The Cloud said be Kind
Sleep was quiet.
Not peaceful. Not warm.
Just… empty.
The kind of sleep where nothing follows you.
No memories. No voices. No expectations.
For once—
nothing.
“Host…?”
A pause.
“…Host?”
The voice was soft. Light. Almost… floating.
No response.
The figure on the bed didn’t move.
The room remained still, curtains drawn, faint morning light slipping through the edges.
“HOST!!! WAKE UP!!! THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!!! ☁️✨”
His eyes opened.
Instantly.
No confusion. No delay.
Just awareness.
“…what,” he said, voice low and flat.
A small, glowing cloud hovered above him.
Round. White. Bright.
Unreasonably cheerful.
“SUCCESS!!! Host is awake!!! Hello! I am your guidance system! ☁️✨”
Silence.
He stared at it.
Blink.
“…no, you’re not.”
He closed his eyes again.
The cloud froze.
“…that was not the expected reaction.”
A pause.
Then it floated closer, determined.
“Host! Please cooperate! You have been selected for a very important mission!”
No response.
“Host, the original owner of this body has suffered a tragic fate!”
That made him pause.
A breath.
Then—
“…continue.”
His eyes opened again.
This time, slower.
Focused.
The cloud brightened.
“Yes! They were betrayed, falsely accused, abandoned, and ultimately died with regret! It is very sad! 😔”
Silence settled.
And then—
He sat up.
Something was wrong.
Not with the voice.
Not with the cloud.
With everything else.
The room.
The space.
The air itself.
His gaze moved across the walls, the furniture, the unfamiliar arrangement of a life that wasn’t his.
This wasn’t where he had fallen asleep.
This wasn’t—
His hand lifted slightly.
Pale skin.
Smooth.
Unmarked.
Different.
The realization didn’t come with panic.
Just… acknowledgment.
“…I see,” he murmured.
The cloud tilted.
“Host?”
He stood up.
Slow. Controlled.
As if testing the body.
Everything responded perfectly.
Too perfectly.
His steps carried him toward the mirror across the room.
And then—
he stopped.
Silver hair.
Soft. Light. Falling naturally over his forehead.
Grey eyes.
Muted. Calm. Empty in a way that didn’t draw attention.
Pale skin.
Clear. Untouched. Almost delicate.
A face that looked…
harmless.
Approachable.
Easy to trust.
He studied it quietly.
No reaction.
No surprise.
Just analysis.
“…new body,” he concluded.
The cloud sparkled happily.
“Correct! Host has successfully transmigrated! ☁️✨”
His gaze remained on the mirror.
On the version of himself staring back.
Then—
something shifted.
Subtle.
Barely there.
The grey in his eyes…
flickered.
And for a fraction of a second—
blue.
Cold. clear. sharp.
Then gone.
Back to grey.
As if nothing had happened.
“…unstable visual transition?” the cloud muttered, half to itself. “Probably just initialization lag!”
He said nothing.
Just continued looking.
Memorizing.
Adjusting.
“Now then!” the cloud chirped, recovering instantly. “The original owner of this body is named Aren Valis! A kind and gentle individual!”
Aren.
The name settled easily.
Like something meant to be worn.
“…status?” he asked.
The cloud brightened.
“Oh! Right! Host should also know—this body belongs to a very wealthy family! You have excellent resources, high social standing, and a perfect starting point! 😊”
A faint pause.
Then—
“…so nothing changed,” he said quietly.
The cloud blinked.
“Huh?”
He looked at his reflection again.
Different face.
Different life.
Same structure.
Same position.
Just…
cleaner.
More convenient.
In his previous life—
he had also been surrounded by wealth.
By influence.
By people who smiled easily and spoke carefully.
People who took.
People who used.
People who—
He stopped the thought.
Unnecessary.
Irrelevant.
“Host?” the cloud asked, curious. “What is your name? I need to register it!”
A pause.
A long one.
The mirror reflected someone new.
Someone untouched by what had come before.
“…Aren Valis,” he said finally.
The cloud beamed.
“Registration complete! Host Aren Valis confirmed!!! ☁️✨”
A small smile formed on his lips.
Light.
Controlled.
Perfect.
“Now!” the cloud continued excitedly, “your mission is to clear Aren’s name, build meaningful relationships, and achieve a happy ending for everyone involved!”
“…everyone?” he asked.
“Yes!” the cloud said brightly. “That is the ideal outcome!”
A quiet moment passed.
Then—
“I understand.”
He turned away from the mirror.
The faint blue was gone.
Buried again.
“Host, do you have any questions?” the cloud asked.
He walked toward the window, pulling the curtains aside.
Light filled the room.
Outside, the world moved normally.
Unaware.
Unchanged.
“…no,” he said.
Then, softly:
“I’ll follow your instructions.”
The cloud spun happily.
“YAY!!! HOST AREN IS SO KIND AND COOPERATIVE!!! 😊☁️”
He smiled.
Watching the people below.
“Be kind.”
The words echoed quietly.
Flexible.
Interpretable.
Useful.
“…of course,” he murmured.
And in a world that believed it had gained a savior—
something far more precise had just arrived
