Kael stood in the middle of a clearing surrounded by ash-laced trees. The distant echoes of his confrontation with the void creature had long since faded into silence. In his hand, he held the white mask he had worn as the Ghost, his fingers tracing the edge thoughtfully.
"I can't wander forever," he muttered. "I need to find civilization."
Closing his eyes, Kael inhaled deeply and activated one of the skills granted by his soul-core: Mana Sensing. Instantly, his awareness expanded. Threads of magic flared in his vision, an intricate web of natural energy, life forms, and ambient mana density. He filtered out the chaotic noise until only intelligent life remained.
A few kilometers northwest, he sensed a bustling cluster of concentrated human presence. A city.
Kael's hand clenched around the mask. He knew he couldn't just walk in radiating the level of power he held. Not unless he wanted to invite every authority figure and opportunist onto his back.
Suppressing his aura, Kael pulled his mana deep into his core until not a single ripple could be sensed from him. Even a trained mage walking right past him would assume he was no more than a powerless civilian.
With one last glance at the mask, he tucked it inside his coat and activated space magic.
Flash Step.
He vanished from the forest, reappearing in the heart of a narrow alley between two rundown buildings, stone walls weathered by time and stained by city soot. The air here smelled of smoke, bread, and a faint trace of sewage.
Kael stepped forward, blending into the flow of the crowd like he had lived there all his life. People bustled past, carrying baskets of goods or leading carts pulled by horned beasts. It was a lively city, full of chatter and noise.
His stomach growled.
"...Right. Food."
He glanced around, eyes scanning signs until one caught his attention: Liora's Hearth. A cozy-looking restaurant tucked on the corner of a stone-paved plaza. Warm light spilled through its windows, the scent of roasted meat and herbs wafting out.
Without hesitation, Kael entered.
A small bell chimed as the door swung open. The interior was simple but clean, wooden tables spaced evenly, with soft music playing from a crystal box in the corner. Patrons chatted, laughed, and ate heartily.
Kael took a seat near the window.
Moments later, a cheerful voice greeted him.
"Welcome! I'll be right with you!"
He looked up, and froze.
The waitress who approached was radiant. A young woman with long, snow-white hair tied loosely behind her back, and bright red eyes that shimmered with liveliness. She wore a simple beige dress with a white apron, and her smile could outshine the sun.
Kael stared, wide-eyed and motionless. His heart did something strange, it skipped. Then again.
His mind blanked.
His first thought was that she didn't belong in a place like this. Not because it was bad, but because she looked like someone from a dream. Too perfect to be real.
His second thought was how unfamiliar this sensation was.
Is this… attraction? Affection? I never…
In his past life, emotions had been foreign to him, tools to mimic, never to feel. Now, his soul, reborn and reformed, trembled at a simple smile.
She stopped beside him, tilting her head in concern. "Are you alright, sir?"
Kael blinked, realizing he had been gawking like a schoolboy seeing his first crush.
"Ah, I… y-yeah. I'm okay," he mumbled, looking away quickly.
She handed him the menu with a warm smile. "Take your time. If you need recommendations, I'd be happy to help."
Kael accepted the menu but didn't even glance at it.
He looked back up at her. "Actually, I have no idea what's good here. Could you… pick something for me? Something you'd recommend?"
Her eyes lit up. "Of course! I have a few favorites. How hungry are you?"
"Very," he said truthfully, then chuckled awkwardly. "Starving, honestly."
She laughed lightly. "Then you'll love the house stew with fire-grilled bread and seasoned root medallions. That plus a drink should be around fifteen keins."
Kael's face froze again.
Money.
He didn't have a single coin. Not one.
His heart sank.
He stood abruptly, offering a hasty bow. "Actually, I'm sorry. I forgot something important. I should go."
He turned and began walking toward the door, already mentally preparing how to find money without stealing or making a scene.
"Wait!"
Her voice stopped him mid-step.
Kael turned slowly.
She stood there, holding a hand out with a gentle expression. "You don't have money, do you?"
He said nothing, ashamed.
She walked toward him and smiled, not judging or mocking, just… kind.
"It's okay. If you're hungry, I can cover a simple meal for you. Consider it my treat."
Kael looked at her like she'd just handed him the world.
"Why would you do that?" he asked quietly.
She shrugged. "Because you looked like you needed it. And you seem nice. That's enough for me."
He stared at her, heart swelling with unfamiliar warmth.
He nodded slowly, voice low. "...Thank you."
She grinned. "Then go sit. I'll bring your food soon."
Kael returned to his seat.
As he watched her walk away, laughing with the cook and putting in the order, he felt something stir inside him.
Something he hadn't felt in two lifetimes.
Hope.
His mind wandered as he sat in silence.
So this is what kindness looks like when it isn't manipulated.
In his previous life, people feared him. Hated him. He'd taken what he needed with no guilt, no remorse. There had been no smiles like hers, only screams.
Now, in a place where he was unknown… she offered warmth without expecting anything.
He looked down at his hands.
This life… I don't want to ruin it. I want to protect moments like this. Even if I have to lie about who I am. Even if I have to wear a mask.
He sighed deeply and leaned back in the chair, closing his eyes for a moment.
A normal life. A peaceful life. A second chance.
The clinking of plates brought him back.
She arrived with a tray, setting the dishes before him with a smile.
"Here you go! Hope you enjoy it."
Kael stared at the food, steaming stew with chunks of meat and vegetables, golden bread crisped on the edges, and a drink that smelled faintly of citrus and spice.
"This… smells incredible," he whispered.
She giggled. "Eat before it gets cold!"
He did.
And for the first time since his transmigration, and perhaps for the first time in both lives, Kael smiled from the heart.
Maybe this world really is worth living in.