Silence became the focal point of the entire place, the rhythmic tik-tik sound of the clock mixing with the continuously dripping sound of water drops. Those water drops were Shilla's frustrating tears, embodying her worry and fear.
She stopped shaking Alex's body and paused to process what she had just heard.
When she comprehended the actual meaning, her demeanour softened up, but her expression showed a suppressed desire to land another slap.
She said, "It's on the second floor, but first, take a bath; you can't miss the event." Surprisingly, her hiccups reduced, almost disappearing.
All of her facial expressions were hidden from Alex's eyes because his head hung low, searching for solace in the tiles below.
"Thanks," he said out of habit, moving his head up. It was the first time he would see this so-called new sister.
Alex focused shifted on Shilla's face he was taken aback by its flushed and wet appearance.—her golden pupil surrounded by red blood vessels, with black hair hidden in the cape of a black hoodie.
_Damn, so she was crying. I thought she had a habit of talking between hiccups._
Shilla took a step back, calmly walking toward the dining table and silently sitting in one of the chairs.
Alex, still processing the unexpected emotional encounter, hesitated for a moment before following Shilla's instructions.
First, he went toward the stairs, climbing up. He witnessed a room just at the end. It was the very first door.
He held the handle, feeling the smooth surface of the metal, and with a click, opening it up, he entered.
The atmosphere of the room had a slightly salty scent, and a series of Dumble objects were arranged beside the bed.
There was a charging board nearby and a lamp stood atop a table.
The table itself was a well-crafted wooden piece of furniture. As he looked around, he spotted a wardrobe. Intrigued, he decided to investigate further.
Sliding the wardrobe aside, Alex revealed a carefully curated collection of clothes. Reaching in, he randomly selected a cloth, feeling the weight of it in his hands.
He then continued the search for the bathroom, his eyes scanning the room for more clues.
In the name of clues he saw, paintings adorned the walls. These artworks were depictions of mythical creatures, their otherworldly forms reaching out to him.
On another wall, he came across a picture that caught his attention. It depicted a family of five members.
The mother, with jet-black hair and deep, black eyes, held a baby in her arms. The infant's eyes were closed, a peaceful serenity etched on his delicate features.
The father stood beside her with his blonde hair cascading down on shoulders. He cradled a 3-year-old girl in his arms, her locks mirroring her mother's, but her eyes were golden, possessing the same intensity as his father.
The third child, a joyous presence, stood in the middle. With a broad smile that stretched across his face, he radiated happiness. His entire character, mirroring his father's,
_I guess this is the Raser family. The girl, Shila, has a brother, Thomson, and two parents. It seems both the father and mother are absent._
Observing the frame, memories of his own family flooded in, but he brushed them aside and stepped outside, calling out in search of the bathroom.
As he emerged from his room, his gaze instinctively turned left, revealing another room adjacent to his and a bathroom beyond. Determinedly, he headed for the bathroom.
Upon entering, he noted, "So, they share a bathroom." The cool atmosphere, array of toiletries, and a shower and bathtub caught his eye.
The bathtub was filled with water, the level reaching at the edge of the wall, triggering a subtle unease in his mind. To calm that feeling, he swiftly approached it and opened the drain, emptying every drop from within.
Then he proceeded to take a shower.
After his bath, Alex returned to his room, his eyes were drawn to the objects on the table. There, he spotted a container of pills alongside a glass of water.he picked up a note placed next to them.
\[This is a sleeping pill; take it at 10 PM.\]
As Alex held the note in his hands, a subtle sense of apprehension lingered.
_These pills show that Raser was suffering from severe insomnia. The mention of antidepressants previously meant he was also suffering from depression, but all of that contradicted Shilla's words about how his habit of helping everyone had led him to change. _
_Who would, in this state of mind, have time to help others? Isn't that normal in depression, and insomniac patients to be violent, aggressive, and frustrated?_
_I should go through his phone but before that._
He picks up a single medicine in a container; it is a white tablet. Holding it in his hand, he swallows it and then gulps down the water.
_That cast aside my worry about how I would sleep. I mean, who in his right mind would sleep after experiencing the transmigration and finding himself in a foreign body amid the people who are close to you but at the same time quite distant. It's a relief to have this pill_
_ I've written characters who reincarnate or go to another world, often thrusting them into fights, confrontations, or giving the MC a system. Yet, here, without any of those situations, I believe my approach is appropriate._Alex thought.
"Talking about the system, I should try again."
"- Strongest system."
Nothing in response.
"- Vampire system."
Same as before.
" Badass system."
He paused, reevaluating his next words. After a while, he uttered,
"Dual cultivating system.."
Figures, if I had that type of system, I would have gained some point when I fondled Anna.
He comes to the conclusion that he doesn't have any system.
Rather than repetiting his failed attempts, he retrieved his phone from his bag and then lunged onto the bed.
Thud...
First, he increased the volume and then pressed the power button..
"Ding..."
A notification sound echoed.