Elian's consciousness returned slowly.
His eyelids felt heavy as he opened them. Soft light filtered through pale, thin curtains surrounding the bed. The fabric swayed gently, as if stirred by a barely noticeable breeze.
The ceiling above him was clean and high, traced with faint, shimmering lines of light that occasionally glowed softly. The air felt cool, carrying a light scent—a mix of medicinal herbs and something calming.
"…Huh?" Elian let out a quiet breath.
His body felt weak, like he had just woken from a long sleep. His thoughts were sluggish, but there was no pain—only exhaustion pressing in from within.
"Don't move too much yet."
A woman's voice came from beside him. Elian turned his head and saw a nurse standing near the bed, dressed neatly in light-colored clothing. Her hair was tied simply, and a small crystal hung on her chest, emitting a faint glow.
She placed a small circular device against Elian's chest. Its surface was cold, and a thin light spread outward, following the rhythm of his breathing.
"Your mana flow is stable," she said calmly while watching the reflection in the crystal. "But your mental exhaustion is severe. If you push yourself again, it could be dangerous. You need proper rest."
Elian nodded weakly."By the way… how long was I asleep?"
The nurse turned slightly. "Two days. If you hadn't woken up by noon today, it would've been three."
After a moment, the nurse stepped aside and pulled the curtain back a little, letting in more light. Elian glanced to the side. On a small table next to the bed sat a plate of fresh fruit—red apples, grapes, and other sliced fruit still glistening with moisture.
Once the nurse left, Elian reached for an apple and took a slow bite. The fresh sweetness spread through his mouth, clearing his mind just a little.
He chewed quietly, staring at the gently swaying curtain.
Not long after, hurried footsteps sounded from behind it.
The curtain was pulled aside, and Seraphina appeared with a worried expression. Her Purple hair was slightly disheveled, and her gaze locked onto Elian immediately.
"Elian!" she said quickly. "You're finally awake…"
She moved to his bedside, her breathing still uneven—clearly having rushed over.
"How are you feeling?" she asked, her voice lowered with concern.
I didn't expect her to be the first one to visit me.
Elian gave a faint smile. "I'm fine."
"He's stable," a voice came from behind them. The nurse returned, carrying a bowl of porridge. "His body is just weak from sleeping for so long."
Seraphina let out a relieved sigh, though worry still lingered in her eyes.
"Here," the nurse said, holding out a spoon toward Elian. "You need to eat to regain your strength."
Elian began eating right away. His stomach felt painfully empty. Even though the porridge tasted plain, it was more than satisfying for someone who hadn't eaten in days.
"I'll take care of him," Seraphina said as she took the bowl and spoon from the nurse. "There's something I want to discuss with him privately."
"Oh…" The nurse's eyes sparkled with interest, but she quickly left after Seraphina shot her a sharp look.
Seraphina fed Elian slowly before finally speaking, her tone filled with regret."I've seen your situation. Back then, you made a contract with a demon—and I saw the contents of that contract. This happened because of it."
She lowered her gaze briefly. "I should have been more cautious the moment I noticed something was off."
"Why didn't you tell me you'd made a contract with a demon?" Seraphina looked straight at Elian.
Elian had expected the question. He was actually relieved that she didn't seem to have told anyone else.
"I didn't know myself that I had made a contract with a demon," he answered honestly.
Seraphina fell silent for a moment. "Then… do you remember why you made the contract?"
Elian shook his head slightly. "Maybe… for power?"
Hearing that, Seraphina froze. Her heart trembled as she began to understand the state Elian had been in back then.
"By the way," Elian changed the subject, "shouldn't you be teaching right now? It doesn't seem like break time yet."
Seraphina continued feeding him as she replied, "It's almost break time. I gave them assignments and rushed here to check on you."
Elian swallowed the porridge. "So… how did the nobles react to this incident?"
Seraphina looked a little confused by the question. "Many of them filed complaints. Even nobles from remote regions have started coming to check on their heirs."
If the news has spread this far in just a few days… Elian muttered internally. They'll probably arrive in person soon.
"You should be worrying about your own condition first," Seraphina said, gripping the bowl tightly. "That demon should have taken part of your soul, leaving you with memory loss. No one can live normally like that."
Her voice sounded hoarse.
"Don't worry," Elian said quietly. "I only lost my memories, nothing more—"
He stopped mid-sentence when Max and Finn entered his view.
Both of them froze when they saw Seraphina feeding Elian—especially since she was a teacher.
Seraphina immediately stood up, handed the bowl to Elian, and left the room without saying a word.
After she was gone, Elian spoke up."Why did you two show up out of nowhere like Pokémon?"
Finn and Max walked closer.
"We asked the nurse to inform us once you woke up," Finn replied.
"Yeah," Max added. "Finn even paid her."
Elian sighed. "By the way, Finn, do you have any information about the goddess who owns the Dreamweaver fate?"
Finn looked confused before answering. "I'm sorry, Sir Elian, but I don't. However, if you'd like, I can gather information on it—including the Dreamweaver fate required for your next Sequence."
Elian was startled. "Didn't you give me information about the Dreamweaver fate before? Do you remember where you got that information?"
Finn looked genuinely shocked. "I'm sorry, sir, but I've never heard of that fate. I only found two fates that I thought would interest you. The rest didn't seem important."
Hearing that, Elian's heartbeat sped up.
What does this mean…? No—how was she able to contact me in the first place if my connection had been blocked from the start?
Elian swallowed hard.Has she been watching me from the very beginning?
A chill crawled across his skin.
For the first time since arriving in this world, Elian felt real fear.Maybe… he didn't understand anything about this world at all.
Or maybe, from the very beginning, his life had been manipulated by someone else.
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