Why do I smell something burning? Where in the world am I? Am I still alive? Or is my soul in the burning depths of hell already?

*sfx for the light breeze and the flames

"Sera-chan, we're sorry..! Mommy and daddy are sorry, okay?" A voice of a woman said that I opened my eyes.

Wow, she's so beautiful! But why do she seem big?

She was a woman in her early 20s; she has gun metal hair, emerald eyes and pointed ears. She has also an angelic appearance similar to a doll.

By her side was a man in his late 20s; he has auburn hair, sapphire eyes and some weird scales on his cheeks and neck like that of an armadillo. He had a stern look in his face, with his stern eyes, furrowed forehead and pursed lips.

In the background, I saw a small wooden hut being engulfed in ravaging flames. The roof was falling out and the whole view was reminding me of a housefire from my distant past I partially remember.

They looked at me like someone who has to abandon the thing he deeply cherished that I stared at them, wide eyed.

"Rena, survive with our daughter. That is the only thing I want you to do as my last request." The man said in a desperate voice so I looked at the woman.

"But Phil, do you really think they'd stop after killing you?! Remember, they were after us before Seraphine was even born! So don't just sacrifice yourself for naught! We'll find a way to escape... somehow..!"

"Get a grip, Rena, and run when I give you the signal!!"

"Bu-But..!"

*sfx for blazing flames

The man called Phil held Rena's shoulders and made eye contact with her. Tears began to stream down his face so he wiped all of it with his arm. He wore a pained expression and kissed her and me on the forehead.

"Please Rena, I promise to follow you when I finish them off. I'm begging you, survive for my and our daughter's sake." She cupped his cheek.

"O-Okay, I understand. But if you break your promise, I will personally go to hell to bring you back. Got it?" He nodded his head vigorously at her words. "Good, please be careful. I love you, Phil."

"Me too." He picked up the sword on the ground and gripped on it tightly. He gazed at us once more before he headed further away from view. Rena got up while holding me in her arms and ran opposite from him.

What is happening? Why did that man looked as if he's not coming back? And who is pursuing them?

This woman, how could she carry a teenager easily?

Wait, wait, wait, I'm sure I died. Wait, I already died? Then why am I alive right now? Is this what happens in fantasy-isekai novels I read before dying?

Then does this mean that I reincarnated? Or should I say that I isekai'd?

*sfx for rustling grass and footsteps

"Your Highness, where are you?" A creepy voice of a man said, a dozen of meters away from us. Hearing that, Rena's face paled and she started to shiver.

*huff huff

*bathump bathump

Rena was slowly panting with all that running, meaning she's already tired. There were dark bags under her eyes and her lips were cracked.

"Your Highness, let me escort you back to Liliace. I'm sure His Majesty is worried sick about you!" There was a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

Suddenly, Rena murmured weird words and something weird happened. Her hair floated in the wind and glowed in green hue just like her eyes. Several vines went up from the ground and reached out their buds to us.

"... please, protect my daughter... I'm afraid I can't take care of her any longer, so dear friends, please find someone who can..." She wryly smiled and placed me in their leaves.

The vines grew thicker while the leaves became wider and bigger. It obscured my vision that I couldn't help but bite my lips with my gums since I haven't grown any tooth yet.

Jijue left to fend off those bad guys, and now you're leaving me hahaue? Why are you entrusting your daughter to a suspicious plant?

Due to the uselessness of my sight in the current situation, I relied on my sense of hearing to have a better grasp of my surroundings.

"Well, well, well, look who we have here. You finally appeared, right Your Highness?" The creepy voice from earlier said in mockery.

"... please... just kill me already..!"

"As per 'his' orders, I can only end your life once you told me the whereabouts of the hybrid."

"... dead."

*slap

"What did you just say?!"

"I told you... the hybrid you're talking about... is dead..!"

*slap

"You dare lie to me?! How dare you!! Miguel, find her. I know this bitch hid that hybrid somewhere around here. Go!!"

"Yes, Captain!"

"No!!!"

Am I the hybrid they're talking about? How could I, a normal high schooler from Japan, be a hybrid?

But it makes sense, I got isekai'd in a fantasy world after all. Anything can happen, an example is kidnapping like what is happening right now. Also, hahaue probably used Plant magic earlier which is a given since she's an elf.

Magic, magical beings, alchemy, monarchs, nobles, knights, mages and people with divine powers probably exist here.

