I woke up with a groan, a pounding headache tearing its way through me.
Groggily trying to remember where I was I looked around, confused as hell at my surroundings.
I was in my dorm room it seemed.
My head was throbbing as if someone had taken a hammer and repeatedly hit me over the head. My mouth tasted like metal and my stomach felt sick. The pain from the headache and nausea made it hard for me to think straight.
I attempted to sit up but my body wouldn't respond to me, then I remembered what happened and I quickly glanced around for Vera but couldn't find her.
Eventually, I gave up on trying to get up and decided just to lay there, staring at the ceiling in silence.
I felt lonely and depressed. I had been feeling that way ever since I had first entered this world.
I knew I should be happy to be here but instead, I just felt depressed.
I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep.
Knock! Knock!
"Eric, open up I know you're in there!" came a chilling voice from the entrance to the dorm room.
"Eric, I'm coming in you left your textbooks in class and one of your classmates gave it to me so I brought it here, Okay?"
"Seriously..." I heard a mutter as the door to the dorm unlocked and the sound of shuffling footsteps entered my ears.
I could do nothing as I lay still on the bed trying not to make a sound.
"He really should learn to turn off lights..." came the mumbling voice from right at the entrance to his room.
"Isaac? Hey, you awake? Are you okay?"
My eyes attempted to glimpse at the sudden voice that came from the doorway.
By the sound of the voice, it was Emilia.
As I couldn't respond due to my Mana Exhaustion I could only stare up at the ceiling in silence
"It seems even a barbarian would have more manners than you..." she commented snarkily as her voice trailed off when she noticed the blood on the bed sheets.
For a moment it seemed as if we were both frozen in time as she didn't say a word and only gazed silently at the display before her.
Then a loud sigh was heard in the room.
I heard the sound of shuffling footsteps, as a pair of pale slender legs approached the bedside.
Then Emilia sat down beside me on the bed.
"You shouldn't be lying in your own vomit," she stated calmly, reaching her hand out and gently taking mine, she pulled it towards her lap so she could help me up onto it. "Come, let's get you cleaned up."
I didn't want her to touch me, as she was someone I did not want to be involved with.
However, I couldn't move my limbs or speak, so I just remained silent and helpless as she helped me to my feet.
"Tsk... I came here to give my brother his books and yet I find you here, it seems I can't get away from you or your stench," she said with a little bite in her tone however it didn't sound as if she really meant it.
I knew that although she was cold on the outside she had a gentle heart deep down, however she was one of the main heroines and I did not want to be associated with her as she would eventually have to kill me.
When she reached down to help me up she saw the scarred flesh on my back that looked as if it had been burned and she gasped in shock before quickly averting her eyes.
"How did this happen?" she asked me curiously while examining my injuries.
I tried to reply but I wasn't sure how to answer, the problem was that I couldn't actually remember what happened.
So I had no idea how it had happened.
She took my hand and pulled it closer to her, so she could examine the wound in my ribs where the monster had slashed me.
Luckily it seemed Vera had applied a healing potion to it so it was only slightly bleeding still.
However, she must not have noticed that I was suffering from Mana Exhaustion as well.
She must have left when Eric woke up to leave for class.
"It should heal over time," she stated matter-of-factly, looking at me for a moment with those ocean-blue eyes.
Her eyes were large and wide, almost as if she was trying to look inside me.
I knew what she was doing, she was trying to use her Unique Spell to observe me and see where I fell on her alignment.
[Scales of Judgement] allowed her to discern a person's alignment if she made contact with them.
It was a Singularity Psyche-Type Spell.
The Spell could discern how volatile the Particles in the hippocampus were. The more volatile the Particles the darker the person would fall on the alignment scale.
Knowing what she was doing, I mustered every bit of energy I could and caused my body to spasm so that I could get away from her.
"What do you think you are doing?" her icy voice rang in my ears.
However, I could only silently gaze up into those cold eyes.
"You are clearly injured and yet you try to cause yourself more injury? are you an imbecile?" she scoffed as her eyes turned frosty.
I couldn't reply, however.
Reaching forward she lifted me up and lay me on the bed.
I did not have enough mana to resist her.
"I am going to check you over and make sure you aren't in any danger," she added after a few seconds of silence.
