Val Pov(first person point of view)

  As Sylvarius dropped us back to our new home after dining out, I can't help, but think that its been a long day for Eclipsara and me. Before leaving, she gave one message to me.

  "Ah, just to let you know, that old teacher will probably show up in a weeks time. So take this week to explore the nation more and take out Eclipsara to enjoy the stores. Oh and dont forget the Restraunts too." She grinned before she leaving us to settle in our new homes.

  Eclipsara and I went inside, get adjusted to what soon will be everyday surroundings from this point on.

  Eclipsara let out a heavy yawn. "Val...its time to sleep! Now that I think about it, alot of things have happened today, huh?"

  "Yeah, alot of things happened in a span of a day." I acknowledged, as I recount all the events that had happened today. "By the way, you should take a shower before you sleep. It will help you feel refreshed."

  "Yeah I'll do that...goodnight Val" Eclipsara said, as she smiled brightly.

  "Good night, Eclipsara" I smiled back.

  After stepping into the warm shower near the bedroom I had chosen, I found myself oddly restless in the shower. After I got out the shower, I quickly brushed my teeth and floss. After I was done, I then yed down on the warm and soft bed. I was supposed to fall asleep after so much has happened, but I couldnt. I instinctively stared at the unnececssarily rge room and felt a huge sense of...emptiness. The room didnt have any decorations nor anything else, so I figured thats why it felt empty. I also then realized how far the distance between Eclipsaras room and my room are, adding to the emptiness. I had grown used to her dialogue and behavoir for the past month, that I admittedly felt abit lonely.

  Since I couldnt sleep, my thoughts naturally drifted to my past. My grandfather, parents and friends from my st life. My goal is still the same: to find a way to go back to that world, back to them, to make up for all my various dumb failures in my life. I remembered the moment the mysterious eldritch entity had summoned me here. I would have rememebered the conversation between us but as I only rememeber the part where I met it and not the conversation itself. Why did it erase the conversation I had with it? Why did it bring me here? What did it want from me? Why did it choose a failure like me? All I have are questions that I have no answers to.

  And so I was reincarnated in this world as an orphan, but in the same exact body as I was in my st life. Despite everything, I am actually rather grateful to the entity that I could keep my old body. TThe idea of being in a completely different body, like in the typical isekai stories, never sat well with me. As I looked at my brown, slightly hairy arm, I felt a strange comfort. This body was mine and mine alone—it held the experiences, the connections I had built with the people in my past life. It was proof that I was still my grandfather’s grandchild by blood, and that thought alone made me happy. Which pleased me the most as I love him deeply for all that he has done for me.

  Of course I am aware that blood alone doesnt mean anything when it comes to the deep connections and bonds between people, I myself believe personally that connection between souls is the deepest and the greastest proof of bonds, but ever since I came in this world and I stare at my own body I was reminded warmly of my grandparents and friends. My body was proof that those memories I had forged with them were real.

  I wasn’t desperate to return just yet—I knew it would take years. Many years in fact. In the meantime, I decided to help people along the way because why not? I know that this goal i made can be done ter on and plus... deep inside I felt like this was a chance. A chance for me to finally be useful and not be useless. A chance to...be better.

  I wont lie, the self hatred and the self inflicted pain of my thoughts still burns within me extremely deeply as its a constant proof and reminder to everyone that I have failed and disappointed; especially, towards the people I love and myself above all. I have long since grown used to this ache for a long time when I am all alone with just my thoughts and self hate. But this pain had also fueled my desire to not allow anyone to feel this dull old pain that aches in my chest and heart. This body reminded me of my past, yes, but it also carried my burdens. I still couldn’t look at myself in the mirror for too long.

  Now I had responsibilities, becoming a student to the old mentor of Dr. Trauss and taking care of Eclipsara. Was it wise for her to be under my care? I dont know. But all I can do is try not to disappoint her or make her life miserable because of my presence. I want her to be happy and enjoy life despite what she has recently experienced. That's my priority now. My goal of returning to my world can wait. In fact, I am even willing to go back when I am old—only after I have done all I can for others here. That goal of returning to my world can be my very st mission.

