Kaiser expected the exaggerated reactions, but even he was taken aback by the intensity. Ariella's ethereal beauty was like seeing perfection come to life—an almost mythical sight in a world of flawed, mortal beings. The villagers were used to accepting their own imperfections, weaving them into their character as part of life's natural order. But to witness someone entirely devoid of those imperfections left them speechless, like they were seeing an otherworldly vision.

Both men and women alike were stunned by Ariella's appearance. Her flawless features were beyond anything they'd ever seen, filling them with awe and disbelief. But the situation was complicated by the fact that there were two of them—Ariella wasn't the only stunning companion in Kaiser's group.

Cia, with her delicate and tender aura, could easily outshine any village girl, her beauty heightened by her time in Earth, where skincare and grooming were second nature. Her soft demeanor, combined with her vulnerability as a blind girl, brought out everyone's protective instincts.

While Ariella and Cia basked in the admiration and praise from the villagers, Kaiser received the exact opposite—glares full of resentment, envy, and grudge. The men in the room shot him unforgiving looks, feeling the sting of jealousy, knowing that he, of all people, was in the company of not one, but two dreamlike beauties. Even Alfred, usually a stoic figure, couldn't hide his bitterness.

The women weren't much kinder in their judgment. To them, Kaiser was a disloyal scoundrel, unworthy of such exceptional companions. Their demeanor toward him grew cold, as if he were some untrustworthy rogue who had somehow lucked into a fortune he didn’t deserve. Thankfully, Miss Lina was just happy for them, albeit, a bit disappointed in Kai.

'I don't even have a girlfriend for god's sake!' Kaiser mentally groaned, bewildered by the whole situation.

Despite all this, their group's innocence was confirmed, though it came at the expense of Kaiser's reputation. He had anticipated that unveiling Ariella’s face would lead to some issues, but not like this.

To his surprise, the consequences weren’t quite what he expected. He thought their beauty might invite unwanted trouble, yet seeing the villagers share lighthearted jokes and banter, he began to doubt his own judgment. Perhaps he had been too cynical, shaped by his experiences from Earth's culture and media, where beauty often led to complications. Maybe this world didn't operate the same way.

'Nah, it's better to be careful than sorry,'

Kai rather be cautious, unwilling to fully let his guard down. Kaiser was determined to protect Ariella and Cia, despite the crowd's friendly demeanor. He knew that malicious intentions could still surface eventually.

As the initial commotion died down, the conversation shifted back to the issue of the missing villager. Alfred, the village chief, and the gathered crowd discussed theories, ranging from the man running away from his wife, leaving the village in the silently in the dead of night. Or conflicts with others led someone to kill him, hide his body and pretend nothing happened. There are many possibilities, but the prevailing thought was that a new, wild beast might have taken up residence near the village, a scenario that had occurred in the past.

Kaiser, however, found it hard to focus on their speculation. He was done with the heavy glares that still pointed at him, like invisible daggers. Tired of the attention, he headed back to his room in search of some peace after finishing breakfast. Naturally, Ariella and Cia followed him; he couldn't leave them alone in a place where suspicions and misconceptions about them might still linger. Their departure only added fuel to the villagers' envy.

'Bitter, be bitter. These guys already have wives, and they’re still glaring daggers at me. And they call for justice?' Kaiser internally rolls his eyes at the crowd.

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Though the villagers misunderstood his relationship with Ariella and Cia. Which in truth is more heartwarming and kind due to him acting more like a protective big brother, rather than a disloyal partner.

Kaiser had no intention of clearing up the misconception. Let them think what they wanted; their envy didn’t bother him, rather, it pleased him. Furthermore, his social skills and standing weren’t the best anyway, therefore, didn't give much care about others'views on him. Though, after today's events, his reputation was already down the drain. Cia and Ariella knowing who he really is are enough for him.

Without anything specific to do - jobs, hobbies or close friends to socialize with, they spent most of the day holed up in their room, a behavior that might have seemed suspicious to the villagers below, especially given the unwanted attention Kaiser had already drawn.

But in truth, they're busy figuring out something.

