Encounter

"WHY!?" I exclaimed, feeling utterly foolish in that awkward pose.

I desperately tried to recall the images of magic manipulation from those fantasy manga I used to skim through on Earth.

"Don't tell me I can't do magic, right?" Panic started to creep in, fueled by those vague memories of protagonists struggling without mana.

I never delved too deeply into those manga, but in my spare time, I'd flip through a few fantasy tales. And in almost every one of them, mana was manipulated just like this...

"If... if it's true, then my chances of surviving just went down the drain!" The thought of being mana-less left me rattled, to say the least.

"Okay... okay, chill," I muttered to myself, forcing my racing thoughts to slow down. Freaking out from the get-go wouldn't do me any good.

*growl

At that moment, my stomach grumbled loudly, a blunt reminder that it had been over twelve hours since my last meal.

"I guess skipping meals for this long finally caught up with me," I mused with a wry grin.

Then I went out of the washroom to kitchen in search of food...

I took a peak at fathers room....and...

"It seems like he left..." I signed in relief

I don't know how to deal with Vals father because I am not emotionally stable at this moment. All those dreams are still affecting my emotions...

Then I went to the kitchen but....

"Nothing" there is nothing in the refrigerator only some drinks and sauces....

"Why...." I started to questioning myself...

First that embarrassing pose in the washroom and now this....

"It seems like my luck today is not so good.....haaaa" I muttered to myself with helpless feelings...

.

.

.

I scrambled to find some clothes, eager to head out and grab something to eat.

As I surveyed the kitchen and found nothing suitable for a meal, my decision was made: I was heading out to get some food.

"Oh, right... money!" The realization struck me like a lightning bolt. I had almost left without the most crucial thing for my shopping trip. Thankfully, I remembered just in time. Dodged that bullet...

With everything in order, I marched to the front door and swung it open...

...only to be greeted by a blinding burst of sunlight. I instinctively squeezed my eyes shut, taken aback by the sheer intensity of the sunlight. After spending over twelve hours holed up in a room that might as well have been a dungeon, this sudden flood of daylight hit me like a truck.

I shielded my eyes with my hand, gradually adjusting to the brilliant light. As my vision cleared, I ventured outside, the warm sun kissing my skin after what felt like an eternity of darkness.

Taking a deep breath of fresh air, I set off down the street, my mind focused on the task at hand – acquiring some much-needed sustenance.

After five minuets I arrived at the store and without any hesitation entered it....

"Welc...o..m..e.." But the store clerk greeted me with a weird gaze...

What? Why is he giving me that look?....I dont think I know him from my memories...

And I am not even famous around the neighborhood because they only know about 'Jack Hart' and 'Mary Hart' because they were famous for different reasons...

Only the people from the school and some neighborhood people know about 'Vaelen Hart' because he never really went outside after the popularity of his mother started to spread.....

As for the reason why nobody know him......people were too much busy to badmouth 'Jack Hart' that they forget about that they had a son...

Haaa.....how narrow-minded people can be.....

Back to the topic.....

I don't why he is looking at me like that but....Wait.....

Ohh...now I realize why he is looking at me like that!

I didn't use any hairband because of that my hair is all over the place...

But....Vaelen sure have some weird transformation skill haa...

When I tied my hair I look like some beautiful man from those cultivation manga's...but right after I left my hair as it is my whole aura turned gloomy and creepy.....

and I dont know if I am lucky or not for having this weird trait.....

*growl

"I should stop overthinking and grab some grub instead." With that idea, I started hunting for instant noodles, even though it was way past breakfast time.

"It's not just the girly looks, he's a whiz in the kitchen too." it seems like I inherited the Cooking skill from the real Vaelen.

In my memories, I saw Vaelen flaunting his cooking prowess. I vividly recalled a moment when he asked Liza to taste his homemade dish. Her praise sparked his culinary interest, and he soon realized he had a knack for it.

But, life doesn't always give credit where it's due.

As Liza delved into her father's training, she transformed. She teased Vaelen's cooking as 'girly,' forgetting the joy it once brought.

With a bunch of instant noodles collected, I headed to the checkout.

"Could you not stare like that, man? It's a bit unsettling," I muttered inwardly, feeling self-conscious.

He scanned my items one by one, calculating the total.

"Here we go again," I thought, a hint of annoyance creeping in.

When he was done, he bagged the instant noodles efficiently and took my money.

My stomach growled impatiently, urging me to leave the store.

Just as I was about to exit, I caught the store clerk's soft muttering, "Kinda creepy."

I fought the urge to snap back, realizing I had no ground to stand on. I simply walked away, leaving his words behind.

Right after I left.....

"Val?"

Someone called me from behind...

Recognizing the voice, a sense of comfort washed over me. It was a voice that had stood by Val since the beginning, someone he held in high regard. I felt a glimmer of hope, but reality quickly set in.

"Hey there, Miss 'Lisa'," I greeted with a polite nod, the words a subtle nod to our complicated relationship.

My heart sank a bit as I remembered the twist of fate – she was Liza's mother, a fact that complicated matters more than I wished it would.

//

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Yo

Author here,

I sincerely apologize for the delay in releasing the next chapter. There have been some unexpected challenges that I've been dealing with. Firstly, there were certain family matters that required my attention. Secondly, being my first novel and English not being my primary language, I've encountered some difficulties during the writing process. While I have a clear vision of the story, translating it onto paper has proven to be difficult for me. I am dedicated to improving and honing my skills, and your support means the world. I'm committed to delivering at least one chapter a day, and I humbly ask for your understanding and encouragement as I strive to provide you with an engaging reading experience.

and

Thanks for reading my novel!!!