"Madam, this is difficult for me to say, but I have checked three times. Your baby has no affinity with any element. Even his soul is just a Mortal Soul."
A middle-aged woman, who appeared to be the head maid, spoke as she pushed a baby carriage. Inside it lay a tiny infant, his eyes seemingly showing a confused gaze.
The head maid was speaking to a woman with long wavy black hair, who was lying on the bed in a loose nightgown.
She looked young, with pale white skin and an exceptionally beautiful face, yet her eyes carried a cold and indifferent expression.
Her gaze seemed fixed on the baby carriage, but from the moment she heard the words that her child had no elemental affinity, it was as if she was too lazy to even look at the baby inside.
Someone born with affinity to only one or two elements, and not even high, was already considered trash without talent. Most people were born in such a position.
Yet, it was absurd that the baby she gave birth to had no affinity with any element at all.
"Mrs. Wilson, you know this will become a great disgrace for me," she said.
The head maid unconsciously nodded upon hearing her words, her face tense at what the woman might do, for she was infamous for being ruthless.
"Send him to an orphanage and tell others that my baby has died."
Upon hearing this command, the head maid let out a sigh of relief.
At the very least, she had not been asked to kill the baby.
"I will, and I will continue to keep an eye on your baby’s growth. Madam, do you wish to hold him first?" Mrs. Wilson asked as she lifted the baby from the carriage.
But just as she was about to take a step forward, the beautiful black-haired woman suddenly shouted coldly.
"Take him away now. Do not let me crush that baby with my own hands."
Her words terrified the head maid, who immediately ran away.
And the woman, Rebecca Moonshadow, continued to display her icy expression.
"Damn you, Edward. You call yourself great, but look at your seed—it only produced useless trash," she cursed, her voice filled with anger, for nine months of pregnancy had hindered her cultivation, wasting far too much of her time.
Who would have thought that the child she believed would be a true genius, one who would grow rapidly and become a great partner in the future, would turn out to be worthless?
"Indeed, it would be better if I found a baby proven to be talented and made him my adopted child."
She had initially considered that path, but thought it better if it were a child of her own blood, to create a stronger bond.
’What the hell is this?’ thought the baby, who of course was not just any baby, but the reincarnation of a young man from Earth named Richard.
He had never expected to truly reincarnate, only to be abandoned by his own mother the moment he was born.
(Congratulations, you have successfully merged with the Legendary Magic System, a System that will grant you growth without you needing to do anything.)
[Magic Realm: Mortal]
[Aether Accumulation: 0]
[Element Affinity: None]
(You have gained 2% affinity with the Fire Element!)
(Your Fire Element Affinity has increased from 2% to 3%!)
’Seems isn’t such a tragic reincarnation after all,’ he thought.
His eyes couldn’t help but look around.
Although his vision was still blurry because of the night, he was amazed.
He and Mrs. Wilson had apparently left an enormous castle that stood atop a rocky hill, below which stretched a vast city, so wide that Richard could not see where it ended.
It was an ancient city, yet dazzlingly bright, illuminated by several massive jellyfish floating high above, their glow lighting up different parts of the city.
Mrs. Wilson began running while carrying him in her arms, and Richard was astonished at her speed. It was far too fast—like a car at full throttle.
She darted into the city, leaping from rooftop to rooftop. With each leap, she cleared ten houses at once.
Richard’s vision could barely catch anything but shadows at that speed.
Even so, the city was simply too vast. It took a long time before they finally crossed it.
On the far side of the city stood walls fifty meters tall, guarded by many soldiers clad in armor.
They were tall and imposing, each radiating a terrifying presence that sent chills down Richard’s spine.
Just like everyone else, Mrs. Wilson passed through the gate.
What Richard saw around him were people resembling those of medieval Europe—most wearing ragged clothing, with only a few dressed finely.
After leaving the city, Mrs. Wilson ran again through the roadside forest, unlike others who traveled by horse-drawn carriages.
Richard couldn’t predict how far the orphanage was that Mrs. Wilson intended to reach. He wondered if there wasn’t one inside the city itself.
As they went farther from the city, they passed through village after village.
If not for the System, Richard might have despaired, but fortunately, it offered him some comfort.
(You have gained 2% affinity with the Earth Element!)
Once again, the System granted him something.
He only knew this was something extraordinary, likely related to cultivation abilities or transforming energy into an element.
After what felt like hours, they stopped in a remote village.
Richard was intrigued by one building larger than the rest. Its design resembled a small castle, though nowhere near as large.
It spanned perhaps three hundred square meters and had three floors.
Mrs. Wilson approached the building.
Since it was so late at night, no one else could be seen.
The village was utterly silent, though the calls of birds echoed endlessly.
Mrs. Wilson knocked on the door of the building.
"Lisa, come out quickly!" she shouted several times until the sound of footsteps echoed from within.
The door opened, revealing a woman in her twenties wearing a nun-like uniform. She was beautiful, with long straight brown hair flowing down her back.
The young woman was stunned to see the middle-aged lady standing at her door.
Her eyes couldn’t help but fall on the baby in Mrs. Wilson’s arms, her surprise deepening.
"Aunt, whose baby is this?" she asked.
"Don’t ask whose. Just know that his name is Richard, and take good care of him," replied Mrs. Wilson, surprising Richard, for she had given him the same name he bore in his past life.
He wondered if this was fate.
Mrs. Wilson then handed him over to Lisa, who received him with utter confusion.
Of course, she was used to taking in babies, as she ran the orphanage, but this one came from her aunt.
Her aunt had never married, and it felt absurd to imagine she had suddenly borne a child.
Besides, she was the head maid of a great household.
"I know your orphanage is full of justice, but you must not treat this baby like the others. Make sure he eats the best food and wears the finest clothes. Later, I will also send what he needs," said Mrs. Wilson.
"Very well, I’ll be going now," she added before running off again.
Richard, now held by a young woman, felt a strange sense of loss. Even though it was brief, he had already grown used to Mrs. Wilson and felt safer with her.
And thus, his new life in this different world began.