The morning after the ICC was a calm one, with the sun warming the cobblestones of Aurelia's largest market, painting everything in a soft gold. The air was thick with the shouts of merchants, the scent of spices, and the movement of the crowd.
Humans, demi-humans, and beast-kin jostled peacefully through the bustling lanes.
Among them walked Ji Hoon. He wore simple, light clothes, a welcome comfort against the growing heat.
'It feels nice to go out once in a while...' Ji Hoon thought.
His newly short silver hair, a sharp contrast to the length he'd once kept, felt strange and freeing in the mild breeze. His eyes, a bright blue, moved carefully, watching the stalls and the people around them.
Beside him, Ione walked with a quiet purpose. Her fox ears twitched, catching snippets of conversation, and her tails swayed gently as she guided him through the crowd. "This way, Young Master," she said softly, her voice a calm anchor in the noise. "The path to the Grand Temple is just ahead."
A few steps behind them, Adrine followed. Her knight's armor gleamed under the sun, and her hand rested lightly on the hilt of her sword. Her sharp eyes scanned the crowd, missing nothing, a silent and watchful shadow.
They were headed to the Grand Temple, the place where the most gifted healers in the empire lived and worked. It was the same place where they had miraculously mended his broken body after he first woke up in this world. Today was just a routine check-up.
As they walked, a thought surfaced in Ji Hoon's mind.
'This is the same path they must have taken to bring me here when I was barely alive. I remember how painful my body felt until…'
He remembered the strange light coming from the people he was introduced to as 'Healers.' They had removed his scars and pain in a matter of seconds—something that would have taken weeks to heal with his past life's technology.
That was the moment he truly believed he was in another world, watching 'magic and mana' flow into his body. The air around him changing. He felt the same flow of magic when he used his skills, especially Alchemy, which always took more energy.
He watched Ione's confident steps and felt a flicker of curiosity. 'She knows this route so well… she seems enthusiastic. He smiled. 'It's been a while since we met, especially since that incident…'
He cut his thoughts off, feeling a blush rise, and shook his head to force himself back into a serious face.
Pushing the thought aside, he focused on the vibrant, noisy, and utterly alive world around him, following Ione's lead as they moved closer to the temple's quiet peace.
Soon, they reached a great stone pillar marking the entrance to the temple grounds. The noise of the market faded behind them, replaced by the sound of wind chimes and the scent of sandalwood and clean stone.
The temple itself was built of dark, polished wood and pale stone, with a gently sloping roof. It stood quiet and powerful, a place of calm. They walked through the temple ground reaching the main hall.
As Ji Hoon was eyeing the structure of the temple and the other monks, visitors like him and the statues built among the edges of the temple ground, a certain figure caught his eyes.
A man in simple gray robes, holding a smooth wooden staff, approached them. He had a kind, aged face and smiled in recognition.
"Young Master Ahn," he said warmly. "You've come for your check-up, I assume?"
Ji Hoon nodded. "Yes."
"Very well. These two may wait here," the healer said, gesturing for Adrine and Ione to stay outside the main hall. He then led Ji Hoon through a quiet corridor to a separate room.
The room was circular and peaceful. The air was cool and still, Ji Hoon took a moment to notice the architecture and fine details of the room.
In the very center of the room's stone made floor was a large, intricate magic circle. It was drawn with precise lines, reminding Ji Hoon of the Vitruvian Man drawing from his old world—a circle with a human form outlined within it, surrounded by geometric patterns.
But this circle was enchanted with foreign words Ji Hoon couldn't read near the center and the edge of the circle.
"Please, remove your upper garments and lie down in the center," the healer instructed.
Ji Hoon did as he was told. He pulled off his light tunic, revealing a body that was no longer the skinny, broken form he had first woken up in.
His frame was now well-defined, with clear muscle and healthy skin, a testament to his recovery and recent activity.
He lay down on the cool stone within the circle. It wasn't his first time, so he knew what to expect. The healer knelt beside him.
"This will be finished shortly," the man said softly. He began to whisper magical spells in a low, flowing language Ji Hoon couldn't understand. Then, the healer's hands began to emit a soft, greenish-gold light.
The halo of light spread over Ji Hoon's body, warm and tingling. He watched as it gently smoothed over a few remnant scratches and faint scars, erasing them like water washing away dirt.
He could feel the energy scanning him, flowing through his muscles and bones, checking that everything was as it should be.
After a few minutes, the light faded. "We are finished," the healer said, rising. "Your check-ups are now complete. You are in perfect health, Young Master."
Ji Hoon sat up, put his tunic back on, and thanked the man. After a brief, polite goodbye to the healer, he rejoined Ione and Adrine outside, and they began their walk back through the city streets.
The sun was higher now. Ji Hoon watched city guards patrol and citizens go about their day. With the ICC's next round a week away, he wondered what to do with his time.
