father, Malik Avara, was a tall man with a firm voice and a noble air about him.
From the conversations he overheard, Ethan learned that his father was a minor noble, nothing too grand, but enough to live comfortably. Which meant one thing to Ethan:
No poverty this time. Hell yes.
Rudy Avara, the former Ethan White, was reborn as the first son of House Avara, a noble family in a magical world.
Apparently, his birth was considered a miracle. His mother had suffered a miscarriage years ago, and every healer told her she would never conceive again. Yet somehow, against all odds, he was born.
That explained the way his mother looked at him, with unending love, bordering on obsession. She rarely let him out of her sight, cradling him constantly, whispering lullabies and blessings.
At first, it scared him a little.
"She's watching me even when I sleep," he thought one night, eyes half-open. "Yandere mom mode activated."
But deep down, he understood. After losing hope for so long, anyone would cling tightly to a miracle.
So, he let her hold him as much as she wanted.
After all this time… he wasn't alone.