'Wait, I'm Supposed to Become a Goddess?! But I'm a Guy!'

"Mize?"

Hch!

Mize jerked violently, his heart nearly leaping out of his chest.

His gaze snapped to the side so fast that his hair whipped over his shoulder.

The faucet was still running, water streaming down into the sink like nothing had happened, unbothered, unlike him.

And there where he was, the cold yama freak lord that would always smiled whenever or whatever situation he was placed in.

"Can you not startle me like that?!" Mize barked, one hand pressing over his chest as if that would physically keep his heart from escaping.

"I almost had a heart attack!"

"Do you want me to die?"

"What If I die suddenly, what are you going to do by then?"

Liam, leaning casually against the bathroom entrance, only chuckled, arms folded loosely over his chest.

Amused.

"Resurrection sounds doable, no?"

"..." Mize choose silence in response.

He huffed, yanking a towel from the cabinet above and furiously rubbing his face as if that would also wipe away his irritation.

'You are lucky I am not on my period!'

[Host, you don't have period]

'Oh' 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

"What are you staring at?" Mize shot a glare through the mirror once he noticed Liam seemed to be gawking his body a bit too much today.

"Well…" Liam took a step forward, his voice carrying that usual unhurried, teasing lilt.

"What I wanted to say is…"

He stopped just behind Mize, their reflections aligning in the glass. One big and one small, and perhaps in such a scene, most would assume for something feisty to happen next...

Then, without warning, his hand gently ruffled Mize’s hair.

"I’m proud of you."

Mize froze.

At first when he noticed that Liam was approaching his back, he was expecting some sorts of dirty foreplay in the morning in his bath.

Cough.

'I mean talk... Just talk, I totally didn't think anything weird' Mize blushed inwardly.

His grip on the towel and sink tightened slightly as warmth crawled up his face, a heat he immediately turned away from.

His voice came out flustered, a little too quick. "F-for what?"

Liam’s hands slipped lower, cradling Mize’s cheeks, his thumb barely grazing over his soft skin.

Then it slid downward, grazing against Mize's neck before eventually stopping on his shoulder.

"Because," he murmured, voice lower, softer, "you're an awakener now."

A pause.

Then, with a small, knowing smile, he added, "Officially."

Mize hummed noncommittally, refusing to meet his gaze.

The warmth touch of his fingers brushing against his skin only fueled his embarrassment further.

Like a deep red trailing marks on there...

"T-take the hands off and leave, I want to take a bath" Mize waved hurriedly, hushing Liam away.

Liam pulled back, giving Mize one last pat on the head before stepping away.

"Go take a bath," he said, turning toward the doorway.

"Once you’re done, the butler will lead you to the dining hall"

"I will be waiting for you"

"Huh?" Mize blinked, confusion flickering across his face when he heard those words.

'Butler? What does that means?'

But Liam didn’t stick around to clarify. With his usual calm and controlled stride, he had already disappeared from the room.

Mize squinted at the empty doorway.

Dining hall?

"...Is he on drugs or something?"

"Or was it some sorts of hidden code?"

Mize rolled his eyes, grabbing his toothbrush with one hand and a large towel with the other.

'Well, he’s always been weird anyway. Might as well just take my bath first'

'I am pretty sure it is nothing to be worried about'

The warmth of the bathwater swallowed him whole, the dense layer of bubbles floating over the surface like a soft, cloud-like blanket.

Mize sank in further, his head resting against the cool edge of the tub as a sigh slipped past his lips.

He groaned, his toes arching down there.

"Arghhh… peace."

His body, still adjusting to the awakening process, felt lighter than usual.

There was a subtle, almost buzzing sensation under his skin, like something new had settled inside him.

Liam had explained to him before this, once a person awakened, the profession would be almost natural. As if it had always been there since birth.

As for how powerful it can be, it depends on the person who uses it.

Coupled with the cheat like ability to upgrade a person's strength just by upgrading the territory, training was almost completely off the table from then on.

Not now.

Instead, his gaze lazily drifted upwards.

And froze.

A window.

'I don't remember installing one?'

'Not that I am capable of doing it anyway?'

Right above him.

His brows pulled together slightly.

'Since when did I install a window up there?_

His first instinct was suspicion.

His second instinct was pure, immediate laziness.

Mize’s eyes drifted shut again, dismissing it entirely.

"I’ll just think about it later"

"For now, bubble bath for bubble Mimi"

And with that, he sank deeper into the bath, utterly unconcerned.

Mhmmm.

Mhmmm.

Mize wrapped himself in a thick, oversized towel, the soft fabric clinging to his damp skin as he stepped out of the bathtub.

