Waking in a daze, Frederick attempted to sit up but found himself collapsing back onto the bed, his limbs heavy as lead and his body throbbing with exhaustion. Even the slightest movement sent waves of discomfort through him.
More crucially, Frederick remained blind. The darkness enveloped him so completely that he couldn't discern even the outlines of his own hands. Fortunately, his hearing seemed intact.
Apart from his vision, Frederick noticed a heightened sensitivity in his body. It wasn't just his hearing that felt sharper, but also his sense of touch and smell.
'Did the purification process enhance my senses?' he pondered.
The bed Frederick was in was surprisingly comfortable. With great effort, he extended his hands and touched the things around him. Frederick vaguely felt that this bed and sheet were not made using ordinary means. The clothes he was wearing were not his, but they felt comfortable.
The room had a peculiar smell—a mix of sweat, blood, alcohol, and perhaps food.
More importantly, the sound of loud snores resonated from everywhere around him.
'I'm not alone...'
Listening carefully, Frederick became increasingly convinced that others were sleeping nearby. Just as he was about to attempt movement, someone suddenly opened the door, and a voice broke the silence.
"Mmh? Oh, you're awake."
'How did he realize I'm awake?'
As if he could read minds, the person continued, "I can tell because of the change in your breathing and the fact that you changed your position. Don't underestimate Scout's ability to observe."
"Anyway, you're not supposed to move just yet. Your body is still recovering. You should rest for a while longer. You know, I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever wake up. You've been sleeping for two days straight. A bit longer, and you might have ended up in the main story while asleep," the man remarked, his tone tinged with amusement.
Frederick attempted to speak but found himself unable to utter a single word. His throat felt parched as if he were suffering from dehydration... No, it was more than that.
He was thirsty for Blood. His body's weakness was probably due not only to the purification but also to Blood Dominion's curse.
Seeing Frederick's reaction as he gulped, the man immediately understood.
"Wait a second. I'll bring you something to drink," he said, rushing out of the room and returning shortly after with a bottle.
"Here, drink this."
Frederick could smell a familiar odor as the man pressed the bottle against his mouth.
It was the same liquid he had drunk after the purification.
"Eris told me to give you this when you wake up. This will help you recover. Drink slowly. If you drink too fast, you will choke," the man instructed.
The liquid was bitter, but it soothed his parched throat. He could feel the energy slowly returning to his body.
'It's the same taste as the one I drank after the purification. What exactly is this?' thought Frederick as he wondered. 'It must be created using an authority.'
"There, that's better, isn't it? Anyway, I will call Eris. Stay there- Not like you can move."
With that, the man's footsteps faded away and the sound of a door opening was heard.
Despite consuming the mysterious liquid, Frederick's craving for blood persisted. However, Frederick quickly suppressed this obsession and instead focused on analyzing the changes within his body.
'The first thing that I noticed is the change in my senses. All my senses seemed to have increased in sensitivity. Then, there's the fact that I can't see. It is probably due to the purification process.'
'Secondly, my body feels different... All cells in my body seem more vigorous.'
Despite being unable to see, Frederick could clearly feel that his body had undergone significant changes.
'This sensation is peculiar,' Frederick mused internally. 'My organs seemed to have become more efficient and stronger. My lungs are better at absorbing oxygen, and each breath I take seems to fill my body with energy. My heart beats faster, and my veins seem to have expanded. Even my bones and skin feel sturdier.'
'But the most noticeable change is the enhancement of my muscles. They are not only denser but also more flexible. More importantly, thanks to this drink, I can feel them gradually regaining strength at an inhuman speed. Unfortunately, this is double-edged since it requires more energy, too.' thought Frederick calmly.
Not only was his body weak, but if anyone were to see him at that moment, they would surely be taken aback by how malnourished and pallid he appeared.
'In the end, ' Frederick contemplated, 'I can't claim that surviving the process instantly made me physically stronger, but it has undeniably unlocked my body's potential. Even my reaction speed seems to have been heightened.'
As Frederick attempted to list all the alterations in his body, softer footsteps echoed in his ears, somewhat quieter than those he had previously heard. Then, once again, the sound of a door opening was heard.
'It's not the same person as earlier. Those steps seem lighter. Is it Eris?'
"You're awake," a female voice said. It was an unfamiliar voice.
"Miss Grize couldn't come. She has a lot of things to do. So, I came in her stead. She told me to check on you," the woman explained.
"Are you feeling better?"
"..."
"Ah. You must be having trouble speaking. Don't worry, it's normal. You can't speak because your vocal cords are still healing. Give it a few days, and you should be able to speak normally. As for your vision, it should return to normal in a day or two, too.
"Anyway, Miss Grize sent me here because my authority allows me to erase certain memories. Don't worry, I'll only target the memories of your pain and leave everything else untouched. Hopefully, your mental resilience isn't too high, or it could complicate things for me-"
Suddenly, the woman halted mid-sentence as her body started to tremble with terror. Her perception attribute was just high enough to sense it, but this oppressive feeling was unmistakable—a perceptible sense of killing intent emanating from Frederick.
A chill ran down her spine, and her legs turned to jelly. Her heartbeat quickened, and her breathing became erratic as fear consumed her.
She did not know, but she became Frederick's worst nemesis the instant she said that. A target to eliminate in priority. It was for a very simple reason. Her authority could be very well Forgotten Times' weakness.
If she successfully made Frederick forget about his life, he could end up stuck in an eternal time loop, unable to free himself.
"W-What's wrong with you? S-Stop it! Just say so if you don't want me to use my authority on you!"
Frederick's killing intent was so powerful that the woman was unable to move. She was so terrified that she could not even think clearly.
"N-No. S-Stop. I-I'm sorry."
"I-I won't do it, I promise. Please, d-don't hurt me."
However, even Frederick was taken aback. What was happening? He hadn't made any moves yet. How could she be so frightened?
He had been merely formulating a plan to dispatch her quietly as soon as he recovered, as he wasn't foolish enough to attack her directly at that moment.
Despite his weakened state, he still possessed the means to exert his authority and eliminate her without physical movement. Yet, he deemed it unwise to do so.
'Her authority is probably a medium rarity. Meaning that there must be other people around with the same authority as her. I must be careful.'
After some thought, he deduced that she felt he was planning to do something. Taking a deep breath, he calmed his mind and suppressed his killing intent somehow.
'It seems like I have to be more careful with my thoughts from now on. Otherwise, my plans will be exposed.'
"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I-I was just going to erase the memories of the pain. I-I wasn't going to touch anything else, I swear," the woman explained, her voice trembling as she spoke.
The noise of her pleas seemed to have awoken the others who were soundly sleeping in the room.
"What's happening?"
"Hey, what's with all the noise?"
"Uh ?What's up? Why's she crying?"