Chapter 10

Roya Greyrat sat quietly, a flicker of frustration stirring in his chest as he pondered, Is it really fine for a six-year-old to share a room with Roxy? Inwardly, he scoffed at his elder brother, likening him to a toad pining after a swan.

The realization hit him like a slow dawn—his brother had been plotting this for some time, driven by hidden motives. It seemed every man in the family shared the same predictable nature.

Under Roya's sharp, unwavering stare, Rudeus squirmed and felt compelled to break the silence.

"Why not let big brother share a room with Roxy instead?" he offered.

"My room's a cluttered mess, and it's pretty cramped. Big brother's room, though—it's spacious enough for two people to settle in comfortably."

Paul scratched the back of his neck, hesitating. "Well, your brother's a boy, after all," he said, his tone uncertain. "It doesn't feel quite right for him to sleep in the same room as a girl."

Rudeus jumped in to smooth things over. "He's only six years old! Roxy could easily treat him like a little brother."

Paul glanced at Roya, whose serene expression and delicate, almost doll-like features softened the weight of the concern. Despite his lingering doubts, Paul found himself thinking it might not be such a big deal after all.

Right on cue, Roya spoke up, his timing impeccable. "Since my brother doesn't seem keen on rooming with the master, I suppose I could step in and take his place."

Rudeus blinked, caught off guard. He stared at his calm, collected sibling, silently cursing Roya for so effortlessly pinning the blame on him.

Roya's voice—soft, childish, and oddly gender-neutral—paired with his innocent looks and cool-headed demeanor threw Paul off balance. Something felt slightly odd, but nothing concrete enough to call out.

After a moment of consideration, Paul turned to Roxy, who was eagerly digging into her meal, clearly ravenous. "Uh, Roxy," he ventured, "would you be alright sharing a room with Roya?"

Roxy flicked her gaze toward the pink-haired boy. Too distracted by her food to overthink it, she nodded casually. "Sure, that's fine."

A faint, sly smile curved Roya's lips. Inside, he was practically crowing with delight.

It wasn't until Roxy finished eating and trudged upstairs to rest that the situation fully hit her. She grabbed Roya's sleeve, eyes wide with sudden realization. "Wait—you mean I'm sleeping with you?"

Roya nodded, unruffled.

Noticing the flush creeping up her cheeks, he decided to elaborate. "My room's actually quite spacious," he said, his words measured and calm.

Roxy studied the quiet boy for a moment before letting out a resigned sigh. She gave in to the arrangement.

When she hauled her belongings upstairs and stepped into Roya's room, her jaw dropped. Just as he'd promised, the space was impressively large—and immaculate. A wooden table stood against the wall, an armchair beside it, topped with a tidy stack of books. A quick peek showed they were mostly about magic and world lore.

The floor shone, polished to perfection, evidence of diligent upkeep. The bedding was folded with crisp precision, and a faint, pleasant scent lingered in the air. Sniffing subtly, Roxy realized it matched Roya's own fragrance.

For some reason, the term "body odor" flitted through her mind.

"Master, you must be worn out after your long journey," Roya said, his youthful voice gentle and polite. "Please, make yourself at home and rest."

"You're right—I'm exhausted," Roxy admitted, stifling a yawn as she set her things down.

Roya settled into the armchair, a book in hand. Though he looked engrossed in its pages, his thoughts were far from the text—scheming about how to conquer the world.

The candlelight danced across his delicate, charming features. Golden hair flowed down to his waist, smooth and radiant, while his flawless, topaz-like eyes sparkled with an almost ethereal clarity. His small face held a serious, focused look.

From the beginning, Roya had always stood apart from other children—calm, reliable, and mature beyond his years. Roxy reflected on this as she shrugged off her magician's coat. While undressing, she cast furtive glances at Roya, half-expecting him to sneak a peek. If he did, she'd demand a different room on the spot.

But Roya remained absorbed in his book—or so it seemed—unfazed by her presence. Roxy let out a quiet breath, a mix of relief and faint disappointment settling over her. Was she really that unnoticeable?

Unbeknownst to her, Roya wasn't reading at all. His focus was locked on a system interface hovering in his mind, curiosity buzzing within him.

[One-star world detected: Sword Art Online]

[Time ratio between the one-star world and the current world: 4:1]

[World coordinates locked successfully]

[Please select your entry method: 1. Soul Projection (requires control), 2. Real Body Traversal]

[Note 1: If a soul projection dies, only the soul sustains trauma; real body traversal results in true death.]

[Note 2: Soul projection limits rewards to partial experience from the current world (distributable).]

[Note 3: Engage with the plot as much as possible to gather spacetime energy for future traversals.]

[Note 4: Your small world is currently fractured. Significant origin power may be required.]

Roya mulled over his choices. Soul projection would split his consciousness, offering safety and the ability to manage both worlds, though the rewards would be modest. Real body traversal promised richer gains—but with the steep risk of actual death. After weighing it, he decided a low-tier world like Sword Art Online didn't warrant the danger.

Soul projection it would be.

He made his selection, and three new options appeared:

[Choose one of the following identities to enter the one-star world (identity slightly affects talent):]

[Swordsmanship Apprentice: Slightly enhances swordsmanship talent]

[Fool (Special): The Fool embarks on life's journey with innocence and simplicity, fearless and unburdened]

[Note 1: This talent slightly alters your personality.]

[Status effects: Naive, Simple, Conceited, Stubborn, Unstable]

[Note 2: Successfully completing the world with this talent unlocks a higher-tier Fool talent.]

[Student: Slightly boosts learning talent]

The Fool again? Roya's brow furrowed. He hadn't anticipated seeing this option resurface. Still, its potential eclipsed the others. His current Fool talent, even at its basic tier, had already heightened his knack for magic.

"I'll go with [Fool] as my entry talent," he resolved.

With a single thought, his perspective fractured. His soul split, and he felt the strange, vivid sensation of his other self—like stepping into a dream he could steer. Multitasking, he controlled both bodies: one here, one there.

In Sword Art Online, his Fool self would run on autopilot, guided by simulated instincts unless he took direct control. With the 4:1 time ratio, he could check in now and then, treating it like a game—a novel, thrilling diversion.