"May I ask you about my past life?" I asked, fixing my gaze upon her. Luna nodded; her expression serious yet thoughtful. "I haven't known you for long, but in the three years you've been with Mr. Park, I've learned quite a bit about you," she replied. Taking a moment to ponder, I decided to begin with the basics. "How old am I?" I asked directly, locking eyes with her. She furrowed her brow in concentration before responding, "I turned fifteen three months ago. You're about a year and a half younger than me, so you should be fourteen," She explained, meeting my gaze.
Satisfied with her answer, I wasted no time with the next question. "What's today's date?" Luna hesitated slightly before answering, "I'm not certain of the exact date, but it's December of 2014." Hearing her response, I rubbed my chin in thought. 'Back when I fell ill, it was July 5th, 2026, shortly after my birthday,' I mused, glancing downward.
"Can you tell me my exact birthday?" I inquired, fixing my gaze expectantly upon her. "It's March 3rd," she replied promptly. Ignoring her excitement and bright smile, I nodded thoughtfully, pondering the implications. 'My birthdate remains the same. The difference between the two dimensions lies in the presence of mana and the date is a little earlier in this dimension,' I reflected continuing to nod to myself.
Shifting gears to mana-related questions, I raised my head and posed the next question. "Could you tell me about mana and related concepts?" Luna nodded, folding her arms thoughtfully and resting her chin on her hand. "Mana is an energy form present in the atmosphere, utilized by humans and other beings for various purposes," she began. "It's most commonly used in mana power plants for electricity generation. Some can also harness it to enhance their combat abilities, or even cast spells by manipulating atmospheric mana through their mana channels," she explained, glancing at me to gauge my understanding.
While I had read about this online, her detailed explanation offered new insights. "When you mentioned 'other creatures,' what did you mean?" I probed further, maintaining the flow of the conversation. Luna nodded again, elaborating, "There are intelligent beings like vampires, elves, dwarfs, and demons who use mana. Even creatures like goblins and ghouls, while typically unintelligent, can evolve to possess human-like intelligence in rare cases," she clarified, turning her gaze toward me.
My eyes widened at the mention of vampires and elves. 'Vampires and elves are real in this world, what the—how can that even—" I thought unable to wrap my head around it. Sensing my surprise, Luna asked with a concerned yet expectant tone, "Are you alright? Did you remember something?" Composing myself, I inquired further, "Could you tell me more about these intelligent creatures?"
"Of course, they—" Luna began, but her explanation was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Come in," I called out, glancing towards the entrance. The door swung open, revealing a middle-aged man in an impeccable grey suit with dark brown hair, sporting a broad smile. "Ryan, my son! You're finally awake. I was so worried," he exclaimed warmly, striding towards me. He extended his hand to ruffle my hair gently and chuckling, "It's so good to see you like this."
'You've finally decided to make an appearance, you cunning old fox,' I thought with a faint smile. 'For now, it's best to observe.' Lost in my thoughts, I noticed Luna dispel the tension in the room by introducing him, "Mr. Song, this is the man I've mentioned, Mr. Park," she said, gesturing towards him. I caught a fleeting glimpse of an unusual expression on her face since his arrival but opted not to pry. I could ask her later.
Nodding in acknowledgment, I turned to John, who continued with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. He was the man that I hated to the core of my being. As I was thinking along those lines, "Dr. Hatori informed me of your condition. Now that you're awake, your memories will gradually return. There's no need to worry," he reassured me, his tone seemingly genuine.
'Your façade is convincing, but your emotions betray you,' I noted inwardly, nodding back with a seemingly sincere smile. 'If you're going to play a role, then I'll play along,' I thought hardening my resolve, and thanked him, "I appreciate your assistance, Mr. Park."
An awkward silence descended upon the room, prompting Luna to interject nervously, "I'll fetch some tea," before swiftly exiting. Seating himself in Luna's vacated chair, John faced me and inquired, "What's the last thing you remember?" I met his gaze evenly and replied, "I don't recall anything before waking up a few hours ago." A faint, eerie smile flitted across his face before vanishing as he asked, "You remember anything at all?"
"I've already told you, no," I responded, noting the subtle shifts in his expression. He shook his head, feigning sympathy, "It's alright. I'll fill you in on everything you need to know. You don't need to worry," he reassured, his smile widening.
'At least try to conceal your true feelings when you speak,' I chuckled inwardly, nodding with a seemingly earnest smile. Oblivious to my thoughts, John kept smiling. I stared directly into his eyes before I thought, 'If you insist on acting then that's exactly what you'll get.' Then I added, "Thank you. I appreciate your help, Mr. Park," 'You piece of shit,' keeping the last part to myself.