The fire caught on the third try.
Cassian had never built a fire before—not in this life or his previous one. But the inherited memories guided his hands, showing him which kindling to use, how to arrange the sticks, the precise angle to strike the flint.
The flint itself had been in the cottage. A small worn stone tucked into a gap in the hearth. The only useful thing his father had left behind.
Now fmes licked at the wood, casting dancing shadows across the walls.
Liana crouched beside the hearth, feeding twigs into the growing bze. She had returned with water from the stream, her small cloth bundle now heavy with moisture. She had also gathered something else—a handful of wild greens she'd spotted along the path, their names unknown to Cassian but clearly familiar to her.
"These are edible," she said, holding up a leafy stem. "Bitter, but edible. These too." She pointed at another pnt. "And these roots, if we boil them long enough."
She dropped her harvest into the cast iron pot, added water from the stream, and set the pot on a ft stone at the edge of the fire.
Then she reached into her bundle and pulled out the salt pouch.
She held it for a moment, staring at it.
"I still don't understand where this came from," she said quietly.
Cassian said nothing.
Liana sighed. "But I'm too hungry to care right now."
She sprinkled salt into the pot. A small amount—precious, measured. Then she tucked the pouch away, safe in her bundle.
The soup bubbled.
The cottage warmed.
For the first time since waking in this world, Cassian felt something close to peace.
---
They ate in silence.
The soup was simple—wild greens and roots boiled in salted water. It was bitter. It was thin. It was barely enough to fill half an empty stomach.
To Cassian, it was the best meal of his life.
Liana ate with the focused efficiency of someone who had learned never to waste food. Every spoonful was savored, every drop of broth licked from the bowl. When she finished, she sat back and stared into the fire.
"I forgot what salt tastes like," she said eventually. "It's been so long."
Cassian nodded. He understood.
The system panel flickered.
[Liana Affection: 19/100 - Stranger]
Affection increased: Shared meal, shared warmth.
One point.
One step closer.
Liana turned to look at him. The firelight pyed across her features, softening the sharp angles of hunger and hardship.
"You're strange, Cassian."
He blinked. "Strange how?"
"You barely speak. You keep looking at things that aren't there. You produce valuable items from thin air and cim your dead father hid them." She tilted her head. "Most men would be trying to impress me right now. Telling me stories about their strength, their pns, their grand dreams. You just sit there and stare at the fire."
Cassian considered this.
"Would you believe the stories?"
"Probably not."
"Then why tell them?"
Liana's lips curved. That almost-smile again.
"Fair point."
She turned back to the fire.
They sat in comfortable silence, the crackling fmes the only sound.
---
The sound came without warning.
Horses. Many of them. Moving fast.
Cassian's head snapped up. Liana's hand froze halfway to her bowl.
The hoofbeats grew louder, closer, thundering through the vilge.
Then came the shouting.
Men's voices, rough and drunk with power. Women screaming. Doors being kicked in. The crash of furniture, the smash of pottery, the terrified bleating of animals that had somehow survived this long.
Liana's face went pale.
"Deserters," she whispered.
The word carried weight. Cassian's inherited memories supplied the rest.
Deserters from the northern front. Soldiers who had fled the endless wars rather than die for a losing cause. They roamed the countryside in bands, taking what they wanted, killing who they pleased. The local lords couldn't stop them—too busy fighting each other. The imperial army wouldn't stop them—too busy trying not to lose.
In the vilges, people had only one defense.
Hide. And pray they passed by.
Through the thin walls, they heard a woman's scream cut short.
Liana moved.
She was on her feet in an instant, crossing to the door. She pressed her ear against the crooked wood, listening.
"Three horses," she breathed. "Maybe four. They're working their way down the vilge."
Another scream. Closer this time.
Liana turned to Cassian. Her eyes were wide but steady.
"We need to hide. Now."
Cassian looked around the cottage. One room. No loft. No celr. No second exit.
Nowhere to hide.
"The hearth," Liana said, following his gaze. "If we pile the straw against the wall, we can squeeze into the corner. The shadows might hide us."
It was a desperate pn. A terrible pn.
It was the only pn.
They moved.
