Whether a day or a week went by, no one came to answer Ren’s questions.
By the time he realized he could open his eyes, the only things he could confirm with his own sight were that he was a baby and that his room was a drafty, dilapidated mess.
Six months and some change had passed since he began living this new life.
There’s no doubt anymore. I’ve been reincarnated into the world of Legend of the Seven Heroes I as Ren Ashton.
Lately, he even felt like a new version of himself—Ren—was starting to emerge, distinct from the person he used to be. In the early days after his birth as Ren, he had desperately wanted to return to his original world, but over the last few weeks, that desire had faded from his mind.
I’m going to live a peaceful life. There’s no way I’m letting the Emperor order my subjugation.
If he truly was the Ren Ashton from the game, he simply had to choose a different path. Just as he resolved to live a pure, honest life, a woman opened the door and peered inside.
"Oh my, were you waiting for Mama?"
Her name was Mireille—Ren’s mother. She was a beautiful woman with refined features and dark brown hair, nearly black, which Ren had inherited. From the information he had gathered over the past six months, he knew she had only recently turned twenty-one.
"Come now, it’s time to eat."
With those words, Mireille picked him up and unfastened her clothes.
Truth be told, Ren had felt a strong sense of aversion to being breastfed at first. After all, his mother was a married woman roughly the same age he had been in his previous life.
Well... it’s not like I ever actually developed any ulterior motives.
He likely knew it instinctively: he had been born from this woman, so there was no way he could harbor such feelings. And so, Ren followed his appetite today as he did every day. Once satisfied, he settled in for a nap. Since he couldn't voice his thanks, he offered Mireille a wide, grateful smile instead.
Mireille smiled back before leaving the room.
I’m so bored.
With her gone, he was left with nothing but time. In an infant’s body, the most he could do was a bit of light exercise on the bed. It wasn't exactly a meaningful way to spend his hours. For Ren, it was agonizing. Because his consciousness was fully intact, the endless idle time was almost more than he could bear.
Isn't there anything I can do?
Ren wracked his brain. It was about ten minutes after he had resigned himself to another tedious day that the words "Magic Sword Summoning" surfaced in his mind, instantly shifting his mood.
I was too afraid to try it before, but maybe it’s finally time.
Ren had considered testing the skill immediately after his birth. However, he had been terrified that the summoned sword might appear directly over his head and crush him, so he had waited for his body to grow. While he was still a baby, he was now strong enough to sit up on the bed and was even becoming quite the expert at crawling.
He felt ready to take the risk.
Now... how do I actually do it?
In the game, he could open a menu by pressing a specific button to use items or manage the party, but no such buttons existed in reality. He tried thinking the words "Status Open," but nothing happened.
"Ababa..."
The infant Ren let his head hang in defeat, but he kept whispering the words "Magic Sword Summoning" over and over in his heart like a prayer—or perhaps a curse. Eventually...
"Au!?"
A silver bracelet dropped out of thin air, landing on Ren’s lap with a soft thud. It was the perfect size for his tiny wrist, featuring intricate silverwork and a large, embedded crystal.
What is this!? No—wait! Look at what’s inside the crystal!
Though disappointed it wasn't a sword, Ren’s eyes widened as he lifted the bracelet and saw text shimmering within the crystal ball. The characters looked like a status screen. However, unlike the game, there were no columns for things like health, mana, or attack power alongside his level. Those figures only existed to make things easier for players, so perhaps it made sense that they weren't quantified here.
Magic Sword Summoning Arts... I guess this is a skill tied to the summoning itself.
Something similar had existed in the game. For instance, players who chose the powerful Guardian class started with knowledge of swordsmanship and white magic.
And if I remember right, I increase a magic sword’s proficiency by using Magic Stones.
On the other hand, the Magic Sword Summoning Arts indicated that proficiency was gained by actually using the summoned swords. The "0/100" listed after the level likely represented that progress. However, it didn't seem like the act of summoning itself changed as the level increased.
I also remember something about unlocking more swords by meeting specific conditions.
At the moment, his only option was the Wooden Magic Sword; even if he could unlock another, it would only be the Iron Magic Sword. But as Ren read the description for the wooden blade, the listed effects caught his eye.
Nature Magic... if I recall, that’s a skill used to fight by manipulating plants.
Ren suddenly remembered a specific enemy from Legend of the Seven Heroes who had been a master of Nature Magic.