Peak Between Two: Mushoku Tensei

-Luciel Greyrat-

After weeks of traveling, we finally arrived at Wind Port, a bustling harbor town. The long and exhausting journey was finally over—at least, for now.

Along the way, I had been studying different languages, taking advantage of my ability to buy books in the previous town. My learning speed was astonishing, thanks to the fact that my brain still processed information at the same level it did back on Earth. Memorization came easily to me.

Now that we were here, I made sure to rest before replenishing our supplies.

Our next destination was Zanto Port, in the Milis Continent. To get there, we needed to cross the strait by ship. That meant waiting for the right vessel while preparing everything we needed.

At the very least, a few days of rest in this town didn't sound like a bad idea. I also wanted to craft some tools to assist in our travels, like a simple navigation device.

The others had gone to the beach… Should I follow them?

I considered it for a moment before nodding. Yes, that seemed like a good idea.

From the inn, I planned to catch up with Aisha and Norn, who had gone with Ruijerd. They were probably training or just playing by the shore.

But before that… I should make something for them.

I glanced at the food supplies I had just bought. Sandwiches seemed like a good choice.

As I walked toward the beach, my ears caught a strange sound—someone groaning from a narrow alley near the marketplace.

I stopped in my tracks, curiosity getting the better of me. The alley was dark and quiet, but the sound clearly came from within.

"Urgh~... Food~"

I frowned. That voice sounded weak, as if the owner was truly starving.

When I stepped closer, I found a young girl sitting on the ground in the corner of the alley.

She had horns.

Her wavy, violet hair was unkempt, and her skin was pale. Her half-lidded eyes made her look completely exhausted.

She looked miserable.

Even though she was clearly from a demon race, I didn't jump to conclusions immediately.

Demons could alter their appearances, and for all I knew, this girl might actually be much older than me.

But regardless of who or what she really was, she was clearly in bad shape.

I sighed before stepping toward her.

I crouched down, making sure my presence wasn't intimidating. The girl was still curled up in the corner, occasionally groaning as if she had no strength left.

Reaching into my small bag, I pulled out one of the sandwiches I had prepared.

"Hey, if you're hungry, eat this."

The moment the scent of food reached her nose, her half-closed eyes shot open wide.

Then, with a speed that completely contradicted her previous weak state—

She snatched the sandwich right out of my hand.

"OHHH!! FOOD!! FOOD!! AHAHAHAHA!!!"

I almost flinched when she suddenly let out a loud, triumphant laugh before devouring the sandwich at a terrifying pace. She ate like someone who hadn't seen food in weeks.

As she chewed, she glanced at me and pointed a small finger in my direction.

"Hey, kid! You're a good one! HAHAHA! I like good people! I shall grant you a blessing!"

I raised an eyebrow. What?

Now that I looked at her more carefully, I noticed something.

Her clothes were ragged, but her eyes were sharp and full of confidence.

Then, something clicked in my mind.

Horns. Violet hair. Sharp eyes. Over-the-top personality.

I sighed. "Don't tell me… You're Kishirika Kishirisu?"

The girl puffed out her chest proudly.

"Correct! I AM KISHIRIKA KISHIRISU! THE GREAT IMMORTAL DEMON EMPRESS! RULER OF ALL DEMON RACES!"

…It took me a few seconds to process this.

I had heard of this name before from stories I picked up along the way. Kishirika Kishirisu, the so-called Immortal Demon Empress.

And yet, looking at her now… she was just a starving kid who almost passed out in a dark alley.

Kishirika suddenly gave me a sharp look, her expression turning serious.

"Hmm…"

I frowned. "What?"

She leaned closer, narrowing her eyes as if she was observing something invisible to me.

Then, she spoke in an odd tone.

"Your body… is really strange."

I blinked. "Huh?"

"I can see a lot of things with my Demon Eyes," she continued, tapping her temple. "Normally, I can clearly read a person's fate. But you? Your body feels… like it shouldn't be here. Like something forced it to be here."

I felt a slight tension in my back.

She could sense something off about me?

I wasn't the original Luciel Greyrat. I was Kazuya, a scientist from the 22nd century who had reincarnated into this body.

I always assumed that no one would ever notice the difference.

But… could her Demon Eyes see something deeper?

I decided not to show any reaction. "What do you mean?" I asked in a casual tone.

Kishirika stared at me for a long moment—

Then, she grinned.

"Hmmm, who knows?! But it's interesting! Maybe you're a child destined for something GREAT! AHAHAHAHA!"

…She didn't seem too concerned about her own discovery.

Good.

I exhaled, dismissing her strange comment.

"Well then, if you're full, I should get going—"

"WAIT!"

Suddenly, Kishirika jumped to her feet, her face brimming with excitement.

"Since you've been so kind to me, I SHALL GRANT YOU A GIFT! I will give you a DEMON EYE!"

I immediately took a step back.

"No, thank you."

Kishirika blinked. "Huh? Why?"

"I don't need it."

Her expression turned into pure disbelief.

"Impossible! Everyone I've ever given a Demon Eye has always gladly accepted it! Do you realize how valuable this is?!"

I was really not interested.

Having a Demon Eye sounded like an advantage, but I wasn't the type to take unnecessary risks.

Besides, I already had plenty of advantages from my advanced scientific knowledge alone.

I didn't need extra powers that might not even suit me.

"Thanks, but I really don't need it," I repeated firmly.

Kishirika pouted.

"Weird kid! NO ONE refuses a gift from the Great Demon Empress!"

I could tell that arguing with her would only make things worse.

So, I did the only thing I could in this situation.

I turned around… and ran.

"HEY! DON'T RUN! TAKE THE DEMON EYE!!"

I could hear her shouting behind me, but I didn't care.

I just kept running toward the beach, hoping to escape from the overly enthusiastic Demon Lord.