What was Cronos's purpose in this new world? What exactly had brought him back to life?
He didn't know.
The answer had eluded him, hanging like a shadow just out of reach.
But that didn't mean his reincarnation was a mistake, or that he had no role to play. He had a role. He knew that much now.
The realization had come to him just a day before, when he'd first awoken in this strange new world. Everything had been foreign — his new body, the unfamiliar surroundings, the way the air felt different — but now, after spending some time adjusting, he was starting to settle in.
He was getting used to it. And though it had been a shock, he had come to accept the new life he had been given.
And what was that life?
A town lord.
He still couldn't quite wrap his head around it. He was just a guy, a regular man who had died in a car accident, now suddenly thrust into a position of power in a completely different world.
How had this happened? Why him? He wasn't special. He wasn't some great hero.
But still, the title fit. He was a town lord, and whether he liked it or not, he had responsibilities now.
The woman who had just handed him his breakfast seemed to embody all the small details that made this life both strange and unexpectedly enjoyable.
She was older than him, but not by much — maybe in her early twenties — and she had a gentle, nurturing demeanor.
She bowed slightly in front of him, her movements graceful as she placed the steaming bowl of soup in his hands.
The aroma was warm and inviting, a mixture of hearty grains and cooked meat.
"Thank you for the food," Cronos said, his voice smooth and calm as he took the bowl from her hands.
It was warm to the touch, and the scent alone made his stomach growl.
The woman smiled at him, her eyes momentarily flicking down to his abs. Cronos noticed her gaze but said nothing, simply meeting her eyes as she lingered in front of him.
There was a soft blush on her cheeks, a pink tinge that deepened slightly as she looked away and quickly made her way back toward the door.
Before leaving, she waved shyly over her shoulder, almost comically.
Cronos watched her leave, his gaze following the sway of her hips, noting the way her chest moved as she rushed out the door.
He couldn't help but smile at the situation, but then, an awkward blush crept onto his own face.
Did she really need to make it that obvious?
He shook his head, pushing the thoughts aside. He was still adjusting to all the attention he was getting in this body — his new, athletic form that had taken on a life of its own.
He wasn't used to people looking at him like that. But again, it seemed like life in this new world was going to be full of surprises.
With a sigh, Cronos shut the door behind him and leaned against it, trying to steady himself.
As much as the situation amused him, he still had work to do. His responsibilities were heavy, and the weight of them could settle over him at any moment.
"System," he muttered under his breath. Almost immediately, a faint blue screen materialized in front of him.
He'd become acquainted with the system shortly after his reincarnation, an interface that seemed to track his progress and offer missions and information about the world he now inhabited.
"Territory," he said again, a bit more firmly this time.
The screen flickered, and a hologram of his entire territory appeared before him, as clear as day.
It was surprisingly detailed, with a miniature version of each building in his town rendered in 3D. It was a bit like a game, but the stakes were real. And more than that, it was his to manage, his to lead.
[Current Territory: Blackwood Town]
[Territory Rank: D-Rank]
[Territory Details: Blackwood Town is a town that has stood for a decade now, located on the edge of a dense forest. It houses a population of over 3,000 people. The town's economy relies mainly on the men, who work as hunters in the nearby forest, while the women work the fields, farming the land that sustains them all.]
The stats hovered in the corner of the screen next to the hologram, showing the numbers that represented his domain.
3,000 people. It wasn't a huge population, but it was something. And Blackwood Town had been around for ten years — long enough to establish a sense of identity, a community of its own.
The men hunted in the nearby forest, a dangerous but necessary job that kept the town fed.
The women worked the fields, growing crops that supported the whole town. From what he'd gathered, it was a town built on balance.
The two groups of people played their roles in harmony.
As he studied the screen, he couldn't help but feel the weight of his responsibility. This was his town now. These were his people. The system had already given him a lot of information, but the deeper questions remained —how would he make this place thrive? How would he turn it into something worthy of his new role as a lord?
Cronos didn't have all the answers, but that was part of the challenge. He wasn't just a leader because of a title; he had to prove himself.
He had to earn the trust of the people here, build relationships, and face the obstacles that would inevitably come his way. It was a far cry from the life he had led before.
Before, he had been just a regular guy — someone who went to work, came home, and did what was expected of him.
There had been no grand mission. No purpose beyond his own survival. But now, in this world, he was meant to guide others. He was meant to lead.
And while it was overwhelming at times, Cronos couldn't help but feel a strange sense of purpose.
His fingers brushed against the screen, his mind already turning over the next steps.
Cronos took a deep breath, setting the bowl aside for a moment. There was no going back now.
He had a role to play, and he was going to make sure he played it well.