Looking Forward to Another World Chapter 1: Riezel Brynhart

The summer day was bright and clear.

Golden sunlightbeams poured down from a cloudless sky, piercing the window to illuminate a rather opulent chamber.

Riezel was seated upon a grand, expensive bed, partially covered by a blanket. Though his complexion was rather pale, he seemed to be in good spirits, much like someone recovering from a severe malady.

A priest stood vigil by his bedside.

"You seem quite full of vigor today, Mr. Riezel."

The priest remarked, holding a ledger in one hand and a quill in the other. He observed Riezel with a sharp gaze, a pleasant smile gracing his features.

"Oh... Is that so?" Riezel, seemingly unaware of the priest's scrutiny, nodded. "I do feel significantly better today. I expect I can manage to get out of bed without any trouble."

"That's wonderful news." the priest responded. "Your recovery progresses much faster than I had predicted. While we must continue to monitor you, it appears you'll be active again soon."

With that, the priest turned his attention to the bound parchment before him, beginning to make notes.

Curious runic symbols, intricate and arcane, were rapidly inscribed by the priest onto the parchment. Riezel's gaze was captivated by these symbols, not only on the parchment but also those adorning the priest's very person.

The priest's golden-trimmed robe bore runic sigils on its various edges, bestowing upon him an aura of mystique and subtle erudition.

"As a precaution, I will employ magic to assess your condition." the priest stated gently. "Kindly permit me."

Setting aside his parchment and quill, the priest raised his hands toward Riezel's chest.

Moments later, cryptic and difficult-to-decipher incantations emerged from the priest's lips. A soft, benevolent luminescence radiated from his palms.

In the ensuing instant, Riezel distinctly felt a growing warmth suffuse his body. It was as though an unseen current of warmth flowed into him, immersing him in invisible, tepid water. This sensation not only brought physical comfort but also invigorated his mind and spiritual energy.

After a brief interlude, the priest ceased his ministrations and withdrew his hands.

"Mhm, your body is fully restored. All previous injuries have been mended." The priest nodded approvingly. "You should remain resting today, and you may begin to move about tomorrow."

As the priest spoke, a subtle current of sympathy and compassion flickered in his eyes while he regarded Riezel.

Bearing these emotions, the priest paused for a moment before gently articulating his concern.

"Your physical form is now sound, but you must refrain from using magic." the priest continued delicately. "The 'Gate' within you has sustained severe damage. It is no longer capable of releasing magical energy. Should you recklessly employ magic, it could lead to a magical energy imbalance within you, and then..."

The priest left the remainder of his warning hanging, unspoken.

Nevertheless, Riezel responded with a faint smile, stating, "I am aware of my situation. I shall not act recklessly."

"Excellent." The priest offered a slight smile. "In that case, I shall take my leave. A young lady is expected to visit you shortly. Please bear with it and rest in bed for now."

After imparting a few more instructions, the priest departed quietly.

Left alone in the chamber, Riezel remained seated on the bed, lost in thought for a considerable duration.

"Hahhh..."

A few seconds passed before Riezel released a sigh so faint it was almost imperceptible.

"Magic, you say...?"

Gazing at his hands, which appeared noticeably younger and paler than he recalled, Riezel softly mused to himself.

"Even if I were instructed to use it, I likely wouldn't know where to begin..."

After all, in the era and world he hailed from, the notion of 'Magic' was merely the stuff of fantasy. It simply had no place in reality.

Yet, in this current world, it seemed to be a completely ordinary and accepted aspect of existence.

Riezel found himself recalling events from a month prior. The memory of waking up brought with it the realization that he had arrived in an unfamiliar world, encountering 'Magic' for the very first time.

The shock, confusion, and sheer bewilderment of that initial period now felt like a distant echo. At the very least, the current him had fully come to terms with the fact of his transmigration into this fantastical realm.

Over the course of a month, he had also gained an understanding of this world's circumstances.

In essence, this was a realm of swords and sorcery, a parallel world endowed with extraordinary abilities and arcane energies.

One month ago, his arrival in this world marked the beginning of a new identity for him.

The original bearer of this identity was a native of this world, coincidentally sharing the same name.

The sole distinction was that he had been nearly thirty in his past life, whereas this world's Riezel had just reached seventeen years of age, a considerably younger existence.

