After the small Eleanor incident, Ryan spent the rest of the day wandering the palace, Kaelith and the goblinette trailing beside him.
The sheer scale of the place still baffled him. It wasn't just enormous—it was a city of its own, somebody living here had absolutely no need to leave. Food, clothing, entertainment. There was a place for everything inside these four walls.
Even if you had any needs that might require leaving the place, you could just ask a maid and they will do the chore for you.
And for the eyes, too, the palace was a beauty to look at. A grand labyrinth of marble halls, hidden courtyards, and sweeping staircases that spiraled into places unknown. It was massive enough to not see completely even with days of walking around.
Hours passed, yet Ryan had barely scratched the surface of its secrets.
He drifted through corridors lined with towering windows, past balconies that overlooked gardens so vast they might as well be miniature forests. The scent of fresh-cut flowers clung to the air, mingling with the faint trace of burning incense from unseen shrines.
Servants bustled through their tasks, heads down, hands quick. Nobles—princesses in shimmering gowns, princes in embroidered finery—moved in and out of rooms, their conversations a quiet murmur beneath the palace's ever-present hum.
One thing became clear: Ryan was a minor figure here. Invisible, really. Most ignored him, their gazes sliding past as if he were just another shadow cast by the chandeliers. Even his assassination attempt wasn't too important, though it required some notice.
Most people just muttered 'Seraphina's twin brother,' when they saw him.
Not that he cared. He had no interest in making friends with pompous noble brats. Some of the princesses were nice to look at, sure, but the princes?
Arrogant pricks, the lot of them.
Still, he made good use of his time. As he walked, he discreetly activated his Appraisal ability. Most people were leagues beyond his level, their stats a fog of unreadable numbers. Only their Classes came through.
Indeed, the nobility were talented.
The majority were mages, with a few of them being Martial Artists. Rarer still were Beast Tamers. The most uncommon of all? Healers. Maybe they had their own part of the palace, some Healing Area, tucked away where he hadn't wandered yet.
"Kael," he said. "So do you like this palace?"
"Some days, I like it. Some days, I don't."
"Today?"
She blushed. "I like it."
Ryan smiled. Just as he was about to say something, though, a sudden scent stopped him in his tracks.
Rich, golden-crisp, oil-seared deliciousness.
Fried chicken.
The scent curled through the air, warm and intoxicating. His stomach tightened in longing.
He turned to his companions. Kaelith was composed, but her nose twitched slightly, betraying her interest. The goblinette, on the other hand, was already drooling. She had been silent all along, just walking listlessly beside them, but finally she had some life to her.
Ryan smirked.
"Maids!" he called out, voice carrying through the halls. "Get me whatever's on the stove. Bring it to the private dining area!"
…
The feast was everything he imagined—crispy-skinned, juicy meat that practically melted in his mouth. Ryan had thought that, as someone from Earth, he would have eaten better things. But he was sorely wrong.
The food made using magic and Skills was incomparable to normal food on Earth.
The goblinette wasted no time inhaling her food, barely chewing before gulping down another bite. Ryan didn't think she was wrong for it. This thing was too good.
Filled to the brim himself, Ryan watched the girl for a moment, then turned his gaze to Kaelith. She sat beside him, eating silently with good manners, her expression unreadable.
"Do you hate her, Kael?" he asked on impulse, glancing at the goblinette. The words left his mouth before he could think better of it.
Kaelith's grip on her fork tightened. She pouted, stabbing her food with unnecessary force. "I hated her earlier," she muttered, "but I guess it's okay now…" She hesitated, then, quieter, "She was the reason you got some courage anyway."
They had been childhood sweethearts for years after all. He could have done this long ago!
"…"
Kill me with regret and cuteness, alright?
She took a sweet ball with her fork and readied herself to eat it.
Ryan scooted closer and, feeling a bit embarrassed, opened his mouth.
He wanted her to feed him.
Kaelith's breath hitched.
She looked at him, then at his parted lips. Does he want me to? Her blush deepened.
And then, instead of feeding him, she leaned in—her lips pressing against his.
Ryan barely had time to react before her tongue brushed his, hesitant but curious. Unlike their first, accidental kiss, this one was different. This one was deliberate.
