The scent of tinctures clung to the air—faint traces of alchemy oil, reaction salts, and that sharp synthetic tang from stabilizers, too. The gss tubes shimmered with reflections that flickered even when nothing moved. A cauldron bubbled silently, but there was no fire beneath it.

  It was weird, but I was standing in the middle of my workshop. But evidently, something wasn’t right here.

  Every bottle was exactly where it should be, yet they all felt like props. My fingers traced the worn edge of the workdesk—

  “You’re kidding,” I said dryly.

  No dust. No grime. Vague warmth. It was unnerving… and maybe in a way, idealized.

  I exhaled slowly.

  “Okay. This isn’t real,” I muttered. “But this is way too coherent to be a dream.”

  The feeling reminded me of something—it was like the night I was shunted into this world.

  “Am I about to get ejected out of here?” I asked, a tiny bit more panicked.

  A quiet breath stirred the air behind me. “No, not at all.”

  I turned.

  There, standing by the bookshelf, flipping through a familiar bck-leather tome with idle precision, was someone who looked just like me.

  Or rather—someone I looked like.

  His expression was unreadable. His hair was messier than mine. I was definitely a little more muscur than he was. He gnced up, eyes catching mine, and offered a small nod.

  “Sorry,” he said, voice calm. “Not every day one does this.”

  My mouth opened. No words came out.

  He smiled faintly. “It’s alright. I know this is weird.”

  I forced myself to breathe. “Are you…?”

  He shut the book and walked toward me. “Yeah. I’m him. The original. The guy who was in that body before you.”

  “Timaeus,” I said, absolutely rocked off bance.

  My brain clunked like rusted gears. My knees nearly gave out, and I leaned against the desk.

  “Holy shit,” I breathed. “You're real. You’re here. Holy shit—I hijacked your body.”

  He shrugged. “Not really..”

  That made me blink. “So… you're… what, a ghost? Did you die before I got here or something? Am I occupying a body that would have been a corpse? That happens in the stories a lot.”

  Timaeus casually shook his head. “No, no, nothing like that. See…” His grin widened. “I got offered the opportunity to go to a world where alchemy is everything. And when I say everything, I mean everything.”

  My head tilted. “Really?”

  “Yeah!” he excitedly replied. “Everyone who matters is chasing the heights of their alchemy and fighting to be the Alchemy King! I’m going to be doing that too, and Tim, let me tell you, their alchemy is so developed and fantastical. There are people who can conjure fire from thin air and a formu, and most of everyone can grab a clump of earth and mold it into a dagger with just a cp of their hands! It’s so out of this world!”

  “Wow,” I said, sincerely astounded. “And you just got to go there?”

  He grinned. “Yeah. Great deal, right? Do you want to come?”

  I recoiled. “What?”

  “Do you want to come? That world I’m in now is way better than this crappy prison. Everything is so much more free, and the people actually understand someone like me.”

  I chuckled, unable to ignore the humor of the situation. “The grass is always greener on the other side, huh?” I muttered.

  I smiled at Tim and shook my head.

  “No, Timaeus. I appreciate it, but I’m right where I want to be.”

  His smile faded and was repced by a confused twist to his lips. “Really?”

  “You might not believe this, but the world I came from was…. You know, it was a good world, but it was pretty much ending. Yours is nice.”

  Timaeus clicked his tongue and shook his head. The way he did that reminded me so much of Rave. “I don’t believe that. Mine isn’t nice.”

  “Maybe that was the wrong word to use, but… Yeah, it’s the people. I’m here for the people.”

  “Oh… You can stand to be around the people there?” Tmaeus asked, sincerely confused.

  “Maybe if I were twenty years younger, I’d say I couldn’t… But before coming here, I had already spent a long time pretty much by myself, with only stories to keep me company… So yeah, I’m at the point of my life where I want to be around the people I’m a fan of.”

  “Huh… Sorry,” he said, scratching his head. “I thought you’d be more like me since it was my body you were coming to occupy.”

  “Don’t apologize. We’re probably simir enough.”

  His smile returned. “Yes… We must be. As I understood it, there was a soul who wanted to occupy my body, of all things, so that probably says it all. No need for me to complicate things.”

  Was that how it was presented to him? I didn’t want to come to his body, but rather, it seemed like things were decided for me based on my interests. How peculiar.

  “This has been a good meeting,” he said, letting out a relieved sigh. “I just visited to make sure you’re not feeling guilty about taking over my life or anything tedious like that.”

