The moment I finished dressing, I realized I wasn't simply putting on clothes—
I was stepping into a role.
A royal one.
The attire prepared for me was crafted with surgical precision. The fabric shimmered faintly, alive with runic glyphs that pulsed like restrained magic. Every fold, every thread whispered authority—fitting for a man who was about to stand before kings.
In Japan, I had already been known as powerful. Wealthy. Feared.
But here… in this world, I was something beyond that.
---
Step. Step.
Rin walked beside me through towering corridors of what was unmistakably a royal castle.
The ceilings arched high above, lit by floating crystals that hummed softly with mana. Paintings shimmered and shifted within gilded frames—alive, reacting faintly to our presence. The air itself thrummed like a living current.
Fwoosh.
Magic pulsed through the structure like a heartbeat.
Maids in crisp uniforms bowed as we passed. Tap... rustle... bow.
Some had feline ears and tails—beastfolk. Loyal, beautiful, and unnervingly graceful.
"Are they real?" I asked, voice even.
"Of course," Rin replied, smiling faintly. "But be careful—Mi gets jealous if you stare too long."
I gave a small nod. Not flustered. Just observing.
Every detail mattered. Every rule of this new world had to be learned, quickly.
We stopped before a pair of towering double doors. Boom… boom…
Power hummed faintly beyond them.
"Our parents are waiting inside," Rin said softly. "And… someone else."
"Another fiancée?"
"Yes, darling."
"Understood."
She reached forward and pushed the doors open.
CRREEEAAAAK—
---
The throne room stretched vast and elegant.
The golden crest of the Yuma family glowed faintly beneath our feet, its sigils rotating slowly in the marble. Floating orbs cast warm illumination from above, shifting in rhythm with the castle's mana flow.
At the far end stood Rin's parents.
Her father carried the presence of a seasoned warrior—broad-shouldered, silver-streaked hair, eyes like tempered steel. His cloak was lined with ancient runes that flickered with authority. Beside him stood her mother, elegant yet sharp-eyed, the aura of command radiating effortlessly from her.
"So this is the man fate chose," the king said, voice deep and measured.
"Yuu Yuhin. The one our daughters dreamt of."
"If fate summoned me," I replied calmly, "then I intend to understand why."
Before anyone could respond, the massive doors creaked again. Creeeak...
A shift in the air—pressure. Presence.
She entered like a storm. THUMP. THUMP.
Tall. Athletic. Silver ponytail swinging behind her as twin swords clinked against her back. The black uniform she wore hugged her form perfectly, exuding precision and discipline.
Her crimson eyes locked onto mine—and for a heartbeat, they widened.
"So… you're Yuu Yuhin?" Her voice cut like a blade. "The outsider who kissed my sister Mi in her sleep?"
"Yes," I said without hesitation. "But to be accurate—she kissed me first. It was to restore my mana, not for pleasure."
Silence followed.
The kind that weighs heavy, like gravity pressing down.
From behind a curtain, Mi peeked in—flustered. Her long blue hair flowed like water as she stepped forward.
"It's true… I kissed him to heal his energy… and he didn't resist…"
Rei's lips parted slightly. Her crimson eyes scanned me again—slowly this time. My posture. My composure. My eyes.
"Tch… You're more composed than I expected. And… more handsome."
I didn't react. I stepped forward. Step. Step.
My gaze turned toward the king.
"I didn't die that day," I said quietly. "I was hit head-on by the truck when I pushed Rin out of the way. My body should've been crushed—but something happened. The two worlds overlapped. For a moment, I stood in both—and then I was here."
My voice hardened.
"If this world is less advanced than mine, then how did Rin appear in my world? What magic bridges dimensions?"
The king's eyes narrowed slightly. Tension hummed.
"There exists no such spell in our world," he said. "What happened to you… is beyond our understanding."
The queen stepped forward. Her voice was soft, but every word carried weight.
"Rin didn't appear physically. When she was six, she fell into a coma. Her soul drifted into another realm—yours. You were the only one who could see her."
Rin moved closer beside me, her pink hair shimmering faintly in the torchlight.
"Our souls were connected from childhood," she whispered. "You remembered me… and I remembered you. It wasn't coincidence."
"So her soul found me," I murmured. "And when I tried to save her, that bond reactivated—and pulled me here."
The king nodded. "You are the first, and likely the last, to experience this phenomenon."
I raised my hand slightly. My tone was steady.
"Then I need complete access. If I'm to protect this kingdom—and marry your daughters—I need truth. Records. Scrolls. Everything the previous hero left behind."
The king lifted a sealed scroll, passing it forward. Slide.
"We have them. The last hero was… different. But his insights remain. They're yours."
He unfurled a grand map upon the table. Fwoosh…
"This is our world. Four kingdoms. Ours—the Kingdom of Alic—is the strongest and most politically dominant. And now, Yuu Yuhin… you are its future king."
I studied the map in silence, tracing its borders with my eyes.
"I accept the role," I said finally. "But I have conditions."
"Speak," said the king.
"One: I want everything the previous hero left behind—journals, artifacts, battle records."
"Two: I want a complete understanding of the marriage ritual magic. I've accepted the engagement, but I must know the purpose behind every ceremony."
"Three…"
I turned toward Rei.
"Train me. Swordsmanship. Magic. War."
Rei raised a brow. Her eyes glinted like sharpened rubies.
"Why me?"
"Because you're strong," I replied simply. "And because if I'm to protect this world, I must become stronger than anyone in it."
She crossed her arms, the faintest smirk touching her lips.
"Fine. Just don't cry if I break you."
"I don't cry," I said, stepping closer. "I adapt."
Then I turned back to the king and queen.
"If you're entrusting me with your daughters—each of them beautiful, intelligent, and powerful—then hear this: I'll protect them. Not out of duty. But out of choice."
The king's expression softened slightly.
"Then rise, Yuu Yuhin. Your legend begins now."
Boom.
The torches flared to life. Magic surged through the chamber.
And in that light, I took my first true step toward destiny.
---