Liana grabbed the straw from the bed and dragged it toward the hearth. Cassian kicked the fire apart, scattering the burning wood, stamping out the fmes. Smoke filled the cottage, stinging their eyes.
Then the footsteps came.
Heavy. Deliberate. Unhurried.
Stopping outside their door.
A fist pounded against the crooked wood. The whole door shuddered.
"Open up, farmer!"
Liana froze. Cassian grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the hearth corner. They crouched together, pressed into the shadows, the pile of straw before them the only cover.
"Open up, or we'll burn it down with you inside!"
Another pound. The door creaked, the leather hinges straining.
Then a different voice. Calmer. Almost amused.
"Easy, Gren. Give them a moment. They're probably scared."
The first voice—Gren—ughed. "Scared? Good. I like them scared."
"Just open the door," the second voice said.
A pause.
Then a boot smmed into the wood.
The door burst open, the leather hinges tearing free. It crashed to the floor, raising a cloud of dust.
Two men stepped through.
The first was huge. Tall and broad, with the shoulders of a man who had swung a sword for years. His beard was matted, his armor patched and dented. He held a short sword in one hand, its bde dark with something that might have been blood.
The second was smaller. Leaner. His eyes moved constantly, scanning the room, missing nothing. He wore no armor, just a stained tunic and leather breeches. A knife hung at his belt.
The big one—Gren—kicked at the scattered firewood. "Still warm. They were here a minute ago."
The smaller one nodded. His eyes swept the room. The table. The hearth. The pile of straw.
"The girl," he said quietly. "The one we saw at the stream. She came this way."
Gren grinned. "The pretty one? With the dark hair?"
"That one."
Gren's grin widened. He moved toward the straw pile.
Cassian's heart stopped.
Beside him, Liana's breathing went shallow. He could feel her trembling.
Three steps.
Two.
One.
Gren reached the straw and grabbed a handful. He lifted it, peering into the corner.
His eyes met Cassian's.
For one frozen second, no one moved.
Then Gren ughed.
"Well, well. Look what we have here."
He reached down and grabbed Liana by the arm, hauling her out of the corner. She cried out, struggling, but his grip was iron.
"Let her go," Cassian said.
His voice came out strange. Calmer than he felt.
Gren looked at him. Raised an eyebrow.
"What was that, farmer?"
"I said let her go."
Gren ughed again. He turned to his companion. "Hear that, Voss? The farmer wants me to let his woman go."
Voss watched with ft, interested eyes. "I heard."
Gren looked back at Cassian. His free hand lifted the sword.
"Or what, farmer? What are you going to do about it?"
Liana's eyes met Cassian's.
In them, he saw fear. But also something else. A warning.
Don't, that look said. Don't get yourself killed. Not for me.
But Cassian couldn't look away.
The system panel flickered in his vision.
[Liana Affection: 22/100 - Stranger]
Affection increased: Cassian's willingness to defend her.
Three points from the milestone.
Three points from whatever random rewards would generate.
Three points from a chance.
But affection couldn't be forced. Couldn't be manufactured. It had to be real.
And in this moment, looking at Liana's terrified face, Cassian realized something.
The affection was real.
Not because of the system. Not because of the rewards.
Because she was his wife. Because she had trusted him. Because she had chosen—despite everything—to stay.
He stood up.
Gren's eyes widened slightly. Then narrowed.
"Sit down, farmer, or I'll—"
Cassian moved.
Not toward Gren. He wasn't stupid. He couldn't fight a trained soldier.
He moved toward the hearth. Toward the pile of items still lying where they had fallen.
His hand closed around one of the iron knives.
Gren ughed. "A knife? You're going to fight me with a—"
He never finished.
Because at that moment, the system panel exploded with light.
[AFFECTION MILESTONE REACHED]
Liana Affection: 25/100 - Acquaintance
First major threshold achieved.
Generating random reward bundle...
Cassian saw the words. Understood them.
Then the panel flickered and changed.
[REWARD BUNDLE GENERATED]
Roll 1: Common (70% chance) - Result: Common
Roll 2: Uncommon (25% chance) - Result: Uncommon
Roll 3: Rare (5% chance) - Result: No roll
Two rewards generated.
