The scene shifts to Kazuki's bedroom, where the room was dimly lit by the pale glow of the moon seeping through the curtains. Kazuki sat on the edge of his bed, a faint, unreadable smile curving his lips. His mind was a storm of thoughts, memories of two lives intertwining in his head like tangled threads.
"I really have become more manipulative… more deductive than I ever was in my last life," Kazuki thought, leaning back against the headboard. "Back then, it was a constant struggle just to get through a single day. Waking up felt like dragging a boulder off my chest, going to school was torture, and no matter how hard I tried, I could never truly understand anything around me. Friendships? In all those years, I only managed to make two… and even those felt distant."
A sigh escaped his lips as he glanced at the ceiling. "But here… in this world… I've been handed everything I lacked before. Status, wealth, power. And what's more — I'm using it well. Yet, the truth is, if I truly want to reach my goal of surpassing everyone, of standing above them all… I have to become far stronger than this."
His eyes narrowed, resolve hardening like steel. "It might take decades. A lifetime, even. But eventually, I'll achieve it. I still remember the first thought that crossed my mind the moment I was born into this world — 'Where am I?' And now, here I am, perfectly adapted, shaping my destiny. Although… even now, I can't predict the path I'll walk. Not the hardships, nor the betrayals. Not even my own end."
Kazuki's expression darkened as another thought crossed his mind. "I hope… I truly hope I don't get devoured by my own power. That's the one outcome I don't want to face. But even that… even that isn't something I can foresee. Not yet."
His gaze drifted toward the window, where the night sky stretched endlessly, stars scattered like fragments of forgotten worlds. "I came to this Elf Kingdom for two reasons. One — to glimpse into my future through the Holy Spirit Room. And two — something far more personal. But it seems the first reason might already be doomed. Because of that damned Chaos Spirit… the one who summoned me into this world. I don't know what he wants — whether to kill me, to save me, to use me as a pawn in some twisted game — or if he simply watches from the shadows, amused by my struggle."
Kazuki's fingers clenched the bedsheet tightly. "My entire existence in this world is a puzzle… a mystery I have yet to solve. And no matter what happens — no matter how dark the road ahead — I will uncover the truth. About him… about this world… and about myself. And perhaps, in that pursuit, I'll uncover far more than I ever imagined."
The room fell silent once more, save for the quiet hum of the wind brushing against the windowpane. The prince of South Ryehem lay down, his thoughts lingering in the void between sleep and resolve — a mind sharpening itself for the future.