"Is that it?"… a being with a faint, dim light shining on his face spoke.
He sat down at a table, his clothes simple, some might even call them casual reflecting his free and unrestrained nature. Opposite him, in the shadows, another being waited, features hard to discern.
"Yes. That's what I'm struggling with… and I fear that once I crumble, the kingdom will crumble with me," the being replied, his voice full of masculine authority. It was a voice that bore witness to power not just any power, but one capable of deciding the life and death of a kingdom.
[Ding, Host has unlocked an ability:
Mindweave: Allows the host to access suppressed memories or see connections to the patient's fears, trauma, or worries, making it easier to identify the hidden root of their problems.]
"Well, my friend, let's dive in and figure out the solution," the casually dressed being said with a smile, as a calm blue glow enveloped the room.
---
Present Day
Ring ring… Ring ring…
"Argh…" a groan escaped him as the relentless alarm finally fell silent.
The room was a mess. Clothes were scattered everywhere, open manga books lay on the floor, and socks were draped over the desk. The room carried a lukewarm scent that screamed "bachelor's burden."
"Another day…" a young man's voice muttered as Valen opened his eyes. His hands went to his head as he sighed.
To be honest, he was exhausted. Waking up early every morning to start work at six, with no end in sight until six in the evening, was draining. Life like this was boring and tiring, but it was the life he had chosen and now he had to bear it.
At least anime, manga, and games offered a temporary escape from reality.
Dragging his weary body toward the bathroom, Valen caught sight of his half-cracked mirror. A chuckle escaped his lips. No one would believe he had just woken up with the bags under his eyes but that was his life, and he had no choice.
Within minutes, he was dressed, cup of coffee in hand, staring at the dim sky lighting up.
"Ah, coffee… an adult's safety button," Valen muttered, relishing the bitter, earthy taste.
"Another day at work, another day of boring life," he said, smiling as his cheeks widened slightly. His handsome face was half-hidden under strands of hair.
Ding! The toast popped up, and Valen set down his coffee to grab it.
---
The day passed as uneventfully as always. Valen had no friends, and his family had died when he was young. His relatives were unreliable at best. His foster parents had offered love and attention, but they couldn't fill the void in his heart.
Valen had grown to distrust people. He'd been let down too many times especially after losing his parents at ten. A loner by nature, his office offered no solace: the smell of stale coffee and desperation, ringing phones, coworkers complaining about things he couldn't care less about… he scribbled half-hearted notes and sank deeper into exhaustion.
---
The workday over, Valen dragged himself home.
Click…
Unlocking the door, he headed straight to his room. He didn't know why, but he felt unusually drained today.
"I should just sleep…" he muttered drowsily, his eyelids growing heavy. He closed his eyes, unaware that the world he'd trusted so fully was about to betray him in the most literal sense.
---
"Valen Corvess… go to that shop today. It's your parents' last property, the only thing they left you. You can't keep running from it," a high-pitched, slightly aged female voice rang in his head. A pang of headache shot through him as he grabbed his temples.
"Huh… where am I? And why is she so loud?" Valen murmured, clarity slowly returning as he opened his eyes.
Cough cough…
An awful smell hit his nose, and he hurriedly covered it. His eyes widened in realization.
He wasn't in his room. He was in an animal shed. The stench nearly choked him. And worse, he felt as if he were dreaming because if this was real, why wasn't he in his own room?
Then he saw her: a short, middle-aged woman staring at him with anger.
"Valen, are you listening to me?" she demanded.
Lady… I don't even know who you are…
Memories crashed into him suddenly, his expression cycling from shock, to fear, to confusion, and back to shock. His face twitched involuntarily.
"This kid… didn't you eat off the beast poo? Why are you acting so weird today?" she asked, bewildered by his unresponsive stare.
Not because of anything else but because this wasn't his body. He had just recovered the former owner's body memories.
"Yes… yes… ahhh, Aunty… Mae," Valen muttered, snapping out of his thoughts.
"You silly child! What are you thinking about? Did you hear me? You can't keep hiding from it. I know it holds so many memories, but you have to face it. It's been five years already," Aunt Mae sighed, looking at him with pity.
"Ahh, Aunty… you're right. I should face it," Valen said, smiling through the shock as he hugged her.
"Thank you, Aunt Mae," he whispered, and she burst into a warm smile.
"Silly kid, you've suddenly changed. I thought you'd refuse again. Here's the key, go now. The documents and everything else are inside," Aunt Mae said, breaking the hug.
Valen smiled.
"I owe you a lot, Aunt Mae," he said, making her blush as she playfully chased him away.
As he left, Valen's mind buzzed with thoughts. Yes… he owed her a lot.
This body was twenty-five years old this year, the same age as his last body on Earth. There was only one logical explanation: he had died and been transmigrated to this world. How he had died? He didn't know for sure, but probably overwork, sleepless nights, and neglecting his own health. Maybe his body simply couldn't hold on anymore.
Back to this world… well, this world was nothing like his last one.
Even as someone who read anime and manga, he was still struggling to believe what he saw.
Click…
Valen burst open the door of the animal pen, and a vibrant new world unfolded before him.
Creatures he couldn't even comprehend appeared in front of him: giant birds with multiple feet, some with fish tails; a deer fourteen meters tall with the upper body of a tiger. From the high ground he stood on, he could see a bustling city in the distance. Even the air he breathed felt different. All of it made Valen realize,he was truly in a new world.
The former owner of this body had been an inhabitant of this magical realm, a world teeming with mana and magic. Magical beasts, mages, knights,everything a fantasy world could hold existed here, along with its dangers. Humanity wasn't the dominant race; they were somewhere in the middle. For now, peace prevailed, though small skirmishes between races still occurred, causing massive damage.
One such battle had affected the former owner five years ago. A rogue evil mage had been chased to their small town, and in the confrontation, his parents and a few others became casualties. The young owner had been devastated, heartbroken beyond repair. He simply couldn't live with it… and now, five years later, he had finally given up the ghost.
Bah…
A goat bleated as Valen felt a sudden bump on his shoulder. He turned in bewilderment to see a goat with wings sprouting from its back soaring past him and taking to the sky.
One might expect Valen to feel amazed or excited… but instead, his face contorted.
"Damn it! I didn't finish my last magazine for the year!!!" he shouted, equal parts pain and frustration.
And so, Valen's transmigration was complete. He had begun a new path in a magical realm.