"What... What was that? Were those really my memories? Who was that female knight?"
Countless questions flooded Jin's mind, but no answers surfaced. He collapsed to the ground, his expression marked by grief and sorrow.
"Why... Why did she save me? And who was she calling 'my lady'? Was she referring to my mother?"
Yet, as far as Jin knew, his mother had never been of noble birth.
Desperate for answers, Jin summoned Cube, demanding, "How can I obtain more memory fragments?"
"Master can acquire memory fragments by completing special tasks," Cube replied.
"What special tasks?" Jin pressed.
"They will be revealed when the time comes."
Frustrated, Jin lay back on the ground, his mind churning with questions. Silently, he waited for the dawn to break once more.
***********
Jay slapped his face gently, standing before the large mirror in his bathroom.
The mirror, mounted above a spacious sink, dominated the room. On the countertop sat a small cup holding his toothbrush and a tube of herbal toothpaste. Jay had always been wary of products laden with chemicals, preferring natural alternatives for their gentler effects on the body.
Next to the cup was his herbal face wash, positioned neatly beside an oversized towel draped over a nearby towel rack.
His dark brown eyes stared at his sunken face and the deep, shadowed circles beneath them.
He bit his lip hard enough to draw blood, whispering softly to himself,
"Please... get out of my body. Don't make me hurt anyone else—I beg you."
He splashed his face with cold water, quickly grabbing the towel and pressing it firmly against his skin.
After rubbing his face dry, he lowered the towel. The sorrowful expression had vanished, replaced with a focused, confident look.
He picked up Mr. Hank's black round sunglasses, putting them on with a faint, concealed smile.
"Alright… time to train."
********
Jay descended from the second floor to the first, making his way to the dining hall. He touched his stomach with a small smile.
"What's for breakfast today?"
Jay had grown quite fond of the food here; mealtime always lifted his spirits.
When he arrived, the dining table was already set, each dish beautifully arranged before anyone had even entered. Yet, the most intriguing part was that, no matter how much time passed, the food always remained hot and fresh.
Once, to test this, Jay had taken his meal to his room and left it untouched for hours. Sure enough, when he finally tried it, the food was still fresh—and, remarkably, still warm.
Deciding not to dwell on what he couldn't explain, Jay focused instead on enjoying the delicious meal he got everyday.
Just before Jay could reach for the food, he noticed Luke eating his breakfast with a refined elegance.
Luke projected the image of a dignified young nobleman, a white cloth tucked neatly at his neck as he used an array of utensils—three different types of spoons and forks—for his meal.
Jay had been observing him for some time now, growing more certain that Luke came from noble heritage.
Noticing Jay standing nearby, Luke looked up. "Good morning," he greeted politely, though he didn't rise to formally acknowledge him, which was understandable since Jay was, after all, a commoner.
"Oh, um... yes, good morning to you too," Jay replied, a bit flustered as he admired Luke's noble demeanor.
"And good morning to you too."
Then, with a more formal gesture, Luke greeted again. This time, he stood, leaning slightly as he placed his left hand behind his back and his right hand over his chest, his right leg extended forward in a subtle bow.
Jay realized that Luke's greeting wasn't directed at him. Turning around, he saw Jin standing behind him, looking tired and distracted.
Jin moved to the dining table and took a seat.
"Yeah, morning."
He replied, his gaze drifting as though searching for something.
Luke sipped his black, unsweetened coffee and raised an eyebrow.
"Rough night? Didn't sleep?"
Jin shrugged. "Nah, I don't sleep much any night."
After spending all night frustrated, Jin's last night emotions seemed muted; there was little trace of the tension and rage in his expression.
"How about a cup of coffee?" Luke offered.
"I'm not much for coffee, I prefer tea."
Luke gave him a quizzical look.
"Of course, you don't appreciate the sophistication of coffee—the rich aroma, the exclusive refinement."
"Say what you will, but I'll take tea over coffee any day,"
Jin replied, reaching for the teapot on the table. He poured himself a cup, adding milk and sugar.
"Milk and sugar… no sense of refinement," Luke muttered to himself as he took another sip of his coffee.
Jay stood there, bewildered, unable to follow the exchange. Coming from a modest background, such luxuries were rare for him, something he'd only tasted once or twice a year.
He remembered the last cup of coffee he'd had—given to him by Mr. Hank before his final mission. Since Mr. Hank's passing, Jay hadn't touched coffee, and he doubted he ever would again.
