A week passed in quiet rest, and Kairo could feel the change clearly—his body had transformed once again.
Standing before the tall mirror in his chamber, he tilted his head, staring at his reflection with wide eyes.
"…This is me? Woah, it feels like I've been abusing steroids. Well, that year of agony didn't go to waste… Even though I'm getting stronger, I just don't want this power. I wish I was a normal commoner, chilling with my wife. And I don't know why I'm not into Liana anymore?"
A sudden blush crept up his cheeks. He quickly shook his head.
"Wait a second… why do older women look better than girls my age? Well, sorry Liana, I'm not that kid anymore."
Then another thought slipped in, making his face even redder.
"Maybe I should give it a shot with Ayaka… Someone said maids look way too hot when they grow up, and she's super polite. Yeah, my investment won't go to waste."
Even though he was only eight years old, his height now matched what would have been a healthy twelve-year-old in his old world. His frame had filled out with lean, defined muscles. His arms looked stronger, his legs more solid.
"Well, anyway, back to the topic… If I were back home, people would call me a monster child," Kairo muttered to himself.
He flexed one arm experimentally, admiring the way the muscle shifted under his skin.
"If I ever get back home, I'm making a gang and defeating everyone with these muscles."
But here? It was completely normal.
Kairo sighed, lowering his arm. Yeah… I'm still weak compared to everyone here.
He had seen noblewomen casually deadlifting boulders over two hundred kilograms, with three hundred being their usual limit. Men in the training grounds pushed weights that would have shattered world records back on Earth a thousand times over. Even children his age ran faster than professional sprinters from his old world.
"This world really is… strange. And why does that maid keep falling over and over again with that stone? Not a good investment. Those stones will cause marriage disputes, just like how my mother and father used to argue…"
Kairo thought, flexing his arm again.
"Back there, adults would've been proud to deadlift 300 kilos. Here, men laugh unless it's a thousand. And me? I'm catching up faster than I should. Ugh, it breaks my ego."
His gaze drifted toward the window, where the vast forests surrounding the kingdom stretched endlessly into the horizon.
If this is 'normal' here… then what kind of dangers are lurking out there in the wild?
That single thought made his chest tighten with unease.
Later that day, Kairo walked into the King's private study. His father sat behind a large desk piled high with maps and scrolls, his stern face illuminated by the warm glow of candlelight.
"Father,"
Kairo said, bowing lightly before stepping closer.
"There's something I want to ask you."
The King raised an eyebrow.
"Speak, son."
Kairo opened his mouth, then hesitated.
"Why do older women look so hot—"
He immediately cut himself off the moment he saw his father's scary warrior face staring back at him.
King Ariston's expression shifted. He cleared his throat, a faint blush creeping across his scarred cheeks.
"Hmm… what range are we talking? You're still way too young. Well, you can ask me the same question when you turn 100."
Kairo took a deep breath, quickly changing the subject.
"What kind of dangers are there besides women… in the forests outside our kingdom? I need to know what we're truly surrounded by."
King Ariston slightly blushes he thinks
Double meaning jokes it is unholy but i can't make my stoic face anymore
For the first time, the King's expression grew heavy, as if carefully weighing how much to reveal. He leaned back in his chair and folded his powerful arms.
"…So you're ready to hear it, Kairo?"
Kairo's heart thumped loudly in his chest. He nodded firmly, eyes steady.
"Yes, Father. I want to understand the world I must protect."
The King studied him for a long moment, then began to speak, his voice low and grave.
The air in the study suddenly felt heavier, as if the shadows themselves were listening.
Kairo stood straighter, bracing himself for the truth about the dangers that lay beyond the safety of the Land of Harmony.
The King's study fell silent for a moment after Kairo's question. The flickering candlelight cast long, dancing shadows across the maps sprawled over the heavy oak desk.
The King finally spoke, his voice deep and steady, carrying the weight of long experience.
"Kairo… the forests beyond our walls are not like the safe woodlands of fairy tales. Out there, the rules of nature are far harsher. The air you breathe, the ground you walk on, even the beasts that roam — all exist to test mankind's strength."
Kairo leaned forward slightly, curiosity burning brightly in his eyes.
The King's gaze grew sharper.
"Monsters beyond human understanding soar across the skies. In your old world, they may have been mere stories, but here… they are as real as the sun itself. Some are so large their wings cast shadows over entire villages. Others… can disguise themselves in human form."
Kairo's breath caught in his throat. Dragons… real dragons?
"And it's not just dragons,"
the King continued.
"The forests are home to rare creatures your old world would call myths — phoenixes, thunder tigers, leviathans, and beasts whose names even we do not know. Their strength dwarfs ours, and yet…" He paused, carefully studying Kairo's reaction. "…those who slay such beasts sometimes find themselves changed. Sometimes they lose their humanity and become immortals."
"Changed…?" Kairo echoed, voice barely above a whisper.
The King nodded slowly.
"When one defeats a mighty monster, there is a chance — though rare — that its essence merges with the victor. Strength, speed, even abilities no ordinary man could wield. It is said that some of the greatest warriors in history rose to power this way… but the side effects are way too deadly, and the chances of dying while absorbing that power are extremely high."
Kairo's eyes widened, his heart pounding wildly. So defeating monsters can… make you stronger? Like in a game… but real?
But the King wasn't finished.
"There is more. Many beasts of this world… they can speak. Their tongues are not unlike ours. Some reason, some deceive, some even form pacts. Never assume an animal here is mindless. You may find more wisdom in their words than in the mouths of men."
Kairo's lips parted slightly in awe. Talking beasts. Dragons in the sky. Monsters that could grant strength.
This world… it wasn't just strange. It was alive in ways beyond imagination.
The King leaned forward, his expression solemn and heavy.
"That is why you must train, Kairo. Not only to defend yourself, but to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Every step into the forest is a gamble with life and death."
Kairo clenched his fists tightly, a mix of fear and resolve burning in his chest.
So this is the world I have to survive in… and protect.
The candle flames flickered, casting shifting shadows across the maps as the weight of his father's words settled over him like a heavy cloak.
Outside the study window, the vast, dark forest loomed in the distance — beautiful yet terrifying, waiting patiently for the day he would step into its depths.
Kairo swallowed hard, steeling himself.
He would be ready.
No matter how dangerous the path ahead became.