'Erne, open up,' Zach said, not wanting to burn more of his life force.
Within a second, the surrounding temperature dropped. The ring on his finger vanished, and the vivid image of life and structures in his mind turned into a blur.
"I'm in," Zach said without a doubt.
He stretched his right hand forward and touched a stone wall. His mind was still occupied with the figures he saw within those few seconds. Although what occurred was closer to being aware of everything that existed within the field his mana reached, rather than literally picturing what those things looked like, he was able to have a better understanding of the new world he was in.
The trees and animals he saw were small. The buildings had an architectural structure with little to no protective mechanisms, and he could not recognize more than half of the items he saw within the two mansions.
Mentally occupied, Zach ran his hand through the wall until he touched a damp lever. Then he pulled it down with both hands, making the mana stones engraved on the walls light up and instantly warm the room.
"That feels better," he said. "Now, where should I start?"
Zach, faced right. He knew the path was there, but when he started walking, he bumped into a stack of gold coins.
Clink
Clink
Clink
Clank
Several gold coins, along with various kinds of polished and unpolished minerals, slid down and scattered on the marbled flooring, but Zach ignored them.
'Based on the record, people here treat magic as something only existent in fairy tales, but the woman in the nearby mansion was brimming with mana.'
'Just who is she?'
'Is Miss Sonia acquainted with her?'
Zach took a deep breath. 'I should focus. I need to find the bracelet first.'
...
In a parking lot, Sonia and Idris could barely be seen entering a car because of thick fog.
"Congratulations madam," Idris said, referring to the deal they closed.
"Thank you." Sonia looked at Idris's eye bags which mirrored hers. Then she leaned on the car seat and closed her eyes. "You did well too, Idris." Right after she said that, she fell asleep on the spot.
"Madam?" Idris said as he waved his hand in front of her. When she did not respond, he took off his lounge jacket to cover her, but he stopped midway when Dianne's voice echoed in his mind.
'Darling, you smell like a woman.'
"I miss Dianne and the kids already. I want to sleep with them as soon as I return."
Idris wore his jacket back and buttoned it before glancing at Sonia's blouse. 'The fabric is thin. I cannot risk her getting sick. Especially, since we are tight on schedule. Besides, her body condition has been deteriorating for the few past years, but still, she won't tell me anything.'
Idris went out of the car to buy a mini blanket and a bonnet at a nearby dry goods store. Then he put them on Sonia. After that, he drove till they arrived in the city, at the parking space of her residence, near her company.
"Madam, we're here."
"Mm…" Sonia opened her eyes after being shaken, but she closed it again.
"Madam?"
Idris shook her again, but she just turned to the side. "I want to sleep more, Idris."
"Alright, sleep for two more hours. You have to work once you wake up anyway." Idris carried Sonia to her bedroom with the help of a female guard who opened doors for him.
"Wait sir," the female guard with petite build and sleek hair removed Sonia's heels. "There, it's done."
"Thank you," Idris said as he placed Sonia on the bed. Then he covered her with a blanket and picked up an alarm clock on the bedside table.
"Sarah, can you unbutton the upper part of her blouse?"
"Sure"
"Remove her earrings too and gather her hair on one side so it won't get tangled when she moves."
"Ok"
"Then I'll be heading out first," Idris said after he set an alarm.
…
Kring
Kring
Kring
Bam
Sonia sat and yawned. When she noticed she was in her bedroom, she pressed her lips. "This is getting worse. I have fallen asleep once again."
Sonia washed her face and changed into comfortable clothes before heading to the kitchen. When she saw a light blue paper on the table, she read it.
"Madam, no, I will call you elder sister this time, just as you always wanted me to.
Don't forget to eat. I ordered your favorite dishes and placed them on a food warmer.
I already organized the files you need to work on in your workroom.
Keep yourself warm while you're working."
~ Idris
'Elder sister? He only calls me that when he nags.' Sonia brewed a cup of coffee and brought out the food Idris ordered.
"He has grown so much. When I first saw him at a plaza, he was crying like a puppy because he failed his first interview."
"A puppy…" she repeated.
'Oh right, Zach completely slipped off my mind.' Sonia took her phone and dialed Kai's number.
"Greetings, madam."
"Is Zach still awake?"
"Probably, since he has just eaten dinner."
"Can you give him your phone for a moment?"
"Madam, sir said, he's doing something important, so I shouldn't knock or enter his room until he calls for me."
"I see. How is he doing? Summarize his daily activities."
"I think sir is doing fine. He sleeps for approximately seven hours a day. He eats his meals on time and maintains a daily routine. He usually wakes up around 4:00 A.M and conducts his daily rituals until 5:00 A.M. He meditates from 5:01 to 6:00 A.M, takes a walk around the garden from 6:01 to 6:30 A.M, and he eats his meal from 6:31 to 7:00 A.M. For the rest of the day, he stays in his room and only lets me enter during snack and mealtimes."
"I see. Continue taking care of him. If he asks for something, provide it as long as it's not excessive."
"Yes, madam, and… um, he has been asking when will you return home."
The next day, Kai greeted Zach flatly as soon as he opened his eyes. He did the same the previous days, just as he was told to.
'Miss Sonia surely knows I checked on her the first day. Maybe she is also aware I waited outside her door as soon as I woke up the second day, so Kai has always been here whenever I wake up.'
Zach sat and brushed his jumbled hair aside.
"Kai, do you think Miss Sonia will return today?"
"No, sir," he said while folding a blanket.
"Madam called yesterday. She said she will return on Friday."
Zach stopped midway to the bathroom. "What day is it today?"