The girl moved quietly and sitting beside Aedan on the edge of the bed. Her presence was calm, gentle, and Aedan couldn't help but notice the light scent that wafted from her, something sweet and clean like fresh flowers. Hefound himself mesmerized by the warmth of her smile, but then quickly snapped his thoughts back to the more pressing matter."Am I in the village?" Aedan asked.The girl nodded, still smiling as she leaned forward slightly to inspect the bandages on his leg. "Yes, you made it just outside the village before you collapsed. Someone found you and brought you here."Her fingers grazed his bandaged leg, checking the wound with care. Aedan flinched at her touch but she was gentle and her expression remained calm. She had an air of confidence despite her youth."You were hurt," she continued, her eyes briefly meeting his, "but it's not too bad. The bleeding has stopped, and I cleaned the wound. You'll be okay in a few or hourse if you rest."Aedan exhaled slowly, feeling a sense of relief, but it was short-lived. His thoughts drifted back to the academy, to the fight with Darian, and to the dangerous situation he'd put himself in."Something happen at the academy?" she asked, her tone curious but without judgment. Her gaze was soft, filled with genuine concern as she watched his reaction.Aedan hesitated. He didn't know how much he could reveal to a complete stranger but the weight of everything that had happened pressed heavily on his mind. His hand unconsciously drifted to the empty space beside him, where the weapon had been, but it was gone now, likely taken by whoever had found him.His heart skipped a beat. Where was it? Was it safe?"I... I got into trouble," Aedan said carefully, trying to gauge her reaction. "With some students at the academy."The girl raised an eyebrow but didn't push for more details. Instead, she sat back slightly, still keeping her calm demeanor."I figured. The way you were running, and with those wounds... it seemed like something serious. But you're safe now."Aedan nodded, though his mind was still racing. He couldn't stay here forever. Darian and the academy would come looking for him, and if they found him... He shuddered at the thought. Beside, he can't really trust the people here, or this girl.The girl must have sensed his unease because she placed a reassuring hand on his arm. "Don't worry. No one here knows anything about what happened. You're safe for now."For a brief moment, Aedan let himself relax. But deep down he knew this was only temporary. He still didn't fully understand the weapon he had stumbled upon. He needed to figure things out, fast."Thank you," he said quietly, glancing up at her.The girl smiled again, a soft blush tinting her cheeks. "You should rest for now. We'll talk more when you're feeling better."She rose from the bed gracefully, her petite figure moving toward the door. Just before she stepped out, she glanced back at him."I'm Lira, by the way," she said. "If you need anything, just call for me. Oh, and your... I don't know what is it, but the thing you brought with you are in that table over there."Aedan watched as she disappeared from the room, leaving him alone with his thoughts. As the door closed, he let out a long breath, sinking back into the bed."Lira..." he murmured. Then he remembered.The weapon.Without wasting another second, he pushed himself up, wincing as he feel pain in his leg. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to stand.He limped over to the small wooden table on the other side of the room. There was the object that had changed everything.Aedan hesitated for a second, glancing toward the door, hoping Lira — or whoever brought him here — hadn't paid too much attention to it. The last thing he needed was someone asking questions.He pushed those worries aside and picked up the gun.It wasn't like anything from this world. No runes, no sigils, no magical markings of any kind. Just pure, strange technology.With focused eyes, Aedan examined it closely, running his fingers over its smooth surface. He traced the barrel, noticing the intricate precision in its construction. There was something almost elegant about it, despite its obvious purpose, which is to put a new whole in someone's body.After a few moments of studying, Aedan's curiosity got the better of him. He needed to understand how this thing worked. Slowly, he started searching for a way to take it apart. His hands moved carefully, almost instinctively, as though something in the back of his mind knew what to do.He turned the gun over in his hands, finding small screws and latches. His fingers worked with a steady motion, trying to disassemble the weapon without damaging it. The fear that it could explode crossed his mind, reminding him of magical artifacts and how they tended to react violently when tampered with.But this wasn't magic. This was something else entirely. Hopefully its not going to blow his face up.After a few tense minutes, he managed to separate the main components of the weapon. The barrel, the grip and the rectangular object inside it, the trigger mechanism, all came apart neatly. As he placed the pieces on the table, he found himself studying each one with a mix of fascination and caution.Then, he noticed something strange.The small box made of shiny, polished metal from inside the grip. He turned it over in his hand and when he pushed on one end, a series of small, metallic objects slid out. They were cylindrical, with a rounded top and a hollow base."This is the material that came out of this thing..."Aedan frowned as he examined one more closely. It was made entirely of metal. No magical inscription, no energy signature. Just pure, cold steel.It was odd to him. Weapons in the academy and this world always relied on magic in some form, whether through enchanted blades, rune-inscribed staffs, or even arrows infused with elemental energy.But these thing? They were purely mechanical, designed to kill without any magic involved. The idea fascinated and disturbed him at the same time.He placed the bullet back into the box, then turned his attention back to the weapon. His fingers traced over the firing mechanism, the precision of its design astonishing.Aedan found himself lost in thought. This weapon could do incredible things, and yet, it felt so foreign in his hands.Aedan carefully held one of the cylindrical thhing in his hand. The smooth metallic casing was cool to the touch, and though it was small, he could feel the weight of its purpose.Turning it over in his fingers, he decided to go further. With cautious precision, he inspected the top, noticing a small groove that seemed to twist the two parts of the bullet together.Slowly, he twisted the two halves apart. The top of the bullet separated from the base, revealing a small space inside. His saw a dark, granular substance packed within the casing.Aedan gently scraped a bit of the substance out with his fingertip. The powder felt coarse but delicate, like tiny grains of sand. He held it up to his nose, intrigued by its unfamiliarity and cautiously inhaled.The smell hit him immediately—a sharp, acrid scent, almost like burnt metal mixed with sulfur. It wasn't pleasant but it was powerful.Aedan blinked, pulling back slightly, his mind racing. This strange black powder was the key. It wasn't magic, but it had the potential to unleash destruction.He rubbed the substance between his fingers, feeling its texture, trying to understand it. How could something so simple hold so much power?Closing the bullet back up, Aedan set it down on the table. His thoughts were heavy with possibilities.He assemble the weapon back and in a matter of minutess the weapon was whole again, Aedan carefully placed it back on the table then sitting down on the edge of the bed. His mind was racing with plans, ideas."I have to make one of that with my own hands."---