Kyle woke up in the morning, blinking groggily as he looked around the unfamiliar room.
For a moment, he was confused, his mind still foggy from sleep.
Then it hit him—he wasn't in his old world anymore.
He had been transmigrated into the novel Path of Transcendence.
"Seriously, what did I do to deserve this?" he muttered, running a hand through his messy hair.
"I didn't even curse the author of Path of Transcendence enough to get sent into the novel… Wait, actually, I did. A lot."
He groaned, flopping back onto the bed.
"Okay, fine, maybe I left a few hate comments. Is this your revenge, author? If it is, you've succeeded. Now just bring me back!"
But he knew that wasn't possible.
He had died in his old world.
There was no going back.
With a heavy sigh, he dragged himself out of bed, brushed his teeth, and took a cold shower to wake himself up.
The icy water helped clear his head, though it did little to improve his mood.
After getting dressed in fresh clothes, he stepped into the hall, only to stop dead in his tracks.
Aurelia was sprawled on the sofa, wearing a casual T-shirt and shorts, her hair a tangled mess.
She looked nothing like the perfect, composed instructor he had seen at the academy.
Here, she was relaxed, carefree, and… laughing like an old man at some TV program.
Kyle blinked, trying to reconcile the image in front of him with the one he had of her.
At the academy, she was worshipped as a goddess—flawless, elegant, and untouchable.
But here? She was just… Aurelia. A woman who laughed too loudly at bad jokes and didn't care how she looked when she was at home.
"Can anyone even imagine their goddess like this?" Kyle muttered under his breath.
"Sprawled on the sofa, laughing like a maniac? And she's a Radiant Ranker, for crying out loud."
From what he remembered of the novel, Aurelia was a prodigy.
She had become a Immortal Ranker at the age of 25, the youngest in history.
Now, at 27, she was still one of the most powerful mages in the world, renowned as the Gale Witch for her unparalleled mastery over wind magic.
Her backstory had never been fully explored in the novel, but there were hints that she had lost her brother in some kind of accident.
Kyle sighed, rubbing his temples. Thinking about the original Kyle only gave him a headache.
Aurelia finally noticed him, pausing mid-laugh to glance his way.
"Oh, you're up," she said casually, as if she hadn't just been cackling at the TV.
"Didn't you have academy today?" Kyle asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Nope," she replied, popping the 'p.'
"Today's a holiday. No classes, no students, no responsibilities. Just me, the sofa, and this amazing show."
As if on cue, her stomach growled loudly, the sound echoing through the room.
Aurelia froze, her cheeks turning slightly pink.
Silence stretched between them, broken only by the faint sound of the TV in the background.
Kyle couldn't help but smirk. "Hungry?"
She glared at him, though there was no real heat behind it.
"Go cook some breakfast. I'm starving."
Kyle's eyebrow twitched.
"You didn't cook?"
"What are you talking about?" she shot back, crossing her arms.
"I never learned how to cook because you used to make such amazing food. Do you have any idea how I survived without your cooking for a whole month? It was a nightmare!"
Kyle stared at her, his expression flat.
"Is that why you were so angry yesterday? Because I disappeared and you had to eat… what, instant noodles?"
Aurelia looked away, her cheeks flushing even more.
"What? No! That's not it at all. I was worried about you, you idiot. You just vanished without a word!"
Kyle raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced.
"Uh-huh. Sure. You were worried about me, not the fact that you had to fend for yourself in the kitchen."
She threw a pillow at him, which he dodged easily.
"Shut up and go cook!"
Kyle sighed, shaking his head as he walked toward the kitchen.
"Fine, fine. But you owe me for this."
As he started preparing breakfast, Aurelia called out from the sofa, her tone softer now.
"Hey, Kyle?"
"Yeah?"
"Don't disappear like that again, okay? I mean it."
Kyle paused, glancing over his shoulder at her.
She wasn't looking at him, her gaze fixed on the TV, but he could hear the sincerity in her voice.
"I won't," he said quietly. "I promise."
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then Aurelia broke the silence, her usual playful tone returning.
"Good. Now hurry up with that food. I'm starving!"
