"Next year… huh…" Haruto muttered as he lay on his bed inside the inn.
After saying goodbye to Elina, he came here and paid for one night. Of course, he didn't have any money in this world, so he had to borrow some from her before they parted ways.
The room was simple—nothing too big, nothing too small. A single bed rested in the left corner beside a window. On the opposite side sat a wooden table, and near the entrance was a small closet.
Haruto slowly sat up and looked out the window.
Night had already fallen.
The once lively streets were now silent, swallowed by darkness.
It was quiet.
Too quiet.
…
As time passed, his stomach began to growl.
His eyes drifted toward the cake sitting on the table.
"What should I do…?" he whispered to himself.
He took out four silver coins from his pocket and stared at them.
"…I need to save this."
After a short pause, he put them back. Slowly, he stood up and walked toward the table. He knew… if he didn't eat this now, he would end up spending the coins—and become broke again. Reaching the table, he picked up the cake box with trembling hands.
"…Sorry, Mother." He opened it. And began to eat. Tears slowly rolled down his cheeks. He couldn't forgive himself.
That cake… was supposed to be for her.
But right now—He had no choice.
…
Morning came. The sunlight quietly filled the room.
Haruto groaned softly as he stretched his body while lying on the bed. Half-asleep, he reached for his phone—But it wasn't there.
He slowly sat up, eyes barely open."What a nightmare…" he muttered.
He walked toward the closet and opened it.
Empty. No familiar clothes.
"…What the hell?" He froze. As he turned around, his eyes landed on a mirror.
"…A mirror?" He didn't have a mirror like that in his room. His breathing slowed. He looked around again.
"This isn't my room…" A chill ran down his spine. "Where… am I?"
Panic began to rise. He searched for his school bag—but then remembered. He left it behind. At the shop. The cake shop.
"This… can't be real…" Haruto Takamori. Seventeen years old. A third-year high school student. Memories of yesterday slowly came rushing back.
"…So it wasn't a dream…" He clenched his fists. "I'm really… in another world."
"…Mother…"For a moment, he began to drift into his thoughts—
SLAP!
He hit both of his cheeks.
"I can't just stand here thinking," he said firmly. "I need to understand this world… and why I'm here."
He left his room and headed downstairs. The inn was quiet. Surprisingly, he was the only customer.
"Don't hesitate to get more," the owner said warmly.
She looked to be around fifty, wearing a brown dress with an apron tied around her waist.
"Thank you, ma'am," Haruto replied politely. As he ate, his mind drifted back to last night's fight.
…It wasn't the same. He frowned. There was no way he should've won that easily.
A three-on-one fight. Against armed opponents. "I should've lost…" He remembered the fear he felt.
His body… wasn't strong enough for that kind of fight.
And yet—
When I struck them… it felt like I hit something burning… He stared at his hand.
It didn't hurt like fire… but it felt like it.Then something clicked. "…The burns."
The thugs had burn marks where he struck them. Marks that weren't there before the fight.
…Why…?
He slowly raised his hand.
"…What?" A yellow-red flame suddenly ignited in his palm. "…What the—?!"
"This is fire?! I'm burning!!" He jumped up in panic. The inn owner rushed in with a bucket of water and splashed it onto his hand.
But—Nothing happened.
The flame continued to burn. Yet… it didn't hurt him.
"What the hell is happening?!" he shouted. He tried shaking it off. Hitting it with a towel. Nothing worked.
The inn owner stood frozen, covering her mouth in shock. Haruto's breathing became unstable.
Panic took over—Then suddenly…
"…Huh?"
The flame slowly faded away.
"…It disappeared…" Relief lasted only a second. His vision blurred. And his body collapsed.
"Are you alright?!" the inn owner rushed to his side.
She quickly ran outside, calling for help. Haruto wasn't fully unconscious. His hearing faded in and out.
"…Elina…" That was the last thing he whispered—Before everything went black.
From a distance…
Someone was watching.
A figure dressed like an assassin, a hood covering his face, revealing only his mouth. The same person from the restaurant.
"…Looks like he discovered his power." He spoke quietly, raising his wrist near his mouth.
"Sooner than I expected… but he'll need to learn how to control it." His eyes remained fixed on Haruto's unconscious body.
"You better be ready for next year… Haruto Takamori."
And in the next moment—
He vanished.