She started to inspect my injuries and even though they hurt it felt good having someone else take care of me for once.
After she finished checking I was surprised to find that most of my wounds had already closed.
She then moved onto my back, she ran her fingers over the scabbed-over marks that the monster had made with its claws before examining my chest area where the monster had cut through my ribs and ripped open my lung.
"That is some pretty impressive healing,"
She muttered as she looked down at me with a curious expression.
She was right, my mana had healed almost completely by itself without the need for potions or medicines.
It must be related to the message I got before I blacked out.
I made a mental note to look over my spell repertoire once again.
It was strange how I didn't know what it was that had saved me from dying.
"Your wounds should be fully healed now," she announced as she let go of my shoulders and stood up straight.
The light that poured from the windows illuminated her face in a soft glow as she looked down at me.
"Thank you," I managed to choke out, my voice sounding rough and dry.
Nodding her head slowly, she cast one more look at me before walking to the door of the room.
"I have to get to class, however, your Mana Exhaustion should be over soon so just rest," she said in a commanding tone before leaving.
After that, I was left alone with nothing but my thoughts and memories.
***
"Big brother, I think it's this way!" exclaimed Ella, pointing at a sign that was directing recruits to the transport planes.
"Yes, I would tend to agree, it only clearly states it on the sign," I grumbled sarcastically.
Ella pouted as she bounced around, grabbing onto my hand as we made our way toward the tarmac.
"Brother, do you really have to go?" she asked hesitantly, her slender hands clutching onto my sleeve.
Gazing at me with those puppy eyes, it was hard to tell her that I had no choice however in the end I succumbed to the despair of watching that innocent gaze crumble.
"There's no choice Ella, All males who have reached maturity have been drafted which means I have to go." I attempted to ease the pain she was feeling at our soon-to-be separation however it didn't seem to be working.
I had just finished High school when the civil war broke out, and after a year of bloodshed, they were finally resorting to drafting all males who had reached maturity.
I had attempted to fight the draft by stating that my sister only had me to rely on as she had just entered high school and we had no parents. However, the military simply offered to pay for her living expenses and tuition. it was a deal I had managed to get only because the father of a friend of mine was a Colonel in the army and had pulled some strings.
Therefore, despite my best efforts, I ended up being drafted into the 13th Paratroopers Regiment.
"What if we ran away? I could give up on school and you could teach me!" she exclaimed as tears began forming in her eyes.
It pained my heart to see my sister so depressed and all I could think of was easing her pain.
"Don't worry I'll be back before you know it, in the meantime that auntie next door agreed to check in on you so don't cause any trouble alright?"
She nodded wordlessly as she attempted to wipe at the tears flowing down her rosy cheeks.
However, her rubbing accomplished nothing as the tears kept coming without stopping.
"Ella, It will be okay I promise," I said as I kneeled down in front of her.
Raising my hands, I gently wiped her tears away as I cupped her cheeks forcing her to look at me.
She stared at me with emotional eyes as a moment of silence passed between us.
"Ella, my sweet sister. I promise you everything will be okay and I will come back before you know it." I said solemnly as I stared into her eyes which swirled with a mixture of emotions.
"You promise?" she asked tentatively as if afraid I would take back what I said.
"I promise," I stated confidently.
Finally, some resolution began to form in her eyes as she wrapped her arms around me in a tight embrace.
"Please, come back safely big brother," she whispered weakly.
Wrapping my arms around her, I couldn't utter a word.
I was afraid I would lie to her again.
Although I knew I had lied I also knew it was for the best.
Promises were made when someone didn't believe they could fulfill what they stated.
As I let go of Ella and stood up, I looked at her one more time.
Running my fingers through her hair one last time, I began to turn around and head to the transports.
However, her hand quickly grabbed mine stopping me in my tracks.
I turned back to her with a complicated gaze as I was trying not to let my heartbreaking emotions show on my face.
"When you come back, I'm going to be the one taking care of you," she said resolutely, a fire burning in her eyes.
I smiled weakly as I felt her grip loosen.
"I'll be back soon," I said, my voice trembling slightly.
She nodded wordlessly as I turned around heading for the transport planes.
I refused to turn around no matter how much I wanted to see her face just one more time for fear of letting her see my emotions.
'Please god, if you are out there. watch over my sister until I get back.'