**Chapter 4: Aftermath**
"Oh man, it hurts. It seriously hurts," Gray muttered to himself, staring at his red and swollen hand after slapping Adolf. “[Skill: Heal]. Phew, that’s better. To think even slapping someone would hurt this much… the original owner of this body was seriously lazy,” he sighed, flexing his fingers.
Suddenly, a cold sensation brushed against his throat. A blade.
“So, you’re the one who defeated Ambrose, huh?” a voice came from behind.
Gray didn’t flinch. He remained expressionless, his eyes forward. “I don’t know who you are, but it seems introductions at this academy are severely lacking. So, missy, who are you?”
“My name isn’t one your kind needs to know or remember,” she said with icy confidence.
“Fine,” Gray said with a sigh. "Yes, I defeated Ambrose or whatever his name was. But it seems you’re no different from him." In a blink, Gray spun around, grabbing her by the head and slamming her into the ground with a forceful thud.
He stood over her, watching the girl struggle beneath his grip. She had jet-black hair and piercing purple eyes. Her beauty was striking, but Gray wasn’t fazed.
“You know, I don’t have time for people who can’t even introduce themselves properly.” He released her, standing back up as he prepared to walk away.
“The name is Ava. Ava Williamstone,” she muttered, getting to her feet, dusting herself off with her pride barely intact. "I’ll deal with you later." And with that, she walked off towards the dorms.
Gray glanced over his shoulder, watching her leave. His eyes briefly lingered on her hips. "I guess you're not like him after all," he smirked to himself.
After leaving the academy grounds, Gray felt his stomach rumble. "Man, I’m starving. This body is seriously no good. I need to get it back to at least a normal human state. No wonder the original owner was bullied—having a body like this would make anyone an easy target."
As he walked through the city, he remembered the inn from earlier. "Oh right, there was a restaurant next to that inn. I wonder what kind of food this world has to offer." With his curiosity piqued, Gray entered the restaurant, only to find chaos.
Two men, both in their forties and clearly seasoned warriors, were brawling in the middle of the dining area. Their fists collided with sickening thuds, and the other patrons were cheering them on like a spectacle. A young woman in her twenties, presumably a worker or the owner, was trying desperately to break them up, but they weren’t listening.
“Hey, why are they fighting?” Gray asked a passing server.
The worker sighed. “They’ve been at it for a week now, fighting over that girl there,” she nodded toward the woman. “It’s been terrible for business.”
“Why not call the guards?” Gray asked, puzzled.
“Guards? Even they can’t deal with them. Those two are B-rank adventurers. Too strong for the city guards to handle.”
Gray leaned back against the counter, watching with growing disinterest as the two adventurers drew their swords, ready to escalate the fight.
"How foolish, to think they’re fighting over something so ridiculous." Gray stood up and made his way over to the girl who had been trying to stop them. Without warning, he grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her on the forehead.
The two men saw this and lost their minds, charging at Gray with their swords raised. But Gray didn’t even blink.
"How simple-minded," he thought to himself, his eyes glinting with amusement. "[Skill: Telekinesis]."
With a casual flick of his fingers, both men went flying through the air and smashed into the door, crashing outside and landing unconscious on the ground.
The restaurant went silent, and the girl looked up at him with wide eyes. “Th-thank you! Thank you so much for saving our restaurant!” she stammered, bowing repeatedly. Her green hair and eyes glistened under the warm light, as if she were part of the natural world itself.
"But now they’ll just keep bothering you. You shouldn't get involved," Gray said, glancing at her. Her worried expression was so endearing it made Gray instinctively look away, his face turning slightly red.
“No, it’s fine. But, uh... I’m starving. Could you get me something to eat?” he asked, trying to regain his composure.
“Of course!” she smiled, rushing off to the kitchen.
After about ten minutes, she brought out the most delicious-looking meal Gray had ever seen. The meat was so tender and juicy, it melted in his mouth with every bite.
“This is... so good,” Gray mumbled between mouthfuls, stuffing his face as if it were his last meal. After finishing, he handed over the payment with a satisfied grin and left the restaurant, his stomach full and his spirits high.
As he walked out, the girl, Emily, watched him leave. “He was so beautiful... just like in a fairy tale,” she whispered to herself, before returning to her duties.
With his hunger sated, Gray returned to his dorm. He laid back on his bed, staring up at the ceiling.
“Today was... boring,” he sighed. His mind wandered to the two girls he had encountered—Ava with her sharp tongue and Emily with her gentle eyes. A faint blush spread across his cheeks. “I wonder if I’ll see them again. Maybe... we could have some sort of story together?”
He shook his head, burying his face in the pillow. “Whatever. Let’s just sleep for now.”
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