Athena's General Reincarnated in Another World

Nathan Evenhart:

It had been several days since the royal assembly, and by now, Cylla and I had already shared a long and honest conversation about everything Siegfried had revealed to me. I helped her understand what I knew by using our soul bond. When I touched her and opened the connection, she was able to glimpse my memories—every moment of the conversation, every thought and emotion behind my words. I didn't hide a single thing.

Still, a part of me felt ashamed.

She had seen my most private thoughts—like how selfishly I didn't want her to leave. That insecurity had lingered beneath the surface, and now she had seen it fully exposed. I knew it wasn't fair. Cylla had the right to seek out her family, to uncover who she once was before being reborn into her second body.

If our roles were reversed—if I was in a strange world, robbed of my identity—I'd want to find out where I came from too. It was natural. I understood it, truly.

But understanding it didn't make the idea of her leaving any easier.

The thought of her being gone, even temporarily, twisted something in my chest.

"Good morning. How's my patient doing today?" I asked as Cylla let out a small yawn from beneath the blankets.

"Good morning... Oh, is all this for me?" she asked, noticing the plate piled high with meat.

Cylla was healing—gradually. She was walking around the house more and more each day, though I had my suspicions that she was milking the situation just a little to get pampered.

"You've been bringing me food in bed every morning," she said, playfully tilting her head. "Maybe I should get injured more often."

"Don't joke about that," I scolded gently.

She chuckled. "Just a little tease, beloved."

I reached over and gently stroked her head.

"I'll be heading out into the city today. It'll probably be our last trip for a while," I said. "We're returning home soon. Adrihna's trying to convince my family to move to the Elven Kingdom, but... we can't abandon the people of the duchy."

She nodded quietly, starting to eat.

"Do you want to come along?" I asked.

"Hm... I think I'll stay here," she replied.

I left her alone, not wanting to push her while she recovered. As I walked down the stairs, I passed by maids rushing around the manor, loading crates and bags. Preparations for the journey were well underway.

"Looks like we won't be coming back to this city for a long time," said Chloe, appearing beside me.

When the portals start appearing, movement between cities will be limited. Most travel would be reduced to patrols and military convoys. We were preparing for the worst... though we still hoped it wouldn't come to that.

Maybe this is why the Underground Transport exists...

Chloe and I took a carriage into the city. Kinue was still at the academy, packing her things with Professor Adrihna.

"What do you want to buy?" I asked as we stepped into the bustling market district of Apsalon.

"I was thinking... maybe we could eat something together," Chloe said. "I actually made a reservation."

"A reservation? At a restaurant? I'm impressed."

"Who knows when we'll get another chance to come to Apsalon," she said, smiling. "I just wanted to make a memory worth keeping."

I followed Chloe into the restaurant. It was a luxurious place, the kind where each reservation was assigned a private room with a single lavishly set table. As soon as she gave her name at the entrance, a polite attendant led us to one of the rooms.

"Glad the curfew was lifted," I said as we sat down. "They caught a few of the traitors this week."

Chloe didn't answer immediately. Instead, she pulled something from her storage bracelet.

It was the stone ring I'd made for her.

"You kept that?" I asked, genuinely surprised.

"Of course I did," she replied softly.

For a moment, guilt stirred in my chest. With everything that had happened lately, I'd completely forgotten to get her a real ring. She must've seen the guilt on my face, because she quickly slipped it back into her bracelet.

"I-I'm not trying to pressure you," she said. "I just wanted to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"Nate… you don't regret it, do you? You really like me? I don't want this to feel like an obligation."

"Of course I like you," I said, reaching for her hand.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Chloe looked nervous as she leaned in closer.

"In that case… you're not getting away tonight," she whispered, slipping something into my palm.

I glanced down.

"A key?"

"It's for a room. At an inn nearby…" Her cheeks flushed bright red.

Oh.

I understood what she meant.

"B-but you don't have to, obviously. I just wanted you to know that if you want to… I want to," she stammered, clearly flustered.

I tucked the key into my storage bracelet.

"No need to be nervous," I told her with a smile. "Whatever happens, we'll do it together."

The rest of the lunch passed peacefully. Chloe was shy at first, but as we talked and laughed, her tension melted away. We ordered a regional dish—something traditional, something final. This would likely be our last time in Apsalon for a long while.

So much had happened to me here.

This city was where I finally accepted who I was as Nathan Evenhart, where I let go of the guilt tied to the name Helen—a name that once haunted me, but now shone with a softer, warmer light. This place had become my new Cylla City—a landmark in my story, a place where memories were made.

If I ever return to Apsalon, I hope I'll carry even more memories to share.

"You ordered all that ice cream?" I asked, eyeing the comically large dessert in front of her.

"Silly, it's for both of us."

"There's only one spoon."

"Exactly. That's how couples do it," she said, scooping some and offering it to me. "Come on. Say 'ahh'."

I stared at the spoon.

Do generals do this kind of thing? I muttered internally, hesitating.

