Twenty-four years had passed since his rebirth.
Life beside his mother, her warmth, her smile, felt like a blessing he had been denied in his last world. Every morning he woke up grateful. Every night, he fell asleep fulfilled.
A memory resurfaced.
---
"Me? Having a woman?"
He was sitting under a tree, speaking to someone lounging in the shade.
"Oh, absolutely," the other replied with a teasing grin.
"I always knew you'd be the obsessive type. Overprotective… clingy… It's honestly weird seeing you like this to a woman for some reason."
"Hey," Cayn muttered, throwing a pebble at him.
The pebble disintegrated into ash before reaching the god.
The laughter faded. "For a millennium, I could not see this future of yours. Yet now I have this vision, randomly... It has to be something about this woman... Find her... She may hold the key to a future other than our annihilation."
Cayn bowed his head slightly.
"I am ready."
"You will meet her sooner than you think," the god said, lifting his hand. "Your path and hers are already aligned."
"And how will I know it's her?"
The god's smile softened.
"Mortals forget that love is also a blessing, just like strength, talent, or being born to a rich family. Love is fate, written long before your birth, your creation. When the right moment comes… You shall feel it, for the first time, a trust no mere reason of yours could explain..."
A small flicker of light gathered on the god's fingertip, warm, gentle.
Like a butterfly, a symbol, a reminder that fate would guide him when the time was right.
Cayn stared at it.
Then nodded.
---
The forest was silent.
Cayn sat cross-legged on a patch of moss in the nameless, forbidden woods. Monsters and beasts circled him from afar, keeping a respectful, frightened distance. Even the air trembled around him.
He opened his eyes, amused.
Then he felt it.
Humans, several of them entering the forest.
Strange.
Even stranger, he sensed children among them.
Since his mother wouldn't look for him until lunchtime, he decided to investigate.
In a blink, he moved to the branches of a massive tree overlooking the disturbance.
Below, a group of men hurried through the undergrowth, shoving blindfolded women and children ahead of them.
"I think we went too deep, boss," one whispered.
"We had no choice," the scar-lipped leader growled. "Security in this kingdom is insane. Knights were right on our heels. Keep them in front, bait in case any beast attacks."
"Shame. Some of the women will sell for a lot."
The boss smirked at that.
Cayn watched silently, back against the tree trunk. His eyes held no sympathy, no anger, only observation. This was not his concern.
The kidnappers began removing blindfolds.
When they reached a particular woman, one of the men practically danced.
She was beautiful, with dark brown hair, honey-gem eyes, striking features, and jewelry that exposed her noble status.
Cayn recognized the symbol engraved on her earring.
A royal from a neighboring kingdom.
If she died here, it would cause war.
And that would trouble his mother.
And so, for that reason alone, she became relevant.
The men discussed "sampling the merchandise," but before the thought could turn into action, the woman laughed.
Her hands were untied.
Two other women freed themselves as well, knives already hidden in their sleeves.
Before the kidnappers even understood what was happening, limbs and heads were falling.
The royal woman moved like an oriental dancer, graceful, merciless.
When it was done, the two other women shielded the children's eyes.
The royal woman ordered a quick retreat.
Even with her power, this forest was forbidden for a reason.
But she stayed behind.
Just for a moment.
Because the mana… shifted.
She felt it first: beasts gathering, high-ranked monsters drawn by the blood.
But something else, a presence so overwhelming it made her vision blur.
She turned.
A man stood in the shadows of the trees.
Every instinct screamed at her.
Her mana sensitivity made her nauseous just by sensing him. Her knees trembled. Her breath stuttered.
Then their eyes met.
Golden.
Draconic.
Unfathomably deep.
He smiled faintly.
His lips shaped a single word:
Run.
She fled instantly, heart pounding.
Even sparring with her father had never felt this terrifying.
His presence wasn't directed at her, yet she could barely stand.
As a warrior, she was ashamed.
As a human, she was lucky.
Behind her, Cayn laid his back against the tree again, amused at her reaction.
He turned—
A soft warmth brushed past his consciousness.
Not a sign, not an indicator pointing to her.
Just a subtle echo.
A reminder of what the god told him.
For now, he felt nothing that tied her to any destiny.
Just a curiosity.
Nothing more.