Jay took a seat beside Luke, arranging a variety of food on his plate.
Today's spread included scrambled eggs, an assortment of three different breads, cheese slices, jams, and peanut butter. There was also a buttery omelet, several types of soups, and a selection of fresh fruit—sliced apples, oranges, and grapes arranged beautifully on a platter. A bowl of yogurt with a side of granola and honey added a lighter option.
For drinks, there were several choices: freshly squeezed fruit juices, milk, and, of course, both tea and coffee. Additionally, there was a pot of herbal tea and a carafe of iced coffee for those who preferred a cooler option.
The breakfast table was a feast, offering a wide range of flavors to suit every taste.
Filling his plate to the brim, Jay happily dug into his food, a big smile on his face.
"By the way, isn't today the day your training begins?"
Luke asked, wiping his mouth with the napkin tucked at his neck.
"Training?"
Jin looked confused. Having been unconscious for several days, he hadn't heard anything about it.
'They haven't started training yet?'
"Yeah, it's today!"
Jay confirmed enthusiastically, speaking with his mouth full.
"Please, chew first," Luke sighed, eyeing him with mild annoyance.
"Uh… sorry,"
Jay mumbled, swallowing quickly.
"Why did they wait so long to begin?" Jin asked.
"Lord Albedo wanted to give you time to settle in first," Luke replied.
Jin studied Luke for a moment, noticing the scarf he habitually wore around his neck.
"You're demon-possessed, right? So, what kind of contract did you make?"
Luke's eyes widened, and he bit his lip.
"That's none of your concern."
He said tersely, standing up abruptly and leaving the dining hall.
"Did I say something wrong?" Jin asked, puzzled.
"No, you didn't."
A calm voice came from behind—it was Albedo.
Noticing him, Jay immediately stood and knelt.
"Good morning, my lord."
"No need for that," Albedo said, gesturing for him to rise.
"As for Luke, he doesn't like discussing his demon contract."
Curious, Jin asked, "So, what kind of contract does he have?"
Albedo gave him a thoughtful look.
"Why not use your unique skill to see for yourself?"
"My unique skill can do that?"
Jin asked with a unnatural surprised and eager.
'Come to think of it, I should be able to see everything that's hidden from my own eyes.'
He wondered about the depth of his unknown abilities, a flicker of excitement growing within him.
"By the way, I came here to introduce someone to you both."
Albedo gestured dramatically toward the entrance of the dining hall.
"Allow me to present… the one and only Mira!"
'What a dramatic entrance.'
A young woman with dark skin and short burgundy hair stepped in, her expression showing only mild interest.
"Yeah, yeah, hello. I'm here to teach you kids about spiritual energy control… what a pain."
Jin stared at her, recognizing her instantly.
'Isn't she the woman from last night?'
She looked directly at him.
"Ah, we meet again."
"Yes, hello," Jin replied, slightly taken aback.
Jay leaned in and whispered, "Hey, Jin, don't you think she seems a bit young for this?"
Mira's gaze shot over to him.
"What was that? Got a problem with that, kid?"
In an instant, she released a fraction of her aura. The pressure crashed down on Jin and Jay, making Jay struggle to breathe. Jin, however, continued sitting comfortably, sipping his tea.
[Trait: Null All]
[Trait: Adaptation]
Jay, straining under the weight of the aura, felt his knees start to buckle as he tried to steady his breathing. Meanwhile, Jin seemed entirely unaffected, watching the scene with calm detachment.
'Not bad,' Mira thought, slightly impressed. 'He's handling my aura at Level 1.'
Though she hadn't unleashed her full aura—doing so might've incapacitated them both—she was still surprised that Jin had not even flinched under the pressure.
'He's to be expected, but that skinny kid hasn't blacked out yet either… They're both monsters.'
Satisfied with their reaction, Mira released her aura, allowing Jay to take a few much-needed breaths.
"Wh-What was that?! I thought I was going to die!"
"Hahaha…" she laughed heartily.
"Hey, kid on the ground! Come with me; your training begins now."
She grabbed Jay by the head and began to drag him out.
As she pulled him along, Jay pleaded with Jin for help, but Jin averted his gaze, unwilling to provoke her.
"Rest in peace,"
Jin muttered, half-jokingly, as he watched Jay's fate unfold.
"And as for you," Albedo said with his usual smile, "I'll be the one teaching you."