The coin he had tossed slowly fell downward... as if drifting all the way to the bottom.
He waited for a miracle to happen, but nothing occurred. It seemed he needed to figure something out if he wanted to survive in this world alone.
Suddenly, the water in the pond began to produce bubbles, but Fyrel didn't notice. He just stretched his legs to the edge and rested his head on the back of the chair, gazing at the beauty of the sky.
From tiny bubbles, the water soon began to bubble violently, as if boiling over a fire. Light started emanating from the pond, and suddenly, someone emerged from it.
Splashes of water shot up, hitting Fyrel's head and body. Fuwahh… Now he was completely drenched, and he immediately shook his clothes to get rid of the water clinging to him.
There was a person dressed entirely in white, with wolf-cut hair... and a face that looked just like mine...!
Time seemed to stop as they emerged from the pond.
That person didn't say a word—they flew in circles around the pond, then slowly spiraled around my body before vanishing from sight.
The water that had splashed out, soaking the surrounding area, began moving on its own in the air. One by one, the droplets formed letters in a language from my past life.
Your wish has been granted.
I wanted to be shocked, but this was a fantasy world, so I just had to act like a normal person. There were so many questions I wanted to ask, but I decided to focus on the most important ones first. The first question that came out of my mouth:
Who are you?
The droplets of water swiftly rearranged themselves, forming different words.
The Goddess.
Seemed like she preferred short answers.
I continued with my next question.
Was I brought to this world to save something?
The droplets shifted again.
No.
So, I wasn't here on a mission or to save this world. Then…Is the power you gave me even useful?
This time, the water droplets changed more slowly, and after a while, they formed a longer response:
Yes. But you can't use it to kill people. Your power will only activate to save others—and yourself.
Hmm…I'm okay with that. As long as I can survive in this world, everything's fine by me. I didn't want to ask further—it wouldn't be fun if everything was just handed to me.
Thank you, Goddess. I appreciate what you've given me.
This time, the water didn't form words but instead shaped into a smiling emoji. Then, all the floating water returned to the pond.
The frozen humans and birds resumed their movements as if nothing had happened. I, who had been standing, sat back down.
What a power she gave me…I want to test it, but I can't use it recklessly.
Now, I need to figure out what to do next.Maybe I should walk around and get to know the villagers.
I got up from my seat and strolled through the village, hoping to strike up a conversation with someone.
As I wandered, I spotted a group of little kids running around, laughing and playing without a care. My gaze lingered on them, watching their pure joy.
Then, one girl suddenly sprinted toward me, chased by a boy. But—unexpectedly—her foot caught in a hole, tripping her.
She tumbled forward, and since she was still small, without the adrenaline rush adults have, her eyes squeezed shut in fear.
Slowly… so slowly… she fell—
Wait a minute.
My vision—no, my entire perception—shifted. The world around me slowed to an extreme crawl, like a clown performing a slow-motion act. Even the air moved sluggishly into my lungs, making each breath shallow and strained.
Is this… the power the Goddess mentioned? It must activate when my heart instinctively tries to save someone.
Without thinking, I stepped forward, one knee dropping to the ground as my hands shot out beneath where the girl was falling.
In the blink of an eye,she landed safely in my arms.
Are you okay?
The little girl lying in my arms like Superman then turned her face toward me.
Heeeeee!
A sweet grin spread across her face, showing all her tiny teeth. I lifted her slightly and set her back on her feet, checking her over for any scratches—a habit my mom always had, even when everything was clearly fine.
The girl grabbed both my hands and nodded vigorously. I didn't fully understand her meaning, but she seemed completely unharmed.
Haruu!!
A woman's voice shrieked behind us. We both spun around.
There stood a stunning woman. I couldn't guess her age, but she wore a medieval-style dress: a white top with a brown corset tie and a skirt the color of crystal-clear ocean blue.
Her face had the mature elegance of a married lady, her silver hair gleaming. This must be her daughter, I thought. Well, damn—this village has beauty, and I don't regret coming here.
Sorry, young man. My daughter troubled you. She bowed apologetically.
I was mesmerized. My heart fluttered.My eyes kept locking onto her—I knew it was rude to stare at another man's wife, but she was just… breathtaking.
Then, my traitorous mouth moved without my brain's permission:
You're beautiful… Do you want to marry me?
What the hell am I saying?! I braced for her disgust…
But why was she just standing there silently?! Don't make this awkward—say something!
Suddenly, the little girl I'd saved tackle-hugged me, arms wide open. Without thinking, I scooped her up—how could I resist such cuteness? Then she chirped:
Yayyy! New father! Mom, you'll accept him, right?
The beautiful woman… nodded. Her cheeks flushed the pink of the Elder Tree's leaves. 'I—I haven't been courted since…my husband dead .
Only then did I notice the murmurs around us growing louder.I glanced around—a crowd had gathered, watching the scene unfold.
WHAT JUST HAPPEEEEENED?!