The forest path was quiet again, save for the sound of footsteps—two sets this time.
Riku walked beside Aria, the elf girl he had saved, his wooden sword still hanging awkwardly at his side.
He glanced at her. She moved gracefully, her long silver hair swaying as the breeze carried the faint fragrance of flowers. She seemed calm now, but every so often, her eyes flicked toward him with curiosity.
"…So," Riku began, scratching his cheek, "there's a village nearby?"
"Yes," Aria replied, smiling faintly. "Eldoria. It's the closest settlement. I live there, actually. You should come—at least until you find your bearings."
"Bearings…" Riku chuckled softly. "Yeah, that's one way to put it."
He was still lost in the haze of everything. A new body, a strange world, a goddess's voice echoing faintly in his mind. It felt too much like a dream.
But the soreness in his legs from walking told him it was real.
By the time they reached Eldoria, the sun was beginning to dip lower in the sky.
Riku stopped in his tracks.
The village looked like something straight out of the RPGs he had spent his life playing—cobblestone streets, timber-framed houses with slanted roofs, colorful banners fluttering in the wind. Merchants called out at stalls, the smell of fresh bread and roasted meat drifted through the air, and children ran past laughing.
It was… alive.
For a moment, Riku just stood there, drinking it all in. His chest tightened. This is what I always dreamed of…
Aria tilted her head, watching him. "It's your first time seeing a place like this, isn't it?"
He gave a small, almost embarrassed smile. "Yeah. It's… amazing."
The first stop was a tailor's shop. Aria insisted his simple traveler's clothes wouldn't do.
Inside, Riku felt awkward as the shopkeeper—a cheerful old woman—took his measurements. She clucked her tongue at his plain tunic and handed him a new outfit: a black long-sleeved shirt, a light chestplate for protection, sturdy boots, and a dark-blue cloak.
When he stepped out of the fitting room, Aria's eyes widened slightly. She coughed into her hand, trying to compose herself.
"It… suits you."
Riku rubbed the back of his neck. "Really? I feel like I'm cosplaying."
Aria blinked. "Cos… playing?"
"Uh—never mind," Riku said quickly, flustered.
Next was the adventurers' guild.
The guild hall was bustling with energy—hunters boasting about their kills, mages discussing spell formulas, clerks shouting out new requests on the notice board.
Riku's heart pounded. In the games, this was where the adventure always started. But now, it was real.
At the counter, the receptionist handed him a wooden guild tag after he filled out a short form.
"Newbie, huh? Well, don't push yourself too hard," she said kindly.
Riku nodded. "I'll… do my best."
Aria, who had been watching silently, smiled softly. She could tell he wasn't just saying it casually—he meant it.
That evening, the two of them sat at a small tavern. Riku tried the local stew, savoring the rich flavor.
For once, the ache of loneliness didn't weigh on him. For once, he wasn't a dying boy wishing for a life he couldn't have.
Instead, he was here, in a world too bright, with someone sitting across the table who didn't look at him with pity… but with warmth.
Maybe… this really can be my new life.
But what Riku didn't realize was that the goddess's blessing still lingered, unseen. His presence alone had already begun to change the course of fate.
And soon, more people—more girls—would be drawn into his orbit, one after another.
For now, though, he smiled faintly, lifting the spoon to his lips.
"This… tastes like home."
Aria tilted her head, curious. "You must tell me about your world someday, Riku."
"…Yeah," he said softly. "Someday."