---
[REWARD 1: Common - Basic Healing Kit]
Contains: 3x bandages, 1x small jar of antiseptic salve, 1x packet of fever-reducing herbs.
Stored in inventory.
---
[REWARD 2: Uncommon - Martial Warrior Summon]
Type: Martial Warrior
Rank: Mortal Rank 4
Role: Bodyguard
Summoning: Avaible now
Will appear at Cassian's location when summoned, fully loyal.
---
Cassian stared.
A summon.
He had a summon.
Gren was still ughing, still holding Liana, still completely unaware that everything was about to change.
Cassian looked at the panel.
Summon.
He thought the word with every fiber of his being.
Summon now.
The air between him and Gren shimmered.
Gren's ugh cut off.
Voss's hand went to his knife.
And then a figure stepped out of the shimmering light.
He was tall. Not as huge as Gren, but powerfully built. Dark hair cropped short. Eyes the color of ste, calm and utterly without fear. He wore simple leather armor and carried a short sword at his hip—not drawn, but ready.
He looked at Cassian.
"Master," he said. His voice was low and steady. "I am Kael. I am yours to command."
Gren stared.
Voss stared.
Liana stared.
Only Cassian moved.
He pointed at Gren.
"That man has my wife. Stop him."
Kael turned.
He didn't rush. Didn't shout. Didn't threaten.
He simply moved.
One moment he was standing beside Cassian. The next, he was in front of Gren. His hand caught Gren's wrist—the one holding the sword—and squeezed.
Bones cracked.
Gren screamed.
The sword cttered to the floor.
Kael's other hand shot out, grabbing Gren's throat. He squeezed again, and Gren's eyes bulged, his face purpling.
"Release the woman," Kael said.
His voice was still calm. Still steady. As if he were discussing the weather.
Gren's hand opened.
Liana stumbled free, gasping, clutching her arm where he had held her.
Voss moved.
His knife was out, his body low, his eyes calcuting. He didn't go for Kael—he was smarter than that. He went for Cassian.
Kael was faster.
He released Gren's throat, spun, and his foot caught Voss in the chest. The smaller man flew backward, crashed into the wall, and slid down, gasping.
Gren was on his knees, cradling his broken wrist, moaning.
Kael stood over them both.
"Master," he said calmly. "Your orders?"
Cassian looked at the two deserters. At Liana, pressed against the wall, her eyes wide with shock. At Kael, waiting patiently for instruction.
The system panel glowed softly.
[Kael]
Type: Martial Warrior
Rank: Mortal Rank 4
Loyalty: Absolute
Note: Summons can grow and improve through training and experience.
Cassian took a breath.
Then another.
"Tie them up," he said. "We need to know how many more are out there."
Kael nodded.
He moved to the fallen door, ripped a long strip of wood from it, and began binding Gren's hands with it as if it were rope.
Gren whimpered.
Voss said nothing. His eyes were on Cassian, and in them was something new.
Fear.
---
It took Kael less than a minute to secure both men.
He worked efficiently, silently, using strips of wood and torn fabric to bind their hands and feet. When he was done, he stood and surveyed his work with quiet satisfaction.
"Three others," he said.
Cassian blinked. "What?"
"Their band. Three others remain. They are looting the vilge. I heard them speaking while I was... arriving." He looked at Cassian. "They will come looking for these two eventually."
Liana spoke for the first time.
"Who—" Her voice cracked. She tried again. "Who are you?"
Kael looked at her. His expression softened slightly.
"I am Kael. I serve your husband."
"My husband," Liana repeated. She looked at Cassian. Her eyes were wild now, the shock giving way to something else. "Cassian. What is this? Where did he come from? He just—he appeared out of—"
"Liana."
Cassian moved toward her. Slowly. Carefully. Like approaching a frightened animal.
"I know you have questions. I know this is—" He gestured at Kael, at the bound deserters, at everything. "I know it's insane. But I need you to trust me right now. Just for a little longer. Can you do that?"
Liana stared at him.
Her eyes searched his face, looking for something. Lies? Truth? She didn't know.
But she had seen him stand up to Gren. Had seen him grab that knife knowing he couldn't win. Had seen him summon a warrior from thin air to save her.
If your secrets bring danger, I won't forgive you.
If they bring hope...
She closed her eyes.
