Goetia walked through the city until he reached an inn named "Dawn's Light." Pushing open the door, he found himself in a modest reception area—nothing particularly eye-catching.
He approached the counter where a young woman stood. The shape of her ears suggested she belonged to one of this world's native races, though they vaguely reminded him of fairies.
Losing interest in her, Goetia joined the line and waited his turn while observing the tavern.
Several minutes later...
"Sir? Sir!" the receptionist called out loudly.
Goetia snapped out of his thoughts and stepped forward.
The elven girl smiled and gave a slight bow. "Good afternoon, sir. Are you looking for a room?"
Goetia nodded without a word.
"Hmm, a man of few words," she thought, subtly eyeing the man in front of her. "An amputee..." A hint of pity flickered in her gaze.
"And what kind of room would you like, sir? We have options for 100 silver coins per day, 10 gold coins, or 25 gold coins," she explained with an enthusiastic smile.
"I'll take the 25-gold one. For..."
Goetia paused, considering how long he would stay. He wanted to observe this world and its inhabitants firsthand—to see if they were different. If they weren't, remaking this world's history might be necessary.
"Sir...? Are you alright? Sir!" the girl shouted again, seeing him lost in thought.
Goetia blinked and refocused on her before shaking his head.
"Never mind. I'll take the room for two months," he stated, leaving the girl stunned at the length of his stay.
Goetia assumed it was unusual for someone to lodge for so long, but he paid it no mind as he watched her reaction.
"Uh... sir, are you sure you want to stay for two months? That's quite a sum—you could buy a small house with that money," she said, scratching her head.
Goetia studied her carefully. His initial assumption was that she might be mentally slow, but his analysis concluded otherwise—she was simply foolish. He chose not to voice this thought.
"Are you so willing to lose profit just to speak your mind, child?" Goetia remarked, his gaze unwavering.
"Still, I approve. Such... naivety is rare these days. I'll stay the two months. I assume the premium service includes three meals a day?"
The girl snapped back to reality, smiling, though something nagged at her—a fleeting sense that she had almost lost something precious, though she couldn't place what.
"Very well, sir! Since you insist—hehe—yes, the premium service includes all three daily meals," she replied cheerfully, pulling out a square device and typing on it.
"Mmm, the 25-gold room for 60 days—that's two months... Your total comes to 1,500 gold coins, sir."
Goetia nodded, retrieved a pouch, and handed it to her. She placed it on a scale, which glowed blue as numbers appeared on its surface. Within seconds, it displayed 1,500. Satisfied, she smiled and stored the pouch away.
Goetia, meanwhile, observed the machine calculating the coins' value through weight and spatial magic.
"Interesting. A scale that can measure a magically expanded pouch," he mused, his tone indifferent.
The girl smirked proudly as she fetched Goetia's room key.
"They became popular a few years ago—prevents theft during transactions. By the way, what's your name, sir?"
"Goetia. May I have my key?"
"A pleasure, Sir Goetia! I'm Lucelia, and I hope you enjoy your stay at my inn!" she beamed.
Goetia hummed in acknowledgment, taking the key. "Thanks."
Before Lucelia could say another word, he was already ascending the stairs to his room.
"Hmph, what a rude man. Doesn't that stone face of him even twitch for a beautiful lady like me?" she muttered, stashing away the payment.
"Ufufu~ Now I don't have to worry about the inn's repairs!"
---
Later, Goetia ventured into the city in search of knowledge about this world. Following street signs, he soon arrived at a large, white-painted building with a medieval design. The sign read: "Nasca Library." He entered.
The scent of old parchment and dust filled his nostrils. The vast space, lined with aged shelves and tomes, told Goetia he would find what he needed here.
As he surveyed the library, a pale-skinned girl with black hair and an inexpressive face—dressed in the staff uniform—approached him.
"Good afternoon, sir. You have an hour and a half before closing. Do you need help finding anything?" she asked, adjusting her black-framed glasses.
Goetia glanced at her briefly before turning back to the shelves. "Where are the history books?"
"Aisle 3, Shelf 5. You'll find everything about Nasca's history—and the world's—there," she replied, studying him intently. "He's... strange. I can tell."
"Strange. I know," Goetia said, startling her. Ignoring her confusion, he headed to the designated shelf.
"Hey! How did you know what I was thinking?" she called after him.
Goetia didn't stop walking. His deep, detached voice reached her ears: "Mind-reading isn't my specialty, if that's your concern."
---
Cardinal World.
One of many worlds created by Veldanava, the True Dragon of Origins, the Stellar Dragon King, the God of Creation.
It was said that in his quest for a perfect race, the High Humans, vampires, elves, and others were born—all deemed failures.
Except one: humans. Descendants of High Humans, beings with short lifespans but immense evolutionary potential. They were the race Veldanava chose to populate the other worlds.
Goetia closed the book in his hand, which recounted part of this world's history. He stroked his chin, humming thoughtfully.
"Veldanava... a god who didn't just dictate this world's laws but shaped life itself. Unlike my world, where humanity emerged from natural evolution, here they are the direct product of a higher will. They aren't born of chaos or struggle—they were designed, crafted to be perfect."
The corners of Goetia's lips curled into something resembling a derisive smile at the creator's handiwork.
Checking the wall clock, he noted twenty minutes remained before closing. He stood, and the book in his hand levitated back to its shelf.
As he walked the aisles, he soon returned to the reception desk, where the same girl waited.
"Oh, sir—"
"Goetia," he interjected, stopping before her.
She nodded indifferently and gave a slight bow. "Sir Goetia, my apologies for not introducing myself earlier. I'm Rubina. Did you enjoy the library? Do you need assistance?"
Goetia hummed and gestured to the shelves. "Can I borrow books and return them tomorrow?"
Rubina nodded. "You may. But you'll pay a rental fee and cover any damages or losses."
Without another word, Goetia returned to the shelves, this time searching for books on magic, abilities, and the world's races.
Soon, he returned with three books. Their titles made Rubina raise an eyebrow. "Races, Magic, and Powers? Did this man live in a cave?"
Ignoring her expression, Goetia retrieved the required coins.
"How much for these three?"
Rubina clicked her tongue. "Ninety silver coins. The return period is seven days. Late returns incur a ten-silver penalty per book."
Humming, Goetia paid and left the library, leaving Rubina to watch his retreating figure.
Outside, the moon had replaced the sun. Storing the books in his personal space, Goetia wandered aimlessly through the streets.
---
As he walked the Empire's roads, he was surrounded by lights, voices, laughter—life. But he didn't truly see them. To his eyes, everything was superimposed. This new world wasn't what unfolded before him.
No.
It was his world. The one he'd lost. The one he'd tried to save. His humanity.
The children playing in the plaza weren't strangers—they were echoes of those he'd once shielded from the shadows. The laughter wasn't this world's—it belonged to an extinguished humanity still resonating in his soul. The stalls, the people, the joy... All of it blurred with fragments of the world that no longer existed.
He wasn't seeing this world.
He was seeing his.
He walked, his thoughts a raging flood—an uncontrollable torrent dragging him into the abyss of what was no more.
And then, he saw her.
Mash Kyrielight.
Sitting at a food stall. Smiling. Laughing. Sharing a meal with friends. Shining with a light even the world's end couldn't extinguish.
For a single second—just one—their eyes met. She saw him. And she smiled.
Goetia flinched. Something inside him shattered. He averted his gaze and quickened his pace, desperate to escape. As if he could outrun the pain. As if he could flee faster than his memories.
But at the street's end... he saw him.
The one he hated. The one he feared. The one who haunted him with the deepest remorse.
Solomon.
"Look at them," he said. "See them laugh, live... without you."
His voice held no mockery, no scorn—only truth.
"They don't need an eternal punishment disguised as immortality. They don't need your pity, Beast."
And then, he vanished.
Goetia stood alone. Silent.
Turning back, he noticed the confused stares of passersby, children pointing at him. Ignoring them, he teleported to his inn room.
Inside, his eyes showed no hatred. No fury. No resentment.
Those blood-red eyes were empty.
No—not empty.
There was something else.
Pain.
For the first time, he felt pain.
A stabbing ache he couldn't deny or fight. It wasn't magic. It wasn't logic. It was something more primal, more human.
Agony. Desolation.
A humanity that was no longer his. A place where he didn't belong.
And yet... here he was.
---
On a rooftop, a feminine shadow melded with the night. Through her eyes, she watched Goetia's room.
"Fascinating. You're a... very interesting being, Goetia. Mentally unstable, at your most vulnerable—yet still hard to manipulate," she whispered, licking her lips.
"Time will tell... Time will tell."
—————————————————————
Note: Ok, it didn't turn out the way I wanted. When I thought about it, I got so caught up in my imagination that I even shed a tear. LOL. Unfortunately, I don't feel like I managed to convey my thoughts well in this chapter. Anyway, I hope you like what's there. See you next chapter.