The plates were laid out neatly, spoons and chopsticks placed in proper order. The aroma of freshly cooked food quickly filled the room—warm and comforting—turning the hunger that had only been simmering before into something clear, insistent, and impossible to ignore.
Once everything was ready, we all lowered our heads and said a prayer. Then dinner began. The soft clinking of utensils against plates echoed quietly, mixed with the light chatter of the children as they shared trivial stories with one another.
Yukina smiled from time to time, responding briefly or simply listening. The atmosphere felt very… normal. Too normal, to the point that I almost forgot this world was supposed to be filled with curses and danger.
After the meal was finished, the children returned to their respective rooms one by one. Chairs were pulled back, footsteps faded away, and the dining room gradually grew empty once more.
But I remained behind. I gathered the dirty plates and carried them to the kitchen sink. Even though Yukina said it wasn't necessary, I did it anyway.
I didn't want this woman to shoulder all the work by herself. At the very least, this was something small I could do—something still within the limits of my abilities.
When everything was done and the kitchen was tidy again, I went back up to the second floor. My steps felt heavier now. I entered my room, closed the door, and lay down on my bed. My body felt exhausted, my muscles slowly relaxing. But my mind was the opposite. I couldn't sleep.
Too many shocking things had happened in a single day. First, I realized that I had died from overworking myself. That realization alone was enough to shake anyone's sanity.
Then I took over the body of an orphaned boy living in an orphanage, who just happened to share the same name as me—Kenji. As if the world were deliberately toying with me.
And as if that still wasn't enough, this world wasn't ordinary Earth, but the world of Jujutsu Kaisen. A world that should only exist on a screen, filled with curses, sorcerers, and death that arrives without warning.
While I was still terrified of that reality and struggling to train just to survive, I learned another fact that was far more insane. This world was actually a fusion of Jujutsu Kaisen and High School DxD.
It might even include various ordinary slice-of-life anime worlds, like Kaguya-sama: Love is War. A mixture that sounded absurd and illogical, yet somehow felt real and consistent.
What a damned, cursed world.
Hm?
Did I just hear the sound of an explosion?
I froze for a moment, holding my breath and listening more carefully. But after several seconds, there was no follow-up sound. I let out a quiet sigh. Forget it. I probably just misheard. My head was too full to react to something so small.
I should go to sleep soon. Tomorrow morning, I needed to train my body, then continue with training my Cursed Energy. This world clearly wouldn't give me any time to let my guard down.
...
...
...
The next morning, I woke up at exactly five o'clock.
The surroundings were still completely silent. The morning air was cold and fresh, slowly seeping in through the small gaps in the window and brushing directly against my skin.
That chill made my arms tremble slightly, as if my body were only now truly waking up, while my mind gradually cleared—like fog slowly dissipating.
The room was still dim, lit only by a soft glow signaling that the night had ended and morning had begun. That light slipped in faintly from behind the curtains, making the atmosphere feel calm and peaceful.
How did I wake up at such a precise time?
Of course, because of the alarm clock sitting right beside me. The sound from the alarm exploded loudly and without warning, shattering the fragile silence of the early morning.
The sharp chime of the alarm clock pierced my ears, jolting me awake in an instant. My heart beat a little faster, my breath hitching for a brief moment before gradually settling back into a steady rhythm as I became aware of where I was.
I slipped out of bed at once. My movements were light and instinctive, as if my body had already grown accustomed to waking at this hour without complaint.
The wooden floor greeted the soles of my feet with a distinct chill, the cold seeping upward from my toes and spreading through my body. Strangely enough, that chill helped chase away the remnants of sleep still clinging to me, leaving my mind feeling clearer.
Without lingering, I walked toward the bedroom door, then paused to glance back at the two children from the orphanage who were still fast asleep in the three-tiered bunk bed. One child slept on the middle mattress, while the other lay on the topmost bunk.
Their chests rose and fell in a steady rhythm, their breathing soft and calm. Thin blankets covered their small bodies, slightly askew in places, yet their faces remained peaceful, free of any burden.
Seeing them sleeping so soundly, my own breathing unconsciously slowed and steadied. A quiet sense of relief washed over me, a calm that was hard to put into words—one that came simply from knowing that everything was all right. As though, before stepping outside, I needed to make sure this small world was still safe.
I opened the bedroom door as quietly as possible, holding the handle to keep it from making a sound. After that, I made my way down the stairs to the first floor.
The wooden steps creaked softly beneath my feet, a faint noise that stood out in the silence but wasn't loud enough to wake anyone. The orphanage building itself still seemed asleep, its walls breathing along with the hush of the early morning.
Once downstairs, I headed toward the front door of the orphanage. But when my hand touched the doorknob and I tried to open it, I realized the door was locked.
I paused for a moment, then smiled faintly. Without any panic, I unlocked the door, noticing that the key was still hanging right in the keyhole, as if it had been deliberately left there for whoever woke up first in the morning.
I was just about to open the door and step outside when something came to mind. I turned back, returned to the small table in the room, and picked up the notebook and pen resting on top of it.
With quick yet neat movements, I wrote a short message for Yukina. I explained that I was going out for a morning run, taking the orphanage key with me, and that I would lock the door from the outside to keep everything secure.
After finishing the note, I placed the notebook and pen back where they belonged, then walked toward the door again. I opened it, and the colder morning air immediately greeted me.
I stepped out of the orphanage and gently closed the door behind me to avoid making any noise. Then I locked it from the outside, making sure the key was firmly set in place.
I pulled the key free and slipped it into my pants pocket, then finally walked away, leaving the orphanage behind in the quiet that still held the morning in its grasp.
Before truly leaving, I stopped for a moment in the front yard and began some light warm-ups. My body moved slowly, following habits that had already been ingrained. I did push-ups, sit-ups, and squat jumps, ten repetitions each.
The muscles in my arms tensed and relaxed, my abdomen tightened slightly, and warmth began to spread through my legs. My breathing grew a bit heavier, but that only made my blood flow faster, a clear sign that my body was ready to move further.
After that, I walked toward the orphanage gate. I opened it, stepped outside, then closed it carefully behind me. Without any more delay and without hesitation, I started my morning run, letting my body fall into a rhythm that felt natural.
------------------------------
[Note: This novel is updated on every even-numbered date]
(Note: Every PS support means a great deal to the continuation and development of the story, and it also serves as a way to unlock Bonus Chapters as a form of appreciation.
For every 100 PS collected, 1 Bonus Chapter will be unlocked. At 300 PS, 1 additional Bonus Chapter will be unlocked. At 500 PS, 1 additional Bonus Chapter will be unlocked. At 1000 PS, 1 additional Bonus Chapter will be unlocked. At 2000 PS, 1 additional Bonus Chapter will be unlocked.
In other words, if 100 PS are collected within this week, 1 Bonus Chapter will be released. If the total reaches 300 PS, then 2 Bonus Chapters will be released. If it reaches 500 PS, then 3 Bonus Chapters will be released. If it reaches 1000 PS, then 4 Bonus Chapters will be released. And if it successfully reaches 2000 PS, a total of 5 Bonus Chapters will be released.
Thank you for your support. Every single PS truly helps push this story forward.)
[Note: 25+ latest chapters have been added! For Just $3.50 You Get Access To Chapters Way Ahead,
Now you can access the chapters before Webnovel And Scribblehub by following,
Just become a patron on Patreon:
Pa*treon.com/Andi_Dri]