Subtitle: A Meeting Written in Another Life
It was at the moment when Ray finally lifted the teacup, the faint steam curling lazily into the air, that Aries had already left to attempt her breakthrough. The room was peaceful, filled with quiet warmth and the gentle aroma of tea leaves—an atmosphere that made time feel slow.
Knock. Knock.
The sound cut through the stillness like a ripple on calm water.
Ray paused mid-motion, the teacup hovering just short of his lips. His eyes narrowed slightly.
At a time like this…?
Setting the cup down, he stood and walked toward the door. His mind instinctively formed an answer.
Aries. She must have forgotten something.
So when he opened the door, his voice came out naturally.
"Is there something you've forgotten? Ah—"
The words died in his throat.
Ray froze.
Because the person he thought would come turned out to be someone else.
—or rather, two people.
They stood side by side in the corridor, both around his age.
If you are thinking it is Alice and Arisa, then you are mistaken.
In front of him was a handsome boy with black hair, dressed in a neatly fitted design T-shirt and jeans, and beside him stood a beautiful girl, wearing a graceful dress that complemented her calm presence.
What caught Ray's attention most wasn't their appearance—but their clothes.
Modern clothing.
Clothing that he himself had designed in this world.
There was no mistaking it.
They had been to Richard's kingdom.
To Ray's shop.
The boy was Ryan.
The girl was Grace.
Ray studied them for a brief moment longer than usual, as if sensing something invisible in the air. Then, with a faint smile that carried an unspoken meaning, he said,
"A storm is coming when I look at you. Do you need anything?"
Ryan stiffened.
The words struck him strangely, sending a chill through his chest. Ryan didn't understand why, but they felt deeply familiar. For a fleeting second, a memory tried to surface—only to dissolve before he could grasp it.
After swallowing his shock, Ryan said,
"Could you invite us in? We want to talk about something with you."
Ray nodded without hesitation.
"Come on in."
Ryan stepped inside, with Grace following closely behind him. The door closed quietly, sealing the room.
Ray returned to the table where the mugs he had prepared earlier still rested. He rinsed them carefully and began preparing tea again—this time for three people.
Ryan and Grace took their seats. Their eyes followed Ray's movements, the silence between them thick with unspoken tension. Even the sound of water pouring into the cups felt unusually loud.
Without turning around, Ray asked,
"So, now tell me what brings you both here?"
Ryan hesitated before replying.
"Can you activate the formation of this room so that we can talk more details?"
Ray glanced at Ryan's forced smile, then at Grace's unreadable expression. Something told him this wasn't a casual visit.
He nodded.
With a calm motion, Ray activated the academy-provided formation. Faint runes lit up the walls and floor, sealing the space completely—meant for protection during cultivation.
Ray turned back to them.
"Now can you tell me what it is that you want?"
Ryan nodded and quickly formed a peak Qi stage soundproof formation. Even then, unease flickered in his eyes, as if he still felt exposed.
Seeing this, Ray calmly raised his hand.
Another formation bloomed into existence—this one at the early wood stage, layered neatly inside Ryan's.
Ryan's and Grace's eyes widened.
They were silent for several seconds.
Then Ryan let out a slow breath and nodded in satisfaction before finally speaking.
"After seeing our clothes, you can see that I went to Ray's shop. And then we also bought the Crystal Vision and the wristwatch. We got all the things that made us know that there is a reincarnate from Earth there."
Ray smiled and pretended to be surprised.
"Wow! How do you know? Are you reincarnated as well? Only a reincarnate can tell that it is from a reincarnate."
Before Ryan could redirect the question, Ray had already turned it back on him.
Ryan wasn't prepared.
Caught completely off guard, he stammered,
"N–no! It is a reincarnate, I know that told me that."
Ray gave him a strange look.
Ryan realized instantly—he had been caught.
The nervousness drained from his face as he sighed and confessed,
"Yes, I am a reincarnate."
Ray nodded and turned his gaze to Grace.
"So are you reincarnated as well, or do you only know about him?"
Grace shook her head calmly.
"I am not a reincarnate. I only know that Ryan is a reincarnate."
Ray's smile grew wider.
"So you are the storm that came in his life. No wonder he is behaving well. I heard he is more wild when he is not beside Lady Grace."
Grace's eyes widened in surprise.
Ryan, however, was even more shaken.
That strange feeling returned—stronger this time. His heart thudded as he hesitated, choosing his words carefully.
Grace looked at Ryan.
Ryan looked at Grace.
They seemed to understand something without saying it.
Ray noticed their reaction and frowned slightly.
"Did I say something wrong?"
Ryan shook his head.
"You just remind me of a friend who said the same thing before."
Then, gathering his courage, Ryan asked a question.
"So… who created the wristwatch, Kano?"
Ray didn't process the name properly.
It slipped out naturally, as if it were something he had answered countless times before.
"It is created by a senior inventor. That is all I can say to you."
The moment the words left his mouth—
Ryan's eyes filled with tears.
And Grace's did too.
Ray was stunned.
"Why are you guys crying now? Did I say something upsetting?"
Ryan shook his head as tears streamed down his face. He wiped them away and said,
"I didn't think that I would find you here."
Grace nodded softly.
"The only person that is missing in our life is Elena."
The name Elena hit Ray like a thunderbolt.
Memories rushed back.
A hospital room filled with machines.
A fragile girl suffering from a rare illness.
Her brother—Ryan.
Another girl in the same ward—Grace.
Ray's eyes widened.
He looked at Ryan and asked slowly, his voice barely steady,
"Ryan… Cole?"
Ryan nodded.
The moment his name was spoken, something inside Ryan collapsed. Tears spilled freely from his eyes, one after another, tracing silent paths down his face. He didn't try to stop them.
Ray then turned to Grace.
"Grace Smith?"
Grace's gentle smile broke.
Her eyes shimmered, then overflowed. Tears slid down her cheeks as she nodded, a quiet, trembling motion. She reached up unconsciously, brushing at her face, but the tears kept coming, her silence heavier than any words.
Ray's composure finally broke.
Tears slid down both his eyes as his voice trembled.
"No way… It is you guys."
After a moment, he smiled through the tears and said softly,
"So I get to meet you guys again… in this world."