  I blinked at him a few times.

  “This is going to sound terrible of me,” I said, “but I never once felt a single shred of guilt about this situation.”

  “Oh.”

  “I never once thought about what happened to you. I just thought this was how it worked. I thought it was consequence-free. I thought you weren’t actually real, sort of.”

  Timaeus nodded. “Great, then. Nice. Simple. Not dramatic. I think I like you. I approve more than I did before.”

  “I think I like you, too. You seem like a real simple guy.”

  There was a little bit of a lie in there. As a fan of the goddesses, I didn’t really like how Timaeus seemed to have kept his distance from Meredi, inadvertently making her glummer, but as the man reaping the benefits of the arrangement? I’d find a way to be okay with it.

  “Great… So… No problem then?” Timaeus asked.

  “Do you care that I’m a remorseless, thoughtless bastard?”

  “No. You’re to the point. I wish more people were like you.”

  “Great.”

  “So… I can go?” he awkwardly asked.

  “Yeah. Good luck with the Alchemy King thing.”

  “Thanks. I’m excited. It’s a real opportunity for me. Good luck with my body.”

  “I’ll treat it well… Oh! Can you just visit me whenever you want?”

  Timaeus tilted his head as he thought for a few beats. “I think so.”

  “Then, I’ll share with you some new alchemical concoctions next time.”

  Timaeus lit up. “Really? You think you’ll have new recipes?”

  I snickered, which only got him more excited. “I’m going to break so many taboos. You can’t even imagine it, Tim.”

  “Yes! Do it! I’m excited! Okay, I’ll leave you alone, won’t distract you from your work. Just blow me away with those recipes!”

  “Don’t worry, sir. I’ve got you.”

  Timaeus grinned and extended his hand. “A promise between alchemists?”

  I delivered a firm handshake. “A promise between world-hopping men! Oh, wait, wait, wait, did you occupy someone else’s body over there?”

  He shook his head. “I’m a baby right now. Just a few weeks old.”

  I gave a knowing nod. “Alright, so that’s what they went with. Okay. So, right now, I’m rediscovering your memories by—pretty much by trigger items and people.”

  “Okay,” he replied, clearly engaged.

  “There are way too many holes with this approach. Could you unlock all of your memories for me? I don’t want to run into the most important person in the setting and suddenly learn that I actually had a retionship with them spanning decades.”

  “What an annoying way of integrating you into the world. I can understand why someone wouldn’t want to risk making you an infant, given the infant mortality rate, but still… Then again, I suppose that’s why I’m here.” Timaeus closed his eyes. “I will try to give you my memories.”

  I closed my eyes. “Thanks.”

  And then I gasped.

  “Did it work?” he asked.

  “No, I’m just messing with you.”

  He replied with a sigh. “You will probably get along with Rave.”

  We closed our eyes again.

  “If only you knew,” I replied.

  We stood there for a few minutes. It felt like something was happening. When we opened our eyes, we did it like we were mirror images.

  “I think I got it,” I said.

  “I think so too.”

  My mouth dropped. “You met a goddess? Is she here?”

  Timaeus looked around. “I don’t think so. She seems busy. I’m sure you’ll meet her eventually.”

  “Hope so… I have the memories, but I don’t have your inner thoughts, so I’ve got to ask one thing.”

  “Okay. Ask.”

  “Why did you buy such a rge bed?”

  Timaeus slumped, sighed, and then ughed like he was gd he got away from this pce. “It’s because Rave is annoying. My old bed wasn’t big enough, so she wanted to kick me off my bed. So I went and bought a bigger one. All because she and her sister step on each other’s toes. They are so draining. I’m gd to be rid of them.”

  I was smiling, but on the inside, I was formuting one hundred ways to hurt this man. This man may very well be the avatar of the evil devs themselves.

  But I was greater than that. I was in a good pce.

  “I feel bad for Cynthia. I could tolerate her at least. She barely ever bothered me.”

  Oh this man was definitely the second-coming of those cursed devs.

  Timaeus shuddered. “Strange. The atmosphere feels… much chillier now.”

  “Don’t worry, friend,” I said. “I’ll take care of them. Go. Go back to your alchemy world. Don’t waste any more time here.”

  Timaeus smiled. “Great! I’m gd you get it!”

  “Yup, yup, just go. Get out of here. Fortune favors the bold. Alchemists be ambitious. Just leave.”

  Timaeus nodded, grinning like he had found a kindred soul, took one st look at the workshop like he’d never seen it before, and faded.