He was lost in thought when a large, impressive building caught his eye. Its architecture was grand, with tall arches and detailed carvings.
Intrigued, he turned to Ione. "What is that place?"
She followed his gaze. "Oh, that is the Royal Library," she explained.
"...The Royal Library...?" Ji Hoon asked.
He was surprised a library existed this close to the manor, let alone one this grand. But considering the level of advancement he saw in this world until now, he realized he shouldn't undermine it even if it is similar to his old world's medieval time.
He had been learning the writing system of this world and was finally getting comfortable with it. In his past life, he had loved reading—from just comics and fiction, also culinary books with the latest techniques and discoveries in pastries, desserts, and even barista skills. The idea of a library here was exciting.
He decided to go in. He turned to Ione and Adrine, who were waiting for him.
"I want to check it out," he said, heading inside with the two following close behind.
The inside was even more breathtaking than the outside. The library was vast, with a high, vaulted ceiling. Great, wide rows of bookshelves stretched out in every direction, filled with thousands of leather-bound and parchment-scroll books.
The air smelled of old paper and quiet. A few people were scattered around, sitting at wooden tables and reading in silence.
The feeling was familiar, reminiscent of his old life. He felt a calm excitement. With Ione and Adrine following a few steps behind, he began to walk through the rows, passing through different sections, his eyes scanning the shelves for anything that might catch his interest.
Ji Hoon moved slowly through the towering shelves of the history section, his fingers trailing over the spines of countless books.
The sheer number was overwhelming, but one title suddenly stood out: Our World: Terra. He paused. Terra—the name he'd heard Beatrice use for this planet. A stark contrast to the Earth he remembered.
Curious, he pulled the heavy volume from the shelf. He spent several minutes standing right there, carefully turning the thick parchment pages.
Maps, descriptions of continents, and sketches of strange flora and fauna filled the book. A slow smile spread across his face. This was exactly what he needed to understand the world he now lived in. He tucked the book securely under his arm.
His next stop was the cooking and culinary section. The books here were different—more worn, smelling of spices and old kitchens.
His eyes scanned the titles until one in particular caught his eye: Northern Gastrolchemy: The Fusion of Food and Alchemy.
He pulled it out, his interest immediately captured. The pages inside spoke of using magical and alchemical tools and principles in cooking, of ingredients that could hold mana, of techniques that sounded impossible.
This wasn't just cooking; it was a new form of alchemy—almost similar to molecular gastronomy in his previous world. He knew this book could be the key to mastering his skills for the ICC. He added it to the one he was already carrying.
After a little more browsing, he decided he had what he needed for now. He made his way to the main desk where the librarian sat.
The borrowing process was simple but formal. Ji Hoon pulled a small, polished wooden token from his pocket—his identification as a noble. He handed it and the books to the librarian.
The librarian carefully stamped a sheet of parchment, recorded the titles against his token, and handed everything back with a nod. The books were now officially on loan.
Ione stepped forward to help him carry the small stack, while Adrine resumed her silent watch a few steps behind. Stepping back out into the city streets, Ji Hoon felt a wave of happiness. He was eager to get home and lose himself in his new books.
But as they walked, the atmosphere began to change. The main, busy streets gave way to narrower, quieter alleys. The crowds of people thinned out.
The city guards, who had been a constant presence earlier, were suddenly nowhere to be seen. A cold knot of unease tightened in Ji Hoon's stomach. Something felt wrong.
He was just about to voice his concern when a rough voice cut through the quiet.
"Sir Cassian. We've been waiting for you."
Ji Hoon's head snapped up. Standing in the middle of the path ahead was a large brute with greasy bangs, a nasty smirk on his face.
Behind him, blocking the alley, were ten to fifteen other ruffians. They were all armed with clubs, bats, and a few with crude knives. Their grins were hungry and cruel.
The reaction from his companions was instant.
Adrine moved in a blur of motion, stepping directly in front of Ji Hoon in a single, fluid stride. Her heavy sword was already unsheathed and held in a ready, two-handed grip, her body a solid, unyielding shield.
Her eyes were cold and focused, scanning the group for the first sign of attack.
Beside him, Ione dropped into a low, cautious stance. Her fox ears were flattened against her head, and her tails were puffed out and bristling.
She held the books tightly in one arm, her free hand curling into a fist, her whole body tense and ready to spring away or defend.
Ji Hoon stood between them, his mind racing. His hands were full of his books, and his heart hammered against his ribs, but his face was calm and stoic as he assessed the situation.
The leader with the greasy bangs smiled wider, savoring the moment. "Lord Alister de Clein," he said, his voice dripping with mock courtesy, "has a message he wanted us to deliver personally."
The peaceful afternoon had shattered in an instant.
The scene froze, the quiet alley now charged with danger, the promise of a violent confrontation hanging heavy in the air.