Year 1492 of the Sea Circle Calendar.
North Blue, Kingdom of Tobias.
When Darren was reborn as a baby, the first thing that popped into his head was a meme he'd once seen on TikTok:
"Normal baby being born: Waaah waaah waaah~"
"Weird baby being born: Cousin, I'm out now!"
"…"
So, naturally, he started wondering...
How should I cry to make a truly unforgettable first impression?
"It's a boy, ma'am!" the burly midwife beamed as she lifted the newborn Darren and turned to the pale, exhausted woman lying in bed.
"If it's a boy… then let's name him Cross. Amphitrite Cross."
The woman's face was bloodless, her breath faint, but when she looked at the baby in the midwife's arms, her sea-blue eyes shimmered with warmth and love.
Suddenly, a shadow of worry passed over her gaze.
"Wh-why isn't he making a sound? Could… could he be mute?"
"Don't worry, ma'am! Just one look, and you can tell the young master's healthy as can be. All it takes is a little slap to get the lungs working!"
The midwife chuckled reassuringly, then without hesitation, delivered a firm smack to Lu Chuan's rear.
SMACK!
The stinging pain made Darren let out a sharp, instinctive wail. At the same time, his tiny arm flailed, and his fingers clamped down hard on the midwife's.
Then—CRACK.
A crisp snapping sound echoed in the room.
The midwife's smile froze on her face. Slowly, she raised her hand and stared blankly at her right index finger… which was now bent at a very unnatural angle.
"AAAAAAAHHHH— IT HURTS! IT HURTS SO BAD!!"
The next second, she screamed bloody murder and flung Darren onto the bed as if he'd turned into a demon, clutching her broken finger and howling in agony.