"Whoever thought a hospital bed could feel this comfortable?"
I sank deeper into the mattress, letting out a slow, satisfied sigh.
So fluffy.
So damn fluffy.
If I could, I would bury myself into this bed and never get up again.
I vaguely recalled reading somewhere that using overly soft mattresses in hospitals could lead to secondary injuries.
But apparently, that didn't apply in this fictional world.
Or maybe it was because I was hospitalized despite having no external injuries.
Lucky me, I guess.
I absentmindedly rolled the ring I had obtained today between my fingers, letting the cool metal glide over my skin.
"It's definitely effective," I muttered under my breath.
It was supposed to enhance healing, and it definitely lived up to the hype.
Not only were my internal injuries almost fully healed, but even the minor scratches I had gotten from climbing the mountain were practically gone.
I flexed my fingers slightly, feeling the strength returning to them.
My Primal Qi was steadily recovering as well, which meant that by tomorrow I should be upgraded from being super frail to just moderately clumsy, right?
"I really hope so," I mumbled.
It wasn't exactly reassuring to be this weak when I was about to enter the academy next month—an academy swarming with young and overconfident superhumans eager to test their strength.
And most of them were probably the type to punch first, ask questions later.
Great.
But at least...
"At least I have Professor Lena on my side from now on."
That should be fine, right?
...It should be.
She was undercover, so she had to be careful, but her influence would still help.
Having a high-ranking professor looking out for me definitely couldn't hurt.
Right?
I stared at the ceiling for a moment, feeling oddly at ease.
But then...
An annoying little nagging sensation started creeping in the back of my mind.
Like I was forgetting something important.
What was it?
I frowned slightly, trying to remember.
And then—
[Interfering with the plotline by stealing artifacts meant for specific characters.]
Ah.
Right.
That.
I let out a quiet groan, closing my eyes.
I had been wondering when that damn voice would make an appearance again.
Ever since I messed with the storyline in the prologue, this disembodied narrator or whatever it was kept nagging me every time I made a major deviation from the original plot.
I stared at the ceiling in defeat.
"Let's see what kind of punishment I'm in for this time..."
I let out a long sigh, mentally preparing myself.
After all, stealing artifacts meant for specific characters was bound to have some consequences, right?
…Right?
[Checking for plot damage caused by artifact theft...]
...
[No significant damage detected.]
[The character originally intended to obtain the stolen artifacts holds no major importance in the overall plot.]
[Overlooking this incident.]
...
I let out a slow breath, leaning back slightly.
"Hah... I really got away with it, huh?"
A faint smirk tugged at the corner of my lips.
I had half-expected some dramatic consequence or a butterfly effect that would derail the entire timeline.
But no.
Apparently, the poor bastard who was supposed to get the artifacts didn't even have a significant role.
I stared at the glowing message for a moment longer before waving it away.
"Tch. That was almost too easy."
Honestly, I didn't feel the slightest bit guilty.
Why should I?
It wasn't like the original storyline was flawless.
Hell, if anything, I was doing this world a favor by fixing it—taking these artifacts for myself.
The real shame would've been letting them go to waste in the hands of some forgettable, third-rate villain.
I glanced down at the artifacts now safely in my possession.
They glimmered faintly in the dim light, a mix of raw power and untapped potential resting in my hands.
I let out a slow breath, my lips curling into a satisfied smirk.
"Well... looks like everything's fine for now."
For once, no sudden ambushes.
No unexpected curses.
Just clean success.
I was about to pocket the artifacts when—
—Ring, ring.
"Hmm?"
I blinked and turned toward the faint, obnoxious sound of a default ringtone blaring from my pocket.
Oh, right.
My smartphone.
The one I didn't even know existed until Professor Lena, the same woman who had hospitalized me, forced me to find it and enter her number.
She had shoved the device into my hands with a flat glare, muttering something about "staying in touch" before stomping off.
They gave one to every academy student, apparently.
A cheap, generic model with a tacky ringtone to match.
I pulled it out, half-expecting Lena to be on the other end, checking in to scold me or lecture me about "pushing myself too hard" or some crap like that.
But no.
The screen flashed with an unknown number.
I stared at it for a moment, debating whether to pick up.
"Hah... whatever."
I swiped the screen and held it to my ear.
"[I heard you were hospitalized?]"
My brows furrowed slightly.
A woman's voice.
But unfamiliar.
I knew a very small number of people in this world, and this definitely wasn't one of them.
Her voice was smooth, almost melodic, but with a faint sharpness beneath it.
Casual.
But a little too casual.
Like she knew me.
I frowned slightly.
"Who is this?"
Silence.
For a moment, the person on the other end didn't say a word.
Just... stillness.
Then, after a brief pause, she finally responded—but her tone had changed.
Slightly annoyed.
Almost... offended.
"[...You don't know?]"
Her voice carried a faint edge now, laced with a subtle incredulity.
I arched a brow.
"Should I?"
There was another pause.
A quiet exhale on the other end, like she was holding back a scoff.
And then, in a slightly mocking tone, she answered,
"[Hah... It seems you really don't remember me.]"
My eyes narrowed slightly.
There was something off about her voice.
It wasn't just the irritation—it was familiar, in a way I couldn't quite place.
I didn't know this woman.
I was sure of it.
And yet... there was an odd feeling of déjà vu crawling down my spine.
I glanced at the artifacts in my hand, then back at the phone.
My instincts were prickling, warning me that this was no casual call.
"Look," I said flatly, my fingers tightening around the phone, "if you've got something to say, say it. I'm busy."
There was a brief beat of silence.
And then... she chuckled softly.
"[Oh... you're busy, huh?]"
Her voice was mockingly sweet now, the faintest trace of condescension slipping through.
"[Well then... don't worry. I'll call you back later, Rin.]"
Click.
The line went dead.
I slowly lowered the phone from my ear, staring at the screen.
A chill crept down my spine.
I didn't recognize her voice.
But she knew my name.
And more importantly—she had said it so casually, with a confidence that sent a faint pulse of unease through my chest.
I stared at the black screen for a moment longer.
Then, without a word, I slipped the phone back into my pocket.
"Tch... What the hell was that?"