I was still trying to sort out my thoughts as I watched Manahu silently prepare breakfast: a mix of mushrooms, meat, and what looked like mashed something. He set plates and glasses on the table and began eating in silence. I eyed the plate suspiciously. Was it safe to eat? Well, either way, I'd die if I didn't.

  "T: Ahh... it's spicy!"

  The moment I bit into the meat, it caught me off guard. I quickly gulped down a big swig of water.

  "M: Oh, sorry—I forgot to mention. I guess you're not used to it."

  "T: No, it's fine. I eat spicy food too. It's just... I didn't expect the meat to be spicy. I mean, it's just grilled meat, right?"

  "M: It's tetloch meat."

  "T: Tetloch?"

  "M: Uh... it's a small animal, about this big." He gestured in the air. "Its meat is naturally spicy on its own."

  I kept eating, enduring the heat. Despite what I'd said, it was spicier than what I was used to.

  "T: What's it like?"

  "M: Uh... what thing?"

  "T: Magic. What does it feel like to use it?"

  He fell silent for a few seconds, hand to his chin.

  "M: I don't really know how to describe it. It feels... warm?..."

  He pointed his palms toward a table utensil. It began to levitate gently in the air.

  "T: I guess it's like trying to explain to a blind person what seeing is like."

  "M: That's a pretty good comparison. It's natural to me, so it's hard to explain. Though it's not the first time I've been asked. Not everyone can use magic, you know."

  "T: Huh? Really? So... you're someone special?"

  A small laugh escaped Manahu's lips, but it didn't sound joyful. There was something strange in his eyes.

  "M: I guess you could say that. But generally, about two out of every ten humans can. So it's actually pretty common."

  "T: I see..."

  Breakfast continued in silence, only the clink of utensils against plates breaking it. Once we finished, Manahu cleared the table while I lay on the bed. I took out my phone and opened the gallery... Silent tears welled up as I looked at the memories. Every second only confirmed my current reality. I wiped my tears and stared at my reflection on the screen... Then I noticed something... My hair looked weird... Huh? I quickly switched to the camera.

  "T: Ahhhh—" I dropped the phone in shock.

  "M: WHAT... what happened?"

  Manahu startled and immediately struck a battle pose, wand in hand, staring at me.

  "T: My... my hair, it's... it's... silver."

  "M: Well... yeah... What's the problem?"

  I picked up the phone... Not just my hair—my irises were silver too.

  "T: My eyes too... Why?"

  "M: Is everything okay?"

  "T: It's just... my hair... it was black, and my eyes were brown. I don't understand—why are they silver now?"

  "M: I don't know. I've never heard of humans changing their appearance like that... I thought it was your natural color."

  I examined my new appearance closely. I'd always wanted to dye my hair, but this was definitely unexpected. What happened? Manahu looked almost as confused as I was. After a while with no answers, he fastened his sword sheath to his waist and put on his coat—though now that I looked closer, it wasn't really a coat... it was a robe.

  "M: I'm going to check the damage to the garden."

  I followed him outside the cabin. The daylight dazzled me at first. After a few seconds, I could see the exterior better: enormous, endless trees of deep green stretched as far as I could look. Around the cabin was a large cleared area and a small cultivated plot, which Manahu inspected with clear annoyance.

  "T: Where are the bodies?"

  "M: Huh? Oh... they disintegrate after a while once they're dead."

  "T: And that... happens to all creatures in this world?"

  "M: Of course not. They're the only things I know that do that."

  He let out a deep sigh.

  "M: Well, at least the damage is less than I expected."

  "T: I'm sorry..."

  "M: It's fine. It wasn't your fault."

  Despite his words, he seemed irritated. After a few seconds, he approached the garden and began healing the surviving plants. Most were crushed.

  "T: They're not coming back... right?"

  "M: It's okay. I raised a barrier around us, so as long as we don't do anything to shake the ground, they shouldn't hear us."

  "T: But then how did they hear me yesterday?"

  "M: I thought you knew not to make noise. I didn't think a barrier was necessary."

  I see... The barrier also blocks sound. That's why I couldn't hear anything yesterday... I wonder if he knows why the soun...

  thump

  As I walked, I bumped my face into an invisible wall.

  "T: Ouch... Guess I found it..."

  Looking closer, I could see the light distorting in front of me, like a giant bubble.

  "T: Wow, this feels... weird."

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  My hands began exploring it. It was strange—the smoothest surface I'd ever felt. Then I looked up and saw it... the sky...