*Knock! Knock! Knock!*

Just as Riezel was becoming absorbed in his reminiscences, a sudden series of knocks sounded at the door.

"Riezel, are you awake?"

A voice, light as a breeze and clear as water, broke through his musings from beyond the door.

"I'm awake." Riezel was pulled back to the present and replied, "Come in."

With his assent, the door creaked open.

A girl, appearing to be around his age, stood in the doorway.

She wore a practical yet elegant dress, and an aura of nobility emanated from her every pore. Her features were delicate, her figure slender, and her waist-length, luminous silver hair cascaded around her, fitting her appearance perfectly. Far from being odd, it amplified her noble bearing, bestowing a graceful charm that made her every movement a delight to behold.

She glided into the room with an effortless grace, radiating an understated beauty that compelled even Riezel, who was becoming accustomed to her presence, to stifle an involuntary sigh of admiration.

Of course, he didn't actually sigh.

As he watched her approach, a gentle smile graced his lips.

"You've come again, Miss Yuri."

Yuri Frenzel.

That was the name of the girl who had rescued him and brought him to this place.

For Riezel, at least, she was merely his savior. The original occupant of his body, faced with her, might have been paralyzed with nervousness, much like a protagonist in certain Japanese light novels.

Alas, he was not the original Riezel of this world. Though he knew from the former owner's memories of her noble status and apparent unattainability, his heart held only pure gratitude.

Yuri, in response, gently shook her head.

"Just call me Yuri; there's no need for such formality."

Her voice, much like when she had spoken from outside the room, was a pleasant melody of wind and water. Riezel even found himself thinking, somewhat rudely, that a voice like hers was wasted on anything but singing.

"Judging by your appearance, it seems you've recovered quite well," Yuri observed, sitting down by his bedside and studying him intently. "How are you feeling? Are you able to leave your bed?"

"Tomorrow should be fine..." Riezel answered, his voice tinged with gratitude. "Thank you for your care, Miss Yuri. I will repay this kindness one day."

"I've told you, there's no need for such formality..." Yuri let out a soft sigh. "Your current predicament has a connection to me, after all. It's rather odd seeing you so polite now. Wouldn't it be better if you were still like you were at the beginning?"

Perhaps recalling 'that time' improved her mood, but it left him momentarily speechless.

Back then, his attitude had been far from pleasant, but he couldn't help it.

When he first transmigrated into this new world, he awoke in agonizing pain, riddled with severe injuries, to find an unknown girl standing over him. His initial reaction was inevitably one of suspicion and hostility.

Had it not been for the later realization that something extraordinary had happened to his body, Riezel would have suspected a nefarious plot, believing someone was once again trying to harm him.

Memories from his past life resurfaced, causing a dull ache in his heart.

'Thinking about it, my current situation in this world doesn't seem all that different from my previous one,' Riezel reflected wryly to himself.

Unaware of his thoughts, Yuri noticed his sudden silence and, whether by design or accident, steered the conversation elsewhere.

"Still no way to repair your Gate?" she inquired.

Though seemingly a shift in topic, the subject she raised was, in a way, more sensitive than their prior discussion.

"No," Riezel replied, his expression remaining composed. "The damage appears quite severe, with no indications of healing. I've been warned not to use magic for now."

"Is that so...?" Yuri's voice held a note of regret.

In this world, the capacity to wield magic directly dictated one's social standing. Magic required a certain quantity of magical energy, which served as its fuel; without it, magic was impossible.

Fortunately, individuals in this world were born with magical energy, the variations lying solely in its abundance. Some possessed more, others less, a select few enough to perform magic, while many lacked the capacity entirely.

The 'Gate' was described as a particular type of nerve within the human body possessing magical properties. It functioned as a switch, a conduit, and a vessel for storing the magical energy essential for using magic.

Once this 'Gate' sustained damage, accessing magical energy became exceedingly difficult. In the most severe cases, the stored magical energy could be completely depleted.

His Gate was not just damaged; it had been intentionally sabotaged.

"Have you discovered who was responsible?" Riezel inquired casually. "Who harbored the intention to harm me?"

This very question was the reason he found himself in this predicament.

He—or rather, the original owner of his body—had met his demise a month prior. He had sustained grave injuries and had not survived.