Rebirth.

Death was not something he feared.

But what came after it?

Was there a hell where sinners paid for their crimes?

Or was it heaven where they lived in paradise?

As a king who ruled over an advanced kingdom, he wasn't sure where he would end up.

Would he ascend to heaven for being a just ruler who did his best for his people?

Or would he be condemned to hell for waging wars in their name?

'Seems like my worries were pointless.'

The thought echoed in his mind as he stared at his glowing, indistinct form, dissolving into the void around him.

No matter where he looked, all he saw was an endless abyss, devoid of light, devoid of warmth.

'So this is death, huh?'

Akamir mused, letting his body drift in the nothingness.

The cold and isolation would have driven a weaker mind to insanity.

But he was unaffected.

Being the king who ascended to the throne at the fragile age of thirteen, he had lived most of his life alone.

With nothing else to do in this empty realm, his mind wandered to his last moments.

Most importantly, his death.

'I was poisoned.'

There was no anger in the thought—what good would it do him now?

Akamir started to think of reasons he was assassinated.

'...'

It didn't take him long to find the answer.

One of the three dukes who served beneath him.

Akamir tried to sigh, but nothing happened. Only then did he notice—his chest wasn't moving.

'I shouldn't have let my faith cloud my judgment.'

When the three dukes had each offered him their daughters as wives, he had refused them all and only asked for one.

'The most ideal decision was to accept them all.'

By doing so, he would have given them the illusion of equal opportunity, the hope of influencing the next king through their offspring.

'But my faith taught me to remain loyal to one woman.'

Now, he regretted that choice.

The god he had trusted, the one he had shaped his life around—he did not exist.

The void surrounding him was proof of that.

'To die in such a young age… what a pitiful life I led.'

A bitter smile formed on his lips before he shook his head.

Regret was pointless now. Instead, he focused on something else.

'Is this… a spirit body?'

Back in his old world, he had learned of the highest realm one could reach with Chi—the Legendary Rank.

A state where the soul could leave the body, possess another, and attain immortality.

'Hm?'

A sudden halt made him snap out of his thoughts as he looked forward.

'.....'

A breathtaking sight stretched out ahead—a vast planet, blue and green, encased within a translucent, white dome.

But Akamir's gaze remained fixed on something else.

'What are those…?'

Akamir stared in awe.

Five colossal beings hovered outside the planet's atmosphere, their sheer size unfathomable.

Beings so big that he couldn't fathom their size.

'What is this—'

His vision blurred.

A sharp gasp tore through the silence.

"Hah… Hah…!"

Shallow, ragged breaths filled his ears.

Heat surged through his body, feverish and suffocating.

'Wait… wasn't I dead…?'

The thought crumbled as his blurry vision adjusted to the blinding light.

"Huh?"

A sweet yet deep voice echoed in the silence.

Akamir blinked. That was… his voice?

His gaze dropped to his hands—thin, delicate, almost fragile, ones that didn't seem to belong to a man.

Still confused, he looked around at the room.

The room was large, dimly lit by a few flickering candles.

Ornate, but old—wooden furniture with intricate carvings lined the space, and books were stacked haphazardly on a nearby desk.

Heavy velvet curtains shrouded the windows, allowing only slivers of sunlight to seep through.

Akamir's gaze slowly moved back to his hands. Slim. Delicate. Feminine.

His breathing hitched.

His body felt off—his limbs were too light, his hair tickling his shoulders.

"What…" His voice was soft, undeniably not his own.

Akamir pushed himself up, his body sluggish, weak.

He stumbled toward a standing mirror in the corner of the room, gripping the edges as he looked into it.

Wheat-blonde hair cascaded down in waves, replacing the raven hair he once knew.

His sharp, rugged features were gone, replaced by an ethereal, doll-like face.

Yet his eyes—the same dark crimson, like pools of blood—remained unchanged.

'...No way.'

Akamir's breath grew unsteady.

With a trembling hand, he stretched the waistband of his loose pants and looked down.

Akamir stared at his manhood for quite some time.

'...hah, it's still here.'

A sigh of relief escaped him before his expression hardened.

"Where am I?" he wondered, observing the room.

There were a lot of things that felt foreign to him.

Or maybe he was just used to living in a more advanced place.

Akamir glanced back at the mirror once again.

A thought stuck in his mind. 'Did I possess him?'

But how?

Akamir was sure he wasn't capable of doing such things.

His gaze quickly scanned the place once again.

He moved towards the desk, picking up a book.

Surprisingly, he could still read, even though the words seemed foreign.

"Hm?"

Something caught his eye as he placed the book down.

A small wooden carving rested on the desk—a veiled woman holding an old lantern.

The craftsmanship was exquisite.

It was as if the figure depicted—

"A goddess."

Akamir murmured, placing it back down.

Only then did his gaze land on the map placed on the desk.

He quickly spread it out,

Only to be astonished the very next instant.

"This isn't my world?" he whispered softly, staring at the foreign map.

Akamir's fingers traced the map with growing disbelief.

The landmasses, the names of kingdoms, the foreign script—all of it was unfamiliar.

He let out a soft chuckle. "What the hell."

Observing the map, he did his best to memorize everything.

Only then did he look at his new hands again, clenching and unclenching them.

His body was weak, but he could still move.

His manhood remained, which meant this body—despite its delicate features—was still male.

Smiling, he rubbed his temples. "What is happening?"

Knock! Knock!

"Young master Asher?"

The sudden voice startled him.

Ignoring the panic that started crawling under his skin, he looked around.

Akamir wasn't sure who might be behind the door.

For now, he was in an unfamiliar body without any memories.

For his safety, he needed something.

"Pardon my intrusion."

The door swung open just as Akamir snatched a knife from the fruit basket beside him.

His gaze landed on the lady walking in, wearing a maid outfit.

She looked to be in her mid-twenties, with long, wavy raven-black hair tied in a bun.

Her dress did not hide her curves, which looked way too perfect.

Akamir hid the knife behind him as her obsidian eyes looked at him.

He could vaguely remember her.

'Zia.'

"You are awake?" Zia asked, moving further inside the room.

Akamir tightened his grip on the knife behind his back.

"Uh… yes." He kept his voice calm. "I just woke up."

"That's good." She moved to the curtains, pulling them open.

Sunlight poured in, making him squint. "You haven't left your room in nearly a week."

Akamir chose to keep his silence as she continued cleaning his room.

She halted on the other side of his bed.

The maid glanced at him. "Did you find another picture of the Princess?"

Akamir frowned. "Pardon?"

Instead of replying, the maid pushed something from her legs out for him to view.

"....."

They were tissue papers.

A lot of them, crumpled tightly.

Akamir was sure that he didn't have a cold.

Then...

"Please do it in moderation," Zia said with a tired sigh. "You are still quite young."

Akamir felt like hiding his face in shame.

Even though it wasn't him who did it, he still couldn't shake off the embarrassment.

'Pathetic bastard.'

Clearing his throat, he quickly changed the subject. "Why are you here?"

"To get you dressed." She replied as she walked toward him. "Duke Darvin expects you in half an hour."

Akamir couldn't help but frown.

"Is it necessary?" he asked, trying to initiate a negotiation.

Zia blinked, dumbfounded. "Have you forgotten what's today?"

Akamir's frown only deepened at her words. "Remind me again."

Zia rubbed her temples in defeat.

"Your older brother, Morris." She said, her voice grim. "He is getting a public execution today."

"Huh?"

Akamir let out a startled voice as he looked at her in confusion.

Zia sighed once again as she explained.

"He's being executed for killing the crown prince."