While he and Aria navigated the sprawling mall for the very first time, Kai took a long moment to absorb his surroundings, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu. At a glance, the environment wasn't actually much different from the high-end shopping centers he had frequented in his previous life.
The air was a thick, swirling cocktail of familiar scents: the savory aroma of fried snacks and grilled meats wafting from the food courts, the sterile, crisp smell of brand-new fabrics from the designer boutiques, and the faint scent of electronics.
As they walked, he passed rows of stores that seemed to mirror the commerce of Earth. There were trendy boutiques where mannequins displayed vibrant, stylish clothes that wouldn't have looked out of place on a runway in Milan or Seoul.
Further down, he spotted a massive, brightly lit supermarket where shoppers pushed carts through aisles stocked high with groceries and household essentials. Even the sleek showrooms were there, their glass windows showcasing high-tech gadgets and glowing devices that glistened under the bright, artificial glare of the overhead LED arrays.
However, a couple of things stood out to him the moment he stepped inside the building—details he had first glimpsed when they entered the city's urban district, now magnified a hundredfold within the dense, bustling crowd of the mall.
There are hardly any men around. Everywhere I look, it's basically just women.
Kai had a strange, contemplative look on his face as he navigated the wide halls. It wasn't just the sheer number of women that was staggering, but the quality of their appearance. Every single woman he passed was striking—pretty, beautiful, or flat-out attractive. It was as if the world had a minimum beauty standard that everyone comfortably exceeded.
Even the very few men he managed to find were far from "average"; they were handsome in a soft, delicate, and feminine way. With their perfectly styled hair, slim builds, and flawless skin, they looked more like a collection of K-pop idols or porcelain dolls than the regular guys he remembered from his previous life.
But the truly bizarre thing—the thing that made Kai's skin crawl—was the social dynamic. Occasionally, he would stop and witness a single woman walking with an air of absolute authority, her chin held high as she was followed by two or even three men like a personal harem of servants.
Right in the middle of the walkway, she would openly grope their chests or even casually touch their buttocks and groins, acting like a complete pervert without a single care for who was watching. There was no shame in her movements, only a sense of entitled ownership.
The men around her didn't seem to find this public display offensive or degrading. In fact, they acted like shy, embarrassed schoolgirls. They would blush deeply, fidgeting with their clothes and looking down at their shoes as if they were afraid someone would catch them enjoying the attention too much.
It seemed that almost every woman in this world carried herself like a high-ranking bigshot, radiating a dominant energy that was quickly becoming irritating to Kai's modern sensibilities.
This is getting ridiculous, Kai thought, his brow furrowing as he watched a woman loudly claim a seat by pulling one of her male companions onto her lap.
He then noticed something even more unsettling happening to him personally. He was no longer just a face in the crowd; he was a target. Every time he and Aria passed a group of women, they would stop mid-sentence and stare. They leered at him with hungry, perverted expressions that made him feel like a piece of prime steak in a lion's den.
Their eyes didn't just glance; they scanned his body from head to toe, lingering on his frame with a raw intensity. It was a predatory look, as if they were mentally calculating how long it would take to pin him down and ravage him right there on the polished marble floor.
However, the moment their eyes shifted to Aria, the atmosphere changed. Seeing her ice-blue eyes filled with a sharp, cold malice, the predatory women would shiver. Their hungry looks would instantly vanish, replaced by subservient, nervous smiles before they quickly hurried away.
Of course, not every woman was so easily intimidated. Some completely ignored Aria's presence, focused entirely on the fact that a rare, handsome man was in their vicinity. Eventually, one woman couldn't restrain herself any longer. As they drew closer, she stepped directly into Kai's path.
"Hey, sweet boy," she purred, her voice dripping with unwanted charm. "I haven't seen you around here. Are you single? Why don't you tell me your name? I promise I can give you a much better time than this young lady here."
The woman appeared to be in her mid-20s, with long, flowing golden hair and piercing green eyes. She possessed a stunning, curvaceous figure that would be considered beautiful by any standard. But what truly caught Kai's attention wasn't her body; it was a small, intricate pin fastened to her chest that hummed with a slight, rhythmic pressure.
Mana... that pin is infused with mana. Interesting.
Kai stared at the accessory for a few seconds, his mind analyzing the energy. Seeing that Aria hadn't said a word—likely observing him to see how he would navigate this situation—he put on his most charming, innocent smile and replied.
"My big sister is taking me out today. I don't think she would like it very much if I left her all alone."
The golden-haired woman let out a soft, melodic laugh that sounded more like a predatory purr. She didn't seem deterred by his answer at all; in fact, she leaned in closer, the scent of her expensive, floral perfume invading Kai's personal space.
"A big sister, hm?" she whispered, her voice husky and teasing. She reached out a hand, her long, manicured fingers hovering just inches from Kai's chin as if she were tempted to tilt his head back and inspect him like a prized stallion.
"Family is important, of course. But even a little brother needs to learn that sisters can't protect him from everything. Besides, a boy as exquisite as you shouldn't be kept hidden away under a sister's wing. You're a rare gem, even in a place like this."