Then—smack. A sharp flick to the back of my head.

The surprise made me instinctively lean forward, and I ended up with the spoonful in my mouth.

"That's more like it," Chloe said, grinning brightly.

I turned my head, scanning the empty space behind me.

Athena…

The goddess had appeared just long enough to push me—then vanished.

At least this time, she didn't say anything sarcastic.

I kept eating the dessert with my cousin, but after a while, I noticed something odd. Every time she fed me a spoonful, she ate two for herself.

"I think the math isn't quite right," I muttered.

"Q-quiet… it's because I'm nervous," she replied, cheeks puffing in embarrassment.

We finished the dessert soon after. As the last bite disappeared, silence settled between us—not awkward, just... loaded.

"So…" Chloe finally said, twirling a lock of hair between her fingers. "Where are we going next?"

I stood up slowly, slipping my hand into my storage bracelet and pulling out the small metal key she had given me.

"What do you think," I asked, holding it up between us, "about coming with me… somewhere a little more private?"

***

When we arrived at the inn's reception, it felt like we were doing something illegal. Embarrassment clung to us like a second skin.

"Give me your hand," I said to my cousin as we climbed the stairs.

The key was for the top floor of the inn, which had been reserved just for us—a luxury suite, more like an apartment than a simple room.

As soon as the door clicked shut behind us, Chloe turned to face me.

"I'll take a bath first," she said, trying to sound casual.

"Alright," I replied. "I'll go after you."

She took a few steps, then suddenly stopped and looked back.

"Actually… maybe you should go first," she added. "I think I'd prefer being the last one out of the bathroom."

I started walking toward the second door.

"There are two bathrooms in this suite, you know."

"Right…" she mumbled, visibly flustered. "In that case, I'll take the one connected to the bedroom. That way I'll know when you're done."

We agreed without looking each other in the eyes.

Once I closed the door behind me, I placed a hand on my chest.

Why am I nervous?

My heart was pounding.

Worse than the time I walked into a battlefield.

I took a deep breath and undressed. Beside the bathtub were several buckets of water and a few enchanted stones. Dropping one into the tub, the water quickly warmed. I rinsed off with a bucket.

Gods… I'm a mess. I splashed water everywhere.

After the bath, I paused.

Am I supposed to walk out naked? Absolutely not.

I slipped on a spare set of clothes from my storage bracelet and made my way to the bedroom. The lights were off. With each step, my pulse quickened.

I closed the door quietly behind me and sat on the edge of the bed, taking a long breath to steady myself.

"Can I come out…?" Chloe's voice came from behind the bathroom door.

"Y-yeah," I replied, barely louder than a whisper.

The room stayed dim as I reached for the nearby light crystal, dimming it to a soft, amber glow.

When the door opened, I froze.

Chloe stepped out, her cheeks flushed. She was shy and hesitant, but there was no denying it—she looked beautiful.

She wore a delicate white nightgown, semi-transparent, with lace accents and a light pair of undergarments underneath, no bra in sight.

She took a few quiet steps toward the bed.

"So… do I look okay?" she asked, voice barely audible.

"You look beautiful," I said, taken aback by how elegant and feminine she looked in that moment.

"You're staring…" she giggled nervously.

"I can't help it. You really are beautiful."

She sat down beside me on the bed, close enough for me to feel her warmth through the soft night air.

Her nightgown clung softly to her skin, the sheer fabric offering just a hint of what was underneath. She wasn't wearing a bra, and though I noticed, I made sure not to stare—she was already nervous enough.

"T-there's wine by the nightstand," she blurted, her voice almost too quick.

"R-right… maybe we should have a drink," I replied, reaching for the bottle. I knew it would take three of these to get me even mildly drunk—perks of being half-elf.

But before I could pour, she stopped me with a gentle hand.

"Actually… maybe not. I want to do this because I want to, not because of the wine."

The silence returned, heavier now. Electric.

"...Nate," she whispered, and before I could respond, she pulled me gently down with her.

I landed softly above her, our faces only inches apart. Her breath hitched. I could feel the quick rhythm of her heartbeat against my chest.

"Chloe…" I murmured, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "You really are beautiful."

She flushed, eyes flickering between mine and the dim light.

My hand slid to the fabric of her nightgown. I took my time, letting it fall away with a slow, reverent touch. My fingers traced down her waist, then up again, memorizing the shape of her. Her body was soft and warm, yet toned—refined by years of training, yet graceful in every detail.

I felt her hand on my chest, then on my back, helping me out of my shirt. The rest followed in quiet understanding, the space between us gradually vanishing.

"My chest… it's not as big as Kinue's," she murmured, half-embarrassed, half-teasing.

I met her eyes, then looked down briefly and smiled.

"They're perfect," I said simply.

That was all it took. She looped her arms around my neck and pulled me into a kiss—deep, trembling, filled with emotion.

Her legs curled gently around my waist.

"I'm yours, Nate," she whispered into my ear. "You can have all of me."