While I was admiring my newly improved body—nothing too dramatic, just… not a skeleton anymore—I stood shirtless in front of the mirror, flexing like a man who thought he had abs. Realistically, I was average at best. A little tone here, a hint of a pec there. Still, compared to the twig I used to be,
Then—knock knock knock!
A heavy, impatient knock slammed against my door. I jumped, startled, and nearly dropped the tiny hand mirror I was using to check if I had back muscles yet.
Seo, my ever-anxious Familiar burst into the room like his hair was on fire. "Six-Star Mage," he said, dead serious. "Outside."
Before I could ask, "Six-star what-now?" Suddenly a Mage with a Robe look at me amused by my sudden change of body
But he seems to not care enough and immediately cast a Spell
My instincts kick in as a Former Strongest cultivator how could i not have experienced in this situation
i Escape for few minutes but to my luck the The Gap between us is too Wide
Then—bam! I was no longer in my room.
I was standing in the middle of the grand banquet hall.
Still. Shirtless.
A royal feast. Chandeliers. Gowns. Glistening cutlery. Dignified nobles holding wine glasses like they were judging grapes. And me, standing there half-naked like some lost farm boy who stumbled into a masquerade.
Silence crashed into the room like a dropped plate. Forks froze in mid-air. Jaws dropped. Even the music skidded to a stop.
Sylvia, the ice-cold beauty with white hair and a gaze that could pierce through lies, looked at me like she'd just witnessed a rare species of idiot. Her mouth hung slightly open, as if debating whether to laugh,
The Queen herself turned to me with a stunned expression. She had seen me before—back when I looked like a lanky broomstick with limbs, all angles and arrogance. I'd looked at her once with the confident lust of a man who had no business being confident or lustful.
She hadn't said anything back then, just looked at me like one might look at a cockroach that dared to wink.
But now? Her eyes scanned me again—this time seeing a guy who was at least… presentable. Average height. Average body. Smug face still firmly intact. and atleast had a Handsome face
Raven black hair, blue eyes, and the dumb Smug to show up to a royal banquet half-naked.
She raised an eyebrow, clearly amused and just a little horrified.
My sisters, Selena and Karina, were equally shocked.
"That's… Sen?" Selena whispered, as if saying it too loud might summon a demon. She pinched her own cheek gently, unsure if she was dreaming—or trapped in a fever dream hosted by her brother's ego.
Karina, ever the elegant ice cube, showed no expression on the outside. But I could tell. Deep down? She was shocked also.
Even the guests—the nobles, the elders, the suck-ups—were gawking. They knew of Sen, the Coreless Wonder. The eternal disappointment. The human noodle with the attitude of a Scum
The only ones not shocked were the maids and servants, who had the misfortune of watching my glow-up unfold over the last few days like a very average, mildly inspiring montage.
Sylvia looked me up and down again, and I caught a glint of realization in her eyes. She had gone on a date with me recently, back when I still looked like a malnourished poet. Now, I was at least… not tragic. But this? This was sudden, and suspicious.
People began whispering.
"Potion," someone muttered.
"Definitely magic-enhancing pills," another whispered.
"Charles probably Buy some Potion for him," said a third.
Which brought everyone's attention to my alleged father, Charles Ashton, who blinked a few times like he was seeing a ghost. Then, being the smooth politician he was, he suddenly clapped his hands.
"Ah! Yes! My son!" he said with a bright smile, as if he hadn't nearly disowned me multiple times. "I've had him on a strict training regimen. Diet, exercise, reading inspirational scrolls. You know, discipline."
I gave him a slow blink, then sighed. Time to go along with the act.
Sylvia, however, narrowed her eyes. She knew. She had seen the skin-and-bone me just a week ago. Her brow furrowed, a single delicate wrinkle of suspicion on her otherwise flawless face.
I rubbed my temple. What a mess.
Then—like a glowing beacon in a storm—I saw Luna.
She was at the dessert table, shoving cake into her mouth with the glee of a child who had just learned what sugar was. Frosting clung to her cheeks. Her eyes sparkled with joy and a hint of mischief. My eye twitched.
At least someone was having fun.
Meanwhile, Seo was still at the mansion, probably panicking and chewing his sleeve because I'd been teleported without notice and left him behind. Communication was out of the question—this place was too far, and the magic barrier too strong.
Eventually, a kind servant brought me a shirt. A butler uniform, oddly enough, but hey—beggars can't be shirtless.
I slipped it on quickly. It fit perfectly. Of course it did. Because fate had a sense of humor.
Then came Edward.
With his smug face, perfectly styled hair, and a voice you just wanted to slap.
He looked at me with a sneer colder than a frozen insult. "His core is still shattered," he said loudly, making sure everyone heard. "What good are looks if you're still useless? He's still scum."
Oof.
That line sliced through the air like a sword through butter. The crowd tensed.
No one said anything. Not my sisters. Not the Ashton family. Not even the staff. Because—painfully enough—he wasn't wrong.
People started turning away, whispering, rolling their eyes. One moment I was the mysterious shirtless guest. The next, I was just… that coreless noble again. Like a spark that flared too brightly and then fizzled into smoke.
I wasn't mad. No, not at all.
I was thrilled.
Really. Truly.
Okay, I was maybe Mad a bit.
My fist clenched, and my forehead throbbed with righteous fury. But I held it in. Just barely.
In my past life, someone like Edward would've had his head on the Ground by now. But this was a new life. A second chance. I could be better.
…Eventually.
Then the banquet began. Charles Ashton gave a grand speech about unity, prosperity, and probably how amazing his family was. I stopped listening halfway through and slinked over to a dark corner like a socially awkward ghost.
On my right, a girl with golden hair, emerald eyes, and the most adorable face I'd seen since Luna. She wore a maid uniform, had cake crumbs on her cheek, and looked like a Adorable Child disguised as a pastry thief.
On my left—Sylvia, in a dangerously elegant dress that hugged her like a second skin, her white hair shimmering under the chandelier. Her eyes locked on mine with both concern and suspicion.
They both approached me at the same time.
I Blink.
Luna got there first, her mouth full of cake. "Mmm, I thought you weren't coming," she mumbled, crumbs flying. Her voice was muffled, but warm. Worried.
Before I could answer, Sylvia leaned down and gently touched my face.
"Are you alright?" she asked, her voice soft but firm.
And then—for a brief, terrifying moment—their eyes met.
A silent battle began.
No words.
Just a deadly stare-off.