Joe wondered how Rina would react if he told her the truth. That he was a late teenager from a world without magic. That he was just a guy who did nothing but read novels about adventurers like Rina and her party, before being unceremoniously trampled by a truck and reborn into this world. He doubted she would believe him. She would probably think he was joking. Joe himself was still getting used to his second life. Even now, it felt unbelievable that he had been given the chance to live twice.

  Even if she could understand, it was something he would never share with anyone. Not even the person he might one day marry in this world.

  That was assuming there was someone out there who would ever be willing to marry him, which likely was not the case. Just like his first life, he would probably die alone.

  “I'm not anyone special. I'm just me,”Joe said, a little awkwardly.

  “I suppose that's the response I should have expected,” Rina replied, a hint of disappointment in her tone as she turned her gaze toward the heavens.

  Several seconds passed.

  “Say, Joe,”Rina asked quietly. “Do you think I'm a bad person?:

  The question caught him completely off guard.

  Joe took a long moment to gather his thoughts before answering. “No. I think you're a good person,” he said honestly.

  Rina gazed into his eyes with a sad expression before turning back to the sky. “Why do you think I invited you to join our party?” Her voice was calm and serious.

  It was something Joe had thought about as well. He had always believed the answer was the same one Rina had given Trey, but now he was no longer sure.

  “Because you needed a porter, and I was the only one desperate enough to take the job?”

  Rina turned to him, the same sadness in her eyes. “That's part of it, but not all.’ She looked back up at the heavens. “Would you be willing to listen to a little story, Joe?”

  “Sure, go ahead.” Joe had always been a fan of stories. He would gladly listen if given the chance.

  “My brother dreamed of becoming a great adventurer, someone whose name would be known all over the world. But just like you, he discovered that he wasn't Awakened.” Her voice trembled slightly. “He despaired and gave up on his ambitions to explore the world. One day, he decided to put an end to it all and took his own life.”

  Joe swallowed hard.

  “He said there was no point in living as a caged bird, unable to pursue his desires because of his powerlessness.” Rina glanced at Joe briefly before looking away again. “When I saw you earlier today, you reminded me of my brother. An Unawakened who had already given up on everything.”

  She clenched her fists. “I thought I could help you out of that slump. I wanted to take you adventuring with us, to prove to my brother that even an Unawakened could explore this world.”

  Rina finally looked at Joe, her eyes shimmering with tears. “In the end, I risked your life just to satisfy my own selfish wish. You could have died to that wolf today, and it would have been all my fault.”

  Tears streamed down her cheeks as she whispered, “After hearing all that, don't you think I'm a bad person?”

  "Of course not!" Joe shouted.

  Rina’s watery eyes widened in shock.

  “If it wasn't for you, I would have given up right then and there. I would have abandoned everything. I never would have fulfilled my dream of seeing adventurers like you in action with my own eyes. I wouldn't have discovered that there's something strange about me. That I have more strength and better reflexes than normal Unawakened humans. I wouldn't even be here right now. The darkness inside me would have swallowed me whole.’

  He looked straight into her eyes.

  “Being alive and experiencing all of this is only possible because of you. Everything, Rina. I owe it all to you. So don't ever call yourself a bad person. Because to me, you're nothing but amazing.”

  Rina covered her mouth as she broke down completely. Tears poured from her eyes as she nodded again and again, her sobs filled not with sorrow, but with relief and joy.

  This was the happiest she had felt in her entire life.

  “Thank you so much, Joe," she said, wearing the brightest smile he had ever seen.

  The two of them sat there in silence, sharing the moment, their emotions laid bare beneath the open sky.

  “You're such a crybaby,” Joe teased with a grin a minute later.

  “Shut up!” she snapped, punching his arm with a bashful expression.

  It took her a few seconds to realize what she had done. “Oh no, are you okay?” Her eyes filled with genuine concern.

  Joe rubbed the spot she had jabbed and frowned. “Yeah, I’m fine. Why do you look so worried?”

  “I’m a mage,” Rina said quickly. “My strength isn’t as high as someone like Bronk or Trey, but I’m still an Awakened. Even a weak punch from me should break your arm. I was careless and forgot you’re Unawakened.”

