Kaito felt warmth and pressure around his legs, realizing someone was hugging him or rather, clinging to him with a desperate grip.
He looked down sharply, confusion flashing across his face, and froze.
The man kneeling before him had his arms wrapped tightly around Kaito's thighs, forehead pressed against him as if afraid he would vanish at any second. Long purple hair spilled over the man's shoulders, tied neatly at the back, trembling faintly with each breath he took.
That face.
Kaito's eyes widened.
"…Torvus?" he asked slowly, his voice hesitant, as if saying the name out loud might shatter whatever fragile reality he was standing in. "Is… that really you?"
The man's head snapped up immediately.
"Yes!" Torvus answered without hesitation, his voice breaking with emotion. "Yes, Master! It is me! Your Torvus!"
His grip tightened instinctively, arms wrapping around Kaito even more firmly, as if trying to anchor him to the world. "Please… please don't sleep again. I beg you."
Kaito did not push him away.
He was too focused on the face in front of him, the familiar features now impossibly real. Torvus. His personal butler from the sandbox game, Thousand Miles To Conquer. A character he had interacted with countless times, now breathing, trembling, crying at his feet.
This is… real.
His thoughts raced, pieces falling into place one after another. A medieval city outside the balcony. A luxurious castle room. And now, his butler from the game, kneeling before him.
If Torvus is here… then…
Kaito swallowed.
Could it be?
His heart skipped violently at the thought. If he was right, then this place was not just any kingdom. It was his kingdom.
He stood there in silence, Torvus still clinging to him, whispering softly again and again, "Please don't leave. Please don't leave," like a prayer he had been holding onto for centuries.
Minutes passed.
Kaito's ears burned.
This is getting… really awkward.
He cleared his throat gently. "Torvus," he said, trying to sound calm, "how long are you planning to… keep hugging me?"
Torvus froze.
His body went rigid, color draining from his face as realization struck. He released Kaito instantly and practically threw himself backward, dropping into a deep bow so low his forehead nearly touched the floor.
"This one has committed an unforgivable offense!" Torvus declared loudly, voice trembling with panic. "To lay hands upon the sacred body of the Master without permission, this one deserves severe punishment!"
Kaito flinched.
"W-Wait, no, that's not what I meant!" he said quickly, heat rushing to his cheeks as he waved his hands awkwardly. "I'm not angry. Really. I was just… surprised. And what are you doing hugging the floor! You don't need to bow infront of me."
Torvus did not move.
"I cannot raise my head Master," Torvus said solemnly. "To stand before the Master as an equal is a crime."
Kaito's face felt like it was on fire.
"Torvus, please," he said, lowering his voice. "You don't have to bow like that. You can stand up. And stop… kissing the floor. I'm begging you."
"How dare I!" Torvus exclaimed, voice full of righteous conviction. "This servant would never stand toe to toe with the Master!"
Kaito groaned softly.
Why is he taking this so seriously?
"Torvus," Kaito tried again, firmer this time, "stand up. Right now."
"This servant dares not—"
"Torvus."
The butler hesitated, shoulders trembling, then slowly straightened, though his posture remained rigid. He kept his head lowered, eyes fixed firmly on the ground.
"At least… at least look at me," Kaito said, defeated. "That's an order."
Torvus inhaled sharply.
"…As you command, Master."
He lifted his head.
Sunlight streamed in through the balcony behind Kaito, catching Torvus's hair as it swayed gently. His eyes, still faintly red from tears, shone brightly, and a smile spread across his face so wide and sincere it almost hurt to look at.
Pure joy.
Kaito blinked, caught off guard by the expression.
"H-Hey," he said, voice softer now. "So… this place. This kingdom. Is it... what I think it is?" Kaito asked with uncertainty in his voice.
Torvus noticed it immediately.
His smile softened, pride giving way to something gentler. "Master," he said, voice warm and steady, "Ofcourse master," he answered proudly. "What else could it be."
He straightened fully, voice filling with reverence as if reciting sacred history.
"Six hundred fifty-eight years ago, a small group of villagers followed a single man. A man of wisdom, vision, and unmatched resolve. Under his guidance, that group grew. Villages became cities and cities became nations."
Torvus's eyes burned with pride.
"Kingdoms fell and Empires were crushed. Countless wars were fought under your banner. You established academies to cultivate talent, systems to govern fairly, and institutions that allowed the empire to flourish for generations."
He placed a hand over his chest.
"This land, this empire, stands at the pinnacle of the world of Radeal. And for six hundred fifty-eight years… it has been ruled by one eternal sovereign."
Torvus bowed deeply.
"My Master, Emperor Kaito. Ruler of the Empire of Eldoria."
Kaito's breath caught.
His dark, void-like eyes ignited with fierce light, excitement surging through him like wildfire. His heart pounded so hard he thought it might burst from his chest.
It's true.
A slow, disbelieving smile crept onto his face.
And for the first time since waking up, Kaito felt something other than confusion. He felt anticipation.
But Torvus's expression suddenly shifted.
The brightness in his eyes dimmed slightly, replaced by hesitation. His lips parted as if he wanted to speak, then closed again. He inhaled quietly, fingers curling at his side.
"But…"
The single word snapped Kaito out of his daze.
He turned, the excitement still burning in his chest cooling just enough for him to notice the unease in Torvus's posture. "But?" he asked. "What is it?"
