Leaving My Hometown
I turned back for one last look as I left home. Beneath a piercingly blue sky without a single cloud, my village appeared like a garden bursting with jet-black flowers. Under those pitch-black blooms—unlike their colorless counterparts—colorful little buildings stood in a fairy-tale quaintness. That was my hometown. Of course, the unique part was that those black flowers weren't real flowers at all, but advanced mechanical setups harnessing the sun to generate mana.
That's right. Not electricity—mana. This world runs on mana, not fossil fuels or electricity. So it's pretty rare for someone like me to think of using the sun to produce electricity. Most folks here see electricity not as an energy source, but as just another element, like fire, wind, or water. In other words, it's weirder to question why it's not electricity. The reason is simple: I'm a reincarnator.
To be precise, though, my reincarnation wasn't your standard fare. Let me explain exactly what happened. I died, and then—with my memories intact—I was reborn as a baby. It wasn't some soul reborn without memories, nor did I go to the afterlife for some death-themed adventure. I just lived on the third planet of the solar system, stacked up some minor misfortunes that killed me, and next thing I knew, I was inside my current mother's womb.
Of course, when I realized I'd died and been reborn, I wailed my little heart out. I still had way more days ahead of me than behind—how could I not cry? And so I was born and raised in this quaint village of black flowers. Shifting my gaze slightly, I took in the next place I'd frequented most after the village: a vast expanse of red grasslands stretching out. Amid them, tiny crop-management drones with four propellers buzzed around like bees.
Some drones, spent from their labors, landed near spider-like robots for a recharge, while fresh ones took their place and flew off. Those spider bots occasionally clanked as they lumbered their massive bodies to the next sector. During harvest season, they'd have big boxes attached, but since it wasn't time yet, the spiders looked especially spindly. At the edge of the continent, smack in the middle of the countryside. That's the kind of place it was.
This view was it for a while. Because I was about to leave the village. Turning forward again, I saw a massive trailer the size of a small house. With over sixteen wheels, it was the kind of vehicle that stirred a man's romantic fantasies every time. And beside it stood the familiar delivery guy, expressionless as ever.
He had dog-like ears sprouting from his head alongside normal human ones—a strange look, but common for his race in this world. He was one of the few who came and went from our village. So villagers borrowed rides from him when they needed to head out. It took time, but most things got handled in the village anyway.
As I approached, he seemed to shake off his hesitation and opened the door. "Get in."
"Yes!"
I climbed aboard, bracing for a miserable ride in the trailer but thrilled since it was my first time in something like this. Inside unfolded a long, lived-in space. Everything was secured or had locks, making it feel just like a studio apartment—table, appliances, small bed, and a lump that looked like laundry nearby. The musty smell was inevitable for a single guy's place, though.
It was... plainer than I'd imagined. Bland? Ordinary? Not quite the excitement I'd hoped for.
"Stay here. Don't touch anything—it's dangerous."
His tone was stiff, but his fingers fidgeted like he was trying to grab something. Just an awkward guy around kids, huh. Hard to tell from afar, but up close, it was obvious. I set down my bag, turned to the window, and peered out. No one was there to see me off. Not even my parents.
Our relationship wasn't that bad. Probably. Maybe? Nah, it wasn't. The issue was the massive screw-up I'd pulled recently...
Confession time: I'd wrecked the cabinet full of my parents' precious figurines they'd scrimped to collect. I thought they'd disown me for sure, but they didn't go that far. Okay, in my defense, there was a reason.
Bottom line—and most importantly—this village had no internet. With fully automated drones and robots, why no internet? There was, just not here. Mana's properties interfered with radio waves, and to avoid agitating mana-sensitive creatures, communication devices evolved to cover fixed areas solidly rather than broadcast wide. Details aside, for someone like me—soaked in internet from my past life—this place was torture.
If the whole world lacked internet, I could've given up. But it existed elsewhere—why give that up? So I resolved to escape this backwater for the city. That's when a big problem hit: I was still a minor. Years from adulthood. What parent lets their kid go alone?
Stick around till then? I'd end up rooted here forever—no-internet hell! Desperate, I scoured ways out and struck a dramatic deal with my parents: they'd send me to a famous boarding school. Catch? Pass their insanely tough entrance exam.
What choice did I have? Do it. And on the day in question, disaster struck amid the joy. I passed the exam, got the acceptance letter, celebrated like a maniac—and toppled the display case of their collectibles.
Oops. It was a rural quota admission, so no tuition burden on them, which saved my neck. Still, as a school, if guardians forbade it, I'd have to go back. They must've approved, but remembering their despairing faces sorting through the wreckage stabbed my conscience. Gotta make it up somehow...
My brother who'd teased me? My sister who'd stared in pity? No dice there. But I couldn't be heartless—birthdays and such, gotta handle those. Yeah... Sitting on the bed with those thoughts, the vehicle lurched, shoving me sideways. We were off.
And so I left my hometown.
We drove almost all day to reach the nearest city. The city? "Uwaaack."
Couldn't tell you. Sourness filled my nose and mouth, head spinning, ground heaving. Or was I the one heaving? Heave.
"Guueeeack!"
My guts were flipping—pure agony. Just kill me already. Thump thump. Dull impacts hit my back. Ow, that hurts! To you it's just a pat, but it hurts! Speaking up might make me hurl again, though. I screamed internally, clinging to some sci-fi quote, shoving the pain to the back of my mind until it settled.
Finally, I came to. "You said I'd get used to the ride, but the ground heaving? Total scam."
"Haha, you'll adapt with time."
The guy—whose inner fondness for me had skyrocketed after I puked like it was three meals a day—replied casually. He wasn't ancient despite his face carrying old-dog vibes; he pointed to the train station. "Now you go solo. Think you can manage?"
I nodded. "What's hard? Grab any official if I'm lost."
Skepticism crossed his face. This guy—built like a tough dude minus the ears—why so passive? "Alright, then. Go on. Anything for your parents, or if you're stuck getting home, call here."
He pulled a crisp business card from his wallet. It listed his face, name, transport and delivery services, range, and comms address in detail.
"Thanks! See you around!"
I bowed and headed for the distant station. Clack clack. Unlike the dirt paths back home, the paved road's firm feel rose through my soles. Pretty rural still, but leagues above my village—city-level. Ten-plus-story buildings loomed, shadowing the ground. Lower your gaze, and midday crowds of all sorts bustled the streets.
Chemical smells assaulted my nose, noise from the throng everywhere. Feeling a city vibe for the first time since birth, I reached the station. Stating my destination and buying a ticket? Same deal regardless of world. No issues; I entered, sat in the waiting room, and awaited the train.
The station—metal frame and synthetic fibers—felt more advanced than my old world's. Difference? Mana stones embedded everywhere, the foundation of this realm. Seeing them in person hit different from photos or docs. I zoned out till the train till someone sat beside me.
Weird. Room's mostly empty—why next to me? Turning, I saw a strange woman. Summer's end, still hot, yet she wore a maroon coat covering everything. Weirder: her hair, stark white like it'd peeled from reality; a beauty devoid of human warmth; and cross-shaped pupils revealing spinning golden gears.
Whoever sat next to me wasn't remotely ordinary. She's not a scary person... right?