After running for quite a while, my sister and I finally arrived at a wooden house with a large barn beside it.
I was gasping for breath. In my previous life, I had never run like this, especially after falling ill.
A man then stepped out of the barn, dressed neatly in a suit and hat.
"Hey, Vall. I've been waiting for you."
A man I had never met in my previous life appeared.
My sister stepped forward and approached him.
"You should thank me, Uncle! I went through a lot of trouble finding this idiot!"
"Yeah, yeah. Thanks, Cassie. As a reward, what do you want? I'll buy it for you when we're in town."
"Hmm, let's see... Maybe some fabric. I want to make a few outfits for the festival later."
"Alright. Just that?"
"Yes."
Both of them then turned to look at me.
"Hey, Vall. What are you waiting for? Shouldn't you be getting ready to change clothes and go with Uncle Rushell?"
"Huh? Go? Where?"
"To the city, of course, Vall. Isn't it time? You're starting school next week. Did you forget?"
"Oh... yeah, right. I guess I forgot, hehe. School, huh... Alright, I'll go change, Sis."
After I went inside to change, the two of them continued their conversation.
"What happened to him? Do you know, Cassie?"
"No idea. Maybe he got hit on the head by an apple while sleeping in a tree!"
"Maybe you should help him get dressed. I'm a little worried about him."
"Good point. Uncle, wait here for a moment. I'll check on that idiot."
After changing clothes with my sister's help, I got ready to leave. She also packed all my necessities in a suitcase.
"Alright, Vall. Let's go! We'll be late if we don't hurry!"
The man reached out his hand to hold mine.
I replied hesitantly,
"Okay, Un...cle."
My sister approached me and hugged me before I left.
"Be careful, Vall. Don't trouble Uncle Rushell too much!"
"Okay, Sis."
"I'll always pray for you from here."
"Thank you, Sis. See you."
After that farewell, Uncle and I walked and chatted.
"Hey, Vall. Are you hungry? Should we stop by a food shop first?"
"No... no need, Uncle."
"Alright then. Besides, we'll probably get food on the train too!"
"What! A train?"
"Yeah, a train. We can't reach the city just by walking, you know."
Suddenly, the terrible memory of the accident resurfaced in my mind, making me nauseous.
After walking for about ten minutes, we arrived at an old but fairly busy train station. I waited while Uncle bought the tickets, glancing around at my surroundings. When he returned, I immediately followed him onto the train.
Once seated, I opened my suitcase to see what my sister had packed. Inside, I found some letters, clothes, and a few books. Through those letters, I began to learn a little about my current self.
By comparing the birth records with the date on the train ticket, I discovered that my sister was currently ten years old, while I was six.
I also found my parents' death certificates. From them, I realized that they had passed away when I was just a baby.
I assumed that Uncle Rushell had been the one supporting our lives all this time. I confirmed this through several school registration and tuition payment letters, which had already been paid in full for the new academic year.
I paused for a moment, reflecting on everything that had happened. I thought, maybe all of this was just a dream. But this dream never seemed to end, and this world felt incredibly real.
Even after pinching my cheeks multiple times until they hurt, I became more convinced that this was not a dream.
Then, I wondered—could this be reincarnation? But I doubted it, because I wasn't reborn in this world. Instead, I woke up in the body of a child who looked exactly like my past self.
Was this the body of another version of me in a different world? If so, where did the original soul of this body go? Did it disappear when I took over?
I found myself confused about my current situation.
The state of my family here was also very different from my previous life.
Even in this new world, I still couldn't meet my parents.
I sighed. My condition made my head feel dizzy.
In the end, I decided not to think about it too much and chose to focus on living my current life.
I turned to Uncle and said,
"Thank you, Uncle, for taking care of us and supporting us all this time. My sister and I are truly grateful to you."
Uncle smiled and gently patted my head.
"Don't worry about it, Vall. You know, I've always considered you both as my own children. So, of course, I'll do everything I can for you. Hehe."
I lowered my head and smiled happily at Uncle's words.
Then, I asked,
"Uncle, is it true that school starts at the age of six?"
"Yes, that's right. Why?"
"Then why doesn't my sister go to school? Isn't she already ten?"
Uncle paused for a moment before answering,
"Well... You see, Vall, in this world, people still look down on women. Usually, only boys get to go to school, while girls stay at home to learn household skills. Although, honestly, I don't agree with that way of thinking."
I fell silent, pondering Uncle's words.
Even in this world, discrimination still existed.
What a world run by outdated beliefs. Those people were ridiculous. Malala Yousafzai would probably cry if she saw this, you know.
Uncle continued,
"But that's not the case for nobles. Women from noble families are usually considered equal to men. In fact, some even have a higher status, depending on how influential their family is."
I sighed in mild frustration.
"Nobles, huh... Life really isn't fair."
In this world, the nobles held all the power.
I found it somewhat amusing—how similar this world was to my previous life.
A life filled with social inequality. The upper class enjoyed the main course, while the lower class got only the leftovers. Some didn't even get that—they were left with mere scraps.
But I thought, maybe this world wasn't all bad. The green hills were truly a feast for my eyes. The flowing rivers looked so clean. The air felt fresh, with lush trees all around. My soul was immersed in this peaceful atmosphere. It was a feeling I couldn't quite put into words.
I even felt déjà vu with this sensation.
Truly, a world worthy of living in.
However, what I wanted most at this moment was...
I just hoped that my life in this world would be peaceful.