A pained groan escaped from Darian's mouth as he stirred, his hand moving involuntarily to his throbbing head. His eyelids fluttered before he slowly opened his eyes.
An unfamiliar ceiling came into view—worn out but still elegant. Slowly, he pushed himself up, turning his head to take in his surroundings. A single bed beneath him, a lamp on the bedside table—the room itself was humble yet well-kept.
"Why am I here?" Darian muttered, still dazed.
Then, like a flood, memories of the ambush in the forest rushed back. The brutal fight, the overwhelming force of the unknown man who had mercilessly beaten him.
"Shit..!" He cursed under his breath, wincing as pain shot through his body.
"You're going to pay for this... old hag." His voice was low, seething with quiet fury. The helplessness he had felt, the sheer disparity in strength—it burned within him like an unquenchable fire.
"I must get stronger... no matter what."
The thought cemented itself in his mind. Power was the only path forward. Without it, survival was just a fleeting illusion.
Creak.
The sound of the door opening pulled him from his thoughts. He turned his gaze towards the entrance.
Marie stood there, a tray in her hands. Her sharp eyes met his, unreadable as ever, before she stepped inside without a word.
"...Marie." Darian called to her as she moved towards his bed. Once she arrived, she placed the tray on the table, revealing a bowl of porridge.
"Your Highness, how are you feeling now?" Marie asked softly, her gaze settling on his face.
"...Being alive is the only thing that matters," Darian replied solemnly. The overwhelming strength of that man was still vivid in his mind.
Marie went silent at his words for a few moments before she slowly opened her mouth. "Your Highness, they were not bandits."
"I know. I had already confirmed that," Darian said, reaching for the porridge bowl. The exhaustion gnawing at him made him realize how hungry he was.
The taste was surprisingly good.
As he savored the warmth of the meal, Marie spoke again, her words halting his movement.
"I think they were not after your life, Your Highness."
Darian lifted his gaze to meet hers, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "Why do you think so?"
Marie carefully selected her words before responding. "Your Highness, if he was after your life, then there were many opportunities for him to do so."
She paused, then added, "He was clearly avoiding hitting your vitals to prevent severe injury."
Hearing Marie's conclusion, Darian fell silent. He hadn't considered it before, but now that he thought about it, she had a point. The man had many chances to kill him—but he didn't. It was as if he was evaluating him, gauging his abilities.
"Boy, I shall take my leave now... but soon, we will meet again."
Something clicked in his memory. Those parting words—spoken with certainty, as if their paths were destined to cross again.
"Old hag, hope you never meet me again... otherwise, I'll make you regret it," Darian muttered under his breath.
Though the man hadn't intended to kill him, that didn't change the fact that he had made him suffer. And Darian wasn't the type to let such things slide.
After finishing his thoughts, he spoke to Marie. "Alright, let's not talk about it any further. Make sure the palace learns about this ambush."
He didn't want to be closely watched. While extra security could be beneficial, it would also invade his personal space—something he deeply disliked.
Marie stayed silent for a few seconds before speaking. "Yes, Your Highness."
"So, where are we now?" Darian promptly asked.
Marie nodded before responding. "Your Highness, after you lost consciousness, I took you to a nearby town from the forest—Eldermere. We are currently at an inn in town."
Darian nodded, then inquired, "How far is the academy from here?"
"Your Highness, it's not too far away. We just need to travel a few hours northwest to reach the city of Velmont, where we can use the space gate to reach the capital," Marie patiently explained.
"So, Your Highness, it's better for you to rest for now. We could leave after a few days," she suggested.
Darian thought about it and, as if agreeing, nodded at Marie. "Alright, let's leave after two days."
After their discussion, Darian finished the porridge, and Marie took the tray before taking her leave.
"I hope nothing unexpected happens for now," Darian muttered before he drifted to sleep, the not-so-soft mattress embracing his body as he surrendered to his dreams.
Inside another room at the inn, Marie sat on the bed, deep in thought. The battle in the forest replayed in her mind. The man Darian fought had strength beyond even the Knight Captain of Ashthorn Kingdom, yet Darian, despite losing, displayed admirable resilience.
"He has grown significantly stronger after coming back from Veilshroud Forest... just what did he encounter?"
"It seems others have taken an interest in Darian too."
A dark voice echoed through the silent room, pulling Marie from her thoughts. Her face immediately straightened, her expression unreadable.
"Why did you come this time?" Marie asked, her voice neutral, betraying no emotion.
"Boring." The voice sounded displeased. It had been a long time since their connection had been reestablished. Marie's usual blank expression was something it had grown accustomed to, but after taking the role of Darian's maid, she had changed—acting timid, fidgeting. It had been amusing. But ever since Darian changed, Marie had returned to her usual self.
"Answer me," Marie spoke again, her voice colder this time.
The voice remained unbothered by her tone. "The Tower Master wants you to send him Darian's blood. He needs to begin the process of extracting his mana essence. It is a time-consuming procedure, and there is only a year left before he must be fully prepared to become an Apostle of nexus."
"...You can leave now," Marie muttered after a moment of silence.
"Be prepared. I will return soon." With that, the dark presence faded, vanishing completely.
The room returned to its familiar silence—one Marie had long grown used to. Thoughts spiraled in her mind, but they all led to a single conclusion.
"I know this is wrong... but I have no other choice. Now, I am leaving everything to you... Darian."
Seeing Darian change gave her a sliver of hope, but if it proved meaningless, she would follow the plan.
Guilt consumed her, yet the goal that had driven her this far remained unshaken. For that goal, she would do anything—no matter the cost.