Galad, do you have a headache? Here, take some medicine.
No, I'm fine.
Then are you thirsty? Do you want some water?
I'm not thirsty either.
Cecilia hovered anxiously, fussing over him like a mother hen. Galad gave her a helpless smile."Alright, Cecilia, relax. I'm perfectly fine."
He gently pulled her down onto the sofa. Even seated, she remained restless, her eyes fixed on him as if afraid he would vanish at any moment.
Galad knew why. According to his old patterns, his moments of lucidity should have already ended. In the past, he could remain clear-headed for no more than a dozen hours before descending into horrifying illusions screaming, raving, losing himself completely. At such times, Cecilia had no choice but to restrain him with belts, strapping him down like a psychiatric patient so he wouldn't harm himself or others.
But now… things were different.
That strange Black tide lingering within him could shield his mind from the True Creator's ravings. Illusions and hallucinations could no longer take root. From the moment he transmigrated, Galad had escaped his curse. For the first time, he was truly sane.
What he needed now was simple: live well with his sister, and find a way to earn money.
He chuckled inwardly. Transmigrator's three-piece set: invention, plagiarism, and new order activate!
…Except, wait. What the hell was Roselle?
His grand fantasy collapsed instantly as memories surfaced. In this world, someone had already beaten him to it. Roselle Gustav, emperor of Intis over a century ago, had "improved" the steam engine, "invented" endless items, and "written" countless literary masterpieces. Poems, plays, novels everything Galad remembered from Earth had already been published under Roselle's name and spread far and wide.
The senior transmigrator had monopolized everything!
And the worst part? Roselle hadn't even done it for money. He plagiarized purely to charm women.
Damn you, Roselle!!!!!
Galad's expression darkened, as if he had just eaten a pile of dirt.
"Galad, what's wrong?"
Cecilia instantly noticed his change and clutched his hand.
"I'm fine," he reassured her, patting her palm. He quickly gathered himself. Roselle couldn't have stolen everything. If I pick carefully, I can still create something new. At the very least, we won't starve.
Just then, the door opened. Leonard walked in, balancing two trays.
"Breakfast time~"
His handsome face carried an easy smile as he set the trays on the table. "The Captain's still busy. He'll see you both later. For now, eat something and wait."
On the trays lay soft white bread, golden toast, perfectly crisp bacon, a steaming cup of coffee, and a small dish of butter.
The sight alone made Galad's stomach clench with hunger. After last night's chaos, he was completely empty. He glanced at Cecilia and saw her swallow nervously but refrain from moving, instead sneaking a look at him.
"Thank you," Galad said to Leonard with a smile. "We don't have to pay for this, do we?"
Leonard chuckled. "Hahaha, of course not. All reimbursable."
He winked at Cecilia, who lowered her head shyly. Seeing no reaction, he shrugged and left. "Just leave the trays when you're done. Someone will collect them."
Once the door closed, Galad slid the food in front of them. He picked up the coffee, warning, "Careful it's hot. Let's eat."
"Galad, you have it all. I'm not hungry…"
"Stop it and eat."
Reluctantly, Cecilia picked up a slice of bread. After a small bite, her eyes lit up in delight.
"Try it with butter it's even better," Galad said warmly.
Indeed, even at their family's best, white bread was a rare luxury reserved for holidays. In recent years, it had become an unattainable dream.
After making sure Cecilia was eating happily, Galad tucked in as well bread dipped in butter, bacon tucked between toast, and sips of coffee. The food wasn't extraordinary, and he still disliked the coffee's sesame-oil-like aroma, but hunger made everything taste acceptable.
By the time he swallowed the last bite, Cecilia had already finished her share, letting out a small, embarrassed burp.
Galad smiled, stacked the trays aside, and leaned back.
But Cecilia's worry soon returned.
"Brother, when do you think they'll let us go?"
"The Captain will explain when he gets here."
"Siris is dead, so… it shouldn't be a problem, right?"
She didn't know that Galad had killed a second man last night.
"…Self-defense," Galad muttered to himself.
—
Soon after, Dunn Smith entered, knocking politely before stepping in.
"Apologies for detaining you both this long," he said evenly. "A mole in the police station was exposed last night. We had to capture and interrogate them."
"That's alright," Galad replied. "Did the interrogation reveal anything?"
Dunn nodded. "We coordinated with the Punishers and Machinery Hivemind. Following the leads, we conducted a large-scale sweep. As of now, the Aurora Order's influence in Tingen has been completely purged."
Galad's heart gave a subtle jolt.
"So that means…"
"The incident is over," Dunn said firmly.
Relief washed over Galad only to be replaced by fresh tension. Now comes the part where they decide what to do with me. Cecilia stiffened beside him like a nervous kitten.
The room grew quiet. Dunn's gray eyes studied him for a moment before he spoke again.
"Mr. Galad, Ms. Cecilia you have two choices."
Galad raised a brow. Two choices?
"For survivors like you, especially those who've touched the influence of an evil god, the usual recommendation is to cut ties with your past life. Change your names, move to another city, and start over, under our protection. In your case, Mr. Galad, since you've accidentally become a Beyonder of a dangerous Pathway, supervision would be… even stricter."
"How strict?" Galad asked cautiously.
Dunn's silence was answer enough.
Damn it.
Galad swallowed, waiting for the alternative.
Finally, Dunn's lips curved into the faintest smile. His voice carried quiet weight as he said:
"The second choice and the one I recommend is to join us. Become a Nighthawk."
"…Huh?"
Galad froze, utterly stunned.