Star sat on the driver’s seat of his new cart, reins in hand as the two horses pulled him steadily along the wide dirt road. The morning sun was warm on his back. He had already been traveling for several hours since leaving Greenhaven. He checked the map at intervals to be sure he was going the right direction.

A dark, deep-hooded cloak from Tessy’s covered most of his body and head, She had given it to him as a parting gift. Only a few strands of silver hair occasionally slipped out. It wasn’t perfect, but it helped hide his striking appearance. He had worn it right before departing a necessary precaution.

The road stretched ahead, flanked by green fields and distant forests. For the first time since waking up in this world, Star felt truly alone. No Lena. No Rian. No Gorzod. Just him, the horses, and the open path.

[How does freedom taste, darling?] Jezebel asked playfully in his mind.

"Quiet," Star replied softly. "And a little scary."

He adjusted the cloak again, making sure the hood stayed low. Every time someone passed by on the road — a farmer with a donkey, a small merchant group he tensed up, afraid they would notice him.

By late afternoon, his stomach started growling. He had been snacking on dry rations, but they weren’t very satisfying and he wasn’t in any disposition to cook up anything since he had no cooking skill...Up ahead, he saw smoke rising from a small campsite beside the road. A merchant family had set up three wagons in a loose circle and were cooking something that smelled delicious.

An older man with a kind face noticed him lingering and waved smiling sheepishly.

"You there, traveler! You look like you’ve been on the road all day. Come join us for dinner if you’re hungry!"

But Star hesitated. His first instinct was to keep going. But the smell of stew and fresh bread made his mouth water.

"Thank you," he said, voice muffled slightly by the hood. "I don’t want to impose."

Oh, i do!

"Nonsense!" the man laughed. "We’re the Harlan family. I’m Garrick. This is my wife Mira, our daughter Sienna, and our son Kell. Plenty of food to share."

The mother, Mira, smiled warmly. "You’re welcome to eat with us, dear."

Their daughter Sienna, a sharp-eyed girl around seventeen, crossed her arms and stared at the hooded figure suspiciously.

"Oh! Not so fast! How are we sure he is not a psychotic murder waiting to kill us?" She said.

Star didn’t say anything but he kept a neutral expression.

"You’re hiding your face. Why? Are you a criminal?"

"Sienna!" her mother scolded.

The son, Kell — a sturdy young man in his early twenties — chuckled. "Don’t mind her. She’s always like this with strangers. Come sit, friend." 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"Thank you"

Star parked his cart nearby and sat down by their fire, still keeping the hood up. They handed him a bowl of thick stew and warm bread. The food was simple but incredibly good after long time of guild rations and underground meals.

For a while, they chatted about normal things the weather, recent monster sightings, how business was going. But Sienna wouldn’t let it go.

"Where are you from?" she asked suddenly. "Why are you traveling alone? And why won’t you show your face?"

Star tensed. "I... I’m just heading east for a guild mission. I prefer keeping a low profile."

"From where?"

"Up road, from green haven"

The girl narrowed her eyes. "Show your face then. If you have nothing to hide."

Oh give me a break holy shit!

Her mother sighed. "Sienna, stop nagging the poor boy."

But the daughter kept pushing. "Come on! We shared our food. The least you can do is let us see who we’re eating with."

Star hesitated for a long moment. He looked at their kind faces Garrick’s gentle smile, Mira’s warmth, Kell’s calm curiosity. Something in him decided he could trust them, at least for tonight.

He slowly reached up and lowered his hood.

The reaction was immediate.

"My my..." Mira whispered, eyes widening.

"Whoa..." Kell breathed out, fork frozen halfway to his mouth.

Sienna’s skeptical expression completely collapsed into shock. Even the father looked stunned.

For a few seconds, no one spoke. Star felt incredibly self-conscious as their eyes drank in his long silver hair, delicate features, and glowing skin.

Kell recovered first. "You’re... really beautiful."

Mira smiled softly. "No wonder you keep that hood up. You must cause quite the stir wherever you go."

