A day earlier—
before the first rays of sunlight could pierce the canopy above the Prince's Palace.
Kael jolted awake.
A sharp, burning pain throbbed from his wrist.
He sucked in a breath and instinctively looked down.
Blood.
Fresh, dark red stains marked his skin and the sheets beneath him—but there was no open wound. Only the lingering ache, as if something had happened… and yet hadn't.
"Huh?" Kael muttered hoarsely. "What the hell…?"
But just then, a violent headache exploded behind his eyes, forcing him to clutch his head as he fell back against the bed. His vision blurred. His breathing turned erratic.
Memories—
memories that did not belong to him—came crashing into his mind.
Kael Embercrown Aqualis.
Sixth Prince of the Embercrown Kingdom, within the vast Starlight Empire.
He saw a boy growing within palace walls. A youth who rejected silk robes for armor. A prince who chose the battlefield over banquets. He trained, fought, bled—and rose from soldier to commander through sheer effort and loyalty.
Then came the final battle.
A victory.
And yet—more than forty percent of his troops lay dead.
The cheers of triumph were drowned by screams. The banners stood tall, but the ground beneath them was soaked in blood. The young prince stood amid the corpses of men who had trusted him.
Men who had followed him.
Men who had died because of him.
Guilt crushed him.
The memories shifted.
A quiet room. Shaking hands. A blade pressed against pale skin.
He was kind. Too kind. Too straightforward. Too loyal to the soldiers under his command.
And that kindness shattered him.
Unable to bear the weight of so many deaths, the prince chose escape—
cutting his wrist, draining his blood, silencing his heart.
"Why…?"
Kael screamed as the memories finished flooding in.
"Why did it have to be like this?!"
He knew it now.
He had transmigrated.
He didn't want to deny it. He couldn't. The pain, the memories, the unfamiliar yet intimate body—all of it made the truth unavoidable.
"Just because I like reading transmigration stories doesn't mean I wanted to be in one!" Kael shouted hoarsely. "God damn it!"
Even in his worst nightmares, he had never imagined waking up in a world like this—
inside the body of a prince doomed by politics, war, and plot.
Then suddenly, a clear, emotionless sound echoed within his mind.
[Ding]
[Appraisal System activated]
Kael froze.
A second torrent of information poured in—but unlike before, there was no pain.
Instead, it felt warm.
Like a gentle current flowing through his mind, steadying his thoughts rather than tearing them apart.
As Kael lay there, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling, one truth slowly settled into his heart.
This world had already taken one Kael.
And now—
It would test whether it could break another.
But by the time the sun climbed to its zenith on the third day, Kael had already buried the echoes of that morning beneath duty and routine.
Emotion was a luxury he could not afford.
Kael let out a quiet sigh as he looked at the man seated across from him.
"Next."
The word was simple. Final.
The man's shoulders stiffened, disappointment flashing across his face. He opened his mouth as if to argue—then thought better of it. In the end, he said nothing. Rising from his chair, he gave a restrained bow toward Kael before turning and leaving the study.
The door closed softly behind him.
Moments later, another figure stepped in.
Kael lifted his gaze.
'Hmm…'
This one was different.
The man stood straight, his posture relaxed yet disciplined. His eyes were sharp—not the restless sharpness of ambition, but the steady focus of someone confident in his craft. There was no unnecessary movement, no nervous fidgeting.
'At least he doesn't look like he's here to waste my time.'
Kael activated his appraisal without breaking eye contact.
─────────── APPRAISAL ───────────
Name : Jasper White
Race : Human
Age : 32
Gender : Male
Affiliation : Chef's Guild of Embercrown City (A-rank) [Good]
Class : Chef
Tier : Low-tier-4
Growth : 19%
Talent : Culinary Adaptation (A-rank)
Attributes : 2165 (!)
Skills :
• Precision Slice (Master)
• Rapid Chopping Stance (Master)
• Flavor Infusion (Expert)
• ...
─────────── END ───────────
Kael's brows rose—just slightly.
'No wonder he's so confident,' Kael thought as his gaze lingered on the appraisal.
An A-rank talent.
A Low-tier Four chef—already beyond what most civilian classes could ever reach.
And those skills… while culinary in name, they were no different from combat techniques. Precision, speed, control—each honed to mastery. Combined with his absurd attribute total, this man was anything but ordinary.
'This isn't some low-level opportunist trying to jump onto a prince's bandwagon,' Kael concluded. 'He's the real deal.'
A Low-tier Four civilian was already equivalent to a seasoned knight captain.
Kael lifted his eyes.
"Please, take a seat, Mister—" He glanced down, feigning interest in the documents before him. "—Mr. Jasper White."
Jasper gave a small, respectful bow. "Thank you, Your majesty, Sixth Prince."
He sat opposite Kael, posture straight but not stiff. Confident, yet disciplined.
Kael folded his hands atop the desk, his tone calm as he began the interview.
"What is your reason for coming here?" he asked. "According to the recruitment order, I requested high-tier combat classes. While I acknowledge that you are indeed high-tier, you are still not a combat class."
At the question, Jasper straightened further. He placed the documents he had been holding onto the desk between them.
"For that," Jasper said evenly, "please review this first."
Kael accepted the papers without hesitation.
There was no need for concern. The study was not unguarded—hidden sentinels watched every movement, and all candidates had undergone thorough inspection before being allowed inside. Jasper posing a threat here was impossible.
As Kael scanned the documents, his eyes narrowed slightly.
Adventurers' Guild Certificate.
Chef's Guild Certificate.
The Chef's Guild seal was unmistakable.
A-rank member.
Specialization: Cuisine utilizing unknown, foreign, and monster-based ingredients.
Additional effects: Temporary enhancement to physical condition, stamina recovery, resistance boosts…
It was all there.
In essence, the profile can match that of a top-tier royal chef profile.
And the fact that these documents were issued meant every claim had already been verified by the guilds themselves—though Kael hardly needed confirmation when his appraisal could tell him the truth at a glance.
──────────────────────
A-Rank Talent — "Culinary Adaptation"
Effect:
• Can cook with unknown or monster ingredients
• Rapidly learns foreign cuisines
• Improvisation success rate is extremely high
──────────────────────
Kael slowly set the documents down.
A chef capable of safely handling monster materials…
One whose dishes could strengthen those who consumed them…
'In the frontier,' Kael thought, 'this man is worth more than ten high-tier combatants.'
He looked back at Jasper, a faint glint of interest now visible in his eyes.
"So," Kael said quietly, "you believe your blade belongs in the kitchen rather than on the battlefield—yet you still chose to answer a combat recruitment."
A pause.
"Convince me."
The interview had shifted.
And Jasper White now stood at the threshold between rejection—and becoming one of Kael's most valuable assets.
----
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