Took a breath.
Opened them.
"What do you need me to do?"
Cassian felt something in his chest loosen.
"Stay here. Stay safe." He turned to Kael. "Can you find the other three?"
Kael nodded. "Easily."
"Then find them. Stop them. But—" Cassian hesitated. "Don't kill them if you don't have to. We need information."
Kael's eyebrow rose slightly. "As you command, Master."
He moved toward the broken door.
"Kael."
He paused.
Cassian met his eyes. "Thank you."
Kael inclined his head. "I exist to serve, Master. Gratitude is unnecessary but... appreciated."
Then he was gone, slipping into the night as silently as he had arrived.
---
The cottage was suddenly very quiet.
Gren moaned softly from where he y bound. Voss watched Cassian with those ft, calcuting eyes.
Liana stood by the hearth, her arms wrapped around herself.
Cassian looked at her.
"We need to talk," he said.
Liana ughed. It was a short, sharp sound, edged with hysteria.
"Yes," she agreed. "Yes, we really do."
She looked at Gren and Voss.
"After they're dealt with. After we know we're safe. Then you're going to tell me everything. No more secrets."
Cassian nodded.
"Everything," he agreed.
Liana held his gaze for a long moment.
Then she walked to him, stopped close, and did something that surprised them both.
She kissed him.
Quickly. Briefly. A brush of lips against his cheek.
"For standing up," she whispered. "For not letting him take me."
She pulled back.
Her eyes were bright.
[Liana Affection: 28/100 - Acquaintance]
Affection increased: Courage recognized. Protection valued. First kiss.
Cassian touched his cheek where her lips had been.
Outside, the sounds of the vilge changed.
Shouting. Fighting. Then silence.
Then footsteps approaching.
Kael appeared in the broken doorway. Behind him, he dragged three bound men—the other deserters. They looked battered, bruised, thoroughly defeated.
"It is done, Master," Kael reported. "The vilge is secure. These three will not trouble anyone again."
He stepped inside, pulling the bound men behind him. They joined Gren and Voss on the floor—five deserters in total, all captured, all bound, all staring at Cassian with varying degrees of fear and confusion.
Cassian looked at them.
Then at Kael.
Then at Liana.
The fire had gone out. The cottage was cold. The door was broken. The night was dark.
But for the first time since waking in this world, Cassian felt like he was no longer just surviving.
He was building.
---
END OF CHAPTER 3
---
NEXT CHAPTER PREVIEW
The vilgers gather at dawn.
Word spreads fast—the deserter band that has pgued the region for months was captured st night. Captured by a stranger who appeared from nowhere. Captured at the order of a poor farmer named Cassian.
The vilge elder comes to investigate.
The lord's tax collector, who happens to be visiting, comes to assess.
And the five deserters, bound and helpless, wait for judgment.
Liana stands at Cassian's side as the questions come. Who is the stranger? How did this happen? What right does a farmer have to pass judgment on soldiers of the empire?
Cassian looks at Kael. At Liana. At the system panel that still glows in his vision.
He has no right. No rank. No authority.
But he has five prisoners, a loyal warrior, and a wife who is just beginning to trust him.
And the empire, he is learning, belongs to those who take it.
"The stranger," Cassian says carefully, "is my man. What happened st night was self-defense. These men attacked my home and threatened my wife. By the ws of the empire, their lives are forfeit to me."
The tax collector's eyes narrow.
The vilge elder's face goes pale.
And in the corner of his vision, the system panel flickers with a new notification.
[NEW WIFE CANDIDATE DETECTED]
Proximity: A young woman from the vilge, witness to st night's events.
Affection: 5/100 - Curious.
Note: Second wife potential unlocked.
---
Author's thought:-
This chapter marks the first turning point in Cassian’s journey.
For the first time, he stops being just a survivor in this harsh world and starts becoming someone who can protect what is his.
Liana’s trust has begun to grow… but trust is fragile. Secrets still stand between them.
And now that other vilgers have witnessed Kael’s power, Cassian’s quiet life as a simple farmer may not remain quiet for long.
The system has already detected another potential wife, which means Cassian’s path is about to become far more complicated.
Power attracts attention.
And attention, in this empire, can be dangerous
---