  “Really?” Joe asked in surprise. He flexed his right arm. “I’m fine. I didn’t even feel it. There’s no discomfort at all.”

  Rina’s eyes widened. “You’re so weird,” she said, wearing the expression of a scientist who had just discovered a fascinating test subject.

  “Hey, that’s not a nice thing to say, you know!”

  They both laughed.

  After a few moments, the laughter faded and an awkward silence settled between them. As they struggled to find something to talk about, Joe remembered something that had been bothering him.

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  “Say, Rina,” he said. “I thought this forest was only supposed to have two evolved creatures besides the Lord of the Woods. The others were meant to live far away and rarely leave their territory. Was the Twin Tailed Wolf one of them?”

  Rina’s expression turned serious. “Yeah. I noticed that too.” She paused before continuing. “And no, it wasn’t one of the Great Beasts. If we had encountered one of those, we would be dead.”

  She spoke bluntly. “The Twin Tailed Wolf was strong, but it wasn’t anywhere near their level. My guess is that the Lord of the Woods has been hunting and devouring everything in sight. It’s forced the creatures of Evergreen into a corner where they have to kill as much as possible just to survive.”

  Her voice grew heavier. “That disrupted the ecosystem. Weaker monsters are being pushed to evolve. If this continues, more beasts will die and stronger ones will take their place. Evergreen will become far more dangerous than before. That’s bad for local hunters and for young Awakened who rely on this forest to grow stronger.”

  She exhaled softly. “It’s a serious problem. The only way to stop it is to kill the Lord of the Woods.”

  “With how unpredictable this place is,” Joe said, “wouldn’t it be better to leave and wait for Trey’s sister to deal with it?”

  “Maybe,” Rina admitted. “But there’s no telling when Eris will return from her quest. By then, it might be too late.” She grimaced. “I hate agreeing with Trey, but he might be right. We may need to kill the Lord of the Woods ourselves.”

  She glanced at Joe. “If I said we should turn back for safety, would you be happy with that?”

  Joe took a few seconds before replying. “You might think I’m crazy, but even knowing I’m Unawakened and everything we’ve learned about that monster, my heart is burning with adrenaline. I want to see it. I want to see a creature that powerful with my own eyes.”

  Rina chuckled. “I figured you’d say that. You really are insane.”

  Joe laughed with her.

  A few moments later, Rina turned her attention to the bag Joe had been carrying. She had pulled it closer before sitting down. Reaching inside, she retrieved a small square lunch box and removed the lid.

  Inside was a rich meat stew filled with vegetables and what looked like ramen noodles. The aroma was incredible, reaching Joe’s nose instantly.

  Rina summoned a spoon out of midair and began eating.

  Joe watched, his stomach twisting painfully.

  She noticed his expression and smiled. “Want some?” she asked, holding up a spoonful.

  Joe nodded before he even realized it.

  “There’s only one spoon, so we’ll have to share.”

  He nodded again.

  “Good,” she said with a mischievous smile. She moved the spoon toward his mouth. “Say ahhhh.”

  Joe froze. “I thought we were just sharing the spoon. You don’t have to feed me. I can do it myself.”

  “My spoon, my rules. If you want some, I feed you.”

  Joe’s cheeks flushed pink. “Then I’ll have to turn down your offer,” he said regretfully, even though every part of him wanted that food.

  Rina shrugged. “Suit yourself.” She continued eating happily.

  ‘No way. She’s really going to eat that right in front of me? She’s shameless.’

  Joe’s stomach growled.

  Thirty seconds later, he cracked. “Fine, Rina. You win. We’ll do it your way. Please, just let me have some.”

  Her eyes sparkled. “Sure.”

  Joe swallowed his pride. When it came to food, sacrifices had to be made.

  “Say ahhh,” Rina said, bringing the spoon closer.

  With burning cheeks, he gave in. “Ahh…”

  At the last second, Rina turned the spoon and put it into her own mouth, laughing.

  Joe’s forehead twitched. ‘Oh come on!’

  She stopped laughing and held up another spoonful. “Okay, okay. This time I’ll feed you for real. Now say ahhh.”

  Joe opened his mouth with a resigned expression.

  Joe was never one to get flustered. It was hard to feel embarrassed when you had nothing to be bashful about. He spent most of his days alone, focusing on his schoolwork during class or reading web novels and manga whenever he had free time.

