"We will soon be arriving in Reet. Passengers preparing to disembark, please get ready," announced the voice from the speaker. Raine looked out the window to see the sea, forests, and fields stretching out in all directions.

"What a beautiful, natural landscape," he remarked.

"It's quite nice, isn't it? I enjoy this kind of scenery as well," replied Helen, the cat.

Raine recalled a time from his past life when a colleague had mentioned having a longing for rural living. At the time, Raine had scoffed, replying, "There's nothing good about being banished to the countryside." Reflecting now, he realized how dismissive and rude that comment was, belittling those who lived in rural areas and rejecting his colleague's dream. Not exactly a way to make friends. And now, he himself had been sent to such a place—not exactly a situation he found amusing.

"What do people do in the countryside?" Raine wondered aloud.

Helen responded, "Let me ask you, what do people do in the city?"

Good question.

"Well... considering I had no hobbies and no friends, it didn't really matter to me where I was," Raine mused.

The truth was, life would be the same wherever he went.

"Let's do our best from now on," Helen encouraged. "First, you need to build a good relationship with your new colleagues."

"I know," Raine sighed. "And then there's the matter with August, but more importantly, the issue with Adele is just... unacceptable."

If Adele hadn't come to see him off, Raine might never have realized. He wasn't planning on attending any reunions, but it was inevitable there would be a storm of nasty gossip.

"Also, Raine," Helen continued, "I think you should try to relax a bit more."

"Relax? What do you mean?"

"You're very serious, but you also have a bit of a workaholic streak. You should prioritize your personal life a little more. At this rate, you might never get married and end up lonely."

Marriage, huh?

"Not that I really care," Raine said. "I've got you, after all."

As long as Helen was with him, that was enough.

"Raine... I'm happy to hear that, but please don't say such sad things."

"Alright, alright. Prioritize personal life, right? It doesn't have to involve women. I'll go to the sea and catch some fish or something," Raine joked.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

He began to think about creating a magical tool for fishing.

"Wow! That sounds wonderful!" Helen exclaimed, looking up at him with delight.

What a cute little creature, Raine thought. He had heard that adopting a cat could delay marriage prospects, and it seemed to be true. But he didn't need anyone else besides Helen.

As Raine continued to pet Helen, the airship began its descent and gradually landed. Once it came to a complete stop, he stood up and disembarked. Walking along the gangway connected to the docked airship, he passed through the gate and found himself in the town.

"This place is more developed than I expected," he observed.

He had imagined a remote, rural town, but it was actually quite bustling. It wasn't as glamorous as the royal capital, but it had a calm, pleasant atmosphere. The streets were paved with stone, and though the buildings were old, there were enough modern ones to give it a contemporary feel.

This world wasn't as advanced as modern Japan, but it was relatively close, with airships, trains, and telephones—all powered by magic, not science. In fact, it was alchemy that had driven all these developments.

"It's practically a city," Helen noted.

"Indeed," Raine agreed. "Well then, I'll start anew here. The most important thing is to avoid making enemies of my colleagues."

That's crucial.

"I think that's a good approach," Helen said supportively.

"I'm counting on you, Helen," Raine replied.

Helen was his only ally.

"Leave it to me," she purred.

"Alright. Let's go introduce ourselves," Raine decided.

Though his official start date was tomorrow, the new Raine, reborn with a fresh perspective, knew he should make an effort to greet everyone beforehand. It was Helen who had insisted on this.

"Where is the branch office?" Raine wondered aloud.

"I know the address, but..."

Without a map, he wasn't quite sure where to go. There must be a directory or signpost somewhere.

Just as he started walking, Raine noticed a woman standing at the edge of the street. Normally, he wouldn't have paid her any attention, but she was comparing a piece of paper to his face, staring intently.

"Do you know her?" Helen asked, noticing the woman's actions.

"Hmm... I don't think so. I don't know anyone here..." Raine replied, puzzled.

However, There's the Matter with Adele

There was also the possibility that Raine had simply forgotten. He had never been to this town before, but students at the magic academy came from various places, so it was entirely possible that this woman was a former classmate.

With that in mind, Raine took a closer look at the woman. She had shoulder-length brown hair adorned with a floral hairpin. She wasn't very tall—about 155 centimeters, if that. Her build was slender, yet she had a graceful, feminine curve. Her face had a gentle expression, and she looked quite cute.

"I don't know her," Raine thought.

Who could she be? Was she a solicitor of some kind?

"Really? Are you sure, Raine? You have a bit of a history with these things, you know," Helen teased.

"Yes, I know," Raine replied, a bit irritated. But this time, he genuinely didn't recognize her. He had reviewed the magic academy's graduation roster while on the airship, going through the faces to jog his memory, so he was confident he hadn't seen her before. While doing so, he also remembered that Adele was not only a classmate but was also in the same group during their practical training sessions. Raine had been hurt by the fact that Adele disliked him, but more than that, he realized how much he had hurt her.

"Well... for now, I think I'll just ignore her," he decided.

"Raine..." Helen said in a slightly pitiful tone.

As Raine wondered if he had made the wrong choice, the woman began walking towards him. It seemed he couldn't just ignore her, so he decided to wait.

"Excuse me, are you Raine Alexander?" she asked.

Does she know me?

"Who are you?" Raine asked bluntly.

Go away.

"Raine! Were you even listening to me?" Helen scolded.

Raine hadn't actually said "go away" out loud, but Helen's reaction made him realize he might have been too harsh.

"Sorry about that. Can we start over?" Raine suggested.

"Oh, uh, sure," the woman replied, looking a bit confused. She stepped back a few paces, then turned around and approached him again.

"Excuse me, are you Raine Alexander?" she repeated.

Wait, she's starting from the very beginning?

"Yes, I am Raine Alexander. I apologize, but have we met somewhere before?" Raine asked more politely this time.

Helen, perched on Raine's shoulder, nodded approvingly.

"No, I'm Erica from the Alchemist Guild's Reet branch. I'm here to welcome you," she explained.

So, she was a colleague... It was good that Raine had asked to start over.

"Thank you for coming to meet me. But isn't my first day tomorrow?" Raine asked, still a bit puzzled.

"Yes, I understand you're from the royal capital and might not be familiar with this town. I thought I'd show you around," Erica said with a smile.

As she smiled, her figure seemed to waver and blur before Raine's eyes.

"Oh... Helen, my vision is distorting," Raine murmured.

"Raine! Stay with us! Don't let yourself be overwhelmed!" Helen exclaimed.

The difference in human nature... Raine thought to himself. He never would have considered such a gesture.

"Are you alright?" Erica asked, concerned. "Are you feeling unwell? Perhaps it's the long journey?"

"No, no, it's nothing," Raine assured her. "I'm sorry, but could you guide me to the branch? I'd like to introduce myself to the branch manager."

"Of course, right this way," Erica said with a smile.

She nodded cheerfully and began walking. Raine and Helen followed her lead.