Jijue had some scales earlier, is he possibly... a lizardman? The daughter of a lizardman and an elf, I really am a hybrid! Why do they want to get a hold of me? Am I that valuable?

*sfx for footsteps

Are they really that eager to find me? Why are they so immersed in it? Do lizardmen have some kind of unique power? I don't think so.

*bathump bathump

My heart began to beat crazily. My whole body shivered while my eyes trembled lightly, probably because of fear. The footsteps became louder and nearer then, it stopped. I started to hyperventilate.

*huff huff huff

*bathump bathump

The plant shook strongly but instead of bulging and revealing me from inside, the leaves curled up and closed even more. It seemed that the subordinate of 'Captain', let's call him Mikkun, was having a hard time opening it.

"What the f*ck is this?! Why won't it f*cking open?! Ugh, f*ck!!" He sighed in frustration.

"What is it, Miguel?!" The Captain asked, annoyed of his subordinate's reaction.

I can't blame Mikkun though, the plant is protecting me like what hahaue said. Bleh!

"Captain, the plant won't f*cking bulge!! It seems she hid the hybrid inside this f*cking... thing!!" The plant stopped shaking.

"Then slice it open, you f*cking idiot!!"

"Ye-Yes Captain..!" He stammered.

*shiing

I felt the plant uprooting itself from the ground and started running. I was juggled up and down that I felt some bruises on my petite body. It went on for tens of minutes, then the plant stopped in its tracks.

*sizzle

I heard the leaves moving away from my vision little by little. The vine placed me on the ground gently and left quickly as it arrived leaving me alone.

Wha, jijue and hahaue left me... now that plant too?! Mou, what kind of reincarnation is this?! If I'm meant for something extraordinary, why did the guy who reincarnated me left me to die?!

[... oh~ho~, watch your mouth mortal.]

Who are you? How can you enter my mind nonchalantly? Don't you know what privacy means?!

[Appease your anger, young mortal, for I am not someone who has a short temper. Lend me your ears, and I shall tell you the reason why you're here.]

Get on with it then!

[I am Meerschaum, the god of fate and the future. Centifolia-neesama assigned me to watch over you, which is against my principles. I mean, why should I do that just for a mere mortal?]

... go on.

[Centifolia-neesama told me that you should survive alone until you turn 14. Even if you ask me, I don't know why she said that particular age.]

Who is that 'Centifolia-neesama'?

[A mere mortal like you doesn't deserve to even speak her name..! Anyways, I should go now.]

What about the reason why I'm transported here? And how did I die back on Earth?

[I shall tell you on another day. For now, your first priority is to survive in the wilderness with the difficulty of being a helpless baby. Farewell, for now.]

H-Hey, what are you..! Hey, come back!!

Millions, or even billions, of twinkling stars scattered across the bluish dark night sky. The gibbous moon was in the horizon, acting as my natural light to see through the mists and darkness. Sounds of owls and ravens echoed through the surroundings; beady red eyes of some animals, or more specifically magic beasts, stared at me.

Survive, you say? I wonder how I could do that.

*whoosh

The cold breeze brushed past me. I could hear the crickets nearby and thd gushing water from who-knows-where. As the winds blew, the leaves of the trees and shrubs danced under the moonlight. Stratus clouds partially covered the constellations in the sky.

*sfx for footsteps

I froze when I heard some tapping sounds. I got up on my four limbs with a ragged and thin cloth draped on me. Adrenaline rush took over me and before I knew it, my hands and legs were moving. Of course I was crawling my way out.

"Did I really see a baby? Maybe it was just an illusion..?" A voice of a woman said in confusion. "I did lost the child inside an egg not too long ago..."

What? Why?

I sure hope she won't find me. Who knows, maybe she's a witch who would eat me when I let my guard down. For now, let's be alert.

*hisss

I slowly turned my head behind me and stiffened when I saw a two-meter long magenta cobra. It has two greenish white fangs, turquoise eyes, and some black and white stripes on its body. It locked eyes with me that I shuddered.

"... sh..!" I cursed under my breath.

How lucky am I to meet an esteemed specie of a cobra? Now I'm being sarcastic. Even if I just saw it for the first time, I can infer that it's one of the poisonous kind.

A sigh escaped from my mouth.

Now what?

"Oh, it's just a baby." It suddenly talked that I jolted unconsciously. "And here I thought I could have a delicious meal, too bad."

Well, I hope you would just let me escape if you think of it that way. I'll definitely repay you in the future if you did.

*hisss