Torvus lowered his gaze briefly, then looked back up, worry clear in his eyes. "There is something the Master must know."
Kaito nodded once. "Go on."
Torvus straightened, his voice steady but heavy. "When the Empire of Eldoria was brought here, it was not merely the palace or the capital that moved. The entire empire was transported to an unknown location. Possibly… an entirely new world."
Kaito's brow furrowed in knowing.
"And you," Torvus continued, "fell into a deep slumber during the process. You did not awaken for over two weeks."
"Two weeks?" Kaito repeated quietly.
Torvus nodded. "Yes, Master."
Kaito exhaled slowly. Pieces began to align in his mind. The aching in his body. The unfamiliar heaviness in his limbs. It made sense now, if his consciousness had only just arrived while this body had already existed here, then it was no wonder he felt like he had been dragged back from the depths.
"So this isn't Radeal," Kaito murmured to himself. "Not anymore."
"No," Torvus said. "It is not."
Kaito rubbed his temple, the dull pain there pulsing faintly as he processed the implications. "Explain everything further Torvus."
Torvus bowed his head once. "As you command."
"When the teleportation occurred, all neighboring kingdoms vanished. Every border we once shared now leads to unfamiliar terrain. Forests that never existed before. Mountains where plains once stood. Rivers that have disappeared entirely."
Kaito's eyes narrowed slightly.
"We attempted to confirm our location using established landmarks," Torvus continued, "but none matched any record from the world of Radeal. Even the stars do not align with our charts."
A quiet chill crept up Kaito's spine.
Torvus clasped his hands behind his back. "In addition, much of the surrounding wildlife has changed. Creatures unlike any catalogued beast now roam the outskirts. Some appear hostile. Others we cannot yet classify."
"So you are saying," Kaito said slowly, "that the empire woke up in a completely foreign world… with its emperor, me, fast asleep?"
Torvus's jaw tightened. "Yes, Master."
Silence settled between them for a moment.
"And the people?" Kaito asked.
Torvus sighed softly. "We did not wish to incite panic. The High Council convened shortly after your condition was confirmed. After careful deliberation, we announced that the Master had entered seclusion following a major breakthrough."
Kaito let out a quiet breath. "Well... thats quite a lie you guys told."
"A necessary one," Torvus said gently. "To maintain stability."
Kaito nodded. "You did the right thing."
Relief flickered across Torvus's face, but he continued. "Even so, issues arose quickly. Merchant guilds petitioned daily to send expeditions beyond the borders. Trade routes collapsed overnight. Imported spices, rare materials, and specialty goods ceased arriving."
"And the mines?" Kaito asked.
Torvus grimaced. "Several newly discovered veins vanished entirely due to terrain shifts. Mining operations were halted. Stockpiles are stable for now, but prolonged disruption would be dangerous."
Kaito closed his eyes briefly.
"There is also the matter of the common people," Torvus said. "Rumors spread faster than official announcements. Some fear invasion. Others believe the gods have abandoned us."
"And the river," Kaito said suddenly.
Torvus blinked. "Master?"
"The river near the capital," Kaito said. "I noticed the city layout from the balcony. It felt… wrong."
Torvus's shoulders stiffened. "You are correct. The river we relied on for waste management and water flow no longer exists."
"That is a serious problem," Kaito said quietly.
"Yes," Torvus agreed. "We immediately redirected resources. Mage corps, sorcerers, and wizards were deployed to maintain artificial water circulation. Temporary channels and purification spells are in constant operation."
"That must be draining," Kaito said.
"It is," Torvus admitted. "But it was necessary. Without it, disease would spread within days."
Kaito pressed his fingers to his forehead, the weight of it all finally settling in. He had thought reincarnation would be simple. Instead, it was leadership in the middle of a catastrophe.
"I had no idea," he muttered. "I never thought something like this would cause so much damage."
Torvus looked at him steadily. "That is because you are bearing it now, Master. Before, we bore it for you."
Kaito opened his eyes.
"You all held the empire together," he said. "While I slept."
Torvus bowed deeply. "It was our duty."
Kaito shook his head slightly. "No. You did well. All of you."
Torvus froze.
Then his chest tightened as he straightened, eyes shining with gratitude. "Thank you, Master."
Kaito turned and walked back into the room, footsteps slow but purposeful. Torvus followed a step behind, silent and attentive.
"Send word to the High Council," Kaito said. "All senior ministers, marshal leaders, and to the 4 dukal households. Assemble in the meeting hall."
Torvus's eyes lit up. "Immediately, Master."
"Tell them," Kaito added, "that the emperor has awakened. And that we will decide our path forward together."
Torvus bowed sharply, a smile breaking through his composure. "As you command!"
He turned and moved swiftly, nearly gliding from the room as he went to deliver the news.
Kaito remained behind.
The room felt quieter now.
He approached the tall mirror along the wall and stopped before it.
The man staring back at him was unfamiliar and yet deeply known. Handsome, yes, but more than that. There was weight in his presence. Black hair framing a face carved with quiet authority. Eyes dark and deep, like endless voids that had seen centuries pass.
An emperor.
Not a boy from Earth.
Not a player behind a screen.
"I guess, this is my life now," Kaito said softly.
He straightened his posture, shoulders settling naturally into place.