I Was Reborn in Another World, But I Awoke Inside a Corpse

Chapter 168: Stepping Beyond

The scent of blooming soul-orchids lingered in the morning air, mingling with the subtle warmth of bread warming on a floating heatstone. Emberlight was calm, its terrain settled in rhythm with Isaac's pulse.

Isaac stretched at the balcony rail, shirt unbuttoned, hair tousled from sleep.

Lira yawned behind him, one arm flopping lazily over the backrest of a carved skywood bench. "What day is it?"

Sylvalen looked up from her cup of frosted moonleaf tea. "Third morning, since the house was completed."

Isaac blinked. "Wait… three?"

Sylvalen's gaze sharpened. "Technically two full days. But yes. We haven't returned to the outside world."

Lira froze mid-bite of soulbread. "Oh… crap."

The silence that followed was comically heavy.

Isaac rubbed his temples. "We forgot."

"No time dilation?" Sylvalen asked.

Isaac shook his head. "Just… peace."

"Damn," Lira muttered. "People are probably freaking out."

They packed quickly—well, Isaac willed their gear into his Vault, Lira scrambled to find her lucky blade under a hammock pillow, and Sylvalen simply adjusted her outer robe like she was attending a royal audience.

When they stepped out of Emberlight, the shift was instant.

The world outside greeted them with a flood of noise—birds, wind, and the distant shuffle of boots through leaves. They had exited near the forest clearing where their journey had paused.

A system notification pinged softly in Isaac's mind:

[Presence Reacquired]

[Isaac – Status Verified]

[Sylvalen Thalara – Status Verified]

[Lira – Status Verified]

Delay: 2 Days, 7 Hours

Global alert status: FLAGGED – Disappearance Noted

"…They really thought we vanished," Isaac murmured.

A scout appeared first—mid-20s, armored in light leather, and visibly panicked. The poor man nearly tripped over his own sword trying to raise a signal flare—then froze when he recognized Isaac.

"L-Lord Isaac—!"

"Please don't call me that," Isaac replied calmly.

"But… you—you disappeared! The guildmaster sent out a trace team! The Elven court dispatched a remote scryer! There were rumors!"

Lira stepped forward with a sheepish grin. "Tell them we were, uh… spiritually meditating?"

Sylvalen coughed lightly. "Deeply. Introspectively."

"...Without system interference?"

"Very spiritual," Lira said.

Isaac sighed and placed a hand on the man's shoulder. "We're safe. Let everyone know."

The scout nodded numbly and sprinted off—likely to compose a report that would satisfy absolutely no one.

Later, they returned to the nearby outpost.

The mood there was a mix of relieved chaos and gossip-fueled hysteria.

Some claimed Isaac had challenged a god and vanished. Others said he'd been swallowed by a rogue realm. A particularly enthusiastic bard insisted he had sacrificed himself to seal a void rift with "a kiss of flame and sorrow."

Isaac said nothing.

Lira enjoyed the attention.

Sylvalen pretended not to roll her eyes.

That evening, as they stood on a hill overlooking the frontier town glowing beneath the stars, Lira leaned against Isaac's arm.

"Well… that could've gone worse."

Sylvalen joined them. "We'll need to return again soon. Reaffirm our place in the world."

Isaac looked beyond the rooftops—at the horizon.

He didn't speak of Emberlight.

He didn't need to.

The truth of what they were building… wasn't meant for everyone yet.

Just those who walked beside him.