When I looked at the clock, it was already past noon.
I'd holed myself up inside this small apartment all morning.
Well, I can't really blame myself. It takes time to accept the fact that I've reincarnated—or transmigrated—into an entirely different world. That's not something you just wake up and move on from.
The apartment I'd rented in the northern district of Thornebrook was small and modest—just a single bedroom, a narrow kitchen, and a tiny bathroom that smelled faintly of herbs and old soap. Still, it was leagues better than the cold marble halls of that mansion. Here, no one expected anything from me.
And for the first time in a while, that brought me a strange kind of comfort.
With a sigh, I pushed myself off the bed and headed for the shower.
Steam fogged the glass as warm water poured down my skin. I closed my eyes, hoping it would help wash away the weight that clung to my chest. The confusion. The grief. The lingering fragments of Edward Brightwill that I hadn't yet sorted through.
Maybe it was silly to think a bath could cleanse a soul. But it helped, even if only a little.
Once I was dressed, I stepped out into the city.
Thornebrook was surprisingly modern. Towering buildings lined the paved streets, their design a blend of magic-enhanced structure and sleek engineering. Automobiles zipped past—some powered by mana cores, others mechanical. Floating streetlights hovered above, casting a faint blue hue even in broad daylight. People bustled around me, lost in their own schedules. Shopkeepers called out offers. Children laughed and chased each other. Uniformed workers moved in groups, coffee in hand.
It was strange. Almost too familiar.
If it weren't for the occasional knight patrolling the sidewalks or the enchanted scrolls displayed like smartphones in store windows, I could almost mistake this world for the one I'd left behind.
And yet, it was different. The magic that lingered in the air had a pulse to it, a rhythm. I could feel it thrumming under the soles of my feet.
I walked for a while, letting my legs decide where to go.
Eventually, I found myself in front of a quaint, cozy-looking restaurant tucked between a bookstore and a tailor's shop. The sign above read "Everleaf Diner" in gold lettering.
As I opened the door, a small brass bell above the frame jingled.
A young woman in a neat uniform looked up from behind the counter and smiled warmly. "Welcome! Please, have a seat wherever you like."
The place was quiet, filled with soft instrumental music playing through enchanted speakers. Potted plants hung in corners, and the scent of freshly baked bread lingered in the air.
I nodded and made my way to a table by the window. As I sat down, I glanced out at the street. The people. The city.
It was alive.
And I was in it.
Still not part of it… but at least, not forgotten by it.
When my lunch finally arrived at the table, I took in the aroma of the freshly prepared meal—seasoned roast, glazed vegetables, and a bowl of creamy herb soup on the side.
The smell was mouthwatering. I picked up my fork and took a bite.
It was good—better than I expected, actually. The flavors were rich and well-balanced. Comforting.
But it wasn't perfect.
Not compared to the food back in the Brightwill mansion. I'll give that place one thing—the chefs there knew how to make even a dull afternoon feel like a royal banquet.
At least the food was the only good thing about that cold, suffocating house.
As I ate, my thoughts wandered.
Edward Brightwill.
He wasn't just any noble. He was a student at Apogee Academy, one of the finest and most prestigious academies in the entire Empire of Lumania. Only the most gifted—or the most connected—got in.
But now it was the weekend.
Most students had gone home to visit their families. Edward, however, had rented this small apartment to spend his weekend alone, away from the mansion and its stifling atmosphere.
Maybe that's why I found myself here now. A quiet escape, far from unwanted eyes.
And while I sat in this little restaurant, blending into the soft buzz of the city, I realized this life might give me a second chance—not just to exist, but to finally understand what it means to live.
Lumania…
This world has a long, intricate history, but we'll talk about that later.
All I can say for now is—it's a world where magic, monsters, and mystery exist in equal measure. Where swords and spells shape fate, and old legends walk among the living.
It's not Earth.
But maybe… just maybe, I can find something here that I never found back there.
Not greatness. Not glory. Just… peace.
"Things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not in the way we expected."
I lost my life once. And yet, somehow, I'm here again—living quietly, quietly enough to start asking the right questions.
I never expected to live again.
But now that I am…
Maybe it's time to stop wondering why, and start asking what now?