  ***

  “What a goddamn twit.”

  The sound of my own voice woke me up. It was morning.

  Direct morning light wasn’t pouring in—there was no sun here—but the light of the yer’s fixtures was leaking in through the grated skylight. My mouth was dry. My shoulder was warm.

  I turned my head slightly and saw Rave.

  Curled up beside me, still asleep. Her hand was spyed gently against my chest like she'd cimed it in her sleep. Her lips were parted just barely, her breath slow and steady, and a few strands of her hair had fallen over her brow.

  Every cell in my body screamed hallelujah, but I stayed perfectly still.

  I can’t do it. I cannot ruin perfection. Goddess, give me strength.

  The goddess of smug contraband cuddling was gracing me with holy warmth, and the st thing I wanted was for her to wake up and realize what she’d done. If I was lucky, she’d scoot away in her sleep, and I could treasure the memory without making it awkward.

  I let my eyes shut again, heart hammering way too fast.

  These moments… these were the moments that would finally put me in the grave.

  I thought back to the games. As much as I hated the devs for the prologue, the actual events with the love interests were so heartwarming and cute; they’d make an old man have butterflies. If moments of that calibre were in my future… A guy could only dream.

  I suddenly felt her shift, snapping me out of my fantasies.

  She sat up.

  My breathing steadied. I didn’t move. I kept my eyes closed, controlling every twitch of my face with the focus of a monk.

  I have ascended. No one will know. I am not awake.

  Rave didn’t say anything. She just sat there. Couldn’t feel her moving. Maybe she was still sleepy.

  Then—barely a breath of contact—her lips brushed my forehead.

  My heart stopped. She had kissed my forehead. Pretty much as good as blessing me for the day. Might as well go try my luck at the gambling den.

  Then I heard the creak of the bed as she stood. Then came the rustling of clothing as it slid along a body. Buckles clicked. Fabric tightened. The smooth rustle of a coat being tugged into pce was distinct.

  I didn’t peek. I was an honorable fanboy. It would not do for me to tarnish sacred moments with petty sins.

  The door opened.

  Silence. I could rex and bask in my good fortune.

  I heard her take a step, but then a “Tch” reached my ears.

  She stomped back into the room and grabbed my shoulder.

  “Hey,” she said sharply. “It’s morning.”

  I blinked up at her, rubbing my eyes like I’d just woken up. “Mmmn. Morning, Rave.”

  Her hair was still slightly tousled, the one streak of white hair even more eye-catching than usual. Her coat was only halfway buckled. Her cheeks were just barely flushed. She looked both stunning and extremely annoyed.

  “I’m heading out for the day,” she said with a briskness meant to create distance.

  I nodded. “Right. Got it. Thanks.”

  She turned to leave, but I raised my voice just slightly.

  “Hey, Rave?”

  She paused. “Yeah?”

  “I don’t think you’re annoying.”

  That hit her harder than it should have.

  She visibly slumped like the words had weight. Her head swiveled, then she exhaled with a groan and turned back.

  Red-faced, she sat down on my stomach with a heavy thump.

  “Ooof—but I’ll take it, ma’am.”

  “Stop that. Don’t enjoy it so much,” she muttered.

  Then—after a moment—she leaned forward and kissed my forehead again.

  I was so stunned I didn’t notice when she righted herself again.

  “I’m going to keep an open mind,” she said. “And see what happens. But don’t get ahead of yourself. I’m only going to make an effort of being sweet with you in the mornings. That’s it. That’s the deal. If you sleep through it, it’s on you.”

  I grinned. “I’ll take it.”

  “And,” she added, eyes narrowing slightly, “I’m not telling anyone about your ambitions with the other two. Including the two in question.”

  My breath caught. “Oh?”

  “Yeah. Because if I decide you’re not worth the trouble and cut you lose, I don’t want to make it impossible for you to find happiness with someone else.”

  What a kind sentiment. It made me look upon her with awe.

  She stood up again, brushing her coat off like she was brushing me off, but I could see it—right under the surface. She wanted to wear a smile. Her lips were trembling and the smile existed in fshes of moments. That was more than I needed to know that I was doing something right.

  She gnced down at me one more time. “Sleep in if you want. You’re supposed to be recovering, right?”

  Then she was gone.

  And I y there, one arm behind my head, staring up at the ceiling mp like it had just blessed me. But we all knew that the mp had nothing to do with it—if I was blessed, it was all Rave.