"Did you miss me that much?"The cold tone reached Elian's ears even before he fully regained consciousness. "How did you end up in the infirmary again?"
A nurse stood beside his bed, the palm of her hand glowing with a gentle healing light that wrapped around the wound on Elian's hand. The sensation was warm—almost comforting.
With healing magic combined with high-quality potions from the academy, injuries like this should heal quickly. Even so, Elian would still need to be careful over the next few days—forced wounds often left hidden complications behind.
"I'm not the only one in the infirmary this time," Elian said, glancing to the side.
Around him, several of his friends lay on nearby beds. Some were still unconscious, while others looked pale and exhausted.
The nurse let out a quiet sigh and began wrapping Elian's left hand with practiced movements. Despite her skill, her expression remained serious."So what exactly happened to all of you?"
Elian began recounting the incident—carefully, sticking to the version he had prepared. The nurse listened without interrupting, her eyes sharp, as if weighing every word.
After a moment, she asked, "Do you know why they did this?"
Elian slowly shook his head. In truth, he knew the answer very well.
"Actually… my family guards the border near the Grand Duchy of Laubar," he continued. "I received a letter saying they've joined forces with the theocracy."
The glow in the nurse's hand dimmed slightly. Worry was unmistakable on her face.
Elian caught that reaction—and knew her concern was completely justified. Because all of this… had been planned by him from the start.
Suddenly, the infirmary door opened.
"Elian."Seraphina stepped inside, her pace brisk. "We need to talk."
Without hesitation, Elian got up and followed her out. They walked down the corridor until they reached a quiet corner, then sat side by side on a wooden bench.
"I received word a few days ago," Seraphina said, her voice low but tense, "that the theocracy sent envoys to investigate our kingdom. But the king rejected them outright."
She stared straight ahead."After that… for some reason, they began showing closeness to the Grand Duchy of Laubar instead."
Elian listened calmly. It all made sense.
How could a theocracy tucked away in some remote corner move so quickly? The answer was simple—they had already been in the kingdom from the beginning. The king's rejection merely forced them to lie low under the protection of the Grand Duchy of Laubar. When news of the demon attack spread, they finally had the perfect excuse to move freely.
Especially since the Astrynea faith held immense influence. Even the Astryx Academy took its name from the same god.
"By the way, Ms. Seraphina…" Elian broke the silence. "You should already know I made a contract with a demon. So… why did you save me?"
That question had been weighing on him for a long time. Most people would've distanced themselves immediately—or judged him harshly. Yet Seraphina's reaction was the complete opposite.
Seraphina looked at him for a long moment before answering."Because of your reason."
"Elian, you made that contract to heal your younger sister. And you did it when you were still a child."Her voice softened. "I can't blame you for that."
Elian nodded slowly. For the first time, he began to understand Seraphina's background—though the reason Liana hated him still made no sense to him.
"I also assume," Seraphina continued, "that the theocracy's original goal was to investigate your family."
Elian's heart skipped a beat.That assumption… was right on target.
"Elian," Seraphina said seriously, "how much of your memory have you lost?"
"A lot," he answered honestly. "You can check it yourself if you want."
She shook her head. "No need."
Elian took a breath. "I only remember my first day at the academy… up until today."
Seraphina's expression changed instantly. Without hesitation, she formed a magic circle and dove into Elian's memories.
What she saw made her freeze.
That wall.The same barrier as before.
And at the very end—his only remaining memory: the academy entrance ceremony. The day Elian first stepped into this academy as a student.
She immediately pulled herself out.
Tears spilled before she could stop them. She wrapped Elian in a tight embrace.
"I'm sorry…"Her voice shook violently, as if every word were being torn out of her chest. "This is all my fault."
Her shoulders trembled, her breathing uneven. Tears fell one by one, then faster, soaking into her collar. She bit her lip, trying to suppress the sobs, but failing only made her voice crack—fragile, weighed down by guilt she had held onto for far too long.
Unlike before, Elian stayed conscious. He was startled, but slowly raised his hand and gently stroked Seraphina's head—a simple gesture, yet enough to make her shoulders shake even harder, as if the last of her defenses had completely collapsed.
After a while, Seraphina's breathing steadied, and she pulled away.
"I'll find a way to restore your memories," she said firmly. "Until then… I'll protect you."
"I've already submitted a report on this incident. Some people may sense something strange, but I'll handle it. From now on—"
Her words cut off.
Elian's consciousness faded, his strength drained away, and he collapsed into Seraphina's arms.
…
"This place again…"
Elian stood in emptiness. A world without color. Without sound.A dream he thought had disappeared ever since he transmigrated to this world.
Slowly, a hand emerged from the darkness—reaching for him.
"This time… I won't let you go."
The voice was terrifying. Crushing. It made his soul tremble. Elian shut his eyes, forcing himself to endure the piercing fear.
…
Elian woke up gasping for air.
"You're awake already?" A nurse looked at him in surprise. "That was fast."
"How long was I asleep?"
"Not long. You went out with Ms. Seraphina, and she brought you back unconscious."The nurse narrowed her eyes. "What happened in such a short time?"
"Maybe… I was just exhausted," Elian replied with a faint smile.
But he knew it was a lie.
Over the past few days, he'd been falling asleep suddenly—at random places, for unpredictable lengths of time. It was dangerous. Terrifying. He was afraid that one day, he might actually die just because he fell asleep in the wrong place.
'I need to find a solution. Fast.'
"I'll rest in the dormitory," he said as he stood up. "See you."
The nurse didn't stop him—his test results were normal.
Outside, the academy corridor was packed with students. Whispers mixed with curious stares.
Two figures rushed toward him.
"Sir Elian!" Finn looked clearly worried. "We heard something happened in Class C. When we arrived, the room was completely wrecked."
Elian gave a brief explanation—carefully edited. He told Finn to spread it, not as a single story, but as multiple conflicting rumors. He also instructed Max to make sure those directly involved kept their mouths shut.
After everything was settled, Elian remembered the goddess's words.
Create your own fate.
'Maybe… if I could create a fate that makes me unable to sleep or something like that, my problem would be solved.'
With that thought, he headed toward the library.
Among the old shelves, his hand accidentally pulled out a book.
"The Lost God."
It was filled with legends—the beginning of the world, the path to immortality, the gathering of fate. But all of it was shallow. Not a single page truly explained how fate was actually created.
"Do I need to love something… and become the best at it?" Elian muttered.
He shook his head. If it were really that simple, this world wouldn't claim that each person could only have one fate—and that any additional fate could only be obtained by stealing it.
When he reached the final page, his heart skipped.
On that page was a single sentence, written in the language of his original world.
"If you feel lost, use time as your footing."
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