As night fell, the cafeteria at the Star Plasma Cult base had just been cleaned, and the lingering aroma of food still hung in the air.
Rin put down his utensils and watched as Nanako tugged at Geto Suguru's sleeve while Mimiko followed beside them. The two girls pulled him toward the living room, one on each side, chanting about how there was a "new animated movie today."
Miguel wiped his hands and followed them with a smile. Soon, the soft clicking of remote control buttons and the girls' laughter drifted from the living room.
Rin didn't plan on joining in. He cleared his own dishes, preparing to return to his room to rest. He had training early tomorrow morning, and only by resting early could he gather enough energy.
Just as he turned around, Suguru Geto's voice came from behind him:
"Going back to your room this early?" Suguru Geto leaned against the living room doorframe, the sleeves of his black monk robes draped casually, a hint of a smile in his eyes. "There's an animated movie playing in the living room. Do you want to watch for a while before resting?"
Rin turned back and shook his head gently, his tone carrying a hint of seriousness: "No, thanks. I have training tomorrow. I need to rest early so I can wake up early and keep up with the progress."
Hearing this, Suguru Geto didn't push further, only advising: "Training is training, but don't be too tense. Balancing work and rest is important. If you collapse from exhaustion, it will only delay your subsequent progress."
"I understand. Thank you, Mr. Geto." Rin nodded, waved to the group in the living room, and said softly, "Mr. Miguel, Nanako, Mimiko, goodnight."
With that, he turned and walked toward his room, his footsteps gradually fading at the end of the hallway.
In the living room, Suguru Geto and the two girls sat on the sofa. The TV screen glowed with a soft light, playing a lively animation clip.
Suguru Geto looked at Nanako, who was holding snacks, and Mimiko, who was clutching a plush bear. He suddenly remembered their previous coldness toward Rin and asked curiously, "How have you two been getting along with Rin lately? From the way you usually act, it seems like you don't talk to him much."
At those words, the potato chip in Nanako's mouth paused. Her little face instantly slumped, and her tone was full of disdain:
"Huh? That guy is super boring! All day long, he's either practicing Cursed Energy at the training ground or hiding in his room. He doesn't like to talk either, keeping a stiff face like he's paralyzed. I don't want to communicate with him at all!"
Mimiko also nodded, her small brows furrowing as she spoke with a sense of entitlement:
"Exactly! We're clearly the seniors; shouldn't he be the one to come greet us and talk first? But no, he doesn't say a word every time we meet. He has no manners at all!"
Looking at the two sisters' self-righteous expressions, Suguru Geto smiled helplessly. He had originally thought that since the three were of similar age, they would have common topics to discuss, but he hadn't expected this situation.
He knew in his heart that Rin's habit of not liking to communicate with peers was likely formed when he was isolated at school. He had a bit of alienation in his bones, and changing that would indeed take time.
Miguel, who was munching on an apple nearby, couldn't help but interject upon hearing this:
"It's not that exaggerated, is it? I think Rin gets along with me quite well. He often asks me for tips on using Cursed Tools and questions about Cursed Energy control. He's also very polite when he speaks; he doesn't seem like someone who dislikes communicating with others."
Suguru Geto also expressed his agreement on this point:
"Indeed, Rin is very harmonious when he's with me. He even takes the initiative to ask questions when we discuss Technique Theory, and his attitude is very serious." As he spoke, he was also somewhat puzzled. "How is it that he becomes so difficult to get along with when it's you two?"
"Ha? Miguel, what do you mean!" Nanako instantly flared up, putting down her snacks and planting her hands on her hips. "We've been with you for so many years, and you're actually speaking up for that newcomer! He's ignoring us on purpose! Every time we meet in the hallway, he doesn't even say hello!"
"Exactly!" Mimiko followed with a nod, her tone becoming even firmer. "A junior should act like a junior! He should take the initiative to greet us every day. Do we really have to go out of our way to talk to him?"
The two girls instantly formed a united front, not even caring about the TV anymore. They stared at Miguel in unison, their little faces puffed up with anger like two bristling kittens.
Miguel felt a bit flustered under their gaze and quickly waved his hands to explain: "I'm not speaking up for him, I'm just telling the truth..."