  The only moments that ever made him embarrassed were when a main character did something painfully awkward. It happened rarely, but Joe’s immersion was so deep that he would feel secondhand shame alongside the protagonist. His face would heat up before he could stop himself.

  Aside from that, his emotions rarely surfaced. He laughed at funny scenes and smiled at clever lines, but that was the extent of it. In real life, when interacting with others, Joe was distant and mechanical, his feelings locked away where no one could reach them.

  That was why his face was now boiling hot.

  Rina had teased him relentlessly with her spoon, stripping away what little pride he had the moment he let her take control. Shame churned in his chest as he replayed the last few minutes in his mind. At least she had not dragged it out for too long. He still managed to eat enough to fill his stomach, but that did little to soothe him. It was easily the most embarrassing experience of either of his two lives.

  Rina was still laughing, which made Joe wonder if she would ever let him forget this.

  “You should have seen your face every time I told you to open your mouth. It was hilarious.” She wiped tears from the corners of her eyes. “You are actually kind of cute when you listen so obediently, like a good little boy.”

  Joe buried his face in his hands. If he had even a shred more willpower and had ignored his hunger, none of this would have happened.

  “I have not laughed like that in a long time,” Rina said, her voice calmer now.

  Joe peeked through his fingers and saw her lie back and face the sky. He followed suit, stretching out beside her and feeling relieved that the teasing was finally over.

  “Say, Joe.”

  She turned her head toward him. There was barely half a meter separating their faces, and the heat in Joe’s cheeks intensified.

  Rina looked back up at the clouds. “Do you think there are people up there, watching us right now?”

  “Probably,” Joe replied. “It would be way more fun if there was something out there.” He stared upward, imagining the empty sky he once knew back on Earth. This world felt different. Limitless. “Doesn’t the idea excite you? That there might be something incredible you have not seen or experienced yet?”

  He smiled, warmth spreading through his chest. “If people really do live up there, then it just means there is an entire world I have not uncovered yet. I am Unawakened, sure, but I still want to see everything. Meet everyone. Experience all that life has to offer and leave this world without regrets. I want to go on a real adventure.”

  Rina chuckled softly. “I expected that answer from you.”

  After a brief pause, she added, “I want to see what else is out there too. Not just for myself. I want my brother to see all the places he dreamed about but never got the chance to visit.”

  “I get it,” Joe said, turning toward her. “If you could go anywhere in the universe, where would it be?”

  Rina thought for a moment, then pointed at the sky. “I want to see the stars up close. Touch them myself.”

  She laughed lightly before glancing at him. “Sounds silly, right?”

  “No,” Joe said without hesitation. “I think it sounds amazing. The stars must be even more beautiful up close.”

  “Then do you want to go with me?” Rina asked suddenly.

  Joe’s eyes widened. “To the stars?”

  “Yes.” Her excitement was infectious. “I will show you all of them. It will be a blast.”

  “But I am Unawakened. How would I even—”

  Rina grabbed his hand, looping her pinky around his. “Stop being a downer and just say yes. Promise me we will go there one day.”

  Joe sighed, defeated. “Alright. We will see them together.”

  Her face lit up. “It is a promise then.”

  Several minutes passed in comfortable silence before Joe spoke again. “Rina, is there another energy source in this world besides mana?”

  She frowned thoughtfully. “Not that anyone knows of. Although with how much Awakened experiment, who knows? Maybe there is.”

  She met his eyes. “Why do you ask? Did you discover something?”

  “No,” Joe said quickly.

  He had no intention of revealing Soul Energy to anyone.

  Rina narrowed her eyes but let it go. “You are always so mysterious.”

  She stood and faced him with her hands clasped behind her back. Joe sat up to look at her.

  “Since I shared my lunch with you,” she said, smiling sweetly, “you are treating me to dinner tonight after the quest.”

  Joe’s heart thundered. ‘Is this a date? Or just dinner? People usually do not invite others unless they want something more, right?’

  “Sure, let’s—”

  The ground exploded.

  A massive maw burst from beneath them, swallowing Rina whole. She vanished in less than a second.

  One of the few shining lights in Joe’s world was extinguished.