Sam woke up in a new world in the body of a boy named Draven and, while trying to figure out what had happened, he couldn’t contain his surprise when he saw that his father in this world was using magic to heat the milk.
"Magic."
Draven repeated, and Kali sat down.
"Son, you’re really acting strange today."
Draven understood that he had to stop asking questions that were too obvious and took another sip of milk.
’Magic.’
Magic existed, it was real, and that considerably reduced the chances that he was in a hospital suffering from hallucinations.
Draven discreetly looked around and everything fit, but there was still one piece missing.
"Dad."
Kevar looked at him.
"Yes, son?"
"What kingdom do we live in?"
Kevar slowly set down the bread he was holding while Kali looked at him again, and Draven realized too late that this question was even worse.
"It’s for... an assignment."
He improvised.
"An assignment?"
Kali asked.
"Yes."
"What assignment?"
Draven thought quickly.
"Geography...?"
Kali watched him for several seconds and then decided to answer.
"We’re in the Kingdom of Aster."
Draven felt all his doubts disappear.
The Kingdom of Aster was one of the four great kingdoms of Valkaen, which was ruled by humans and was also the power that had defeated the God of Destruction five hundred years ago.
Draven slowly lowered his gaze toward his plate.
’I’m in Valkaen.’
There was no doubt left, he was inside the world of his favorite video game.
Draven’s first reaction was completely different from what anyone might have expected, and a slow smile appeared on his face.
’I’m inside Valkaen!’
He knew this world, all its secrets and, most importantly, he knew about hidden items capable of making anyone rich.
Draven began eating with much more enthusiasm.
’This is incredible.’
He had no job or future, his severance pay was running out, and now none of those problems mattered.
’I can learn magic.’
On top of that, he could travel across Aster, visit the Kingdom of Elan, see the dragons of Konia, and could even travel to the Prisma Archipelago someday.
’If I really know this world, I could live very well.’
His knowledge of the game was an enormous advantage, so Draven almost started laughing, but then Kali spoke.
"Eat more slowly."
Draven looked up.
"Yes."
He continued eating.
’I could make money easily.’
That was almost funny.
’This might be the best possible outcome.’
Then he looked at Kali and remembered there was another detail about her.
His mother wasn’t completely human, so Draven stopped eating and Kali noticed.
"What now?"
Draven needed to confirm it, even though he already knew the answer.
"Mom."
"Yes."
"Are you... human?"
There was a silence.
Kevar stopped moving his spoon and Kali looked directly at Draven.
"What kind of question is that?"
Draven felt that he had made another mistake.
"Curiosity."
Kali thought about it and eventually answered.
"I didn’t think this day would come so soon."
Draven watched her.
"Mom?"
Kali smiled at him.
"Son... I’m a demon."
Draven stared at her for several seconds, then looked at Kevar, who avoided his gaze, so he looked back at Kali.
"A demon?"
"That’s right, I’m from the succubus clan."
Draven nearly choked on the milk and coughed several times, prompting Kevar to gently pat him on the back.
"Slow down."
Draven raised one hand while he continued coughing.
"I’m fine."
Kali looked somewhat worried.
"Are you sure you’re all right, son?"
"Yes, I’m perfectly fine."
Draven looked at Kevar again and now understood a few things about his expression.
’Poor man.’
Kevar raised an eyebrow.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"No reason."
"That didn’t look like no reason."
Draven shook his head.
"It doesn’t matter."
Kali continued eating calmly and Draven tried to do the same, but now there was another matter.
’If Kali is a demon...’
He remembered Draven’s character profile, which considered him human, since his mother had become human through some process before having him.
That was why Draven wasn’t a hybrid, and he knew all that information thanks to the supplementary texts.
At the time, he had felt disappointed, since a character who was the son of a human and a demon seemed like he should have had the potential for some strange racial combination, but no.
’Well, it’s not that bad either.’
It was still an acceptable situation.
He knew the system and the world, so race wasn’t that important.
Draven finished breakfast and left the house a few minutes later, since he needed some air.
In front of him was a small village.
Houses built mainly from wood and stone.
People walking along dirt roads, some carrying tools, others transporting goods, and in the distance he saw a man moving several boxes without touching them.
Sam watched everything with wide eyes.
’It’s real.’
Sam raised both hands.
"I’m in Valkaen."
He said it quietly.
His excitement returned, but then he remembered the ending and the smile immediately disappeared.
The world of Valkaen did not have a pleasant story, so, depending on the route, things could end badly.
Draven remembered the battle he had played shortly before losing consciousness and closed his eyes.
’Shit.’
He had celebrated too soon.
The question was no longer whether he could enjoy a second life, but what he had to change to make sure he survived until the end.