"Alright, alright, stop arguing." Suguru Geto quickly stepped in to mediate, reaching out to ruffle Nanako and Mimiko's heads, advising them in a gentle tone.
"Rin has just joined us and isn't very familiar with this place yet. His personality is on the quiet side, so he might not be very good at taking the initiative to interact with people. You are the seniors; if you take the initiative to chat with him more, he'll be able to integrate with us faster, won't he?"
Hearing Suguru Geto's words, although the two sisters were still a bit unconvinced, they obediently nodded. They had always listened to Suguru Geto. However, their little mouths were still pouting, their angry expressions looking like unsteamed buns that hadn't deflated yet.
Seeing this, Suguru Geto couldn't help but laugh. He reached out and pinched their cheeks, praising them:
"So good. Actually, Rin isn't a bad person; you'll know once you interact with him more. Next time he finishes training, why don't you invite him for some snacks? Maybe you can have a good chat then?"
Nanako and Mimiko glanced at each other. Although they didn't speak, the resistance in their eyes had clearly lessened a bit.
The animation on the TV screen continued to play, and the atmosphere in the living room became lively again. However, the little episode about "how to let Rin integrate" had already quietly planted a seed in the two girls' hearts.
Returning to his room, Rin didn't go to bed to rest immediately.
To him, this spacious bedroom was more like a "temporary sanctuary." Compared to the original owner's tiny room at his relative's house that could only fit a bed, this place not only had room for a desk and a wardrobe, but even the area of the private bathroom was larger than his entire old bedroom. Every time he stepped inside, he still felt a sense of unreality.
Rin casually hung his training clothes on a rack and turned to walk into the bathroom.
Hot water flowed down from the showerhead, quickly accumulating a thin layer of mist on the tiles. The warm vapor, carrying the fresh scent of body wash, spread out, slowly smoothing away the fatigue brought by training.
He raised his hand to wipe the water droplets from his face. His fingertips brushed over the muscles in his shoulders that were slightly sore from manipulating Cursed Energy. His mind was still reviewing the day's training; the rhythm of Cursed Spirit Manipulation still needed adjustment, and he had to find a way to control the Ocular Power consumption of his illusions. He had to pick up the pace tomorrow.
Ten minutes later, Rin walked out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel, water droplets from his wet hair sliding down his neck and into his collar.
He walked to the sink and reached out to wipe the mist off the mirror with a towel. As the hazy white fog dissipated, the youth in the mirror gradually became clear.
The person in the mirror was about 1.8 meters tall. His long, messy hair hung wetly over his forehead, with a few strands of black hair sticking to his full temples, making his face look even more handsome and clean.
His black eyes lacked the liveliness typical of someone his age, instead hiding a trace of indifference and calmness that didn't match his years, like a steadiness settled after seeing too many storms.
Looking further down, he had a smooth neck and shoulders that extended into a well-proportioned torso. It wasn't the kind of exaggerated, bulky muscle, but rather firm lines honed by years of training. Each muscle bulged just right, carrying both the freshness of a youth and a sense of power capable of supporting the circulation of Cursed Energy.
Rin stared at himself in the mirror, his fingertips unconsciously touching the glass. This face belonged to the original owner, yet it carried the past of another soul.
He remembered when he first transmigrated, how he had repeatedly confirmed this unfamiliar face. He remembered the confusion and unease in the youth's eyes in the mirror when he first awakened his Cursed Energy, and now, those eyes held more determination, and even his physique had become stronger.
He raised his hand to pull the towel tighter and turned toward the bed.
Water droplets from his wet hair fell onto the carpet, creating small wet spots.
The moonlight from outside shone through the gap in the curtains, casting a thin band of light on the floor. Rin sat on the edge of the bed and picked up a hairdryer to dry his hair. Amidst the humming of the machine, he suddenly felt that perhaps this bedroom was not just a "sanctuary," but the starting point where he truly began to "live as himself" in this strange world.
When his hair was half-dry, Rin turned off the hairdryer and placed it on the nightstand.
He lay down under the covers, staring at the blurred light and shadows on the ceiling, and gradually closed his eyes. New training awaited tomorrow; only by becoming stronger as quickly as possible could he truly gain a firm foothold in this world filled with Cursed Spirits.