All-around teacher at the magic academy

At sunset

The moment Rhine stepped out of the library, a cool evening breeze brushed against his face.

The magic book in his hand trembled slightly, as if sensing its owner's excitement.

He looked around. The world outside the library remained quiet. Pedestrians brushed past him, but no one noticed the glint in the young man's eyes.

Rhine took a deep breath, trying to calm the surging emotions within him.

After an afternoon of immersive reading, he has gained a preliminary but profound understanding of the magic of this world.

Sure enough, just as he had always imagined, the magic in this world was a mysterious power that transcended the laws of nature.

This was the first time Rhine had come so close to such a mysterious being, and he felt as if he had opened a door to a new world.

He couldn't suppress his excitement; at one point, as his fingers gently brushed across the pages, he seemed to feel the pulse of that power.

Who hasn't experienced "chuunibyou" (adolescent delusions of grandeur) during their youth, fantasizing about possessing supernatural powers and becoming the conqueror of the world?

Rhine was no exception; he had looked up at the starry sky countless times at night, imagining himself wielding a magic wand, commanding the elements, and even changing the world's landscape.

Now, all of this seems to be more than just a fantasy.

Moreover, Rhine harbored an even deeper desire—to use this supernatural power to find a way back to his original world.

This thought kept swirling in his mind. After all, in his view, magic was omnipotent and should be able to do anything. If it couldn't, it could only be because his strength was not enough.

With this in mind, Rhine's goal became clearer and clearer. He secretly vowed in his heart that no matter what, he would master the magic of this world until he could control it and realize his wishes.

Bathed in the faint evening sunlight, Rhine hurried home.

The houses on both sides of the street were gradually bathed in a warm yellow glow. He knew it was getting late and Arthur should be back soon. He needed to get home before Arthur returned.

Similarly, Arthur must not know about her learning magic for the time being, since Rhine's original personality is very reluctant to learn magic.

In this world, Rhine has always been portrayed as someone who is uninterested in magic, and even somewhat resistant to it.

If Arthur suddenly found out that she was secretly learning magic, he would definitely become suspicious.

He didn't know when to tell Arthur all this, but he was certain that now was definitely not the right time.

He needed to maintain his usual image in front of Arthur, while also carefully concealing his secret.

Perhaps, at some appropriate time in the future, he could try to reveal his thoughts to Arthur, see his reaction, and then decide whether to proceed further.

And so, Rhine returned once again to the dilapidated apartment building, its exterior appearing even more weathered in the afterglow of the setting sun.

He gently pushed open the door; the room was quiet, it seemed Arthur had not yet returned.

Rhine carefully placed the magic book he had borrowed from the library in his room, making sure it wouldn't be accidentally discovered.

He then went to the kitchen and decided to try cooking today.

It's unfair to Arthur if he's always the one doing the cooking.

After all, Arthur had to go out to work every day, while he himself had it relatively easy, at least until he found a way to get home.

He thought he could discuss it with Arthur later, and he could share some of the housework so that Arthur's life wouldn't be too busy.

Rhine looked around and began to follow the steps he remembered.

He opened the oven, put the bread in to heat it up, then took out a bunch of vegetables from the refrigerator—some simple tomatoes and lettuce—and also fried two eggs.

He placed the fried eggs next to the chopped vegetables, then took out two slices of hot bread, preparing a simple dinner.

Although the meal wasn't lavish, he felt it was the beginning of expressing his gratitude to Arthur and his willingness to share the burden.

The fact that there was no meat in the house was not a big deal for Rhine and Arthur.

They don't eat meat often, and their daily meals are very simple, usually consisting of vegetables and bread. Even these ingredients are bought by Arthur on weekends.

Rhine never really helped Arthur with anything, not even small things like shopping, which Arthur did all by himself.

Looking at the simple meal in front of him, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

These foods held little appeal for him; in his past world, the food was far more abundant and the flavors more refined.

But here, he had to adapt to this simple life.

He glanced at the clock on the wall; it was almost seven o'clock. Arthur should be back soon.

He usually seems to get home around this time.

Rhine didn't know much about Arthur. He didn't know Arthur's exact off-get off work time or where he worked. He only knew that Arthur seemed to work as a security guard at the train station and went home at a fixed time every day.

Sure enough, just as his thoughts were drifting, the door made a familiar "click" sound and slowly opened.

He quickly turned his head towards the doorway and saw a tall figure standing there. The dim moonlight cast shadows on him, outlining his solid silhouette.

He was also carrying some milk in his hand, the bottles gleaming softly under the light.

As Arthur stepped into the house, he looked up and saw Rhine sitting at the dining table, with food laid out on it.

He was taken aback for a moment, his eyes showing a hint of confusion, and he even wondered if he had gone to the wrong place.

As is customary, Rhine should be in his room or not yet back from outside.

Today's scene is like the sun rising in the west.

A warm feeling welled up inside Arthur. This was the life he had always fantasized about—returning home to find someone having prepared dinner and waiting for him.

He looked at Rhine and couldn't help but wonder if this meant Rhine was slowly starting to step out of his own world.

He walked to the dining table, gently put down the milk in his hand, picked up two glasses, and skillfully poured the milk.

Tiny bubbles rose in the milk in the glass. Arthur handed a glass to Rhine, and their eyes met briefly as the milk was passed between them.

The aroma of milk filled the dining table, but neither of them spoke, as if they were still adjusting to this sudden change.

They ate their bread in silence, each with their own turbulent emotions.