The air was warm, still carrying traces of steam, and his breath fogged up the mirror as he passed.

"What's the plan again?" he mumbled absently, dragging another towel over his head, twisting his long, ink-black hair inside it.

"Wait a certain period of time before choosing an academy, or just pick one right away?"

He honestly couldn’t remember.

Did Liam mention anything?

Well, he barely knew about the warp itself anyway, might as well let Liam be the decision maker for the two of them...

"A man... A man... " Mize hummed a certain tune as made his way.

Shrugging off the thought, Mize pushed open the bathroom door, stepping into the bedroom.

His bare feet met the cool floor, sending a small shiver up his spine. The transition from warm steam to open air was always a little jarring.

Settling onto the edge of the bed, he grabbed the hairdryer from the nightstand, flipping it on.

A low hum filled the room as warm air cascaded through the strands, drying the dark locks bit by bit.

By the time he was done, his hair had regained its usual smooth, silky state, falling over his shoulders in soft waves.

He ran his fingers through it once.

'good enough'

Moving to the closet, he picked out an outfit for the day.

A fluffy oversized hoodie, soft against his skin, with a built-in cooling enchantment.

'What's the different again between enchantment and formation?' Mize hold the hoodie up to his eyes, his thoughts running.

'Eh, no matter' he shrugged it away casually.

The fabric was so breathable and light that even on a hot day, he wouldn’t feel the heat.

"Millennium House clothes sure are high quality," Mize mused, pinching the hem of the hoodie, glancing inside.

Underneath, he had made sure to wear something defensive, just in case some unwanted hands accidentally slipped down there.

Who knows.

The hoodie itself was long, hanging just past his thighs, making it look like he wasn’t even wearing pants.

He was, of course.

But the illusion was there.

Not that he cared.

With a shrug, he made his way to the kitchen, grabbed a cold glass of water, and took a slow sip.

The house was quiet.

Too quiet.

Mize paused, cup halfway to his lips, eyes narrowing slightly.

"...Where’s Liam?"

A quick scan of the living room. Nothing.

A peek into the kitchen corner. Empty.

He even checked the store room, pushing open the sliding door slightly, still no signs of him.

Mize tapped his lips, hand moving to his chin.

"...Strange."

Something felt off.

And he wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing.

Mize stood still, staring blankly at the door as his brain ran a full diagnostic on recent events.

"So first, he randomly appeared when I was about to take a bath."

"Went and rubbed my head like I was some house pet. Said several cheesy lines that totally did not make my heart flutter."

[Totally host]

'Shut up'

"And then, before leaving like some mysterious, cold-blooded CEO in a generic romance novel, he dropped a cryptic line about a ‘dining hall and a butler.’"

Mize squinted.

Yeah. That summed it up.

But the real question was, what the hell did any of it mean?

He scratched at his hair, feeling increasingly uneasy. "Is this some kind of riddle? Should I be worried?"

"Am I about to get adopted or something?"

"A dragon coming in?"

Then.

Knock. Knock.

Two sharp, deliberate knocks on the door.

Mize froze.

His eyes drifted toward the entrance. Hesitation settled in. He wasn't expecting anyone. Nobody ever knocked on his door, after all the doorbell was there for a reason.

"...Huh."

Curiosity won over. He strode forward, fingers grazing the knob as he pulled it open.

The next moment.

His mind flatlined.

"What the hell?"

His hand was still gripping the doorknob. His foot was half-stepping out.

But instead of the familiar dimly lit hallway of his apartment complex.

He was standing at a palace like corridor that stretched endlessly to both sides.

A vast, open corridor stretched endlessly before him, its deep red carpet leading straight ahead like some grand entrance.

The polished marble walls shimmered, their intricate carvings catching the soft glow of chandeliers suspended above.

Between them, elegantly arranged vases, flowers, and lush greenery lined the walls, giving the space a surreal, almost dreamlike atmosphere.

And in the very center of it all.

A butler, before the front door.

Middle-aged, gray hair, squinted eyes as if asleep, uniform pressed to perfection, posture ramrod straight.

Behind him, several imposing figures stood in eerie silence.

Tall.

Too tall.

Each clad in black and white armor, standing at over two meters height, their sheer presence making Mize’s survival instincts scream.

Mize’s lips pressed into a thin line as his gaze swept the area.

A palace. Knights. A butler.

Yeah.

"Is this a prank show?"

"Can you show me where the camera is?"

"...."

"...Am I still dreaming? Is this an illusion?" He took a step back, fingers twitching on the doorknob.

His voice dropped to a mumble.

"Am I dead?"