Chapter 47 - Clementina Medici

Chapter 47: Clementina MediciAs the first light of morning crept through the curtains, Sevi stirred awake. Blinking, he sat up and glanced around the room. He noticed Noemi already awake, sitting by the window with her arms crossed. She seemed lost in thought, her sharp gaze occasionally flicking over to Carla, who was still unconscious on the bed.Sevi quietly stood, stretching his stiff limbs. "Morning," he said softly"Morning," Noemi turned her head toward him, offering a small nod. They both looked at Carla. Though her breathing was steady, there was no sign she would wake anytime soon.Noemi broke the silence. "She's stable for now, but there's no telling when she'll come around. Someone needs to be here when she does."Sevi nodded in agreement. "I'll stay with her. You have done enough already."Noemi raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. "Fine. But we can't all just not attend class today. If we're all absent, it will raise questions, considering yesterday's events.""You're right," Sevi admitted. "You should go. Attend class and keep up appearances."Noemi stood, brushing off her skirt and straightening her posture." I'll head back to my dorm to clean up before class. If anything changes with her condition, contact me immediately."Sevi gave a reassuring nod. "Sure, I've got this."Noemi paused briefly, "Keep an eye on her, Sevi. And don't do anything reckless.""Reckless? Me?" Sevi replied with a faint grin, trying to lighten the mood.Noemi rolled her eyes but smirked. "Exactly my point." With that, she grabbed her belongings and slipped out of the room, leaving Sevi alone to tend to Carla.As Sevi turned back to watch over Carla, a small yellow exclamation icon blinked in the corner of his vision. 'Oh?'Curious, he mentally clicked it, and a transparent tab appeared before him.[Side Mission: Midnight Spy is Completed!][Noemi's favorability has increased!][Noemi's favorability: 33 --> 36][New Skill Learned!]'What's the new skill?' he thought. Almost immediately, another notification appeared.[Blink Step (F): A speed-enhancement skill that allows the user to move at blinding speeds for short bursts, creating the illusion of teleportation. This ability requires high agility and precise control to execute effectively.]"Blink Step... It's not actual teleportation, but it's close. Speed like that could be a game-changer," he muttered.With this skill, he could outmaneuver enemies, dodge attacks, or close gaps in combat with unprecedented swiftness. But the note about requiring high agility made him pause.'This isn't going to be easy to master,' he realized, glancing down at his hands. His current agility was decent, but this skill demanded precision, and endurance.'I'll work on this ability. I'll get stronger, faster, and more reliable.' Sevi vowed silently. Sevi's thoughts were interrupted by a faint sound, a soft groan from the bed. His eyes darted to Carla, whose eyelids fluttered open, revealing vibrant, piercing orange eyes that matched her newly transformed features."W-Where... am I?" Carla murmured weakly, her voice hoarse but steady enough to indicate she was regaining consciousness."You're safe," Sevi said quickly, moving closer to her bedside. He tried to keep his tone calm and reassuring, though his mind buzzed with questions.Carla blinked a few times, her gaze shifting around the unfamiliar room before settling on Sevi. "You..." she began, her brow furrowing slightly as she tried to piece together her memories."You collapsed in the forest," Sevi explained gently. "We brought you here to recover."Her eyes flickered with recognition and then alarm as the memories of the Red Crescent's ambush flooded back. She struggled to sit up, but Sevi placed a firm yet gentle hand on her shoulder."Don't push yourself," he urged. "You're still weak."Carla hesitated, her breathing shallow as she processed his words. "Did they—?""They didn't follow us," Sevi assured her."You're safe for now."Carla relaxed slightly but looked away, her expression thoughtful. After a moment, she spoke, "I... remember someone carrying me. It wasn't you, was it?"Sevi hesitated, scratching the back of his neck. "No, it wasn't me," he admitted with a faint smile. "That was Noemi. She's the one who got us both out of there."Carla's eyes widened slightly in recognition as Sevi mentioned Noemi's name. A moment of silence passed before Carla spoke again."Thank you, Sevi... for helping me." she said with sincerity.Sevi nodded, giving her a reassuring smile. "No need to thank me."Then, Sevi carefully reached for a small mirror from the table beside the bed and held it out to her."Look," Sevi said gently, "I think you should see this."Carla looked at him, confused at first, but then she took the mirror. Her hand trembled slightly as she held it in front of her face. She froze as she took in the reflection, the face staring back at her wasn't the one she had become accustomed to. It was the face of someone uniquely beautiful, and unmistakably different from the one she had been using."The potion already lost it's effect huh," Carla muttered, low enough for Sevi to hear it.Her hair, now a deep red, fell in waves, and her features radiated with nobility and grace. It was as if she had transformed into someone entirely new. Carla's breath caught in her throat, and she lowered the mirror slowly.Sevi watched her carefully, his voice steady yet curious. "Who are you, really?"Carla's expression shifted from shock to contemplation. She stared at her hands, her eyes narrowing slightly as she thought deeply. There was a pause, long enough for Sevi to wonder if she would even answer.Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Carla spoke quietly, her voice tinged with something almost resigned. "I'm Clementina Medici... the only daughter of the Duke of South. The House Medici."[Clementina's favorability has been unlocked!][Clementina's favorability has greatly increased!][Clementina's favorability: ??? --> 10/100]========================