Ray took a deep breath, the air trembling in his lungs. His heart beat like a war drum beneath his ribs. With quiet resolve, he said, "Third mother, I—I am reincarnated."
Selene, who had been watching him closely, expecting trouble—or worse, a confession of some reckless mistake—froze. Her expression shifted as if the floor had dropped from beneath her feet. The calm veil on her face cracked, her eyes widening in disbelief.
She stared at Ray, her voice shivering like a candle in the wind. "Say it again. What did you say?"
Ray swallowed, hard. "I am reincarnated, third mother. I have memories from my past life."
Silence fell like a thick blanket over the room. The tension was so tight it hummed in the air. Selene didn't move. Diana stood still, her eyes flitting between the two, uncertain whether to speak or to wait. Both she and Ray looked to Selene, quietly praying she wouldn't turn away from him.
The wait didn't last long.
Selene stood abruptly, her robe brushing the floor with a soft whisper as she took a slow step forward. Her gaze turned distant, almost searching the far walls for answers. Her voice was low, laced with something unreadable. "Tell me... does husband know?"
Ray and Diana exchanged a brief glance, then shook their heads in perfect sync.
"Then why tell me?" she asked, tilting her head slightly, her eyes narrowed in curiosity and a touch of something more vulnerable—like fear.
Ray didn't hesitate this time. His voice was steady, carried by an emotion that glimmered just beneath the surface. "Because I trust you. You are important family to me—after mother and father. I don't like keeping secrets from you. I would rather not keep lying or making excuses."
Selene's eyes glistened. The corners of her lips trembled with unspoken emotion, and her breath hitched just a little.
"Who else knows that you are reincarnated?" she asked, her voice softer now.
"Other than you and mother, no one else knows in this place," Ray replied.
Diana, listening intently, furrowed her brows. "Other people know?"
Ray nodded. "The King knows because Jack once possessed him. And Jack knows because he reincarnated from the same world as I did. And finally, the library caretaker knows."
Diana's mouth fell slightly open in shock. "You should've told me that."
Ray scratched his head sheepishly. "I thought you already knew."
Selene, silent all this while, finally stepped closer. Her face softened. Without another word, she wrapped her arms around Ray, pulling him into a tight, maternal embrace. He stiffened at first but then melted into her hold.
"I also think of you as my family," she said, her voice muffled against his shoulder. "I will keep your secret well hidden with me. I will not tell anyone."
Ray looked at her, hope flickering in his eyes. "Do you still accept me after knowing I am reincarnated?"
Selene drew back slightly, brushing his hair with her fingers like she used to. "I had suspicions. You have such rare talent in talisman crafting, you speak with the king like an equal, and your words... they always feel heavier than your age. But I never imagined reincarnation. I only had questions. And for acceptance?" She smiled. "You've been yourself the whole time. So no, nothing changes for me."
Ray shook his head gently. "Third mother, I was born in a mortal world. It had no sorcery, no magic. No cultivation. Nothing. I started learning all of this from zero. And... I died young—at twenty-five."
Selene's breath caught. She covered her mouth in a gasp. "How would you people live in that world without cultivation?"
Ray chuckled lightly. "In that world, life expectancy was short. Around fifty to a hundred years. But people lived differently. They'd probably ask the same thing about this world—how are people here living without entertainment or rest? All they seem to care about is fighting, sorcery, and cultivation. But over there, we had technology, entertainment, internet..."
Selene tilted her head, her brows drawn in confusion. Diana mirrored her expression.
Ray laughed at their puzzled faces. "Too many things to explain at once. Even mother doesn't understand it all. I'll teach you little by little. You'll be shocked. That's why I need your help—to bring those ideas into this world. You've already seen the wristwatch communicator. The time is displayed on it. They all come from my world. Even the hot air balloons old man Rick built? My world's idea."
Selene blinked. "They all came from your world... and they're not your inventions?"
Ray shook his head, embarrassed. "Back then, I was just an ordinary guy. I only saw those things from a distance. I didn't make them. I'm not some genius inventor like people here think. I'm just... bringing what I saw on Earth to this world."
Selene was learning, but so was Diana. Both of them bombarded him with questions like eager children discovering a new toy box. Ray answered as much as he could, smiling, enjoying their wonder. For once, his secret didn't feel like a burden—it felt like something worth sharing.
Finally, Selene asked, "So, what help do you need from me?"
Ray's eyes sparkled. "The King gave me several acres of land. I'm going to build something huge there. Something that might make people go crazy. I want to create the internet."
Selene blinked again. "Internet?" Her lips twitched upward in amusement. She gave him a sly look. "And what do I get if I help you create this... internet?" Her voice dipped into playful teasing. "I don't want any crystal stones."
Ray was caught off guard, his mouth opening and closing. Then he laughed nervously. "Then... what do you want, third mother?"
Selene leaned forward with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "That you never lie to me again."
Ray chuckled, placing a hand over his heart. "Deal."
Diana let out a long sigh of relief, her shoulders relaxing for the first time in the conversation. Her eyes shone with quiet pride and warmth as she looked at Ray. Selene had accepted him—not just tolerated his truth, but embraced it.
And with that shared understanding, the three of them began brainstorming again. They spoke about screens, images, sounds—television. With crystal balls as receivers, magic formations as displays, and talismans as power sources, they started weaving the first threads of a technological dream that once existed only on Earth.
In that quiet room, under flickering lamplight and scattered scrolls, the future of a new world began—crafted by the memory of the old and the bonds of a strange, unshakable family.