  "T: Hey... that... is that... the Moon?"

  "M: Moon? Oh, you mean Moon"

  "T: Uh? Y...yes"

  It was huge—three, no, maybe even four times larger than the Moon. And not only that—there was a massive band cutting across the sky... Manahu came up beside me, also gazing upward.

  "M: I thought you said you had one in your world too."

  "T: Well, yeah, but... not this... big... And we don't have a ring..."

  "M: Hmm... If you think this is impressive during the day, wait until you see the night sky."

  It felt like the world wanted to remind me at every moment that I wasn't in mine anymore... I pushed away the sad thoughts. After a few minutes, I was helping Manahu remove the plants that hadn't survived.

  "T: Wait—these plants are the same as the ones in my grandfather's garden. This... is corn, right? There's beans, zucchini, that over there is chili, and those are tomatoes..."

  I looked at each plant, surprised they existed here too. Though I shouldn't have been—after all, there were humans here, even if their eyes were golden. Would there be more similarities?

  "M: Wait—they exist in your world too?"

  "T: Well, yeah. In fact, they're used a lot in the country I come from. But this one here..."

  I held what looked like a spherical red egg.

  "M: That's a dulcinigra. Here, crack it—the inside is delicious."

  He handed me a stone. I cracked the shell with it... Gross. A black, oil-like substance began oozing out. It smelled like rotten banana. A slight gag reflex hit me.

  "T: Are you... sure this is edible?"

  "M: Trust me, it tastes better than it smells. But if you don't want it, just give it back."

  I watched the black liquid drip, held my breath, and gave it a timid lick...

  "T: This... tastes delicious."

  My eyes widened in surprise. I hadn't expected something that looked and smelled so awful to taste so good. Before I knew it, I was sucking out the contents like it was a baby bottle. Every now and then I felt some lumps—maybe the seeds?

  "M: Told you. Kids love it—and, well, so do I. Just don't eat too many or you'll get fat."

  I ignored his comment. While I continued sucking on the fruit, my gaze drifted to two other unfamiliar plants. One was a bush with fruits that looked like some kind of berry, similar to a raspberry but yellow. The others were just thick stems with leaves—no visible fruit. Maybe some kind of aromatic herb?

  "T: What are those?"

  "M: That's an aurilla. The others are cortubas."

  He approached one of the dry stems, yanked it from the ground. At the roots were several bulbous growths, like potatoes but more grotesque and brown. He pulled one off and tossed it to me.

  "M: Don't eat it raw—they're toxic unless roasted first."

  It felt... uncomfortable. The skin felt like animal hide. Almost instinctively, it repulsed me, and I dropped it to the ground as a shiver ran through my body.

  "T: Ugh, I hope this one tastes better than it looks too."

  "M: Actually... you ate it at breakfast. Remember?"

  I thought back and realized—the thing that looked like mashed... was that it? Another shiver ran through me as I recalled the texture of its skin.

  "T: Next time, please tell me what everything is."

  "M: But it tasted good, right? Don't worry—I roasted it properly."

  "T: That's not what bothers me..."

  The morning continued calmly as we kept repairing the field damage and salvaging what we could... Eventually, I broke the silence.

  "T: I know... you said you don't know how I got here, but... do you really have no idea how I can go back?"

  I avoided his gaze, but the sadness in my voice was obvious. A few seconds passed before Manahu answered.

  "M: Like I told you, outsiders and other realities are fantasy—or at least that's what I thought. I don't know any way for you to return. Sorry."

  His words cut like daggers. I'd hoped he'd at least have some idea. Seriously? Even in a world with magic... it's just impossible?

  "T: But... if I got here... there has to be a way back, right? If something or someone here brought me, they can send me back too. I just have to find it."

  "M: ...How do you know it was something from this world and not yours that brought you here?"

  "T: Because as far as I know, that's impossible in my world."

  "M: Well, as far as I know, it's impossible here too."

  That... made sense. In the first place, what brought me here? Something from my world or this one? But if it was from mine... could it even be replicated here? My body felt light, and my gaze dropped to the ground.

  "M: ...Don't lose hope. I don't know everything in the world, you know? There might be a way—I just don't know it."

  "T: Yeah... you might be right."

  We took a break from the fieldwork, ate again, and the afternoon slipped by unnoticed. We were outside; Manahu was practicing magic while I watched. All kinds of water and ice shapes shot from his palms and around him. Seeing everything materialize from apparent nothing and accelerate to slam into his own barrier was... hard to believe...