Sunlight streamed through the narrow window, casting a golden glow across the room as they sat surrounded by a scattered array of makeshift tools and objects they hoped would trigger some hidden power.

Kaiser hasn't given up on awakening his unique ability as a Player. After much persuasion and Kaiser's stubborn insistence, Cia finally entertained the idea that these abilities could be real, even though a part of her didn't fully believe in his words.

Kai had already tried everything he could think of in the days they spent trudging through the dense forest as they searched for a human settlement. Back then, hoping for a breakthrough. He had thrust his hand forward, willing flames to burst from his fingertips like in the stories, only to be met with nothing but the cold air of disappointment. He closed his eyes, straining to summon water, willing droplets to form in his palm, but all he got was a dry, empty feeling. He even concentrated on a rock, staring it down with every ounce of his focus, trying to will it to move or shatter under his gaze, yet it stubbornly remained in place, as immovable as ever.

Kai had tried reaching into his heart, his mind, his very soul, searching for a spark or a flicker of something deep within. His brow furrowed, beads of sweat forming on his temples as he stood silently in the room, hands clenched into tight fists, waiting for some hidden force to awaken. Nothing. Just silence, as if the universe was mocking him.

So, met with constant failures, Kai stopped for a while and focused on finding a Village days ago.

Now that they have plenty of time again, maybe he'll give it another try. With Cia, this time. Perhaps he'll finally unravel his hidden power?

However, things aren't looking good for them.

After much pondering again, he tested a few ideas.

He'd tried jumping into the air, hoping to fly, only to come crashing back down. He tested his skin's durability by punching a log, and even attempted to shoot lasers from his eyes, which was as unsuccessful as it was absurd. He concentrated on objects, trying to will them into crushing under his gaze. In his most desperate attempts, he imagined entering someone's mind or touching their consciousness. Of course, he only tried this with Ariella and Cia, since they were the only ones who wouldn’t freak out if he suddenly held their hands or touched their skin. But all his efforts led to the same conclusion—nothing.

Cia awkwardly follows his example under his guidance, occasionally hiding her laughter behind her hand. Despite being serious about finding their abilities, even she couldn’t help but let out a giggle when Kaiser failed to shoot lasers from his eyes or fly.

She joined him in the experiments, holding his hand to see if their touch would spark something, anything, to confirm their potential. But all they ended up with was a silent room, filled with the echoes of their failed attempts.

Ariella sat nearby, watching them with a soft smile, her frequent laughter like the gentle tinkling of wind chimes on a summer breeze. She giggled at Kaiser's flailing attempts to fly, her eyes twinkling with a playful light, as if she were witnessing a private comedy show. Her laughter was infectious, filling the room with a warmth that eased their frustrations.

He sighed, heavily.

'Damnit.'

Kaiser felt frustrated, almost as if whatever ability he was supposed to have simply didn't exist. Even with Cia's help today, they couldn't figure it out. Despite all the hype about Players having unique abilities, which Gabriel, Old Man Garba, and the villagers confirmed along the records of the records from the past.

Kai remained powerless.

He was desperate to unlock his own abilities, not just for himself but also for Cia, too. If she could discover her own potential, it might bring her hope and confidence. Powers would make their lives so much easier and safer in this dangerous world, increasing their chances of survival and success. Better yet, give her vision.

He made a promise with her, and Kaiser won't back down his words. By now, their relationship can be graded as friends. But as their bond grew deeper, the gnawing feeling of displeasure seeing her silently suffer kept gripping his heart. Her frequent dullness and bleak attitude was unlike the charismatic blind girl that strives despite her flaws in a competitive world. He admired the past version of herself and wanted to bring it back.

Sprawled on the floor, sweat rolling down his skin. Kai turns his head to Cia, who's in a similar state.

"Any bright ideas left?"

She took a while to respond, probably contemplating over their failures and thinking of a new, plausible way.

"...I'm sorry, but I'm also out of juice."

Groaning, he wearily sat up.

"This sucks... I guess we won't be getting powers today."

The next day, another villager was victimized. Only this time, the victim didn't disappeared.