The line between Aether and myself—the more time I spent in this world, the more blurred it had grown. Fragmented memories, emotions, our histories… all of it had merged together.
Who am I?
It was a question my current self couldn't answer.
Though it had only been a month since I arrived in this world, everything felt strangely familiar. Aether and I lived different lives, yet the thing that anchored us to both worlds was the same—the existence of Isabel, and the sense of responsibility and guilt we carried.
And now… she was gone.
As I stared into the dark sky outside, swallowed by the endless night, stars shone brightly above. I felt as though faint call reached me from among them. This world was her creation, yet it was no longer a game—it was a reality where sorrow, pain, and misery truly existed.
If nothing was done, this world's fall was certain.
I had seen it myself—countless bad endings across my playthroughs. Relying on others to guide the world toward a good ending was no longer reassuring.
"I wish to see what lies beyond that."
Examining the clothes Joseph had left behind, a small smile couldn't help but form.
"Good old Joseph… he always knows what I need."
Resting atop the neatly folded clothes was a silver ring—one of the most valuable items out there. A spatial storage artifact with immense capacity as most of my belongings were stored inside it: healing potions, organized sets of clothes, preserved food supplies that could last an entire year. And among them… there was a staff.
I let out a quiet sigh as I grasped it. I would've liked to see a pack of cigarettes in its place, yet there was no room for immaturity now
This staff was custom-made solely for my use. The dark wood it was crafted from originated from the World Tree—something elves would really be pissed of for seeing in the hands of human . Its surface was polished smooth, almost like steel. At its tip, a blue gem shaped like a falling tear was embedded.
That gem was the core of a dungeon that once brought ruin to an entire duchy within the kingdom. And the one who single-handedly cleared that dungeon was none other than Lucas—the very one who later created this staff for me.
Aether possessed a special constitution. His mana reserves were near bottomless—to be born with such an overwhelming amount of mana without needing to reach the pinnacle as a magician was unheard of not taking his magic or talent in account
Yet that came with a price, I clenched my teeth as my hand traced the black scars spreading across my body.
I dressed quickly since it was a simple attire but was that of highest quality. A robe followed that I needed later,its hood deep enough to cast shadow my face just to hide my eyes for drew attention far too easily. Slipping the ring onto my finger as I tied my hair back
When I stepped outside the room,Joseph was already waiting.
"You look quite handsome, Aether," he said in a hearty tone. "No doubt you'll capture the hearts of many ladies at the academy. Will this old man finally become a great-grandfather at such an age?"
"Joseph, you know me better than that," I replied as I knew what he was trying to do. "I have no interest in such things."
As if offended, his posture straightened and his voice turned formal.
"My apologies for my ignorance, young master. I failed to take into account the possibility that you have interest in men instead of ladies."
For a moment, I froze. Then astonishment gave way to laughter—I couldn't hold it in.
Ever since I stepped out of the room, he had been trying to cheer me up. Watching me laugh like a hyena, Joseph smiled warmly.
After I finally managed to contain myself, he asked as if nothing had happened,
"Where is your next destination, Aether?"
I closed my eyes, pondering the next course of action.
Joseph and the other servants of the mansion were the closest remnants of family Isabel and I had left. I wanted them to survive—no matter what. And for that, I needed to play my role carefully in how this story would unfold.
But with only a week left before the academy entrance exam, there was little I could do.
So first… it was time to meet one of the game's protagonists.
"We're heading to the underground city of the academy," I announced.
Joseph did not object in the slightest.
I needed to recruit as many reliable people as possible before the game's events officially began. But before meeting the protagonist, there was someone I had to find first.
Amelia Nightgale—
the one loved by the wind,
the one to whom it whispered its secrets.
And thus
the journey to the underground City begins