The feast lit up the great hall of House Valenhart, with chandeliers glittering like stars and musicians playing soft tunes in the corner. Servants poured wine, and laughter rang through the high ceilings. Roasted meats, honey-glazed vegetables, and delicacies from across the empire covered the long table.
Kazuki sat at the far end, next to Garron and Elara. Across from him, Drake was laughing, trying to teach Garron how to carve roast boar. Elara, for once, smiled genuinely, her plate piled high. Even the Duke and his wife, Lady Liana—now fully healed—joined the celebration with grateful hearts.
But Kazuki… wasn’t smiling.
His eyes were distant.
Even though he spoke when spoken to, and gave small nods to Garron’s jests, he wasn’t truly present. A haze of thoughts consumed him.
---
Earlier that day…
After healing Lady Liana, Kazuki secluded himself in the library, diving into the books available. But his own Analysis skill had already shown him more than tomes ever could.
> Theory Confirmed: Lady Liana once served as an investigative mage under the previous king.
Access Level: Royal Secrets Division
Subject: Forbidden Projects – “The Divine Will Project”
That’s why the Grand Priest tried to silence her. She must’ve known something. Something buried by the kingdom. Something dangerous.
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Kazuki clenched his fists.
The priests… the royals… they’re not all righteous. But some people—like the Duke and his family—are innocent.
---
Now, back at the feast…
As Garron shouted a toast, everyone raised their glasses.
"To survival! And to healing!"
"To the trio who saved us all!" Lady Liana added, smiling.
Kazuki raised his glass slowly but didn’t drink. He stared into the wine’s surface, his reflection warping in the red.
---
Later that night...
The room he was offered was warm and luxurious. A canopy bed with golden silk curtains, a fireplace, and even enchanted candlelight to keep the room dim but soothing.
But Kazuki stood at the window, the breeze brushing his black jacket. His eyes stared at the stars, but his mind wandered further than the sky.
He sat on the bed’s edge, gripping his head.
This kingdom isn’t just corrupt… it’s dangerous.
His mind replayed the moment the Analysis skill exposed the Grand Priest’s name. He remembered Lady Liana’s faint smile… the warmth of the Duke’s gratitude.
He thought of Garron, fighting side by side with him.
Elara, crying in fear, but still choosing to stand her ground.
And then… he whispered to himself.
“I can’t hurt everyone. Not all of them are monsters…”
His voice was hoarse. Distant.
He buried his face in his hands. “But the priests… the ones in power… they deserve to fall.”
He felt a throbbing inside his chest.
A memory...?
No. Just a feeling.
A suffocating, drowning darkness.
From a time before this world. A life before this.
He tried to remember. Names. Faces. Family?
Nothing came.
Except—
Flashes of glowing swords… magic circles… and anime characters saying "You can rewrite your fate."
That made him smile. Just barely.
“They were the only things that made sense to me… in that life,” he muttered. “Were those stories really just fiction? Or was I preparing myself all along…?”
He looked out the window again.
“If I get another chance… I’ll live the way I want. This time… I’ll protect the smiles of the people I care about.”
His status screen flickered faintly beside him.
> [Kazuki – Intellect: 90 | Analysis: Active | Recovery: Active | New Thought Branch Unlocked: Inner Resolve]
Your mind has stabilized. Motivation strengthened. Inner goal refined.
Kazuki’s face returned to its calm, emotionless state.
But behind those eyes… was fire.
A purpose.
And in the darkness, Drake watched from the hallway—he had been walking past and stopped.
He saw only a silhouette by the window, outlined by moonlight.
And in his heart, he whispered, Who… are you, really?
