“What exactly is wrong with him? Have you not diagnosed the cause yet? Are you competent or not!?”
“Miss Aila, we’ve checked several times. This gentleman’s mental fluctuations and aura are very stable, and he has no external injuries. It’s as if he’s simply fallen asleep.”
“Where have you ever seen someone sleep this deeply? We carried him all the way here and he didn't even budge! Something must be wrong!”
“Aila, please calm down. Perhaps Mr. Midir is just exhausted and fell asleep.”
“Should I go back to the Duke’s manor to find help? Maybe I can get a royal physician to take a look!”
...
Between dreaming and waking, Midir felt as if he were floating on a boundless sea. The anxious voices of the others drifted in from the distance. As time passed, that weightless sensation gradually began to fade.
“I... what happened? How long was I out?” Looking at his surroundings, Midir realized he had left Training Ground No. 2 and was now lying on a bed in a small room.
As Midir looked up, the first thing he saw were Aila’s beautiful, pale blue eyes. He realized those eyes were strikingly similar to the girl’s in his consciousness space, though the gentle, water-like quality had been replaced by sheer anxiety.
“You’ve been asleep for nearly three hours. What’s wrong with you? Why aren't you saying anything? I didn't knock you stupid, did I?”
Seeing Midir staring at her without blinking, Aila felt a bit confused and reached out to touch his forehead.
“No fever... and what’s with that look? Why are you staring at me like that?!”
“I’m fine. I just saw some things while I was asleep. I’m sorry for worrying you all.” Midir sat up and spoke to Aila with an apologetic tone.
“What did you see? What could have been so intense that it knocked you out for so long?” Aila pressed him, full of doubt.
“Um... I’ll tell you about that in a moment. Aila, please use that move from earlier on me again!” Midir didn't rush to answer, instead making a request with an expectant tone.
“You mean Soul Impact? No way! Did I really break your brain?” Aila shook her head repeatedly in refusal upon hearing the request.
“It’s fine. Please, just one more time. I just want to verify a few things.” This time, Midir’s tone carried an unquestionable firmness.
“You... are you sure? Fine, one more time?” Seeing the man’s determined gaze, Aila sighed, knowing she couldn't stop him.
“Don't blame me if something goes wrong!”
“Right. Go ahead.”
The two locked eyes again. Midir’s heart was filled with hope at the thought of re-entering his consciousness space, perhaps finding answers to his questions or seeing that beautiful figure once more.
However, reality often falls short of expectations. This time, no matter how hard Aila tried to manifest the Soul Impact, Midir only experienced a brief moment of daze. Instead, it was Aila who exhausted herself from the frequent skill usage.
“I can’t do it anymore! Let me catch my breath. Why didn't it work this time?” Aila closed her eyes and tiredly rubbed her aching temples, her voice tinged with helplessness.
“I’m not sure why. Based on how it felt just now, it seems my mind was prepared, so I’ve developed a resistance to your move.”
The successive failed attempts inevitably left Midir feeling a bit disappointed.
But he quickly pulled himself out of that disappointment. Recalling Aila’s earlier question, he began to describe the scenery and sights he had witnessed in the consciousness space to the two women.
“You say you saw a giant mountain peak with no visible top? And a ring of mist? That must be Crown Peak! That’s the only place on the continent I know of that fits that description.”
“Do you mean the mountain in the center of the continent? Is there some secret hidden atop that peak?”
“The summit of that mountain connects to the Ancient City of the Gods! It’s a sky city left over from the Age of Gods, though it’s been abandoned for years. You know about the Sky Demons, right? That used to be their stronghold.”
“What about the giant tree and the altar at its base? Is there anywhere like that?”
“A giant tree... if it’s that big, it could only be the Tree of Life in my home, the Sing-Song Forest. But the altar doesn't fit. I’ve been to the base of the Tree of Life many times and I’ve never seen an altar there... An altar... maybe I should ask my mom about it later?”
Regarding Midir’s description of the high mountain, the well-traveled Aila didn't hesitate to identify the location. However, she pondered the altar beneath the Tree of Life for a long time, unable to reach a conclusion.
And when Midir solemnly described the crystal sphere on the altar and the figure of the young girl within it, the expressions on the two ladies' faces became complex and colorful.
“Huh? You saw a girl inside a crystal sphere? Her eyes looked like mine... and she had a gentle gaze? What the hell!?” Aila said, her face full of disbelief.
Rosal, on the other hand, wore a look of mixed curiosity and excitement. “Oh my! Mr. Midir actually dreamed of Aila? Isn't it often said that dreams are a reflection of one's inner feelings? So, Mr. Midir’s feelings for Aila... does this mean... is this some kind of confession?”
“No, absolutely impossible!” Before Rosal could even finish her sentence, she was interrupted by their simultaneous response.
“While the eyes are similar, that person is definitely not Aila,” Midir said seriously, crossing his arms.
“This guy definitely got it wrong; he’s just confused from dreaming!” Hearing Rosal’s teasing voice, even the tomboyish Aila blushed deeply, her eyes darting away from Midir.
None of the three spoke further, and for a moment, the atmosphere in the room became quite awkward.
Just as Aila was about to say something, the door was pushed open with a bang. An anxious Blake rushed in, accompanied by a plump little old man.
“Doctor Chuck, quickly, this way... Oh? Mr. Midir, you’re awake? What’s wrong with you three? Why do you all have those expressions? Miss Aila, why is your face so red?”
Seeing that Midir had regained consciousness, Blake seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, but he immediately noticed the unusual atmosphere in the room and asked with some confusion.
“It’s nothing! Nothing! It’s probably just too stuffy in here. Since you brought the physician, I’m going out for some air!”
Aila jumped up like a startled animal. Without waiting for a reaction from the others, she bolted out of the room like a flash.
“Is Miss Aila okay?” Looking at the figure vanishing through the doorway, Blake scratched his brown hair and asked with concern.
“She should be... fine... right?” Rosal shrugged with an uncertain tone, then looked at Midir, who remained expressionless.
“Mr. Blake, since you brought a doctor, should we have him check Mr. Midir again?”
“Oh, right! Regardless, Mr. Midir, you should let Doctor Chuck examine you!” Blake finally snapped out of it and hurriedly invited the little old man, who had been ignored, to step forward.
As for Midir, the one who had started it all, he sat down in a chair without a word and obediently accepted the examination, his mind occupied with unknown thoughts.
...
Rate on N.U.
