'Dark… so dark… Anyone, please help me… It hurts…'
Allen tried to open his eyes but couldn't. It felt as if an invisible force was forcing them shut.
His throat was sore, and his nose hurt as if it were being stabbed by a knife.
He wanted to scream, but his mouth wouldn't open, as if someone had stitched it closed.
'I don't want to feel this pain anymore! Anyone… gods and goddesses… help me!'
He kept begging for someone to save him. Even though he knew no one could come, he still hoped deep down that someone would.
"Do you want to live?"
A voice suddenly echoed in his mind. Strangely, Allen didn't feel the fear or panic he should have felt.
'Yes, I want to… live. Can you help me?'
"I can help you. But…" The voice paused before continuing, "I want to give you a task. Please save this world."
'Save the world? What do you mean? I'm just an ordinary person.'
"I don't mind. If it's you, I'm sure you can." The voice sounded encouraging.
Allen stayed silent for a moment, then answered firmly, 'All right, I'll do it. As long as I don't feel this pain and am not trapped in this darkness again, I agree!'
"Good!" The voice chuckled softly. "It wasn't in vain that I chose you. Don't worry, you'll enjoy your new life."
'My new life?' Allen flinched. 'What do you mean?'
The voice didn't answer, as if it had completely vanished from his mind.
Just as Allen was drowning in confusion and bewilderment, he felt a strong pull from the front.
He tried to resist, but it was useless. In the end, he gave up and let the force take him wherever it wanted.
...
Allen opened his eyes and looked around, only to find himself surrounded by water.
He gasped in shock and tried to swim to the surface, but he couldn't move his body freely.
'Am I drowning?' Panic and fear surged through his mind.
Since childhood, he had been afraid of water. Once, he had drowned after jumping into a four-meter-deep swimming pool.
Thinking the pool was shallow, three-year-old him jumped in without hesitation.
Although he was eventually rescued, the incident left a deep trauma in his memory.
Even as an adult, it still haunted him and made him fear deep water.
And now, he was drowning again, just like when he was a child.
'Am I going to die?'
It was the only thought in his mind. His breath was fading, and his throat felt like it was being torn from the inside.
Just as his consciousness was about to sink into darkness, he saw the silhouette of a girl swimming toward him.
The girl opened her mouth, as if trying to say something. Although he couldn't hear her voice underwater, he could understand the movement of her lips.
"Allen, don't die!"
Allen forced himself to stay conscious. He reached up, trying to grab her hand.
Once their hands held each other, the girl quickly turned around and swam toward the surface.
Allen's body was pulled up as well. A few seconds later, they finally broke through the water.
"Huaaah… Hah… Hah…" Allen gasped for air, his face red.
His lungs could breathe oxygen again, and his weakened body slowly regained its strength.
The girl dragged him to the shore, and Allen lay down as he caught his breath.
"I… I'm safe…" He covered half of his face with his arm, taking a deep breath.
Drowning was terrifying. For someone who had experienced the brink of death before, it was unbearably frightening.
If he had a choice, he would never go near a river or lake—let alone the sea.
"Allen, you're so careless! You're still a kid, but you dared to swim in Astrael Lake? If it weren't for me, you would've died, you know!"
A little girl's dissatisfied voice came from beside him.
Allen turned his head and saw a small girl sitting with her legs crossed in a W shape.
She looked very young—maybe five years old. Her golden hair was braided into two pigtails.
Her face was chubby and cute, and her round eyes were light green.
She was wearing a short skirt dress that looked a bit strange and unusual.
The most striking thing was her ears. They were nothing like human ears. Both of them were small and pointed upward.
'This…' Allen was stunned. 'Is she a cosplayer?'
Near his office, there was an open area that cosplayers often used for photos.
Could this little girl be one of them?
"Allen, why are you so quiet?" The girl puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction. She scooted closer and pinched his cheeks. "You're only one year old, but why are you so naughty? If my mother finds out you drowned, she'll scold me, you know?"
Allen felt a ticklish sensation where she pinched him.
'One year old? What is this girl talking about? Is she delusional?' Allen wondered silently.
He pushed her hands away from his cheeks and sat up.
"Little girl, I'm not one year old. And more importantly, who are you? How did you end up here? Are you separated from your parents?"
The girl froze. Her eyes widened in shock, as if she couldn't believe what she had just heard.
"Allen, are you sick?" She asked, touching his forehead with concern.
"Sick?" Allen rolled his eyes and let out a deep sigh.
He held the girl's hand, about to lecture her—then stopped when he noticed his own hand.
"Huh? Why is my hand so small?"
He let go of her hand and stared at both of his.
They were tiny, like the hands of a one- or two-year-old child.
"What happened?" His heart pounded. He touched his face, his ears, his hair, and his legs—everything belonged to a child!
Panic struck him as he looked left and right in fear.
Seeing his strange behavior, the girl stood up and hugged him.
"Yosh… yosh… You're still scared from drowning, right? Your sister will give you a warm hug. Mother said you really like hugs," she said with a soft smile.
Allen snapped out of his shock and pushed the girl away.
"Ouch!" She fell backward and rubbed her sore buttocks.
"Allen, you hurt me!" Tears gathered in her round eyes as she looked at him with a pained expression.
"I'm sorry! I…" Allen stood up and was about to help her up, but he stopped himself.
There was something more important—where was he? And what had happened to him? Why had he become so small?
Allen looked around, and his gaze landed on a puddle of water in front of him.
Without hesitation, he rushed over and looked at his reflection.
His face instantly paled, and fear washed over him.
"I… I've become a child!?"