As Aeris entered the inn, she was greeted by the warm glow of the hearth and the soft murmur of the few patrons inside.

Behind the counter stood a young innkeeper, a girl around her age, with bright eyes and an even brighter smile.

She looked up as Aeris approached, wiping her hands on her apron.

“Welcome! What can I do you for?”

Aeris returned the smile, her expression softening.

The innkeeper was cute, with a warm demeanor that put her at ease.

“I need a room for the night,” Aeris said, leaning casually against the counter.

“And a drink, if you’ve got something strong enough.”

The innkeeper chuckled.

“Strong? You don’t look old enough to be drinking the strong stuff honey.”

Her tone was teasing, but Aeris liked that.

Aeris smirked, leaning in a little closer.

“I get that a lot. But trust me, I’ve seen more than enough to warrant it. I’m an adventurer, you see. Been traveling for a while.”

The innkeeper raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “An adventurer, huh? Well, I guess I can make an exceptio One time only” She winked playfully before turning to grab a bottle from the shelf behind her.

“One room and one drink, coming right up.”

As the innkeeper poured the drink, Aeris allowed herself a moment of idle conversation, exchanging a few flirtatious comments with the girl.

There was something refreshing about the easy banter, a welcome distraction from the darker thoughts that had been plaguing her since the goblin ambush and the encounter with the bandits.

After a bit more conversation, Aeris paid for her room and took her drink, flashing the innkeeper a a wink and a smile before heading upstairs.

The room at the inn was small but comfortable, with a bed, a vanity, and a window that looked out over the quiet village.

As Aeris set her things down, she took a long sip of her drink, the warmth of the alcohol spreading through her chest.

She crossed the room to stand in front of the vanity, her reflection staring back at her from the polished glass of the mirror

She studied herself for a moment, her mind wandering back to her old life, her life as Nagisa.

Nagisa had been plain, awkward, and overweight.

She’d been bullied relentlessly in school, teased for her appearance, for the way she dressed, for the way she carried herself. She had tried to fit in, tried to melt into the background, but no matter how hard she tried, she was always the target of cruel jokes and whispered taunts.

Aeris clenched her fists, her nails digging deep into her palms as those memories flooded back.

The laughter, the insults, the feeling of being invisible until someone decided to acknowledge her existence just to tear her down again.

It was a past she tried to bury but even in this new world, the scars of that life lingered.

She had come far. She was no longer that weak, pitiful girl. In this world, she had power, she had beauty, she had control.

But the pain of her old life still haunted her, lurking beneath the surface.

As her reflection stared back at her, Aeris’ vision blurred with tears she didn’t realize she had been holding back.

She blinked them away, anger rising in her chest as the memories became too much to bear.

With a sudden surge of emotion, Aeris raised her hand, summoning a shard of ice in her palm. Without a second thought, she hurled it at the mirror.

The glass shattered, shards splintering in all directions as the ice javelin embedded itself in the wall behind it.

Aeris stood there, breathing heavily, trembling, her chest heaving as the remnants of her reflection vanished from her mind.

"That's not me"

" That's girl's dead"

"Dead and burried"