You know those characters who pretend to be ignorant?
The ones who hide their intelligence and power just so they can "live in peace"?
I've always thought that was complete nonsense.
A life built on lies is still a lie.
And honestly, I've never been good at pretending to be less than I am.
So I decided early on:
I'm not going to hide anything.
No pretending to be talentless.
No acting like a helpless baby… well, aside from what's necessary to survive.
And that's how it happened.
I was in my cradle, as usual, trying to attract those subtle particles I had been learning to sense.
Not forcing them.
Just calling.
Like inviting someone, not commanding them.
And then…
They came.
For the first time, I felt them clearly.
Small points of presence moving through the air, responding to my awareness.
It felt as if the world itself had breathed along with me.
The sensation was so intense that a gentle breeze formed around me.
From every direction.
Not strong.
But impossible to ignore.
My mother was nearby.
She froze.
Her eyes widened as she looked around, feeling the wind that shouldn't exist inside a closed room.
Then she looked at me.
At the center of it all.
At the source.
"Blessed…" she whispered, her voice trembling.
"You are blessed by the Gods…"
I almost laughed.
Gods? Me?
Who am I kidding…
I spent my entire life believing only in what I could see.
And now that I was seeing it…
I still didn't believe.
Go figure.
My monotonous life had its first major turning point when my mother decided to take me to see the village.
Until then, my entire world had been the cradle, the room, and my secret attempts to become an archmage before learning how to walk.
But outside…
It was different.
The houses weren't built.
They were grown.
Massive trees formed walls, windows, and balconies, as if the forest itself had decided to become architecture.
Wooden and vine bridges connected one tree to another, and sunlight filtered through the leaves, creating a constant golden glow.
It was…
Beautiful.
I saw children running and playing in the grass, laughing without worry.
Adults walked peacefully, talking, carrying baskets, simply living.
And then I noticed something strange.
There were no old elves.
None.
Everyone looked young.
Adults, yes—but young.
Perfect faces.
Smooth skin.
Elegant posture.
My brain immediately started working.
Long lifespan?
Very long?
Ridiculously long?
Considering I had been reborn as an elf baby with parents who looked like immortal models, the evidence strongly pointed to a very annoying yes.
The women wore dresses that looked like living leaves, naturally shaped around their bodies.
The men wore simple but elegant clothes—light shirts and trousers that seemed comfortable and practical.
Everything felt…
In harmony.
My mother carried me to a small market.
Stalls made from living wood displayed fruits with vibrant colors—some I recognized, others completely alien.
That's when a young elf woman approached us.
She was beautiful.
Of course she was.
In this place, beauty seemed like the minimum requirement for existence.
She smiled when she saw me.
"Oh… what an adorable little one…"
She picked up a red apple and placed it in my tiny hands.
My adult brain immediately panicked.
I don't have teeth, woman.
But my traitorous baby body held the apple as if it were the greatest treasure in the world.
My mother laughed.
The elf smiled even wider.
And there I was…
Holding an apple I couldn't eat,
in a world I didn't understand,
surrounded by people far too beautiful to be real.