After finishing the Shard Crunch, I leaned back with a deep exhale. My stomach felt pleasantly full — yet heavier than I expected. I looked down and realized my clothes had grown noticeably tighter.
The once loose shirt now strained against my chest and midsection, the top button threatening to pop off.
I chuckled quietly to myself as I loosened it and adjusted my belt a notch wider to fit my… new, rounder figure.
My body wasn't the same gaunt, hollow shell from this morning. The change was surreal — almost absurdly fast — but not unpleasant.
Ignoring the countless eyes staring at me from across the cafeteria, I stood up.
The crowd whispered in hushed tones, a mixture of awe and disbelief following me as I made my way toward Old Man Bronnin.
The old chef was wiping his hands with a towel behind the counter when I approached. His thick eyebrows rose as he met my gaze, and then he let out a hearty laugh that filled the room.
"Hahaha! You really know how to eat, kid. I didn't expect anyone to handle that much of my food. Even I'm a little jealous of that ability of yours."
His tone carried a mix of admiration and faint envy. As a chef, he lived to taste and refine flavor, but even he couldn't eat like I did — devouring each plate as though the food itself became part of my soul.
He must have realized it has something to do with my ability.
I bowed my head slightly, smiling.
"Sir, that was one of the best monster meals I've ever had. Thank you… for your effort."
Bronnin's grin widened, his thick arms crossing proudly.
"You've got manners too, huh? I like that. You must have already know my name by now — Bronnin. Head chef of this sorry kitchen."
He then came out of the counter and gave me a strong pat on the back — strong enough to make me stumble half a step forward.
"And you, boy? What's your name?"
"I'm Kael," I said with a faint grin. "I joined the Expeditioner Training Program today. I'll be counting on the food you make from now on, sir Bronnin. Please take care of me."
For a moment, the old man stared at me, then burst out laughing again, his rough hand landing on my back in another heavy slap.
"Hah! A fine spirit! You'll get along with my kitchen just fine. I'll make sure to prepare something special for you tomorrow, Kael. Look forward to it!"
His laughter echoed warmly through the hall, and for a moment, the heavy atmosphere of the day felt lighter.
After saying my farewells, I left the dining area and made my way down the dim corridor toward my assigned room. The faint scent of food still clung to me, a reminder of the feast I'd just devoured.
When I entered, the room was quiet — a simple space with two beds, a single window, and a wooden table. I glanced at the other bed; it was untouched.
My roommate hadn't arrived yet, it seemed.
I let out a slow breath and sank onto my mattress. My body felt heavier, my limbs warm and sluggish — the exhaustion of the entire day finally catching up to me.
Today had been… too much, even for me.
I had regressed to this point, awakened my ability once again, joined the Expedition Guild, ran out of the family, and eaten more monster meat than I ever thought I would in a first day.
The hunger gnawing at me since awakening had finally gone quiet — not gone, but subdued for now.
I closed my eyes and let the fatigue wash over me.
"Yeah… today was great," I muttered softly.
Within moments, the steady rhythm of my breath filled the room, and I drifted into sleep — body heavy, soul quietly satisfied.
***
As Kael slept peacefully in his room, far away in the heart of Velrad Port City, the night was alive with a different kind of energy.
In one of the upper chambers of the grand Merovan Trade Hall, a dimly lit room overflowed with scrolls, sealed ledgers, and half-open crates of gold-pressed Essentia stones.
The air smelled faintly of ink and old parchment. Behind a massive mahogany desk sat an elderly man with golden-blond hair, his posture straight despite his age. A polished monocle glinted under the lamplight as his sharp eyes moved steadily across the lines of reports before him.
Beside him stood a man in his late thirties — lean, composed, and with the same golden hue of hair, though touched by silver near the temples. His presence radiated quiet authority as he helped sort the growing stack of trade documents.
A knock came at the heavy wooden door.
"Lord, Lord," came a muffled voice from the other side, "Elara from Count Veyne's estate requests an audience."
The older man raised his eyes from the parchment, his expression unreadable. His voice, low and cold, carried easily through the quiet room.
"...Let her come in."
The door opened softly, revealing Elara — the maid who had accompanied Kael during the awakening ceremony.
She entered with practiced grace, her movements neat and disciplined.
She bowed deeply before the two men.
"Lord Caldre. Lord Rowan."
The elder man, Caldre Merovan, leaned back slightly in his chair, studying her with sharp, predatory calm.
His voice carried the weight of decades of manipulation and command.
"What are you coming for, Elara?"
His tone was cold — not cruel, but entirely devoid of warmth.
Elara straightened, keeping her gaze respectfully lowered. The presence of this man was suffocating — the Patriarch of House Merovan, ruler of the most powerful merchant family in the southern regions.
The Merovan family controlled everything that could be traded — from monster materials to Essentia crystals, from arms and spices to forbidden contraband.
They were not knights, nor mages — but their wealth and reach made them deadlier than any army.
Their trade routes stretched from kingdom to kingdom, even crossing battlefields untouched.
Their headquarters in Velrad Port City, the shining heart of commerce under the same crown as Count Cedric Veyne's lands, made it effortless for spies like Elara to deliver intelligence through merchant convoys, supply caravans, and coded ledgers hidden in trade manifests.
Standing beside Caldre was Rowan Merovan, his eldest son and the next in line for the family's throne of gold.
With calm gray eyes and a merchant's composed smile, Rowan was no less dangerous than his father — his words were weapons, and his mind a ledger that calculated profit even in blood.
He was also the elder brother of Lady Selindra Veyne, Kael's stepmother, and therefore uncle to Kael's half-brother.
Now, both men turned their full attention toward Elara as she stood before them, her hands folded neatly over her dress.
The soft crackle of the oil lamp was the only sound as she began to speak, recounting everything she had witnessed since Kael's awakening.
She spoke without hesitation — of the ceremony, the boy's calmness when his ability manifested.
"He didn't hesitate for even a moment, my lords," she said softly, eyes cast down. "It was as if… he already understood how his ability worked before it even awakened. Within the same day, he left the count's estate and joined the Expedition Guild in the city."