Ryan's fingers curled against the table, steadying himself.
He should be shocked. But instead, he leaned in, letting instinct take over.
Kaelith, now on her own, gently let him experiment how a kiss worked. How it felt. Tongue on tongue, wrapping against each other. Slow, deliberate. And with no rush, he just kissed and kissed her for a whole minute, learning everything about what a kiss was.
She tasted like warm broth, like comfort.
A minute passed, maybe more, before they finally broke apart, breathless.
Mission failed successfully, he thought, face flushed.
It was an electric sensation.
His first true, deliberate kiss.
More than the act itself, he loved the woman who reciprocated.
"Kael," he said.
He could still feel her breath on him.
"Hm?"
Her ears itself were pink now.
"Can I have one more?"
"...Hm."
She leaned in again, and this time, there was no hesitation.
Ryan melted into it, the awkwardness of before vanishing. His touch grew gentler, more practiced, and in return, Kaelith responded with a quiet sigh, sinking into the warmth of him.
And then—
"Your Highness, you esc—oh, I am sorry."
Ryan barely had time to register the voice before Barbezz strolled into the dining area, bowed once, and promptly left.
The bastard. Why is everyone fucking interrupting me?!
Blushing and hiding her face, Kaelith moved away from him.
Kaelith practically jumped away, face burning.
Ryan wanted to pull her back. But instead, he exhaled, his heart still tangled in warmth, and turned back to his plate.
They ate the rest of their meal in silence, a sweet, unspoken silence.
Only the goblinette made some noise.
…
As the last bites of dinner disappeared, Ryan's gaze drifted toward the goblinette. She was still hoarding food, stuffing her plate like she feared it would vanish.
Something clicked in his mind. He hadn't Appraised her yet.
Appraisal!
[Goblinette]
[Level: 1]
[Passive Skills: Goblin's Instinct (lv.1), Night Vision (lv.1), Rapid Evolution (lv.1)]
Oh, you've got some good skills, pretty goblin, he thought.
Goblin's instinct made the goblinette more aware of danger. Night vision made her see things clearly at night. And finally, rapid evolution—that made Ryan stare at his system for a long second.
[Rapid Evolution]
[Lv.1]
[The user of this ability can get 2x Exp from anything they kill]
But then, Ryan shook his head and sighed.
So as I thought…
Outside, the tall windows dimmed as the last slivers of sunlight bled into a deepening indigo, shadows creeping across the glass like silent invaders while night unfurled its heavy cloak over the castle. A faint chorus of crickets hummed beyond the stone walls, their chirps weaving into the distant clatter of armor as guards shifted posts.
One by one, the servants struck flint to lanterns, the soft hiss of igniting wicks filling the air alongside the warm, oily scent of burning tallow.
The cool musk of evening stone mingled with the lingering aroma of roasted meat drifting from the kitchens, tickling Ryan's nose.
Then came a soft pitter patter sound against the windows.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
It was raining.
Ryan stretched, then yawned.
Night had arrived and the royal palace, a land of schemes and internal politics, was going to wake up.
"Oh!" Kaelith stood up. "I forgot to make your bed. And Lady Lysandra also asked me to see her!"
Ryan blinked. "I see… then take the Goblinette with you."
"Oh…" she blinked. "Where are you going?"
"Seraph asked me to do something for her. So gotta do that. And yeah…" he frowned. "We should give this girl a name."
A bolt of lightning split the sky, rattling the windows.
Ryan turned, gazing out at the storm.
Clouds churned, lightning flashing silver veins through the darkness.
I wish I could fly…
The churning clouds, the shimmering lightning, the soft rain—it stole his breath with its beauty. It had once truly killed him as well.
Yet, it looked all the more beautiful due to its deadliness.
Storms were nature, it was chaotically alluring to look at when you were inside four walls. But it must be even more beautiful from amidst the thunderclouds themselves. To stand amidst wind and thunder, bathe in the coolness and look down on the world.
That must be a feeling.
And unlike before—the dream didn't seem so impossible anymore.
Reality on Earth was boring, with magic being a mere fantasy. But reality on Mugen made all dreams, all desires, an achievable reality.
I need to grow stronger.
Ryan smiled brightly, stunning Kaelith into a daze.