I Died and Was Reincarnated as a Goth Femboy

Kenjiro watched the dramatic exit, a smug sense of victory washing over him. He had won. He had exposed the jerk, completed the deal, and secured a powerful new ally. He calmly took another sip of water, waiting.

A few minutes later, Seraphina returned. The fiery rage was gone, replaced by a profound, soul-deep sadness. Her shoulders were slumped, and she looked utterly defeated. For the first time, Kenjiro saw past the icy priestess to the heartbroken woman underneath. He felt a pang of something unfamiliar—empathy. He didn't even think of making a joke.

She walked slowly to his table. "Is... is this seat taken?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Kenjiro just shook his head. She sank into the chair opposite him and rested her head on the table, her blonde hair spilling across the polished wood. He had never seen her look so vulnerable.

"Forget him," Kenjiro said, his voice surprisingly gentle. "He doesn't deserve you."

She lifted her head, her blue eyes glistening with unshed tears. "You're right," she whispered. "But I trusted him. I was waiting for him... and he never came back. He just... left." She wiped her eyes furiously. "I'm glad I stumbled upon you."

"Let's eat something," Kenjiro offered, trying to change the subject. "You'll like the food here."

They ordered a large meal and some drinks. They ate mostly in silence, but it was a comfortable quiet. As the meal went on, Kenjiro could see the exhaustion setting in on Seraphina's face. He discreetly messaged Ryo to arrange a guest room for her. After he walked her to the door of her temporary room, he went back to his own, a strange sense of accomplishment settling over him. He had definitely made more progress than that dumb DragonSlayer.

Back in his suite, he flopped onto his bed and pulled out his phone, scrolling through the endless comments on his LilyPad. Then he checked his DMs. They were flooded with simps, as usual, but one message stood out. It was from Valerius.

Valerius: Did you know Seraphina was around, didn't you?

Kenjiro just smirked and sent back an emote of a catgirl shrugging. The reply was instant and furious.

Valerius: You ruined my marriage! Mark my words, I'm gonna take my revenge on you! Watch your back, or you will receive some devious backshots!

Bombom: What? You ruined it by lying to her, not me. And what's with that backshot talk, weirdo?

He hit the block button without a second thought. What a jerk. Glad to know he was done with that mess.

The next morning, Kenjiro awoke to a figure sitting quietly in the armchair in his room. It was Seraphina. She looked rested, her composure restored.

"I didn't want to wake you up," she said as his eyes fluttered open. "I just came to say thank you. For... everything." She stood, her expression still serious, but the icy edge was gone. "I need to... rethink some things in my life. I'll see you soon, Bombom."

And with that, she walked out, leaving Kenjiro alone and unsure of how much time would pass before their paths crossed again.