  As I recount everything and the purpose that I chose myself, I then suddenly hear a knock on my bedroom door. I got up from the bed, already knowing that it was Eclipsara.

  "You can come in Eclipsara" I called out.

  Eclipsara came in with her pajamas that Dr. Trauss had provided to her before we left the settlement. I see Eclipsara hesitate to say something to me so I replied to make her comfortable.

  "You can say anything Eclipsara, you know I wont say anthing bad" I reassured her.

  Eclipsara nodded, but still hesitated. "I know...but can I ask something?"

  I nodded. "Sure"

  "Can i sleep on your bed near you? Its-"

  "The nightmares huh. No need to say anything. Come sleep on the bed."

  Eclipsara smiled brightly. "Really?"

  I smiled and nodded back. "Really"

  As Eclipsara got on the bed and yed down next to me, she revealed something suprising. "Today was the one of the best birthdays ever you know?"

  I pause, my eyes widening. "Wait, today was your birthday? Then that means-"

  Eclipsara grinned and cheerfully repied. "Yep! 14 years old today."

  "You should have told me, Id have gotten cake today. Who know your birthday was on July 23?"

  Eclipsara smiled happily. "I know. I know. But with the amount of things that have happened today, like living in this new nation and also eating out in a restaurant. As well as getting suprises that Dr. Trauss was some cool warrior back then instead of a doctor his whole life, were interesting and fun. Especially that Sylvarius woman, she seriously loves Dr. Trauss huh"

  I felt myself snicker and ugh abit "Seriously? Your idea of a suprise is realizing Dr. Trauss was a warrior and that Sylvarius is a tsundere and yandere mix?"

  Eclipsara pouted. "Hey! You gotta admit that those kind of suprises are lit and cool especially when it actually happens in your own birthday and not any other day. I mean...Dr. Trauss...having a secret admirer this whole time?! You cant tell me that you didnt find it an interesting crazy surpise. Plus I ughed alot and enjoyed, so its no problem in the end."

  "True true" I agreed before suddenly getting serious. "Tomorrow, lets go shopping. We are going to enjoy your birthday in its entirety. And no refusal's. Lets call it a makeup birthday."

  Eclipsara blinked. "But Va-"

  "No, buts. We are going to make sure you enjoy your birthday to the fullest, okay?"

  Eclipsara then gave a warm, michevious smile. "Well, dont come begging to me when your money is drained to the bone for what we will do tomorrow"

  "HA! We'll see about that birthday girl!"

  "Oh ho! We will see, Val! Mark my words!"

  As both of us ugh till we get tired, Eclipsara then stared at me seriously.

  "Hey Val?"

  "Yeah?"

  "Can you tell me why you hate yourself like Dr. Trauss said?" Eclipsara asked, seriously.

  I pause, but then I rememeber that more than a month ago that Eclipsara was listening intently to the conversation between Dr. Trauss and me when she first woke up in the hospital bed.

  "Well, its complicated" I admit uneasily.

  "Is it hard to talk about it?"

  "...Yeah" I sighed deeply before continuing"..and its not because I dont trust you or anything...i do trust you..its just that...I have never openly revealed it to anyone before, even to those that I trust"

  Eclipsaras visible red eye sharpened "So you just hold it in? Like all the time?"

  "...I...." I hesitate.

  Eclipsara became eerily quiet. So quiet that I tried to talk.

  "So...um...its noth-"

  "Be quiet Val" She said it in a stern voice as she was in the middle of contempting something. "Starting the day after tommorrow, you're going to tell me one story each day."

  I blinked. "Stories?"

  "Yes, stories" She looked at me with a gaze that made me abit cold. "I want to know...I want to know stories and the knowledge you gained throughout your whole life."