Kyle rolled his eyes but couldn't suppress a small smile. Despite everything, he was starting to feel at home here. And maybe, just maybe, that wasn't such a bad thing.
****
Kyle moved to the kitchen and began preparing breakfast.
As he chopped vegetables and cracked eggs, his mind wandered back to his past life as Ethan.
He had been an orphan, abandoned by his father at the age of three.
His mother had raised him alone, working tirelessly to provide for him.
She was a kind woman, always putting him first, even when life was hard.
To help ease her burden, Kyle had learned to cook at a young age.
His mother had loved his cooking, and he had taken pride in making her smile with the meals he prepared.
When he was fifteen, she had died in an accident, leaving him completely alone.
Those memories were bittersweet now, a reminder of a life he could never return to.
Kyle's hands moved almost on autopilot as he cooked, the familiar motions bringing him a strange sense of comfort.
He whipped up a simple yet hearty breakfast—fluffy scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, and toast with a side of fresh fruit.
The aroma filled the small kitchen, and soon the table was set.
Aurelia wandered over, drawn by the smell.
She sat down, her eyes lighting up as she took in the spread.
"Wow, you really went all out," she said, grinning. "I missed this."
Kyle shrugged, trying to play it cool. "It's just breakfast. Nothing special."
Aurelia didn't wait for an invitation.
She picked up her fork and took a bite.
As soon as the food touched her tongue, she froze. Her eyes widened, and she stared at Kyle like he'd just performed a miracle.
Kyle's heart skipped a beat.
'Did she notice something? Does she realize I'm not her brother?' He braced himself for the worst.
But then Aurelia broke into a wide smile.
"This is amazing! Did you take cooking classes while you were gone or something? It's even better than before!"
Kyle let out a quiet sigh of relief.
"Uh, no. Just… practiced a bit, I guess."
Aurelia didn't seem to notice his hesitation. She was too busy devouring her food, her earlier grumpiness completely forgotten.
"Seriously, Kyle, this is incredible. You should open a restaurant or something."
Kyle chuckled softly, picking up his own fork. "Maybe someday."
As they ate, Kyle couldn't help but watch Aurelia.
She was so different from the composed, intimidating instructor he'd seen at the academy.
Here, she was relaxed, almost childlike in her enthusiasm for the food.
For a moment, her image overlapped with his mother's—the way she smiled, the way she savored every bite. It was like a punch to the gut.
Without realizing it, a single tear slipped from Kyle's eye and rolled down his cheek.
He quickly wiped it away, hoping Aurelia hadn't noticed. But of course, she had.
"Hey," she said softly, her voice losing its usual playful edge. "What's wrong?"
Kyle shook his head, forcing a smile. "Nothing. Just… dust in my eyes."
Aurelia frowned, clearly not buying it.
She opened her mouth to press further but then hesitated. She could see the pain in his eyes, the way he was trying to hide it. Maybe it wasn't her place to pry.
Instead, she reached across the table and gave his hand a quick squeeze. "If you ever want to talk, I'm here, okay?"
Kyle nodded, his throat too tight to speak.
He focused on his food, avoiding her gaze. Aurelia didn't push him.
She simply went back to eating, though her usual chatter was replaced by a thoughtful silence.
The rest of the meal passed quietly, the only sound the clinking of utensils against plates.
Kyle's mind was a whirlwind of emotions—grief for his mother, guilt over taking Kyle's place, and a strange sense of gratitude for Aurelia's kindness. It was all too much to process.
When they finished, Aurelia stood up and started clearing the table.
"Thanks for the food," she said, her tone light but sincere. "I'll handle the dishes. You can rest."
Kyle managed a small smile. "Okay."
As Aurelia disappeared into the kitchen with the dishes, Kyle sat back in his chair, his gaze lingering on the empty seat across from him.
The quiet hum of running water from the kitchen filled the room, but his mind was elsewhere, lost in thoughts he couldn't quite untangle.
****
A/N: If you've made it this far and are enjoying the story, I'd love for you add it to your library and tossed some Power Stones my way—think of them as creative caffeine for my brain!
Your support keeps the story alive and stops me from crying into my keyboard. (Okay, maybe not crying, but there's definitely some dramatic sighing involved.)