Reincarnated as Twins: And Then, I Was the Only One Abandoned - ☆3 Raised by Dark Elves

☆3 Raised by Dark Elves 

Before I knew it, about 15 years had passed since I was taken to the dark elf village. 

At first, I was overwhelmed by anxiety. I constantly feared that I’d be sacrificed to some evil god. But that never happened. Instead, they raised me as if I were their own child. Every day was a new discovery as I immersed myself in their culture and way of life. I grew stronger and more capable with time. 

Eventually, I came to understand this world—and why I had been abandoned. 

Most people in this world possess a form of energy called *mana*. 

It manifests as a faint, glowing veil around their bodies. Apparently, those who possess mana can focus their vision to see it clearly—kind of like Gyo from Hunter x Hunter. 

The nature of mana differs from person to person. 

Some use it to enhance their physical abilities, while others release it externally to fuel spells or transform it into elemental energy. It’s also used to summon and materialize spirits. 

I was once told that “mana is one’s true name”, but I had no idea what that was supposed to mean. 

People integrate mana into their work. They use their individual affinities to their advantage. 

But I— 

I was born without mana. 

For a commoner, that might not have been such a big deal. But I came from a noble family, where it was expected that I would either join the knight order or become a royal court magician upon adulthood. 

Without mana, I could do neither. 

That’s why I was abandoned—because I had no future. 

One day, I asked my benefactor, the dark elf who had taken me in, why he had saved me. 

He simply scoffed and answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world: 

“Regardless of race, leaving a helpless infant to die just doesn’t sit right with me.” 

That single sentence filled me with overwhelming gratitude. 

Unfortunately, none of my past life knowledge turned out to be particularly useful. 

Well, I guess watching all those isekai anime and reading manga helped me accept the existence of demi-humans like dark elves without much trouble. 

I mean, they’re actually real. 

In the village, my duties consisted mostly of gathering and farming, hunting small animals with a bow, and running errands to human settlements. 

Hunting, in particular, felt like a real-life version of a hunting game. I genuinely enjoyed it. 

◆◆◆

The cave where I had been abandoned was revered as a sacred place. It was overflowing with mana. 

Nestled deep within a dense forest, its entrance gaped open like a dark, eerie maw. 

Towering trees blocked out the sunlight. They casted the area in perpetual dimness. 

Whenever the wind rustled the leaves, it felt as though something unseen was lurking within the shadows. Moss covered the entrance, and the air was thick with moisture. 

Today, I had been assigned to collect resources from deep inside the cave. I went gathering alongside my childhood friend, Nactis. 

Taking a deep breath of the crisp air, we set off in silence. 

Nactis was born just before I was taken in. It made him the first child born in the village in decades. We grew up like brothers. 

A bit of a goofball, but a genuinely kind guy—he was the kind of friend I’d never had in my previous life. 

He released a soft glow of mana above his head. It illuminated our path as we moved forward. 

The gentle light made it easy to navigate the darkness. 

Apparently, dark elves have excellent night vision. So he was probably doing this just for my sake. 

“Ugh, this place is so damp, and the bugs are *everywhere*. This is the worst.”

“Watch your mouth, man. This is a sacred place. You’ll get cursed if you keep whining.”

“Yeah, well, unlike the old folks, I don’t really get the whole ‘sacred’ concept.” 

With lighthearted banter, we continued our journey for several hours. 

When we finally reached our destination—the deepest part of the cave—the sight before us was breathtaking. 

It was like stepping into a completely different world. 

Unlike the oppressive darkness of the rest of the cave, this place glowed. 

Lush green plants emitted a soft light. Their mana was radiating into the air. Strange, luminescent objects floated weightlessly. It bathed the surroundings in a mystical glow. 

The dark elves of this village came here a few times a year to gather seeds and fruits. They brought them back to their farmlands to cultivate. 

Apparently, they had been doing this the day they found me, 15 years ago. 

I was completely captivated by the divine beauty of the scene. 

Forgetting my task, I wandered around, lost in wonder— 

Until I stumbled upon a bizarre plant. 

It stood out from the rest. Its vibrant emerald-green glow was even more intense than the others. 

Tucked between its leaves was a gelatinous orange substance. It was shimmering like a precious gem. 

It looked delicious. 

Before I even realized what I was doing— 

I scooped up the jelly-like substance and popped it into my mouth. 

!!!!!!!!!!!!

Suddenly, something deep inside me reacted. 

It felt like an explosion went off within my body. It sent a searing heat coursing through me. My entire body burned as if set on fire. And an overwhelming sensation of steam erupting from every pore overtook me. 

‘Sh1t!! I’m gonna die!!!’

That was the only thought running through my mind. 

I couldn’t stay still—I writhed on the ground, consumed by agony. 

Nactis was panic-stricken. He rushed to my side, shouting something. But I couldn’t make out a single word. 

And then— 

The world around me changed. 

It was as if a new color had been added to reality itself. 

The plants glowed with a vivid brilliance, and tiny particles of light drifted through the air. 

I could see it—an aura-like energy enveloping Nactis. It was flickering and swaying as if alive. 

‘Wait, could this be…… mana?’ 

The moment that thought crossed my mind, my vision blurred. 

Darkness closed in, and in the next instant— 

I lost consciousness completely.