Chapter 9

When I realized it, I was standing in a dim forest. It was a completely unfamiliar forest with towering trees that seemed to reach the sky. Strangely, my body had returned to its original size.

(Was it all a dream? I must have been in a long dream... No, wait. If it was a dream, why am I in a forest?)

I lost consciousness on the roadside. If I were to regain consciousness, it should be on the roadside or in a hospital. Even if I concede the cliché of an unfamiliar ceiling, being in an unfamiliar forest is odd.

(Huh? Something moved... Wait, a Beansmoth!?)

I didn't notice it because of its camouflage, but a Beansmoth was perched on one of the giant trees. The Beansmoth began to flap its wings slowly and flew toward me.

What should I do if I'm attacked by a giant moth? I'm not a hero or a warrior, just a salaryman... I'll run for my life.

But there's a big difference in speed between running and flying. The Beansmoth caught up to me and clung to me, hugging me with its six legs.

(I'm sorry, I'm sorry... Please let go!!)

However, the Beansmoth ignored my plea and tightened its grip with its six legs. I felt suffocated and nauseous, and my vision gradually darkened.

(I don't want to die being hugged by a giant moth!!)

As I struggled, my vision suddenly brightened... It seemed I had been dreaming.

"Milady Catherine, please let go of Master George."

"No!! I will protect George!!"

The cause of my suffocation was my mother's hug. She must have been worried about me and held me tightly. However, when Odette tried to pull me away, my mother's maternal instincts went into overdrive, resulting in a powerful hug.

(I'm not the only one who's changed from the game; my mother has too.)

In the game, Catherine Akogu never scolded George, no matter what he did, and indulged him endlessly. It was more like treating a pet than raising a child. If someone criticized her, she would easily abandon George. Probably because she was separated from the infant George, she never developed a sense of motherhood. However, as I communicated with her, her maternal instincts awakened.

"Catherine, since we're back home, why don't you let your father hold George? George is your son, but he's also my grandson."

A middle-aged man spoke to my mother in a gentle voice. He was speaking slowly and gently to avoid agitating her. Incidentally, I couldn't see his face because my mother was hugging me tightly.

"Father!! But George's eyes are still closed."

The only person my mother could call "father" is Lauren Akogu. Lauren Akogu, despite his name sounding like it was made up, is a seasoned and cunning character. His power rivals that of the royal family. He has connections with underground forces like the Assassin Guild, and it's not uncommon for his enemies to meet unnatural deaths.

(What should I do?)

I couldn't call out loudly because I was being hugged.

"Ma, ma, ma. Good morning."

I called out to my mother while tapping my body, pretending to have woken up by chance.

"George!! I was so worried about you, Mama was."

Tears streamed uncontrollably from my mother's eyes... I felt a deep sense of guilt.

"I'm sorry."

If I may say so, it was my mother who showed me something gross.

"Catherine, you must be tired. Your room is just as it was, so why don't you rest for a while? Your mother also wants to talk to you. Most of all, I want to play with my grandson."

It's dangerous... This is the first time I've seen Lauren, but he's someone I shouldn't get involved with. He looks like a kind middle-aged man, but his eyes have a deep, bottomless darkness. When our eyes met, it felt like he was peering into the depths of my soul.

"Yes, I understand. George, you might be sad without Mama, but be a good boy."

With that, my mother handed me over to Lauren. I should cry and cling to my mother.

"Odette says you've been overworking yourself. Take this time to rest at home. Your mother also wants to talk to you. More than anything, I want to play with my grandson."

As Lauren said, my mother can finally relax and rest.

(I can't interfere with this... Ow!!)

A sharp pain shot through my inner thigh. Lauren pinched my chubby thigh.

(If I cry, my mother won't be able to rest... I have to endure. Damn, this is child abuse.)

I endured the pain and smiled as I watched my mother and Odette leave. The moment they left the room, the atmosphere changed. The tension was like a burning sensation in my stomach, and I felt as if the room's temperature had dropped to absolute zero.

"Let's get to the point... Who are you?"

Even if he asks who I am, I can only answer that I'm his grandson... I don't have the nerve to say that in this atmosphere.

'Mike, please back me up.'

Even a duke shouldn't be able to dismiss the divine messenger Mike. This is the time to ask for help, even if it's just a little.

"Lauren, this is definitely your grandson."

"I know that. However, George doesn't seem like a one-year-old to me."

Is it because I endured the pinch? And the fact that someone like Lauren is using polite language suggests that the divine messenger has some authority.

"Why? He looks like a normal one-year-old to me."

Come on, Mike. The situation is unfavorable, but please try. I'm not a normal one-year-old.

"The first time I had doubts was when I read Catherine's letter. The George described in the letter didn't seem like a one-year-old at all."

According to Lauren, the content of my mother's letters was always about Alan. Even after I was born, it didn't change. However, at some point, the letters began to focus almost entirely on me.

"First, a normal one-year-old can only speak simple words, no matter how fast they grow. It's impossible for them to speak words that match the actions of others. However, Catherine's letter said, 'George said he was sad not to see me.' At first, I thought it was just a mother's bias, but I had Odette observe the situation just to be safe."

Good intentions can backfire...

'Hey!! This is all your fault, isn't it!?'

'What could I do? I didn't have any one-year-olds around me.'

I never paid attention to what words children of different ages spoke when I met my relatives' or colleagues' children.

"Then I heard that George protected the hotel staff and tried to stop Odette from fighting the attackers. This is impossible without understanding what's happening around him. And just now, George was trying to show Catherine that he woke up on his own. Mike, what possesses George?"

The final straw was that I didn't cry even when pinched and remained calm. That's why Lauren suspected that something possessed me.

'Mike, please reveal the truth.'

If I speak, it might deepen Lauren's suspicions.

"Does George have memories from his previous life!?"

Lauren was surprised to hear Mike's explanation... It's understandable.

"Not just that. He also knows what might happen in the future. Right?"

"Only what might happen. My knowledge has some discrepancies, so I can't be overly confident. Nice to meet you, Grandfather. I'm George Akogu."

At this point, I have nothing to lose. If things get dangerous, I'll ask Mike to persuade him to keep me alive.

"Indeed, I was overly confident. I didn't doubt it because it was Catherine's first child, but what if she had an older brother or sister?"

I'll definitely be treated as a dangerous child. If that happens, my life might be in danger... Oh.

"Could the attack this time be not just because of Lumia's pregnancy?"

"George was born with a magical item. It's impossible not to be wary of such an excellent child. Mike, I will extend George's stay... I will provide him with thorough education, as his grandfather."

I never thought I would receive intensive education from the age of one.