Star blushed and quickly pulled the hood back up a little. "It’s... complicated."

Thankfully, after the initial daze, the family treated him normally again. They continued chatting like nothing happened, though Sienna kept stealing glances at him. Kell was especially friendly, asking about his horses and travel plans.

"You seem rather unusual for an adventurer"

Star chuckled "Despite my looks i am actually in my twenties"

"Wha- no way!" Kell said surprised.

"I am in my twenties too" kell added and Star nodded, not sure how to respond.

When night fell, they offered him space in one of their tents.

"You can share with Kell," Mira said, then pointed a warning finger at her son. "And you — don’t try anything funny. He’s a guest."

Kell’s face turned bright red. "Hey?! Mom! Stop making me sound like a pervert! I’m not going to do anything!"

Star couldn’t help but smile a little at the family’s banter. It felt... normal and warm. His mother could never.

Kell led him to a modest tent and set up two bedrolls on opposite sides. A small lantern hung from the center pole, casting a soft orange glow. Kell sat on his side and started removing his boots.

Star hesitated before sitting down on the other bedroll. He kept his cloak on, hood half-down, still feeling strangely exposed.

For a while, silence filled the tent.

Kell eventually spoke, voice low. "You know... when you took off your hood earlier, I thought I was seeing things. I’ve never seen anyone who looks like you. It must be both amazing and exhausting."

Star stared at the tent ceiling. "It’s more exhausting than amazing most days."

Kell nodded thoughtfully. "I won’t ask too many questions. But if you’re traveling alone while looking like that... you must be really strong. Or really brave."

Star gave a small, tired smile. "I’m not sure if I’m either. I’m just... trying to figure things out."

"Why was your mother so skeptical about me sharing a tent with you?" Star asked quietly because he wanted to know.

Kell let out a long, embarrassed sigh and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Three years ago... she kind of caught me masturbating. Ever since then she’s assumed the worst about me. Like I’m some kind of horny beast who can’t control himself around anyone attractive." He groaned. "It’s been hell. She still brings it up every time a guest stays over."

Star couldn’t help but chuckle softly. The honesty was refreshing.

Kell looked at him curiously. "What about you? Where are your parents? What place are you from?"

Star went quiet. He stared at the tent ceiling for a long moment.

Jezebel... do I even have ancestry in this world? he asked internally.

[No records exist, darling. You were created from a wish. You have no bloodline here. No parents. No past beyond what you remember.]

Star took a deep breath.

"I... don’t remember my parents," he said softly. "I have no memory of them at all."

Kell’s expression softened. "That’s sad. But I’m sure they would have been the most beautiful couple in the world to create someone like you."

Star gave a small, bittersweet smile. "Perhaps."

The conversation drifted naturally. Kell asked about Star’s love life, clearly curious.

"Have you... left anyone special behind in Greenhaven?" Kell asked, blushing slightly.

Star thought of Lena’s desperate hugs and Rian’s quiet intensity. "There are two people who care about me. But it’s complicated. I’m still figuring things out."

Kell’s face grew redder as he stared at Star’s delicate features under the lantern light. He shifted uncomfortably on his bedroll.

"You’re really dangerous, you know that?" Kell muttered. "The way you look... the way you talk... it’s tempting. Really tempting."

Star blinked, surprised yet again by the honesty.

Kell suddenly sat up, looking flustered. "Please... can we go to sleep now? I don’t want to do something I’ll regret. Your presence is... really hard to ignore."

[Ouu spicy! Do you want me to activate Charm skill?]

What? For what?

[Well to extract -]

Yeah, no.

[Okay! No rush]

Star felt a mix of embarrassment and warmth. "Goodnight, Kell."

Before lying down fully, Star closed his eyes and whispered, "Radiant Veil Sanctuary."

A faint pink-silver dome expanded silently from his body, covering the entire campsite. It would ward off predators and unwanted visitors during the night.

Kell didn’t notice the barrier, nobody did. He simply turned onto his side, still blushing.

Star stared at the tent ceiling for a long time, listening to the quiet breathing beside him and the distant sounds of the night.