After tying the logs on the carriage, he sat on top of it while the elderly man rode in front of the carriage that was being pulled by two black horses.
The entire journey was long and silent, that was until the elderly man broke the silence.
"So boy, what are you going to do?" The elderly man said without looking back.
Bell thought for a while. What was he really going to do?,he has been given another chance in a world he knows nothing about.
_Maybe I should just go to my new family and try to live the peaceful life that I couldn't live when I was still alive, or in this case, when I was an adult_
"I don't really know" he replied, waiting to see how the old man was going to respond to his answer.
"You don't plan on staying in this wretched place forever, do you?" The old man asked, without waiting for an answer, he continued. "I suggest you go to the capital, it will be easier to support your family from there. They are always looking for youths for one thing or the other, I bet you'll do just fine"
"The capital huh?" Bell silently whispered to myself. He could try to find out more about this world. "System open"
Nothing happened.
"Show me my stats, status, system call, hmmm" he tried again and again but nothing happened.
Since he died and reincarnated in another world, wasn't he suppose to have a system or anything that could help him survive?. Or maybe, in this world, there is no such thing as a system!. Then was was the trial about?.
"I'm dropping you off here" The old man announced.
The carriage stopped and Bell jumped down.
"Thank you for everything"
"No problem. Here, you can have this" The old man said and handed to him a pouch.
Bell collected the pouch, he could tell it contains coins.
"But, I thought you are going pay me tomorrow"
"Think of it as an early salary" the old man smiled revealing a few rotten teeth. "But you're still coming with me tomorrow"
The old man added before driving off the straight road, Bell turned to the old dusty road on the right and walked to his new home.
.
.
.
He opened the door to his new home–a cottage that stood in the middle of nowhere. The house was mostly made with oak wood and supported by mud which looked like it was there to cover up the holes.
There were also a few houses in the surrounding, but they all stayed a good distance away from each other. They were all made with wood and it wasn't the good type of wood.
"I–i'm home"
Bell announced as he opened the door that creaked every inch it moved. The cottage looked smaller on the inside than it did on the outside, there was only a small table that was surrounded by four stools, there was also a candle holder on the table and a lit fireplace which looked like the only thing that was made with stone.
There was also a door which led to the back. The room was dimly lit by the fireplace due to the pot that was on it, a figure sat in front of it, slowly mixing the content.
"Welcome back" The figure stood up and turned to him, it was his mother.
She was tall and had a slender body which made her look younger than her age, her white hair barely past her shoulders as she tilted her head to the side, her skin pale and a weary look on her face. She wiped her hands on her apron, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"How was work today?"
"It could have been better (if I didn't die)" Bell didn't say that last part out loud. "I'm hungry"
"Don't worry, dinner is almost ready. Please, help your sister down so we can all eat together" her voice was weak. "And change your clothes"
She really looked miserable, tired of life. And, she was barely holding on, maybe it was because of her family.
"Okay" Bell nodded and walked upstairs. She didn't realize the bloodstains on his clothes but he couldn't blame her, the room wasn't well lit, so he won't be surprised if she didn't see it.
For some reason, he felt his body shaking.
There was two doors beyond the backroom door, from his memory he could tell that the room on his right was his mother's which the room in his left was the one he shared with his little sister, Ryu.
"Ryu, are you awake?" Bell called out with a voice a little louder than a whisper.
There were two flat mattresses on the ground with a white haired girl, wearing a gray dress that lay on the mattress on his right, facing upwards. A small lantern stood closely beside her head, but the fire from the fireplace was doing a better work than it.
According to Bell's memory, Ryu is his fifteen years old sister who got blind when she was barely two years old. They were never able to tell what caused it, she woke up one day and started acting strangely, at first Bell thought if was a joke till when their mother saw her. His grandfather had tried everything he could but to no avail.
Sadly, a once optimistic girl with a bright future was turned into a hollow shell within a few days.
_i'm sure by now she must have forgotten what we look like_ Bell couldn't help but think about the possibility.
"Big brother, is that you?" Ryu called out, Bell could sense a hint of fear in her voice.
"Yes" Bell answered as he kneeled down beside her, he carried the lantern with his left hand while helping his sister on her feet with his right arm.
_her skin is a so soft!_
"Thank the goddess" she lets out a sigh of relief. "I thought it was someone else."
Bell was stunned by her statement, apart from his mother, his grandfather and him, they was no one else who lived with them.
"Why would you think it was someone else?" Bell asked as he helped her to stand on her feet, he gently pulled her up and held her waist till was standing straight. "We're the only ones living in this house"
"Your voice-"
"Huh?"
"Your voice, it sounded a little bit different"
What she said made him froze for a while.