Mary sat down beside him, clinging to his arm with barely contained excitement. Her eyes were bright, almost glowing. "My mindscape… it leveled up as I expected."
For a brief moment, Ryan stared at her, then his expression broke into genuine delight. "Really?" he said, joy spilling into his voice. "That's great! Does that mean… if you enter the mindscape in the future, I can go in too?" He paused, then added with a rare hint of grievance, "You have no idea how helpless I feel every time you disappear like that."
Mary laughed softly. "Then there's no need to wait. Hubby, I'll bring you in right now."
Before Ryan could say another word, the world around him shifted.
In an instant, the cramped room disappeared. Cool, fresh air rushed into his lungs, carrying a faint, refreshing fragrance that made his entire body feel lighter, as if years of fatigue had been gently brushed away. He looked around slowly, stunned.
