After Mom finished preparing dinner, she placed plate after plate of food onto the table.
That's when I saw something I ate every day in my previous life — rice.
I was astonished. Anyone who's been reincarnated into another world knows that these worlds are usually modeled after medieval Western countries.
Normally, people would be eating bread, right?
I looked at my parents' faces — or rather, their features.
Dad looked more Western, while Mom looked more Eastern.
A mix of East and West… which of them had immigrated here…?
(No, no, no. I've been reincarnated into another world. I can't use Earth's geography to judge things.)
I gave up thinking.
Mom sat to my right and scooped a spoonful of soup, bringing it to my mouth. My teeth hadn't grown yet, so I could only eat foods that didn't require chewing.
＂Karen, ah～＂
Even without understanding the language, anyone could tell — this meant "eat."
I opened my mouth and let the soup in. Instantly, confusion struck me.
(I just got born, right? Shouldn't I still be drinking milk? Why can I drink soup already?)
There were only three people at the table — me, Mom, and Dad. So I must be the firstborn.
Even first-time parents should have common sense, right? Or are babies in this world just different?
(Forget it. Thinking too much won't help. I'll figure it out later… huh?! This soup is delicious!)
I abandoned thinking once again. The rich, sweet, and savory flavor spread across my tongue, taking all my attention.
I looked at the pot. There were chunks of pale yellow and orange ingredients, and faintly translucent slices.
(Potatoes, carrots, and onions.)
I loved this combination in soups back in my previous life. I never imagined I'd get to eat it again.
＂Waa. (I want more.)＂
『Want another spoonful?』
I pointed at the soup to ask for more. Mom pointed to the pot and said something I couldn't fully understand, but I got the gist and nodded.
Mom smiled and scooped another spoonful into my mouth.
I sipped the delicious soup, watching Dad and Mom chat happily, though I couldn't understand a word.
『When Gray heard we had a son, he ran to ask the village chief how to have a daughter. The chief hit him with his cane! I almost died laughing.』
『The chief may know a lot, but deciding the child's gender? Humans can't control that. If he could, he wouldn't have ended up with all daughters!』
『I don't care if the child is a boy or a girl — I'll love them all.』
『My husband is so sweet. By the way, Yalisa's belly is getting bigger. She should give birth in a few months.』
『My wife's amazing — she's already an expert! Before, she kept asking Sansi when the baby would come, whether her belly would explode.』
Mom lightly hit Dad's arm in mock annoyance.
『Nonsense! I never asked whether my belly would explode — that was Yalisa! I was just scared, it's my first pregnancy.』
They paused, then spoke in worried tones.
『Gray and Yalisa sometimes say silly things.』
『I just hope their children are okay.』
Dad reached over and patted my head gently.
『When the time comes, big brother Karen will play with them. He'll inherit my courage and your intelligence.』
『Yes. Our Karen doesn't cry or fuss — he already looks very smart.』
I felt a warm sense of home.
I was glad I wasn't born into a strict, cold family, nor one full of yelling, nor alone.
After finishing dinner, sleepiness hit me. My eyelids drooped, as if weighed down by something heavy.
I stubbornly tried to resist, keeping my eyes open.
The drowsiness grew stronger and stronger. In the end, I couldn't fight it — my eyes finally closed.
(A baby's job is to sleep, right? No way I could win against drowsiness.)
I thought this and laughed at myself for struggling.
(In my past life, I stayed up until 11 p.m. every night… I haven't even gotten used to being a baby yet.)
Even though I knew I had been reborn, I still wasn't used to such a tiny body.
(To grow up faster, I might as well sleep.)
With that thought, I drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep.