From the highest point the wind could reach, Rayhan Alther saw everything—a panorama of a world too beautiful to comprehend.
One great continent stretched across the center, surrounded by eight other continents arranged neatly like the petals of a giant flower, following the directions of the wind. Each landmass radiated its own unique hue and light, blending perfectly with the vast oceans that shimmered under the sunlight.
"Yoo... this is definitely another world. Way too gorgeous," muttered Rayhan, in a voice only he could hear—because, well, he was just wind.
Then... silence.
Rayhan floated frozen in the air, as if hit by a god-tier stun effect. Staring blankly into the silence, like a broke college student staring at an empty bank account while assignments pile up like mountains.
After several seconds of aimless pondering, a crucial realization hit him.
"Come to think of it... I still know nothing about this world. Language? No clue. Place names? Blank. Political system? Yeah... skip."
He started spinning around above the clouds, like a confused breeze lost in existential crisis.
"Like a total idiot, just floating around aimlessly. Is this what being a reincarnator is like?"
Then... a new resolve was born.
"Alright! Time to study! I shall become an all-knowing wind!"
The atmosphere turned dramatic, as if the heavens acknowledged his noble resolve with beams of sunlight piercing the clouds—though in reality, not really.
"But where do I start..." Rayhan looked down, observing the flower-like arrangement of continents. His gaze resembled a curious deity.
"Maybe... start from the center. Then northeast, north, northwest, west, southwest, south, southeast, and finally east. Hehe... perfect plan."
Perfect—by Rayhan's definition, which oddly sounded like he was planning a vacation itinerary.
Without hesitation, he moved. His method? Shifting consciousness at the speed of light. Efficient, energy-saving, and—bonus—cost-free.
The first continent: Hovryal, the central land.
There stood the Grand Library of Hovryal, majestic and classical, like a divine temple of knowledge. From above, the structure resembled a white stone lotus with golden rooftops that gleamed like the sun. It was surrounded by symmetrical gardens and a tranquil lake that mirrored its elegance perfectly.
Upon entering, Rayhan could only fall silent.
Towering wooden shelves lined with divine precision. Floating crystal lights illuminated every corridor without blinding. Various races passed by—elves, dwarves, humans, beastkin—all engrossed in their studies and knowledge.
But… one problem.
"...I can't open the books."
He was wind. No hands. No fingers. No membership access.
So, all he could do was eavesdrop. Wait for someone to read aloud. Sneak into children's classrooms, listening to mothers teach their kids how to speak. Sit quietly in the corners of beginner classes—like a ghostly student who never paid tuition.
And he kept doing that... on every continent.
From Hovryal to Spirti, the northeast continent, land of spirits and magic, where kids could turn you into a frog just for stepping on their grass.
Then to Durharn, the northern continent, home of dwarves, famed for their mines and harsh snowy mountains. Dwarves here preferred hammers and metals over people, so if you meet one, bring gifts—or get ready to be buried in iron.
Next, Mortalis, the northwest land of the undead, where you could overhear philosophical debates between two skeletons about the meaning of life. Ironic? Yes. But fascinating.
Then Noctyra, in the west, a land of eternal night, home to dark races, demons, and illusionists. Their language was poetic—but gave you migraines.
Volgrath in the southwest, a land of fire and mountains, inhabited by dragonkin with loud voices and louder personalities.
Vurdrak in the south, filled with wild plains and forests, home of beastkin, where fighting was a daily routine.
Redbloyes in the southeast, a continent fully inhabited by humans. Kingdoms, magic academies, and military centers dominated the land, known as a hub for ambition, honor, and political power.
And finally, Elvarin, the eastern continent, land of elves and nature's harmony. Their language was beautiful, serene, full of meaning. And there, Rayhan finished his self-education.
Three months of being an invisible student, absorbing knowledge without rest, food, or voice, and finally...
Rayhan Alther mastered the language of this world.
Inside the library of the finest spirit academy in Elvarin—Lumenvale Academy, Rayhan concluded his study session.
"So that's how it works… your fate in this world is determined by the spirit you contract with," whispered Rayhan, closing the final book with a gentle breeze.
His formless consciousness swept across the room. He observed students deep in study, conversing with their spirits.
An elven boy with golden hair and eyes, wearing a golden emblem on his right sleeve, was chatting with his spirit—a lightning lizard that looked like a hybrid of iguana and phone charger.
Nearby, a female elf with similar features but a silver emblem spoke softly with her spirit—a tiny snow doll with an innocent, expressionless face. Probably the only doll capable of lowering the room temperature by 5 degrees just by laughing.
Then, at the far west shelf, Rayhan noticed a girl with reddish-blonde hair and a bronze emblem, carrying a stack of books taller than herself. As expected, she tripped... again.
Crash!
Books scattered. Other students glanced briefly, then returned to their own worlds. Either too focused—or just used to it.
"Hmm, is she the 'clumsy but secretly genius' type… or the 'tragic heroine to be'?" mused Rayhan, metaphorically tilting himself as he drifted toward the exit.
But... his gaze stopped at the front desk.
"Aha! This is what I've been waiting for."
Not the door, but a woman—an elf with bright sky-blue hair and violet eyes like... well, eggplants. Professor Rosalia Larnia. The librarian who—according to Rayhan's observation—had never left the building. Seriously, never. Rumor said she had a secret bedroom hidden behind the shelves.
She always wore a monocle and a six-star badge on her right chest. Her spirit? A floating book that sometimes turned its pages as if agreeing or rejecting what she read.
"Smart, elegant, beautiful, lives among books, and... sleeps at work? This woman is totally my type—if I had a body," said Rayhan dramatically.
"Sadly, I must go... to discover how to evolve," he continued, striking a theatrical pose.
"I shall return! When I've evolved into a physical being... and propose to you, hehehe." Rayhan floated higher, as if background wind started playing a departure tune.
Just then... Professor Rosalia looked up, frowning slightly.
"Achoo!" she sneezed softly. "Hmm... feels like someone's talking about me."
Beyond the dense forest outside the capital, Rayhan shifted his awareness.
"This view… this is what I always dreamed of in my past life. A real forest. Not the smell of disinfectant and the lullaby of IV machines every night."
The scent of damp earth, fresh leaves, and the sounds of nature... made him swirl around like a gleeful child.
Soon, he arrived at a small village.
Houses shaped like tree homes, spiraling upward, some hanging like swings, and the largest built within a giant tree at the center, with window-doors and golden roots wrapping around it—it must be the elder's home.
"This is it! A fairy village—or elf village, whatever. So aesthetic!"
He drifted through, greeting every elf.
"Hey bro."
"Hey, gorgeous."
"Hey... you look like a background character who dies in chapter 3."
Of course, no one responded. Understandable. He was wind.
"Turns out... even knowing their language doesn't change the fact that I'm still a loner," he whispered, gazing up at the sky.
Bored, Rayhan drifted to the top of one of the tallest trees, letting the wind carry his thoughts—until suddenly...
"STOP! PLEASE, STOP!!"
A desperate scream echoed from the direction of the village elder's house.
"Huh? A kid's voice?" Rayhan jolted, then overheard a few elves chatting below.
"Hahaha, those kids are playing with 'the Filthy' One again."
"Let them. 'She' deserve it."
Rayhan frowned. Playing? Filthy? Screaming?
What kind of game makes a kid scream like that?
Without wasting another moment, he shot toward the source of the noise—and what he found behind the elder's house...
...wiped the smirk off his face.
His eyes—if he had any—would've narrowed coldly.