  "T: Wow... I'd seen it when you healed me and with the barrier, but... magic is actually amazing."

  "M: Uh... thanks, but... does this really impress you more than everything else? I mean... space magic is already rare on its own, you know? And creating barriers even more so."

  "T: Well... I don't have any other point of reference."

  "M: ... Fair enough."

  "T: And... can you use other types of magic?"

  "M: What, do you think I'm some jester here for your entertainment?"

  "T: N... no, it's just—for someone who only knew magic as fantasy, seeing REAL magic is... pretty impressive. Please?"

  "M: sigh Ugh, fine. Truth is, you've seen most of it already. Besides that, obviously I can use light for physical reinforcement and...- He paused, eyes narrowing. ...-fire"

  "T: Think I could see it?"

  sigh

  He approached a nearby tree. His body began emitting a faint glow, barely noticeable in daylight. He clenched his fist and...

  boom

  A hole formed in the tree bark. Manahu's hand emitted a light green glow as he shook it. He didn't say anything, but his face showed it had hurt a bit. It snapped me out of my surprise, and I let out a small laugh.

  "M: You can see fire magic later."

  "T: Oh, uh... okay."

  What's the problem with showing it now? I guess it's better not to push.

  "T: By the way... do you think I could try?"

  "M: Aren't you from a world without magic? Honestly, I don't even think you can use mana."

  "T: I know, but... you can't expect me to watch and not want to try. We're not losing anything."

  "M: Except my time..."

  "T: Well... it doesn't look like you have much else to do."

  I said it without meaning to offend. I felt his irritated gaze, but he just went into the cabin and soon returned with a staff. It looked a few centimeters taller than him. At the tip was an orange crystal surrounded by feathers; the rest was wood. Manahu examined it closely before shaking his head.

  "M: First, let's see if you can even use mana. This staff specializes in fire magic and, to a lesser extent, earth. It has a low-level fire spell inscribed—infusing mana should be enough to activate it."

  He pointed the staff forward. After a moment of hesitation, a fireball formed in front of him and shot out, slamming into the same tree.

  "M: Just learning to infuse mana can take some time, so don't expect much."

  He approached and handed me the staff.

  "M: Hold it carefully. Now, I'll infuse a bit of mana into your body."

  He placed his hand on my back... I felt something entering my body.

  "M: Good. Concentrate—try directing that same sensation toward the staff from all over your body."

  I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. It was similar to when he healed me—warm, but different somehow... Then I gripped the staff tightly and began directing that warmth from my arms toward it. After a little waiting...

  "T: I... I did it..."

  My heart raced. A tingle ran up my skin, and a smile spread across my face. At the tip of the staff, a small flame danced in the air—barely bigger than a lighter's, but it was there! MAGIC!

  "T: Yes... I did it... I can use magic, I can use magic hehe."

  I jumped happily in place, hugging the staff.

  "M: Hey, careful with the staff. And that doesn't mean you can use magic—just that you can use mana... Though, honestly, I didn't even expect you to manage that on the first try."

  His expression showed genuine surprise. The practice continued, but... there wasn't much more progress. I couldn't form a fireball like Manahu, but he said just infusing mana on the first attempt was already impressive...

  I lay on the bed staring at my phone. No doubt, all of this was wonderful—a new world, magic... but... it wasn't my world. It wasn't my life... Tears threatened to well up again before Manahu interrupted.

  "M: Hey... remember what I said about the sky? Come."

  I wiped my eyes, followed him outside, and looked up... Maybe I hadn't noticed the first night because of the fear, but... just like he'd said... the night sky was... beautiful... Metl shone brightly—MUCH brighter than the Moon. The ring looked like a giant beam of light slicing across the sky. But the most impressive thing was the shower of shooting stars.

  "T: We don't have a ring. Our Moon is smaller. We have shower of shooting stars too, but... I've never seen one like this."

  Endless lights streaked across the sky. For someone so passionate about space, that night sky was... breathtaking. I could only stand in awe at the spectacle. I lay down on the forest floor and, for a moment, tried to push my fears and worries aside and just let myself be carried away.

  "T: Another world..."

  In the past, I'd fantasized more than once about going to another world. And now that it was really happening... I didn't know what I'd been thinking.

  The sky was as beautiful as it was terrifying. More and more things kept proving I wasn't in my world anymore. Silent tears began to flow, and perhaps from physical or emotional exhaustion, without realizing it, I fell asleep.