  I pause. Not expecting this kind of conversation. "My stories? But they are boring."

  "I don't care. I still want to hear them...and I want to hear about your life and knowledge and wisdom you gained. I want to learn from you Val."

  I hesitate, but when I looked at her single visible eye, I knew I wouldnt be able to refuse.

  I sighed. "Ok, fine you win"

  Eclipsara's eyes shined then and their. "You mean it? Truly"

  "Yeah...I mean it" I say it sincerely. If Eclipsara is truly serious then I have no wish to deter her. Besides, if the knowledge and bits of wisdom I have could truly help Eclipsara in a long run, then Ill do it.

  Eclipsara then grinned in her signature michevious smile. "Dont take it back,Val!"

  "yeah yeah I wont" I smile, relieved that Eclipsara is back to her normal self.

  "Oh, Val you cant sleep right?" As Eclipsara mysteriously said.

  "Yeah, I cant sleep." I admitted, curious to know where this conversation is going torwards.

  Eclipsara got up slowly, as if builidng anticipation purposely, and then made a sudden and fast grab towards the pillow and smacked me with it.

  "HUH?! WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR?!" I say bewildered and shocked.

  "OH...Val...sweet innocent Val...did you forget its still my birthday and I can do whatever I want?" Eclipsara grinned mischievously. "We are going to have a pillow fight."

  I pause...and then grin maliciously. I grab the pillow.

  "Hehe...do you know what they called me back in my day? They called me the pillow master"

  Eclipsara then did a vilinous ugh. "Oh dont delude yourself Val, your just saying that just to instill fear in me. I shall be the pillow master, not you. When you fall, I shall take that title officially.

  "We'll see about that. We'll see"

  "Indeed"

  Then both Eclipasara and I tried to attack each other in pillows. I make

  "HA! Wheres that bravery Eclipsara! Your strugling to defend my attacks."

  "HA! Oh...Val, this is nothing! I am agile you know, much more agile than you. Lets see on how you can use that body of yours to move against me!" Eclipasara rolepys the viliness as if shes done it her whole life.

  "Are you implying I am Fat, birthday girl!?" Ill have you know that I am only a teensy bit fat! Besides, this is what people call a dad bod kid! I am quite surprisingly agile and my clothes fit me easily that people say I have barely any fat at all!"

  "HA! I doubt that...your probabaly just saying that just to make yourself feel good Val!"

  Even though this was a rolepy, I do have teensy bit of a dad bod. Oh well, no matter! I shall show her the power of my skills.

  I give a powerful and yet agile Pillow attacks to Eclipsara. I defend myself against her pillow attacks with a fast reaction time. I then swing my pillow when I thought I have a good chance to attack her.

  Eclipsara barely dodged, rolling to the side and countering with an airborne strike. "You're good, Val… but can you handle THIS?!" She leaped onto the bed, using its bounciness to propel herself high into the air.

  My eyes widened in fake horror. "NANI?! Impossible!?!"

  "Oh, it's very possible!" She ughed maniacally before delivering a mid-air pillow strike right to my head.

  POOF!

  I dramatically colpsed onto the bed. "Ahh… You… you have bested me…!" I gasped, clutching my chest as if struck by a fatal blow. "You… truly are… the Chosen One… The Pillow Master…"

  Eclipsara stood triumphantly, pillow in hand, nodding as if shes wise. "Hmph, I told you so. But I admit… you were a worthy opponent." She extended a hand as if extending a hand of friendship towards me. "I grant you my respect, former Pillow Master. And… forgive me for implying you were fat earlier. That was just a strategic misdirection."

  I squinted and narrowed my eyes. "Hmph… a dirty tactic… but effective. Very well, I respect you too. But tell me, shall we have another duel—not for the title, but to sharpen our skills?"

  Eclipsara's single visible eye gleamed. "Hmph… I was just thinking the same thing."

  And thus, the st moment of Eclpsaras birthday ended in a happy note.